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Cruising for us is a passion. We anxiously await our cruise each year.
This was our fourth sailing on the Mariner of the Seas. We love to come
back because it is a beautiful ship (or big boat as Charlie as ship doesn't
sound right ;D ) and because the crew welcomes us back each time acknowledging
our previous visits. The ship really has become a home away from home so
while on board we decided to book one last cruise in December of 2008 just weeks
before her move to the west coast.
Day 1 - Port Canaveral, Florida
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25 November 2007 |
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The elevator floors are always nice enough to remind you of the day of the week. |
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25 November 2007 |
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Flowers that David and Charlie got Francesca for her birthday |
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25 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie in the cabin |
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25 November 2007 |
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Francesca and Charlie in the cabin |
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25 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie on our balcony as we departed Port Canaveral |
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25 November 2007 |
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Parade photos.... |
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25 November 2007 |
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I thought this costume was cool |
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25 November 2007 |
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And who doesn't love a seahorse? |
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25 November 2007 |
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And don't forget the mermaids |
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Day 2 - Cococay, Bahamas
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26 November 2007 |
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Monday already.. |
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26 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie on the playmat at the daily playgroup for toddlers |
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26 November 2007 |
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Charlie checking out the view |
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26 November 2007 |
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We have 2 cruise photo traditions... one is a photo of David and Charlie at one of the ship life preservers |
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26 November 2007 |
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While we were at it we got one of Charlie and Francesca too! |
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26 November 2007 |
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Charlie and Francesca on the mini golf course |
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26 November 2007 |
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Francesca putting |
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26 November 2007 |
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Charlie's turn |
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26 November 2007 |
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Charlie really loved this |
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26 November 2007 |
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David's turn |
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26 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie taking a break for a photo |
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26 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie at lunch in the dining room |
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26 November 2007 |
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The unlit dining room Christmas tree |
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Day 3 - At Sea
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27 November 2007 |
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Yet another day has come and gone |
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27 November 2007 |
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Charlie playing |
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27 November 2007 |
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And can't forget checking out the view |
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27 November 2007 |
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Our Cruise Critic Meet & Mingle party |
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27 November 2007 |
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We exchanged brown bags that represented something about the giver of the bag. |
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27 November 2007 |
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This was one of the recipients of Francesca's watercolors of the Ponce Inlet lighthouse |
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27 November 2007 |
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More chat chatting.. it was nice to put faces to the various posters |
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27 November 2007 |
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Charlie made friends with Kailyn, the 11 year old girl we were fortunate enough to have among our tablemates. We both agree it was the best table we've had. |
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27 November 2007 |
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That's Sanjeev, our waiter |
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27 November 2007 |
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We did babysitting that night and it was disco dancing on the promenade. |
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27 November 2007 |
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A mass of people showed up to have some fun |
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27 November 2007 |
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We ran into our Meet & Mingle friends Katie and Robert |
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27 November 2007 |
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The cruise director Drew took Francesca by the hand and danced a bit with her |
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Day 4 - St Thomas
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28 November 2007 |
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Wednesday...how the time flies. I will say we had a first that day. We found an elevator that was still showing Tuesday and did photograph it. |
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28 November 2007 |
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Charlie actually slept in that morning. |
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28 November 2007 |
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Views of St Thomas |
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28 November 2007 |
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I would hate to stay at the Marriot in this photo as I would rather be on the ships I was seeing sitting at the pier |
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28 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie with St Thomas in the background |
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28 November 2007 |
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Francesca and Charlie with St Thomas in the background |
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28 November 2007 |
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Our room attendant couldn't find a child life jacket in the early part of the week (had there been an emergency they have them stored near the lifeboats) so we couldn't get our traditional Francesca-Charlie life jacket photo so we did it that day while sitting in port |
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28 November 2007 |
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We hadn't dined at Chops since our cruise on the Voyager. We've tried but reservations fill quickly. This time we succeeded. It was all delicious!! |
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28 November 2007 |
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This was just a cool angle from the front doors of the Savoy theater looking up toward deck 4 and on to 5 above that |
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Day 5 - St Maarten
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29 November 2007 |
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Over halfway through the week now at the last port. The excitement that day was that an earthquake occured about 200 miles away and was felt on the island. David commented on there being more motion that usual while docked only later to hear it was the quake |
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29 November 2007 |
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Francesca started the day at 8 am with a deep tissue massage |
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29 November 2007 |
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The sign over the pool deck |
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29 November 2007 |
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A very empty pool deck |
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29 November 2007 |
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The harbor was a bit hazy as they were burning something in town that was releasing a lot of smoke |
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29 November 2007 |
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We usually cruise for the ship due to accessibilty concerns on the islands but St Maarten is a serious temptation. Maybe next year when we're back! |
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29 November 2007 |
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A very cool shot in which the glass of the Viking Crown Lounge on deck 14 is reflecting both the pool deck and the island |
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29 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie with St Maarten in the background |
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29 November 2007 |
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Francesca and Charlie with St Maarten in the background |
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29 November 2007 |
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David and Charlie playing a round of mini golf at sunset |
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29 November 2007 |
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Our towel elephant |
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29 November 2007 |
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Charlie cracked us up that night. He tucked himself into our bed and said, "Night night. Go!" before Dunya from Costa Rica even arrived |
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29 November 2007 |
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Some of the decorative art in the Lotus Lounge |
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29 November 2007 |
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The features in the room really are beautiful |
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29 November 2007 |
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That night was Quest. I will say no more than it is an adult scavenger hunt and very funny. Our Meet & Mingle friends Katie, Annie and Janny (I'm horrible with names! :( ) sat with us with Glen standing behind us |
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Day 6 - At Sea
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30 November 2007 |
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Friday already.. boo hiss! |
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30 November 2007 |
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Charlie and David playing at playgroup |
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30 November 2007 |
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Charlie is loving building blocks right now so he loved the blocks |
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30 November 2007 |
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Charlie really did love his time at the playgroup. Next time it will be Adventure Ocean |
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30 November 2007 |
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The ice show! One of the coolest things RCCL has is an ice rink at sea |
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30 November 2007 |
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They have a professional ice cast that puts on a beautiful show |
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30 November 2007 |
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Charlie was very into it especially through the early part of the show. We almost missed it because he was refusing to put on his suit as the show was folled by a formal dinner |
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30 November 2007 |
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The show includes segments such as this where skaters are being twirled hanging from the ceiling |
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30 November 2007 |
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They do a clown segment in which they allow a few kids to ride in a train that the ice refinisher pulls around |
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30 November 2007 |
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This guy was a special performer who was not part of every show. He road around the ice rolling in a metal ring at all sorts of angles |
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30 November 2007 |
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I give so much credit to these skaters because they do jumps in which they don't know where the floor will be due to the rocking of the ship |
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30 November 2007 |
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It has always been a favorite part of the cruise and this time I tried to capture some decent photos for my scrapbook even though I couldn't use my flash |
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30 November 2007 |
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The cast taking their bows |
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30 November 2007 |
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Our cruise director Drew coming out to tell us of the rest of the night's activities |
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30 November 2007 |
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The christmas tree in the dining room lit |
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30 November 2007 |
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This night we were greeted by our towel monkey hanging in the center of our cabin |
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Day 7 - At Sea
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1 December 2007 |
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The last full day... we did take the oportunity that day to book that cruise for December of 2008 |
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1 December 2007 |
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Every week at the end the captain and his divsion heads answer questions from the passengers. Captain Johnny amused us all wearing a green and red sock on his feet like the channel markers |
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1 December 2007 |
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One of favorites.. the greeter at the Windjammer. We'll see if she is there next year |
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1 December 2007 |
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We finally bought the captain's book which was written around 5 years ago. He was kind enough to let us get a picture with him |
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1 December 2007 |
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Charlie and our headwaiter. He never interacted much with us but our table ran smoothly so he did his job well |
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1 December 2007 |
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We were surprised when the waiters came out and sang "Happy Birthday" to Francesca and the 5 year old at our table who share the same birthdate |
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1 December 2007 |
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Our waitstaff Sanjeev and his assistant Alfay with our tablemate's kids |
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1 December 2007 |
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The last parade |
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1 December 2007 |
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Charlie was fast asleep so David went alone |
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1 December 2007 |
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There's Justin of the cruise staff |
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1 December 2007 |
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And I do believe this is Simeon |
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Professional Photography
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