JOEL GOES CRUISIN' AND DESCRIBIN' again . . .

For 11 days at the end of January 2008, I cruised the Caribbean aboard Royal Caribbean's "Brilliance of the Seas." I flew to Miami where the 1000-foot ocean liner embarked on a cruise of such choice locations as Haiti, Aruba, Curacao, Cartegena (in Colombia) and a real treat--the Panama Canal.

My Audio Description Associates periodically provides describers for cruise excursions--this time Marlaina Lieberg requested description services so I sent myself (I've known Marlaina and her husband Gary for many years). Highlights of the cruise included Marlaina performing Karaoke with lyrics "described" to her via an FM transmitter and receiver; Marlaina working with Royal Caribbean to improve its Braille menus; bartering with Haitian flea marketers; the "Murder Mystery Theater," the Jewish Heritage Tour and shopping in Curacao (jewelry stores confusing "Braille" watches with "Breil", a fancy Italian brand); The Butterfly Farm and Le Petit Cafe in Aruba; traversing the Panama Canal and eco-cruising the Gatun Lake; and touring Cartegena, Columbia.

The overall itinerary:

MON 01/21/08 MIAMI, FL

TUE 01/22/08 CRUISING

WED 01/23/08 LABADEE, HAITI

THU 01/24/08 CRUISING

FRI 01/25/08 CURACAO

SAT 01/26/08 ARUBA

SUN 01/27/08 CRUISING

MON 01/28/08 PANAMA

TUE 01/29/08 CARTEGENA

WED 1/30/08 CRUISING

THU 1/31/08 CRUISING

FRI 02/01/08 MIAMI, FL