Author Archives: LBcruiseshipblogger

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About LBcruiseshipblogger

MyCruiseStories blog tells stories about adventures in cruising on ships big and small. Things to do onboard and in port. Anything connected to cruising. Also food, travel, recipes, towel animals, and the occasional random blog.

Parks of the San Juan Islands

Posted on July 9, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

Marine and state parks dot Washington State’s San Juan Islands. Some small islands are entirely state parks. Other state parks are a small portion of a larger island. Some are historic parks. Parks on the bigger islands are generally accessible … Continue reading →

Posted in USA, Washington | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

Gluten Free Molasses Cookies

Posted on July 2, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

These gluten free molasses cookies taste just like the old fashioned molasses cookies I remember my mother making when I was a child even though most of the ingredients in this recipe of my own invention aren’t the same – … Continue reading →

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3 Island Tour in Venice

Posted on June 25, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

We spent three days in Venice prior to boarding the MSC Lirica. We had enough time to wander around and see things, and to take a gondola ride. On our last full day in Venice we booked a 3 island … Continue reading →

Posted in Day Trips, Europe, Lirica, MSC, Port Cities | Tagged , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

The Great Wall of China

Posted on June 18, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

Considering the distance from Tianjin port to Beijing, we booked a ship’s excursion to see the Great Wall. This all-day excursion started with a visit to the Summer Palace with a lunch stop at a jade factory between there and … Continue reading →

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Aqaba, Jordan Cruise Port

Posted on June 11, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

AQABA, JORDAN Aqaba is Jordan’s only seaport and the largest city in the Gulf of Aqaba in the Red Sea. It is a free-trade zone with lower taxes than the rest of the country. People from elsewhere in Jordan don’t … Continue reading →

Posted in Lirica, Middle East, MSC, Port Cities, Ports of Call | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cabins at Decatur Head

Posted on June 4, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

Decatur Island is a private island in Washington State’s San Juan Islands. There isn’t much public land, but it does have a public boat ramp and the beaches are mostly state property. There isn’t much access for anyone who isn’t … Continue reading →

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Seabrook

Posted on May 28, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

Years ago while my kids were growing up, we used to take our horses to the ocean every summer. We stayed in Ocean City at a little RV park about a block from the ocean. Up a very small hill … Continue reading →

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A Couple Days in Vancouver

Posted on May 21, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

VANCOUVER BC Vancouver BC has a popular cruise ship port with ships sailing mainly to Alaska docking there throughout the season. The port, called Canada Place, is a tourist attraction in itself as well as a cruise port. It’s also … Continue reading →

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Coral Beach in Eilat, Israel

Posted on May 14, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

Eilat Isreal sits at the edge of the Negev desert, directly across an inlet from Aqaba, Jordan. MSC Lirica docked in the port next to giant cranes used for unloading the container ships that usually dock there. The port’s parking … Continue reading →

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Decatur Head

Posted on May 7, 2021 by LBcruiseshipblogger

Decatur Head sits on the east side of Decatur Island, connected to the main island by a gravel road and a stretch of beach, which makes it a tombolo. Its rocky hill rises about 200 feet above sea level. James … Continue reading →

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