I did it again, another quilting cruise

January 26, saw me and my friend Jan flying to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida.
We boarded the Noordam on Monday morning for an 11 day quilters cruise to the Caribbean.

In St Lucia, we got the chance to visit Caribelle, which is a Batik factory. Everyone that went had a great time checking out all the beautiful batik products.

We sailed to another part of the island to see the Pitons, and pick up some of our passengers that had traveled there earlier that morning.

The Ryndam had also been the harbor that day, and they too sailed to the Pitons to pickup passengers.
We had to anchor off shore, as there is no deep harbor to accommodate the ships.  Both ships lowered  life boats  to sail in and pick up the passengers.  We were able to stand on the bow of the ship and watch the happenings.
It was just a little windy.

There was a small quilting store, and plenty of machines for all our machine stewing.
Here are Fay and Margaret working on their purses during an open sew.

This was one class by Sue Nichols, free motion quilting of an 18 inch square and it makes into this cute purse.
Sue had kits made up for us, ready to sew.

My favorite saying!

Holland America is having a Dancing with the Stars contest between passengers and the  dancers of their show. Now that was fun to watch.  There were a couple of hot passengers.

We visited Dominica, a first for me.

Saw waterfalls. This is the Trafalger Falls.  What a hike back in the forest to see them.

Bougainvillea in a beautiful array of colors.

Here are Fay's pineapple blocks.

Big stitch with Gyleen X. Fitzgerald

Jan, my friend, took a class with Paula Nadelstern

Here they are, our teachers, from left to right.
Gyleen X. Fitzgerald, Paula Nadelstern, Sue Nichols, and Mary Sorensen.

Here is what I am working on in my class with Gyleen.

We stopped in Bathsheba, on Barbados.
Doesn't it look like a women's head looking at something  while laying in the water?

So many miles away is Chicago!  Did I miss the cold weather, not on your life!

It says it all.

Here are my table mates, from left to right.
Jan, (my sailing partner), Fay, Carol, Barb, Margaret and myself.
Our table was voted the loudest for laughter.

And of course food, fit for a queen!

We had a wonderful time, learned lots of new things and met some fun and friendly ladies.
Our classes were fabulous, and of course the teachers were the greatest.
Our days on the islands warm and fun.

We had 59 persons registered for the quilters. (That does include several persons that are non-quilters.)
Quilters came from as far away as Alaska, as close as Florida, and many in between.
We had a wonderful time thanks to our hostess, Amy and Kim, of Quilt Seminars at Sea.
If you every get a chance to take on of their cruises, I highly recommend it.

Have a great rest of the week, and be sure to check out the last hop that Mdm Samm has put together.
Mary