Cozumel, Mexico - New Orleans and NCL Escape - December 4, 2025

Today was our last port day.  We stopped in Cozumel, Mexico.  We docked quite early and the Enchantment of the Seas was already docked next to us by the time I got out on deck.  She is such a small ship compared to mine although the Escape isn't even in the same category of the largest cruise ships.

I had an excursion called Salsa & Salsa where we learned to make five different salsas, two different margaritas, and then dance the salsa.  It was a lot of fun and when it came time to the salsa dancing, I got paired up with one of the male guides who knew what he was doing and we danced quite well together.  We got an award for something, maybe most original.  I don't remember.  They took photos during the event including of those who won awards and said they would be posting them on Facebook but I haven't found their Facebook page yet.

I thought a salsa excursion demanded a flowery, flowing dress.

a red salsa

a green salsa

guacamole

a fresh tropical salsa and pico de gallo

After the excursion, I walked outside the port a little bit along the water to capture some nice ship photos.

Christmas in Cozumel

Back on the ship, I rehydrated and spent some time in the thermal suite.  Then around 4:00 p.m., I showered, dressed for dinner, and went to the Sail and Sustain Bar for a drink as we sailed away and watched sunset.  I ran into a couple women I had met there the day or so before.  I really enjoyed chatting with them until they headed off to dinner.  

And I ordered the last drink on that bar's menu that I had yet to try, the Watermelon Twist.  Every one of the drinks at that bar, I have really enjoyed, and although I order the Primadona the most often, I'm not sure I truly have a favorite.

Then I wandered back to the photo gallery which was open by that time.  Early in the week I had some photos taken that turned out really well.  And then this morning I had taken one more on the pier in Cozumel that I didn't expect to turn out great because it was with a man in traditional Mayan costume so a bit gimmicky.  I had been hoping for the ship or some other more natural background as I was dressed in my floral dress for the salsa excursion.  But they had two photographers taking photos at the same time and the second one captured a closeup of just me that took my breath away when I saw it.

So I asked for that same woman (Mesani was maybe her name, something like that) who I had chatted with the day before about my camera.  She had shared with me the three photo deal that came with frames and a digital copy and with my Latitude discount, it brought it down to what I had originally expected to pay for just two photos (without frames).  

So without further ado, here are the three photos I bought that really capture the joy, spunk, and calm I have rediscovered in myself this past year.

After making my photo purchases, I walked through the watch shop and chatted with the clerk a bit.  There is a Longine that is just gorgeous, silver with a bright pink face but that brand is not in my price range at this time.  It must be the in style now as I noticed Tag Heuer has a similar color combination that is equally as gorgeous and equally out of my budget. 

Then I stopped at The Cellars Wine Bar where I met up with the man I had dinner with the night before.  We had dinner together in Taste and then came back to the Sail and Sustain Bar for a drink before we went separate ways for the night.  At dinner there was an excellent chicken and seafood paella and we had a window seat with a view of the moon's reflection on the water - it was too high in the sky to see the actual moon from our seats.  I understand tonight was the last supermoon of 2025 which they are calling the Cold Moon.  They say we won't see another moon like this one until 2042.  It was a beautiful moon.