Well, folks, the adventure to Radiance of the Seas has officially begun. And apparently, a cruise vacation needs a little pre-cruise drama, so we’re starting with an unexpected twist at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).
As I mentioned in an earlier blog post, I changed my travel plans so I could spend some time with Airica. Now, I'm at CLT, headed to Tampa (TPA), where my Royal Caribbean cruise awaits.
What could possibly go wrong?
Oh, you know. The usual.
Getting to the Gate Was an Adventure in Itself
I got to the airport early, and thank goodness I did!
I've flown out of CLT fewer than a handful of times, and I've never parked there before. Naturally, I made a wrong turn. Fortunately, I got redirected and eventually made my way to where I needed to be.
Then came the bag drop.
Then TSA.
And that's where things are a little different for me these days. With a metal component attached to my leg below the knee, getting through security involves a different process than it used to.
After that adventure, I requested wheelchair assistance to the gate. No need to exhaust myself before the vacation even begins!
Once I arrived, I picked up a Coke Zero to get some caffeine into my system. Thursday started a whole lot earlier than I'm accustomed to, and I needed a little help getting my brain online.
I found a seat, opened my laptop, and started blogging.
Look at me, being productive at the airport!
And Then… BAM!
I boarded the plane, settled into my seat, and waited for the flight attendant to take my beverage order.
I was ready to relax, enjoy my flight to Tampa, and start this cruise vacation.
Then came the announcement.
"There's a maintenance issue that's going to take longer than expected, and we're going to have you all deboard."
Well, that's a sentence nobody wants to hear after they've already boarded.
And just like that, everyone was getting off.
As I write this, we haven't been given any additional information. We don't know exactly what the maintenance issue is, how long it will take, or what happens next.
So here I sit, back on the ground at CLT, wondering when my Tampa adventure will resume.
At Least There's One Silver Lining
My ship doesn't require me to be onboard until 3 p.m.
That gives me some breathing room, assuming this maintenance delay doesn't turn into an episode of Airport: The Extended Edition.
I'm trying to keep things in perspective. I'd much rather have an airline identify and address a maintenance issue before we take off than have someone decide it's not worth the delay.
Safety first. Vacation second.
Although if the airline could hurry things along a little, that would be lovely.
I've got a ship to catch, an ocean to enjoy, bacon to eat, and people to watch.
And somewhere in Tampa, Radiance of the Seas is waiting for me.
Stay tuned. This cruise hasn't even started, and I've already got blog material. 😂
