The observer disembarks at Cozumel, Mexico, headed for the beach.

A nice return to Louisville, seeing the prominent “Welcome To Card Nation” banner with the Adidas logo over the entrance to the main corridor at Louisville International Airport. Good to be home again.

UofL signage throughout the airport at points along the corridor and in the baggage return area. Someone in the marketing department has done his or her homework, thanks to the resources provided by Tom Jurich. No doubt which school “owns” this transportation hub, the UofL graphics greeting thousands of visitors annually.

Life on the beach in late January for two University of Louisville fans.

We were among a group of approximately 60 people returned Sunday from a UofL-Alumni Association- hosted seven-day cruise to the Caribbean aboard the Celebrity Silhouette, with scheduled stops to the Bahamas, Cozumel, Mexico, Grand Cayman and Jamaica.

So much food on these cruises, so many choices, making decisions challenging, and making staying on a diet impossible. No scrimping on anything at breakfast, lunch or dinner, capping it off with lobster late in the week. Ordered three scrambled eggs for breakfast one morning and they delivered three trays with three plates of three scrambled eggs on each of them. A minor lapse in communciation. So much eat, so little restraint.

Contrary to some reports, the sombrero remains a popular fashion item in Mexico, at least for musicians.

Good to keep running into UofL people, including at a pre-cruise orientation and aboard the ship all week. Plenty to talk about with everything that has happened at the University this past year. The group was accompanied by Lisa Lewis and Hayley Smith of Platinum Travel who hosted a party and provided nice gifts to the cruisers, including UofL T-shirts, playing cards, candy, a bottle of wine and an 8 x 10 photo of our fellow travelers.

The door to our cabin included a brass plate with our names and another welcome from UofL. The ship also offered our choice of several incentives, including unlimited free wi-fi, which was especially nice. What’s really good is that Internet reception has improved dramatically in recent years.

On the ship, we were able to watch two UofL basketball games on the I-pad, including the men’s thrashing of Pittsburgh and the women’s win over Clemson. In previous years, we were sometimes unable to even get scores until the next day. On the return flight, we watched the men wallop North Carolina State and the women take down Pittsburgh. 

The first scheduled stop at the Bahamas was cancelled because of inclement weather and 12-foot waves, enabling the passengers to sleep in on the first couple of days. Temperatures in Cozumel and Grand Cayman were in the 80’s, the water was clear and the beaches were nice. We saw lots of collegiate logos but not one from UK the entire week on a ship with a capacity of 2,886 passengers.

Temperatures were in the 60’s when we departed Louisville on Sunday and we were wearing light jackets. Quite a shock seven days later returning home to an iced-over windshield and temperatures in the low 30’s. 

A nice unhurried and relaxing experience. If one is considering a trip, we highly recommend considering one of the cruises offered by the University of Louisville Alumni Association.  Great trip, actually, but always glad to get back home, to Card Nation. No place we’d rather be than in Louisville … unless it is with the kids, of course.

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By Charlie Springer

Charlie Springer is a former Louisville editor and sportswriter, a public affairs consultant, a UofL grad and longtime fan.