On days we were in port, we had two good options — visit some exotic location or take advantage of this incredible ship without any lines or crowds. The first stop was Key West, Florida.

The eight of us wandered down the world-famous Duval Street. We stopped in at Sloppy Joe’s for a late morning cocktail. It was 5 o’clock somewhere. Then we meandered down to Fat Tuesday’s. My friend Steve’s sister, Jen, works there. When I asked for her, I was informed she had Mondays off. However, our drinks were discounted just for having dropped her name. Not bad. Finally, we grabbed lunch at Hog’s Breath.

I found Key West to be a most eclectic city. However, the buildings were quite old. Accessibility was adequate at the three restaurants we visited, but I don’t think the overall accessibility would hold up for a longer stay, like a week’s vacation, for example.

The next port of call was Costa Maya, Mexico. The day was so windy that our ship rocked back and forth while tied up at the dock. We decided to go ashore simply to put our feet on solid ground. There was a little fake town built at the port where we could shop and dine, etc. Accessibility in this area was decent, except for sections of pavers which were rough going for a wheelchair. Not much to see. After watching four men dressed as eagles “fly” from a 100-foot-tall pole (pretty cool, actually) we found our way back to the ship.

Overnight, Celebrity Edge meandered up the coast of the Yucatán Peninsula to our next stop — Cozumel, Mexico. Kim and I had already been there twice before, so we decided to stay on board, as did the rest of our merry gang.

Our last port of call was George Town, Cayman Islands. George Town was the only port where we couldn’t dock. We had to take little boats called “tenders” from ship to shore. On some cruise vacations this has presented difficulty for big power wheelchairs like mine. Not so here. The transfer went splendidly.

The Caymans are known as a banking mecca for those who wish to keep their money, shall we say, anonymous. The streets are cleaner and the sidewalks nicer than any other Caribbean city I have visited. Accessibility was similar to that of a modern American city. We wandered and shopped and shopped and wandered until lunchtime, when we all met at Margaritaville — a most lively venue, complete with a DJ.

When he announced, “Today is National Margarita Day, so drink up,” I thought, sure it is.

Then somebody looked it up on Google, and it really was National Margarita Day. What were the chances? We devoured our food and knocked back our drinks, but it was a hot day, so Kim and I retired back to the ship before the others. I had overdone it in the heat, and I escaped to my air-conditioned cabin for an hour to recover.

Overall, the ports of call contributed to the enjoyment of my vacation but were a relatively minor factor. Especially given my mobility issues, and the lack of accessible excursions, venues, and transportation at port cities, our cruises are more about the journey than the destinations.

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