Not much could top the morning on this amazing 250th Anniversary of our Nation’s birth! The afternoon was filled with lunch, wandering the ship, dinner, and waiting for fireworks. Lunch had to be a hot dog and fries, a traditional American favorite served in the Chef’s Galley.

While I did an acupuncture treatment for a sinus thing going on, Shirley relaxed in the room. Our dinner tonight is in The Verandah Steakhouse, a beautiful small dining restaurant on the 8th floor Aft. The food was delicious and the service was outstanding. A lovely way to enjoy our continued celebration of the 4th today.

The fireworks are expected to be visible from the back of the ship so we head there after dinner. There are a lot of people (including staff!) enjoying the pool area, live music, and Mother Nature’s lightning show as an impeding storm approaches.

Once the sun sets, NY decides to move the timing of the fireworks up because of the storm. We are quite distant from the Manhattan/Brooklyn area where the fireworks are being shot up into the sky. A much better view for us is the New Jersey side and the fireworks displays in the distant towns.

My phone camera can’t compete with the incredible telephoto lenses used by TV camera crews. The first two photos are mine, while the last two were captured by the television cameraman. Back in our room, we settled in and enjoyed a spectacular fireworks show to end the evening.

Hope everyone had a wonderful time celebrating our incredible country’s 250th Anniversary wherever you are on the 4th of July 2026!🇺🇸

Sail away tonight to Newport, Rhode Island – goodnight, New York!