Sayyida al Hurra



A contemporary and ally of the Turkish pirate Barbarossa, Sayyida al-Hurra was a pirate queen and was the last woman awarded the title of al Hurra (Queen), following the death of her husband who had ruled Tétouan, Morocco. In fact, her real name is unknown. Sayyida al Hurra is a title that translates to “noble lady who is free and independent; the woman sovereign who bows to no superior authority.”

She ruled from 1515-1542, controlling the western Mediterranean Sea with her pirate fleet while Barbarossa roamed the eastern side. Al Hurra's inspiration to take to piracy came from a wish for revenge against the "Christian enemy" she felt had wronged her years before when Catholic monarchs Ferdinand and Isabella ran her Muslim family out of Granada. She was a feared figure for the Spanish and Portuguese, whose historical records are peppered with paperwork involving reports about her exploits and ransoms.

At the height of her power, al-Hurra remarried to the king of Morocco, yet refused to give up her seat of power in Tétouan. But in 1542, she was given no choice when her son-in-law overthrew her. The Yemen Times weighs in on her final chapter, writing, "She was stripped of her property and power and her subsequent fate is unknown."

https://www.qaronline.org/blog/2020-05-25/pirate-profile-sayyida-al-hurra

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sayyida_al_Hurra

https://amazingwomeninhistory.com/sayyida-al-hurra-islamic-pirate-queen/

https://dickensfair.com/

Dec 11-19, 2021  Drive thru

https://www.hattervallejo.com/

It is getting to be time to start planning the 9th Annual SP Cruise for 2021.  We are considering this one mostly because it is on one of the largest cruise ships in the world, has a new stop for us, and is returning to St Kitts, which we enjoyed.

https://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=43274

If you are understandably hesitant to log in to this discount site:

"FastDeal       #43274
7 nights departing March 7, 2021 on
Royal Caribbean's Oasis of the Seas

Brochure Inside    $640
Our Inside    $640
You Save    0%
   
Brochure Oceanview    $699
Our Oceanview    $699
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Brochure Balcony    $816
Our Balcony    $816
You Save    0%
   
Brochure Suite    $1,818
Our Suite    $1,818
You Save    0%
Click for additional rates: Singles Rates
Inside Offer! Book select categories and receive a FREE $50 per cabin onboard credit.

Oceanview Offer! Book select categories and receive a FREE $50 per cabin onboard credit.

Balcony Offer! Book select categories and receive a FREE $50 per cabin onboard credit.

Suite Offer! Book select categories and receive a FREE $50 per cabin onboard credit.
Promotions may not be combinable with all fares.
Prices are in US dollars, per person, based on double occupancy. Prices are subject to change without notice by cruise lines until a deposit has been made, and must be reconfirmed at time of booking. Prices include port charges but do not include airfare or (where applicable) airport or government taxes or fees. Prices and promotions are for new bookings only, in accordance with cruise line policies. Click any price to convert to other currencies.
Itinerary Ship Photos Cabins Deck Plans Weather Ports Dining Wifi Special Needs

Date    Port    Arrive    Depart
Sunday, March 7    Fort Lauderdale, FL       4:30pm
Monday, March 8    At Sea       
Tuesday, March 9    At Sea       
Wednesday, March 10    St. Kitts    8:00am    5:00pm
Thursday, March 11    St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands    7:00am    4:00pm
Friday, March 12    At Sea       
Saturday, March 13    CocoCay, Bahamas    10:00am    7:00pm
Sunday, March 14    Fort Lauderdale, FL    6:15am "

As we get closer to the dates we hope to see some sales on these already not bad prices.  We are a little surprised to find that we have enjoyed the giant ships even more than the smaller cruise ships. 

Warco.net seems to be kaput!  Anybody still out there portraying War Correspondents?

I have some good news for any one interested in joining this SP cruise - after a spell of very high booking fares there has been a significant improvement in sale prices on https://www.vacationstogo.com/fastdeal.cfm?deal=13069  back down to $719./pp (from over a thousand) so there must have been some cancellations on this popular cruise. 
Of course always check directly with Royal Caribbean for prices https://www.royalcaribbean.com/  especially if you can use the "50% off second guest" sale or you qualify for the "over 55", veteran, or returning cruiser discounts. 

Again this is on the Adventure of the Seas departing from Ft Lauderdale March 28th, 2020.  By linking reservations we can receive preferred dining seats, meeting rooms, lounges, and even discounts or on board credit.