Exotic Southern Caribbean | Celebrity Eclipse | Nov 16, 2013

[Maligator]

Day 5: Willemstad, Curacao | Wednesday, 11/20/13 | Partly Cloudy 90F

 

Also in port: Monarch | Port load: ≈ 5594

 

We woke up just as Eclipse was maneuvering up to the pier and we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast in the buffet. On the pier, we found our sign holder and were loaded into taxi vans for the day’s trip. The taxi dropped us at the ATV office and within a few minutes, the morning’s tour arrived in a cloud of dust. We got a brief instruction on operating the ATV’s (turn signals, Drive vs Reverse, etc) and mounted our trusty steeds, which were essentially 2-seat 4x4 golf carts with roll cages. The excursion was billed as “Mini Jeep Adventure and Beach” and said it was a “thrilling off road adventure” to see the blow hole, then ride along the coast to a sandy beach for a “refreshing dip.” Shortly, we were in a conga line, zipping through the streets of rural Curacao. There wasn’t much traffic and I never felt like we were either causing a traffic problem or being unsafe. After 15 minutes of highways and back roads, we stopped and were told to put our goggles on. From that point, we took another 5-10 minutes of dusty trails until we reached the blow hole. At first, I was disappointed, but it soon caught enough waves to where it was throwing good-sized, foamy bursts of spray. Our ATV developed a flat, but the two guides had it patched with Fix-A-Flat in minutes. I think we were at the blow hole for all of 5 minutes before we mounted up and rolled out. The coastal ride referred to in the description was another 5 minutes before the trail turned inland and wound through desert scrub. We emerged in what looked like an unfinished development and soon after, we were back to zipping through the countryside. Please don’t get me wrong. I had fun, but in my opinion, the ATV ride didn’t really live up to my expectations, nor the description offered by Celebrity.

 

So that covered the ATV part, but they promised a beach, too. When we arrived back at the office, the group was asked who wanted to go to the beach and who wanted to go back to the ship. One couple chose to return and the rest chose the beach. In hindsight, I’d have gone back to the ship. We walked across the road, down a driveway and behind a small hotel to the Cabana Beach. It was a small resort with a number of thatch-roofed huts and tons of beach chairs. Some of our group plopped down right away under one of the huts and a few of us were left to find shelter elsewhere. We did so just a few yards away and settled in. But after a while, a club employee approached us and asked to see our tickets. The tour company didn’t give us any tickets and I told him we were with the ATV company across the street. “These chairs aren’t free. That’s $30 for the two.” I protested that this was part of an excursion package, so how was this not included? He stood firm and I started packing my stuff. “You aren’t going to pay?” I forget exactly how I responded, but I don’t think it was polite or proper for all audiences. We spent the next hour sulking and sweating at the entrance until the taxis arrived to bring us back to the pier. Maybe I'm just cheap or unreasonable. Perhaps I’m just naïve about how these things work in relation to cruise excursions, but I’d like to have had some kind of warning or clarification. I’d certainly have gone back to the ship, had I known it would be an extra charge for some shade and a chair. All in all, I’d give the ATV half of the trip a generous “B-“ and the beach portion a hearty “F.”

 

Back in Willemstad, we went shopping in town and found it a very nice shopping district. Most of the ubiquitous port shops (Del Sol, Cariloha, Sunglass Hut and most of the high-end boutiques) were in the Renaissance resort just off the pier. We ended up buying some bamboo sheets, which we ordered in the Cariloha store and were drop-shipped from a facility in the US. They beat us home by a week and are magnificently comfortable! Anyway, we moseyed (we’re from Texas, so we can mosey at will) across the Queen Emma bridge into the old town, where we found more shops than we could visit in one afternoon. But we were tired and covered in a layer of dust from the ATV ride, so it was back to the ship for showers and a change of clothes. We did manage to stop by the little shack by the pier and bought some gouda.

 

Cleaned up and refreshed, we picked up some cocktails at the Sunset Bar and watched the sail-away before heading to dinner in the MDR.

 

Kristi: shrimp cocktail, Ceasar, NY sirloin, strawberry cheesecake

 

Matt: escargot, Ceasar, Pollock, chocolate mousse biscuit

 

Afterward, we hit the hot glass show again, which ended with a raffle. After not coming close to winning anything on the last cruise, my number was drawn first and Kristi’s last. I picked an orange vase with some aqua doohickies on the side and Kristi, being last, wound up with a pink and white vase festooned with green leaves. The latter fit my mother-in-law’s décor just fine! After the show, a lady approached me and offered me $200 for mine. It was uncomfortable and I pretended to think it over, eventually telling her I’d consider it when it became clear she wasn’t backing off. I guess I mentioned our room number, because she called and left a long-winded message, begging for it. That was the last I heard from her, but it made our subsequent visits to the glass show a little awkward.

 

Up next: boobies!

[Maligator]

Now that it's too late to edit, I neglected to mention the others in our group who occupied all the chairs under an adjacent hut were not confronted about tickets and spent the entire time relaxing. That might help explain why I was as ticked as I was, but I wasn't going to be That Guy who ruins the time for others just because I got shafted.

 

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Edited January 7, 2014 by HickoryShampoo

[Fouremco]

Up next: boobies!

Blue footed no doubt? :)

 

[chamima]

Matt

You had every right to expect that those lounges should have been included on a ship sponsored excursion! Did you go to the Excursion desk afterwards to complain?

 

How are your sheets working out?

We bought sheets from Cariloha in Barbados two years ago. They were. at first, extremely comfortable but fell apart after about six months! :(

Edited January 7, 2014 by chamima

[Fouremco]

There's lots of hyperbole in Celebrity's description, but I see nothing here about providing beach chairs. This is one area where I find private tour organizations do a better job: specifying exactly what is or isn't included. They survive on their reputations, whereas it's only a (lucrative) sideline for Celebrity and they know that they'll continue to get customers.

 

Jump into your automatic off road vehicle and follow the guide caravan style to discover the untamed nature of Curacao. After a thrilling off road adventure, you will visit the blow hole natural attraction. Then ride along the coast and enjoy the waves crashing on the shore till you reach a sandy beach for a refreshing dip. This is the best outdoor activity on the island. This tour is sold by the vehicle. Please book tour by vehicle and not per passenger. Each Mini Jeep can accommodate up to two people.

[happicruzer]

Matt

You had every right to expect that those lounges should have been included on a ship sponsored excursion! Did you go to the Excursion desk afterwards to complain?

 

How are your sheets working out?

We bought sheets from Cariloha in Barbados two years ago. They were. at first, extremely comfortable but fell apart after about six months! :(

 

Not Matt; however, the set of sheets that we've had on the bed (using the wash and replace that day mode) are still in good shape, soft and they've been in constant use for over a year and a half. Very pleased with them and bought a second set last winter - just haven't, yet, needed to take them out of the original wrapper.

 

At first the sheets were way oversized for the bed; then washed as instructed and put them on the bed. The sheets had shrunk quite a bit but still fit. Do wish they were more fitted since they wrinkle more than cotton.

Judy

[Maligator]

There's lots of hyperbole in Celebrity's description, but I see nothing here about providing beach chairs. This is one area where I find private tour organizations do a better job: specifying exactly what is or isn't included. They survive on their reputations, whereas it's only a (lucrative) sideline for Celebrity and they know that they'll continue to get customers.

 

I consider it a lesson learned, so there is still some value.

 

 

 

 

 

Matt

You had every right to expect that those lounges should have been included on a ship sponsored excursion! Did you go to the Excursion desk afterwards to complain?

 

How are your sheets working out?

We bought sheets from Cariloha in Barbados two years ago. They were. at first, extremely comfortable but fell apart after about six months! :(

 

 

I didn't even think to say anything to the excursions desk. Even if I had, I'm not sure I'd have resolved anything. Stay tuned for more on that front.

 

As for the sheets, so far, so good. Hope they hold up better than yours.

 

 

 

 

Blue footed no doubt? :)

 

Masked!

 

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[Maligator]

Day 6: At-sea | Thursday, November 21, 2013 | Partly Cloudy 85F

 

Also in port: n/a

 

Today was a day to sleep in and our breakfast was more of a brunch by the time we got to Oceanview. We took the opportunity to walk off some of our calories. As we walked the 15th deck, forward, I noticed we were being escorted by sea birds. I’d come back later with my camera gear, but we wanted to check out a chefs’ demonstration in Celebrity Central. The demo was hosted by Head Chef Paul Carroll and the specialty restaurants maître d’ and featured chefs from Qsine, the main galley and Murano. The chef from Murano kept having technical difficulties, which he blamed on the others and the unintended result was one of the funniest shows I’ve ever seen. There wasn’t a dry eye in the house, including the chefs.

 

We tried the MDR for lunch.

 

Kristi: fried mushrooms, Ceasar, cheeseburger

 

Matt: fried mushrooms, Ceasar, Nagasaki sara udon (noodles)

 

Then it was back to Celebrity Central for a lecture on the ship’s propulsion by the Chief Engineer. It was certainly less amusing than the chefs, but was still interesting. The biggest lesson I learned was that Eclipse’s Azipods actually operate with the props toward the front, thereby pulling the ship instead of pushing, like traditional props.

 

Afterward, I grabbed my camera gear and we headed back up to the forward decks, where masked boobies flew all around us. There were a few of us up there, clicking away. I think I took a couple hundred shots, but they were so close and shootable, I just kept clicking. One of my favorite jokes from the trip is to tell anyone who’ll listen that my wife not only allowed it, but she actually encouraged me to take a bunch of photos of boobies. She just rolls her eyes…

 

Here's a gratuitous booby photo. :p

 

SEA016 by AV8PIX Hickory Shampoo, on Flickr

 

We stumbled into Quasar, where they had a couple of Xboxes set up. I’m 38 years old and grew up with video games, but haven’t touched a console in over a decade, but Kristi’s interest was piqued by an older couple playing bowling. They left after their game and we took over. It’s quite different from the joystick I started with on the Atari 2600 and that’s the excuse I used when my wife – the woman I chose to spend the rest of my life with – showed no mercy and waxed the floor with me.

 

This was another formal night and we’d booked Tuscan Grill, which we really liked on Equinox. Kristi had crab cake, Ceasar, lobster alfredo and a chocolate fondue she fell in love with last year. I had calamari, Ceasar, shrimp & scallops and the pistachio crème brulee I had last year.

 

Being a formal night also meant there was a big production show in the theater and we met Olga in the lobby to be seated. Tonight’s show was simply called “Eclipse” and was a Cirque-type show. I thought it was really well done. It was visually stimulating and the acrobatics and aerobatics were pretty cool. They’d recently brought on a kid from China who must be part spider. He was pretty amazing on a high wire and with his juggling.

[Fouremco]

Thanks again Matt. The second formal night was a day or two earlier than I had expected, but I suppose it's to take advantage of the sea day.

[Maligator]

Thanks again Matt. The second formal night was a day or two earlier than I had expected, but I suppose it's to take advantage of the sea day.

 

My pleasure. And I agree about the timing. I think formal nights are hassle enough without having to spend all day on an excursion, then hustle back, get cleaned up and decked out in your finery.

 

This cruise gave us the push we needed to not participate in formal nights on future cruises. I don't own anything "formal," anyway, and having to take up space in my luggage with my weddings & funerals suit, plus dress shoes, isn't worth the effort, IMO. Of the three on this sailing, we did two in specialty restaurants (which don't have a formal dress code; except for Murano, I think) and the third in our cabin.

[Fouremco]

My pleasure. And I agree about the timing. I think formal nights are hassle enough without having to spend all day on an excursion, then hustle back, get cleaned up and decked out in your finery.

 

This cruise gave us the push we needed to not participate in formal nights on future cruises. I don't own anything "formal," anyway, and having to take up space in my luggage with my weddings & funerals suit, plus dress shoes, isn't worth the effort, IMO. Of the three on this sailing, we did two in specialty restaurants (which don't have a formal dress code; except for Murano, I think) and the third in our cabin.

We will be spending time in Florida before the cruise and DW decided that she wouldn't have enough room in her bags for formal wear as well, so we're trying this route too for the first time. We've booked Tuscan Grill and Murano for the first and third formal nights and will play it by ear for the second. If it's a nice evening, room service on the balcony works for me!

[shoelover536]

Enjoying your review. Sounds like a great itinerary. Nice boobies, too!

[OBX-Cruisers]

Don't know if they still do this on the Eclipse but we were astounded to find out on formal nights they have fantastic meat choices in the Lido Grill..........we had rack of lamb and as many chops made the way we wanted them...........Perfect.......We will be back on her in December for 14 days to the So. Caribbean.

 

We will be spending time in Florida before the cruise and DW decided that she wouldn't have enough room in her bags for formal wear as well, so we're trying this route too for the first time. We've booked Tuscan Grill and Murano for the first and third formal nights and will play it by ear for the second. If it's a nice evening, room service on the balcony works for me!

[Fouremco]

Don't know if they still do this on the Eclipse but we were astounded to find out on formal nights they have fantastic meat choices in the Lido Grill..........we had rack of lamb and as many chops made the way we wanted them...........Perfect.......We will be back on her in December for 14 days to the So. Caribbean.

Great news! Lamb is by far our favourite meat, so I hope that still holds next month! Thanks for the tip. :)

[Maligator]

Day 7: St George’s, Grenada | Friday, November 22, 2013 | Mostly Cloudy 90F

 

Also in port: none | Port load: ≈ 2850

 

Eclipse was already on the pier when we woke up, so we had a nice view of Grenada while we had our customary breakfast in the buffet. On the pier, we found our group and were hurried off to our tour van. The vans – which were pretty common among the subsequent islands we visited – were some kind of minibus that looked like they were on at least their second lives. Ours looked to be a retired Japanese school bus, based on the faded decals. But each seemed to be a source of pride and identity for each driver and they decorated them to be unique.

 

The driver was the tour guide and he talked over a PA system throughout the tour. He did manage to clear up the foggy story I retained about the US invasion of Grenada. He also mentioned Hurricane Ivan about a thousand times and how the country has yet to be rebuilt, nine years later. But the rest went in one ear and out the other. After nearly an hour, we reached the Dougaldson Spice Estate, which isn’t much more than a small cluster of derelict buildings in the jungle. Inside, our driver-guide gathered us around a table and showed us cocoa, nutmeg, allspice, cinnamon and…anise maybe? I don’t remember, but I think there was a fifth spice. I’m not sure, as I wandered off.

 

The drive from Dougaldson Estate up to Grand Etang National Park was especially winding and my wife – who was feeling a bit dodgy anyway – nearly lost her breakfast. Grand Etang was the epitome of underwhelming. Maybe it was actually blasé or maybe it was the lack of time to do much more than tinkle before it was time to leave. We dismounted from our van and were given directions to the nearest toilet and the counter where we were to trade in tickets for booze. Tangent: maybe it works on the masses, but many of these tours tout complimentary drinks like it’s a perk when it’s little more than a little juice cup with some rum. I guess I’m harder to please, but I’d much rather have food (or at least time to find our own), as I behave like the Snickers diva when I get hungry. But I digress. We were confined to the area around the visitor center and specifically told there was nothing of interest down by the caldera lake a quarter-mile away. I said “confined,” not because we were physically restrained, but because driver-guide told us specifically not to go down the path that led to it, I got the feeling it was more because we were on a tight schedule. We claimed our drinks (both of us chose Cokes over boozy fruit juice) and ran the gauntlet of Rastafarian trinket peddlers and women with fruit salad on their heads to get back to the van.

 

The next stop - Annandale Falls - is nestled in one of the half-million little hillside settlements we’d encountered. There were a half-dozen similar buses either coming or going and all of them causing a traffic jam. We fought through a different regiment of peddlers and beggars, down a short trail and to the viewing area. The falls were nice, but getting a photo uncluttered by tourists was a trick. I went down the bank and off the trail, where I finally found a place to wait for my shot. In the meantime, a few locals were trying to solicit donations from us for jumping off the side of the waterfall. Really? I’m supposed to pay these guys to submit to gravity and take a bath? I went off-road, risking life and limb just so I didn’t have to go back by them.

 

The tour’s last stop was Ft Frederick, high atop a hill, overlooking St George’s. I wish we’d had a little more time, as it provided a nice panoramic view of the south end of Grenada. But, as usual, it was “hurry up and get your pictures and get back on the bus.” Grr.

 

Back at the port, I set out to find the bar we’d passed on the way through town. Sure enough, it was a Police Canteen and a nearby officer confirmed it was a bar and restaurant for cops. No, I didn’t go in. I’m pretty sure Greedo was in there and I owe his boss money. But we were attracting bums, so we booked it back to the port, where we picked up some vanilla, vanilla extract and cinnamon from a little stall before boarding.

 

Dinner was in the MDR and I tried to strike a conversation with our neighbors, but they were Polish and didn’t speak too much English. What little we were able to communicate was very pleasant and I wish we hadn't had such a language barrier.

 

Kristi: shrimp cocktail, Ceasar, stuffed chicken, chocolate cake

 

Matt: escargot, cream of broccoli soup, stuffed chicken, caramel apple tart a la mode

 

I don’t have anything else recorded for the evening, so we must have retired early. It being a Friday, I think we watched football, or something, in the room until we couldn't stay awake any longer.

[Maligator]

Day 8: Bridgetown, Barbados | Saturday, November 23, 2013 | Partly Cloudy 90F

 

Also in port: P&O Ventura, Royal Clipper | Port load: ≈ 6171

 

With Grenada being a relative letdown, I was anxious to get on to Barbados. Everything I’d read said Barbados was one of the more-gentrified Caribbean islands and I found that to be an accurate assessment. The walk from Eclipse’s berth to the port terminal wasn’t long and there were little buses, but by this point in the cruise, I could use a little hike. P&O Ventura was already in port when we arrived, as was Royal Clipper (a small, 5-masted sailing ship) and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary supply ship, Wave Knight. We found our tour group in the terminal building and before long we piled into the back of a Toyota Hilux pick-up with seats in the bed. Our driver-guide, Charles, was very personable and didn’t burden us with too much unnecessary banter. He did a good job narrating and kept it entertaining with some genuine humor. As we rolled through town and into the countryside, I found Barbados much nicer than the previous three stops, and looking back, maybe the nicest island we visited.

 

After 30 minutes, or so, we arrived at Harrison’s Cave. I was impressed with the place. The visitor center was well-kept and the grounds neatly maintained. We rode an elevator from the visitor center down into a ravine, where another building covered the cave entrance. After a short video detailing the geography of Barbados, we were led to a tram for the tour. For anyone who will be taking this tour, I’ll warn you that photography and even video is nearly impossible. Even if your gear is capable of extreme low-light, your neighbors’ constantly-popping flashes tend to mess it up. I managed a few keepers shooting at very high ISO, but this was more of a sit-back-and-enjoy tour than a photo opportunity. The tour is sufficiently long that I felt like we got our money’s worth, but not so long that you’re left watching the clock. It was certainly comfortable and we had no trouble hearing the guide’s lecture. On the way out, there was time for a pit stop and an adult beverage in the parking lot. It was another fruity rum punch, but they didn’t skimp on the rum and it wasn’t presented like a huge favor.

 

The next stop was Bathsheba, which is a quiet (at least it was when we were there) little beach park. We didn’t have too much time here, but it was enough for those who needed to tinkle could do so and still snap a few photos. There was a Rastafarian guy there with a little monkey named “Rihanna.” I know it’s a tourist trap, but dammit…I like little monkeys, so I gave the guy a few bucks and got my photo.

 

Charles drove us back to the port, stopping from time to time for photo ops at particularly scenic locations. I gave him a healthy tip at the end, which paid dividends when he offered us a ride into the shopping district that saved us about a 30 minute walk. He dropped us right in the center of town and we set about shopping. Kristi wanted a new pair of nice sunglasses and we found Oakleys at Sunglass Hut. They’re the same style as my prescriptions, but cooler colors, of which I’m jealous. We found a big department store a block down, where I scored replacement flip-flops. Yes, I blew out a flip-flop on the trip, but there was no pop top involved. Not even a woman to blame. US$5 got us back to the port in a taxi and we relaxed by the pool until the ship left port.

 

Dinner was in the MDR and there was a considerable delay in getting main courses out, for some reason. It wasn’t just us and seemed to be universal, as waiters were noticeably absent for quite a while. Never did hear why, but Vladmir apologized profusely to everyone. Since no one was getting their main course, I doubt it was his doing and it really wasn’t too much of a hassle.

 

Kristi: shrimp cocktail, Ceasar, gnocci, strawberry cheesecake

 

Matt: escargot, minestrone, veal cordon bleu, Austrian chocolate cake

 

After dinner, we dropped in on Perry Grant’s show in the main theater. On the big stage, his fabulousness shone only brighter. Or maybe it was just his sequined vest. Either way, we stayed through a few numbers, which were still not on our playlists, but we tolerated them to get to the material between them. We ended the night with the hot glass show (again).

[Pacific islanders]

Day 8: Bridgetown, Barbados | Saturday, November 23, 2013 | Partly Cloudy 90F

 

Also in port: P&O Ventura, Royal Clipper | Port load: ≈ 6171

 

With Grenada being a relative letdown, I was anxious to get on to Barbados. Everything I’d read said Barbados was one of the more-gentrified Caribbean islands and I found that to be an accurate assessment. The walk from Eclipse’s berth to the port terminal wasn’t long and there were little buses, but by this point in the cruise, I could use a little hike. P&O Ventura was already in port when we arrived, as was Royal Clipper (a small, 5-masted sailing ship) and a Royal Fleet Auxiliary supply ship, Wave Knight. We found our tour group in the terminal building and before long we piled into the back of a Toyota Hilux pick-up with seats in the bed. Our driver-guide, Charles, was very personable and didn’t burden us with too much unnecessary banter. He did a good job narrating and kept it entertaining with some genuine humor. As we rolled through town and into the countryside, I found Barbados much nicer than the previous three stops, and looking back, maybe the nicest island we visited.

 

After 30 minutes, or so, we arrived at Harrison’s Cave. I was impressed with the place. The visitor center was well-kept and the grounds neatly maintained. We rode an elevator from the visitor center down into a ravine, where another building covered the cave entrance. After a short video detailing the geography of Barbados, we were led to a tram for the tour. For anyone who will be taking this tour, I’ll warn you that photography and even video is nearly impossible. Even if your gear is capable of extreme low-light, your neighbors’ constantly-popping flashes tend to mess it up. I managed a few keepers shooting at very high ISO, but this was more of a sit-back-and-enjoy tour than a photo opportunity. The tour is sufficiently long that I felt like we got our money’s worth, but not so long that you’re left watching the clock. It was certainly comfortable and we had no trouble hearing the guide’s lecture. On the way out, there was time for a pit stop and an adult beverage in the parking lot. It was another fruity rum punch, but they didn’t skimp on the rum and it wasn’t presented like a huge favor.

 

The next stop was Bathsheba, which is a quiet (at least it was when we were there) little beach park. We didn’t have too much time here, but it was enough for those who needed to tinkle could do so and still snap a few photos. There was a Rastafarian guy there with a little monkey named “Rihanna.” I know it’s a tourist trap, but dammit…I like little monkeys, so I gave the guy a few bucks and got my photo.

 

Charles drove us back to the port, stopping from time to time for photo ops at particularly scenic locations. I gave him a healthy tip at the end, which paid dividends when he offered us a ride into the shopping district that saved us about a 30 minute walk. He dropped us right in the center of town and we set about shopping. Kristi wanted a new pair of nice sunglasses and we found Oakleys at Sunglass Hut. They’re the same style as my prescriptions, but cooler colors, of which I’m jealous. We found a big department store a block down, where I scored replacement flip-flops. Yes, I blew out a flip-flop on the trip, but there was no pop top involved. Not even a woman to blame. US$5 got us back to the port in a taxi and we relaxed by the pool until the ship left port.

 

Dinner was in the MDR and there was a considerable delay in getting main courses out, for some reason. It wasn’t just us and seemed to be universal, as waiters were noticeably absent for quite a while. Never did hear why, but Vladmir apologized profusely to everyone. Since no one was getting their main course, I doubt it was his doing and it really wasn’t too much of a hassle.

 

Kristi: shrimp cocktail, Ceasar, gnocci, strawberry cheesecake

 

Matt: escargot, minestrone, veal cordon bleu, Austrian chocolate cake

 

After dinner, we dropped in on Perry Grant’s show in the main theater. On the big stage, his fabulousness shone only brighter. Or maybe it was just his sequined vest. Either way, we stayed through a few numbers, which were still not on our playlists, but we tolerated them to get to the material between them. We ended the night with the hot glass show (again).

Thank you so much for all you've written, you write beautifully, and have an awesome sense of humour! We are having so much fun reading about your experiences, and taking notes. We are booked in April on Eclipse for 14 days, and always book our tours through the ship. You are providing wonderful feedback on what you've done, and great tips. Liz

[Maligator]

Thank you so much for all you've written, you write beautifully, and have an awesome sense of humour! We are having so much fun reading about your experiences, and taking notes. We are booked in April on Eclipse for 14 days, and always book our tours through the ship. You are providing wonderful feedback on what you've done, and great tips. Liz

 

You're most welcome. I write for the enjoyment of others, so the feedback is great. I'll try to continue with another installment tomorrow.

 

Sent from my SCH-I915 using Tapatalk

[NorthCarolinaBelle]

I've enjoyed reading this so much, I've probably waked up our sleeping house guest! Can't wait to read the next installment!:D

[Maligator]

Day 9: Castries, St Lucia | Sunday, November 24, 2013 | Partly Cloudy + Light Rain 90F

 

Also in port: Ryndam | Port load: ≈ 4118

 

After breakfast, we made our way to the pier, where there were way too many people packed inside. It had nothing to do with Ryndam, which was at another berth across the harbor. A rain shower passed through just as all the tour groups were hitting the pier and everyone fled to the port shops for cover. It wasn’t terrible, but could probably have been avoided if they’d done the theater thing I mentioned earlier. We piled into another of those mini tour buses like in Grenada and much to my dismay, the only two seats available had me squatting with my knees up around my chin. My seat was over the rear wheel well and I figured I could take the discomfort better than my wife, who stiffens up or pulls a muscle if she sneezes wrong.

 

The first stop was a scenic overlook of Castries harbor from a hillside lookout. I’ve had a shot of Eclipse at this port as my desktop since we booked the cruise and it was one of my most-wanted shots of the whole trip. But the doofus bus driver stopped where view was obscured by a tree for the back half of the bus and by the time I asked him to pull up a few feet, a cloud cast it’s shadow. Not wanting to be That Guy again, I resigned to fixing it in Photoshop once I got home so as not to delay the tour. This tour was narrated by a very professional young lady, brimming with facts and history. She measured very low on my Annoy-O-Tron meter, because she didn't feel the need to fill every moment with talking.

 

We had a brief stop (see a pattern?) at a spot that overlooked Marigot Bay, which was very picturesque, but a small platoon of Rastafarian potheads kept shoving grasshoppers and fish folded out of palm fronds in our faces and trying to avoid them didn’t leave much time for composition.

 

The next stop was a place called Maranatha Gardens, along the road near Soufriere. It was a hillside garden (duh) with a well-kept path system that wound through all sorts of native flora and our guide led us through with explanations about what we saw. It was a pleasant stroll, though heavy on the religion for this agnostic.

 

Shortly thereafter, we were driving through the town of Soufriere and were soon at the park visitor center, where we watched a short video about the geography of the area, including the creation of the Pitons. The Pitons (the conical formations everyone wants to see in St Lucia) were formed as a magma chamber cooled, solidified and the surrounding softer rock eroded, leaving the now-solid magma chambers exposed. (Now you know!) The bus then proceeded down into the “volcano.” OK, this is where we could use a little more truth in advertising. I didn’t expect geysers of lava (or any lava at all), but I expected more than what we saw. To me, it wasn’t much more than an excavated hillside with some bubbling mud and steam. Maybe I was expecting more along the lines of what we saw with Vesuvius and Etna last year. The whole area reeked of sulfur (hence the name Soufriere, which translates to “sulfurous air”). I’m not sure what they’d call it, other than “bubbling mud pits tour,” which doesn’t have the same allure as “volcano tour.” In hindsight, I think we’d have chosen another tour that skipped this part.

 

On the way back, we stopped right across the road from Maranatha Gardens at a roadside restaurant. The place offered a decent view of the Pitons (the best view we’d have; albeit backlit and hazy) and we were offered one of those complimentary rum punches. We didn’t partake, but there were grilled chicken and pork snacks if we wanted to buy them. While we waited for the driver and guide to come out, we (the tourists) gathered outside under a flowering vine that was attracting hummingbirds. The danged things were everywhere and my long lens was locked inside the bus. Partly due to hunger (I’m a diva, remember?) and much to do with my stupid decision to leave my gear on the bus, I was a grumpy SOB for having missed the opportunity.

 

Back at the port, we browsed the shops (again, the same in every port) and tried to find a decent enough wifi signal where Kristi could download more books to her Nook. I bought a couple of rum punches at a bar that said it offered free wifi with the purchase, but it didn’t connect. Oh well. Got some booze out of it, anyway, which numbed the pain of getting duped. As we drowned our sorrows in happy juice, I noted that the Ryndam was well underway. This struck me as odd, because they arrived after us and were leaving a good hour before us. I don’t know how tight HAL’s schedule was, or if they figured they might as well go, since everyone was onboard for the 4pm dinner seating (Bazinga! I’ll be here all week. Try the veal and be sure to tip your waitress).

 

I went to the pool for some exercise and Kristi chose to stay in the cabin to shower and to read on the veranda. While I was swimming another little rain shower passed through. It wasn’t heavy and few sunbathers by the pool to fled to cover. But when I returned to the cabin, I learned it was enough to send Kristi scrambling for shelter. In that process, she kicked a chair leg with her bare foot and went down hard. She bruised her knees and shins, but it was her toe that took the most damage and it was already turning purple. I’ve broken toes a few times in the past and saw the familiar shade of purple that told me she’d done it this time, too. There being nothing to do for a broken toe other than tape it to it’s neighbors, pound some ibuprofen and wait for it to stop hurting, we skipped the ship’s infirmary.

 

Kristi managed to hobble down to MDR with me for dinner. She had the usual, with some sort of chicken for the main course. Vladmir brought me a double order of escargot, which scored lots of points. I also had a sirloin au poivre with shrimp and ended with Bananas Foster.

 

After dinner, we headed down to the theater for a magic show. In Barbados, we picked up The Amazing Justino (I think that’s what he called himself) and he was touted as…well…”amazing.” We were late for some reason and only caught the last 20 minutes, but based on what we saw, we didn’t miss anything. I think what killed it for us was when he did a bit about his Vegas show and played a video that showed lots of action, fireballs, leggy assistants and the like. I understand one can’t just throw leggy assistants in a steamer trunk too easily. Well, I guess you can, but that’s usually to dump them in a lake when they threaten to tell your wife she’s pregnant with your baby. But if you’re not going to have any of that on the ship, what’s the purpose of showing a video? Use the time to do another trick. Pull a rabbit out of your butt. Saw a senior officer in half. Something.

 

After a snack in the buffet, it was back to the cabin to ice her foot and watch football before bed.

 

 

More to come...

Edited January 12, 2014 by HickoryShampoo

[gordylad]

I am really enjoying your posts but dont take this the wrong way I am not being pulled into the excitement or attraction of the caribbean islands as they seem very same old same old.............maybe its because I live in Europe that so far the European cruises are all about culture, anyway I will keep reading the posts...cheers

[Fouremco]

Thanks for another interesting post.

 

FYI, HAL's shore excursions include one that ends in Soufriere, from where the passengers are returned to the ship by tender. The early departure of the Ryndam would have been to allow her to cruise down to Soufriere, anchor and start the tendering process. This makes for a longer tour, not having to return to Castries, and the tenders are only available for those booking the ship's excursion. But everyone gets a close-up view of the Pitons!

[Host Jazzbeau]

Were all the shore excursions you have written about booked through the ship?

[chamima]

Were all the shore excursions you have written about booked through the ship?

 

I would bet they were.

Private excursions are never as crowded , regimented or boring as these sounded!

The only thing good about the OP's excursions were his hilarious descriptions!

Edited January 12, 2014 by chamima

[Maligator]

Were all the shore excursions you have written about booked through the ship?

 

Yes. With the exception of a beach trip in an upcoming post.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for another interesting post.

 

FYI, HAL's shore excursions include one that ends in Soufriere, from where the passengers are returned to the ship by tender. The early departure of the Ryndam would have been to allow her to cruise down to Soufriere, anchor and start the tendering process. This makes for a longer tour, not having to return to Castries, and the tenders are only available for those booking the ship's excursion. But everyone gets a close-up view of the Pitons!

 

 

That sounds pretty nice. Wish we could have had that opportunity.

 

 

 

 

I would bet they were.

Private excursions are never as crowded , regimented or boring as these sounded!

The only thing good about the OP's excursions were his hilarious descriptions!

 

Ah yes, people laughing at my misfortune. Like high school all over again!

 

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