CARIBBEAN PRINCESS Jan 11 2014-Photo and video review

[Bimmer09]

Very jealous watching you dock at Roatan, as that was the port we missed on our 1/4 - 1/11 cruise. I recognize the scenery until about the 50 second mark. That's how close we got before the Captain announced the waters were too choppy to dock. :(

 

I'm sorry you missed Roatan. Having never been there before I wasn't sure what to expect and I was pleasantly surprised by the Carnival-built Mahogany Bay landing village. I know that is not the real Roatan but if I had not an amazing dolphin excursion booked that village and the beautiful beach would have been a fine place to spend a lazy day.

 

Looking out the window of the bus as we drove along it was very sobering to see the poverty-it wasn't the slums of Mumbai by any means-but a place where one could lose hope of a better life very quickly and settle into a routine of boredom and resignation. Sadly lacking in the infrastructure and organization (via taxes) that we take for granted in the USA. A landfill and a few weeks of trucks hauling away the trash that adorns the front yards instead of flowers might help people to realize that there is a better way if you can just get off your knees. The people lack motivation and leadership it would seem. I'm no expert-just a guesser.

 

The people I interacted with in Roatan all had jobs and were some of the friendliest wittiest people I have met casually. We really felt in good hands on our excursion but worldly wise and as well traveled as I am I had no desire to get out among the people in the towns and mingle. I had enough camera equipment around my neck to buy one of the shacks I saw and put the owner in my service for a year. The have's and the have-nots....such a wide gulf between the visitor and the (accidental) host.

 

I would return to Roatan tomorrow and hope you get to visit it on a ship one day.

 

Norris

[TubT]

Therefore I was drawn to this one because none of us have been to Honduras or Belize. So we are really looking forward seeing some new places.

 

We were on this cruise with you, and we had been to Roatan a number of times. We first went there either the first or second year NCL started going there. The rumor was that NCL actually financed the dock, and a very rudimentary dock it was. Just a concrete "T" with barely enough space for a gangway. No shopping on the whole island. Not an inch of paved road on the island. And we could probably have bought the Tabayana Beach Resort for $100,000. We have seen a lot of changes over the years. I saw the other ship over at the original dock. I wonder what it looks like now.

[TubT]

Our waiter at table was Milos and he was the only one that week that we really wanted to dine with again. From Rumania he was energetic and a grew engaging talker, full of fun and enthusiasm. Our previous waiter's were just doing their job-and doing it well but this Milos had a personality that rose him above their shoulders in our esteem.

 

And that is the reason we may never do another "Freestyle Dining" cruise. Our waiters in the Coral Dining Room (early seating) were excellent and a lot of fun. They knew what we wanted, they entertained us, they kept me supplied in iced tea, and if we didn't like something (not me!!!), they promptly got us something else.

[Bimmer09]

I have my longest youtube video (21 minutes) uploading to youtube as we speak.

It's the Belize air-boat video and I didn't bother cutting it, even though the lens is soaked in water droplets at times. Cinema Verite!! I just wanted to get the full flavor of being out there on a new adventure. It was fun.

 

To get there we had to take a full-sized bus as there were 46 Excursioneers from the ship and as we drove along, slowly at first to escape the gravitational field of the narrow streets of Belize City, I had the camcorder running to capture the street scenes. I'll load that video later after the watery adventure.

 

As in Roatan the day before the people who were charged with entertaining us for money were great hosts, full of spirit and good humor. These were Belizians with jobs and they were very welcoming.

 

A maximum of 16 passengers per boat meant three boats were sitting waiting for us when we got off the bus. We all had headsets to kill the engine noise at speed and when stopped to listen to Sandy on the bow we took them off. Sandy stood the whole time and warned us when we would be making sharp turns. No seat belts and not much to hold on to but it was smooth sailing for us. Life jackets were under the seats but the water was shallow so no great risk unless concussed as you were hurled from the boat at 40 mph.

 

Sandy gave us all laminated charts showing the critters that lived in the mangroves and would point to them when we actually saw them taking off or pecking for food by the water. It was overcast but warm and pleasantly so.

 

I'll post it once youtube have finished with it.

 

Photos will follow that. Lots of them.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

And that is the reason we may never do another "Freestyle Dining" cruise. Our waiters in the Coral Dining Room (early seating) were excellent and a lot of fun. They knew what we wanted, they entertained us, they kept me supplied in iced tea, and if we didn't like something (not me!!!), they promptly got us something else.

 

Yes Tub if you have a good waiter team it adds to the experience. On the Diamond and the Ruby we met good teams while doing Anytime Dining and I asked the head waiter on each to seat us with them on subsequent visits and he was obliging. We didn't mind if we had to wait for a table for two (but never did) as long as we had those teams...Sadudee and Siwa on Diamond and Natalia and

Michael on the Ruby.

 

We are locked into AT as we eat late and don't always eat in the MDR. We also don't like sharing tables and in AT we have even been given 6 tops just for the two of us because the room isn't busy as it would be on Traditional Dining.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Here's the air-boat video in Belize. You'll actually get to see the boat in the last 30 seconds or so as we disembark. Maybe you were on it?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnYZZjyN75K

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Here's the air-boat video in Belize. You'll actually get to see the boat in the last 30 seconds or so as we disembark. Maybe you were on it?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DnYZZjyN75K

 

Norris

 

use this URL instead...

 

 

Norris

[slc22]

Norris,

So glad I found this thread! You are so entertaining and I love the photos and videos. Thanks for sharing your memories with all of us !!

 

I've got 2+ months for my turn. Your thread is like a nice appetizer leading up to my main course of a cruise, LOl. Can't wait!

 

Your good attitude and love of people and travel really shines through in your messages. Thanks!

 

Sue

[ar1950]

use this URL instead...

 

 

Norris

 

Very cool! Thanks for taking us along on your air boat ride. Looked like a lot of fun. :cool:

[Colo Cruiser]

Great video!

HD!!

[enidcruiser]

Norris,

I was wondering about your German "concert" trip. Do you have a blog with the info about that trip somewhere?

Would love to read all about it.

 

By the way, glad you got to know our Texas folks and find that they are really friendly.

Thanks for this detail review. Always enjoy.

[greenie082756]

Norris, thanks for taking us along on your air boat ride. I was wondering how fast those go?

Even sitting @ my computer my stomach started to react to the turns. That definitely looks like something I would want to do someday. Thanks again!;)

[marjack]

Norris,

We are loving your travelog. When we were on CB in Oct/Nov for repo from NY to Houston, we also had the pleasure of hearing Hector on two separate occasions in the dining room.

 

I was wondering what type of camera you are using to take your stills? Enjoying it all, and just waiting for our cruise end of April.

 

Frommers should be jealous of this wonderful diary.

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

I was wondering about your German "concert" trip. Do you have a blog with the info about that trip somewhere?

Would love to read all about it.

 

By the way, glad you got to know our Texas folks and find that they are really friendly.

Thanks for this detail review. Always enjoy.

 

Alas I don't have a blog that covers non-cruise trips but it's an idea.

Last August was our 2nd trip to the Bayreuth Festival. First was 1999 when we got tickets from one of the lead singers (an American soprano currently singing at the NY Met Opera) and were in the first row dead center-in fact my seat was Richard Wagner's with the little trapdoor in front so he could talk to the conductor.

Highlight of my life!

 

We were on the waiting list for 5 years before getting tickets last year.

 

We have done many many European trips on land so my videos are filled with mountains, high speed driving on the autobahn, beer gardens, cathedrals and wonderful meals, Rhine Riverboats, botanical gardens, opera evenings...all in settings that make the jaw drop. So a wealth of photos and video where I do a running commentary moreso than the stuff I have on youtube to date.

 

I am very "At home" in Europe (I am European) and I love driving there. I even got my car from the BMW factory in Munich in 2003.

 

You have got me thinking about a blog...I had my own website back in 1999 but have no techno expertise whatsoever. I had a friend in Boston who engineered it for me but doubt if she has the time. It was mainly an outlet for my humor and love of travel.

 

After my all too brief stay in Houston I am very eager to go back. I was very impressed by the people I met. The people were very warm, open and very well mannered which is something I pride myself in.

 

Thanks for the kind words.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

We are loving your travelog. When we were on CB in Oct/Nov for repo from NY to Houston, we also had the pleasure of hearing Hector on two separate occasions in the dining room.

 

I was wondering what type of camera you are using to take your stills? Enjoying it all, and just waiting for our cruise end of April.

 

Frommers should be jealous of this wonderful diary.

 

There are some photos of the camera in one of my posts-a Canon Eos Rebel T3i.

I have yet to learn how to get the best from it but am going to experiment with shooting in RAW and then using a program to correct or enhance the photos.

It's a better camera than I am a photo-taker but I hope to change that in time for my Med cruise on the Ocean Princess this September.

 

I was also using an IPhone 5 and hoped to take panorama shots with it but I still don't have that technique at the level it needs to be. Lots of months to practice and I can only imagine how long it will take to write THAT review...but drooling at the prospect!

 

Thanks for responding!

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris, thanks for taking us along on your air boat ride. I was wondering how fast those go?

Even sitting @ my computer my stomach started to react to the turns. That definitely looks like something I would want to do someday. Thanks again!;)

 

I'd hazard a guess at 30 knots over clear water...the speed of the Queen Mary 2.(Yikes!)

It was a great excursion and photos will follow.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Great video!

HD!!

 

Alas I have to step down to 720p to upload to youtube. The camera records in 1080p which is what I see when I play the BluRay of it at home on a big screen Sony Bravia. So it "hurts" to watch it at 720p on youtube.

 

Glad you enjoyed it.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Norris,

So glad I found this thread! You are so entertaining and I love the photos and videos. Thanks for sharing your memories with all of us !!

 

I've got 2+ months for my turn. Your thread is like a nice appetizer leading up to my main course of a cruise, LOl. Can't wait!

 

Your good attitude and love of people and travel really shines through in your messages. Thanks!

 

Sue

 

Sue-thank YOU!

 

Norris

[hockeygal54]

If you're watching it in 1080 on a Bravia, I imagine the you tube version about gives u a coronary!!

 

If you liked H'ton then ought to come my way!! You'd be beyond thrilled!

[Bimmer09]

If you're watching it in 1080 on a Bravia, I imagine the you tube version about gives u a coronary!!

 

If you liked H'ton then ought to come my way!! You'd be beyond thrilled!

 

I plan to visit more of Texas as time permits. I used to watch a tv show called "Dallas" starring the late great Larry Hagman, so that city has been in my consciousness from way back when.

 

Yes-anything less than 1080p is disappointing-but I am very happy that youtube exists. The 720p upload to youtube last night took so long I just went to bed and let the Mac talk to youtube.

 

Glad to have you aboard.

 

Norris

[Bimmer09]

Many of the following photos are by the tour operators from a photo package that Carol bought after we got off the boat supplemented by Carol's shots. I hope they give you a flavor of the area, the crew and the experience. It was an excursion I would do again.

 

 



 



 

[Bimmer09]

We stopped for an embarkation photo (see it's not just Princess that does this!)

 

Take note of the sunglasses hanging from the collar of my shirt-these were the sunglasses I stopped to buy on the way to the ship in Bayport and this is the last time they will ever be seen as I didn't have them when I disembarked. I guess they were blown away by the speed of the turns we did and that now some crocodile in the lagoon is wearing them, trying to look cool...

 

This is the first installment of the Lost Sunglasses Trilogy (stay tuned)

 



 

Now we are seated in the front row, ready to cast-off.

 

We have all been given ear protectors. One man is already wearing them while the safety briefing is taking place. "Hey Miss-can you speak up?" Lifejackets are stowed under the seats-not worn during the trip.

 



 



 



 

 

I'll include more wildlife photos to show the variety of critters you may see if you take this excursion. The guide Sandy did a stellar job of recognizing them and pointing to them on the photo-charts we all had been given.

[Bimmer09]

 



 



 



 



 

[Bimmer09]

 



 



 



 

Flying through this narrow channel at speed was fun!

 

[Bimmer09]