Nov 1 2014 - Explorer to Fla from NY, Lifeboat Crashes

[mariapd719]

Great review so far. We love the Explorer! Sounds like your CD planned a lot of events which is wonderful.

[The Big Booper]

After lunch we made our way back to Pedro’s and the taxi parking lot where there is a pathway down to the beach level that is not too steep. The sign warning about cameras and cell phones seemed to be gone also. In any case, no photos from this point. Club O was crowded and we had to walk almost the length of the property to find loungers that had no towels or reservation tags on them. People staying at Club O always have priority for the loungers. We stayed until a little after three when the wind came up along with a few sprinkles so we quickly packed up and hiked back to the taxi area where we got a cab and headed back to town.

 

Some more pictures.

 

 

 

 

Instead of driving into the pier area as has been done for years, the cab left us off just outside the pier area and we entered thru an opening in the fence, showing our ID. Seems more efficient and the cabbie can get moving faster to grab another fare.

 

 

[The Big Booper]

The weather was good here in Phillipsburg and the ships in port looked nice with the setting sun, even the Epic. Since the front half of deck 4, port side, was now accessible, I stopped here on the way to the cabin to get as close as I could up to the rope barrier and grab shots of the wounded lifeboat and it’s support cables holding it in place. I so wanted to step over the rope barrier but knew if I did, security would not be happy. So I acted my age...and gimped away after taking the shots.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

A few more pictures.

 

 

 

 

Here are the two new snacks at the Cafe Promenade - vanilla cheesecake lollypops and pink lemonade tart - only available here. For comparison purposes only:), we also got a yummy chocolate chip cookie. Triple yum yum.

 

[The Big Booper]

While we were getting ready for the evening, I stood on the balcony and watched the sail-away of the Oasis and the Epic.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I bet those two people at the top rear of Epic don't know their pictures are on the internet.

 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by The Big Booper

[The Big Booper]

Tonight is Love and Marriage and we wanted to see how EFT and Leigh would handle it. Not to worry, a great job with three good couples. Of course, with this on board crowd, there were no young people as contestants. I miss that, slightly sloshed 20 somethings up there, quickly sobering up at the thought that they were going to have to talk about something, well, maybe embarrassing, and no idea how the spouse would answer. That is evil fun.Yeah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm not saying what these stick figure drawings are.:D

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

Later in the evening we had our first encounter with The Couple. They always wore complementary outfits and looked great. They are an older couple married 5 years and she makes many of her dresses and his and her accessories. We had not seen them up to this point, but after tonight we seemed to run into them constantly. So there will be pictures of them in all their sartorial greatness scattered throughout the rest of this write-up. Enjoy

 

 

 

 

 

 

And DS makes fun of us because we always wear matching tee shirts on vacation; hah, we have been totally outclassed!

[Cshgrand]

Really enjoying your review! Thank you.

[The Big Booper]

Day 6

 

 

Antigua. The day started out sunny with soft fluffy clouds and we decided to get off, do some walking and shopping at the pier and see how the weather developed. We had been to Antigua many times and were not in any hurry to go to a beach if the weather turned bad. After our errands on land and my daily lifeboat picture we got back on for lunch and an afternoon on the pool deck, first time this trip. It was good to see a line dancing session, a little bit of normalcy after the bad weather of the first few days. We also ran across The Couple in a fine display of daytime elegance. We realized that they were far more into clothes matching then us. Looked great.

 

 

 

Drat. He always reminded me the first few times, "Make sure you get my shoes". I messed up here.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by The Big Booper

[The Big Booper]

 

Another cookie picture.

 

 

 

Line dancing.

 

 

We eventually went back to our cabin and while getting ready for evening activities I looked outside the window and saw that Mother Nature was putting on a show for us, starting with a glorious sunset with the Moon as a fantastic main attraction.

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

We started out at the Concierge lounge on deck 9, which was empty, everybody was either at dinner or the early show, which we passed on (Etta May comedy). We then went to dinner at our table on deck 3. These three deck dining rooms always look impressive, even after hundreds of nights in them.

 

 

 

 

After dinner,

 

DISCO

 

We found a spot that we could lean against for the show because as you get older, it gets harder and harder to stand in one spot for a long time. The show was impressive, as always, and CD Lee showed great moves in his white suit. The show started with two of the theater singers, the blonde and one of the guys and ran until the Village People were bouncing up and down the Promenade. A fun time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

More of the action.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

Final shot

 

 

Couldn't leave Austin Powers out, could I?

 

After the show (and a shared tart) we headed back to our cabin and encountered a mysterious flying object. This ship is indeed overrun by wonderful creatures that appear in the night and then disappear during the daytime. Can’t figure out where they hide.

 

[The Big Booper]

Day 7

 

 

St. Lucia. This island is beautiful. After breakfast we got off the ship, did a little shopping in the attractive port shopping area and hired a van-cab, along with some other people, to do some sightseeing. This is one hilly island, which accords some great scenery shots.

 

 

The highlight of the tour was a stop at a restored Indian village. The guides talked about basic living styles, tools, cooking methods and utensils. The pathway down from the road to the hut area was narrow and winding but the guide supplied stout walking sticks which were really need by our mostly older group.

 

Towards the end of the tour we stopped at a beach club for 10 minutes, which afforded us our best glimpse of the Pitons. Then it was back to the ship and another stop at the vendor booths at the pier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by The Big Booper

[The Big Booper]

 

 

 

 

From a nearby hill. The ship was running a lifeboat drill.

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by The Big Booper

[The Big Booper]

More shots from the hills.

 

 

 

Owner of this goat not around, so we didn't stop.

 

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by The Big Booper

[The Big Booper]

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

 

 

 

 

 

Hiking down the trail.

 

 

[The Big Booper]

 

This is a panoramic picture of the hut.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Centipede. All of them are poisonous and the people kill them on sight. This one was stomped 5 seconds after this picture was taken. Don't tell PETA.

 

 

 

Edited November 29, 2014 by The Big Booper

[The Big Booper]

 

 

 

Down to sea level and a quick stop at a resort.

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

 

 

 

We went up to the pool deck to watch the sunset.

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

. The critter from last night had been moving around our cabin while we were out and had found itself a new home when got back.

 

 

The entertainment for the evening was Britain’s Zoe Tyler, who was somewhat under the weather. She still performed several songs before giving way to Robbin from the ship’s cast. The drummer was kept busy during the performance.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On our way to the Schooner Bar for our nightly 7:30 PM trivia game we bumped into The Couple who were attired in a wonderful coordinated blend of pastels. And to think she designs and sews much of her clothing herself.

 

 

 

 

After dinner, we went to the Maharajas Lounge for the Battle of the Sexes game show. The men won!!

 

[The Big Booper]

Day 8

 

 

Barbados. Once again the weather forecast is iffy so we put aside our Boatyard beach plans and decide to head downtown. The last few times we were here on the Explorer it was always Boxing Day and everything was closed. Today we get to see downtown for the first time in years. We have company as the P & O Ventura, a Princess clone, is in port with us. We walk thru the familiar U shaped terminal out to the cabstand and are off to Bridgetown.

 

Anybody who wonders why the city is called Bridgetown only has to look at downtown.

 

After an hour or so it starts to drizzle so we quickly find a cab and head back to the ship. Once inside the terminal the rain really starts to come down and the sound on the roof is loud. After a half hour or so we run out to one of the shuttle buses and head back to the ship. The Ventura is docked at a good spot while we are in the boondocks of the port.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]

 

 

A chocolate Oreo cone. Yum.

 

 

 

 

 

[The Big Booper]