Review Southern Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico Jan 18th -25th on the Valor

[Dirkgun]

Pics continued...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Video of snorkeling....

 

 

 

 

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[Dirkgun]

After our time in the water we saddle back up in the boats for the tour of the coast line of St Lucia. There are lots of things to see, as you can see from the pictures. Spencer stops and spends time for everyone to see the sites... he will even turn the boat around so both sides get the view.

 

 

 

Spencer himself and some crew, talking with people.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Spencer's Daughter, she was also a great guide. She was on another boat.

 

 

 

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[Dirkgun]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Dirkgun]

These kids were good at diving off this cliff. They will do it for tips... get the money out and they will bust out the tricks.... Also this formation has been filmed a ton. It is in the Pirates of the Caribbean and you will see it on the travel channel from time to time.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dirkgun]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Today there was a ship that had to park out from the port and tender in…. that would suck. Glad it was not us. At the end of our day we thanked Spencer and his crew for another wonderful experience and told them we would definitely see them again next time we were in St Lucia. I can’t recommend Spencer enough; he is THE Best excursion we have been on and a great guy. Really the only thing we missed from the old Land and Sea tour was the tasting of the local bananas and the hot bread they used to serve you at a stop in the van. Overall it was a good way to do things in just the boats though. When got out of the boats we wandered around in the market place and found a few trinkets.

Back on board was the usual get a snack, then rest for a while as sail away is happening. We also had our second Cruise Elegant night. We had a wonderful time in the Dining room as usual. The food was good and between us and the wait staff, we end up laughing a lot. I think the new comedy acts got on the ship today so there was no comedy show. I think we ended up going to the Marriage show in the main show lounge. It is always an entertaining show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Texasgalsa]

I'm doing Spencer's your next week! Very excited after seeing your pictures. Question, how far out do you have to swim out to see all of that good snorkeling?

[Dirkgun]

I'm doing Spencer's your next week! Very excited after seeing your pictures. Question, how far out do you have to swim out to see all of that good snorkeling?

 

 

It really is very close to shore. You will get in the water and by the time you get your fins on and water up to your chest you can find all kinds of good stuff. Then the farther along the right hand side of the bay there (right where you get in) you will find more and more things. We have seen big schools of reef squid, some octopus, turtles etc. in 2012 I even a saw a sea snake?? or maybe a long eel?

 

[Dirkgun]

Some pics at dinner.....

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The flowers from Barbados are still looking good...

 

 

 

 

Tonight's Towel Animal.....

 

 

 

 

I have had some people ask me about the new way in which Spencer Ambrose does the Land and Sea tour (minus the long drive in the vans) I really think it is a fine way to do it. The only things I really missed were the tasting of the local bananas, the fresh hot bread, and some of the vistas of the port. However you do get the bonus of being early to the Volcano area and the waterfall, both of which will a lot more hectic with lots of people there. I will definitely recommend Spencer's tour to anyone. It is a great time... money well spent.

 

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Edited March 5, 2015 by Dirkgun

[Bolthead]

Your underwater photography is excellent. Can you tell me what camera you are using? Enjoying the review.

[Dirkgun]

Your underwater photography is excellent. Can you tell me what camera you are using? Enjoying the review.

 

 

Thank you. we had a couple of cameras. I use a Canon power shot D10, and my wife uses a Fuji XP 80. Both are very good and reliable My Canon was purchased in 2010. Then we also had a GoPro.

[funinthesun082611]

So glad you covered Spencer Ambrose's tour! We will be on it in a month. That snorkeling looks divine! Can't wait.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[kmarie10531]

Just put my deposit down for Spencer 's Jalouise Beach Break tour in June . I'm very excited to see the Pitons .

[Dirkgun]

So glad you covered Spencer Ambrose's tour! We will be on it in a month. That snorkeling looks divine! Can't wait.

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

 

You will love it. Tell him Dirk says hi. The snorkeling is the best there.

 

Just put my deposit down for Spencer 's Jalouise Beach Break tour in June . I'm very excited to see the Pitons .

 

 

Jalousie is such a cool place... not like a beach bum's place but real natural wonder and beauty. When you are in between the Pitons it is kind of awe inspiring.... plus the snorkeling is fantastic and just swimming in the water is great as well. You will have a great time.

[Buffettfan 225]

Ha I g done reviews, I wanted to say a big thank you and appreciate the time & effort. While we will be sailing Liberty - just doing a virtual cruise while it is under ten degrees is so worth it.

[Buffettfan 225]

When we were ready to leave we were hungry and decided that the kiosks were only about 15 min away… so back we went… Tonight we tried a restaurant called Aquarium. They were good, a little more expensive but good. We had more appetizers and things this time. I would definitely go to the Kiosks again; we really enjoyed them and the atmosphere there. When we were done everyone wanted to go to El Yunque to the welcome sign to stop and hear the Coqui frogs sing. At night the rain forest comes alive with noises. We got some recordings of it on phones and now some of us are using the Coqui singing (Ko’Kee’) as our ring tones.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

another picture of the front of the "Kioskos" in Luquillo.

 

 

 

I don't have a video of the frogs singing uploaded... I do have it on my phone in a sound file. Now when someone calls me.... I smile and think of those wonderful noises.

 

I will post more tomorrow.

pretty please...

I would love to have the sound file posted, or link to it on photobucket?

Have been to El Yunque at least three times and love it. Never did see the elusive frog though.

[Buffettfan 225]

The nice compliments you've given me on my reviews mean a lot as well, since feel the same about your reviews...I've always enjoyed them. I'm still hoping for September but DH wants to try an all-inclusive since we've cruised two years in a row. I guess I don't mind either way but we will definitely do the southern itinerary out of San Juan again at some point. I keep telling DH that with this cruise, there are so many options for each of the islands that even though it's the same itinerary, you can have a totally different experience each time.

Just a shout out to the OP & pghsteelerfan - recognize the names :)

Sorry to hijack for a moment -

Talk your DH into a St.Lucia inclusive. We are returning to a Rendezvous for third time. Gotta sail Southern route while Liberty there in 2015 not a Fascination.

[Buffettfan 225]

Yeah the ferries both ways were nice. It did look like there was about 3 different types of ferry... some newer than others but all looked decent. Thanks for the nice comments and for reading.

 

did you notice if any shopping at the St. John pier area or any nearby?

[Buffettfan 225]

The entire day Patsie was acting as a tour guide, describing things, not just transporting us. She was very good with us and I would definitely use her again (her contact is patsietaxie at hotmail dot com). She charged us a flat fee for all 6 of us the only thing we had to pay on top was the chairs and boat at Payne’s Bay. At the end of the day we gave her a nice tip when we said goodbye. When we got back to the port area we wanted to do some shopping/interwebbing etc. My wife and I went to pick up the flowers and then met everyone for a picture in front of the Barbados sign with the Valor in the back ground.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is where the flowers came from...

 

 

 

 

Not sure where they lost it but my DD and SIL lost their camera somewhere between the taxi and the ship. Really hate to lose cameras but even more to lose the pictures they had taken. Other than the snorkel and camera… Barbados had again been a good host to us. Barbados is really one of the only ports that still take the time to have a steel drum band playing. It is a great sound.... really sets the Caribbean mood. :D :cool:

How much were flowers? The ship had no issue bringing them on? I know you can't fly with them, but great to enjoy in cabin. I learn about something for my list all the time here. thank you.

P.s. My son had a camera pickpocket in Spain - I always recommend to have many memory cards & I change them for each day off ship. Just a hint. Can always get a new camera - but lost photos I feel sorry knowing how son felt.

[Dirkgun]

did you notice if any shopping at the St. John pier area or any nearby?

 

Yes there were some shops there at the pier in St John but I did not go in any, so can't offer any advice there. I know I learned a lot from the ports of call boards (St Thomas/St John board)

 

 

How much were flowers? The ship had no issue bringing them on? I know you can't fly with them, but great to enjoy in cabin. I learn about something for my list all the time here. thank you.

P.s. My son had a camera pickpocket in Spain - I always recommend to have many memory cards & I change them for each day off ship. Just a hint. Can always get a new camera - but lost photos I feel sorry knowing how son felt.

 

The flowers, with the Bamboo vase were $15 each arrangement. The ship is fine with them coming on. We usually leave them in the room or give them to someone on board... we also have brought just the Bamboo vase home in luggage before. Yeah the changed memory cards is a good idea. They are just sick about losing the camera but more so over the pictures. Luckily they know I am always taking lots...lol.

[Dirkgun]

Ha I g done reviews, I wanted to say a big thank you and appreciate the time & effort. While we will be sailing Liberty - just doing a virtual cruise while it is under ten degrees is so worth it.

 

Yes I remember reading your Victory review. It is a good one. You are going to love it on the Liberty..... I am hearing they might bring Victory back after Fascination is there for a few months.

 

pretty please...

I would love to have the sound file posted, or link to it on photobucket?

Have been to El Yunque at least three times and love it. Never did see the elusive frog though.

 

 

I will try to do that.... Oddly enough I still have yet to see one... other than we did find a dead one in the water at the pond where the bridge is in El Yunque.... took pictures of it but did not post them lol They are just small frogs. Such a distinct sound though. Let me see how the best way to do the sound file is.

[Dirkgun]

Fri Jan 23rd St Kitts Today we again woke up to beautiful weather. After another breakfast in the dining room we met our tour operator Liz Pereira of Pereira tours in the pier complex. She gave us our wristbands for Reggae Beach and collected our $20 each which included transportation down and back as well as a welcome drink at the beach. We met our driver and away we went. We stopped at Timothy hill to take the requisite picture of the two sides of the island…Caribbean on the right and Atlantic on the left. It is a very pretty overlook.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2015 by Dirkgun

[Dirkgun]

 

 

 

 

When we were about to leave I noticed a taxi driver having a rough time with his van… his battery was dead and the starter would not turn the engine over, so I got some guys and we pushed him to get it started (one of the pluses of a manual transmission) he was very grateful. In other visits here we have gone to Shipwreck beach (just at the bottom of this valley on the Caribbean side before you get to the hill going up) but this time we wanted to do something new so we tried Reggae bar and grill at Cockleshell beach on the southern end of the island. It was a great place. The water was amazing, the beach was beautiful. We played in the water for a while then went out snorkeling. There was some cool places to see fish if you looked for them. Out about 150 yds off shore there was apparently an old engine block that had a big octopus hiding in it. I heard a guy saying the tentacles were almost as big around as the guy’s forearms. They also said there were some lionfish out there. I do know the lionfish is starting to become a problem everywhere. I saw signs saying to leave them alone as they are poisonous but to let someone know so they can eradicate them. I guess they come in and just take over the reefs.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[Dirkgun]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This guy looked like he was having fun...

 

 

 

 

We saw this guy with a metal detector searching for.... anything, rings, coins, could be fun and interesting.

 

 

 

[Dirkgun]

This is the same fish.... hiding in the sand, then not after something scared it out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Dirkgun]

I found a lady that was doing massages and told her I would be back down with my wife when I could drag her out of the water. So I paid for her to get an Aloe Vera massage. It cost $35 for the massage and seemed to be well worth it. DW said it was very relaxing. It looked a little gooey to me but that is probably just my sticky phobia kicking in. There was about 6 ladies there doing massages.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More misc beach pics

 

 

 

 

 

The Reggae Bar and Grill....

 

 

 

 

 

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