Jan 2016 World Cruise live report

[Waynetor]

Welcome/Groeten. What a beautiful, sunny day we had today in Aruba. Temp 30C (86F)

 

We were joined in port today by 2 Royal Caribbean ships, both just over triple our size. Currently there is a project underway to relocate the cargo port to another area which will lead to a facility dedicated to cruise ships only.

 

Aruba with its near perfect weather, features natural wonders, historic sites and museums, a booming culinary scene, diverse land and sea activities and a lively nightlife is an increasingly popular tourist draw for many Americans and Europeans. I think for many Canadians the flight down here is a bit too long compared to other islands.

 

We have been to this port several times in the past few years. The other times we were in dock before getting out of bed so it was nice today to enjoy watching the port slowly appear as we enjoyed breakfast.

It is a very short walk to the main street. To the left there is nothing for tourist but to the right the main street is pure tourism with lots of shops selling jewelry and various souvenirs. After about a 5 minute walk and just over a small bridge there is a marina where tour boats and deep sea fishing charters tours giving opportunities to land a big one are available. Next to the marina is the beautiful Renaissance Hotel.

 

About a 10 minute drive to the east is an area of All Inclusive hotels with beautiful beaches. Across the road from them there is a Butterfly Garden – a nice place to spend an hour or so. (Same operator as in St. Thomas Havensight port.)

 

Right at the port there are large buses used that do standard tours – no need to book, they just keep adding people until full and then take off. Tours typically go inland to the Casibari Rock formations, Alto Vista Chapel and the California Lighthouse (the most northern point on the island). The north end of the island is often quite windy. Most of the area is covered in small brush and cactus – large iguana, wild goats and donkeys may be seen.

 

There are also lots of taxis (cars and vans) available for hire at the port for custom tours or rides to specific sites.

 

We have been to about half the ports on this itinerary. As I cover each port, for ports we have been to before I will usually note briefly what we did before. While to some this may not seem relevant to a current daily report, I will do it for 2 reasons; first it lets those that have also been there understand why we did not go to the popular sites A, B and C etc. and secondly it lets those planning to go to these ports that besides what we did that day, sites A, B and C exist and were worth visiting.

 

When there are no ships in port, I imagine the tourist strip is quite dead as most resorts on the island are ‘All Inclusive’ and there is not a lot to draw resort guest into town.

Off shore from the port there usually quite a few large tanker ships idling waiting for their turn at ports in Venezuela.

 

We did a walk around the old town for about 1.5 hours and cam e back to the ship for lunch. In afternoon I played shuffleboard, mini-golf and we did trivia again.

 

We did pass on our last opportunity to join the party scene and get some over priced margaritas Señor Frog’s until we reach Cabo San Lucas.

We spent some time relaxing in the shade around the pool as will be a common pass time for us. I have a stack of magazines plus the books from the library to go through. I’m a slow reader – tend to read a bit, and then start daydreaming and people watching. Freda has a lot of word puzzles to work on.

 

The show for tonight was the “liars club’ game show where 4 crew give definitions to very obscure words and you have to guess which the true definition is.

 

We again had some interesting table mates in the main dining room tonight. I don’t want to spend too much time on complaints people have but one lady was telling us about how everywhere she went on the ship she was hearing creaking noises. Nobody else at the table said they had not heard anything like that. Then her husband did one of those loud whispers directed at the rest of us – “it’s just her knees.”

 

DISCLAIMER: I will apologize in advance if any of my comments on the ship or any port are inaccurate. We are first-time travelers to about half the ports on this itinerary and these postings are nothing more than my perceptions, thoughts, and feelings of this beautiful trip. If I report something inaccurate, please feel free to correct my mistake. Everyone on this cruise has different backgrounds and expectations, does different things each day and has unique experiences both onboard and off so others will likely see various points of the cruise differently. There will be times my vision may be coloured by my past experiences, beliefs and values. I hope this thread can be one of pleasure in discovering new places where everyone can use the information in their future cruise planning or at least temporarily dream along with us on this unique voyage. I’m trying to push my wife’s wheelchair, take photos and make notes – easy to miss something. A lot of people have helped us with planning prior cruises as well as this one - writing these reports is my way of giving back so please enjoy and keep smiling.

Also, I am using Canadian English, not British, American or any other branch of English so there will be some spelling differences.

 

Today’s thought of the day - "Is the glass half empty, half full, or twice as large as it needs to be?"—Anonymous

[Waynetor]

We have been here 3 times before. The first time we did a tour on one of those buses that gathers passengers as they disembark and does a standard tour. The other times we walked around the beautiful and colourful city of Willemstad.

 

Today was mostly sunny, very pleasant. We got off for 2 hours. We just wondered around a bit. When we came back the bridge was open so we had to use the free ferry to cross. It was accessible but not easy. A large scooter would have been near impossible.

 

One of the 2 RCI ships that were in port with us yesterday has joined us here again.

 

We were docked at the up- river dock which is past the swing bridge which would have to open and close for us to get into the dock. The large ship stays outside the river and docks a bit further away.

 

Again I did shuffleboard, golf and trivia. I was told on the prior cruise, one passenger had over 900 ‘O’ points at the end – sounds like a lot but if 2 people are doing most activities and you are good at trivia it can be done.

 

At 9:30pm they had a Rock and Roll party on deck 9 in honour of Elvis Presley’s birthday. The house band played and 2 of the CD staff sang. There was a birthday cake, peanut-butter and banana sandwiches and a few other treats. Only about 60 passengers were there.

 

We slept through the arrival and it will be dark when we leave so we will miss the usual enjoyable scenery but we have seen it before. We have a very short trip to our next port (72km/45mi/39nm) so there is no need to leave Willemstad early. Overnight for all we know the ship will be sailing in circles.

 

Today’s thought for the day - "God grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know it's me."—Anonymous

[Waynetor]

Bonaire (pronounce Bow nair) is a special municipality within the country of the Netherlands. Bonaire's economy is mainly based on tourism. There are few sandy beaches but the surrounding reefs are easily accessible from the shore. Bonaire is world renowned for its excellent scuba diving and is consistently rated among the best diving locations in the world.

Kralendijk (pronounced 'Crawl-en-dike') is the capital city and main port. In Dutch, Kralendijk means "coral reef" or "coral dike". The language spoken in the town is Papiamentu, but Dutch and English are widely used.

Although Bonaire's future seems inextricably entwined with its remarkable coastal reefs and its austere natural beauty, the island's past is tied to an altogether different set of resources and attributes. With a comfortably dry climate and steady trade winds, Bonaire has long been recognized as an ideal locale for the production of salt. For over 3 centuries, the island's culture and prosperity was dependent upon this most important of the world's spices. While salt farming has seized on most Caribbean islands it is still produced on Bonaire. The stunning salt beds of Pekelmeer are also home to one of the hemisphere's great populations of flamingos. Today the island counts substantial populations of donkeys and goats among its wildlife.

The population in 2010 was approximately 15,800.

[Waynetor]

Dutch Welcome = Bon bini, Thank you = Danki, good morning = Bon dia, Good afternoon = Bon tardi

 

This is our 3rd time to Bonaire. Bonaire’s National Marine Park surrounds the harbour. The sea water here is very clear and a variety of reef fish are visible at the pier. Kralendijk is located a short taxi ride or a good stroll for cruise ship passengers. Unless you are going to the beaches or scuba diving, there is not a lot to do to fill in a whole day. On our 1st trip we had a small van group organized on our roll call. We went to the salt mine, saw the old concrete slave huts (a truly brutal life they had to endure), saw a few flamingos in the salt farm lake, drove around the coast – saw some very good dive sites including the famous 1,000 step site, old underwater caves that now are above water level, the landscape is covered in various cactus, we stopped in the small town of Rincon (the islands oldest town) with its liquor factory and then on to an area with a lot of wild donkeys. Last winter we took a taxi to Kralendijk. It is a real authentic town with just a bit of touristy stuff along the waterfront – for a wheelchair it is mostly navigable but bumpy. There are a few historic buildings but we did not go into any. The beach in town is not the greatest but if you just want a quick dip that is certainly doable.

 

Today we were joined in port by the Carnival Dream. There were some puffy clouds, and the temp was around 29C mid 80’s F.

 

Today has been a pretty laid back day for us. We decided to stay on board. We took our time this morning, had a relaxing breakfast and then found a nice, shady place to sit and enjoy the day. With many guests on shore, it provided time for us to talk with many members of the Oceania Team and some of our fellow passengers that also stayed on board as well as doing some reading. Around lunch a lot more guest were coming back onboard. After lunch it was more of the same but I did manage to fit in a walk before it got too busy followed by shuffleboard, golf and trivia.

 

Today we had an early sail-away – time to relax with everyone back on board for a while. Afscheid/farewell from the 3 Dutch territories we will visit on this cruise.

 

We had our 1st specialty dinner reservation – at Polo Grill which was wonderful.

 

The evening show was the ABBA tribute band again – this time they did Elton John and Billy Joel songs – I didn’t like it as much as the male singer was not as good as the females that did most of the signing at the 1sst show, but it was still fun.

 

I asked our cabin steward if he had any advice for first time ‘O’ cruisers. He said based on his experience his advice was “Never, under any circumstances, take a sleeping pill and a laxative on the same night.”

 

Today’s thought of the day - Everyone in 15th century Spain was wrong about where China was and as a result Columbus discovered Caribbean vacations - P J O’Rourke

[Waynetor]

Thanks/Muchas gracias for coming along!

 

As mentioned before on the original schedule for this voyage today we were to be in El Guamache (Isla Margarita) Venezuela from 10am – 6pm but back in May it was changed to a sea day with no other changes and no explanation.

 

With the saved port time and more direct route we are moving slowly – they could probably shut off the engines and get out the oars and we would still be in Grenada tomorrow on time.

 

We went to a presentation by the Oceania Club Ambassador (Jennifer Faust) which was well attended – informative for 1st time passengers but we did not win the $250 OBC given away.

 

On days when I am not pushing a wheelchair around a port a lot, I’m trying to get some exercise. I will walk on the deck mostly but have checked out the exercise/gym room.

 

We spent a couple hours up in horizons watching the sea. For most of that time we were escorted by a pelican and a group of about 20 birds – I forget the name – very sleek with black tips on the wing and tail feathers. Most of the time they just road the air currents. No sign of any other sea life yet except some flying fish.

 

The weather remained great and the seas about 2-4 feet.

 

We had dinner (veal for me) in Toscana followed by a comedian show – both wonderful.

 

There's the worn out joke about how to take shower on the ship. Soap down the walls, step in and spin. – Its true here on Oceania.

 

Today’s thought of the day - "I'd rather be on a ship with a drink on the rocks than in the drink with a ship on the rocks"

[Waynetor]

Grenada (pronounced Gra-nay-da) is located northwest of Trinidad and Tobago, northeast of Venezuela, and southwest of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Grenada is known as the "Island of Spice" because of the production of nutmeg and mace crops of which Grenada is one of the world's largest exporters. An array of other spices such as bay leaf, cloves, vanilla, cinnamon and ginger are also grown here. Hurricanes in 2004 and 2005 wiped out much of the nutmeg/mace trees and since then cocoa production has increased greatly.

Grenada has a moderate tropical climate that ensures the success of spice production. From the historical treasures to the numerous magnificent waterfalls, rainforest and natural preserves Grenada is a country of unspoilt natural beauty.

There are not as many beaches as found on other Caribbean Islands but there are some very nice beaches including 3km (2mi) long Grand Anse Beach just south of Georgetown.

St. George's is the capital of Grenada. The city is surrounded by a hillside of an old volcano crater and is on a horseshoe-shaped harbour where the cruise ships dock. The small, flat port area has many vendors selling various spice packages for visitors to take home as a reminder of their tropical visit. Outside the port area there are additional markets selling fish, fruit and other goods geared more to the local population.

Though St. George's was discovered by Christopher Columbus on this third voyage in 1498, the island was relatively neglected until 1650.

The remains of Fort Frederick, completed in 1791 offers a panoramic view of the city and surrounding area and Fort George at the harbour entrance completed in 1706 gives another great perspective.

In 2004, St. George's and the rest of Grenada were severely devastated by Hurricane Ivan. The hurricane left significant destruction across the island to both buildings and crops crippling much of the island's infrastructure. It was estimated that some 90% of the island's homes had sustained damage. Destruction from the hurricane can still be seen throughout the city.

The population is around 110,000. Grenada is 34km (21mi) long with a maximum width of 18km (11mi).

[Waynetor]

Another day on a lovely tropical island. It was truly wonderful to wake up and see lush mountains, nice beaches, and bright, colourful houses up on the hills surrounding St. George.

 

This is our 6th or 7th time we have visited here on a cruise ship – last time was March last year. As in other times, today we were greeted in port by a small steel drum band. The first time in 2002 we did a ship tour and since then have either done a private tour with other shipmates or just stayed around town for a bit. Where ever you go on this rugged island there are great views – either sweeping sea views with other islands in the distance, white sand beaches, imposing cliff faces or lush, tropical forest. Some of the stops we have made include Annandale Park with its waterfall (can’t get to the waterfall in a wheelchair), Bathway Beach National Park (nice place for a walk on the beach or a quick dip), the botanical garden, Fort Frederick and Fort George (if a person in a wheelchair can walk a bit they can see most of them), Grand Anse Beach (very popular for those who just want to go to a beach for a few hours), Lake Antoine crater and Lake Etang crater (ancient volcanic craters now filled with water) we just made quick stops but hiking tours can be done through the areas Grand Etang National Park, an old spice factory where they show some of the processes, and Rivers Rum factory (most of the buildings are in a major state of disrepair but they still make rum which can be purchased).

There are several boat/catamaran tours available for those wanting beach/snorkelling or diving time. Grenada has been gaining popularity with divers and has been named by Scuba Diving magazine for both the ‘Best Wreck Diving’ and Best Advanced Diving in the Caribbean’. Starting in 2006 an under-water sculpture garden has been created (new additions continue) for divers to explore. Parts of it are shallow enough that snorkelers can enjoy them also.

I’ve yet to try it here or anywhere else but Grenada with its mountainous rain forest now has 5 areas for zip-lining.

In St. George most of the main churches have not reopened since the hurricane due to lack of funds for repair to their roofs that were destroyed. There is a market mainly geared to locals with fresh fish, fruit and vegetables but around the port packages of spices and bottles of vanilla are the main items offered to tourist.

As you come off the pier there is a far size mall with lots of tourist stores. Outside there is a market geared towards the local population and the spice prices are usually lower. St. George’s is a hilly city and the streets in town are not very good to move around in a wheelchair so unless taking a tour there is not much for someone with mobility issues.

 

Nearby is the Carenage, a horseshoe shaped harbour area (only good for small boats such as fishing boats or sailboats). This is really the center of activity for locals in St. George’s, with a number of shops and restaurants. There is a sidewalk lining the water all the way around the harbour.

 

Based on past times here it is a very colourful spot but very hard to get to in a wheelchair due to road conditions. Choice is to take the short route up and over a hill or a longer route that involves going through a tunnel.

 

Freda stayed on the ship while I explored the Carenage harbor which had several fishing boats tied up ad St. Georges harbor where there were 4 mega yachts. I took the tunnel going there and up over the hill coming back. There was a botanical garden in the area but it was very poor – just an open space with a few random trees and shrubs plus a war memorial and a plaque for a Nelson Mendela visit. I bought a few bottles of rum at a great price which will last us most of the rest of the voyage (hopefully)

 

From what we have seen, Grenada does not have the extremes in wealth/poverty seen in some of the Caribbean islands but there still is a fair range in homes. Like many islands in this area many of the better homes are owned by people who immigrated to the US or Canada, made some money and then retired back in the old country.

 

Grenada and the next few islands we will be visiting all have a rich history in distilling our favourite special libation – rum. In Grenada the Antoine Run Distillery established in 1785 is still in operation. Barbados is home to the world’s oldest rum distillery, Mount Gay established in 1703, and tours there are popular. A little warning – if you are cruising in the Caribbean, don’t buy the 151 proof rum if you are flying home as it is considered highly flammable and is banned in luggage on flights. Another warning – for Grenada, Barbados, St. Kitts and likely some others it is against the law to wear any type of camouflage clothing.

 

From the port here you can catch ferries to Carriacou and Petite Martinique the 2 other islands that are part of the nation of Grenada as well as several other Caribbean islands. Some tourist use them but they are used mainly by residents of the islands.

 

Just off shore near our dock, the beautiful 5 mast Royal Clipper was anchored. Just as we were leaving we had a beautiful sunset and the clipper looked great all lit up as darkness set in

 

Chikungunya is an illness spread by a particular species of mosquito. These mosquitoes bite in the daylight hours, particularly morning. The CDC advises "that folks with arthritis, serious underlying medical conditions and the elderly are vulnerable and at higher risk for serious symptoms. Martinique and Grenada are among the Caribbean islands where this has become a problem over the past couple years. The advice we were given is not to use a sunscreen/repellent mixture but instead apply sunscreen 15 minutes before applying a separate repellant after.

 

A little story about some of the strange conversations you can over hear on a ship. A lady joined her friend who was sitting out on the promenade deck near us. One said to the other “Good heavens! Who did your hair? It looks like a wig! The other lady replied that is was a wig. “Really?” pondered the first women. You could never tell.”

 

Today is the 201st anniversary of the birth of Canada’s 1ST Prime minister Sir John A MacDonald. Like George Washington in the US, he greatly influenced the direction of the young nation but unlike Washington he does not get as much recognition. So here’s to you Sir John.

 

Today’s quote of the day - When fortune empties her chamber pot on your head, smile and say, ‘We are going to have a summer shower.’ Sir John A MacDonald

[Waynetor]

Saint Lucia is a small, lush tropical gem island nation in the eastern Caribbean. One of the Windward Islands of the Lesser Antilles, it is located midway down the Eastern Caribbean chain, between Martinique and St. Vincent. St. Lucia is only 43km (27mi) long and 23km (14mi) wide, with a shape that is said to resemble either a mango or an avocado.

It's home to quiet volcanic beaches and fishing villages as well as luxurious resorts.

The capital, Castries is on the west coast, towards the north end. St Lucia is known for its 2 distinctive mountains, the Pitons, further south along the west coast. St. Lucia is known for its beaches and reef-diving sites, as well as its rain-forested interior with waterfalls such as at Toraille.

The population of Castries is around 20,000 (60,000 including surrounding area) while St. Lucia’s whole population is around 170,000. Most of the historical buildings have been lost to fires over the years. The town offers very good shopping but for many cruise passengers, it acts as a jumping off point for tours to others parts of the island.

[Waynetor]

On the original 2015 itinerary day 8 was to be Pointe-a-Pitre, Guadeloupe but for this voyage it has been substituted with St Lucia – there is a bit of sadness being here today as this is where Insignia’s problem started in Dec 2014 and where 3 people lost their lives.

 

Today weather was pretty much like the last few – a bit more cloudy but just great.

 

We have quite a late departure tonight. An excellent chance for those wanting to enjoy some local dining, beverages or night life but we stayed onboard after dinner. We were joined in port by the Celebrity Summit with around 1,900 passengers. The small ship Wind Surf was also in St. Lucia but it used another port.

 

We were docked at the dock closet to downtown while Celebrity got the dock on the other side of the bay that requires a 15 minute or so walk.

 

St. Lucia most famous landmarks are the Pitons – Petit and Gros – Heading south, long before reaching the island’s oldest town, charming Soufriere, the ominous peaks appear in the distance, appearing to grow taller as you get closer. The scenery is beautiful, rolling hills, dramatic cliff tops and lush foliage. As you get closer it becomes harder to enjoy the other scenery as you gaze on the twin peaks. A couple years ago we did a tour that included a boat ride to a beach that is situated right between the 2 peaks. It was a very nice place for me to snorkel. I have not done a climb but guided climbs can be arranged. I’m told it is not too extreme but you do need to be in shape, but the view will make it worthwhile. It is a little easier coming down and then you can take a moment to enjoy the wonderful flora along the trail.

 

Along with zip-lining there are several other places where you can hike through rain forest taking in the astonishing flora and fauna. One of the best places is the Castries Waterworks Reserve.

 

One time we were here in St Lucia we picked up some Guava jam that was very nice treat at breakfast back home but not this time. Besides juice and jam, it is also mixed with sugar and pectin to make a sweet treat called “guava cheese”.

 

We spent near 2 hours walking along the waterfront and into the local outdoor market. There is 1 part for fish, another for local fruit and veg., another for prepared foods and a covered area for tourist goods.

 

There were lots of people offering tours even though it was around noon and bit later

 

We did hear some people talking about luggage tag colours so for them the end of their voyage is quickly coming.

 

Got back on board in time for lunch, shuffleboard, gold and trivia. Mel Mellers, a magician/comedian was the act tonight. He reminded Freda of Benny Hill.

 

Today’s thought of the day -"Winners never quit and quitters never win." - Vince Lombardi

[Waynetor]

Martinique (French pronunciation: Martinik) is an island in the Lesser Antilles, with a land area of 1,128sq km (436sq mi). It is directly north of St. Lucia and south of Dominica. Like Guadeloupe, it is an overseas region of France and is part of the European Union, and its currency is the Euro. Its official language is French. The population is around 415,000. Christopher Columbus sighted the island in 1493 and finally landed on 15 June 1502.

The islands popular French-Creole cuisine draws influence from India, Africa, and the Caribbean.

 

Fort-de-France is the capital of Martinique. It is also one of the major cities in the Caribbean. Exports include sugar, rum, tinned fruit, and cacao. Fort-de-France, lies on Martinique's west coast at the northern entrance to the large Fort-de-France Bay, at the mouth of the Madame River. The city occupies a narrow plain between the hills and the sea. The city had its share of disasters, being partially destroyed by an earthquake in 1839 and in 1890 by fire. At the turn of the 20th century, however, Fort-de-France became economically important after the volcanic eruption of Mount Pelée (1,397m /4,583ft) destroyed the town of Saint Pierre in May 1902 killing 30,000 people (only 1 survivor). French products are easily available, from Chanel fashions to Limoges porcelain.

[Waynetor]

This is the voyages 1st new time port for us. We docked at the Pointe Simon Cruise Terminal which is right downtown. There is another port further out where a French cruise line had a ship. The pier is around 65M (200yd) long – there was a shuttle available but most people walked. Taxis offering tours were available.

 

With comparatively few direct flights from the US and no regular mega cruise ships, tourism here is quite different than most of the other Caribbean islands, but for those looking for a unique heritage, natural environment and culture, Martinique has a lot to offer. With tourism not dominating the job market, farming and fishing are still important here.

 

Around the island there are many pristine, white-sand beaches. Some have various rentals while others are quiet and unspoiled. We did not eat in any of the restaurants but were told at most a 15% service charge is tacked on to the bill.

 

The rolling countryside is dotted with fields of sugar cane and banana plantations. The rum distilleries in Martinique are not big producers but they do produce unique flavoured rums.

The lush, mountainous interior provides a stunning setting for nature lovers and hikers. The most popular hike is the climb to Mount Pelee, a live volcano in Martinique National Park.

The island has been known as the “Island of Flowers” since Columbus stopped here in 1502. It doesn’t take much of a trip around the island to see why.

 

In Fort de France sites to see include 2 splendid cathedrals, a magnificent tiled library, the Museum of Archeology and Prehistoric Martinique, many New Orleans style historic buildings along with excellent French restaurants. La Savane is a very nice 12 acre park located in the center of Fort de France right down by the waterfront promenade. Shopping includes designer boutiques, spice and handicraft markets, local art along with luxury emporiums offering French fashions jewelry and perfumes.

 

As an official region of France, Martinique gets financial advantages and has excellent medical facilities, drinking water and cultural institutions.

 

We hired a nice Mercedes taxi for 3.5 hours for $150US. We had read that it would be hard to use US$ here and hard to find an English driver but the first taxi driver we talked to was fine and offered the US price.

 

We headed north through the centre of the island along very windy, mountainous roads into the rainforest – parts of the forest get 7.5 – 12m (300 – 500 in) of rain – we just had a couple brief sprinkles. There were several places you could park and start hiking including places for the highest peak. We made lots of stops so I could grap a quick photo.

 

The main stop was at the largest of the 10 rum distilleries – in production area there was no tour but lots of signs explaining the process. There was also a gift shop where you could sample the various rums. The property was surrounded by sugar cane fields.

 

Next we were off to see the haunting ruins of the old capital Saint Pierre. Some remains of the old buildings remain. Many of the new buildings are built on the foundations of the destroyed old homes. While 30,000 lived there prior to the volcano erupting, only about 6,000 live there now.

 

From there we took the coastal route back to the port passing by several small fishing villages. The main street in town was all torn up for a major construction project. This made it impossible to get around in a wheelchair but the work should be over this spring. The normally beautiful Cathedrale Saint Louise de Fort de France (1671) was being renovated and was heavily scaffold so not good for photos

 

Every Wednesday a lot of people get the afternoon off so when we got back to the ship traffic in town was quite heavy.

 

I traded some of my O points (45) for a long sleeve shirt.

 

Tonight in the theater they showed the movie Jurassic World

 

Today’s thought for the day - Everything I need to know about life, I learned from Noah's Ark:

One: Don't miss the boat.

Two: Remember that we are all in the same boat.

Three: Plan ahead. It wasn't raining when Noah built the Ark.

Four: Stay fit. When you're 600 years old, someone may ask you to do something really big.

Five: Don't listen to critics; just get on with the job that needs to be done.

Six: Build your future on high ground.

Seven: For safety's sake, travel in pairs.

Eight: Speed isn't always an advantage. The snails were on board with the cheetahs.

Nine: When you're stressed, float a while.

Ten: Remember, the Ark was built by amateurs; the Titanic by professionals.

[2552phxcrzr]

Thanks Waynetor. I especially appreciate you mentioning where Insignia docked, availability of taxis/shuttles, and similar port logistics. Although we won't be in any of these ports on our 2017 RTW, the info for ports where we overlap will be very handy.

[RJB]

Thanks for these great posts. Almost feels like I am there. Keep up the great work. :):):)

[AdvenLee]

Thanks, "Waynetor" for your wonderful reports!! My husband and I will be joining you WC cruisers for the Sydney to LA segment (on May 9).....So, perhaps we will be able to meet. I look forward to our S. Pacific sojourn. Holly

[GeezerCouple]

Thanks very much for this thoughtful running commentary.

 

We'll be keeping a copy, for future use if/when we get to any of these ports (including back to some ports we've already visited).

 

About an hour ago, I found out that one of DH's acquaintances will be joining you folks in South Africa in about 2 weeks.

 

(I don't know if they are on CruiseCritic, and it's too late for me to find out. They've just left town, with some travel planned en route to the ship.)

 

Thanks again!

[Waynetor]

Barbados (pronounced bar berdous or bar beidos) is a sovereign island country in the Lesser Antilles. It is 34km (21mi) in length and up to 23km (14mi) in width, covering an area of 431sq km (166sq mi). The easternmost member of the Caribbean, Barbados floats by itself, about 180km (112mi) east of St. Lucia. The British first settled here in 1627. The country gained independence in 1966 retaining Queen Elizabeth II as Head of State functioning as a constitutional monarchy and parliamentary democracy. Tomorrow, January 21 is a national public holiday that honours Barbados' first prime minister in 1966.

Barbados is one of the Caribbean's leading tourist destinations and is one of the most developed islands in the region. It is flat in comparison to its island neighbours to the west, the Windward Islands. The island rises gently to the central highland region, with the highpoint being Mount Hillaby at 340m (1,120ft). The "dry season" runs from December to May.

A regional variant of English, referred to locally as Bajan, is spoken by most Barbadians in everyday life, especially in informal settings. In its full-fledged form, Bajan sounds markedly different from the British English. The main export of Barbados had been sugar but that has been reduced significantly over the past 30 years and the economy has diversified. There is a major rum industry here which produces what is considered one of the world’s finest such products.

The island promotes itself as the culinary capital of the Caribbean and offers a rich history with sunny weather, with friendly, welcoming people.

Bridgetown, the capital city (population about 100,000) is along the Caribbean Sea, while the rugged east coast of the island faces the Atlantic Ocean. The city has a lot of character and beauty. Opposite the Parliament Buildings, you will find the old "Trafalgar Square" and a statue of Lord Nelson. The Lord Nelson statue, erected on 22 Mar 1813, is older than the statue and square of the same name in London. "Trafalgar Square" was officially renamed National Heroes Square in April 1999, in honour of the national heroes of Barbados. You can spend a few hours looking around town at local markets, architecture and museums but most cruisers head out of town for tours for places like Andrmeda Botanic Garden, the restored Morgan Lewis Windmill, Barbados Wildlife reserve, Harrison’s Cave, rum factory tours and Sunbury Plantation House and Museum. The east coast area around Bathsheba is one of my favourites for the wonderful views of waves crashing along the rugged coast from several points of view.

[Waynetor]

Good Morning (Gud marnin in Bajin) to you all along for this fabulous journey and welcome to any newbies!

 

Today is another mostly sunny day in high 20’s C (mid 80’s F).

 

Just thinking back to Jan 4th and all those folks back in the Port of Miami that started their vacation on other ships that weekend – most are now back home while we have barely settled in. To make a point about just how special this grand voyage is – by the time we disembark in Miami, about 11 million passengers will have cruised during the year to that point including about 2 million from Miami itself.

 

This island has special nostalgic memories for me. I came here several times in my youth. My parents spent the first 3 weeks of December here for quite a few years after retiring.

 

With the early arrival today we slept through the sail-in. By the time we got up many passengers with early flights home had already disembarked. With a Costa Cruise Line and tall ships Club Med II and Sea Cloud with us today the port area is very busy today with a lot of demand for taxis and tours. There is not a lot right around the port so unless you are in for a fair walk, you will need a tour or a taxi.

 

I heard from one source 300 passengers got off here and 210 new passengers joined for the next segment to Capetown while another source said 240 got off and 248 got on.

 

For American history buffs a good place to visit in Bridgetown is the Garrison area which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization). Besides St. Ann’s Fort, the military cemetery, and the Barbados Museum there is the 2 story George Washington House. George Washington spent 6 weeks here caring for his ill brother in 1751. Barbados is the only non US colonial place Washington visited. The building is fully restored to the period of his visit. The buildings are located towards the south end of Carlisle Bay.

 

We decided to take a taxi to this area and agreed with the driver for him to come back in 2.5 hours. We toured the museum. I got in free as a wheelchair escort (fee was $11us). The G. Washington home was only partially accessible and no discount so we just looked from outside. Someone at the house told us there a changing of the guard at the Barbados Legion Lodge at noon so we headed over there. By the time the ceremonial process started there was about 60 tourist watching. It ceremony was in the very formal style and took 15 minutes. While charging of the guard used to be every hour, now it is just done at noon every Thursday by ex-military volunteers.

 

On one of our previous stops here the cruise ship ‘The World’ was docked next to us. This ship is a sailing condominium with each unit owned privately just like a land based condo. –This voyage is going to give a bit of a taste of what life would be like for those on board her for a long time but unlike the condo owners, we get free entertainment and never have to worry about preparing our own meals or paying for a meal in a ship restaurant.

 

Between my earlier land vacations and several cruise stops here I’ve seen just about everything of interest to me. We were thinking of going to Hunte’s Garden. Last time we were in Barbados it was 2 days after a category 1 hurricane and when we got to the park it was closed for cleanup.

I appreciated the signs we saw with the helpful tips that they post like where you can’t urinate. We have seen similar “No Spitting” signs in India. I always wondered about signs like that…. Is it OK to spit, urinate or whatever in areas where signs aren’t posted? Really makes you wonder what made that location so special to prompt the sign.

 

Barbados - Rum is the biggest beverage business here but pepper sauce is also a popular buy for some tourist.

 

Now that we have been to several ports I can say that the port lectures have been very good and useful. A local tourist board re has come on board at each port with maps and other information. They are a lot better than what is given out on main-stream cruise lines which for the most part are just guides to the stores the cruise have deals with to promote. The information provided onboard, while helpful, is not sufficient if planning to get the most out of a port on a do-it-yourself basis.

 

2016 is now 2 weeks history – hope everyone is having a great New Year – if you don’t have your own adventure for the year planned yet, it’s time to start thinking about it.

We had to do a muster drill today for all passengers. It was delayed by about 20 minutes due to late arriving passengers. Once that was complete we had further delay in leaving due to a medical issue – We finally sailed at 8:30. At the welcome aboard show a new Executive Chef was introduced. .

 

Tomorrow we have a tour with Alibaba Tours

I asked them for a tour that did not include a lot of activity. Here is a rough itinerary, please advise everyone that we can always change it if anyone would like to see anything that is not on the list if the time allows it!

The tour starts right at the port, gives you a short impression of the (not very attractive) capital Scarborough, passing on via Mt. Irvine, Plymouth (Mystical Tombstone and Fort James), Arnos Vale (Arnos Vale waterwheel is unfortunately out of business for the foreseeable future... some old structures can be seen from the road and maybe pictures taken) and stopping at the 600 year old silk cotton tree in Runnemede. The tour can always be interrupted to take a picture or take in a panorama of your choice! Visiting the fishing village of Castara, Englishman's Bay, Parlatouvier you would take a lunch stop at Charlotteville. After that passing Speyside and Roxborough and the Atlantic side of the island with a brief stop at the lookout at Fort George overlooking Scarborough and your ship.

 

Today, just before sailing I went ashore to check out the stores by the port. Coming back on the ship the security women asked "What's in the bag?" Looking down at the brown bag that held my purchase I said, "It's a bottle of wine I got it for my wife." The security woman was silent for a moment or two. Then speaking with the quiet wisdom of an experienced service person, she said, "Sir, if you don’t mind me saying, I’m not sure that is a good trade."

 

Today’s thought for the day - Q: How do men exercise on the beach?

A: By sucking in their stomach every time a women in a bikini goes by.

[Waynetor]

Tobago (pronounced ta’beigoo) is the smaller of the 2 main islands that make up the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. It is located in the southern Caribbean, northeast of the island of Trinidad and southeast of Grenada. Trinidad is 11km (6.8mi) off the northeast coast of Venezuela. Tobago is 30km (19mi) northeast of Trinidad and measures about 298sq km (115sq mi) in area, or 5.8% of the country's area. It is 41km (25.5mi) in length and 12km (7.5mi) at its greatest width. The island is cigar-shaped in appearance, with a northeast-southwest alignment.

Tobago is primarily hilly and of volcanic origin. The southwest of the island is flat and consists largely of coralline limestone. Tobago is home to the oldest protected forest preserve in the western hemisphere. The island lies just south of the Atlantic hurricane belt but can be affected by the outer band of storms. Direct hits by hurricanes are rare but it was severely damaged in 1847 and 1963 laying waste to the plantations which largely sustained the economy.

Possession of Tobago has been fought over by numerous nations since it was first sighted by Columbus in 1498.

Tobago's economy is tightly linked with Trinidad and is based on liquefied natural gas, petrochemicals, and steel. The principal economic forces specific to Tobago are tourism and government spending. Tourism is concentrated in the beach area in the south-west of the island. Trinidad and Tobago is the second richest (Bahamas is first) country in the Caribbean and is listed in the top 40 high income countries in the world.

Trinidad and Tobago was the king of Cocoa in the 19th century and quality chocolate is still an important local product.

Scarborough is the largest town and capital of the island. Its population is around 17,000, almost one-third of the island’s total. The town is dominated by Fort King George, an 18th-century fortification.

Another little bit of info is that Trinidad and Tobago is considered the birthplace of Calypso music and also the steel pan.

[Waynetor]

With our late departure last night we were a bit late into port today, not being cleared until 8:30.

 

Very few cruise ships use this port. I believe the last ship here was another small ship, the Oceania Regetta back on Nov 9th. For many people in the Caribbean, their livelihood is based on the cruise industry but that is certainly not the case here.

 

We were in Trinidad a few years ago on Boxing Day - I had picked up a cold from our Christmas Eve taxi driver in Barbados so did not do too much but this will be our first time on this part of the country.

 

Compared to its lively neighbour Trinidad, Tobago is much more serene with its gorgeous beaches along the north coast. While water activities, both above and under the surface are a big tourist draw here, we stuck to doing a land tour. I organized a full day group tour with 2 vans that was aimed at sightseeing.

 

Our tour with driver/guide/sites/lunch cost $95us each for the 4 of us. Two others were thinking of joining which would have brought down the price which the price down to $85 – it was good they did not as the van was not as comfortable as expected. I had asked for a tour from 8:30 to 4pm and the driver seemed to be having trouble spreading out the tour that long without us doing a lot of walking or each time. He drove quite slow and we still got back to port at 3:30. Overall I enjoyed the slow pace and we got to see a lot without much effort.

 

We saw quite a few Rastafarians with their distinctive headwear around the island. Many of the homes are built on slits. This helps with air conditioning as well as protection in heavy rains.

Next to our ship was the ferry dock. Vehicle carrying ferries from here go to Port Of Spain, Trinidad in about 2 1/2 hours.

 

Unlike on the other islands we have been on the last few days, the Caribbean coast was more wild, with large waves crashing on the beaches while the Atlantic coast was much calmer.

 

Tomorrow we finally get a day of rest. These successive port schedules have their advantages and disadvantages – you get to see a lot of places in a short amount of time, but they could be tiring if you try to do it all. With a nice mix of new and previously visited ports we enjoyed this Caribbean adventure.

 

As we leave the Caribbean area I will leave you with a bit of a joke.

A magician was working on a cruise ship in the Caribbean. The audience would be different each week, so the magician allowed himself to do the same tricks over and over again. There was only one problem: The captain's parrot saw the shows each week and began to understand how the magician did every trick. Once he understood he started shouting in the middle of the show:

"Look, it's not the same hat."

"Look, he is hiding the flowers under the table."

"Hey, why are all the cards the Ace of Spades?"

The magician was furious but couldn't do anything; it was, after all, the captain's parrot.

One day the ship had an accident and sank. The magician found himself adrift on a piece of wood in the middle of the Caribbean with the parrot, of course. They stared at each other with hate, but did not utter a word. This went on for a day, then another, and another.

Finally the parrot said: "OK, I give up. What’d you do with the ship?"

 

As today is the last port on our voyage visited by Columbus here is a quote from him - You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage to lose sight of the shore. - Christopher Columbus

[buggins0402]

Wayne, thank you and the other world cruise posters for taking us around the world with you.

 

I sneak onto cruise critic every so often from my work computer and it is such a day brightener from the dreariness of my job in a windowless office to read all the world cruise posts!

[no fuss travel]

Enjoying the jokes as well as your daily activities description. Your tales brighten up a rather gloomy day outside here.

[RachelG]

Really enjoying your blog and will be following along!

[4Lakes Lady]

Here in Wisconsin I have snowflakes out the window so I am totally enjoying your world cruise vicariously! Thank you so much for posting - looking forward to reading about all your experiences!

[TKS]

Wayne, I'm enjoying your jokes and thoughts-of-the-day (along with your commentary about the cruise and the ports, of course). I can't imagine having 180 jokes and sayings, though! I can barely remember three or four of each. Were they part of your cruise preparation, or are you wiling some of your time on the internet looking for new material?

Edited January 26, 2016 by TKS

[Lane412000]

Just thinking back to Jan 4th and all those folks back in the Port of Miami that started their vacation on other ships that weekend – most are now back home while we have barely settled in. To make a point about just how special this grand voyage is – by the time we disembark in Miami, about 11 million passengers will have cruised during the year to that point including about 2 million from Miami itself.

 

 

I LOVE THIS!!!