Looooooong 7/8-7/15 AoS review - different too

[ancldaca]

(This review is posted in the main review section. After a comment on our Roll Call and the comments my co-workers made today (to a version that included pictures) I'm posting this on the boards as well. Enjoy.)

 

 

The following has been faithfully translated from Spanish from a vellum manuscript recently found at an archeological dig in San Juan, Puerto Rico. I have attempted to translate faithfully but at some points, I’ve had to use the original words. The first page was missing:

 

 

“…to accurately describe the voyage taken from this port city named San Juan Bautista de Puerto Rico, beginning on the 8th of July in the year of our Lord two thousand and seven on the vessel Adventure of the Seas. I am aged 40, work in the financial trade, and have had some previous experience in maritime voyages but these dated back to last century: Renaissance-IV (1994-Windward Islands Southbound), Nordic Empress (4 day: St Thomas/St Maarten), Monarch of the Seas (Eastern Caribbean), and the Sun Princess (1998-Alaska).

 

I booked this route because I had never been to Aruba or Curacao before and looked forward to unwind with 2 days at sea. This was also my first time as a solo traveler.

 

Sunday, July 8th 2007: Port of San Juan - docked along port side of the vessel. My starboard balcony view was that of Old San Juan Latitude North 18.27.566 Longitude W 066.06.001

 

As a resident of San Juan, I opted not to explore our fair city or seek lodging before our sailing. Instead, I used a hired carriage to arrive at the dock at around 4:04pm. Formalizing all the paperwork of the passage took about 20 minutes and I arrived at my stateroom scant 8 minutes later.

 

My original assigned stateroom was 7504, an ocean-view cabin forward on deck 7. But on Friday my transportation agent informed me that I had been upgraded by the shipping line to a balcony cabin, numbered 7372, which is located aft and starboard. I hope this will aid me in my exploration of the islands and the needed rest I am seeking.

 

My cabin attendant (Knight from China) quickly introduced himself and two minor requests were handled quickly and efficiently. My luggage was delivered at 6:45pm. The cabin size is quite satisfactory with a straightforward layout. Storage space is very adequate and would be even for two people. The only thing I miss is a large enough table to properly spread my map and plot our course on it…

 

At 6pm, we had a safety drill. All of us passengers were lined up in an somewhat orderly manner on deck 4. If we should be attacked by pirates, the Kraken, or other sea monstrosities, we would have to report to these stations to abandon ship by squeezing into the orange longboats.

 

Master Per Arne Kjonso, announced that over 1,200 passengers were Spanish speakers on this voyage. I could see some fellow travelers shudder in front of me as they heard that. I, on the other hand, shrugged this off. Having lived in these islands and the southern continent for most of my life, I was well versed in the language of these fellow explorers.

 

To prepare myself for the evening meal, I wandered the topsides. The sun had finally set and half of the passengers had gone off for an early dinner. On the Fo'c'sle I spied across the bay noticing that the Carnival Glory was similarly tied to the dock. Further south of us in the San Juan bay, two three-masted schooners were anchored. One flew the flag of Brazil, the other bore no flag that I could see with my looking glasses. Pirates? Privateers? I do not know but I shall not sleep easy tonight.

 

This sailing is also a quinceañera voyage, something that seems to often plague the voyages of this fine vessel. A quinceañera celebration is the Latin equivalent of Sweet Sixteen only that it is celebrated at age 15 (quince) instead of 16.

 

At 8:30pm, the time of our casting off, I proceeded to eat in the galley called Portofino. The large portholes provided a magnificent backdrop as we departed San Juan Bay having one last view of the San Felipe del Morro castle. We sail into the unknown leaving the safety of the walled city behind.

 

I chose to eat there this first night precisely because no other night on this sailing offers the same dramatic scenery to enjoy over one’s dinner. Had I been accompanied by a fair maiden on this exploration, I am certain that dinner alone would have opened the door to many a joyous moment. Alas, I must travel by myself this voyage…

 

My humble meal consisted of an Arrugula and Asparagus Salad with smoked duck and a lemon vinaigrette, followed by a simple yet tasteful tomato soup. For the pasta course I chose a small portion of Pappardelle with a mushroom cream sauce and as the entrée, the Saltimbocco alla Romana which is served with a mushroom risotto. Jeanette’s service was outstanding and unlike other horror stories I’ve read of solo travelers, she treated me like anybody else, as did the other members of the wait-staff, even if I did not order wine.

 

I enjoyed Portofino so much, I talked to the manager and put down a standing reservation each night at 8:30pm. I then proceeded to the Strauss main dining hall and informed them that I wouldn’t be joining the table of 4 I had been assigned to for the rest of the voyage. I was congratulated on my dining choice…

 

11pm: On the High Seas heading west along Puerto Rico‘s northern coast.

The cabin food I ordered arrived in less than 15 minutes. I am not hungry, but my sugar disease requires I eat smaller portions more often and a late night turkey sandwich is a must. I also receive hot water for my evening teas I packed in my sea trunk. Being on a ship without proper tea would be - uncivilized.

 

I shall turn in soon. The high heat and humidity of San Juan has drained me while I was tending to my home affairs before stepping on board. I will fall asleep, knowing we are crossing the shark infested waters of the Mona Passage between Hispaniola and Puerto Rico.

 

Monday July 9th: At sea over the Venezuela Bain heading towards the Aruba Gap 10:15am - 16.45 N - 68.10 W; course 205 at 13.4 kts; sea with small chop and some white caps - visibility: unlimited

 

Carelessness on my part. I forgot to properly draw the curtains last night and, although on the shaded side of the vessel, the morning light caused me to wake up much earlier than normal. 6:30am, an ugly hour more suited to go to sleep (as in my younger days) than waking up. I ordered some hot water for my teas and reviewed the shipboard activities. The selection is overwhelming and it would do little justice to enumerate even a few.

 

I had breakfast in the Vivaldi dinning hall and was not impressed at all with the options available. A previous exploration of the Windjammer breakfast showed few differences that would make one go out of one’s way to be in the dining room. Additional items in the areas of heartier breakfasts would be appreciated, such as steak & eggs. I ordered the smoked salmon and a tea. Unfortunately, the brand of tea left much to be desired although a generous selection of that brand is available. I am thankful to have heeded the advice of the many anonymous members of the Cruisecritic Explorers Association and packed my own.

 

1:50pm - 16.03N 68.30W - course 204 at 12.6 knots

Lunch at the Vivaldi wasn’t much better. I ordered the Indian soup (coconut and chicken), the Caribbean salad, and the Asian inspired catfish. Of these, the soup was the best. I resign myself to the fact that the only good meal each day will be dinner at Portofino as well as lunches on the islands.

 

Having scouted the bowels of the ship where the portrait artist shop is located, I realize that Portofino has one additional benefit which is the absence of these omnipresent entities.

 

7:13pm - 15.00N 69.00W - Course 205 at 12.3 knots

At 5pm I participated in the Cruisecritic Explorers Association meeting held at the Blue Moon Lounge. Unfortunately, having arrived late due to technical circumstances (I got lost…) all my fellow explorers were already in the Mingle part while I was starting to Greet. I recommend all fellow explorers to attend these meetings and to be on time.

 

10:15pm - 14.25N 69.17W - Course 205 at 13.3 knots

Just returned from another delectable meal at Portofino. I allowed Jeanette to chose my dishes for me. This is what she came up with: Tiger shrimp on a saffron risotto, a bean soup (very tasty), the same pasta as yesterday (heavenly again), and Filetto di manzo alla Piastra (grilled tenderloin with truffle mashed potatoes and sautéed baby vegetables.

 

Our vessel has also been invaded by animals!!! No, not the quinceañera passengers. But the real thing. As I entered my cabin, a small pachyderm stared at me from my bed lustfully looking at the chocolate left by the cabin attendant. I am at a loss where it could have come from… Perhaps it’s a message from the Almighty Himself that I should stop eating so much.

 

Our crossing of the Caribbean Sea will be over in the morning as we reach Aruba’s capital Oranjestad.

 

Tuesday July 10th: at sea nearing Aruba.

7:21am 12.31N 70.04 W - Course 106 10.4 kts and slowing; flat seas

We have finally spotted land and are making our final approach to Aruba. I have awoken early to prepare for my exploration inland and ate breakfast at the Windjammer at around 6:50am.

 

As noted earlier, the breakfast items available were essentially the same as in the dining room; as I was leaving, omelets and eggs cooked to order were being prepared at the Island Grill further aft. There were no lines of any kind at this hour although as I was returning to my stateroom, the throngs were starting to arrive.

 

11:24am Docked in Oranjestad along the port side of the vessel. The view from my starboard balcony was ocean

 

I decided to do a small walking tour of Oranjestad on my own. Once out of the port, I took a northeasterly direction until I hit L.G. Smith Boulevard where I continued to my right. This blvd. runs through the waterfront eventually reaching the airport. Being out early (8:30am) was a good decision since shops were barely opening up and the town wasn‘t run over yet. After a very leisurely 10 minute walk, past Parliament and the Prime Ministers Office, I arrived at beautifully manicured Wilhelmina Park where there is a gorgeous statue of Queen Wilhelmina. After that park, I crossed the street inland to Oranje Street and a block down, saw and entered the Fort Zoutman Willem III Tower (which was once a lighthouse and has a couple of cannons in front - gifts from the people of Curacao). For $6.00 I explored this museum which recounts some of the early history of Aruba. One document I saw there impressed me. It was the 1845 census!!! Although I don’t speak Dutch, my German helped - somewhat - in understanding the categories which I believe to be: Men, Women, Indians, & Mestizos (but it could be White, slaves, Indians, mestizos). All added up to 2,510. Then another column summed up the religious background to the same 2,510. A fascinating document from a different era of course.

 

After the Fort, I continued on Orange St. until I got to Wilhelmina St. where I took a left. The ladies at the museum had recommended I go that way because it was architecturally more interesting. I stopped by a post office to buy some postage and a market to buy some sundries. Wilhelmina St. then becomes Haven St. where I continued until getting to the Numismatic Museum. I really had looked forward to this since coins tell so much history. However, at the Fort Tower they had already advised me that the coin museum would be closed “because grandmother died and her funeral is today. We are also closing up at 2pm to go to it.” From the coin museum I made my way back onboard.

 

2pm

Fearing a repeat of being disappointed by the on-board food for the masses, I went on-shore in search of a proper eating establishment. Not having prepared for this possibility before my departure in San Juan, I decided to eat Indian food at a restaurant I remembered seeing from my walk this morning. The whole southern part of the Caribbean, stretching from the ABC of the Caribbean up the island chain to about St. Maarten, has a large Indian descendent community and they brought their cuisine and tastes with them. I had an excellent lamb meal which was very spicy; not a curry, but more like a Masala type dish. This was served with a side of perfectly cooked rice. It was delicious and the hotness did not take away from the flavors of the dish.

 

After lunch, I wandered about the shop areas looking for small souvenirs for co-workers and friends. Once back on board, I’ve decided to drink a few cups of tea and read my book.

 

10:20pm 12.21N 69.53W Course 125 6.4kts

We left the safety of Oranjestad harbor around 8pm to once again brave Caribbean waters on our way to Curacao. We must be sailing close hauled as our speed is half of what we have doing these past few days. We are now directly south of the Arubian town of Saint Nicolass. Being of German descent, I had always been inquisitive as to where he spends his time the rest of the year before delivering gifts to children in December. One childhood question answered.

 

Dinner was again superb. I started with the carpaccio, followed by the vegetable minestrone, and then the grilled halibut. I skipped the pasta course tonight in order to indulge in desert. A sublime collection of 4 deserts were brought on the sampler plate. I found the white chocolate brulle and the pistachio mousse to be of particular interest to me.

 

Returning to the cabin, I found that the invasion of the animals has not been able to be controlled by the security forces of this vessel. Tonight, a dog has joined my elephant. Fortunately, they appear to be house broken as I have yet to step into anything unbecoming of a gentleman.

 

I retire for the evening early once more since I have left instructions to be awoken at the un-godly hour of 6:30am again tomorrow. My brain is telling me that something is wrong here. Why am I waking up an hour and a half earlier on board than when back in San Juan to go to work? Perhaps some soothing teas will bring me an answer before I drift off to sleep…

 

Wednesday, July 11th - Curacao 8:10am 12.06N 68.56W - Docked at Willemstad on the port side (again). The view from my starboard balcony was ocean.

 

Today is an important day. When booking this voyage, one of my goals was to search for the Mystical Ostriches of the Caribbean that, lore has, are to be found on this island of Curacao. I am hoping against hope that if we find them, we are able to take one down and cook it on an open pit fire. I have heard that ostrich meat is delicious but have never had a chance to savor it. Me and my fellow safari participants have been summoned to meet pier-side no later than 8:30am.

 

I have decided to give room service a try this morning rather than going to the Windjammer for breakfast. This service is very efficient on board and I have been using them at least twice daily for hot water for my afternoon and then late night teas (plus twice for a late night sandwich). However, quickness and a genuine warmth on part of the service personnel, has failed to mask some shortcomings. Out of the 6 times I have asked for tea service so far, once they failed to bring the cup and saucer, and twice the spoon. That’s, unfortunately, a 50% failure rate. Breakfast was so-so and henceforth, I will go back to the Windjammer for variety’s sake or eschew daytime ship food altogether and go ashore for an early lunch instead.

 

4:48pm: casting off lines

I returned about an hour and a half ago from land after having spent most of the day there. The expedition to find the Mystical Ostriches was almost a complete success. We boarded a large carriage and soon left the town of Willemstad behind. Our local hunter guide first gave us some background history of the Island, as well as some current political news. For example, just like Puerto Rico, Curacao is neither independent nor a full part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands but in a limbo in between (which is the so called Netherlands Antilles). An election is coming up where the population will have to decide between these two choices. The Netherlands Antilles (comprising all 5 former Dutch colonies in the Caribbean) is on the verge of breaking up as its two largest members, Curacao and Aruba, seem to be taking the route of independence.

 

We first made camp at the Aloe Vera Farm. This is a farm owned by the Curacao Ecocity projects N.V. The Aloe Vera plant has been in use for thousands of years throughout human history and is particularly adept to being farmed in a hot, arid climate which seems to be in abundance in Curacao. The plant takes between 4 to 5 years to become commercially harvestable and only needs 10 liters (a little less than 3 U.S. gallons) of water per week. Once old enough for harvest, only the 3 lowest leaves are cut off at a time and taken to processing. Inside the plant, a crew first trims back the fat end of the leaf, then another cuts off the two sides. Machinery is then used to remove the flat top and bottom. The remaining gelatinous pulp is then processed into a variety of different products for the local population and all cutaways used in composting.

 

Once the trading of goods was finished… we were finally off to seek the Ostriches which we found but 5 minutes away from the Aloe Vera Farm at 12.07.6 North and 68.49.8 West. Upon arrival I immediately spot a BBQ pit with plenty of wood to light a fire and my gastric juices began flowing in anticipation of a sumptuous meal. But this was not to be to my great loss…

 

Nevertheless, this farm was also part of the same Ecocity project. These are truly magnificent animals and they raised both the Australian as well as the African kind. We were able to see everything from 1 week old hatchlings to fully mature 5 year old animals. Males develop black plumage and are thus easy to differentiate from the grey coated females. Only productive females (40 to 60 eggs per mating season) are kept in the pens with select males while all others are placed in a free range area to grow larger for future gastronomic purposes. A male ostrich can grow to 400lbs, reach a height of 9 feet, and all ostriches can reach speeds of 50mph for stretches of half an hour at a time. Yet for all that power, they are as dumb as a doorknob (or politician - take your pick); case in point, their pens are lined by only 3 thin wires but their pea sized brain (literally) cannot comprehend that the 2 feet of space between the wires could be used to escape. I say, they almost deserve to be served more often on dinner plates around the world… I left disappointed that I was not able to taste this - supposedly - tasty and healthy (0% cholesterol) meat. If my travels should take me back to Curacao, I will make it a point to eat at the restaurant.

 

Once back at the ship at around noon I immediately hired a carriage for transportation ($12) to Punda , the older part of the town of Willemstad. I asked to be dropped of near the Central Market where I found a restaurant named Deruyter Café which has both an indoor and outdoor section. I sat outside and ordered a Fish Soup (pepre watra) and a Roti. The fish soup was a wonderfully simple one based on mirocroix and bits and pieces of fresh fish; sometimes, simple dishes are so much better than the fancy ones. The Roti seemed to be an Indian inspired dish (without my knowledge, just a happy coincidence or just more proof of the Indian influence in the southern Caribbean) and was sort of a chicken curry served with boiled potatoes, green string peas, and a large pancake-like tortilla. It was delicious and at $13 total, a terrific value when including tax, service, and 2 bottles of water.

 

I continued my exploration of Willemsted by walking to the Floating Market and then meandered about inside the maze of small streets that make up Punda. It was on Keukenstraat where I found a tiny gem. It was the Curacao Postal Museum ($2). The museum only has 2 rooms of exhibitions but what beautiful and interesting things they had. One wall was dedicated to Curacao’s first stamps, another section showed a series of stamps against child abuse, and another dedicated to the Queen. The most interesting one was a whole wall dedicated to how a stamp is created, from working drawings to the final product and first issue. In this case, it was a commemorative stamp of the 200 year anniversary of the Kingdom of Holland recognizing the just recently independent United States in 1782. I found that interesting since the Dutch had lost New York.

 

My walk back to the ship took me by Fort Amsterdam which I was unable to visit due to time constraints. However, after crossing the Queen Emma Pontoon Bridge, my path to this vessel did take me through Riffort. Riffort seemed to be the other fortress that guarded the harbor and has now been converted into what looked to be a thriving commercial area with quite a large number of eating establishments and specialty shops. What a practical way to re-use decrepit historical forts. But then again, the Dutch are some of the most practical people in the world. It wasn’t quite swords into ploughs but…

 

With my visit to Willemstad concluded, I drink tea and pen this long entry, while eagerly awaiting dinner tonight.

 

6:22pm: 12.02.7N 68.42.41W - Course 042 13.3kts

I have stepped outside on my balcony and with my binoculars have been able to identify the island of Little Curacao including its lighthouse which is flanked by two smaller structures. The island appears very flat with one long, apparently uninterrupted, white sand beach around it and basically uninhabited.

 

With our present course, we should be passing it by to our starboard side. I’ve also seen 3 small sailboats operating on their metal sail as well as 2 ships plying the oil trade. These are busy waters indeed, but then, there’s safety in numbers considering the dangers out there.

 

The wind has been heavy all day long and I can still see whitecaps around and ahead of us. Yet, the seas themselves do not appear to have larger waves. Perhaps, this crossing to St. Maarten will be uneventful as well.

 

10:10pm 12.40N 68.09W - Course 042 12.4 Kts

The wind is still strong. In fact, our speed has dropped almost a full knot since 4 hours ago. With my binoculars I peered into the dark distance and was able to see the wind induced phosphorescent whitecaps of waves all around us. The sea is choppier than during our reach from Puerto Rico to Aruba. I also scanned the skies and was able to see many stars. Living in a city with its bright lights, I forgot how truly beautiful they really are.

 

As usual, dinner at Portofino was terrific. First, an Insalata Caprese, then the Spaghetti di Mare, and finally the Petto di Pollo Marinato con Erbe di Campo salsa Scapriccio. Yesterday and today, there were a lot more passengers in attendance than before.

 

Providence has saved me!!! Call it a sixth sense or something but by chance I ate more of the roasted garlic oil than usual at dinner. This has proven to be a Godsend for upon arriving in my cabin, a huge bat has taken up a perch over my bed. Surely, it is waiting for the right moment to strike and drain me of my precious blood.

 

I am exhausted from my lack of sleep these past three days. Tomorrow, I have no intention of waking up at any hour that starts with a single digit. Sleep will come easy tonight since we finally have a bit of movement on the ship. The curtains are swaying a bit and the hangers are rocking in the closet; I now feel that I am finally on a boat.

 

Thursday July 12th - At sea 11:33am 14.46N 66.16W - Course 041 at 12.9 kts

The seas are unfortunately very calm again. Gone is that wonderful slight swaying feeling of last night.

 

I must be cursed by Neptune himself. The one day I wanted to sleep into the late hours of the morning I wake up at 7:30am. I dragged myself to the Windjammer for a light breakfast and took some pastries back to the cabin. I will spend the day reading my book and sleeping when the urge hits me. At some point I will have to leave the cabin so that Knight can make it up but I have no clue as to when that will be.

 

7:08pm 16.05N 65.04W Course 041 at 13.6 kts

The record will show that I did absolutely nothing in the least bit productive today. Well, essentially nothing in any case. I ate a light lunch at the Windjammer at around 2pm, then visited the shipping lines’ representative and booked a similar voyage for September of next year on this very vessel, purchased some wares at the quartermaster’s store and had tea with some pastries at 4pm. In between my last entry and now, I filled my time reading and napping when the moment so demanded it. Nice…

 

Room service has also delivered a plate with 2 pieces of chocolate covered strawberries and 2 chocolate cookies. I do not know if that is because I have become a “frequent customer” or if this is simply delivered to every passenger on board. It is a gesture that is appreciated and I shall enjoy them tonight after dinner.

 

10pm 16.31N 64.39W Course 041 at 13.8 kts

I chose to eat light tonight. Well, as light as one can in Italian cooking. For starters I had the Calamari fritti alla ligure which I enjoyed due to them being coated in a light batter. The Penne alla Caminetto was perfectly al dente and well matched with the Bolognese inspired sauce made out of plum tomatoes. Finally, I had the Spiedino di frutti di Mare alla Toscana which was a grilled seafood skewer. The scallops were perfectly cooked, an indication that the grill master knows his trade.

 

I again took some mixed berries with me to the cabin from Portofino. As I was leaving, the staff also gave me a plate with 2 chocolate covered strawberries and 2 chocolate cookies. I now have the difficult task ahead of me to eat all this accumulated chocolate and the berry desert. Should my internist read this report, he will surely fire me as a client. I shall bury this voyage’s account once back in San Juan to avoid his wrath.

 

As each day goes by, the animal population aboard the ship continuous to explode and I begin to feel more being on an African Safari than a Caribbean exploration. Tonight, a monkey has joined his fellow group of stowaways in my cabin. I am keeping my door closed shut. Other cabins seem to have been invaded as well and I would hate to think what could happen if my animals start mating with their counterparts on this deck. Panic among the passengers surely would ensue…

 

I want to finish tonight’s entry by elaborating why I am disappointed with the other food choices on board. One should never blindly criticize without reason. As I look back on the less than stellar eating experiences, other than Portofino, I now realize why my comments were so negative and truth be told, it is for one reason only: taste. The other galleys put out food that has nice presentation and are certainly properly cooked. However, that food is bland. It has no taste of any kind and is reminiscent of baby food. At times, those dishes hinted at what they should taste like but always failed to achieve their goal. It is as if the galley staff has been forbidden to use the proper amounts of salt, pepper, and - most importantly - spices to create their dishes. Case in point, today at lunch I had a curried vegetable mix. The “curry” sauce barely hinted of the strong, spicy, and pungent smell a true curry dish should have. I cannot find fault if I don’t like a properly professionally prepared dish because of my own culinary taste failings. However, I can accuse of incompetence a professional chef that purposely kills the spirit of a particular dish. However, I suspect this isn’t the chef’s decision but one handed to him by some landlubber, culinary challenged, corporate lackey.

 

Tomorrow we should make landfall at St. Maarten. I have plans to travel to the French capital of St. Martin, called Marigot, with one purpose in mind: to eat a good bouillabaisse, which I think is one of the precious few things the world should be grateful for of the French. Any trading of goods will be secondary in nature, although I expect to do some of that as well. Friends back home have asked me for some items.

 

As we approach the Sombrero Passage, the confluence of Atlantic and Caribbean waters naturally stir the ocean up a bit. Thankfully, I feel the ship moving a bit again.

 

Friday July 13th - St. Maarten 18.00N 63.02W - docked along starboard(!) side of the vessel. The view from my balcony cabin was the dock and then all the glorious view of the bay in front of Philipsburg.

 

9:36am

I have now given up on the thought of getting sleep on this voyage as I have awoken again at 7:30am. At least the day time naps are coming easier than normal. Little surprise considering how tired I feel.

 

We are docked at the A.C. Wathey pier in Philipsburg which seems to be able to have sufficient space for 3 additional ships of our size; today we are the only ship in town. This pier lies to the east of the capital city but you can get transported either by carriage or smaller water vessels to that area. In the harbor I can see several small sailing crafts anchored including two of the speedy greyhounds of the seas the 12 metre class Stars & Stripes and Canada II.

 

This will be our last stop of this mostly Dutch itinerary of this ship as tomorrow we stop off at the former Danish colony of St. Thomas before returning to our home port.

 

I have prepared myself for my journey to the other side of the island and my quest for that bouillabaisse. I hope I will be successful.

 

3:51pm

I have been back for about an hour. My expedition to Marigot met only with partial culinary success.

 

I departed via carriage from the pier ($15+2) and was dropped off by the Marina Port La Royale. I began walking around the area noticing quite a number of refined shops stocked with the latest of continental merchandise unlike what one would find on the Dutch side which has essentially decayed into a bazaar of jewelry, alcohol, and cheap trinkets.

 

The French side still is retaining its French heritage but all shop owners had passable knowledge of English, as did the street bum who offered to procure a special herb, called “ganja” by the local populace, for me. I politely refused, not knowing in what meal that could possibly be used in…

 

I passed by the Marigot cemetery (all graves above ground), continuing to the formal waterfront where there was a large open air market full of fruit stands and Caribbean folk art. There were several restaurants in that area (one of which, La Vie en Rose, I had been to some 20+ years ago) but I found the area too congested for my taste. Instead, I traveled through some side streets again until I chanced on the Hermes store where I promptly, and unwittingly, exchanged a quarter’s worth of a monthly salary on two lady handkerchiefs and a tie for myself. In typical male fashion, I purchased without looking at the prices, so I am now the ’proud’ owner of a $138 tie…

 

For lunch, I went back to the marina and ate at a café called La Main a la Pate. As I was waiting after placing my order, I noticed people decorating the port area. It turned out that tomorrow is Bastille Day (the French cheap copy of the 4th of July); had we been in port a day later, all shops on the French side would have been closed (and my pocket book less light).

 

While they didn’t have a bouillabaisse, I did order a Marmite du Pecheur which was something akin to a seafood bisque with potatoes included in case the heaviness of a bisque wasn’t enough of a burden for my ever expanding waist line. This soup had dolphin (mahi mahi), lobster, shrimp, and scallops. It tasted delectable. The price for the soup, a 1 liter bottle of Italian water, and tip was $44.

 

I returned to the port, mailed postcards, and bought a bottle of liquor for a friend in Puerto Rico (JW Blue for $110 which included a beautiful blue leather carrying case). While I knew that the bottle would be confiscated, I mean held, by the ship’s staff, I found the way they handled this was extremely rude. They loudly screamed “liquor!!!!” several times as if someone had just brought aboard a musket or a long sword. Very tacky; very tacky and unbecoming. This will be the 2nd negative point I will be contacting the line for under separate cover - there must be a better way to handle this. Perhaps a staffed table where passengers could go to before stepping onboard…

 

In any case, I retreated back to my cabin to lick my financial wounds. I am at $717 in purchases out of the $800 one may bring into the U.S. from non-territorial islands (you get an additional $400 allowance for St. Thomas). My foolish purchases at Hermes will invite completely justified laughter by the customs officials. I look forward to lightening up their day…

 

6pm: 18.00N 63.07W Course 276 at 8.9kts

We departed St. Maarten about 20 minutes late. As the stragglers arrived by the ship, they were all welcomed by the sarcastic applause of their fellow passengers perched on their respective balconies. In a way I don’t blame the latecomers. St. Maarten/St. Martin is by far the nicest island to visit in the Caribbean and this is coming from someone who lives in one of the nicer ones. I could easily see myself living here.

 

For me, leaving St. Maarten begins the closure of this voyage. Intellectually, I know we still have a day left, but St Thomas feels too close to home for me to still feel being completely away from it.

 

After dinner tonight, I will begin preliminary packing of my bags. Many things and clothes can be packed away already without diminishing the enjoyment of the rest of the voyage but will greatly ease the packing frenzy tomorrow night. It also means shifting some things that were in my carry on luggage into my sea trunk as their space will be taken up by my purchases to date. For example, I now own a tie that is more valuable than most personal items I brought with me on board…

 

10:30pm 18.05N 63.48W Course 277 8.7kts

Dinner was “light” again with a nice Insalata alla Cesare and Spaghetti di Mare (specially prepared for me with a lot of peperoncino). Of course, the fact that I took two deserts with me to the cabin negates any possible idea of not sending my sugar levels into the heavens before going to sleep…

 

Tomorrow we must report early to the authorities. Since I’ve failed to sleep in on any of the days so far, this should prove like any other day for me. Of course, Mr. Murphy is likely to rear his ugly head…

 

I am slowly being driven out by the animals finding shelter in my cabin. A boa constrictor has joined its merry fellows and I am but an afterthought at this point. The animals have taken over the ceiling and the length of the sofa. If you can’t beat them, join them. I now too have begun marking my territory. I realize that this is a messy process but the balcony, bathroom, and bed are still mine. I now know how Noah must have felt on his Ark…

 

Saturday July 14th: 18.19.99N 64.55.33W Docked along the starboard side in Havensight Mall, Charlotte Amalie. The view from my starboard balcony is that of Havensight Mall structures, two large oil tanks and a lushly green mountain with scattered middle/high class houses on it.

 

8:22am

The whole ship woke up early for immigration procedures, whose lines moved very quickly. With the exception of staff, everyone was sleep walking through the formality. Because everyone woke up at the same time, the Windjammer area was very full for breakfast and people did seem to have trouble finding seating.

 

On my way back to the cabin, I intercepted Knight who had my liquor purchase of yesterday. Amazingly, all was intact. Still, this system needs some vast improvement.

 

As noted at the beginning of today’s entry, we are docked at Havensight Mall. Shipping companies and the local Virgin Island Tourist Authority ought to be ashamed of themselves of this site. For one thing, one is virtually at the mercy of hired carriage to enter town. The adventurous traveler might decide to walk but the heat and sun, even in these early morning hours, would make that trek a very uncomfortable one - even in winter.

 

Last night’s pre-packing went extremely well. All that is left to pack tonight are the suits, the dirty clothes, toiletries, and some personal items. I have surprisingly little dirty laundry. However, I consciously used each shirt twice; first for a dinner or daytime on board and then again during island expeditions the following day when I knew they would truly get sweaty. This system worked exceedingly well and I highly recommend it to any reading this. I have also literally gone to every drawer and closet and wrote down where I still have items; as these get packed tonight I cross that location and thus will be certain not to leave anything behind tomorrow.

 

As we are on our last port, I can now pass judgment which side of the vessel is “better”. If I were to book a balcony or ocean view stateroom on this voyage again, and all things being equal, I would probably book on port. The views of Oranjestad, Willemstad, and Charlotte Amalie outweigh the view of Phillipsburg. However, since my balcony was an upgrade, my view was terrific!!!

 

(Transcribers note: At this point of the document, the following was scribbled on the edge of the vellum in a different color of ink and in a different handwriting: “Here is an additional tip for future travelers. When returning from port, after passing the ship boarding formalities and security, do not wait like a lemming for the elevators close by. Walk through the crowd, take the stairs one flight up, and then take the elevators on the opposite side of where you just got on board. They are always empty.”)

 

3pm:

I had gone ashore at noon for about an hour to finish some gift purchases. As luck would have it, one of our clients is located right in front of the port area. On next year’s expedition, I shall pay them a call and thus write off the voyage as a business expense…

 

Since then, I have deadened my taste buds by eating a lunch at the Windjammer since the area by the dock is but a large market with no noteworthy restaurant establishments nearby that I could see. Perhaps it is better so, for tonight’s last meal at Portofino will taste all the better.

 

The packing is almost done with just the last items yet to be put away late this evening. I came aboard with two pieces of luggage and leave with four. Yes, I was seduced by the shopping siren. However, in my own defense, this is my first mayor trip in close to 6 years so most purchases are souvenirs for coworkers which are quite overdue. They should not expect such generosity after my September expedition to the Western Caribbean, now just about a bit over 60 days away.

 

5:50pm 18.17N 64.57W Course 249 6.1kts

We raised anchor to embark on our last leg of this expeditionary voyage. There’s a certain sense of relief that we have survived so far without storms or attacks. But I do hope that the Master and Crew continue their vigilance. The strangest of situations often occur when close to home in familiar waters.

 

I have been given departure time #1. Knight tells me that is good as I can depart at any time we are cleared to do so by the authorities. Those with later group numbers must wait until their group is called. I fail to understand the logic as I live in San Juan and do not have pressing time needs to catch other transportation means. I suppose that in the nautical trade, just like in the army, logic is often not a firm requirement in the organization…

 

Since I have finished my book about an hour ago and, not being able to go to dinner until 8:30pm, I find myself bored for the first time on this voyage. I shall go to my balcony and watch the water rush by…

 

9:3pm 18.26.65N, 65.16.34W - Course 281 at 6.5 kts

We are just north of the isle of Culebra, one of the two island municipalities of Puerto Rico.

 

Rama, Portofino’s manager, came to my rescue. I inquired about eating earlier than my usual 8:30pm and he accommodated me. For this final evening, I chose the dishes that I enjoyed the most this week: Insalata de Petto de Anatra Affumicata, the Pappardelle, and the Saltimboco. Ironically, I now see that is the same menu I chose a week ago after boarding. Excellent bookends I suppose.

 

I said good-bye to Jeanette and her partner Szilamer. Szilamer was leaving the ship tomorrow to journey back to his home and it turned out that Jeanette would do the same in two weeks. However, she would be back on the Adventure of the Seas on September 23rd.

 

As I was leaving, I rudely interrupted Rama’s conversation with another of the ship’s officers, and bid him good bye. I mentioned to him how much I enjoyed eating at Portofino every night this week and how it was something I looked forward to each day. He thanked me profusely and then the other officer said something similar. It is at this point that I noticed that she was the ship’s Food and Beverage Manager. I don’t think we could have planned this better…

 

So dear reader, with the final notes of the 3rd Act of Richard Wagner’s Goetterdaemmerung, conducted by the legendary Wilhelm Furtwaengler, fading in my ear, I choose to also bring to a close this account of this voyage started on July 8th out of the port of San Juan Bautista due to return to it tomorrow early morning, the 15th of July.

 

It was a voyage thoroughly enjoyed with only some negative facets to it and highly recommendable to all.

 

And with this, I bid you farewell and may all your journeys be as enjoyable and safe as this one was to me.

[RevSmith]

Well done my astute friend...you received several hearty chuckles from this sailor.

[turquoisesea]

Thank you! A long story, but a joy to read!

[KillaFee]

That was so much fun to read! Hahahaha....I read about 60% of it to my fiance when he was making his dinner - I think he spit some of his food out because he was laughing so hard! Well done! :D

Laura

[lori450]

A treat for the eyes. Such an enjoyable tale that brought forth a longing from my soul.

[cot427]

Great story. Thanks for taking the time and posting this for us.

[micdee]

I see you took my advice;) , again thanks for the tale.

[ancldaca]

Thank you all for your replies. Even before getting on board I had decided to write my review "differently". I had a lot of fun doing it and barely edited it after I got back home; in fact, I still see a few mistakes but they are minor. I was both a bit shocked and happy that CC put it up on the main review page; I thought they wouldn't go for something more off the beaten track...

 

I liked this so much that I'm already thinking of "a theme" for my next cruise review which will be the 9/16 sailing of the Caribbean Princess. Maybe something in a pseudo thriller way or a whodunnit are two ideas already swirling around my mind right now.

[jjb415]

Thank you so much for your wonderful review.

 

Absolutely fantastic! :)

[J33P]

What a great review and I certainly enjoyed the format.

 

Thanks.

[kittymom65]

I sincerely enjoyed your review, you are a great author and comedian!

[whoop913]

That was excellent! You have a wonderful storytelling ability.

[michigan tim]

That is a classic! Thank you.

[NAHA]

What a joy that was to read! Thank you! :D

[kruz]

Thank you so much for making it seem real :)

 

It made waiting for my September cruise go slightly quicker!

Thanks again :)

[mjyanne]

One of the best reviews I have read in a long time. Interesting to note that (I'm assuming here) you didn't attend any show, casino, spa, pool area or other amenities on board and still had an enjoyable time, correct? Thank you for a "different" review.

[karena1]

Review was great - but you had me laughing so hard I cried when reading about your invasion of animals. I love that touch with Royal and we always look to see what animal will be waiting for us when we come back from dinner at night.

 

Thanks for a great reading end to my day at work. It was great.

[ancldaca]

Wow!!! Thank you again all for your terrific comments!!! Glad you enjoyed it!

 

RevSmith: I've always enjoyed sailing and took same ASA courses in the past. I tried to incorporate some of that "nautical talk" without going too overboard.

 

Mjyanne: You are pretty much on the money in your post and I had very seriously thought about making some comments to this regard. But I didn't think it would add much to the review by mentioning things I didn't do or just barely did. Also, mentioning some minor things (say watching TV - where I got all my latitudes and longitudes from - except at the ostrich farm where I had taken my handheld GPS) would have been pretty much out of character in the setting of my review.

 

The original idea of this cruise was to relax and do as little as possible. I was only partly successful in this because I then very consciously went on shore in Aruba, Curacoa, and St. Maarten/St Martin.

 

I did stop by the casino for literally 4 spins at a slot and one loss at roulette to use the coupons (it was before dinner and the casino was fairly empty). I didn't really go to the pools but made it a point to do a lap around the deck every once in a while to make sure the bikinis were small enough for my taste... I didn't go to any shows (although I'm pretty sure I would have gone to one or another if I hadn't soloed) but did catch the re-runs of some activities and the comics on TV. I thought the comics were pretty fun to watch. One guy had the whole George Carlin bit down pat (including the faces and the rapid fire lists) and I found myself laughing out loud by myself in the cabin. The show by the cruise director with the 3 couples and 10 questions was very funny (the advertising producer guy sitting in the middle was a gem). I also pretty much stopped drinking about a year and a half ago so I wasn't too drawn to the bars/lounges (although without a doubt, I would have grown roots at the Schooner Bar back in my drinking days - beautiful). I was tempted to go to the spa but only for a haircut but decided that my $8.00 barber was more "me".

 

I enjoyed looking over into the bridge and the displays they had were very informative. This feature is right in front and below the gym. I remember seeing a bunch of people punishing themselves in there. I was - oh so close - to getting myself a piece of cake from the Windjammer and plant myself in front of the gym and leisurly eating it in front of them, but that would have been too cruel I think...

[amapola]

We did the same route this past New Year's and your story helped me relive our wonderful cruise. I read some parts to my esposo and he was quite amused too. :)

 

We'll be on the Crown Princess 2 weeks after you. Can't wait to read your report on that one!

 

Saludos and gracias for the smiles from another sanjuanera :cool:

[FreewayFortune]

Thank you so much for such an entertaining review:) :)

[Crockett]

I'm glad it will be in the review section. It's a wonderful review. I love how you plotted the course. My husband and I always have the ships stats on the TV in our cabin. Facinating-even the depth of the ocean. Can't wait til our 3rd time on the beautiful Adventure of the Seas.

 

You deserve a suite next time!