Orcrone
November 12th, 2004, 08:04 PM
This is the first of four port days in a row. Once again 80s and sunny. One can get used to this weather. We're supposed to be in port from 10 - 8. However, they called for all aboard for 6:30 PM and left before 7. Later on in the cruise we learned of the dead generator and slower speeds. Perhaps the problem had already occurred, so they decided to leave an hour early.
We went to breakfast at the Lido and then up to the gym. From our vantage point we were able to watch the ship arrive at St. Thomas. We could see three ships (RCI Mariner of the Seas, Disney Magic and Star Princess) already docked at Havensight. So we got to go to the overflow lot (Crown Bay). This is a disadvantage. Not much there, whereas there is a modern shopping area at Havensight. They're in the process of building one at Crown Bay, and it's supposed to be ready by April of next year.
St. Thomas, being a US territory, requires that the ship go through immigration. So all US residents had to go down to the card room and show their ID. You then get a pass showing that you've cleared immigration and can leave the ship. They went in alphabetical order and the procedure was very quick. This day we were heading to Coki Beach, so after getting through with immigration we headed off the ship to get a cab. Cabs in St. Thomas are a cross between a pickup truck and a Disney World tram. Up front you have a two person cab. In pack you have about 5 rows of open air bench seats that hold about 5 people each. The cabs were lined up one after the other.
We went to the front and told a cab driver that we wanted to go to Coki Beach, since we figured most people were just going into town. He just told us to get in the first cab with everyone else. About 2/3 of the way to town the driver pulls over and collects $3.50 from everyone for the trip. We told him that we were going to Coki Beach and he just told us to hold on and didn't collect any money. Upon arriving at a taxi area in town everyone gets off and he speaks to another driver with two people in back. He comes back and tells us to go with the other driver. So we head over there and first make sure he's heading to Coki Beach. To our dismay he told us that he wasn't. So we called back to the other driver who then spoke to a dispatcher on the scene. The dispatcher asked a number of drivers to take us there, offering them extra money, but no takers. DW and I looked at each other and said perhaps we'll go shopping. But after a few minutes one came along and said fine. He was extremely nice explaining that he felt that most drivers just want to do the short route because it's more profitable. But he felt that people are visiting their island and they should be given good service. He talked a bit about life on the island and made it a very interesting ride to the beach.
We selected Coki Beach because you can lay out and relax, put on snorkel gear and go snorkeling close to shore or go scuba diving right off the beach. I checked in at the dive shop (Coki Dive Center) which actually had a little kiosk with equipment set up on the beach. They were very nice. Even though their dive was schedule for 1:00 PM, they said come back whenever I wanted and I could go diving then. So DW and I put on our gear and first went snorkeling. She's only done it a couple of times before and was nervous about it at first. But after calming down she really enjoyed it and became hooked on this cruise. I saw four squid while snorkeling, the first time I've seen them. After snorkeling for about 30 minutes we came back to the beach and I went to the dive center. One other person had come by, so the two of us along with a divemaster hit the beach. This was the first time I'd gone shore diving. We walked in with most of our gear, put on our fins and mask while in the water and dove in. Within 100 yards of the beach the depth was over 50 feet. The three of us had an enjoyable dive.
After the dive we spent some relaxing time on the beach and caught a cab at 4:00. Unfortunately the cab driver was first going to take people back to Havensight. The traffic was awful. Once we got close to the pier it took us over 20 minutes to go two blocks. Upon arriving there one of the passengers from the MOS didn't have money as she had drank everything she had on the beach. So the cab driver gave her a card and the passenger promised to mail the money. Yeah, right. After dropping them off the trip back to Crown Bay was easy.
We travelled with a large group, mainly from cruise addicts. Many of them brought souvineers with them to give out to other members. Maureen (Iluvcruzin) made kitchen magnets in the form of anchors and Red Stripe (doesn't post here) made stain glass ornaments. I hung them outside our door on the wall. When we returned to the ship, someone had stolen them and they were never returned.
After a day of snorkeling and diving we didn't want to get dressed up, not even enough for casual night. So we put on short pants and ate at the Lido. That night we saw the Bourne Supremacy at the Wajang (wasn't impressed with the movie) and then went to the cast show. I thought the show started slow, but then picked up. Their costumes were phenomenal.
We went to breakfast at the Lido and then up to the gym. From our vantage point we were able to watch the ship arrive at St. Thomas. We could see three ships (RCI Mariner of the Seas, Disney Magic and Star Princess) already docked at Havensight. So we got to go to the overflow lot (Crown Bay). This is a disadvantage. Not much there, whereas there is a modern shopping area at Havensight. They're in the process of building one at Crown Bay, and it's supposed to be ready by April of next year.
St. Thomas, being a US territory, requires that the ship go through immigration. So all US residents had to go down to the card room and show their ID. You then get a pass showing that you've cleared immigration and can leave the ship. They went in alphabetical order and the procedure was very quick. This day we were heading to Coki Beach, so after getting through with immigration we headed off the ship to get a cab. Cabs in St. Thomas are a cross between a pickup truck and a Disney World tram. Up front you have a two person cab. In pack you have about 5 rows of open air bench seats that hold about 5 people each. The cabs were lined up one after the other.
We went to the front and told a cab driver that we wanted to go to Coki Beach, since we figured most people were just going into town. He just told us to get in the first cab with everyone else. About 2/3 of the way to town the driver pulls over and collects $3.50 from everyone for the trip. We told him that we were going to Coki Beach and he just told us to hold on and didn't collect any money. Upon arriving at a taxi area in town everyone gets off and he speaks to another driver with two people in back. He comes back and tells us to go with the other driver. So we head over there and first make sure he's heading to Coki Beach. To our dismay he told us that he wasn't. So we called back to the other driver who then spoke to a dispatcher on the scene. The dispatcher asked a number of drivers to take us there, offering them extra money, but no takers. DW and I looked at each other and said perhaps we'll go shopping. But after a few minutes one came along and said fine. He was extremely nice explaining that he felt that most drivers just want to do the short route because it's more profitable. But he felt that people are visiting their island and they should be given good service. He talked a bit about life on the island and made it a very interesting ride to the beach.
We selected Coki Beach because you can lay out and relax, put on snorkel gear and go snorkeling close to shore or go scuba diving right off the beach. I checked in at the dive shop (Coki Dive Center) which actually had a little kiosk with equipment set up on the beach. They were very nice. Even though their dive was schedule for 1:00 PM, they said come back whenever I wanted and I could go diving then. So DW and I put on our gear and first went snorkeling. She's only done it a couple of times before and was nervous about it at first. But after calming down she really enjoyed it and became hooked on this cruise. I saw four squid while snorkeling, the first time I've seen them. After snorkeling for about 30 minutes we came back to the beach and I went to the dive center. One other person had come by, so the two of us along with a divemaster hit the beach. This was the first time I'd gone shore diving. We walked in with most of our gear, put on our fins and mask while in the water and dove in. Within 100 yards of the beach the depth was over 50 feet. The three of us had an enjoyable dive.
After the dive we spent some relaxing time on the beach and caught a cab at 4:00. Unfortunately the cab driver was first going to take people back to Havensight. The traffic was awful. Once we got close to the pier it took us over 20 minutes to go two blocks. Upon arriving there one of the passengers from the MOS didn't have money as she had drank everything she had on the beach. So the cab driver gave her a card and the passenger promised to mail the money. Yeah, right. After dropping them off the trip back to Crown Bay was easy.
We travelled with a large group, mainly from cruise addicts. Many of them brought souvineers with them to give out to other members. Maureen (Iluvcruzin) made kitchen magnets in the form of anchors and Red Stripe (doesn't post here) made stain glass ornaments. I hung them outside our door on the wall. When we returned to the ship, someone had stolen them and they were never returned.
After a day of snorkeling and diving we didn't want to get dressed up, not even enough for casual night. So we put on short pants and ate at the Lido. That night we saw the Bourne Supremacy at the Wajang (wasn't impressed with the movie) and then went to the cast show. I thought the show started slow, but then picked up. Their costumes were phenomenal.