B2B on Carnival Dream Western & Carnival Victory Southern Caribbean! Review w/Pics!

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As you can probably tell, Brimstone Hill Fortress is HUGE! Be sure to explore all of the areas of the fortress and not just the main section that is up the ramp from the visitors' center. While it is the most restored section of the fortress, the entire site spreads over several hundred yards down the mountainside, and based upon our hike down to the lower areas, not too many people make it down that way. Yes, it is a bit of a hike, so if you are not in shape, you may have a bit of difficulty getting down, but they do mow a path through the tall grass down to the lower areas of the site, and they have grazing goats (sorry, no pictures) that help to keep the site from getting too overgrown.

 

After visiting, I can easily tell why they call this UNESCO World Heritage Site the Gibralter of the Caribbean. The Fortress took over 100 years to fully construct, and was a British stronghold in the battle to control the Caribbean. If you make it to St. Kitt's, take a portion of your day to go see it.

 

After returning to the port area in Basseterre, we decided to explore for a while. We walked around the waterfront downtown, and my friend tried some of the street food that they grill all over downtown at the end of the work day on Friday. They have chicken, fish, rice, and all sorts of other things that we didn't ask about, grilled in steel drum grills all along the street. You tell them what you want, how much you want, and they wrap it up in foil for just a few dollars. I'm a little scared to try street food thanks to my background in food safety & sanitation (I'm a certified professional food handler), but my friend loved it. She said a little dust from the street only added to the flavor. Anyway, she got her street chicken, and we explored the shopping areas around the port.

 

One thing that I noticed all over the Eastern/Southern Caribbean is that souvenirs are much more expensive than in the Western Caribbean. I am used to $2-3 shot glasses and 2/$10, 5/$20 t-shirt deals, but they are not to be found anywhere on this itinerary. Expect to spend $15-20 for a single t-shirt, even in the smaller out of the way gift shops. The majority of the gift shops in almost all of these ports were offering either jewelry (diamonds, not silver as in the Western Caribbean) or liquor. The only thing that I saw that seemed cheap in comparison, were the hats. You could get embroidered hats almost anywhere for $5-8. I don't know why they are so much cheaper than everything else in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean.

 

After we finished shopping, we stopped at the world's smallest Fat Tuesday near the pier and had one last drink in St. Kitts. They had a live band playing in a tent outside, but there was not much going on at this Fat Tuesday, so we didn't stay long.

 

 

After getting back on the ship, I headed out on deck to take a few more pictures of this beautiful island while my friend started getting ready for dinner. St. Kitts really is beautiful, and close enough to St. Maarten that I really wish that the cruise lines could offer it on more itineraries as a substitute for St. Thomas.

 

 

 

 

 

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Evening #6, the night of St. Kitts, is also the 2nd elegant night onboard the Victory. We referred to it as "Elegant Night Lite" because people just don't seem as enthused about the 2nd elegant night (without the lobster and filet) and while most people still dress for the occasion, it almost feels as if they are wearing the leftover outfits from earlier in the week. But so goes the end of a cruise.

 

As I mentioned on my review of the second elegant night of the Dream cruise, the 2nd elegant night still has one of the better menus (shrimp with mustard potatoes!), and I can always find something to enjoy on it. I just wish they'd bring back shrimp cocktail so my appetizer choice was easier!

 

Chilled Creamy Bing Cherry Soup - 4/5

I had to do it at least once. Carnival seems famous for their chilled soups, and of all of them that appear on the dinner menu, the bing cherry soup is my favorite. Cold and sweet, it is refreshing after a hot day in St. Kitts. I wish Carnival would bring back the chilled orange soup with the tapioca (I can't remember what it was called, it was on the old dining room lunch menus), but since they don't have it anymore, I'll have to settle for Bing Cherry.

 

Grilled Jumbo Tiger Shrimps (with Mustard Potatoes!!!) - 5/5

See my Dream review to know why I like mustard potatoes so much.

 

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake

Still as good as always.

 

After dinner, it was time for a little more casino action, some karaoke with Ana (watching, not singing), and Punchliner Comedy Club. I usually have a hard time remembering the names of the comedians a few months after the cruise (even though they are almost all hilarious), but Happy Cole on the Victory really stood out as one of the top comedians I've seen at sea. We caught three of his shows in the two nights he was onboard. He is probably #2, only to my #1 Mutzie from my January sailing on the Triumph, in terms of hilarity. If you're looking for Mutzie these days, he is working November on the Carnival Magic and then will be on the Elation out of New Orleans for a few weeks before he starts his next land-based tour.

 

Up Next: The last full day of my B2B cruise :(. AKA Philipsburg, St. Maarten!

[brilliantseas]

A little preview of what is to come:

[Bribrittmom]

Eagerly awaiting the next segment!

[matondo]

Great Review....I am not a big St. Thomas fan either.

[cruisingcouple2008]

The next time you are in St. Thomas look up Air Force One Tours with Papa Bear Armitage Allembeart he is absolutely wonderful he offers several options, and we loved our day with him and cant wait to see him again in 2013.

[brilliantseas]

Carnival Victory 7-Night Southern Caribbean - October 9-15, 2011

 

Day 7: Philipsburg, St. Maarten

I promised St. Maarten this weekend and I shall not disappoint. St. Maarten is probably tied with St. Kitts as my favorite Eastern/Southern Caribbean ports, and the only two ports I really enjoyed on this cruise. While I'll probably go back to the Western Caribbean on my next cruise (actually I'm already planning on it), I would love to see a 7-night Eastern itinerary featuring St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Grand Turk or St. Maarten, St. Kitts and Maimon Bay (Carnival's new Dominican port) from Miami that would make it easier to get back to some of my favorite Eastern Caribbean ports.

 

Anyway the plan for today was to do some shopping in Philipsburg and check out the beach, and then head to the other end of the island to explore Marigot and Orient Bay. We quickly realized that we probably wouldn't have time to do everything that we both wanted to do, so my friend and I split up. I spent the morning in Philipsburg, while my friend took the public bus (about $2) to Marigot for pastries, and then we agreed to meet up at Orange Fever at Orient Bay in the mid-afternoon. We both had a great time and I think the next time I visit St. Maarten, I'd like to check out Maho Beach and Marigot as well.

 

My friend had quite an adventure on the public buses. The drivers are very friendly and will tell you which destination sign you need to look for in the front of the bus to get where you want to go. There aren't really any bus stops except in Philipsburg, so you just waive at the bus you want and they stop and pick you up. Did I mention that the buses are just big vans that look exactly like the taxis except for the destination signs? You yell at the driver when you want to stop. Simple, right? Well it would be if you knew what your destination looked like. She got in and told the driver where she was going. They drove across the island with people getting in and out and finally after close to an hour, the driver looks back at her and asks her if she was still planning on getting out in Marigot. It turns out that she had been riding around in Marigot for some time already and didn't know it. The driver was at the "end of the line" and ready to turn back to Philipsburg. My friend got out and ended up exploring Marigot on foot for some time. She had a good time, but decided to switch to taxis to save time for the remainder of the day. A taxi from Philipsburg to Marigot or Orient Bay will run you about $20 one-way, vs. the $2 fare on the bus, so she saved a little money and had an adventure, but sacrificed some time in doing so.

 

While she was off having her adventure in Marigot, I took a water taxi over to downtown Philipsburg and walked the beach and did some shopping along the narrow roads called Front Street and Back Street. While there was plenty to look at, Philipsburg shopping is limited mainly to jewelry and electronics (cameras), with just a few overpriced souvenir shops blended into the mix. I ended up only buying a few shirts at a shop inside the port area because there was nothing special to be found in town.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After exploring downtown Philipsburg, I took a $20 taxi ride across the island to Orient Bay on the French side of the island to meet up with my friend, who was already there after her morning in Marigot.

 

While the beach in downtown Philipsburg was very nice, it felt very much like a man made tourist beach. The sand is raked and the big boardwalk immediately adjacent just kind of ruined the Caribbean island feel. If you don't want to go far from the ship, this might be a great option for you. There are several small bars almong the boardwalk that rent chairs (2 chairs and an umbrella will set you back about $20) and provide beverage service right on the beach.

 

Orient Beach has a much more island feel, with the little beach shack bars and a much more secluded, natural surrounding. The beach is well over a mile long, and there are no high rise condos or hotels ruining the site lines. Just the little beach shack bars and water sports rental facilities. At the very end of the beach is a clothing-optional beach attached to a small resort, but it is separated from the main beach by a rocky divide, so you probably won't see anything you don't want to if you stay on the main section.

 

My friend and I met up at Orange Fever, which has one of the best deals on the beach. A chair, umbrella, and a mixed drink or bottle of beer for $7. Orange Fever is one of the smaller beach bars (hence the lower price), but still has a nice position on the beach and all the facilities you'll need. One thing to note on Orient Beach is that there are no public restrooms or changing rooms. If you want access to facilities, you typically need to buy something (even a $2 beer) from one of the beach bars, who will give you a pass to their private facilities.

 

We spent about two hours walking the beach and laying out in the Caribbean sun. I really wanted to rent a jet ski, but the prices were considerably more than what I paid last time I rented a jet ski ($35 for 30 minutes or $40 for 40 minutes in Cabo San Lucas vs. $50-60 for 30 minutes on Orient Beach), and I was starting to run low on cash, so I decided to pass.

 

Here are some photos of Orient Bay Beach. Note that the sea grass is unusual due to some abnormal weather in the Caribbean this summer. While it is always naturally occurring, the beaches in much of the Eastern Caribbean are getting significantly more drifting up onto the beach than they normally do. The beach bars rake it in the morning from their little sections of the beach, but by late afternoon, it is present again. Not a huge deal, just not quite as picturesque as it otherwise would be.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After we were done at the beach, we met up with a taxi driver at one of the bars (he wasn't drinking, just talking to friends in the shade) and agreed to share a cab back to the ship with another couple. On the way back to the ship we had a lively conversation, first about the beach and then about island life with the driver.

 

As it turns out, the couple that was in the cab with us was on their 2nd visit to St. Maarten. They were a younger married couple (probably late 20's) who left the kids at home so they could enjoy their first real vacation since having children. They went to the clothing optional side of the beach and said they had a great time and wanted to go back. The driver started telling us about all of the resorts on the island and the best places to stay. He said that downtown Philipsburg dies out by late afternoon as the cruise ships leave and there really isn't anything to do down there in the evening. He recommended getting a hotel closer to Maho Beach or the airport because that is where all of the restaurants and nightlife are after the sun goes down. We had a lot of fun joking with him, and he actually gave each of the four of us a $5 discount on the taxi fare back to Philipsburg since he said we were so much fun. He was such a good driver that we just added the $5 to the tip we planned on giving him anyway.

 

After we got back to Philipsburg, we only had about 30 minutes until we had to be back on the ship. Just enough time to stop at the duty free shop. On the way through the port, we came across a little kiosk selling french crepes. My friend just had to have one. She said they were as good as the ones she had in Europe last summer.

 

 

About that same time, the rain clouds opened up. We got completely soaked on the way back to the ship.

 

 

Goodbye St. Maarten! See you again soon!

[brilliantseas]

And here are a few more pictures of St. Maarten taken from the ship.

 

 

 

 

 

You can even see the salt lagoon behind the downtown area from the ship.

 

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The yellow and red building on the dock is owned by Royal Caribbean. It is their security screening facility for the Oasis and Allure of the Seas. Those ships have so many passengers that they can no longer handle screening in the gangway area, so they built a screening trailer with what looked to be 4 or 5 lanes of metal detectors and x-ray machines inside. They have two of those buildings on the pier.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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After a bittersweet sail away from St. Maarten, it was time for the last of my 14 dinners onboard my back-to-back Carnival cruises. As I mentioned in the Carnival Dream section of this review, Carnival's night 7 menu feels a little bit like leftover night. Many of the ingredients used on the menu are just recycled from earlier dishes, only in less imaginative ways. Having not really cared for my shrimp on the Dream, I decided to forgo an entree on the last night and just order two appetizers instead.

 

New England Crab Cake - 3/5

Not quite as good (more dry) than what I had on the Dream, but still decent for a crab cake. The remoulade added extra flavor.

 

 

My friend had the Zucchini and Eggplant Parmigiana, which she said was very good. As she described it "mmm toasty-eggplanty-red-sauciness".

 

 

For dessert, I had the Cappuccino Pie, which was delicious as always.

 

One last night of dining room entertainment and it is time to say goodbye to Carnival Dining Rooms until next year :(.

 

 

 

 

After dinner, my friend and I did a little shopping in the fun shops and made one last trip to the casino. I really need to learn to walk away while I'm winning. At one point, I was up $240 playing $10-15/spin, but I quickly gave all but the last $40 back. While I was still up for the night, I was probably down about $350-400 for the vacation. I had fun though, and I always look at gambling as entertainment, not a way to make money. I only gamble what I can afford to lose.

 

I caught the first few acts of the Carnival Legends show, which was quite a mixed bag. There were two really good acts and several that were not so good. Considering there was nothing else really going on, it was a good way to pass some time, but definitely not a highlight of the trip.

 

After the Legends show, we headed to the Adriatic Lounge to catch the last three adult comedy shows of the cruise. Once again, Happy Cole was a highlight, although the other comedian (can't remember his name) was very good as well. He has a new television show in production that will be on TLC in early 2012, so clearly Carnival recruits top talent for Punchliner Comedy Club. Now if only they could attract top talent to act as the comedy club manager and for the piano bars, we'd be in good shape.

 

Anyway, we closed down Punchliner Comedy Club and then headed back to our room to pack and turn in for the night.

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On debarkation morning, we decided to get up early and have one last breakfast in the Pacific Dining Room before saying goodbye to the Carnival Victory. I still can't say enough about Carnival's Belgian Waffles and Stewed Bananas. I wish I could get a breakfast like that back in Ohio.

 

It was during breakfast that we also met the family from St. Thomas that I mentioned earlier in my review. They were very nice people and talked not only about the taxi situation (which I mentioned earlier), but about what they did on their day in St. Thomas. It was kind of funny hearing people on vacation talk about making a stop at home and getting a hair cut as part of their vacation, but they said they chose the Victory because it was very affordable and only a 30 minute flight from St. Thomas to San Juan, vs. almost 3 hours to Miami. And they mentioned that they still got to visit four other ports on their trip, so they were happy.

 

After breakfast, we were able to head directly off the ship using self-assist debarkation. No lines to get off the ship, but once we were in the luggage area, we realized what a joke San Juan's cruise port really is. The luggage claim area is just a giant warehouse where they put your luggage in long rows that are numbered and you are on your own to find it. No luggage carousels like the other cruise ports we've been to. After claiming your luggage (we already had ours), there is a long line down the center of the luggage warehouse where you line up for what we thought was just customs. In every other port I've been to, you first turn in your customs form and pay any duty due, and then head to immigration for passport examination and questioning (if you're not lucky). In San Juan, they literally have two Immigration agents doing everything for the entire 3,000 passenger ship. All they do is take your form, glance quickly at your passport (no fancy computers or scanning or anything) and send you on your way. Very unusual. I guess now we know how all of the undesirables get into our country. Via Puerto Rico. Once you pass through the cruise port, you will not be asked to present a passport again, even at the airport, since Puerto Rico is a US protected territory.

 

After exiting the port area, we were able to get a taxi surprisingly quickly, and we were off to the airport. A word to the wise if flying out of San Juan International - schedule a flight at least 3 hours after you think you can get to the airport. The lines at the check-in counters extend past the queue areas and almost out the door for many of the airlines, and you also have the added step of doing agricultural inspection (the USDA examines your bags to make sure you aren't carrying any agricultural products, fruits, vegetables, meat, etc. back to the United States). Check-in alone took almost 90 minutes, and then another 15-20 for security, so be prepared. JetBlue was actually pulling passengers out of line and taking them directly to security because their flights were ready to leave and they were still in line to check in for the flight. The lesson: plan ahead.

 

I had a relatively uneventful flight back to Orlando on JetBlue, where I spent a few more days visiting friends in Orlando and South Carolina on my way back to Ohio. And so ends my 24 day vacation and first ever Back to Back Cruise. It was quite an adventure, and I had a great time. I hope you enjoyed the review. I'll keep monitoring this thread for some time and would be happy to answer any questions or provide advice to anyone who might be traveling on the Dream or the Victory in the future.

[brilliantseas]

Goodbye Carnival Victory!

 

Perhaps we will cross paths again in the future.

 

[mississauga]

A brilliant review! Thanks for taking the time to share your cruises and pictures with us. I enjoyed reading this! Many thanks!:)

[LK0806]

Carnival Dream Exotic Western Caribbean - October 1-8, 2011

 

Day 5 - Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, Honduras Continued...

 

There were a few people snorkeling off the long dock at the end of the beach. I'm not sure if they saw anything, but there is access to deeper water near the long dock at the end of Mahogany Beach.

 

 

 

The cabana area of the beach is private, with fences restricting access to block people from spoiling your view. There is an area behind the cabanas with a long shaded pathway and access to restrooms, showers, one of the many bars, and the dock where the above pictures were taken. The cabana area is beautiful.

 

 

 

 

Up Next: More pictures from Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, Honduras and ZIPLINING!

Now it is time for me to head to work.

 

 

Can you rent a cabana??