Brilliance of the Seas March 16th Sailing - A review with with photos

[sr4mjc]

Well hello, we were in 1602 next to you ;)

 

Renel was a great cabin steward and also got our Wow card. We didn't have any water issues though, although we don't drink the cabin water.

[FloGaleRNTX]

Just waiting for more!!!!

 

Barb

[LuckiStac13*Majesty*]

Hi, thanks so much for posting your review and pics, I am really enjoying them. I have never been on Brilliance, but the ship looks beautiful!

[shipknotshore]

Still enjoying your review..... We loved St. Lucia too. The island is packed full of wonderful sights and taking a tour is worth every penny. The pitons are spectacular! We would love to go back again so seeing your photos is very enjoyable!

 

~Jill

[wassup4565]

Please keep your review coming. We were on this cruise in Feb and your pix and descriptions are allowing me to re-live our cruise.

[mrsfecura]

Nice review! Great pics. Looking forward to the rest!

[PCWalton1]

Terri,

What a terrific review you have started. The pictures are amazing, thank you for taking the time to do this.

 

Bill

[Kevin's girl]

Well hello, we were in 1602 next to you ;)

 

Renel was a great cabin steward and also got our Wow card. We didn't have any water issues though, although we don't drink the cabin water.

Well, hello to you too. It was a really great cruise wasn't it?

[Kevin's girl]

After we finished at the Botanical Gardens we went to an Estate House for a buffet lunch.

 

 

 

If you look closely, you can see that there was real table service. I mean nothing disposable. And the ladies that served were wonderful. We had a green banana salad which we learned they eat like we do a potato salad, fish,creole chicken and seasoned rice and some of the best fried plantains I have ever had. There was also an ice cream dessert.

Edited March 31, 2013 by Kevin's girl

[Kevin's girl]

The weather slowly improved and by the time we boarded the catamaran we had a beautiful day.

 

 

 

 

 

[Kevin's girl]

Terri,

What a terrific review you have started. The pictures are amazing, thank you for taking the time to do this.

 

Bill

WOW, thanks Bill. I have lived through your reviews for quite some time. I think it's time for some payback.

[alexkrn46]

Great review and nice photos!

[Kevin's girl]

We stopped in this little bay for a swim. The water was warm and there was a soft sand bottom.

 

 

 

 

 

After our swim we did a quick tour of Marigot Bay.

 

 

[Kevin's girl]

As we came back into port we sailed right past the Brilliance. I took some pics of the aft balconies and zoomed in on ours. I had tried so hard before our cruise to find pics and info on our cabin. I want to share as much cabin info as I can for the next lucky cruiser to book cabin 1600.

 

 

Next up is Gaudeloupe. Good night all and Happy Easter.

[dln929]

Thank you so much for sharing your cruise with us. I took my daughter on the Brilliance last May and I have such a soft spot in my heart for her. I share your opinion that it's going to be sad saying goodbye to the SeaView Cafe. We had the best little lunches there and the staff was always so nice.

[Kevin's girl]

Point A Pitre, Gaudeloupe: GU28 Classic Basse Terre Full Day Tour

 

Let me just start out by saying that this port was wonderful. I was a little concerned about it after some of the reviews I had read. In doing some research before our cruise, I learned it was one of the few Caribbean ports where English is barely spoken and the US dollar is not widely accepted. It is a French island and French is the primary language. It is also an Embarkation/Debarkation port for 300-350 passengers per week.

Please do yourself a favor and exchange a little money at Guest Services before leaving the ship, book a cruise sponsored excursion and GO SEE THIS ISLAND. The island is beautiful and the people warm and friendly. I know very little French and chose an excursion with an English speaking guide and we had a great day.

I will post many pics of this port because there seems to be a great need. The area around the port is truly a city. We talked with a couple who had trouble with their taxi driver because they did not have Euros. They were quite upset that the driver took them to an ATM and told them to get Euros because he did not accept US dollars. But I think of our taxi drivers here in Chicago and how they would handle a passenger who wanted to pay in Euros instead of US dollars, they would take them to the closest ATM and tell them to get cash just as this couple’s driver did to them. Just please remember if you go out on your own, most taxis won’t take the US dollars and you will need Euros.

It will be a shame if RCI drops this port as they have much to offer those willing to try something different.

 

This is the shopping area set up just off the gangway. Prices in this area are written in both US dollars and Euros. The US dollar was also accepted here.

 

 

Leaving the port area:

 

 

 

The road/highway systems on the island were great. We have done many an island tour and these were some of the best we have seen anywhere.

 

 

[jkardos]

We did that excursion also. Certainly was a full and enjoyable day.

[sr4mjc]

Well' date=' hello to you too. It was a really great cruise wasn't it?[/quote']

 

It was! We took the costal cruise to the Pitons which ended around 1pm, so my pics are foggy. But yours are great! We really loved Guadaloupe too. We snorkeled and then had Croque Monsieur's at a small cafe. I was very happy to have brought Euros with me. Loved Antigua was well, had the BEST ice cream I've had in my life there. Besides the Baths, this itinerary was much better than last year's for us.

Edited April 2, 2013 by sr4mjc

[Kevin's girl]

We did that excursion also. Certainly was a full and enjoyable day.

Natalie was a great tour guide. We really did enjoy the day.

[Kevin's girl]

It was! We took the costal cruise to the Pitons which ended around 1pm, so my pics are foggy. But yours are great! We really loved Guadaloupe too. We snorkeled and then had Croque Monsieur's at a small cafe. I was very happy to have brought Euros with me. Loved Antigua was well, had the BEST ice cream I've had in my life there. Besides the Baths, this itinerary was much better than last year's for us.

 

I would love to see the Baths. We did Prickly Pear Island in Antigua. We fell in love with the place and it's owner on one of our other cruises so we just had to go back. I'll get to that after Gaudaloupe.

[AF-1]

Terri. U have done a wonderful job with your review. I can see the entire cruise thru your beautiful pictures. Only thing missing is the smell from all the food you ate onboard. Thanks for the memories.

[Kevin's girl]

Back to my review, I just hate it when work gets in the way and slows down the fun things. We set out first to the Banana Plantation. Here the owner who happens to be the grandson of the original owner was our guide through the plantation. He asked Natalie our tour guide if he was to do the tour in English or French. She responded that we were an English speaking tour with several bilingual people as well. He did the tour in English. We have had a few other banana plantation tours in the past, but nothing like this. He was so very proud and shared so much information about bananas and his business. He even gave advise to a gentleman who is trying to grow bananas in his yard in Florida. There are going to be quite a few pics here. I was just so impressed.

 

 

The grounds and the Great House

 

Our chariot into the banana fields.

 

This was our first look at the trees and the growing fruit. Note the flower at the end. I’ve seen it before, but never knew how it worked, but I do now.

[Kevin's girl]

Terri. U have done a wonderful job with your review. I can see the entire cruise thru your beautiful pictures. Only thing missing is the smell from all the food you ate onboard. Thanks for the memories.

 

Thanks. I'm so glad you are enjoying it. I think Emeril named what you are looking for - wasn't it smellivision?

[Kevin's girl]

OK, this is the owner and our guide. He is holding the flower. He explained that the flower comes out pointing up and as the branch grow, it points down to the ground, looking for water. Once down the leaves or petals peel back and rows of tiny bananas are uncovered.

 

Here you can see the flower sticking out of the blue bag and at the bottom of the banana bunch. The blue bag is to protect the fruit from sun exposure, bumps and bruises and bugs.

 

After the fruit is cut from the tree they are hung, and the pistil is pulled off. That is what gives the banana the dark, dry stub at the end.

 

The bananas with pistils

All of the pistils are removed by hand

[Kevin's girl]

washed and sorted

Bunches cut to size, rinsed again and packaged to ship to Europe.

 

Now you can see why it is that I was so impressed. This tour was fantastic.

 

I’m off to bed but am off tomorrow so I will try to get things finished up.