Jewel Repositioning May 11-18 Review - the No Prep cruise

[windjamming]

DAY 3 - AT SEA (continued)

 

I am checking my notes, and I only see that I "hung out" all afternoon and then went for a run. Exciting.

 

I believe this was the afternoon when we kept getting new plates of hors d'oeuvres.

 

Remember, from Day 1, we had 2 baskets of fruit and 3 bottles of water. This afternoon, we got a plate of canapés from the Captain, and 2 plates of petit fours from the loyalty ambassador. Our vanity was quite the sight!

 

Maybe I hung out with the canapés.

 

What else? Now is a good time to talk about something that comes up on the boards every so often. This was a bilingual cruise. Announcements were made in both English and Spanish, and there were many people from Puerto Rico on board, just as there were lots of people from Boston on the TA I was on that ended in Boston. Sure, things were a little louder and a little more lively in public areas. So what? I loved the experience. I will say that I have never sailed with a more warm and inclusive group of people, whether it was letting someone walk first, or holding open an elevator door, or just smiley friendliness. I was ready to move to San Juan by the end of the cruise.

 

Other random thoughts…I think the Loyalty Ambassador really did a great job on this cruise. We were invited to lunch with an officer, our choice of a bridge/galley/theater tour, and complimentary champagne and wine in key bars throughout the day. We are not big drinkers, but I can see how that can be a pretty big perk. This was in addition to the regular perks - seating in the theater, overflow lounge..etc.

 

The Headliner show tonight was a group called Wildfire, made up of a trio soap opera and reality show veterans. They sang the usual standards and were pleasant enough and were very visible around the ship the next couple of days. Being young, attractive guys, they had no lack of attention from the ladies on the ship!

 

The menu theme for tonight was SHIITAKE.

 

Appetizer: Seafood Ceviche

Excellent

Various types of seafood in a citrus dressing. I believe the seafood is cooked in the MDR's version, unlike other ceviches I've had, where the fish or shrimp is raw. It makes sense that they want to be cautious here. It was still delicious, light, and perfectly portioned. Definite winner.

 

Entree: Rack of Lamb

Very Good

I was a bit tentative getting meat after the previous night's duck experience, but Edwin assured me the lamb was good. I chose to get it medium rare, but it was also offered medium well. There were 4 lamb chops, and it was very tender and flavorful.

 

Entree (Shared): Shrimp Gyoza

Needs Improvement

I had considered getting something lighter for dinner after the fried food fiesta, and dumplings would have been perfect. When I saw they were deep fried, I had second thoughts but still wanted to try them. We decided to get one for the table. It was a good thing I didn't get them for my entree, because there were just 5 dumplings, deep fried, sitting on a leafy green. It wasn't anything special and was actually pretty bad.

 

Dessert: Low Fat Panna Cotta

Excellent

I think I'd read a recommendation from someone on CC to try this. Whoever you are on CC, thank you! This was a heavenly treat. I believe the ingredients were Greek yogurt, sour cream, and mango puree. It tasted just like a yogurt. It was a dessert I could have had a second serving of -- and Ivan definitely offered, but in an act of great restraint, I declined! One of the best, if not the very best, dessert I've had on a ship ever.

 

Next up…5 straight days of ports!

[jazril]

I had spaghetti for an appetizer once too! Thanks for a great review.

[windjamming]

DAY 4 - LABADEE

 

I try the stretch class again, as it had helped my tight muscles loosen up the other day. I get up early and go up to the gym by 7. On other ships, this class is packed, so I make sure to get there early.

 

At 7, I'm the only one there. Literally the only one there. Mr. Could Not Care Less wasn't even there.

 

7:05, I call GS when I see no one behind the front desk. Because the gym classes aren't on the Compass, they have no idea what I'm talking about and start asking around. I can hear them in the background trying to figure out where all the gym classes are on the Compass!

 

7:07: Mr. Enthusiastic saunters in, yawns, and asks if I'm there for the stretch class. I say yes, but, why don't we make it a quick class as we're 10 minutes in already. He nods.

 

We go through the exact same poses as 2 days ago, but quicker and finish in 10 minutes.

 

I decide after we wrap up that I am not coming back.

 

Today was Labadee, a port that we'd been to many times before. We decide to hang out on the ship until the throngs leave.

 

Excursion: None

Port: Excellent

Content: Excellent

Presentation: N/A

 

I love Labadee. It's got water, it's got trails, it's got shopping, and it's got food. What's there not to like? We stayed for a few hours and then went back to the ship after lunch.

 

I promptly went to my perch on the balcony and fell asleep. When I woke up, I noticed no one was walking back to the ship. We were docked alongside the Freedom, and I see a number of people on the Freedom craning their necks out and taking pictures. I couldn't see anything except that no one was allowed on the pier near the ships.

 

I went inside and told my Mom, and we went up on deck to see a small helicopter on the pier towards Labadee. We run into our neighbors, who were coincidentally also on deck and had just seen an elderly lady from the Freedom get moved onto the helicopter. The helicopter had Spanish on it, so I guessed that it came from the Dominican Republic. On another thread, someone mentioned that patients were usually airlifted to DR, where they are then transferred again to Miami. What a sad thing it was to see. Thoughts and prayers go out to the lady and her family.

 

While docked in Labadee, I noticed that the Casino opened at 2. Does anyone know how they are able to do that? I had always thought they had to be in international waters. The same thing happened in DR, but we were tendered, so perhaps they were far enough out in the water?

 

The menu's theme tonight was PIMIENTO, formerly known as Venetian Feast, or Italian Night, or when the waiters sing O Solo Mio.

 

Appetizer: Creamy Garlic Soup

Fair

I tried this on a whim again, as I'd never had it. It was good and creamy and very garlicky. It was interesting, but I don't think I'll have it again. It just gave everything else a garlicky taste for the rest of dinner.

 

Appetizer (Shared): Arancini

Needs Improvement

One of my favorite memories of cruising was buying some arancini in Taormina, Sicily and enjoying it on the bus ride back to the ship. Hot and cheesy and meaty and gooey, they were soooo burn-your-mouth-but-you-can't-stop-eating good!

 

You know how those arancini were good? These arancini were the opposite. They were not good. They were the size of a ping pong ball, with very little texture inside. The rice was mushy, and the filling was some kind of garlic/spinach mixture. It felt blobby. I did not enjoy it.

 

Entree: Tiger Shrimp

Excellent

A MDR classic. Not much to say. The only potential negative was the gooeyness of the rice, but it wasn't bad enough for any deductions. Edwin brings out an extra serving without even mentioning it and takes care of the shells like a champ. We find out that he started his career on the ships in the galley. It's no wonder he's so good and fast with the shellfish!

 

Dessert: Sticky Bread and Butter Pudding

Excellent

I've started this sentence three times already, and I still can't figure out how to begin to describe the bliss this dessert provides. Soft, custardy, sweet. I loved that it was just bread, butter, and I'm guessing sugar. And maybe some eggs? No raisins. No nuts. No random fruit. Just perfect.

 

Tomorrow…Dominican Republic, a pleasant surprise!

[DonnaK]

Awesome review! We are on the Jewel this coming Saturday - 5 more days!

[Keith1010]

Excellent review.

 

Keith

[kenly777]

Loving your posts! First cruise ever on the Jewel on June 22! One month from tomorrow!!!!

 

Looking forward to reading the rest of your report :)

[Familygoboston]

DAY 4 - LABADEE

 

 

 

While docked in Labadee, I noticed that the Casino opened at 2. Does anyone know how they are able to do that? I had always thought they had to be in international waters. The same thing happened in DR, but we were tendered, so perhaps they were far enough out in the water?

 

 

Could have been a mistake in the Compass:p LOL!

 

Seriously, the only reason ships can't run their casinos (or open the shops) is because the port they are in won't allow it in order to prevent competition for the businesses in their port or because it's not legal to gamble in their jurisdiction. But RC is the 1000 pound gorilla when it comes to Haiti; Haiti needs RC and probably it was included in the negotiations, since there is no "casino" in Labadee/that part of Haiti for passengers to compete with anyway.

 

As for all the mistakes in the Compass- probably not unusual for re positioning or one time itineraries. Once the ship gets where it will be for a while the bugs get worked out and eventually the Compass is pretty accurate, but you had the "first" (only) week with this schedule and given the state of communication in general on board, it's not surprising you experienced all that Compass confusion!:rolleyes:

[windjamming]

Could have been a mistake in the Compass:p LOL!

 

...

 

As for all the mistakes in the Compass- probably not unusual for re positioning or one time itineraries. Once the ship gets where it will be for a while the bugs get worked out and eventually the Compass is pretty accurate, but you had the "first" (only) week with this schedule and given the state of communication in general on board, it's not surprising you experienced all that Compass confusion!:rolleyes:

 

Wouldn't it be cool if they took advantage if crowd sourcing and had us on CC do their proofreading? I'm sure many of us would not mind offering free copyediting services!

[Familygoboston]

Wouldn't it be cool if they took advantage if crowd sourcing and had us on CC do their proofreading? I'm sure many of us would not mind offering free copyediting services!

 

Awesome idea! Then we pre planners would get first crack at seeing the actual compass for our cruise!:D But oops, that doesn't fit with the " no planning" theme of your trip!;):o

[windjamming]

Awesome idea! Then we pre planners would get first crack at seeing the actual compass for our cruise!:D But oops, that doesn't fit with the " no planning" theme of your trip!;):o

 

I think it's allowed if we are helping plan someone else's trip. :)

[windjamming]

DAY 5 - SAMANA, DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

 

Like on the cruise, it was only the day we got to Samana that I realized the lost opportunity of saying "Samana, mañana". I realize it is not a complete rhyme due to the tilde on the first n in mañana, but it's close and fun to say.

 

Now, onto today's report.

 

By Day 5 on the 7 day cruise, I start feeling a twinge of sadness, because we're now in the latter half of the cruise. Today I have an extra bit of sadness, because it's raining! I later find out this was a blessing, in a way.

 

This was our only tender port. Since we booked the Samana Cultural Highlights tour with the ship, we don't need to get tender tickets. By the time we get to the Coral Theater at 8am, our designated meeting time and place, they are leading people outside already. They give all the excursion people a tender to ourselves. It is luckily covered, because it is cold and drizzly. Some of the other tenders do not have covers.

 

On the dock, we see signs for our tour. There are at least 3 buses on the same tour, and we get into a large, comfortable coach. I also see Terry of Tour Samana with Terry fame on the dock, greeting everyone. He seems really friendly, and I like the fact that he's out there meeting everyone. We later pass by his headquarters in town, and he is a serious enterprise!

 

Excursion: Samana Cultural Highlights

Port: Fair

Content: Excellent

Presentation: Excellent

 

I will be honest here. Samana, the port, has very little. No stores. Very basic dock. The tender had 2 people helping each person get up onto shore. At first glance, with the rain, it was dreary. At second glance, I was still not impressed.

 

By golly, though, it was GREEN. Trees and lush growth everywhere. It's hard to explain, but I just suddenly loved it all. It was neat to be so close to nature. Let's face it, Labadee is beautiful but very manufactured. Samana is undeveloped and pure.

 

We got onto the bus and met our guide Octavio, who was phenomenal. Really informative, really friendly. He did the tour in both English and Spanish and each time he switched from English to Spanish, he would tell us, "Now, I will move to Spanish". I liked that.

 

Our first stop was the Whale Museum, but because the weather was so poor, we decided to come back to it later and start with Tainopark.

 

The Tainos were native inhabitants of what is now Hispaniola, Cuba, and Puerto Rico. Tainopark covered their history, from their culture and lifestyle to what happened when the Spaniards arrived. They provided each person an iPod shuffle to do a self-guided tour, which took probably an hour. The tour had a stone-paved path, which was wheelchair accessible.

 

It was really fun and educational, and I think I really liked that we got a "rain day" to enjoy a day at a park like this. When we got to the end, a girl handed me a small flyer. Now, one of my rare talents is avoiding flyers. I don't need 2 chicken sandwiches or to sell gold. When I saw the girl hold out the small flyer, my first instinct was to dodge her, but I squelched it and took the piece of paper. To my surprise, it was a small request to post a review on TripAdvisor. The girl was almost apologetic in asking me if I'd heard of TripAdvisor and could I please review the park. That humbleness really touched me.

 

Another interaction also surprised me. In the restrooms, a young woman would give out paper towels. At first I thought she was looking for a tip, but she gave no indication nor did she have a tip plate. She just smiled and handed out her towels. What a complete opposite from Labadee, where there was a woman at the restroom entrance holding a paper plate that said "Thank You".

 

After Tainopark, we drove to La Bahia Mer, one of their new luxury resorts. It was nice, but I wasn't too impressed. It looked like every other resort. Octavio explained that they wanted us to know that they weren't all poor. He seemed to care that we didn't think badly of them because the area was less developed and would explain why people were sitting around in midday or that the country did not believe in welfare. He emphasized a number of times that they were not Haiti, which was the poorest country in the Western Hemisphere.

 

I felt a little bad that he felt he needed to explain things. I really enjoyed the few interactions I had with the Dominicans, and when I smiled at a little boy on the side of the road, he immediately reciprocated with a mile wide grin. In fact, everyone I saw was happy. Granted I was in tourist areas, but there was a sense of peace and calmness in everyone that I can't imagine is fabricated.

 

After the resort, we went back to the Whale Museum, which was ok. They had the vertebrae of a couple of whales. The museum is actually funded by the US. It was an odd little attraction.

 

We finished the tour after that and tendered back to the ship. In the afternoon, the casino opened again, which I found interesting as we had not left DR. I also noticed that the ship wasn't flying the Dominican flag that day. Were they perhaps so far out that they weren't technically in Dominican waters?

 

I may have mentioned once or twice that this was my "No Prep" cruise. I knew almost nothing about Samana and, sad to say, very little about DR. I knew about Punta Cana, and that Santo Domingo was the capital, and that it was known for cigars. Now that I've read some reviews about Samana, I'm really glad I didn't read up. It's a unique port. It's very undeveloped. It is poor. That said, I loved it. As much as I love perfect beaches, it was refreshing to experience something different and much more authentic than the picture perfect tourist havens the other ports are.

 

At 4:30, the ship pulls up anchor, but we see that the floating gangway is still attached to the ship. An officer is looking towards shore from the bridge wing with binoculars. We suspect someone hasn't arrived. The last tender loiters at the ship for 5-10 minutes, until suddenly, they speed towards land. Several minutes later, they pick up some passengers and speed back towards the ship. By this point the ship is already moving, but all of the "runners" make it safely back on the ship.

 

As we head towards Tortola, the sun comes out, and we see Samana in all its glory. With the sun shining on its greenery and shoreside resorts, it is an unbelievably gorgeous panorama.

 

Tonight is formal night, and the theme is JASMINE.

 

Actually before I get into the MDR menu, let me add that we are Windjammer "previewers". (I thought about calling it pre-gaming, but it feels weird. Like an American saying "mate" or "cheers".) That's right, we check out the Windjammer right before dinner sometimes. At times they will have an entree that's also in the MDR, so it's nice to preview it. We really like the antipasto spread and the cold fruit soups they always have - and you can have more than one tiny bowl! It makes for a nice pre-starter starter.

 

I also feel a small need to defend the Windjammer sushi here. There have been threads dismissing the quality of Windjammer sushi, comparing it to Costco sushi (which I have never had) or gas station sushi (which I have definitely not had). I thought the Jewel Windjammer sushi was pretty good. It doesn't have raw fish for what I assume are food safety reasons, but they do have smoked salmon and shrimp. The sushi chef wrapped it very tightly, which, to me, is a sign of good sushi skill.

 

FYI, the roasted peach soup is excellent.

 

Appetizer: Seafood Salad

Excellent

Again I have to thank CC for this recommendation. It was excellent. A small half of a crab leg, and real seafood. A smidge just not enough, but I liked that I wanted more, rather than felt it was way too much.

 

Entree: Fisherman's Plate

Very Good

Many times I'm not a fan of the lobster. It's small and rubbery and really can't compare with the Maine lobster. I still get it, though, because I somehow feel I should. Tonight, though, the tail is reasonable large and tender. Edwin, like he did the previous night, brought out extras without prompting, except tonight, he brought out 2 extra servings! Like a ninja, our head waiter appears out of nowhere to discard the shells. It is one of the few times we see him all cruise.

 

I have to mention the peas and carrots as the side dish here. I like peas. I like carrots. I like peas and carrots. I'm just not sure I like them in what I would consider an upscale dish in an upscale restaurant. I kept thinking they should have tater tots, too.

 

Dessert: Baked Alaska

Fair

I was a fan of the old Baked Alaska, when they made a big deal out of it, and everyone got slices as large as they wanted. So, I was so excited when I saw the return of Baked Alaska to the dessert menu. In this reincarnation, it was an individual serving in a creme brûlée dish. Mine had a lot of meringue, and the ice cream was very hard. It was just ok. I don't know what it was, but I didn't have that old thrill. I ended up not finishing it, which never happened with the old Baked Alaska.

 

Next up…Tortola, BVI, and what ended up being the funniest not fun tour EVER.

[out2sea]

Great review!

Loved the bread n butter sticky dessert. It was sweet as it was made with caramel too :) lol

Never noticed the casinos opened early

Amazing how the helicopter could land on that small dock. Not sure why it didn't land on the Freedom. Hope that woman was ok. They weren't in a rush to get her off. Not sure if that was good or bad news.

Looking forward to the rest of your review

[windjamming]

DAY 6 - TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

 

Before I get to today's report, I have to provide a Public Service Announcement.

 

While I said this was a no prep trip, I still unfortunately had to pack. Because I had things to do every evening the week before the trip, I thought I'd get ahead of the game and pack on the Sunday before. I wrote myself a list of just a few things to do on the Friday night before our flight - pack toiletries and formal clothes, charge batteries, and print boarding passes. Since we had a super early flight on Saturday, I tried to keep this list as short as possible.

 

I also try to pack light so I don't need to lug heavy luggage everywhere. One of my tricks is to roll up my clothes and put them in space saving bags and then squeeze out the air. It's worked reasonably well in the past.

 

Let me just say, it's not so great if you leave the clothes in there for a week. They wrinkle. Fortunately, they were all my daytime clothes so it wasn't too bad to have some wrinkles. If I'd known, I would have brought some Downy wrinkle release. No biggie, but, kids, don't pack your clothes a week before in space saving bags!

 

Onto Tortola.

 

Coincidentally two of my coworkers had just returned from vacations in BVI, and both raved about the beauty, the people, the charm, the fun. I couldn't wait. Charming, fun, beautiful people are exactly things I like!

 

We booked the Coast to Coast Scenic Drive excursion through the ship, which promised that we would "discover the natural beauty and history of Tortola as you explore this charming landscape."

 

The tour description also said that we would board an open sided safari bus and also "have a brief stop at the Terrence B Lettsome Intl Airport to refresh yourself." That should have been fair warning, but, as I've said, this was the no prep cruise.

 

Excursion: Coast to Coast Scenic Drive

Port: Fair

Content: Fair

Presentation: Poor

 

We easily found the tour operator in port, who directed us to our "open sided safari bus". This is the same kind of jeep that is used for taxis in St. Thomas, with 3 steep steps up into the seats and narrow entries. They cram each row with 5 people, which is VERY tight. In our car, there are 2 rows with only 4 people, so they wait for 2 more to show up before leaving.

 

An older couple walk up, with the husband using a walker. The driver tells the couple to take the 2 spots left in the car - one in each of the rows with 4 people. Let me try to describe what we looked like here. Our row, with 5 reasonably sized people, was feeling cozy. The 2 rows with only 4 people had some bigger fellows, and the older couple wasn't exactly svelte.

 

The wife looked at the seats and refused - justly so. Both were mobility challenged, and it would have been very difficult for them to navigate those 3 steep steps up and down, not to mention that they would have had to hang halfway off the seats, which were completely open on the sides.

 

When the driver said that these were the only 2 seats available in any of the buses on this tour, the woman pitched a fit! I think she may been a little high strung, but, really I didn't blame her for being upset. Those 2 seats really were ridiculous for those folks, and in going back to read the description, nowhere did they mention the steep steps.

 

Finally, when it became clear that there were no more seats other than these 2, the couple gave up and said they were going back to the ship. Sad, I hope they got refunded at least.

 

That drama behind us, we started on our tour. Our guide got in the cab and started pointing out sights, in a drab monotone, with no context or backstory. "There's one of the top 500 hotels in the Caribbean". "That's Carrot Bay". "That's the Bomba's Surfside Shack." Every so often he'd stop to let us take a photo.

 

After an hour of scenery and monotone, we stopped at the airport for a bathroom break. Yes, that was a pit stop they scheduled in at the airport.

 

We all circus-car style crammed back into the car and continued. We drove a little longer, and then hit a secluded beach, where they gave us fruit smoothies. Then we piled back in. We did this for another hour.

 

About 2 hours in, I look at my watch and look at my Mom and start giggling. The description had said it was a 4 hour tour. I couldn't believe we had another 2 hours of this. It was, undoubtedly, the MOST BORING TOUR ever. The 23 of us started groaning and joking about being held hostage.

 

The funny thing was, another tour - a Spanish one - passed us, and they were cheering and laughing and HAVING FUN! Right after them, though, an English tour also passed us, and they all looked like hostages, too. Someone mentioned that those people were having just as much fun as us.

 

The driver continued in his monotone, stopping every 15 mins or so for people to get out and take a picture. By hour 3, no one was getting off the bus. When we passed by a lively bar, a guy looked at it longingly. At one stop, one woman asked the driver if we were heading back to the ship yet. The guide said yes, and we proceeded to drive another hour, during which he stopped the bus to buy some bananas for his grandchildren.

 

4 hours in, we finally see our ship, and we all start feeling hopeful. At the port gates, a security guard asks to see everyone's SeaPasses. I've never seen 23 people move to their wallets and purses so quickly while squished like a pile of Parker House rolls.

 

Finally, we are freed.

 

To be fair, the scenery was, as promised, spectacular, and we went up multiple hairpin curves. It reminded me a lot of Kauai, and the woman in front of me also mentioned that it was a lot like the Road to Hana on Maui. It was truly a gorgeous island with endless postcard-like vistas, but we finished the tour wishing we'd seen some of its personality.

 

So, if you like scenery and the very literal interpretation of a coast to coast tour (which we did), take this tour. If you speak Spanish, take the Spanish version. If you do not like being squished and/or monotones, stay away!!

 

Back on the ship, we have a late lunch. We had originally planned to head back out and do some shopping in town, but we are way too exhausted from the World's Most Boring Excursion to do anything except chill out and try to forget the last 4 hours.

 

I don't have any other notes for today except that I see that we went to the Headliner show, which was a Motown trio called Horizon. They were a ton of fun, with some comedy thrown in between covers of Motown classics. They did a Marvin Gaye tribute, and Smoky Robinson, and an amazing version of Shout, which got the place rocking. At the end of the show they said they would be outside selling and signing their CDs, and they would also sing any requests (if they knew or even if they didn't know the song!)

 

I wanted Horizon and the Headliner from the other night - Wildfire, also a male singing trio - to go 3 on 3 on the basketball courts, because all 6 of these guys were really tall.

 

Tonight's dinner theme was BASIL.

 

Appetizer: Crab Cake

Fair

I had high hopes for the crab cake, after the delicious seafood salad. Unfortunately, it had a lot of filler. I understand that they probably can't afford to do a full jumbo lump crabmeat crab cake, so no big deal. I probably won't get it again, though.

 

Entree: Braised Beef Duo

Very Good

I was torn this evening between the orecchinette pasta and the beef. Edwin highly recommended the beef, and he was right! 2 cuts of beef with polenta as a side. Hearty and delicious. Not the best thing I've ever had, but pretty darn good. I'd get it again.

 

Dessert: Cherries Jubilee

Very Good

I get this every cruise. It's got ice cream, cherries, and almonds - win, win, and win.

 

Tomorrow…our last day (sad), but it's St. Maarten (yay).

[windjamming]

I had spaghetti for an appetizer once too! Thanks for a great review.

 

Glad I'm not the only one! Thanks for reading.

 

Great review!

Loved the bread n butter sticky dessert. It was sweet as it was made with caramel too :) lol

Never noticed the casinos opened early

Amazing how the helicopter could land on that small dock. Not sure why it didn't land on the Freedom. Hope that woman was ok. They weren't in a rush to get her off. Not sure if that was good or bad news.

Looking forward to the rest of your review

 

Ah, caramel! I thought it was brown sugar.

 

I didn't see the helicopter land - that must have been a sight. I read in DarthGrady's thread that it was a woman on a jetski, so perhaps it was too difficult to transport her up to the helipad.

 

Thanks for following!

[Aviator of the Seas]

Windjamming, your review is great but your take on Samana and the DR was really heartwarming. It reminded me of a time when my own home Island wasn't as developed and "prosperous" as it is today. Thank you for taking the time in taking us along with you on your journey in such a vivid way. Pictures are welcome but not absolutely needed as your words more than make up for them!

 

God Bless,

[windjamming]

Windjamming, your review is great but your take on Samana and the DR was really heartwarming. It reminded me of a time when my own home Island wasn't as developed and "prosper" as it is today. Thank you for taking the time in taking us along with you on your journey in such a vivid way. Pictures are welcome but not absolutely needed as your words more than make up for them!

 

God Bless,

 

Aviator, thank you for your kind words! It's my first trip report so I have been worried about being too wordy. I hope to add pictures soon, once I get some time to clean them up.

 

I haven't even started writing about my lovefest with Puerto Rico, yet! I think I mentioned that I'd never been on a cruise that was so happy, warm, and inclusive. I really think it was because of the large number of Puerto Ricans on board. I rarely went too long without sharing a smile or sometimes laughs with someone on the ship, and I loved seeing so many multi-generation families traveling together.

 

Thanks again for reading!

[Familygoboston]

Windjamming

You are herby awarded...

 

 

"THE BADGE OF VALOR"

 

We, the humble members of Cruise Critic, hereby award, Windjamming (and by proxy, mom) this badge of valor (just ignore that its actually from the Missoula MT police dept:rolleyes:) for not only surviving the Coast to Coast Scenic Drive but for your selfless willingness to not only suffer through the tour, but to also share your story and prevent the captivity of future cruisers visiting Tortola forever more!!

 

We are eternally grateful!! Congratulations!

 

(and now you have a far funnier story to tell than if it had been an excellent tour!)

 

Wear it proudly!;)

[Folk Singer]

gives us thought for some of the different ports of call. yet to be explored.

 

Thank you for taking the time.

 

don

[windjamming]

Windjamming

You are herby awarded...

 

 

"THE BADGE OF VALOR"

 

We, the humble members of Cruise Critic, hereby award, Windjamming (and by proxy, mom) this badge of valor (just ignore that its actually from the Missoula MT police dept:rolleyes:) for not only surviving the Coast to Coast Scenic Drive but for your selfless willingness to not only suffer through the tour, but to also share your story and prevent the captivity of future cruisers visiting Tortola forever more!!

 

We are eternally grateful!! Congratulations!

 

(and now you have a far funnier story to tell than if it had been an excellent tour!)

 

Wear it proudly!;)

 

Too funny, Familygoboston!! I will certainly share the Badge of Valor with my mom as well as with the other captives. It was a traumatic experience to have to sit through 4 hours of Caribbean scenery, but sometimes we just have to take one for the team. :)

[printingchick]

My bags once found their way to the naughty room for liquids as well. Shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, sun screen...

 

Maybe I shouldn't have packed them all in one case!!:D

[Mamacane71]

Thanks for taking the time to do this review. I have enjoyed it!

[Folk Singer]

My bags once found their way to the naughty room for liquids as well. Shampoo, conditioner, hair spray, sun screen...

 

Maybe I shouldn't have packed them all in one case!!:D

 

 

we all go to the naughty room once in a while.:(

[out2sea]

DAY 6 - TORTOLA, BRITISH VIRGIN ISLANDS

 

Before I get to today's report, I have to provide a Public Service Announcement.

 

While I said this was a no prep trip, I still unfortunately had to pack. Because I had things to do every evening the week before the trip, I thought I'd get ahead of the game and pack on the Sunday before. I wrote myself a list of just a few things to do on the Friday night before our flight - pack toiletries and formal clothes, charge batteries, and print boarding passes. Since we had a super early flight on Saturday, I tried to keep this list as short as possible.

 

I also try to pack light so I don't need to lug heavy luggage everywhere. One of my tricks is to roll up my clothes and put them in space saving bags and then squeeze out the air. It's worked reasonably well in the past.

 

Let me just say, it's not so great if you leave the clothes in there for a week. They wrinkle. Fortunately, they were all my daytime clothes so it wasn't too bad to have some wrinkles. If I'd known, I would have brought some Downy wrinkle release. No biggie, but, kids, don't pack your clothes a week before in space saving bags!

 

Onto Tortola.

 

Coincidentally two of my coworkers had just returned from vacations in BVI, and both raved about the beauty, the people, the charm, the fun. I couldn't wait. Charming, fun, beautiful people are exactly things I like!

 

We booked the Coast to Coast Scenic Drive excursion through the ship, which promised that we would "discover the natural beauty and history of Tortola as you explore this charming landscape."

 

The tour description also said that we would board an open sided safari bus and also "have a brief stop at the Terrence B Lettsome Intl Airport to refresh yourself." That should have been fair warning, but, as I've said, this was the no prep cruise.

 

Excursion: Coast to Coast Scenic Drive

Port: Fair

Content: Fair

Presentation: Poor

 

We easily found the tour operator in port, who directed us to our "open sided safari bus". This is the same kind of jeep that is used for taxis in St. Thomas, with 3 steep steps up into the seats and narrow entries. They cram each row with 5 people, which is VERY tight. In our car, there are 2 rows with only 4 people, so they wait for 2 more to show up before leaving.

 

An older couple walk up, with the husband using a walker. The driver tells the couple to take the 2 spots left in the car - one in each of the rows with 4 people. Let me try to describe what we looked like here. Our row, with 5 reasonably sized people, was feeling cozy. The 2 rows with only 4 people had some bigger fellows, and the older couple wasn't exactly svelte.

 

The wife looked at the seats and refused - justly so. Both were mobility challenged, and it would have been very difficult for them to navigate those 3 steep steps up and down, not to mention that they would have had to hang halfway off the seats, which were completely open on the sides.

 

When the driver said that these were the only 2 seats available in any of the buses on this tour, the woman pitched a fit! I think she may been a little high strung, but, really I didn't blame her for being upset. Those 2 seats really were ridiculous for those folks, and in going back to read the description, nowhere did they mention the steep steps.

 

Finally, when it became clear that there were no more seats other than these 2, the couple gave up and said they were going back to the ship. Sad, I hope they got refunded at least.

 

That drama behind us, we started on our tour. Our guide got in the cab and started pointing out sights, in a drab monotone, with no context or backstory. "There's one of the top 500 hotels in the Caribbean". "That's Carrot Bay". "That's the Bomba's Surfside Shack." Every so often he'd stop to let us take a photo.

 

After an hour of scenery and monotone, we stopped at the airport for a bathroom break. Yes, that was a pit stop they scheduled in at the airport.

 

We all circus-car style crammed back into the car and continued. We drove a little longer, and then hit a secluded beach, where they gave us fruit smoothies. Then we piled back in. We did this for another hour.

 

About 2 hours in, I look at my watch and look at my Mom and start giggling. The description had said it was a 4 hour tour. I couldn't believe we had another 2 hours of this. It was, undoubtedly, the MOST BORING TOUR ever. The 23 of us started groaning and joking about being held hostage.

 

The funny thing was, another tour - a Spanish one - passed us, and they were cheering and laughing and HAVING FUN! Right after them, though, an English tour also passed us, and they all looked like hostages, too. Someone mentioned that those people were having just as much fun as us.

 

The driver continued in his monotone, stopping every 15 mins or so for people to get out and take a picture. By hour 3, no one was getting off the bus. When we passed by a lively bar, a guy looked at it longingly. At one stop, one woman asked the driver if we were heading back to the ship yet. The guide said yes, and we proceeded to drive another hour, during which he stopped the bus to buy some bananas for his grandchildren.

 

4 hours in, we finally see our ship, and we all start feeling hopeful. At the port gates, a security guard asks to see everyone's SeaPasses. I've never seen 23 people move to their wallets and purses so quickly while squished like a pile of Parker House rolls.

 

Finally, we are freed.

 

To be fair, the scenery was, as promised, spectacular, and we went up multiple hairpin curves. It reminded me a lot of Kauai, and the woman in front of me also mentioned that it was a lot like the Road to Hana on Maui. It was truly a gorgeous island with endless postcard-like vistas, but we finished the tour wishing we'd seen some of its personality.

 

So, if you like scenery and the very literal interpretation of a coast to coast tour (which we did), take this tour. If you speak Spanish, take the Spanish version. If you do not like being squished and/or monotones, stay away!!

 

Back on the ship, we have a late lunch. We had originally planned to head back out and do some shopping in town, but we are way too exhausted from the World's Most Boring Excursion to do anything except chill out and try to forget the last 4 hours.

 

I don't have any other notes for today except that I see that we went to the Headliner show, which was a Motown trio called Horizon. They were a ton of fun, with some comedy thrown in between covers of Motown classics. They did a Marvin Gaye tribute, and Smoky Robinson, and an amazing version of Shout, which got the place rocking. At the end of the show they said they would be outside selling and signing their CDs, and they would also sing any requests (if they knew or even if they didn't know the song!)

 

I wanted Horizon and the Headliner from the other night - Wildfire, also a male singing trio - to go 3 on 3 on the basketball courts, because all 6 of these guys were really tall.

 

Tonight's dinner theme was BASIL.

 

Appetizer: Crab Cake

Fair

I had high hopes for the crab cake, after the delicious seafood salad. Unfortunately, it had a lot of filler. I understand that they probably can't afford to do a full jumbo lump crabmeat crab cake, so no big deal. I probably won't get it again, though.

 

Entree: Braised Beef Duo

Very Good

I was torn this evening between the orecchinette pasta and the beef. Edwin highly recommended the beef, and he was right! 2 cuts of beef with polenta as a side. Hearty and delicious. Not the best thing I've ever had, but pretty darn good. I'd get it again.

 

Dessert: Cherries Jubilee

Very Good

I get this every cruise. It's got ice cream, cherries, and almonds - win, win, and win.

 

Tomorrow…our last day (sad), but it's St. Maarten (yay).

 

I met that couple that couldn't get on your bus tour and they were fuming at guest services! I don't blame them but sounds like they didn't miss anything. They did get their money back but no real apology on how tix are sold for tours.

We were trying to get on ships tour to JVD since our private one was cancelled and were told all tours must be booked end of pier!!! Really! By then it was too late anyway. No shopping to be done there. No real stores. Disappointed.

[Folk Singer]

I met that couple that couldn't get on your bus tour and they were fuming at guest services! I don't blame them but sounds like they didn't miss anything. They did get their money back but no real apology on how tix are sold for tours.

We were trying to get on ships tour to JVD since our private one was cancelled and were told all tours must be booked end of pier!!! Really! By then it was too late anyway. No shopping to be done there. No real stores. Disappointed.

 

 

Tty to get to Maho Beach. And get blown away with the airplanes. lots of fun.

[windjamming]

I met that couple that couldn't get on your bus tour and they were fuming at guest services! I don't blame them but sounds like they didn't miss anything. They did get their money back but no real apology on how tix are sold for tours.

We were trying to get on ships tour to JVD since our private one was cancelled and were told all tours must be booked end of pier!!! Really! By then it was too late anyway. No shopping to be done there. No real stores. Disappointed.

 

Oh, I'm glad to hear that they got their money back. Given how the tour turned out, I think they came out ahead! I'm sure it wasn't a pleasant moment on the cruise for them, though.

 

The problem with the tickets is with the tour operator. I'm sure they reported a certain number of open spots, based on each bus seating 25 people.

 

What a disappointment it must have been to miss JVD. :( Overall I left Tortola feeling that I missed out on what everyone else loved about BVI.