Cruising From Baltimore at Christmastime

[emeraldcity]

I was up early enough to watch our approach to Tortola. The sky was wonderfully blue and relatively cloud-free. Since today’s objective was the beach, this would be the sort of day we needed to dispense with that annoying cloud-cover thing we’d been dodging periodically. The Carnival Freedom beat us into Tortola, although we docked right at 8:00, as advertised. I had begun a determined pattern of annoying behaviors designed to roust DD early enough to be up and in the Windjammer shortly before we docked. We both settled for a rather light breakfast and then reconvened in the cabin to assemble our luggage for the day. Any duo that packs ten pieces of luggage for a 10-day cruise can be expected to need a sizeable beach bag for a few hours ashore. Ours was bulging, carrying such essentials as towels, sun screen, Santa hats and more.

 

I was anxious to get off in one of the early waves of passengers, since I harbored the hopes of finding a private speedboat owner who was hustling up passengers to zip us over to Virgin Gorda. The whole ferry thing sounded like an awful lot of bother, and I had read posts of CruiseCritic cruisers who’d managed to beat the crowds by tapping into this sort of service. As we exited the ship and dinged out at security I had to wonder at the sign behind them that warned that we were not to take food, fruits or vegetables off the ship. I’m not sure why they don’t realize that fruits and vegetables were included in the first category, but in any event, we were compliant. We were schlepping so much stuff, we certainly didn’t need to further weigh ourselves down hauling something we could buy on the island.

 

We headed down the pier and followed the directions we’d been given for the route to take to the ferry. I was a bit worried that the passengers from the Freedom would have filled those potential speedboats … but if they were still available, it stood to reason that their owners would be positioned on this route. Sure enough, there was someone holding a sign for Virgin Gorda and I stopped to check on the details. Egbert promised a ride to Virgin Gorda for $45 per passenger. The arrangement involved delivery to a dock and then included taxi service to the Top of the Baths. This sounded way better than the posts about Dion, who was anchoring off the Baths and his passengers had to swim in. Swimming in when you have “stuff” is hardly an attractive option. So we paid our money and followed Egbert around the corner to his boat. Most of our fellow passengers were from the Freedom, although there was a group from the Grandeur as well. They were CruiseCritic people too, who had been working with the same game plan as I was. We were the last passengers to board and Egbert promptly got us underway, bound for Virgin Gorda. As soon as he cleared the harbor area, he opened it up and we surged forward. I had a great seat in the back corner of the boat. I could twist around to look backward at the deep wake or look along the side where the spray was being thrown aside by our passing. It was wonderfully exhilarating. It was exactly what I’d wanted since I originally planned this part of the trip. There were plenty of catamaran options that I could have booked, and I’ve done those before. They are very nice. This however, was awesome! I still haven’t shed that need for speed … its genetic – I blame my dad.

 

We made the acquaintance of 4 young women from the Carnival Freedom who were on their first cruise and having the time of their lives. They were a bit surprised to hear that our departure port was Baltimore … it’s still a pretty novel idea that ships depart from somewhere other than Florida.

 

When the boat arrived at the marina on Virgin Gorda, we were led to our waiting large open-air bus that would take us to the Baths. In short order, we were off. I doubt that the ride was much more than 15 minutes and we were climbing off the bus at the Top of the Baths. We were advised when the bus would be back for us and calculated that we had about three hours to explore. That sounded perfect, since that would get us back to the ship in time for a nice lunch on board. There were two paths available – Devil’s Bay and The Baths. We chose to take the one to the Baths. I had a neighbor for a number of years who had mobility difficulties, so I became attuned to assessing various venues to report back to her on whether they would be assessable. The path down to The Baths would never fall into that category. Some efforts had been made to craft steps in a few spots, but for the most part the path was an adventure in itself ... which added to the fun. Long before we got to the beach, DD paused to comment that she loved the experience already. We arrived at the beach to find that there weren’t too many people there as yet. A few boats were anchored outside a line of floating markers, so they were likely the ones that involved swimming to shore. DD and I whipped out our Santa hats and went looking for an obliging sun worshiper to handle the photography duties for us. We posed in the water and attracted a bit of attention with our silly headgear. DD reports that our camera wasn’t the only one that left the beach with a picture of us on it.

 

This was the day that I had determined was not one when I was going to risk my good camera. I had dug up the 5-year-old Kodak EasyShare that I’d bought at Wal-Mart in Hawaii to replace the one that had been in my DD’s possession when she slipped on that rock in the stream. We had one of those aqua-paks it fit into, so I knew the pictures wouldn’t be the best, but it was a better option that buying those single-use water cameras we used to use. By the time you add up their cost and the cost of processing the photos (assuming you can find somewhere that will develop them) they add a ridiculous amount of cost to the vacation. Then you get the pictures and pitch half of them anyway. The aqua-pak does a credible job. It nicely protected the camera and gave us plenty of shots to seal the memories. Of course, some of them are a bit blurry and we photographed some nice special effects by shooting through the water droplets on the aqua-pak, but it satisfied us without risking our better cameras.

 

Having acquired the island Santa hat picture, we found a spot for our bloated beach bag and headed off for the Caves with the camera. What an amazing world we explored that morning. The caves were incredible. They were far more extensive than I had expected, with numerous directions in which to go exploring. We found ourselves squeezing between massive boulders or slipping carefully under them. Most of the time we were sloshing through water ... Sometimes it was ankle deep and sometimes it was waist deep. At one point we couldn’t touch bottom. Often times we were moving through still water, but there were areas where the water was surging in and out, making the going a bit more challenging. Well into the caves, we found there was an area that involved a stairway that you needed to tackle to move on toward Devil’s Bay. Come to think about it, it was really more like a ladder, because it was even more vertical that your basic step ladder. Once you climbed that you found yourself crouching to pass under some boulders before you could get to Devil’s Bay. The entire experience was amazing, although it was fraught with plenty of opportunity for scraped knees and lacerated shins. I report with pride that we emerged from the caves without needing the medical evacuation team and we slipped into the water at Devil’s Bay to paddle around a bit, reveling in this fabulous experience … December, warm water, golden sunshine, intriguing scenery. It just doesn’t get any better.

 

The waves in Devil’s Bay pushed us back and forth. Large boulders created sizeable pockets of water you could paddle around in. There was the constant temptation to move into another pocket to repeat the same experience, but we found that had its own potential hazard. Jagged volcanic rock below the surface stood guard in the gaps between the rocks and the persistent wave action controlled just how your body was likely to fare as it attempted to move through the gap. (We had a guide in Hawaii that called that the Hawaiian Meat Tenderizer.) We decided that further exploration was unwise. It was about that time that a large group of snorkelers arrived and began making plans to increase the population in the water. It seemed like it would be a good time to head back to our stuff.

 

We crouched down and slipped back under the rock and backed down the ladder. As we made our way back through the cave, I spotted an opening high above in the rocks I hadn’t seen before. DD supplied the facts that she managed to pick up when she’d been within earshot of a tour group going through earlier. “They call it the moon window because on certain nights, the moon shines through the opening and lights up this whole part of the cave … of course, the park is closed after 4:30 p.m.”, she continued. “So no one ever gets to see it.” That little recitation left me with the awareness that one of the drawbacks to the private exploration was that we missed getting the sort of tidbits that people glean when they use a tour operator. Of course, we talked to people later on the ship that had been on those tours and they were lamenting that they felt they were rushed through the caves and would have like to have had more time to explore. There were clearly far more people in the caves on our return trip, so it underscored the value of having arranged transportation that beat the ferry to the island.

 

We returned to The Baths and found that the beach had certainly drawn quite a crowd. At least a dozen boats were now bobbing about off shore and little encampments of beach towels had sprung up all over the beach. Having checked on the time, we found that we had a little more than an hour before we needed to start up the hill, so we went swimming. I’m not sure how long we bobbed about in the water, but we tired of it soon enough to allow ourselves some time to slip in a little shopping before the bus was due to return. There was a vendor on the beach who had some nice things, but they seemed a bit pricey. At first he noted that he offered a discount to people with a wristband, but they he relented and announced he would extend us the same consideration. It was gracious, but I wasn’t overly taken with anything he had. We headed back up to the top, where there were a number of shops along with a restaurant. One of the shop owners directed us to a foot bath so we were able to wash off the sand and don sandals before entering the shops. I’m sure the gesture was driven by her desire to avoid having to sweep up, but I appreciated it none-the-less. The first shop was built around a rather large rock outcropping and it served to hold some of the merchandise … nice touch! We window shopped each store, but didn’t see anything outstanding in our price range. The art studio is the reason I add the part about “in our price range”. They had some stunning framed photography that I would have loved to have had an appropriate place to hang in my home. It was a bit pricey, but certainly worth what they were asking. The restaurant boasted a pool of sorts that looked like a stream … very picturesque. And the views from the restaurant were breath-taking. All-in-all wandering through the area was a pleasant way to fill the gap of time until the bus arrived. And it offered the nice bonus of having some more island Christmas decorations to photograph. I was getting a bit dismayed by the difficulty in finding much in the way of Christmas decorations. I had heard that the islands were “all” decorated for Christmas … and I think I had more decorations in my cabin than I’d seen in all of St. Kitts.

 

The open-air bus returned on time to collect us and get us back to the marina where Egbert was waiting. We all filed on board and DD ended up sitting with the girls from the Carnival Freedom in the back, while I rode backwards on the return trip. It was just as much fun going back. We tore through the water, travelling between the British Virgin Islands, much as that fearless explorer Christopher Columbus had done. Old Chris though, was busily granting sainthood on the islands as he passed. Most of the names stuck and the inhabitants proudly cling to the name Chris granted to their bit of rock … undoubtedly the names of the Spanish saints are probably a bit more pronounceable than the island names the original inhabitants used.

 

Egbert spared no expense providing us with drinks on the trip back – bottled water, spiked punch, coke … and a bottle of rum. OK, so it wasn’t an expensive bottle of rum, but it added the offering of rum and coke to the open bar. Is it legal in the B.V.I. waters to have an open container in a moving vehicle? If not, he’s got an awful lot of friendly witnesses who will conveniently forget. DD and her Carnival friends happily posed with the rum bottle, but she picked bottled water to quench her thirst. Neither of us relished the idea of drinking on an empty stomach, and we were definitely in need of some substantial sustenance.

 

Once on board we collected some food from Park Café and took it to the cabin to snack on something while we took turns showering. As we got ready we were treated to the frequent elephant charge on the pool deck … which is the fate of those who book portside suites on the Grandeur. This put us squarely under the ice cream runway. How is it that a kid who can’t weigh more than forty pounds can sound like a thundering elephant when he’s charging that last 100 feet for the ice cream machine? Hasn’t anyone explained to them that it’s OK to be cool and stroll up to the machine? It’s a fact that they never run back. At first it was a theory, but we had 10 days to test the hypothesis and we concluded that the elephants really only run in one direction.

 

After cleaning up, we went up to the Windjammer and did a bit more grazing to hold us over till dinner time. Suitably fortified, DD swung by the ice cream machine to get her daily fix before the elephants drained it, and then we joined the line dance fanatics for some more wobbling and socializing. It was to be one of the last chances to become proficient at the dances that would form the core of the Pool Party the next night, and we always try to make sure that event doesn’t fall off the schedule.

 

We were to discover that the kitchen had been busy producing their own special variety of Christmas decorations while we were exploring the Caves at the Baths. Although Caribbean cruising generally means the culinary staff will be producing fantastic watermelon carving and other fruit art, there had been very little of that so far in the cruise. This time the pastry chefs were busily producing Gingerbread Houses. The first indication of their craft appeared outside the MDR that evening, where an entire gingerbread tableau was set up on a large table.

 

From time to time during the planning process, the boards had dithered about whether a 10-day cruise had 2 or 3 formal nights. The RCI website claimed 2, but past cruisers reported there were three. Accordingly, since we have already admitted that we don’t have a problem over-packing, we operated with the expectation that we should be ready for 3. It was a good move. The Compass advised that tuxes would be the order of the day. We slipped into our finery and headed down to the MDR for another enjoyable evening with a very congenial group of people.

 

With all the things to do on board a cruise ship, one of the things that had never had any appeal for me was watching a movie. I have never stretched out in my cabin to watch any in-room movies, nor have I ever had any interest in going to a theater buried deep in the bowels of the ship. Movies are all about the concept of escapism … and I’ve already escaped! Here I am living the dream of the ultimate escape from reality, so I’ve never thought it made much sense to steal two hours of that fantasy life to concentrate on a movie. But, when they put the movie screen on the pool deck and offered evening showings of intriguing films, I had to reconsider my convictions. Settling into a deck chair on a balmy evening on the pool deck of a cruise ship in the Caribbean to relax and watch a movie was an incredibly pleasant way to pass an evening with my DD. Thus it was that we watched The Hunger Games that night. Of course, in keeping with our tradition, we lingered with our tablemates at dinner and we were a bit late, but I’d read the book, so I already knew the story. Given that there was a light breeze on the pool deck that evening, this was a great venue for an evening movie … the cruise ship alternative to the drive-in movies of my past! On the windy or rainy nights, a possible alternative might be the Viking Crown Lounge if they wired it for the audio.

 

When the movie ended, we wandered the pool deck, looking at the stars. Around us, the horizon was dotted with occasional islands – dark humps on the horizon, sprinkled with fairy lights … rather like Christmas decorations in the shrubbery of an Ohio home. But instead of a drive-by to look at the city’s lights, we were doing a sail-by to see the oceans lights – how awesome is that!

Edited January 16, 2014 by emeraldcity

[Moto Guzzi]

Over 50 people didn’t think that the “4:30 all-aboard” announcement applied to them. Oh – one person did. There was only one person who ran down the pier to board … the rest of them sauntered. (That lone runner was probably a crewmember doing a demo about how to board when you’re late.) The last one was at 4:50 … a woman with a stroller and a couple of other people. Meanwhile, there was a ship’s officer and a couple of staffers standing on the pier with a walkie-talkie looking down the pier at the stragglers and periodically relaying information to whoever was at the other end of that device.

 

My friend and I were probably among those 50 people but it wasn't because we didn't think the 4:30 all-aboard announcement applied to us. We were on the 4 X 4 safari excursion and it was late getting back. We were dropped off in the shopping area, rather than at the pier, at 4:35. One man was particularly worried because he had bought a ring and left it to be sized. The store didn't offer to deliver it to the pier, and he asked the people on our 4 X 4 if he and his wife could get off first so they could run to the store and pick up the ring. They beat us back to the pier because they caught a shuttle from the store.

 

We walked as quickly as we could but couldn't run because my friend has had two knee replacements and has severe arthritis. She had twisted her ankle several days before we set sail, and it gave her trouble the entire cruise. We were on board by 4:45. My friend had left a ring to be sized and delivered to the pier, and one of the crew members handed it to her before we boarded.

 

We had considered doing the zip line but decided it might be too difficult for my friend, plus I'm a big wuss when it comes to heights. I enjoyed reading about your experience and--who knows?--I may try it if I make it back to St. Kitts.

[TheCalicoCat]

What kind of foot ware would you recommend for the Baths?

Sneakers or crocs?

[emeraldcity]

My friend and I were probably among those 50 people but it wasn't because we didn't think the 4:30 all-aboard announcement applied to us. We were on the 4 X 4 safari excursion and it was late getting back. We were dropped off in the shopping area, rather than at the pier, at 4:35. One man was particularly worried because he had bought a ring and left it to be sized. The store didn't offer to deliver it to the pier, and he asked the people on our 4 X 4 if he and his wife could get off first so they could run to the store and pick up the ring. They beat us back to the pier because they caught a shuttle from the store.

 

We walked as quickly as we could but couldn't run because my friend has had two knee replacements and has severe arthritis. She had twisted her ankle several days before we set sail, and it gave her trouble the entire cruise. We were on board by 4:45. My friend had left a ring to be sized and delivered to the pier, and one of the crew members handed it to her before we boarded.

 

We had considered doing the zip line but decided it might be too difficult for my friend, plus I'm a big wuss when it comes to heights. I enjoyed reading about your experience and--who knows?--I may try it if I make it back to St. Kitts.

 

Now it makes more sense. I didn't think of a late excursion.

 

How was the 4x4 excursion? ... I keep looking at those and wondering if I'd like that sort of thing. As for ziplining, if you can do roller coasters, it should be fine. I get weak knees when I get near the edge of something, but this wasn't like that at all. It was more like taking one of those gondola sky rides at an amusement park. You were on a nice platform with rails all around you as they were getting you all set up for the ride ... and then they release the handle and you slowly start to slide down the cable.

[emeraldcity]

What kind of foot ware would you recommend for the Baths?

Sneakers or crocs?

 

Barefoot, actually. We left our sandals with our beach bag. The sand wasn't stony ... and I'm one of those people with very tender feet ... I very rarely go barefoot.

[TheCalicoCat]

Thanks. I'm glad to hear barefoot!

[Moto Guzzi]

Now it makes more sense. I didn't think of a late excursion.

 

How was the 4x4 excursion? ... I keep looking at those and wondering if I'd like that sort of thing. As for ziplining, if you can do roller coasters, it should be fine. I get weak knees when I get near the edge of something, but this wasn't like that at all. It was more like taking one of those gondola sky rides at an amusement park. You were on a nice platform with rails all around you as they were getting you all set up for the ride ... and then they release the handle and you slowly start to slide down the cable.

 

We loved the 4x4 excursion. We went to the rain forest and bumped along on a road about as wide as a sidewalk. Our guide told us it was a two-way road and at one point we pulled over to let another vehicle pass. There were huge pot holes and, as we came near to the beach, we went over large berms that were put in place to slow erosion. The ride was fun but we were glad we weren't driving. :eek:

 

Our guide told us some of the history of the island and pointed out different types of plants and the large termite mounds near some of the trees. Some trees were being choked by vines that had been brought to the island and taken over in some areas. We looked for monkeys but didn't see any in the rain forest although some people saw one at our first stop. They are quick to hide, and our guide told us they were a big nuisance and could destroy a number of bananas and fruits in a short time.

 

We stopped to walk around, look at flowers, and sample passion fruit and guava juices (rum optional). We got back in the 4x4s and made our way to the beach. My friend and I didn't get in the water but a number of people did. We walked along the shore but didn't want to get in as we had only 30 minutes before we had to leave. We were supposed to have more time but were late getting there.

 

The trip back took less time because we didn't go back through the rain forest with its bumpy road. As we were leaving the beach area, we passed a clearing and saw a number of monkeys sitting on the grass. I tried to get a photo but couldn't get my camera zoomed in on them in time to get a good image.

 

It was a good overview of St. Kitts and didn't require much exertion for those with physical problems. I took several hundred photos--more than I did at any of our other stops.

 

I may try the zip lining if I make it back to St. Kitts. I don't like roller coasters that much but I can handle a gondola ride. I wouldn't have to worry about going up a steep incline and then flying down as I would on a roller coaster so maybe this would be doable for me. People back on the ship would probably be able to hear me shrieking, though.

Edited January 17, 2014 by Moto Guzzi

[emeraldcity]

I was looking forward to the approach to San Juan in the morning. I anticipated getting some great shots of El Morro as we neared the island. My last cruise from San Juan had left at night, so my point-and-shoot photography didn’t yield very good pictures. But on this morning I was thwarted again … I overslept. We were well past the fort when I peeked out, so the best I could do was land a few shots of La Forteleza. The sky was leaking badly as we approached the dock, and I wondered if the captain would delay disembarkation again. DD was up relatively early without any prompting this time. She was chaffing at the short day in port and she had power-shopping on her personal agenda. I kept reminding her that the tour was first. I’d been unable to tour La Forteleza on our last trip here, because we’d arrived on Good Friday and everything was closed. This time it was the number one objective for the day. A second objective was touring San Juan Cathedral, which had also been off-limits that day, since a mass was in progress.

 

While I waited for DD to get ready, I stood watching the docking process from my balcony and glanced along the side to see how many other balconies were similarly occupied. Odd … my balcony neighbors were looking elsewhere. I followed their pointing finger and discovered a number of dolphins swimming just below my balcony on the other side of the pier. What a treat! And to think I nearly missed it.

 

 

We set off for the day travelling a bit on the light side … camera, purses and umbrella. It was just sprinkling when we left the ship and in a fit of misplaced optimism, I decided that the rain was just about over. We arrived at the end of the dock and there were a number of tour hustlers offering tours for $10 each that would offer a bit of the new town and a bit of the old town and have us back in Old Town by 10:00. That certainly was not on my agenda, but they kept insisting that nothing opened till 10:00. The amount of cloud leakage increased about this time and I decided that maybe that dry bus wasn’t such a bad idea after all. DD and I climbed on board and the hustler dashed back to the pier to see if he could land a few more fish. While we sat there, the rain kicked up several more notches and people started to reverse direction and return to the tour hustlers. Eventually our driver decided he had a pretty good haul and he climbed aboard to give us our one-hour tour. We started off past a plaza that boasted bronze statues of every U.S. president that has ever been to San Juan. (How is it that this is my fourth time here and I never saw this before?) I thought it was pretty cool, but then I rank Washington D.C. as one of my favorite cities to visit, so I admit to being a bit of a history dork. That plaza ended up being the sum total of the points of interest we would see. The bus was turned back by the police. The driver apologized profusely, but noted that there was to be a huge demonstration that day by the teachers on the islands. Accordingly, there was a heavy police presence in Old San Juan and traffic was becoming even more snarled than usual. I wondered how our tablemates were going to fare on their planned excursion to the rain forest, but I was certain they’d have a great story to tell that evening at dinner. The driver then took us to the Plaza de Armas and dropped us off, announcing that he wouldn’t charge us, since he hadn’t delivered the promised tour. We tipped him anyway and stepped off the bus to head for La Forteleza.

 

Despite the periodic heavy downpours that the bus had plowed through, I was blissfully optimistic that the rain was over. The reality is that we would periodically encounter a light mist that was supposed to be the sign that we should run for cover. We didn’t get that memo. We would spend the entire morning dodging raindrops. OK, let me re-phrase that. DD dodged raindrops; I watched them descend from the cover of my umbrella.

 

En route to La Fortelza, we found that there was one store that was actually open already … Del Sol. This is always a fun store to browse in, so we stepped inside. There were probably at least a dozen other cruise passengers that had found the place before we did and we maneuvered around each other checking out the various merchandise. While I think the novelty of color-changing shirts is pretty cool, I can’t justify $29 for a t-shirt. Let’s face it, when you’re inside a building, the shirt simply boasts a mere black-and-white line drawing. Then when you’re outside, the thing gains color and stays that way. The only time you get the effect is when you initially walk outside. I’m trying to picture the conversation when someone is urging her friend to go outside so they can see her shirt change color. What girl wants to go watch her friend’s shirt change color? The only way I’m thinking this is going to be eagerly received is when she’s asking some guy to come outside and stare at her shirt while it changes color. Of course, we all know why he’s staring at the shirt … but maybe that’s why she plunked down $29. The moral of the story … forget the shirts at Del Sol … spend the money on the nail polish. That’s where you get the biggest bang for the buck. Your friends may not see the nails change color, but they’ll suddenly comment “Hey, wasn’t your nail polish pink before lunch?” Girls are all about nail polish envy.

 

La Forteleza was only a short walk beyond Del Sol. I stepped inside the yellow building where we were told they arranged the tours. We were greeted by a woman who apologized but noted that due to the teacher’s demonstration, all government buildings were shut down. You’re kidding me, right? I’ve been planning this for over six months … couldn’t the teachers have their demonstration tomorrow? You know what? I bet they’ll even have better weather tomorrow! I did my best to look shocked and devastated … DD even maintains that I looked like I was going to cry. But this woman was immune to my attempted theatrics. Why is it that I can’t be one of those media sensation stories? You know, the one where the lady says, “Let me see what I can do.” And she calls an aide from the Governor’s office who comes down to see me and after I prove that I’m not a demonstrating teacher from the suburbs of San Juan, he ushers me into the mansion and gives me a private tour of the lavishly decorated buildings and grounds … including that clock that was struck by a sword and stopped by the last Spanish governor of the island. Needless to say, my fate was far more droll. Instead, the lady gave us a phone number so we could call back in a couple of hours to see if there had been any change. I pocketed the number and resolved to return in 2 hours, even though I was pretty sure we’d be wasting our time.

 

We walked back to San Juan Cathedral and loitered across the street until about 15 minutes past the time it said it would be opened. But the door remained shut, so we headed toward the sea wall to go see San Juan Gate. We hadn’t gotten that far the last time we were here, so we decided we’d take in the sights along the sea wall while we waited for the 10:00 shop opening event that DD was so anxious about. The light rain got a bit more persistent as we wandered the area so I took shelter under the umbrella. I offered cover to my DD, but she was too cool to huddle under an umbrella. As you pass through San Juan gate and walk down to the dock below, you find yourself outside the city wall and it’s interesting to pause and study how the wall winds along the shore line. I couldn’t help but wonder how many thousands of people in the last 400 years had stood at this spot and surveyed the wall as I was doing.

 

 

We eventually returned to the San Juan Cathedral and I was happy to see that the doors were finally opened. We stepped inside and I asked the lady at the counter to the right if I was permitted to take pictures. She graciously smiled and said, ”Of course.” So I headed to the right and started with the first alcove where there was a large nativity scene, overflowing with poinsettias. I moved around the church in a circle and skipped the flash to avoid disturbing anyone who had come here for personal reasons. This cathedral which was constructed in 1540, is the second oldest one in the Americas. While it doesn’t have the size and grandeur of the cathedrals of Europe, it exudes a peace and serenity that makes it well worth the time to step inside and pause for a bit from our headlong quest to experience all we can in the short time available. If you’re into tombs, you can even see the fancy marble that encases the remains of Ponce De Leon, but I can’t say I lingered in that area. Having made a full circuit of the church, I stopped again to offer a heartfelt “gracias” to the lady and the counter and she graced me with a lovely smile.

 

 

As we wandered the streets of Old San Juan, I reveled in the fulfillment of having finally found an island that was “all” decorated for Christmas. I don’t think it was possible to get a street photo that didn’t include some festive decorations in there somewhere. We even stepped into El Convento and took pictures of the tasteful decorations that adorned the lobby. I noted with a bit of regret that the decorations stretched across the streets held amazing promise of incredible lighting displays that would be seen by those who were here after dark … and that certainly didn’t include the passenger complement of the Grandeur.

 

And although we may not have a chance to see the Christmas lights of San Juan, the real treasure is the city itself. I’d been to the city in 1988, and again a few years later. The amount of restoration that has been achieved since that time is amazing. I felt that every building we passed had a story to tell, and I wished for a guide to bring those stories alive. Frankly, I tried to convince DD before this trip (and the previous one, for that matter) to consider a Segway tour, and she flat-out refused. I can’t figure out why.

 

The witching hour arrived and several shops actually opened right on time, which isn’t something you can always count on in an “island time” culture. We stepped into the first shop and I anticipated more dithering on the part of my DD. Having already shopped two islands without making a single purchase, I was certain we’d have to browse a minimum of 4 shops before she was ready to return to the one holding the prize of the day. I figured wrong. She had a pretty good idea of what she wanted by now, and they happened to have it in shop number one. The lady even had a little cubby hole in the back (closet was too grandiose a term for it) where DD could try on the dress of choice. While I waited I wandered around and couldn’t help deciding that they also had had an enticing dress that would work well as a loose-fitting nightshirt for me (one size fits most, thank you very much). We also spotted some charming figurines of girls in pretty dresses and DD moved swiftly from “Isn’t this cute!” to product selection. But what we failed to find was a unique Christmas tree ornament. They had some maybes. But I really wasn’t interested in a maybe. I wanted one that triggered a happy little sparkle each year as it is unwrapped and fitted with a hook to hang on the tree. Something that takes us back to the time we shared together in a very unique place miles away from the snow. It took us three more shops before we found it. There was an arts and crafts type of store reportedly selling things made by local artists. They apparently had advance warning that I was coming, because right in the front of the store they had a great selection of terribly unique Christmas ornaments that didn’t need to say “San Juan” … the designs said it all. It took us a bit of time to narrow down the selection, but we both agreed on the final choice. They wrapped it carefully against breakage and I brought it home to store it with my other island ornaments. I haven’t unwrapped it yet … I’ll do that Thanksgiving weekend when we put up the tree later this year. And if we made the right choice, there will be that happy little sparkle when the wrapping comes off.

 

Having dispensed with the power-shopping objectives earlier than anticipated, it was time to wander back to La Forteleza where we would make one final effort at convincing them that it would be the right thing to do to allow the tours to proceed. It was a doomed plan. I have a sneaking suspicion that this was just a trumped-up reason to get a paid holiday to start off Christmas week early. Frankly, if there was a teacher demonstration going on, I never saw any sign of it.

 

We meandered in the general direction of the ship, taking a few more pictures along the way. I commented to DD that I was impressed with her patience with me, because she rarely quietly tolerates my need to take countless little side-trips along the way for another photo. She just told me that she figured it was the least she could do, since I was so patient with her insistence on St. Kitts that we stop in every store that was selling dresses. I didn’t realize that I’d been acquiring patience points that were redeemable at a later time, but I accepted with gratitude.

 

Shortly before the road that will lead back down to the ship, we came upon the Christo Chapel, that intriguing little chapel built right on the street. We stood back while someone took pictures of it. When they asked why it was built on the street itself I was able to give them the history behind it … at least one of the stories. There is more than one story of course, so you can Google it and decide which story you like best.

 

We went around the chapel and started down the steeply inclined street to get to the lower part of town where the ships were docked. There was another ship in port now and we could see the Grandeur just beyond it. Hovering over the Grandeur were some terribly ominous clouds. But with supreme confidence, I assured myself we’d get back to the ship before the rain hit. Naturally, I was wrong. I don’t think it even started gradually this time. I got the umbrella up and resolutely continued heading for the ship. In a few moments DD announced that it would be nice if I would share. “Really? What if someone sees you being uncool?” My comments were unappreciated, but the little shelter I then shared was clearly accepted. So we pressed together under it, shoulder-to-shoulder and made for the bottom of the hill where there was a group of people hanging out under an awning. They amicably squeezed us in among them and we stuck around for a bit with our damp new-found friends, awaiting a break in the monsoon. Once it subsided to a downpour we continued on to the ship.

 

We joined the similarly disheveled passengers hurrying back up the gangway. We all looked like a bunch of refugees fleeing civil unrest, rather than pampered cruise ship passengers returning after touring the town and shopping the fine establishments. Like everyone else, we headed for our cabin to get into dry clothes and deal with hairstyles that had been rearranged by Mother Nature.

 

After cleaning up, DD noted that if the offer was still open, she’d like to use my Diamond perk of 30 internet minutes to check her grades from the recently completed semester. We headed over to the Diamond Lounge, since I figured there would be someone there who could step her through the process of logging on and accessing my minutes. There was one other couple in the Diamond Lounge and I started off by confessing that DD was a lowly emerald and I was only a quarter-carat diamond, newly minted and clueless. They didn’t think it was a problem that she was crashing the virtually empty room and the lady helped DD sign on and get going. The couple sat and chatted with me as DD logged into the university web site and got her grades, and then went on to touch base with her Facebook community. At some point, the Grandeur left the dock and we watched as we began to edge out of San Juan harbor. DD happily chatted with her BF back home via Facebook and promptly logged out seconds before the thirty minutes ended. From the aft windows of the Diamond Lounge, I watched as El Morro receded in the distance. Yes, I tried to get pictures this time too, but the rain was washing down the windows in sheets and the pictures turned out less than satisfactory. Once again, I left San Juan with objectives unmet, and resolved I would return some day to give it another try.

 

There was one objective that had finally been met in San Juan, however. I had finally found an island that was “all” decorated for Christmas. And despite the rain, we had some treasured memories of the day ... exploring new sites while travelling familiar streets.

 

Since the MDR was open for lunch, it was time to go have another one of those great salads. We weren’t going to have an entrée as well, but when someone slips one of those menus in front of you, it’s really hard to deny yourself another opportunity to make the folks in the galley feel appreciated. I believe it was during lunch that DD suddenly remembered that we failed to get our Santa hat picture in Puerto Rico. That was an irrecoverable opportunity. I can hopefully do that tour some day, but this was supposed to be one of our fun little objectives for the entire cruise … a Santa hat picture on every island … and we blew it.

 

We went back to the cabin after lunch to consult the Cruise Compass to help chart the rest of our day. Right on the front page was Today’s Tip … which advised “Welcome to the Historic port of Falmouth, your shopping paradise in Jamaica! Explore the shops, all located within minutes of the ship. Remember your Falmouth Shopping Map and stick to the guaranteed stores. Enjoy!” OK, then. Does this mean that my next cruise (which really IS supposed to stop in Falmouth) is going to welcome me to San Juan and urge me to make sure I shop at the guaranteed stores there as well?

 

In any event, there was a bit of a gap in our schedule before the next appealing event … more line dancing! Yay! Sounds like it’s time to rest, so I stretched out on the bed to do just that. DD kept accusing me of trying to nap. There is no basis for her accusations, of course ... although, I wouldn’t have deemed it to be a misuse of time. Impromptu naps are a wonderfully decadent component of the perfect vacation.

 

To get me focused on something more active, DD announced it was time for ice cream. We went up to the pool deck and she expertly filled our cones and then joined me at a table in that corner of the pool deck. We sat there eating the ice cream and idly watching other people make ice cream cones. Who knew how entertaining that could be? Seriously! We are a week into the cruise and some people still end up with a long curled stogie falling off the edge of the cone. This is always accompanied with a look of bewilderment while the thought undoubtedly going through their mind is “How the hell am I supposed to eat this?” Then you see their eyes darting around looking first to figure out if there’s somewhere they can pitch it so that they can make another attempt at a decently filled cone. I suspect, they’re also hoping nobody is watching. They’re wrong … we’re watching and only marginally avoiding pointing while we laugh. If this was you, I’m sorry. I only hope I was laughing with you, not at you. It’s a cruise – we’re allowed to do silly things.

 

Tucked under cover, we waited out the arrival of the line dance leader and wondered if the event would be cancelled because of the rain. Thankfully, it wasn’t. Jimena arrived and moved our event under cover on the port side near the pool bar. I apologize to all those who tried to get through there, because we were clearly dancing in the walkway. We did some more wobbling and shuffling cupids … having a great time in the process. I was finding that most of these moves didn’t put any stress on the knee, which was awesome … because I really love to dance.

 

The dress suggestion for the evening was Casual/Tropical, so DD happily donned her new purchase and we went down to the dining room for dinner. As anticipated, our tablemates had great stories to tell. They had enjoyed their trip to the Rain Forest, where (interestingly enough) it didn’t rain. At least that’s what they claimed, but I’m struggling to believe it. Traffic was a challenge getting back because of the teacher demonstration, although nobody reported actually seeing any demonstrating teachers, so we left Puerto Rico with no clear idea of what they were demonstrating … or even IF they were demonstrating.

 

This was the night when we heard they had definitely cancelled the Hell’s Kitchen event. The MDR wait staff was clearly disappointed. Although it had only been held one night in the cruise, they loved the novelty of having a small group of passengers dining in the cacophony of the kitchen during full battle mode. It continued to appear in the schedule, but it never took place again. Meanwhile, the Chef’s Table continued its stately experience every night. Since our table was located toward the rear of the dining room on the starboard side, we witnessed the nightly parade of well-dressed people carrying wine glasses and headed for their stellar dining experience in the small private dining room behind us.

 

DD wanted to see the movie again that evening, so we arrived (a bit late again, I’m afraid) on the pool deck and settled into a couple of chairs to watch “Easy A”. It was OK. The alternative would have been a production number for the evening show, so I suspect the movie was a better choice for us, anyway.

 

When the movie ended, we went down to the R Bar for a Drink of the Day, which was a Pirates Cape. I got one of the rainbow glasses, and DD scored a green glass. We’ve been collecting these glasses for years and I have never managed to get a green one. This was a major coupe! (OK, I admit it … I don’t get out much.) We took our drinks and settled into chairs on the starboard side of the Centrum dance floor to watch the ballroom dancers. DD complimented one of the couples at the break and the gentleman then graciously invited her to dance. Although DD has only been taking ballroom classes for a few months, she did credibly well and she had a wonderful time on the dance floor. After the dance, we sat watching people come and go as we waited for the game show that was to take place at 9:45. The Battle of the Sexes generally includes some of the same contests in every cruse, but that doesn’t mean it loses any of its fun. When the first call came for 6 volunteers of each sex, DD sprang off her seat and I watched her claim a number. Two other young women near me jumped off the seat they were sharing and joined the volunteers on the floor. Immediately some woman behind me went charging around me with one kid draped over one arm and hanging onto a second kid she was pulling with her. She plunked down in the vacated seat and then gestured wildly for gramma to join her. Honestly, I don’t think competition for seats was this desperate when this event was held in the South Pacific Lounge, but maybe I’m mistaken. I thought the protocol was to ask those nearby if someone was sitting there before you planted your fanny on the upholstery. In any event, DD and her team of females went down to defeat. The guys were faster when it came to scrambling around to realign themselves for the announced number. The second event called for the current 6 contestants to hold hands and form a large circle and then see how many of their gender can fit in that circle. I don’t believe it’s possible for the guys to win this one. Girls don’t have a problem squeezing up close to each other (that’s the best way to share secrets!). The girls took this one 57 to 75. They did the standard balloon relay next, but this one really wasn’t very well suited for the small Centrum floor. It provided a suitable amount of entertainment despite this, but I kept feeling like this event worked so much better in the South Pacific Lounge.

 

When the game show ended, there was a change of venue to the pool deck for the premier event of the night. They used to call this event the Pool Party or the Deck Party, but it’s being rebranded. Now there is a double billing … Dancing Under the Stars/Cardio Dance Party. If you’re expecting the conga line snaking around the pool, you’re going to be disappointed. This is all about line dancing. Every line dance class of the cruise has been leading up to this premier event. If you haven’t yet learned to wobble or shuffle, there are three members of the cruise director’s staff ready to lead you as the live pool band bangs out one number after another. I was running out of steam by this hour, so I enjoyed the party atmosphere as a spectator. DD had no intention of spectating. She never left the dance floor, going through one number after another with a huge smile on her face. Although I shot a fair number of pictures, it takes a different type of camera (and a tripod and a lens that’s 12-feet long) to get a decent picture of people in motion in a night-time setting. All I got was some blurry pictures of the sheer exuberance of the dancers as the ship continued slicing through the Caribbean en route to our final port. It was enough to seal a very special memory of a night of fun.

 

Missing from the usual pool party was the lavish display of fabulous carved fruit tableaus. There was a single table with some carved fruit on either end, but the purpose was to lure you to the table where the punch bowl resided. It was an opportunity to surrender your sea-pass card and walk away with a festive little boost in a flashing glass. It saved a trip to the bar, but I had to wonder if the fruit carvers union had been making unreasonable demands, so they are slowly down-playing their role until they can either lay them off or outsource the function to some third world fruit carving service.

 

I slipped away as things were coming to a close to fetch a flavored water for DD. I believe Gangnam Style was the last dance … and Darryl left the pool deck and the party evaporated. DD was red-faced from exertion and bubbling over with how much fun she’d had. She downed the drink quickly and we went below to unwind. This would be the night they would give back the hour we’d lost earlier in the cruise, so we would be able to sleep in. At least, that was the theory. I don’t really do the sleeping-in thing very well, but I appreciate the thought.

Edited January 18, 2014 by emeraldcity

[rednancy1]

Enjoying your review. Thanks for sharing. :)

[emeraldcity]

Enjoying your review. Thanks for sharing. :)

 

You're welcome. I mostly do this for DD. I'm a bit older than the average mother of a college student, and I want her to have a record of our experiences to share with her kids some day.

[TheCalicoCat]

You're welcome. I mostly do this for DD. I'm a bit older than the average mother of a college student, and I want her to have a record of our experiences to share with her kids some day.

 

If you are a bit older - then I will be ancient by the time my 5 year old is in college.:)

[emeraldcity]

If you are a bit older - then I will be ancient by the time my 5 year old is in college.:)

 

LOL! I may have you beat ... I was 16 when I saw the Beatles in concert in Cleveland.

[TheCalicoCat]

LOL! I may have you beat ... I was 16 when I saw the Beatles in concert in Cleveland.

 

I was thinking your age with a college student - vs my age when I have a college student. (When my son enters college, I'll be old enough to collect social security if it is still around to collect.)

[Cruisin Around]

I'm really enjoying your review and I LOVE your decorations! I have a silly question but I think you may be the perfect person to ask. We are considering a trip on Grandeur out of Baltimore on 12/27. I love Christmas and being festive but it seems like people would think I was looney if I decorated a bit after Christmas was over. We would be on board for New Years Eve though so I thought something little would be nice- like countdown themed or something. I'm guessing the ship might still be decorated??? What are your thoughts? Nothing over the top but something to remind you that it's that holiday week between Christmas and New Years. We have a little one too and he loves the decorations.

[emeraldcity]

I'm really enjoying your review and I LOVE your decorations! I have a silly question but I think you may be the perfect person to ask. We are considering a trip on Grandeur out of Baltimore on 12/27. I love Christmas and being festive but it seems like people would think I was looney if I decorated a bit after Christmas was over. We would be on board for New Years Eve though so I thought something little would be nice- like countdown themed or something. I'm guessing the ship might still be decorated??? What are your thoughts? Nothing over the top but something to remind you that it's that holiday week between Christmas and New Years. We have a little one too and he loves the decorations.

 

If I was doing a New Year's cruise, I'd decorate for sure. You can't imagine how much fun I had in the weeks leading up to the cruise. I went to three fabric stores before I found the perfect material for those bed runners!

 

Let's see ... Champagne glasses, curling ribbons hanging from the mirrors and pictures, a banner that says Happy New Year. Oh, I'd definitely do it. I think to sit against the bed pillows I'd want a couple of teddy bears (a he and a she) in formal attire ... he's got on a glittery bowler hat and she's wearing a tiara.

 

I understand they don't take down the Christmas decorations until early January. If you want to add to the fun ... go for it. Our cabin steward told us that every day people were taking pictures of our door ... he got the biggest kick out of it. He kept telling people the door was nothing ... you should see inside!

[Cruisin Around]

Thank you! Think I'll definitely go for it!

[Canadian Tyler]

Really enjoying this review!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[emeraldcity]

Really enjoying this review!

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

Thank you. I do apologize for the amount of time it's taking between posts ... I thought I'd be done by now ... but life keeps getting in the way.

[emeraldcity]

I’m not sure how we got so lucky. The two ports where we planned beach days were blessed with fantastic weather. I went up on deck with the intent to walk a mile on the track as we made the approach to Haiti. Every time I’d do a half circuit, I’d stop and take some pictures of the approaching island. After 2 laps, I realized we were coming in faster than I thought, so I should probably go below and see if I could get DD up.

 

I found her still hanging onto the pillow so I stepped out onto the balcony and left the door open, hoping she’d join me so we could share the experience of watching us come into port. Those of us with portside balconies had a ringside seat for the picturesque approach to Labadee. I kept describing what I was seeing, and she kept ignoring me. Off in the distance, the approaching Legend was vectoring in to the harbor entrance as well, but we would clearly get in first. I watched as boats zipped back and forth, undoubtedly ferrying staff to their positions for the day. The waverunners and the parasail boat formed up before we started our maneuver to squeeze up to the dock and they did a sail-by on the portside, with flags flying. If that was to drum up business, I was way ahead of them. The waverunners were my number one objective for the day. I did watch the parasail boat and the possibility of including that activity as well started to simmer in the back of my brain.

 

 

As the ship docked, DD finally agreed to get up and we went to the Windjammer for a quick breakfast. Then we went back to the cabin to put our things together for the beach. Neither of us could locate the old EasyShare camera. It had to be in the cabin somewhere … and we kept the place neat, so I couldn’t figure out where it was hiding. I easily found the waterpak it fit into, but the camera was definitely a no-show. So we took DD’s camera and resolved it would spend much of the day in the locker.

 

We headed ashore and walked down the pier to head for the marina, surveying the landscape and trying to determine where the Santa hat picture should be taken. We finally decided that the mounted waverunner in front of the marina was the best background. It was our good fortune that an incognito professional photographer just happened to be passing by, and he delayed his plans for the day long enough to handle the necessary photo session. We then headed over to the marina to sign up for the waverunners. At the counter, we were advised that there was space in the 9:30 group so we surrendered our sea-pass card and signed the waivers. I managed to avoid the little upcharge for the over-priced eyeglass strap, because I had packed the one I bought the year before in Coco Cay. Since DD would be riding with me, her cost was bargain-priced. Given that we had that little savings going for us, I tried to spend it – so I asked about parasailing. I received the curious response that they never do parasailing this time of year, since the seas are too rough. I admit that I found that piece of information annoying. What was the point of including the parasailing boat in the sail-by, if this is the three-month period when the experience isn’t offered? Don’t you think that boat should be hauled out of the water and covered with a blue tarp for the season? (Off-season finds lots of boats in Ohio covered with tarps, so I’m an expert of the subject).

 

We made arrangements for a locker and put everything in there we wouldn’t need on the boat. In short order we found ourselves ushered into the training room for the same movie I saw in Coco Cay. It was every bit as riveting the second time around, even though I knew how it was going to end. Once the screen credits started to roll, the tour guides stepped in to go through a few more safety tips and throw out a few questions to make sure we hadn’t been napping during the show. Then it was time to assign the order in which the boats would travel on the tour. The objective is to determine who the speed demons are so that they can put them first. The preference is to avoid having some boaters overtake the person in front of them. Accordingly they advise that the number you are assigned in the beginning is not necessarily the one you will have throughout, since there will be several times they will stop on the tour to regroup. At that time we were advised they may make some adjustments to your order of travel. When they asked who had been on the waverunners before, I tried my best to look terribly confident and seasoned, in the hopes that I would be assigned one of the early positions. I had about as much success with these guys as I did with the lady at the governor’s mansion. I think I was a victim of age profiling … I blame the gray hair. Of the six boats going out, I was given number 5. I tried to console myself that at least I was the first one of the two boats that were taking two riders. Additionally, I had to acknowledge there was a possibility that those riding tandem would be slower.

 

We buckled ourselves into life jackets and headed for the boats. Once settled in, we started up and slipped off the dock. One by one, the boats motored over to the leader. The leader took off first and the second guide gave the starting signal to each boat in turn. Soon we were flying across the water. It was awesome! Granted, it was a bit different with a passenger who was hanging on for dear life, although I really did appreciate the constant pull from behind. DD can be annoying at times, but I really didn’t want to drop her off in the waters of Haiti.

 

Ever mindful of the warning that we were to keep about 300 feet in between boats, I kept discovering that I was gaining on the boat in front. Rather than match her pace, I’d drop back whenever I started to catch up, so that I could then gun it again and seriously test the speed. I’ll give DD credit – she never told me I was going too fast. During the first stop, the guy in the back announced that number 4 and 5 would be switching. Awesome … I graduated. And a few minutes later, we were off again. The first part of the ride was farther away from the island as we rounded a point. The second part went into a bay. In the ocean, the water was clearly rougher. I was pretty certain that it hadn’t been this rough at Coco Cay. I kept the speed down just a tad so that I wasn’t flying off the top of the waves and getting airborne. After all, the objective was to go zipping through the water, not flying above it and smashing down periodically. I suspect the boat can handle it, but I wasn’t sure my knee could. Oh … that eyeglass strap? It worked wonderfully, but given the waves we encountered, there were times when I wondered if my swim goggles wouldn’t have been a better idea.

 

Once we rounded the point, the water was smoother and we were able to really open them up. It was such an amazing departure from the sort of activities I generally spend my time doing on a December Saturday. I knew that when December 2014 rolled around I’d flash back numerous times to this exhilarating experience.

 

The leader stopped for the second regrouping and we all puttered around in the designated spot as everyone caught up. The guy in the back announced another number change … 3 and 4 switch. My second graduation! I felt like the little old lady from Pasadena (and you have to be as old as me to know that song!)

 

And then we were off again. The guys in front of me were all about speed, so this was the best part of the ride. No chance of catching up to them, so I was able to have the ride experience I had envisioned when I planned this for the main activity of the day. All too soon I realized we were heading back. One by one we were directed to gun the boat to slip back onto the dock. Everybody else did a credible job of parking. Me? Not so much. They finally had to park it for me.

 

As I look back and assess the whole experience, it seems that RCI could have restructured the entire offering to present the optimal experience to each rider. Not everyone is looking for a thrill ride. There have to be plenty of people just interested in enjoying being out on the water without having someone breathing down their neck because they weren’t going fast enough. (If I was that annoying person behind you, I apologize profusely.) Anyone who considers taking out smaller children would undoubtedly be looking for a tamer experience. For that matter, my next trip to Labadee is only a few months away and I will be on a family trip with my grandkids. I can’t envision risking that any of them would hang on tight enough to avoid getting tossed unless we were going a great deal slower. Since RCI is offering this excursion all day long, I can’t see why they can’t offer alternate Level 1 and Level 2 rides … and the riders sign up for either a speed rush or a family-themed ride.

 

We headed back along the dock to stop at the locker and collect the things we wanted for phase two of the day … beach time! The appeal of the surf at Adrenaline Beach pulled us like a magnet. The beaches of Hawaii offer the great experience of playing in the waves and being tumbled on soft sand. We quickly discovered that this wasn’t going to happen here. We toughed it out for a bit, but the reality is that anyone venturing into the water here should really plan on foot gear. Curiously, that is one of the things I hadn’t packed. I advised DD that Columbus Cove was likely our best bet for soft sand. So we set off in that direction.

 

I noticed that the crews were starting to set up for lunch and the drink machines were already in place. The time on the water had left me with a credible thirst and some lemonade sounded like a great idea, so we made a beeline for the beverage counter. One of the great truths about getting something to drink, is that you need something to put it in. There stood the drink machines, temptingly circulating the beverages and the only cups in sight were about a half dozen used ones rolling around the table. I couldn’t believe it would take very long for someone to find some cups, since I reasoned they were probably right under the counter. There were three staffers stocking bags of ice and filling bins with ice, so we asked about the cups. They said someone would be coming with the cups. We were joined by more passengers standing around and watching those used cups rolling back and forth on the table. Meanwhile, another golf cart rolled up and there was more ice to off-load. So we asked again when the cup guy would arrive. “Soon. Pretty soon.” So we waited some more. Granted in the scheme of things it wasn’t a huge amount of time … probably only about ten or fifteen minutes … but some guy eventually strode up, reached under the counter and pulled out several shrink-wrapped stacks of cups. Really? They were there all the time? If I had known that we were being stone-walled by the Haitian Brotherhood of Ice Dispensers, I would have walked around the counter and gotten them myself.

 

Lemonades in hand, we continued on toward Columbus Cove. We ended up walking through the market, but we weren’t there to shop. I glanced at a couple of shops, but I really don’t need to add a lot more stuff to my personal inventory … after all, I pretty much packed everything I needed, didn’t I?

 

We arrived at Columbus Cove and found that the sand was worth the extra walk. It was nicely soft, and relatively free of painful surprises. I was amazed by the veritable army of lounge chairs that blanketed the beach. It looked like a mall parking lot at Christmastime. The only thing missing was the light poles with numbers on them so you can find the row your chair is parked in. If you wanted to sit at the water’s edge and build a sand castle, you were really in the personal space of the person in the nearest chair, since the chairs were crowded right up to the water. I guess I can only conclude that you can’t have everything. RCI has neatly dispensed with the possibility of complaints that the beach-goers can’t find a lounge chair. In the process, we seem to have lost the beach itself.

 

DD and I paddled around in the water happily enjoying the beautiful day. Weather-wise, it was the type of day when the marketing people descend on the Caribbean hot spots to get those photos of paradise – beautiful blue skies, crystalline turquoise water, swaying palm trees. The temperatures were low to mid-80s, giving us optimal vacation weather to remember when we returned to December in Ohio (where clear skies at night mean there is no cloud cover to hold the negligible warmth).

 

After about an hour, we decided that re-applying sunscreen probably would be a good idea. Of course, that meant a trek back to the locker. This time we took the path that hugs the water’s edge. I really like the rock wall and the walkways that RCI built along this way. Even though we were barefoot, it was an easy walk. I figured we’d explore Nellie Ruins when we got to Nellie’s Beach, but I wasn’t prepared for the changed landscape. Maybe time has dulled the memory, but I thought there was a path up to the ruins and it made a delightful little pseudo adventure. In any event, the lounge chair epidemic has spread to this area of the world and Nellie’s Ruins have been surrounded and assimilated.

 

Back at the locker, we re-applied sun screen and then grabbed my sea pass card. We had decided that an hour of down time had satisfied the “relax” interval we’d been looking for after the waverunners. Now it was time to try one of the other adventures. I let DD pick between the coaster, the water slide and the water park. She chose the water park. We stopped for lunch en route back to Columbus Cove and then walked back along the water’s edge to try the water park. We paid for the experience just as they were ready to put another group into the water, so we headed down the dock, donned life jackets and jumped in. DD proved to be quite agile. I, on the other hand, proved very little – other than one of life’s great truths is that a week of cruising renders the senior set in need of a hoist to manage to get onto most of these puffy toys. The only thing I’m clinging to in order to salvage a few shreds of pride is that a number of well-proportioned guys didn’t seem to have any better luck. There was one inflatable that had a firmly-fixed ladder and it was relatively easy to mount that thing, but the rope ladders were less than useless. As soon as you tried to put any weight on them, they slipped under the inflatable and you were at a ridiculous 45-degree angle. If chin-ups are your thing … this is the place for you, but I don’t have the upper-body strength for this attraction.

 

As we headed back to the ship after the water park adventure we saw someone with a service animal, who had her own boarding card attached to her collar? Interesting … the dog has to ding off the ship, too! This little encounter led to some interesting speculation as we continued on to clear out our locker. Where does a dog relieve itself on board? Apparently this particular dog had no problem squatting on the sidewalk while we passed, so I can’t help draw the parallel that the marble floors on board are fair game.

 

We returned to the ship and took turns getting cleaned up. While we were there we pointed out to each other that we never turned on our little battery-operated fiber optic Christmas tree. We had gone to so much trouble to find it on-line before the cruise and it just sat there, unappreciated. I’m not sure which one of us came up with the concept that we should take it to dinner for the final remaining three evenings, so we could enjoy it with our tablemates. I don’t think it would have worked if we’d been at a smaller table with limited real estate. But there is really an awful lot of unused space in the center of those big round tables. Carrying a lit tree through the halls (even one that’s only 18-inches high) was just a bit silly … but it’s a cruise – you’re allowed to do silly things. As expected, our tablemates loved the tree, but we weren’t prepared for the fuss the wait staff made over it. I don’t think I realized until that evening just how little decorating had been done in the MDR. Let’s face it … those soaring 2 and 3 story dining rooms just scream to be draped in fat lengths of pine roping, tied with big red bows. There was a bit of decoration on the second level balcony railings, but not much else. So our corner of the dining room sparkled with our color-changing tree for the final three evenings leading up to Christmas Eve.

 

After dinner, the tree was returned to our cabin and we went in search of entertainment. We decided to stop in the South Pacific Lounge where Locomotion was playing dance music. If you’re looking for pleasant lounge music that couples can dance to, this is the place. I’m not a huge fan of jazz, but I felt they were really quite good. We stayed for awhile and watched the couples dancing before moving on to wander the ship a bit while we waited until it was time to go find seats for the headliner show.

 

There really wasn’t much in the Cruise Compass to give us any idea what to expect from the headliner for the main show that evening. All it advised was that Finis Henderson was the Ultimate Entertainer. As build-ups go, this was severely meager, so we decided to hedge our bets and find a spot in the balcony where we could minimize the amount of attention we’d draw if we decided to sneak out early again. In fact, DD noted that there was a line dance class again about a half hour after the show started, so she planned to cut out early for that in any event. As it turned out, neither of us left early. Finish was very good. He was an impressionist, so it was like having an entire concert of big-name entertainment all in one hour … of course many of those who were included in the show have passed on to greener pastures, so I doubt they minded being a part of our evening in absentia. Finis pulled out the best signature songs from a vast array of entertainers, so it truly was a show that had something for everybody. In addition to the usual suspects like the Beatles, Elvis, Roy Orbitson and the Beach Boys, there were some country pieces (can’t help you with the names of the artists here) and some soul. He did an entire segment on the Wizard of Oz (hmm, that would be emeraldcity) and he finished with a complete set on the Rat Pack (which I need to point out was before my time … how refreshing to find something before my time).

 

Of course, after the show, it was important to go refuel, so we concluded our evening with another round of nachos and cheese in the Solarium.

Edited January 22, 2014 by emeraldcity

[maureencruiser]

I'm really enjoying your review and I LOVE your decorations! I have a silly question but I think you may be the perfect person to ask. We are considering a trip on Grandeur out of Baltimore on 12/27. I love Christmas and being festive but it seems like people would think I was looney if I decorated a bit after Christmas was over. We would be on board for New Years Eve though so I thought something little would be nice- like countdown themed or something. I'm guessing the ship might still be decorated??? What are your thoughts? Nothing over the top but something to remind you that it's that holiday week between Christmas and New Years. We have a little one too and he loves the decorations.

 

 

I think this is a wonderful idea , especially since you have a little one. I'm thinking pine garlands and woodland creatures are still appropriate as well as twinkling white lights. Probably 86 the Santas and the candy canes, etc. Have a great cruise, the Grandeur is a delight!

 

Emeraldcity, I'm enjoying your review, can't wait to see what you do next. BTW, if your DD has your address as her primary residence (not college), there shouldn't be any problem getting her up to your Diamond status, right? :)

[PaulInPGH]

Thanks so much for this fantastic review. It really makes me feel like I'm there, which is a nice distraction from the Pittsburgh winter.

 

Your comment about the woman with the service dog made me laugh. I'm visually impaired and have a seeing eye dog of my own. When my wife and I took our first cruise back in December I decided to leave said dog with family. I often thought about the logistics though, and I couldn't really imagine putting my 85 pound golden retriever in that cabin. Luckily, I had "seeing eye wife" to help me around for the week, so I got a nice vacation from dog-care as well.

[emeraldcity]

 

Emeraldcity, I'm enjoying your review, can't wait to see what you do next. BTW, if your DD has your address as her primary residence (not college), there shouldn't be any problem getting her up to your Diamond status, right? :)

 

Glad you're enjoying it. You may find the last two days a bit boring ... we shifted into relax mode ... I hope to post the next installment tomorrow evening. I've really enjoyed your reviews as well. Would love to meet up with you on a cruise some day.

 

I only think they grant the complimentary diamond status to significant others ... not to adult children. DD and did a back-to-back on the Grandeur in April 2012 ... we started the cruise as emeralds and cruised in a suite, which made us diamond before the second cruise. They put the diamond stickers on our cards and DD cruised as a Diamond for the second cruise. But when she got home and checked her cruise points later, they knocked her back down to emerald, because she turned 18 a few days before we set off on the cruise. So it bugs her a bit. But she is now only one 7-day cruise away from regaining the status, so it's attainable.

[emeraldcity]

Thanks so much for this fantastic review. It really makes me feel like I'm there, which is a nice distraction from the Pittsburgh winter.

 

Your comment about the woman with the service dog made me laugh. I'm visually impaired and have a seeing eye dog of my own. When my wife and I took our first cruise back in December I decided to leave said dog with family. I often thought about the logistics though, and I couldn't really imagine putting my 85 pound golden retriever in that cabin. Luckily, I had "seeing eye wife" to help me around for the week, so I got a nice vacation from dog-care as well.

 

Thank you for the compliment. Actually, re-living the trip is helping me tough out this winter. Somebody left the back door to Canada open and their climate is brutal.

 

The funny thing about that service dog was that I figured it was on the Legend, since we'd been on the Grandeur for over a week and I certainly hadn't seen the dog (and I didn't exactly hang out in my cabin a great deal). Then we disembarked in Baltimore three days later and I saw the dog and owner during the Great Luggage Hunt in the terminal (more on that later...).

[GiannaD]

I am thoroughly enjoying your review. We sailed on the Grandeur in August and have her booked again this year.

 

Thanks for helping me through the winter.

[emeraldcity]

After a full week (and then some) of a headlong rush to see and do everything possible in the short time we had on board, I was ready to try out the whole “relax” thing that I had purportedly come on this trip to experience. I don’t do very well at the sleeping-in thing (I blame my mother who was raised on a farm), so I slipped out of the cabin early to avoid disturbing DD. I found it amazing that I really was only interested in a light breakfast again. What is wrong with me? I’d spend months fantasizing about the bountiful buffet breakfasts I’d have on board and then I settle for a yogurt and a couple pastries with my coffee.

 

I went looking for a comfortable lounge chair to work on my embroidery. I had brought the project on board with me believing I would finish it by the end of the cruise. I’d barely touched it so far, and I thought I’d make some progress that morning. But it didn’t happen. I worked on it a bit and then decided I was really getting drowsy. How awesome is that … there was nothing stopping me from taking a morning nap … so I headed back to the cabin and crawled back in bed. This meant missing another of the destination lectures, which would be at 9, and I still wonder what I missed – since that was the one on sunken treasure, and it’s always fun to fantasize about being the one to discover a pirate’s booty. Arghh!

 

Around 9:30, DD woke me up when she returned after her breakfast and we pulled out the Cruise Compass to chart our activities for the day. From the looks of things there wasn’t much going on that we felt driven to experience until the 11:00 Thriller practice, so we decided to head down to the Diamond Lounge for a cappuccino. I made certain that I wasn’t allowing an emerald to crash a crowded room. The lounge was less than half full. I reasoned that I could have hit the coffee machine for 9 morning coffees so far on this trip and I’d only had two or three, so DD was just having the cappuccino I could have made for myself the previous morning. They say that confessions are good for the soul, but I suspect I’ve now laid myself open to virulent tongue-lashings. Mea culpa.

 

In any event we sat watching the waves and the wake while we had our coffee and relived a few of the experiences we’d had so far on this trip. I suggested we try some Xtreme Shuffleboard, and it would be a gross overstatement to say that DD heartily endorsed the concept. But since there were no belly floppers or sexy men on the schedule at that particular time, she agreed to fill in the time with some shuffleboard. I’d located more than one court on board, but there was only one that was easily accessed. We found the one above the solarium unoccupied so we began to pull out the equipment. We determined at the onset that we were pretty murky on the actual rules, but it was our good fortune to find that we lacked a discerning audience … as a matter of fact, we had no audience at all. Not much breeze either. The breeze would have been wonderfully welcome since that area seemed to have collected a pocket of stored heat left over from Haiti. Somehow, I was laboring under the impression that a shuffleboard shade structure had made the task list of the refurb. I was wrong. In any event, we huddled to make up our own rules and determine length of game. After a practice run to determine amount of friction exerted by the playing surface and possible dip toward aft, we launched the first game. I won by a mile, which prompted DD to joke that it was an old people’s game. Ouch! But she apparently had been working on her technique during the first game, because it was the only game I won.

 

Three quick games in the Sahara Zone was my limit, so we headed to the Centrum where the Thriller practice would take place. I admit I was suffering a bit of regret that I couldn’t do this dance, but it was still fun watching DD have a good time going through the routine. Of course, I was dealing with an additional physical issue by that time … my thigh muscles were protesting the previous morning’s activities, so I settled into one of the comfortable chairs in the Centrum and watched the dancers. As soon as practice ended, we dashed up to the pool deck to get in on the line dance class. Yes – no denying it – we had settled into a rut, and we loved our rut. We did the Wobble, the Cha-Cha Slide, the Cupid Shuffle and YMCA, among others. My thighs ached and I was determined to ignore them. We had two beautiful days left to enjoy the ship before we had to go home to Kansas … er, Ohio … and I wanted to savor every moment.

 

After dancing, it was time for more food! One of the best things about having so many sea days, is that there are so many opportunities for lunch in the MDR. I’ve only lunched there occasionally in the past, but it became a favorite part of my day on this cruise. I really hadn’t realized that some menu items only seem to appear at lunch time … and that goes for desserts as well. There was an incredible raspberry chocolate thing that I had one day and I don’t understand why that one wasn’t promoted to star billing at dinner on formal night.

 

The big event for the afternoon was the galley tour. The previous evening our dinner table had received a “special invitation” to a galley tour for 2:00 this afternoon and we intended to plan our activities around that. As it turned out, there weren’t any competing activities to worry about. The planners who put together the Cruise Compass had run out of steam. If you took the gambling events, shopping events and spa events out of the afternoon schedule, all that remained was napkin folding, scrapbooking, a Christmas movie in the Palladium Theater and 3 trivia contests. My distant past includes two years of waitressing at a restaurant with linen napkins – I’m quite certain that I don’t need to fold any more napkins in this lifetime. As for scrapbooking, I hesitate to try it out and get bitten by the bug. I already spend so much at the craft stores that I simply don’t understand why they aren‘t sending me thank you cards on a regular basis. And even if the movie didn’t conflict with the galley tour schedule, I’d already seen it, and a movie inside a cruise ship just doesn’t get me excited.

 

Our tablemates had initially planned to meet up outside the MDR so we could take the tour together … until we found out that at least half the ship got that invitation. Sure enough a long line began to form long before the galley tour. We saw some of our tablemates in line, and joined some CruiseCritic friends as well. When the line began to move, we edged forward with the rest of the passengers. Everyone wanted to get a chance to ogle at the magic place where all that great food came from. And that’s what we got to see. As tours go, though, it was missing a narrative … which I was expecting somehow. But it did have a host – Chef Chris! He welcomed us to the galley as we entered and obligingly posed for pictures with anyone who requested it. The tour then settled into an imitation of what happens when you go to see the Declaration of Independence. You edge past a series of glass cases looking at documents, but nobody is filling you in about the background information. So we edged past glass cases of shrimp cocktail, lavish displays of breads, fun carvings of fruit (OK, so the fruit carvers didn’t get a Christmas vacation after all), enticing spreads of desserts, huge spreads of meat and finally the locker where they wine was kept. Unlike the National Archives, however, there were samples being offered throughout (including wine and champagne at the end). Having just had lunch, we passed on the samples, but plenty of other cruisers were willing to partake, to my great relief, because I wouldn’t want the kitchen staff to think we didn’t appreciate their efforts.

 

When the tour dumped out into the other side of the dining room, we huddled with our CruiseCritic friends to discuss additional events that were being planned for the evening and the next day. There was a second slot pull in the works, a meeting at the Christmas tree that evening between the two dinner seatings for a group photo, and a luncheon in the MDR the next afternoon. They'd had a luncheon during one of the earlier sea days, but some of us had never received the notice that was to have been sent to our cabins … not sure why they couldn’t find my cabin – given the way we’d spruced up the door, I thought most of the ship knew where to find us. In any event, DD began her recruitment efforts to staff a team for the Quest. The couple with kids noted that it sounded like fun, but they bedded the kids down at that time. Several others looked uncertain, but no one took her up on it

 

We wandered through the shops on board on the way back to the cabin, but for the first time ever, I wasn’t really interested in buying something from the ship. Not sure why, unless it’s because our last cruise was on the same ship. On that cruise, I’d bought one of the jeweled globes that they were now featuring in a big way. The only difference was that they’d increased the price and then offered it on select nights at a discount (which brought it down to the price I paid). Marketing at it’s finest … you gotta love it.

 

Those of us who grew up in the 50s and 60s apparently represent a big proportion of RCI’s market, since there are plenty of nostalgia offerings during the cruise. Trivia contests reference the era, entertainers tap into the music, and best of all, we get an occasional senior discount. What I wasn’t expecting was a little bit of nostalgia every time I walked into the bathroom in my cabin. It simply wasn’t possible to use that bathroom sink without being reminded of the spit bowl that was always positioned by the dentist’s chair when I was growing up. It certainly felt so comfortably appropriate to be handling the mechanics of tooth cleaning by that basin. I never really got comfortable washing my hands there though – or to be more to the point, washing my fingers (since you couldn’t really get your hands under the faucet). I’ll wager that there’s a factory somewhere that is re-purposing those old spit bowls by fusing on a marbleized exterior. I think it’s awesome how RCI is keeping the cost of cruising more affordable by tapping into this market.

 

This was to be the last of the three formal nights, so we dressed in the formals we had saved for the official mother-daughter photo that we always get taken on each cruise. That series of photos creates its very own treasured memory. When we review them on the wall, it is far more than a visual of how we’ve physically changed … it’s a montage of little memory triggers about the ships we sailed on, the special people who we met and shared fun experiences with, the amazing things we did at the ports we visited and the huge effect that travel has on shaping us.

 

Dinner was a wonderful affair. Everyone was dressed so nicely and the company was so pleasant. I look back on those evenings and I marvel that the actual meal itself is not what stands out to make those dinner times so special – it was the people who joined us each evening. We shared a little bit of ourselves and we conferred on what would make the best choice for appetizers, entrée and dessert. We shared our delight at how the meal looked when it was placed in front of us and how it tasted. Nothing was ever sent back. During the course of the cruise, many of us discovered something new we enjoyed based on recommendations made by our tablemates. It was everything I could hope for in a dinner experience. Surprisingly, the little fiber optic tree got every bit as much attention as it had the previous night. I think those who hadn’t seen it previously had heard about it and were looking for it … other wait staff included. I admit that it had seemed rather silly originally to bring it to dinner, but if that resulted in a little bit of visual enjoyment for other people, then it was worth the risk of people thinking we were addled.

 

After dinner we took pictures at every formal backdrop they had, including the Titanic Grand Staircase … even though I generally avoid that one. I don’t consider myself a superstitious person, but there’s something about that particular connection to cruising that just seems off-the-mark. I was even at sea on the night of the 100th anniversary of the sinking … and they were using the backdrop that night. It just seemed unsettling to me. But this particular evening, another passenger urged us to visit that photographer, since he felt this was the most talented photographer, in terms of getting the best possible picture for the subjects. I have to say I’d never really given that aspect of things a huge consideration before, but there was a huge difference in the professional approach that the four photographers of the Grandeur had to their jobs. Two of them were as expected, one of them struck me as just there to do a job (don’t even consider expecting any photography to begin before the appointed minute, even though the others were already taking pictures a bit before the witching hour), and then there was the consummate professional. I ran into one like this the last time I sailed the Grandeur and he was such a delight to work with that I was looking for George (sorry … can’t pronounce the Spanish equivalent) on the ship this time too. The passenger who sent us here was on the mark, and this was the photo of DD that came home with us.

 

Next up was the CruiseCritic group photo by the Christmas tree. A sizeable group of us gathered and somehow I had focused on the expectation of being in the right place at the right time … but hadn’t thought to bring my camera too. Maybe someone else can post the picture. In any event, after the photo, DD began to lobby in earnest for Quest participants for the evening. We discovered two Diamond cruisers who had never even gone to the Quest before. How is that even possible? We even got the usual excuse that one of them operates on an early-to-bed regimen and is too tired by that time. “Trust me. You’ll be having too much fun to be tired.” We succeeded in convincing them that their life experiences simply were not complete without this event. I think I almost lost the one guy when I advised that it might be a good idea to wear shorts under his pants … but at the appointed time he showed up in the South Pacific Lounge.

 

They’ve moved many shows to the Centrum, but fortunately, the Quest was not one of them. When we first arrived in the lounge, we were still a rather small team, so we were on the lookout for more CruiseCritics to flesh out the team. When the CD staff arrived, they announced that teams should be 8 to 10 people each so we applied a bit of pressure to some of the people we had originally met at the Best Western (that would be part of the There family, where everyone is to answer to “Hi There” so we don’t need to remember names). And then Jeffrey showed up to run the show. Unlike other Quests I’ve attended, there was no stern reminder that everyone under the age of 18 needed to leave, so it was apparently left to each parent’s judgment how badly they were willing to risk scarring their children. This was however, the most PG rated version of the Quest I’ve ever attended. Did that make it any less fun? Not in the least. We had a riot. And as predicted, everyone was having too much fun to be tired and our newbies will be adding this to their must-do list on future cruises. DD had a wonderful time being the team captain and she led us to a silver-medal performance. More than that, I cannot reveal. It is the code. What happens at the Quest stays at the Quest, unless it ends up on the Cruise-in-review video.