Crown Princess ABC islands Jan 12 to 20, 2018

[CruiserRob]

I would say you would have to take a taxi from the port gates to the Queen Emma bridge unless there is a bridge for car traffic further inland. Anyone know?

Norris

 

 

There is of course a bridge for car traffic, which you can see in the distance in your night shot.

Robert

 

[Bimmer09]

If you and Carol are ever in Niagara Falls, Ontario there is a butterfly conservatory there you can visit with no time limit, however like the Aruba butterflies I also can not guarantee them staying still.

A camera question if I may please. How do you keep your lens from fogging up when you take your sunrise early morning shots. I know I don't get my lens acclimated from my cool cabin to the warm Caribbean air is my first dilemma. So I gather I must get up earlier to do so or do you have another trick?

 

Beside sacrificing a lamb in the cabin and praying to the gods?

I do nothing except start my day with a cigarette and cup of coffee or two-the camera is with me but isn't used for 30 minutes or more so fogging is never an issue. The camera is ready to go when I am.

Norris

[Bimmer09]

There is of course a bridge for car traffic, which you can see in the distance in your night shot.

Robert

 

 

Wow- that's the high Queen Juliana bridge. I checked Google maps and you are right-that's the only way across the river to the Oldest Synagogue. 5.2 Kilometers (3 1/4 miles) taking 14 minutes by car from the ship. It's a snaking route as there is more water in the way after you cross the bridge and come back down to the town.

I googled cruise terminal Willemstad to Oldest Synagogue.

Norris-and thanks Robert!

[Bimmer09]

Sorry for the late response to this question, Norris. We just got back from a mini road trip down to the Oregon Coast, and I'm getting caught up with your review. That tower is the Omar Bin Al-Khattab Mosque.

 

Thanks John! I could see a bronze dome nearby and thought it might be a minaret.

It was going to be either that or one of the turrets from the local White Castle- half a dozen sliders and an order of crinkle cut fries is one of my guilty pleasures.

Cheers!

Norris

[kaytamar]

Wow- that's the high Queen Juliana bridge. I checked Google maps and you are right-that's the only way across the river to the Oldest Synagogue. 5.2 Kilometers (3 1/4 miles) taking 14 minutes by car from the ship. It's a snaking route as there is more water in the way after you cross the bridge and come back down to the town.

 

 

 

I googled cruise terminal Willemstad to Oldest Synagogue.

 

Norris-and thanks Robert!

 

 

 

Thank you both - sounds like code for me getting a taxi!!!

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Forums

[Jasperdo]

It was going to be either that or one of the turrets from the local White Castle- half a dozen sliders and an order of crinkle cut fries is one of my guilty pleasures.

I grew up in Brooklyn, NY, and White Castle was one of my favorite places to go. I still seek one out whenever we take a road trip back east.

[Lucky TGO]

As always Norris we know you take the best Photos and always have the best reviews. As I once told you I feel like I’m right next to you when I look at all your photos and read your review.

Thanks Again Norris,

Tony

[cruisehappy001]

A camera question if I may please. How do you keep your lens from fogging up when you take your sunrise early morning shots. I know I don't get my lens acclimated from my cool cabin to the warm Caribbean air is my first dilemma. So I gather I must get up earlier to do so or do you have another trick?

 

Beside sacrificing a lamb in the cabin and praying to the gods?

I do nothing except start my day with a cigarette and cup of coffee or two-the camera is with me but isn't used for 30 minutes or more so fogging is never an issue. The camera is ready to go when I am.

Norris

 

Norris,

 

Still following the excellent review. I figured that I could pass on a camera fog trick that was shared with me some time ago... hopefully it will help you, hockeyguru32, or others in the future. I have had good luck with it. The night before, or even just a little while before going out, I put the cameras on or right next to the exhaust vent for the mini-fridge in the room and add a hand towel like a blankey for the cameras/lens. I have had good luck with this, especially when I do not have the time to let my cameras acclimate to the outside air conditions. I hope that this helps someone, as it sure helped me when I was advised of this little trick.

 

Happy Cruising!

 

Mark

[Bimmer09]

As always Norris we know you take the best Photos and always have the best reviews. As I once told you I feel like I’m right next to you when I look at all your photos and read your review.

Thanks Again Norris,Tony

 

Tony, so nice to see you in one of my reviews again!

Thanks for the compliments. Most kind. I'm glad you are enjoying the tale as it slowly unfolds.

There are a couple of major delights ahead for us in Aruba; we enjoy a fine lunch down by the sea and later go on a sailing ship for a sunset cruise.

Cheers!

Norris

[Bimmer09]

BIG ROCKS

Butterflies, Aloe and next a formation of big rocks to see

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ayo_Rock_Formations

 

You now know way more than we did about them as our driver wasn't very informative.

To me it meant a nice drive in the countryside, one I was unfamiliar with from previous Aruba visits. I took pictures at random out of the bus window using my big camera as I had two seats all to myself. If you see any cactus in my shots please shout out. They are elusive plants in Aruba.



 

 



 

Any houses I see are well kept and not shanty shacks without electricity.

 

 



 

 

[Bimmer09]

It's a lovely sunny day. My phone tells me it is snowing in Chicago. Happy to be here in Aruba!

 

 

 

 

 

 

We are getting close now. The driver tells us we will have 15 minutes at the rocks. Wow, what will we do with all that time?

Out of the window I see something that stirs my very vitals-a wild ostrich on a rock, ready to pounce!

[Bimmer09]

 

 



 

The bus pulls over to let us off. The driver will drive to the exit gates and will pick us up there in 15 minutes.

 

It is serenely quiet which gets two thumbs up from us any day (today is Tuesday)

There's a bench! Huzzah!



 

More...

[illinigal77]

Two days to read this far! Love your pictures. We will be on the Crown for the 3/16 ABC cruise. It is our first Princess Cruise. We are traveling with a group of 26 couples from our winter community in Lakeland, Florida (our current summer home is in McHenry, IL although we spent most of our adult years in Arlington Heights). I am really enjoying your pictures of the ship, your commentary on the trip, and the information on the ports. Can't wait to follow along on the rest of the report.

[Jimorel]

 

 

 



 

The bus pulls over to let us off. The driver will drive to the exit gates and will pick us up there in 15 minutes.

 

It is serenely quiet which gets two thumbs up from us any day (today is Tuesday)

There's a bench! Huzzah!

Was that a Peacock in the top picture? I thought you mentioned going to see some earlier.

[perfect match]

I loved your ostrich - or was it a peacock :* in you pictures from Ayo Rock! ;p

[Bimmer09]

Two days to read this far! Love your pictures. We will be on the Crown for the 3/16 ABC cruise. It is our first Princess Cruise. We are traveling with a group of 26 couples from our winter community in Lakeland, Florida (our current summer home is in McHenry, IL although we spent most of our adult years in Arlington Heights). I am really enjoying your pictures of the ship, your commentary on the trip, and the information on the ports. Can't wait to follow along on the rest of the report.

 

 

Hi and welcome !

I've been through Arlington Heights many times but not McHenry.

Kudos for reading the whole thing in a couple of sittings.

There are a lot of ship pictures ahead- I took most of them on the sea days, usually early in the mornings.

Thanks for letting me know you are enjoying it!

Norris, in the South Loop

Chicago

[Bimmer09]

We walked slowly along the undulating pathway in the heat and were lucky to see a cactus or two

 

 

 



 

 



 

There was a pathway up to the summit of the rocks where there were petroglyphs but with the heat and the time constraint we weren't going to make the climb. Those who had gone on ahead were scurrying back down to make the bus on time.

 

 

A beautiful scenic spot and deserving of more than a fleeting pit-stop. We were back on the bus for the trip back to the dock. From there we will take a walk along Oranjestad's main street on our way to a lunch by the beach.

Norris

 

[Bimmer09]

ORANJESTAD

We drove (well the driver did) back to Orangestad after our 3 hour excursion, which if I was in Aruba again I would do by renting a small car and hitting the Butterfly Farm and the Ayo rocks without any time limits. I would also allow time to look for the elusive cactus they may have there.

There's the Crown!

 

It's about noon on a Tuesday and we have a restaurant reservation at a place called West Deck for 1 p.m. By walking there at our leisure we will get to see the main street in Oranjestad, which we have only seen from the ship on our previous trip of 2012. We have to walk out of the dock first.

 

These look like a fun way to get around!

"They call me Mellow Yellow" (Quite rightly)



 

 

Take a safari tour! See cactus!







and on to the main drag we go for our stroll.

[Bimmer09]

We have been to some ports in the Caribbean where it has been advised not to walk out of the dock gates and meet the locals. There are some poor countries out there with desperate people. Aruba is not one of them. it looks like it is doing very well for itself so you can relax on shore and they can help you with sea-view restaurants and as much high end shopping as you can stand. It's clean and organized.

 

 

 

And close!-view down a side street as we perambulate *

(* I may occasionally drop some little used words during my pericombobulations just to keep the English Language alive in the age of OMG and Bigly)



People having lunch and drinks with a sea view



 

 



 

 

It's not Roatan (which I love regardless)



 

 

In 2012 we took an Atlantis Submarine , diving to 130 feet, on a great Princess excursion.



 

 

SoUi3WLxqWs

[Bimmer09]

Carol's Benchfinder App does it's job yet again

 

 

Just some little shops by the marina



 

 



 

 

A Renaissance resort we have just passed on the main street



 

 

Our ticket out of here- but we are in no hurry



 

 

 

[EMS8]

Norris,

 

I believe it was Donovan who sang about “Mellow Yellow.”

Love your cruise reviews and pictures. Would love to cruise with you and Carol sometime. We like Princess as much as we used to like Celebrity.

[Jimorel]

We have been to some ports in the Caribbean where it has been advised not to walk out of the dock gates and meet the locals. There are some poor countries out there with desperate people. Aruba is not one of them. it looks like it is doing very well for itself so you can relax on shore and they can help you with sea-view restaurants and as much high end shopping as you can stand. It's clean and organized.

 

 

 

 

And close!-view down a side street as we perambulate *

(* I may occasionally drop some little used words during my pericombobulations just to keep the English Language alive in the age of OMG and Bigly)



People having lunch and drinks with a sea view



 

 



 

 

It's not Roatan (which I love regardless)



 

 

In 2012 we took an Atlantis Submarine , diving to 130 feet, on a great Princess excursion.



 

 

SoUi3WLxqWs

I enjoyed the sub video Thank you! It made me want to do one of these.

[hockeyguru32]

 

 

These look like a fun way to get around!

"They call me Mellow Yellow" (Quite rightly)



 

 

 

did The Beatles not cover this song as well during their meditation phase of their musical journey

[Bimmer09]

THE WEST DECK

We had to resort to Google Maps as we (our stomachs) kept thinking "are we there yet"

so at least now we could count down the yards with some certainty. We stopped if there was a shady bench. A brisk pace was out of the question.At last we saw it just off the main road and down on the beach. We were 10 minutes late.



Not to worry, we were greeted by one of the waiters named Francisco. He had a big smile for us and better still he had kept our requested waterside table! We were so relieved.

The restaurant was busy

 

 

The view from the table



 

 

Bottled water



 

 

Draught beer-the local Balashi brew

[Bimmer09]

Menus were dropped off

 

 



 

 



 

It would be 10 minutes or so before our orders were taken. We could see Francisco buzzing around serving tables. We were relaxed with our cold drinks and enjoying the beachy vibe.

 

Out to sea a sailing boat came by with a crowd on board. I wondered if that might be the Sunset Cruise Boat we would be taking at 5 p.m? Using a zoom lens I could see that it was. Hooray!

 

I was enjoying a cigarette out by the deck railing away from the tables. An ashtray was provided. With the cold crisp Balashi lager revitalizing my vitals I was fine with the wait to order.

Eating down by the beach would be awesome. I just hoped the food would be too after yesterday's poor lunch in Curacao.