TRIP REPORT - Summit Feb 15 - ABCs in Aqua

[zdad59]

20 minutes ago, maxydu said:

 

Did you go through Resorts for the Day for your passes to RIU or book directly with the resort?

Would you be kind enough to share the fee? Thank you

 

We used Resorts for a Day.    $30 pre pay.  Additional $100 when you get there.    Seems high, but you really get a lot.   We felt it was way worth it.

[maxydu]

On our previous 2 cruises to the ABC islands we used Resorts for a Day in Curacao for the Santa Barbara Resort. Cost is about the same and the food, drinks, and resort were first class. Transportation was included.  We're considering booking for a 3rd time when we cruise in April......

[Stem to Stern]

Great report so far!   Love the ABC islands.  Thanks for sharing.

[sandc4e]

1 hour ago, maxydu said:

On our previous 2 cruises to the ABC islands we used Resorts for a Day in Curacao for the Santa Barbara Resort. Cost is about the same and the food, drinks, and resort were first class. Transportation was included.  We're considering booking for a 3rd time when we cruise in April......

We loved Santa Barbara Beach Resort too.  Yes top quality for sure!

[zdad59]

Colorful Curacao.....

 

Now I am a completely OCD planner.     Some of you may have seen the pictures of the laminated itineraries I prepare.    BUT....I usually leave at least one day each trip to random touring.   In addition, one of our gang is a great negotiator with local cabbies, so Curacao was the stop we left to the travel gods.    With no particular plan we slept in a tad late.    Sleeping in that wonderful Celebrity bedding made it so easy to sleep.    We met on the dock at around 945 and wandered over to the cab stand.    My buddy negotiated a three hour tour (insert worrisome Gilligan's Island thoughts here) around the island with a few stops.      

 

We took a meandering drive through town.   We noticed many platforms on the roadside and lots of crowd railing.    It turns out we were on the island only a few days before Carnival, and the town was preparing for their 50th annual parade.     It seemed like the parade route went on for miles.....and it did.   Spots were staked out in traditional places for each family and business.   Some very elaborate.   Some very basic.   It was quite a sight.

 

Our first stop was at a roadside pond that had many flamingos.    They were off in the distance and it was just ok to see.    As we continued our travels, the colorful nature of the island continued to impress.   Fanciful art and colorful homes everywhere.

 

We then made a stop at Hato Caves.    I'm not a cave guy but went a long with the gang for the tour and it turned out to be quite beautiful.   The step up into the cave were quite an effort, particularly for me with my fake knees and three months removed from a major heart attack.   I made it up the 40 some steep steps though and the tour was a sight.   I would absolutely recommend the cave tour.

 

We then took a ride over the high arched bridge you can see from the port.    It made for a great view.    From there we made a final stop at the Blue Curacao liqueur factory.   It was ok and a bit underwhelming.    Our driver then took us into ton and dropped us off near the pontoon bridge across the water from where the ships docked.   We shopped for a while, strolled across the bridge, bought some bamboo underwear, and made it back to the ship around 4.

 

Dinner was lobster night in Blu.    I don;t eat seafood, but some in our gang had 6 lobster tails.   And unlike the MDR, the tails in Blu are full tails.    I am told they were very tasty.    I had the steak diane and it was quite good as well.     We played a little trivia, (came in second both times with a vigorous protest one evening),  saw the evening show, and made our way to those comfy beds.

 

Next up:   Golf Carts and Salt flats in Bonaire 

[zdad59]

My totally awesome laminated itinerary

 

Flamingos

 

Humans acting like flamingos

 

Colorful Curacao

 

 

 

 

Hato Caves

 

 

A stalagmite that looks like a statue of the Virgin Mary

 

A view of the sky from the cave.

 

 

 

Roadside platforms ready for Carnival parade

 

More parade viewing platforms

 

Summit from far away.

 

Still at the Blue Curacao factory

 

Bottling machine

 

Alcohol humor

 

More color

 

The high arched bridge

 

Pretty building in town

 

Someone said this is Bill Gates' yacht.

 

Pretty

Edited February 26, 2020 by zdad59

[mchell810]

I thought I was an OCD planner, but looking at your itinerary you are way ahead of me 🤣🤣   Then again I can reset my goals! 😜

[NCHPcruiser]

You are a man after my own heart!  Love the laminated itinerary and I’ll be adding to my next cruise preparation!  

[zdad59]

36 minutes ago, NCHPcruiser said:

You are a man after my own heart!  Love the laminated itinerary and I’ll be adding to my next cruise preparation!  

 

I can send you the template in Excel if you want it.    😁

[zestyzorra]

Excellent laminated itinerary!!  I am the same way, and I get soooo much crap from my friends 😉

 

Also love the pink coat!!

 

How are your friends enjoying the inside cabin?  I will be in one come June.  

 

Thanks and safe sails!

[Perky1]

8 hours ago, zdad59 said:

 

I can send you the template in Excel if you want it.    😁

I would love that, my email is in my signature.  Thank you!

[terrydtx]

Love your posts, we are on the Infinity in AQ next year and after she is revolutionized this year the cabins will be very similar to the Summit. I love the ABC Islands and we may do this same cruise in 2022.

[dreadpirate3]

18 hours ago, maxydu said:

 

Did you go through Resorts for the Day for your passes to RIU or book directly with the resort?

Would you be kind enough to share the fee? Thank you

Hello, Triana is a restaurant and independent. Can be found in Old San Juan.

[dreadpirate3]

Hi, do you recall what you paid for the 3 hour tour in Curacao? That looks like what we want to do.

[kenevenpar]

Glad to know there are others with a spreadsheet!  I'll have to step up my game and have them laminated just prior to departure.  Curious, how do you make changes or additions to the schedule once they are covered?

 

Thanks for the report so far!

[pasta1]

On the Summit end of May inside cabin!

[Hazelwoodp]

Zdad59, I'd very much like to have your excel template!  Wonderful!  Can't wait to start putting stuff on it.

 

Pam.hazelwood@belmont.edu

[zdad59]

2 hours ago, dreadpirate3 said:

Hi, do you recall what you paid for the 3 hour tour in Curacao? That looks like what we want to do.

 

I think we paid $30 per head.

[zdad59]

54 minutes ago, kenevenpar said:

Glad to know there are others with a spreadsheet!  I'll have to step up my game and have them laminated just prior to departure.  Curious, how do you make changes or additions to the schedule once they are covered?

 

Thanks for the report so far!

 

Changes"???    Blasphemy !!!      I do take a narrow dry erase markers but the itinerary is usually just a guide.    

[zdad59]

15 hours ago, zestyzorra said:

How are your friends enjoying the inside cabin?  I will be in one come June.  

 

 

They liked the inside cabin fine.    It was a tad small but really didn't create any issues.    All rooms look the same with your eyes closed.   😀

 

[dreadpirate3]

11 minutes ago, zdad59 said:

 

I think we paid $30 per head.

 

Great! The reports we have been seeing said $50 for the taxi each way, so this is a lot better!

[zdad59]

3 minutes ago, dreadpirate3 said:

 

Great! The reports we have been seeing said $50 for the taxi each way, so this is a lot better!

here’s the cabbie we used....

 

 

[dreadpirate3]

Just now, zdad59 said:

here’s the cabbie we used....

 

 

Thank you so much!

 

[zdad59]

Briny Bonaire......

 

Day 6 was a stop in Bonaire.     Our gang went in a couple different directions.   Some slept in and then got a cab tour of the island.    Mama and I , along with one other couple, rented golf carts from Bonaire Cruisers.   

 

The cart renters were off the boat at 845.   First check in for the carts was a tent right at the port side.  Then the cart pick up was just two blocks away.    After a brief review of the contract and an island map, we were on our way.    You can choose between a North or South route to begin the day.    They say that the southern route is 1 1/2 hours and the Northern route is 2 1/2 hours (if you take the full route).    We chose to go the southern route first, since that had the flamingos, slave huts, and salt flats.    After a brief navigational error we were on our way.    In the city, the roads and roundabouts are your typical roadways.    Once out of town the roads are narrower and more sparse.    The golf carts themselves are classic on the course golf carts, and they go no faster than they do on the 3rd fairway.

 

The tour via golf cart was a very unique perspective.  You stop where you want.   You're not going so fast that it goes by too fast.    It was a lot of fun.    There were lots of people scuba diving and snorkeling.   If that's your thing, you can go from stop to stop and snorkel in lots of places.    The slave hut areas were sad and informative.    The salt flats were impressive.     The southern tip of the island was barren and very windy.   Our lunch stop was tasty and a big wind surfing area.    Our total time to tour the southern route was 3 1/2 hours.    We also went part way on the northern route, as far as the 1,000 steps.    We didn't like the northern route nearly as much as the southern.    We headed back to the cart drop off, but did drive by the port entrance first to drop off the girls.

 

The evening was quiet, with an early bed time.   (getting old sucks)

 

Next:   A wonderful do nothing sea day, packing, and saying goodbye.

[zdad59]

North Loop directions

 

South Loop directions

 

Salt mounds from a distance

 

The carts

 

Salt ship in port

 

Same ship close up

 

Salt mounds 1

 

Salt mounds 2

 

Salt ponds

 

White Pylon.     The pylon color was an indicator to incoming ships of where to drop anchor to onboard certain grades of salt.

 

Slave huts

 

Ma and Pa

 

Surf sailers

 

Lonely flamingo

 

Social (and much pinker) flamingos

 

Yellow Slave Huts

 

Pylon at Southern tip of island

 

Lac Bay wind surfers

 

Lunch at Beach Hut Bar & Grille

 

Bar entrance

Edited February 27, 2020 by zdad59