Vision of the Seas

Vision of the Seas
Nov. 2-12, 2012

The Ship

Vision of the Seas was a refreshing change from our last voyage on the exciting but enormous Allure. A member of Royal Caribbean’s Vision Class fleet, this ship has sleek lines and a classic layout. Ocean views are prevalent from all the lounges, and the more intimate size makes this cruise an easy one to run into the same people and make friends. We had a great itinerary with four days at sea to relax and five ports to visit.

   

I loved the floor-to-ceiling windows in many of the lounges and the Windjammer Café that showed ocean views. The Windjammer faces forward so you have a view of the ship plowing through the waves. I really missed these windows on the Allure and felt closed in on that huge ship despite the numerous venues. The Vision’s Solarium has a domed glass cover, so you can sit out at the pool during inclement weather. We had no problem getting lounge chairs at either of the two main pools during the day.

   

There are enough inside lounges for variety, and the shops have interesting wares. We had plenty of places to walk around, and I for one did not miss the interior Promenade from the larger ships. I’d rather see the water wherever possible, although the Promenade at night does give you a place to stroll. Still, there was plenty to do here. A lively, several stories-high atrium had a dance floor where musicians played in the evening.

  

  

The captain greeted us at the Welcome Aboard Party on the second night which was formal dress. Lo and behold, we had a lady captain! As I’m a fan of Captain Janeway on the Enterprise, I was thrilled. Captain Lis Lauritzen was gracious and kindly posed for photos and gave welcoming talks throughout the cruise as well as her daily briefing from the bridge. (“This is Captain Lis from the Bridge”—Do you ever wonder where else they might be?) I liked her joke about the difference between a boat and a ship. “A ship has a captain. A boat is run by a frustrated husband.” Diplomacy, poise, and wit are definitely part of her job description.

 

Our cabin was comfortable and in a great location. If you’re sensitive to light when you sleep, I’d suggest you bring a sleep mask. Light beamed through the peephole from out into the corridor and it shone like a beacon in my eyes at night. If you have a balcony, light from outside might shine in as well. You might also want to bring some shower gel. You can barely move in the shower, so if you drop a bar of soap, good luck retrieving it. Our shower on Vision had a clingy curtain instead of a glass door, and I cringed at the thought of who might have touched it last. As for shaving in the shower, forget it. I had to put my foot on the toilet seat and dip my razor in the sink. I hope the shower curtains are replaced with glass doors during the upcoming refurbishment. It is badly needed as most of the carpets throughout the ship are stained and the paint is peeling off the outdoor chairs.

Make sure your room isn’t over, under, or near a lounge with music at night or near an elevator. On the Vision, a door separates the public areas from the stateroom sections. This door helps to keep noise out of the cabin areas, except perhaps for the people right next to it. They might hear the door bang open and closed all night. A couple we met had their room over the show lounge (not the theater). The band’s noise reverberated throughout their cabin and they were forced to stay awake each night until after midnight. Be careful to look and see where your cabin is located when you book your cruise. Otherwise, our cabin was comfortable and the steward gave excellent service. This is a nice size ship if you’re looking for a more relaxed cruise experience.

As for entertainment, the production shows in the Masquerade Theatre were visually appealing and the singers/dancers competent, but these shows lacked sparkle and so were nothing exceptional. I hate jugglers, so we skipped that performance. We enjoyed the comedians, especially 85 year old Norm Crosby who’s the best we’ve heard in recent times. We also caught a couple of movies: The Lucky One with Zac Efron and People Like Us with Chris Pine. Overall, I’d rate the entertainment and enrichment topics as average. If you’ve been on many cruises, you’ve seen similar. But does it matter? Being on a ship is still a diversion from watching TV at home.

 

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Coming Next: The Food (my favorite part!) and then the Ports of Call.

Allure Cruise: Relaxing At Sea

Day 6 & 7, At Sea
Friday & Saturday, Dec. 2-3, 2011

We enjoyed the ship’s amenities during our two remaining days at sea. The show, Blue Planet, was the best out of them all. The performer’s acrobatics were astounding. The scenery changes were awesome, and the theme about the different natural habitats was appealing. Make sure you don’t miss this one. We saw the ice show on the last afternoon, which is also amazing. Our kids skated for a half hour one of the afternoons. The rink is small by arena standards but adequate for the performances with dazzling costumes and a cute shipboard monopoly theme. We visited the casino, an enormous expanse down on Deck 4 where the ice rink, comedy club, and main theater are housed. We never got to the jazz club that’s here as well, but there’s just so much to do. I also like the Viking Crown Lounge, although this one is smaller and more mid-ship than on the other vessels in RCCL’s lineup. Eating was one of our favorite pasttimes, as witnessed by this meal:

Sauteed Mushrooms in Puff Pastry

Lobster

Trio of Desserts

We never got to see any of the 3-D movies being shown in the theater, although I would have preferred a choice of more adult fare than the animated films being offered, and more than once a day showings. You had your choice of arts and crafts workshops during daytime but nothing to challenge the intellect. I missed special interest lectures and cooking demos like on other cruise lines. Also, other than wine tastings in Vintages lounge, there was only one formal wine tasting in the dining room, and it cost $29 per person. That’s an unreasonably high cost in my opinion compared to tastings on other ships that run $10-15 per person and include a selection of foods (see my prior reviews of Princess ships). As for big band music for dancing, Dazzles offered it around dinner time but nobody danced. Other times were too late for us to stay up.

Ship's Wake

Disembarkation
Sunday, December 4, 2011

You can choose early or late disembarkation. We left the ship at 7:30, the earliest of any cruise we’d ever been on. Customs and immigration proceeded smoothly and we emerged from the terminal in record time. This huge ship with all those passengers is the most efficiently run of any of them. The interactive screens throughout each deck are also wonderfully useful, letting you locate any of the venues on board with directions how to get there from your location. I’ve heard RCCL may be putting iPads into each room. If so, beware the charge if you lose them. If you lose a beach towel, it’ll cost you $20. That’s a bit much in my opinion. Also be aware that the same person who takes out the towel has to return it and have their Seapass card scanned.

Shopping specials on Royal Promenade are nothing to save your pennies for. They offer 14k gold layered chains that doesn’t even pretend to be solid gold, and good luck getting the attention of a busy clerk to size you. The $10 accessories from Bijoux Turner are the same stuff you can buy in the Florida Turnpike plazas. And who wants to buy anything in the onboard Coach store? Foreign tourists, maybe. I’d rather shop at the Coach Outlet in Sawgrass Mills Mall. My family did like the clothing store on the Boardwalk, though.

Would I go on this ship again? You betcha, but I might like to try its sister ship, Oasis, first so as to see different shows. I think they should change the shows more often to appeal to repeat cruisers. And they should do something to open up the interior to more ocean views during the day. Otherwise, unless you’re on Deck 5 or 15 or have an outside balcony cabin, you feel you’re on a big floating city. Despite its size and number of passengers, though, you never feel crowded and you do run into some of the same people. There are so many things to do and places to go that you can keep busy or find a quiet spot and read undisturbed. The food is excellent with so many choices you can’t possibly try them all in a week. The cuisine alone is reason enough for a return cruise. We had a great time, and I look forward to our next journey wherever it takes us.

Goodbye until the Next Voyage!

Coming Tomorrow: Multi-Published Author Karen McCullough discusses Avoiding Writer Burnout

 

Allure Cruise: St. Maarten

Allure Cruise, Day 5, St. Maarten
Thursday, December 1, 2011

I love Philipsburg, the downtown area on the Dutch side of St. Maarten. It’s much more appealing to me than the upscale and expensive Marigot on the French side. From the pier, take a $6 fee round trip water taxi ride into town. Philipsburg is paved for pedestrians and much cleaner than Charlotte Amalie that’s really deteriorated since our last visit to St. Thomas. I have my favorite shops here too, but it’s just so pleasant to stroll down Front Street and through the narrow side lanes and peek in the stores.

Philipsburg

Front Street

We lunched at Holland House, albeit expensive, but an elegant open-air restaurant with an ocean view that’s worth the money. It’s part of a hotel so you can find a restroom downstairs from the lobby.

Holland House

After our meal, we rented lounge chairs on the free beach by the Boardwalk. The chairs with umbrellas cost $5 each and were a few feet from the water. Women walk by selling native goods while you bask in the sun. This is my favorite port these days.

My Feet!

That evening, we dined on board in the specialty restaurant, Chops Grille. It was superb. The service, the interior, and the food were reminiscent of the Capital Grill back home. Excellent meal, more than we could eat, but oh so good.

Filet Mignon

Side Dishes

Chocolate Dessert

The Happy Couple

Tomorrow: Final Days at Sea and Disembarkation. It’s not over yet!

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If you haven’t seen this reminder before, don’t forget to check out my contest over at Fresh Fiction for a chance to win a signed ARC of Shear Murder, a deck of tropical drink playing cards, and a Virgin Islands cookbook.

 

Allure Cruise: St. Thomas

Allure Cruise, Day 4, St. Thomas
Wednesday, November 30, 2011

The ship docked in St. Thomas at Crown Bay. From here we took a van to Magen’s Bay, billed as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. The ride took us across the hilly island with breathtaking vistas of the sea below. The fare cost $9.00 each plus tip, and $4.00 additional for park admission. We rented chairs for $7.00 each. A rum punch cost $5.00 and had a pleasant kick. The beach is indeed lovely, fringed with overhanging palms and tropical trees so  there’s plenty of shade if you prefer to avoid the sun. The strip of sand is rather narrow by Florida standards but it stretches wide on either side, with green hills surrounding the bay. Even in late November, the water was warm enough for us to dip in. Changing rooms, snacks and drinks, and a gift shop are available.

Iguana

St. Thomas View

View of Harbor

Magen's Bay

Rum Punch, My Favorite!

Once we’d sat around for a couple of hours, we were ready to move on. For $8.00 each, we took a taxi into downtown Charlotte Amalie. Here we visited my favorite stores after lunch at the Greenhouse Restaurant facing the harbor. A taxi from downtown back to Crown Bay cost $4 each plus tip.

Greenhouse Restaurant

That night onboard was the headliner show, a one-man singer and entertainer who spent too much time letting the audience belt out old songs and not enough time performing himself and appealing to a wider age range. If the same guy is aboard when you cruise on the Allure, this is one show you can skip unless you’re seventy or above.

Dinner Pix:

Dumplings

Shrimp & Steak

Chicken Dinner

Creme Brulee

Come back tomorrow for a review of St. Maarten.

Remember to check out my contest over at Fresh Fiction for a chance to win a signed ARC of Shear Murder, a deck of tropical drink playing cards, and a Virgin Islands cookbook.

Allure Cruise: Day 3 At Sea

Allure of the Seas, Day 3 At Sea
Tuesday, November 29, 2011

Late this morning was the Cruise Critic’s Meet & Greet event, held at the same time as the repeat cruisers party. Held in the Dazzles lounge, the first event wasn’t as smooth as it could have been. People sat around in their own little groups instead of standing and meeting people. Fruit, cheese, and juice were available as snacks. After a brief raffle by cruise line staff, many of us dashed out to attend the Crown & Anchor Society party outside at the Aquatheater. Here we got free cocktails and an address by the ship’s executive staff.

Ready for lunch, we discovered the Wipe Out Café by the ping pong tables and miniature golf on the sports deck. Here you can get tacos, quacamole and tortilla chips, burgers, and hot dogs. There’s free frozen yogurt here as well. The sports section also includes a Flowrider, zip line, and basketball court. If you want chocolate soft ice cream, head mid-ship on Deck 15 near where the steel band plays.

Miniature Golf

Beach Pool

Pool Deck

After lunch, we claimed lounge chairs in the Solarium, a quieter location than the four pools on the same deck. Glass-enclosed, you’re protected from the wind although the sun can get hot.

Solarium

That evening, we had been scheduled to see Oceanaria, but the show got cancelled because the water in the pool was sloshing too much for the performers to make a safe dive. We were given an alternate time, that unfortunately coincided with our specialty dining reservations.

Royal Promenade

Interior View Toward Rear

Rising Tide

Check out the Rising Tide bar, which rests on the Royal Promenade and then elevates toward Central Park three decks higher. It’s cool to watch it rise toward the stars like a spaceship. Inside, it’s shaped somewhat like Jabba the Hut’s barge in Return of the Jedi. We had drinks there the last night of our trip.

Here are pix from dinner:

Butterflied Shrimp in Garlic Sauce

Dessert

Coming tomorrow: Magens Bay at St. Thomas

Don’t forget to check out my contest over at Fresh Fiction for a chance to win a signed ARC of Shear Murder, a deck of tropical drink playing cards, and a Virgin Islands cookbook.

Allure Cruise Day 2

Day 2, Nassau
Monday, November 28, 2011

Today we docked in Nassau on a bright, sunny morning. We breakfasted in the Windjammer Café on smoked salmon with toasted bagels and cream cheese, fresh croissants and pastries, fried eggs and veggie omelets, fresh cut fruit, and much more. You can eat as little or as much as you want. I liked the yogurt parfaits at the Solarium Bistro. Several venues are open for breakfast, and there’s even a Starbucks on the Royal Promenade, although this costs money. Seattle’s Best coffee is served elsewhere throughout the ship.

View of Atlantis Resort

We disembarked to stroll down Bay Street at Nassau lined with shops. Nothing grabbed our attention so we meandered through the straw market until 11:00 when Senor Frog’s opened. By then we were hungry again, so we ordered lunch. I’d been in a Senor Frog’s in Cozumel but never this one. It overlooked the water with a lovely view and a lively atmosphere that quickly got crowded. I got a Bahama Mama that tasted fruity without much rum.

We ordered a guacamole appetizer and were thrilled when a man wheeled over a cart for making it in front of us. Into a big bowl he added chopped tomatoes, onions, and scooped out the insides of two avocados. He stirred in fresh parsley, added salt, and squeezed in juice from a lime. After mixing it together, he poured the compound into a lava-like bowl and served it along with tortilla chips. This was filling in itself.

Grouper Fingers and Potato Curls

I’d also ordered fried grouper fingers, because fresh grouper is good in the Bahamas. This was very tasty, although I didn’t have much room left in my stomach for the potato curls that accompanied the dish. After eating our fill, we headed back to the ship. TIP 8: Bring your passport whenever you leave the ship. We needed photo ID to return, in addition to our Seapass card. And if you ever go astray from your tour and are left behind, you’ll need your passport to return to the States.

Once back on the ship, my daughter and I headed to the spa for massages. We’d received vouchers for free treatments as a booking bonus, although the coupons didn’t cover gratuities. The spa is very luxurious and relaxing, and we enjoyed our treatments. A small café there offers healthy refreshments for a fee.

This was formal night, so we got dressed up and then headed to dinner. I ate shrimp cocktail, Caesar salad, roast duck, and cherry cake.

Later, we attended the comedy show which was highly entertaining. We stopped for champagne in the Champagne Lounge, where we received a free plate of cookies and chocolate dipped strawberries.

The Royal Promenade was lively with people browsing in the shops and sipping drinks at the bars. You can catch glimpses of Dreamworks characters at the frequent parades.

Royal Promenade

If you get tired of the crowds, head up to Central Park on Deck 8 and stroll outside amid the greenery, gazing at the night sky and hearing the crickets chirp. If you’re lucky, you’ll catch a musical performance outside in the fresh air.

Musicians in Central Park

COMING NEXT: Day 3 At Sea, St. Thomas and St. Maarten

Allure Cruise Continued

Allure of the Seas
Day 1, Continued

Re the bathrooms in a standard cabin, expect a shower shaped like a manhole cover. It’s round with barely enough room to turn. The good thing is it has glass doors instead of a flimsy curtain that wants to grab your butt. There’s bar soap and a shampoo dispenser, and you are provided small bottles of conditioner, lotion, and shower gel. The sink has bar soap also, in a deep dish that quickly gets wet and mushy. I’d brought a small shower gel from Bath & Body Works, and in one of the ports, I bought liquid antibacterial soap for hand washing. Hand sanitizers are everywhere on the ship, at the entrances to all eateries, at the gangway, and elsewhere. But here’s the next TIP 4: Bring your own liquid hand soap dispenser and shower gel if desired. Good places to buy travel-sized toiletries: Target; Bath & Body Works; Bed, Bath & Beyond.

Interior Balcony Cabin

Since we had time before the life boat drill at 4:30, we explored. Our family members wanted to see the Boardwalk aft on Deck 6, so we headed over there next. This open-air neighborhood has a real working carousel, a candy store ($$), ice cream parlor ($$), free donuts in the mornings, a clothing boutique, and Zoltar the fortuneteller, who calls out and follows you with his eyes as you walk by. I succumbed and paid a dollar to get a ticket with my fortune. Nothing remarkable there. Further along is Rita’s Cantina, a Mexican restaurant for an extra fee. The ship boasts several specialty dining establishments, including Johnny Rockets opposite the cantina. At the very rear on Deck 6 is the Aquatheater with bleachers and a stage where water shows are held.

Zoltar the Fortuneteller

Carousel on Boardwalk

Rita's Cantina

Aquatheater

Oceanaria Show

TIP 5: Reserve your shows ahead of time (and your My Time dining if you wish). You have to wait until 60 days or so before the sailing date, but people are waiting to grab reservations so be on your toes. But never fear, if you missed reserving a show, go down to the Entertainment Center the same afternoon you board ship and fill in a sheet requesting show times. You’ll either get them or an alternate date. I’ve heard tell that even though you’re told all seats are taken before the cruise begins, not all seats are actually fully booked.

We attended the lifeboat drill at our station in one of the lounges on Deck 5, where we were made to stand in rows after checking in with our cabin number. A video played the safety instructions. No life jackets were required, nor are they present in the rooms. In the actuality of an emergency, passengers will receive life jackets at their stations. Lifeboats hold 370 passengers each and have very weird looking seats; you can see inside them from the jogging track on Deck 5. Here’s a joke from one of the shows: “Passengers have asked what happened to the original three RCCL ships. They’re our lifeboats number one, two, and three.” Indeed, you can believe it when this ship holds 5700 guests.

TIP 6: For a fabulous view of the water and a quiet spot to sit, go aft outside on Deck 5. You’ll find chairs overlooking the ship’s wake. The jogging track is neat, going all the way around the ship, with cute signage and murals by the bow which is enclosed by a tunnel so you don’t get blown away. I wished they’d had more chairs along here because this track gave the best views. It’s also the reason probably why the lounges at the Royal Promenade don’t have windows; they’d overlook the jogging track rather than the ocean.

Jogging Track

Soon it was time for dinner, and we made our way to Adagio Dining Room aft on Deck 5. This was a pleasantly appointed room with crystal chandeliers. I had prime ribs with a baked potato for dinner, following an appetizer and salad, with a peach and blueberry cobbler for dessert. Afterward, we meandered around the Promenade until showtime. Tonight we’d signed up for the Broadway hit, Chicago, in the main theater forward on Deck 4. The theater has balconies and is high-tech and impressive. The show was great but didn’t have many scenery changes. It lasted ninety minutes and keeps your attention.

Prime Ribs Dinner

Chicago

TIP 7: Get in line at least a half hour before a performance for any of the shows. Although you have a reservation, seats are first-come, first-served. Your seapass card is scanned as you enter to make sure you have a reservation, but then you join the scramble for good seats. Columns may obstruct some side views. Seats are released ten minutes before the show for stand-bys.

Tune in tomorrow for more as we spend Day 2 in Nassau.

Please visit the Kill Zone today where I’m discussing real-life characters, based on a fellow I spotted on the cruise. He was so interesting that I have to work him into a story somewhere.

Also check out my contest over at Fresh Fiction for a chance to win a signed ARC of Shear Murder, a deck of tropical drink playing cards, and a Virgin Islands cookbook.

Allure of the Seas

Allure of the Seas, Sunday, November 27, 2011

On Day 1 of our cruise onboard RCCL’s Allure of the Seas, we approached Port Everglades with eager anticipation. Allure is billed as the largest cruise ship in the world. Would it be too big? Would we feel crowded at every corner? She was a beautiful sight as we rounded a curve at the port, so large that it was impossible to squeeze in a photo of the entire ship.

Traffic was directed with precision, and we dropped off our luggage to be tagged and delivered to the ship. TIP 1: On RCCL cruises, you can print your boarding passes online but you have to request luggage tags via snail mail; be sure to allow enough time. If you don’t have them, the stewards at the port will apply the appropriate tags when you show your documents.

Parking is easy in an open lot opposite the terminal. We found a space without any trouble. Towing our luggage, we crossed the street and entered the terminal, showing our printed boarding passes and passports. The check-in lines were divided according to deck, and although we qualified for emerald status in the Crown & Anchor Society, there weren’t any lines for Deck 11. We checked in, had our photos taken, and received our key cards. These seapass cards gain you entry to the ship and act as a charge card, so you can lock your wallet in the cabin safe while aboard.

We entered the ship around noon but discovered the cabins would be available at 1:00 pm. We wanted to do lunch, but where to go? The Windjammer buffet was up on Deck 16, and the elevators were busy. We’d entered on Deck 5 which holds the Royal Promenade. Awed by the sight of the enormous indoor avenue lined with shops and bars, we decided to head away from the commotion to Deck 8 and the Central Park area.

Allure of the Seas, along with its sister ship, Oasis of the Seas, boasts an ingenious and original design. It has several distinct neighborhoods. Royal Promenade is one of them. Others are Boardwalk, Central Park, the Entertainment Center, and the pool and sports decks. Our balcony cabin overlooked the interior park.

Nancy on Royal Promenade

At the Park Café, we got in line for made-to-order salads. You can add chopped tomatoes, onions, black olives, baby shrimp, chopped hard boiled eggs, turkey, tuna and/or mozzarella balls. A server adds the dressing of your choice and tosses the salad before pouring it into a bowl. Seating is available indoors or “outdoors”. The park area is open to the air on top with a view of the sky. It’s very peaceful, with birds chirping during the day and crickets singing at night. A winding path amid greenery takes you past the Rising Tide bar, Vintages wine lounge, Chops Grille, and a couple of shops. We were able to get a table outside and relaxed until it was time to access our rooms.

Our balcony cabin on Deck 11 had limited storage space but it was enough to unpack our suitcases. The closets have adequate hangars. Our bed faced the wall, with barely enough room to squeeze by. But next to the glass balcony doors was a long couch opposite a console with a mirror and a TV. My husband felt a bit crowded in the cabin but for me it was okay. We could go outside and see the sky from the balcony, with Central Park below. The ocean balconies had all been taken when we booked the cruise. This is my single criticism of the ship: I really missed the ocean view. The Royal Promenade gives you a closed-in feeling. None of the lounges or shops or public corridors have windows with a sea view. The only way to see the ocean on Allure, if you can’t view it from your cabin,  is from the jogging track on Deck 5 or from the pool deck on level 15. Plus, noise penetrates the interior glass balcony doors. Fortunately, the park area quieted at night and we heard nothing. However, we could hear our neighbor’s TV through the locked adjoining door. So while the walls have good soundproofing, the doors do not. TIP 2: Request a room without an adjoining door unless the rest of your party is next to you. TIP 3: If you want to enjoy the ocean on an RCCL cruise, book an outside cabin.

Day 1 will be continued tomorrow and will cover dinner and the Broadway show we saw that evening.

Remember to check out my contest over at Fresh Fiction for a chance to win a signed ARC of Shear Murder, a deck of tropical drink playing cards, and a Virgin Islands cookbook.

SAN JUAN

San Juan

We’ve been on tours here before so this time we just walked around, browsing in the stores. I picked up some 14k gold hoop earrings at Tropical Jewelers for my daughter cheaper than the ones I bought myself in a similar size in St. Thomas. From the pier, walk up Calle Tanca a couple of blocks to Calle Fortaleza, the main shopping street. Turn left and stroll along, ducking into any shops that strike your fancy. We got lured into Restaurant Barrachina, home of the famed Piña Colada drink created here in 1963. It’s a charming restaurant with a tempting appetizer menu or a place for lunch. No worries about the waiters; they speak English. The food is good and there’s a rest room in the back. As for the piña coladas, I’ve had better but it was fun to try one here. The waiter recommended Don Q Cristal for a white rum. There’s a store by the waterfront but it was closed on Thursdays and that’s the day we were in port. He also mentioned Ron del Barrilito for a golden rum. He said these are the rums used by the natives, not Baccardi brands.

After an early meal, we continued onward on Calle Fortaleza. At the far end toward Calle Christo is a barricade blocking access to the Governor’s mansion. Turn left and you’ll find yourself at a historical chapel. Go into Pigeon Park next to the chapel for a fabulous view of the harbor. Note the stone wall with all the pigeon holes where the birds live. It’s a fascinating glimpse of old San Juan. If you’ve never been to the island before, you can tour the forts or take a bus tour to the rainforest. A couple of hours patrolling the city streets is more than sufficient for shopping.

Labadee

This is a fabulous beach party at RCCL’s private hideaway. Passengers haD the entire day to roam about this beautiful peninsula. It’s part of Haiti but is separated from the mainland by scenic mountains. Lush with green foliage and palm lined lagoons, this island-like setting offers something for everyone. You can lose yourself in bliss lying on a lounge chair and sipping a potent Labadoozee or rum punch while gazing at the sparkling turquoise waters. Go for a swim, stuff yourself at the BBQ lunch, or get a thrill riding on the zip line or rollercoaster. Shop for colorful Haitian paintings and wood carvings at the native market. Or rent a jet ski and zoom across the waves. Kayaking and floats are available as is an Aqua Park for kids. Whatever your pleasure, you can find it here. A tram ride can take you from one end to the other if you don’t feel like walking in the heat.

My camera broke so I don’t have any photos for these ports. A new camera became one of my holiday gifts upon our return. I hate learning new technology. Some features are better than my old camera, though, so it’s worth the effort.

Happy New Year!

ST. MAARTEN

St. Maarten

 

We’ve been here before, so I already knew to take the water taxi for six dollars round trip from the pier into the center of Philipsburg. It’s good for travel all day and they put a plastic bracelet on your wrist. Vendors sell nice hats for $5 by the pier, and I added another one to my collection.

Our first stop was Diamonds International to pick up a charm bracelet. If you show this in the different ports, you get a charm to add for each island. It’s also a good shop to browse for jewelry. Outside facing the courthouse, we turned left on Front Street, but we didn’t care much for the stores at that end. We turned in the opposite direction and ended up in Shopper’s Haven where I bought a pair of dangling white gold earrings. They were expensive even for 14k gold but a unique design. The shopkeeper gave my friend Lynn and I each a glass of champagne to celebrate our purchases. This made us hungry so we headed to Holland House a few doors down to a delightful open air restaurant facing the beach. I ate a brie cheese sandwich while ceiling fans twirled lazily overhead.

Diamonds International

Beyond the Boardwalk is a free beach if you ever go to the island so you don’t have to take any beach tours. A selection of restaurants face the water where you can sit and enjoy the view. It’s much more pleasant here than in Marigot, the French side of the island, where you get stuck in traffic going and coming from the port. Shops are expensive there and service at the restaurants takes a long time. The Philipsburg shops offer a selection of jewelry, cameras, Belgian chocolate, Guavaberry Liquor, and souvenirs. The old adage applies: If you see what you like, buy it.

View of St. Maarten

Beachside at Philipsburg