The Caribbean Princess, our home for the next 2 weeks
19-20
The first 2 days spent cruising at sea, good calm weather so smooth sailing, and trying not to eat too much. Sharing tables at night for dinner gave us a good chance to meet lots of people, and there we met Dave and Lyn, a couple from Liverpool who we seemed to click with, and over the the rest of the cruise shared a few cool drinks with.
The first 2 days spent cruising at sea, good calm weather so smooth sailing, and trying not to eat too much. Sharing tables at night for dinner gave us a good chance to meet lots of people, and there we met Dave and Lyn, a couple from Liverpool who we seemed to click with, and over the the rest of the cruise shared a few cool drinks with.
With Dave and Lyn, the Liverpool couple we met on the boat
View over one of the pools, with the giant movie screen in the background
21
St Thomas, part of the US Virgin Islands, our first caribbean island, and like most of the islands, it relies heavily on the tourists to survive. We spent the day ashore with Dave and Lyn, finding a local taxi bus to drive us around and show us the sights, including Magens Bay, one of the worlds best beaches as selected by National Geographic magazine. From the top of a hill, you can look across to the British Virgin Islands. We had to be back in Charlotte Amalie, the capital, where the ship was docked, by 4.30 pm for the over night sail to St Kitts.
St Thomas, part of the US Virgin Islands, our first caribbean island, and like most of the islands, it relies heavily on the tourists to survive. We spent the day ashore with Dave and Lyn, finding a local taxi bus to drive us around and show us the sights, including Magens Bay, one of the worlds best beaches as selected by National Geographic magazine. From the top of a hill, you can look across to the British Virgin Islands. We had to be back in Charlotte Amalie, the capital, where the ship was docked, by 4.30 pm for the over night sail to St Kitts.
Looking down over St Thomas to our ship, (the front one)
The view the other way
22
St Kitts, part of St Kitts and Nevis, a small independent country made up of the two main islands that give it its name. The capitol is Basseterre, and that is where we docked. St Kitts used to be part of Britain, but it became independent in 1983. It had a good feel to it, and its British heritage was evident everywhere. Like St Thomas, we took a local taxi bus and did a tour of the island, well worth it.
St Kitts, part of St Kitts and Nevis, a small independent country made up of the two main islands that give it its name. The capitol is Basseterre, and that is where we docked. St Kitts used to be part of Britain, but it became independent in 1983. It had a good feel to it, and its British heritage was evident everywhere. Like St Thomas, we took a local taxi bus and did a tour of the island, well worth it.
Street scene on St Kitts
23
St John’s, the main city of Antigua and Barbuda, was where we docked for the next day, and once again a local bus tour took us around to see the sights. It is quite a pretty island, and the views from Shirley Heights down over Nelsons Dockyard, English Harbour and the neighbouring bays are really something. Being a boat freak, there was plenty to keep me busy, with cats and touring boats everywhere.
St John’s, the main city of Antigua and Barbuda, was where we docked for the next day, and once again a local bus tour took us around to see the sights. It is quite a pretty island, and the views from Shirley Heights down over Nelsons Dockyard, English Harbour and the neighbouring bays are really something. Being a boat freak, there was plenty to keep me busy, with cats and touring boats everywhere.
With Dave and Lyn overlooking English Harbour
English Harbour and Nelsons Dockyard
Cannon in Nelsons Dockyard
Small houses on the way back to St John's
24
The island of Martinique, a french possession, and we caught a local boat with Dave and Lyn over to one of the beaches opposite the port for a swim. We must have misunderstood the ferry times, and only just got back to the ship before it sailed, we were the last ones back!
The island of Martinique, a french possession, and we caught a local boat with Dave and Lyn over to one of the beaches opposite the port for a swim. We must have misunderstood the ferry times, and only just got back to the ship before it sailed, we were the last ones back!
Nice clean water, but no surf !!!
25
Barbados, where we docked at Bridgetown, and we took a taxi tour of the island with Dave and Lyn, not bad, but our driver Rodney came across as stoned when we first met him, and we had doubts as to his ability to drive for a start, but he ended up being a good find in the end. At least we got back to the boat early. We did manage to get some photos of Kensington, the main cricket oval with the statue of Garfield Sobers outside.
Barbados, where we docked at Bridgetown, and we took a taxi tour of the island with Dave and Lyn, not bad, but our driver Rodney came across as stoned when we first met him, and we had doubts as to his ability to drive for a start, but he ended up being a good find in the end. At least we got back to the boat early. We did manage to get some photos of Kensington, the main cricket oval with the statue of Garfield Sobers outside.
Lyn with Sir Garfield Sobers at Kensington Oval
Rhianna's old house in Bridgetown, (she doesn't live here any more!)
Plaque at the end of the street
Sitting at the beach, great weather.
There is surf on part of the island, but it's a bit rocky. There are some sandy beaches
Harbour in Bridgetown, a pretty place
26
Trinidad, where we docked in Port of Spain, the largest city in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. Went ashore and had a walk around, neither of us liked the place, it just didn’t feel right. We had wandered away from the main tourist area, and walked into a shopping arcade, where we were told by a local business woman we shouldn’t be there, and to be very careful, so we left and headed back to the area frequented by more tourists, and then back to the ship. Not one of our favourite spots!
Trinidad, where we docked in Port of Spain, the largest city in the country of Trinidad and Tobago. Went ashore and had a walk around, neither of us liked the place, it just didn’t feel right. We had wandered away from the main tourist area, and walked into a shopping arcade, where we were told by a local business woman we shouldn’t be there, and to be very careful, so we left and headed back to the area frequented by more tourists, and then back to the ship. Not one of our favourite spots!
Trinidad is the home of Brian Lara, and this statue is dedicated to him
The stern of the ship in port
The view over Port of Spain from the ship
27-28
The 27th was a day at sea, heading for Willemstad, capital of Curacao, (pronounced Cure a sow), an independent country, and the largest of the ABC Islands. The next day ashore Dave, the two Lyn’s and I took a tour around the island on a local bus, which included a visit to the distillery where Curacao is made, quite interesting, It is made from dried orange peels! It also included some time at the beach, where Lyn and I went snorkelling outside a rock wall, quite a good snorkel. Unfortunately we left the go pro in the backpack, and it was a mission to climb over the rock wall to get to the water, so we couldn’t go back for it. Curacao was a good island, friendly and with a good vibe to it, unlike Trinidad.
The 27th was a day at sea, heading for Willemstad, capital of Curacao, (pronounced Cure a sow), an independent country, and the largest of the ABC Islands. The next day ashore Dave, the two Lyn’s and I took a tour around the island on a local bus, which included a visit to the distillery where Curacao is made, quite interesting, It is made from dried orange peels! It also included some time at the beach, where Lyn and I went snorkelling outside a rock wall, quite a good snorkel. Unfortunately we left the go pro in the backpack, and it was a mission to climb over the rock wall to get to the water, so we couldn’t go back for it. Curacao was a good island, friendly and with a good vibe to it, unlike Trinidad.
29
We sailed all night to Oranjestad, capital of Aruba, an independent country and Dutch protectorate, another great island, where we took the only tour booked through the ship. It was a trip on a 70 ft catamaran to a beach where we did some snorkelling, and then moved out to the wreck of the 400 ft long “Antilla”, a german freighter that was scuttled by her captain during the second world war. It sits in 60 ft of water just off the beach, and is a great dive, clear water, and not much current. It is also a popular dive, so there were heaps of people in the water while we were there. In the afternoon we took a wander around town and got some internet at Starbucks, before returning to the ship by 4.30. The ship left a little late, due to another cruise ship leaving in front of us, but after about an hour and half sailing, the captain came on and told us that due to a medical emergency we had to turn around and go back to Oranjestad to off load a passenger who needed more medical assistance than could be offered on the ship, so that is what happened.
We sailed all night to Oranjestad, capital of Aruba, an independent country and Dutch protectorate, another great island, where we took the only tour booked through the ship. It was a trip on a 70 ft catamaran to a beach where we did some snorkelling, and then moved out to the wreck of the 400 ft long “Antilla”, a german freighter that was scuttled by her captain during the second world war. It sits in 60 ft of water just off the beach, and is a great dive, clear water, and not much current. It is also a popular dive, so there were heaps of people in the water while we were there. In the afternoon we took a wander around town and got some internet at Starbucks, before returning to the ship by 4.30. The ship left a little late, due to another cruise ship leaving in front of us, but after about an hour and half sailing, the captain came on and told us that due to a medical emergency we had to turn around and go back to Oranjestad to off load a passenger who needed more medical assistance than could be offered on the ship, so that is what happened.
30-31
The first day sailing back towards Fort Lauderdale, and the wind had got up to around 35 knots, so for the first time on the trip we could actually feel the ship moving around a bit. Not bad, but we could feel it. It dropped of during the day, and by 3.00pm were down to around 10 knots.The following day was calm again, and stayed like that all the way to Ft Lauderdale.
The first day sailing back towards Fort Lauderdale, and the wind had got up to around 35 knots, so for the first time on the trip we could actually feel the ship moving around a bit. Not bad, but we could feel it. It dropped of during the day, and by 3.00pm were down to around 10 knots.The following day was calm again, and stayed like that all the way to Ft Lauderdale.
