JohnG

Wow, you are good. It is Folkstone Park/Beach in Barbados. From my review of Carnival Legend, Dec 2002: "Folkestone Park, the national underwater park and beach just beyond Holetown. Entrance is free, and there are restrooms, showers, souvenirs and refreshments, picnic tables, a children’s playground, and chair rentals ($5). At high tide the sandy beach is limited, but there are plenty of sunny areas. Snorkeling is best over the reef about 100 yards offshore to the right of the beach in front of the rocks to the right. Nice coral and schools of multicolored fish….hundreds in a school. Water was very clear. "

Nope, not Cozumel.

I just did ours for Celebrity Zenith online last Friday with no problems, as long as you get the booking number from the TA or from your documents. If you do it before your documents arrive, more is preprinted and it does expedite actual check in.

If you are planning on buying liquor to bring back, the prices are far better in Philipsburg, Dutch St Maarten, than in St. Thomas. (The French side is St. Martin, but they use the Euro and prices are not so good.) However, if you buy at least one fifth of US Virgin Island rum you can bring back a total of one gallon (four liters or 5 fifths). We purchase most on St Maarten and then finish off across the street from the Havensite Mall (which is the mall next to the pier in St Thomas) at a place called Al Cohen's. I've found that much cheaper than the normal A H Riise and others in St Thomas. We have made some nice jewelry buys in both locations. On St Martin, if you want something other than the usual trip to Orient Beach, there is a beach called La Galleon, just beyond the Butterfly Farm, which is very secluded, has chairs for rent, and there is a restaurant with restrooms and changing room. Or try Grand Case public beach on the north side. Huge starfish, no people, and beautiful scenery. Restaurants overlooking the water.

For a while they said everyone did, but about a month ago they said you only need a passport if your cruise originates there. Transit passengers/visiting on a port call, do not need a passport. Birth certificate with raised seal and a photo id will suffice. But, if you were to get sick while you were there and have to leave the ship when it sailed, you might have a problem. These days it is better to travel with a passport. And you only need the one document then. (Same answer people gave you on that other board.)

Aruba? The desolate looking tree?

Jason's email is CruiseCrazies######

Three on the way. See my note in the email.

Zimbabwe......Ethiopia

Grand Cayman 4x Cozumel 5x Cancun Roatan Aruba Curacao San Juan PR 3x St Thomas 4x St John St Maarten/Martin at least 6x Barbados 2x Martinique 2x St Lucia Dominica Antigua 2x St Kitts Isle des Saintes Jamaica (Ocho Rios and Montego Bay) Key West New Orleans Charlestown Nassau Coco Cay Half Moon Cay Princess Cay And new one scheduled on currently booked cruises Grenada And sailed from Baltimore Norfolk Ft Lauderdale a dozen x's Port Canaveral New Orleans 2x Doesn't include my 20 years in the Navy on various ships visiting Hawaii Sasebo and Yokasuka, Japan Kaoshung, Taiwan Midway Island Guam Okinawa Hong Kong Phillipines, various cities Vietnam Greece Crete Cyprus former Yugoslavia Italy, Naples France, Cannes, Nice, Marsaille Spain, Barcelona, Palma de Majorca, Rota Scotland, Edinborough, Rosyth Suez Canal transit Mombasa, Kenya Perth, Australia Israel, Haifa ....at least that's all I remember of those.

Note DaCruzNut has a mask fitted with prescription glass. There are also masks which will accommodate eyeglasses....in dive shops. But for a 1 time use, not worth an expensive outlay. I use contacts and any mask works fine. Interestingly, I've noticed in our pool, that when I have no contacts in and no glasses on, the refraction in the water actually improves my vision.

I've rented with no problems. As long as they submerge the gear in disinfecting solution it is fine. I snorkel a lot, so, for me, it makes sense to purchase, which I did. The inexpensive fins and snorkel are fine, but ensure you get a good mask that fits well or it will either leak or leave rings on your face from being too tight. That is the most expensive part. $25-$75 for a decent one. Rent, for one timer. JMHO :smiley:

Got your email, Jason, explaining why I wasn't able to get on. I had heard of the problems on another board. Glad it is back up. :smiley:

I'm not a dermatologist but I also get the red spots which then itch before going away. Not serious but annoying. I was advised on the boards that what I need is a sun block with parsol 1789 in it. Nutragena makes one and ... it works. Just ensure it is applied evenly all over, or you will have splotchs of the rash. It has solved the problem for me for several years now.

Coki Beach on St Thomas, east end next to Coral World.

I have gone snorkeling there every time I have been to Grand Caymen except one, when the water was so rough the ships anchored on the other side of the island. At Eden Roc they also have a dive shop where you can rent snorkel or dive gear and lockers for rent and a bathroom. I have often seen sea turtles swimming here.

More specifically, the location is the Eden Rock dive site, a couple blocks to the right of the tender landing, past the Hard Rock Cafe.

Posted in the review board. Enjoy! :cool:

My wife and I were excited to receive an offer from HAL for past cruisers to sail aboard Maasdam from Norfolk and receive an outside cabin assignment for the price of an inside…an no airfare necessary, as we live 8 miles from the pier. This was our 17th cruise and second on HAL. The ship is probably not the right one for the trip. They need a faster ship to cover the transit time, on time. The first four sailing from Norfolk have returned 4, 3, 5, and 2.5 hours later respectively than the scheduled 8am arrival. The long sail from St Thomas, the last port, to Norfolk, at 19.5 knots just cannot be done in time if any little ripple in the seas or wind occurs, and it usually does. As a result the ship does not leave until, typically 7 or 8pm when departure is scheduled for 5pm. In fact, no one can get aboard until, typically, 3pm, and many several hours later. Knowing the variability of arrival, we monitored it via a local webcam at http://www.wvec.com/cams/norfolk.html. It did not arrive until 1pm on Feb 21. There were shuttle buses from a parking area available, or porters at the curb for those arriving by car. The terminal, at Norfolk’s maritime museum, Nauticus, adjacent to the battleship Wisconsin, does a good job of handling inbound and outbound passengers despite the fact that it is not really a cruise ship terminal. Once we entered Nauticus our cabin assignment was checked and we were assigned a boarding number. We arrived at 3:15pm and received number 34. We were then given free admission to the museum, and HAL had sodas available. It was very interesting touring the museum and the battleship and made the time pass quickly. Perhaps not so for those who had arrived at the pier at noon. At 5, (4 hours after arrival), the suite passengers and the first boarding numbers were called for embarkation processing. It only took about two hours for them to board all the passengers, a remarkable feat. No credit card was necessary at check-in, as they provided a form and simply asked that we present it at the purser’s office within 24 hours with the credit card information. I had been informed by phone that my cabin guarantee was an upgrade from Cat H to Cat E cabin 728. In fact, we found out at check-in that our cabin was 782, and the bags had the wrong cabin on them. We were very happy to find that in the 3 ½ hours between the time we dropped them off and the time we got to our cabin, they had corrected the bag tags and all luggage was in the cabin. Nicely done! The lifeboat drill was delayed until 10:15am on the first day at sea due to the later boarding. The cabin was on A deck, the lowest passenger deck, exactly amidships on the port side, and overlooked the pier. At 182 sq ft, it was ample, with convertible twin beds, a room desk/dressing table, with 8 large drawers, a sofa bed, adjustable height coffee table...perfect for room service…and a hassock. There were four closets, and the bath had a full tub. The only amenities were shampoo and lotion, other than soap. The TV carries no local TV in any port other than CNN, but does have nearly first run movies running on two channels, TNT movies, and some series like ER. There are the usual port information and cruise video channels, and the ship channel that alternated between maps of the voyage, weather, and ship’s information and deck plans. Room service is available 24/7, but with a limited menu at night. I had preordered, by phone call to HAL customer service in Seattle, a liter of Beefeater’s which came with an obligatory 3 cans of tonic water. It was not there on arrival, but was delivered the next morning and there were very willing to exchange the tonic for some soft drinks my wife preferred. We also packed a case of wine in a wine shipping box, and checked it in with baggage. It arrived fine. Those attempting to carry hard liquor on board had it confiscated at the pier. Most had gotten the word of this recent change in HAL policy. All liquor purchased in the onboard shop and in all ports was gathered at the gangway and stored till the last afternoon when it was delivered to the cabin. We asked the cabin steward to keep one bottle of champagne iced and to provide a second bucked ice daily. He not only quickly accommodated us, but also provided two champagne glasses. Since we had requested second sitting, fortunately since we didn’t get aboard till a little after 7pm, I checked the diagram outside the dining room on deck 8 and found that our table was for two, as requested, table 139. I can say, without hesitation, that this probably the best dining team we have ever had. The headwaiter was present constantly, the waiter was very efficient, and the assistant waiter outdid them all. If we wanted to try a second entrée, they brought just the meat or fish without the side dishes. On lobster night, we requested two tails and the plates arrived with two tails on them, and the waiter later walked around offering more from a platter. Every night among the dessert choices was a flambé, which included bananas foster, crepe suzette, pear flambé, baked Alaska with cherries jubilee on top, and so on. Entrees included such items as halibut, grilled prawns, rack of lamb, filet mignon twice, crab legs, chateaubriand, orange roughy, lamb chops, Dutch recipes on Dutch night, lobster tails, cod, salmon, and prime rib. On the night we left St. Maarten, they also held a BBQ at the Lido Pool with steaks and king salmon from 6-8pm and offered happy hour prices on select beer and shots. Breakfast in the Lido includes the usual mix of fruits, cereals and cafeteria hot table, but also includes eggs to order and an omelet station. Staff were eager to assist with trays and help with beverages. In a few days we noticed some even called us by name. Lunch in the Lido has standard cafeteria fare, but included such items as a stir-fry station on several days, pizza, and a sandwich station for made to order sandwiches. By the Lido Pool is a station open from 11-5pm offering hot dogs, hamburgers, grilled chicken breast, and a hot table with tacos, burritos and fajita fixings. Breakfast and lunch in the dining room is only on the upper level, on deck 8. The dining room offers eggs benedict every day I was happy to discover. Casual dinner is also available in the Lido. As you may surmise from this summary, we were very pleased with the food on the Maasdam, with one exception. On “Dutch Night†we opted for a reservation in the Pinnacle Grill, the featured specialty restaurant, with a $20 per person surcharge ($10 on sailing day). We had a reservation for 8:30pm and arrived a few minutes early. Forty minutes after we were seated they finally took our order. By then the wine steward, who had held the wine tasting the first day at sea, had opened the wine I had brought to dinner and helped himself to a large glass without asking instead of the tasting cup. Butter arrived 20 minutes after the bread. While water from a pitcher was adequate in the regular dining room, the Pinnacle poured bottled water, at extra charge, without asking. An hour and 20 minutes later, still only on the second course, I tried to order another bottle of wine. They were out of 15 wines. I went back to the cabin and brought another of my own. The presentation was fine and the food was good, but no better than the dining room food. There were huge time gaps between courses, and they tried to explain it away that every order was prepared from scratch to order and takes time. The restaurant was less than half full by that time and that excuse doesn’t fly. Gracefully, they said they wouldn’t charge the corkage fee for my wine because of the slow service. We enjoy dancing before dinner and after shows. The Ocean Bar on Deck 8 each evening had a trio playing traditional dance music, and before dinner hot appetizers were brought to each table. The Crows Nest on Deck 11 had a solo musician who played danceable music until about midnight, when the DJ took over, playing until ?? It was not very crowded at any hour. Show entertainment was a weakest link. The singers, dancers, costumes, and production were far inferior to almost every other ship we have sailed. Fortunately there were only three production shows in 10 days. Other nights offered singers (Gail Nelson with Broadway experience, and Bill Burns a very talented impressionist and singer), comedians and variety artists, and an Indonesian crew talent show. Every evening there were two shows, one after each dinner seating, except on the last night both shows were before dinner. I was happy to find that HAL was not aggressive in pushing the daily tropical drinks. They were more visible on a few days, but nothing like we have experienced on other lines. The deck waiters circulated with iced tea or lemonade daily in the afternoon, and high tea is available. Dress code was as follows: Day 1 Casual Day 2 At Sea, First Formal night, and it was widely observed Day 3 After Half Moon Cay, Casual Day 4 At Sea, Second Formal night Day 5 San Juan, Casual Day 6 St Maartin, Casual Day 7 Antigua, Casual Day 8 St Thomas, Informal (coat and tie/cocktail dress) Day 9 At Sea, 3rd Formal Night Day 10 At Sea, Casual The photographers were available for portraits on formal nights and there were essentially no lines, amazingly. On the first formal night, the Captain’s Welcome Aboard Dinner, they had a receiving line leading into the pre-dinner reception, and there were two portrait stations everyone passed through, and one snapshot with the Captain. They did offer a free cruise video if you purchased four 8x10 pictures during the cruise, and we took advantage of it, as we could see from the video which was run each day on TV that we were also in some of the shots. The video was a $34 value. Port Days: Half Moon Cay. We arrived about 1 hour later than scheduled due to the late departure from Norfolk. The first tenders left at 1245. At 1:45 we went down for tender tickets. At 3pm we got on a tender. We returned on the last tender at 5:30. The process was so slow that the Rotterdam lent several tenders to help shuttle passengers. A strictly personal observation was that a more elderly passenger make up made for slower movement into and out of tenders. As usual we enjoyed the beach and snorkeling (I bring my own gear), and there were many more fish where the floats met the breakwater than I had ever seen there. The water is so clear you can see fish in thigh-deep water without a mask. They even nipped at my wife’s knees, so I suspect they have been fed there. The sea day between these two ports was Fat Tuesday, and the dinner show was Party Gras. Advertised as a Mardi Gras from Bangkok to Calgary to Brazil, it turned out to be their standard show. However, at 11pm in the Crow’s Nest they held a costume Mardi Gras Party with Hurricanes at happy hour prices. Having chanced they would have some celebration we brought masks about 20 sets of beads and two umbrellas. My wife Karen won the “Miss Mardi Gras†for original costume: Her formal beads, feathered mask, and an open parasol. She won a bottle of champagne, and I received a silver 8x10 picture frame just for participating. Lots of fun, with dancing snacks afterward. Best crowd of the cruise in the disco. San Juan. We arrived at 7:30am on Ash Wednesday, and US Immigration held mandatory immigration checks beginning at 7:30. Lines moved quickly. The ship was cleared about 9:30am. We went back to bed for nap and left the ship at 11:40. We took the free trolley bus from the stop across the street from the pier. We rode past El Morro, which we had visited on other trips and rode into Old San Juan to a stop near the old Cathedral. We were in time for noon Mass and distribution of ashes. We then walked to Hard Rock Café, only to find it closed for street construction. We found there was now a Senor Frog’s in San Juan, behind the Windham Hotel a block from the pier, and we walked there to enjoy lunch, stand on a few chairs, and have the usual raucous time there. We walked from there to the Dept of Information building on the waterfront and partook of the free Puerto Rican rum drinks, and then walked back to the ship. Underway at 6pm. St Maarten/Martin. We arrived in one of our favorite ports at 7am and the ship was cleared at 8am. We went ashore at 9pm, rented a car at the end of the pier with no reservation, a Toyota Camry with a/c for $45 all day. Due back by 5:45pm. We drove past the airport to see Maho Beach where the planes pass very low overhead, past Simpson Beach and a very resorty area, and found Cupacoy Beach. The beach is down a stairway along sandstone cliffs, with sandy beach. It is, however, clothing optional despite being on the Dutch side, just short of the boundary from the French side. Water was affected by wind, but the snorkeling was good. Chairs and umbrellas are available for rent, and drinks available from a vender at the top of the cliff. We left in time for lunch and drove into Marigot, the capital of French St. Martin. As we have been here on Sundays before, when everything was closed, we were looking forward to lunch in a French sidewalk café and some shopping. We parked in the free public lot, and ate at La Vie en Rose, complete with french bread and wine. However, French St. Martin is using the Euro, which is currently $1.25US to 1 Euro, and things are expensive. They don’t make much effort to cater to tourist trade. There is a flea market across the street and we purchased T-shirts for the kids there. Then on to Grand Case beach, where I had previously seen many large starfish last year. The beach is deserted and sandy, but without facilities except in the waterfront restaurants. Unfortunately, only one starfish this time. Then we drove on to Orient Beach and spent an hour there before heading back at 5pm to Philipsburg. We returned the car at 5:40pm and asked them to shuttle us back into town, which they did. Shops were on the verge of closing, despite the fact that Maasdam and the Radisson ship were in port till 11pm. Some folks went back out to casino’s after dinner. We did catch the Guavaberry Emporium in time, and on the main shopping street purchases our liquor for several dollars per bottle below the prices aboard Maasdam in the duty free shop. Cigarettes were also $1 per carton cheaper there. Fortunately for me our favorite jewelry shops were closed. Antigua. Arrived at 7am. We had purchased tickets to the Catamaran Sail and Snorkel Excursion and reported to the Rembrandt Lounge at 8:40. We left at 9am, and walked a short distance to the Tamiami Catamaran, which made about a 30 minute run to Paradise Reef in deep water. Water entry was from the boat into deep water, so this is an excursion for experience snorkelers. There reef coral and the fish were impressive. After about 45 minutes of snorkeling, we reboarded and set sail for Runaway Beach where they anchored in 10 feet of water and some chose to swim to the beach. My wife does snorkel but the bar was opened and never-ending strong and tasty rum punch was available, as well as soft drinks and other liquors. After about 30 minutes we left and returned to the pier at 1230pm. There is a duty free mall at the end of the pier in St John’s. While me wife napped I did succumb to the lure of a nice ruby, which they mounted as a pendant on gold chain at a jewelry shop for my wife’s birthday present. We sailed at 6pm. St Thomas. Arrived at 7am, berthed at the pier at Havensight, and Immigration checks again at 7:30am. We were permitted to leave the ship as soon as we individually had been cleared. We were on the pier at 8:20 and on the way in a taxi, $16 for two, to Red Hook. We caught the 9am ferry, $3 per person each way, to Cruz Bay on St John’s. The ride takes only 13 minutes. We took a taxi, $4 per person, from the pier to Trunk Bay, National Park ($4 per person admittance), arriving about 9:35. No crowds yet. There is in underwater snorkeling trail marked leading to an island where there was plenty of coral and plenty of fish. I really enjoyed it. The park also has lockers, showers, restrooms, and concessions, including equipment rental. We caught a taxi at 11:30 back to Cruz Bay and took the noon ferry back to St Thomas. We arrived back at the Havensight mall a little after 12:30 and had plenty of time to shop before returning to the ship by 2pm. The ship sails at 3pm for the long trip home. Two ladies, arriving late, after lines were cast off, reportedly were fined about $3,000. There was a sailaway party on deck, the only one of the cruise. The cruise director didn’t think the passengers would be interested. We would have been. It was in the 80’s and HOT. In fact, we had no rain the entire cruise in any port. By the next morning a weather front 1,000 miles wide had intervened along our route while East of Cuba. By mid day 12-15 foot waves, with some swells to 25 feet and 32 knots of wind from the north caused the ship to plow along, banging head on into the waves. The water in the pools was leaping out and the pools were closed. It was still in the 70’s and partly sunny. The Mariners Society repeaters reception was held at noon in the Rembrandt Lounge in the bow of the ship, and it was all people could do to walk up to receive recognition and a photo. Many of the people recognized for many cruises on HAL were elderly and having a rough time moving around. It was a relaxed day, however, and great movies were running in the theatre and on TV, such as Seabicuit, Under the Tuscan Sun, and others. I enjoyed Intolerable Cruelty, too. Dancing that evening was a bit tricky due to the motion of the ocean. By the morning of the last day at sea, the weather had calmed, the water was like glass as we passed the Carolinas, and weather was still in the upper 60’s and partly sunny. By the last day the ship was out of wines, bagels, lemons and limes. Luggage did not have to be out until 1am. We celebrated my wife’s birthday at dinner. We were scheduled to arrive at 8am, but the captain had announced the day before that we’d be in about 10:30, which was right on target. This allowed a leisurely wakeup call, and breakfast at 9am. Weather was 60 and cloudy with a forecast of increasing wind. At 1045 the first customs call was made. We were permitted to remain in our cabins until debarkation. The first debarkation group was not called until noon, and we were called about 2:40pm, in the last group because we lived locally and were driving. While no lunch had been planned, without announcement they opened the Lido about 1pm and dredged up prime rib and salads, much to me excitement! All in all, a great trip, outstanding food, wonderfully friendly and helpful staff, a low key cruise director who was as genuine in person as he was when he was “onâ€Â, and we are booked for the next one, an 11 day Maasdam in December. There is talk that they may consider replacing Maasdam with a faster ship by then. I hope they don’t shorten the St. Thomas stop, as it is just long enough to do anything meaningful.

We leave tomorrow. Karen is packed, guess I'll start tonight or in the morning :grin: . It is only 8 miles to the pier! Wx report: 80's w/scattered showers in the Caribbean :grin: .

We leave tomorrow. Karen is packed, guess I'll start tonight or in the morning :grin: . It is only 8 miles to the pier! Wx report: 80's w/scattered showers in the Caribbean :grin: .

My review of our Legend cruise in Dec 2002. It was Exotic Southern Carib but gives you a feeling for the ship. Unfortunately we didn't bring kids, but there were plenty in Camp Carnival, and a large, cave-like arcade. Day 1: We were berthed in cabin 5299, an 8C centerline stern cabin on Upper Deck. 3 closets, 2 large drawers under the extra bed. Short on drawer space in vanity. Hair dryer in drawer. Safe, and stocked refrig (soda was only $1.50 a can, same as at bars). Room steward nowhere to be seen, and no name card. Robes and beach/towels provided. The TV has some U.S. TV from TN and NY, free and pay movies, cruise cams, travelogues, and a sign and sail account summary. Quick lunch (12-2:30 daily) in Unicorn Café on Lido deck, where service is divided into 8 stations to avoid lines, including poolside grill open daily till 6pm(hot dogs, burgers, chicken breasts, steak sandwiches), Chinese, Taste of Nations (countries change daily – Italy, India, Caribbean, Japan, America, France, Mexico, Greece), Deli (reuben, turkey, roast beef, pastrami) open 11-11, Pizza (open 24 hours), Rotisserie (three or four selections changes daily), Salad and Fruit bar, dessert station. After lifeboat drill went to Lido deck for sail away, which was about 30 minutes late due late boarding. We were interviewed by the Travelogue video crew and for much of the cruise people greeted us with “we saw you on the videoâ€Â, which plays on the TV. We made our Golden Fleece reservations for later in the week on day 5, 8pm, and got a great table for two by the windows. For our 8:15pm dinners in Truffles Dining Room, we were assigned a table for 2 on the balcony level, deck 3. The dining room has a terrific layout with all service stations on the sides, not among the tables. It cut down on noise. Our table overlooked the main floor from the balcony, as did most of the table for 2, and there a lots. Our team was Jelena from Croatia and Roberto from the Philippines. We brought our own wine all week, and corkage was $10, but was only charged 5 of 8 nights. We also brought extra champagne for sipping on the balcony. Dinner was rack of lamb and tilapia. We skipped the welcome show and enjoyed Satchmo’s Lounge with the Music Society, a 4 person Philippino band playing 60’s – 90’s hits for dancing, and the Johnny Favourite band in the Firebird Lounge playing slow dancing music and jazz. Day 2 At sea: Enjoyed room service breakfast, prompt delivery. Checked our arrival photo, the shops, enjoyed the sun on the aft Lido deck by the pool. This was were the hot tub was supposed to be reserved for adults, according to the Cruise Capers and to the signs posted there, but was filled for days with age 7 and under children, many without adult supervision all cruise. Attended a reception in Satchmo’s Lounge at 2pm, the first Carnival has hosted, for over 40 people from a cruise board. They served iced tea, lemonade and Champagne, thanks to Sandy Schindler of Carnival. Participated in a “state†gift exchange and met folks we spoke with for the remainder of the cruise. This was the first formal night, with the Captain’s Welcome Reception in the lounges forward and in the Follies Lounge. Dinner included lobster, prime rib, and a Japanese plate with a petite filet mignon, cherries jubilee, and singing waiters. The after dinner show was “Jazz Hotâ€Â. Day 3 At Sea: Eggs Benedict in the dining room, and a lazy day on our balcony except to view ice sculpture. Dinner included 3 great soups, escargot, salmon, roast sirloin. Went to Satchmo’s again instead of attending the first of three comedy shows. They did have Big Band dancing before the show, but we were the only ones dancing! Also had late night dancing in Firebird Lounge, which was mostly empty but intimate at night…….loud/overdone when the lights were on. My wife enjoyed the piano work of the Mike Mallon, an accomplished pianist for 22 years and 3 original CD’s in the lounges at various times all week. Day 4 St. Maartin: Arrived 7am, and berthed stern first so we had a view of Phillipsburg from the balcony when we woke up. Did our first breakfast in the Unicorn café, where eggs to order, including omelets, were available daily. Taxi from pier to Philipsburg was $3 per person. Taxi to La Galleon beach on the French side, east of Orient Beach, which we had found on the internet was $18 for up to 3 persons, each way. Arranged for taxi to return to pick us up. This was a nice uncrowded beach. Fair snorkeling, great windsurfing and sail boarding. No hustle by vendors. Chair rental was $5. There was a restaurant and bar, and restrooms available. Tops optional. Back to Philipsburg to shop (Marigot is closed on Sunday even when ships are in). Liquor is $3-4 per bottle cheaper than on the ship, and cigarettes are $4-5 cheaper per carton. So…..we bought my wife a ruby ring there for our anniversary. Ended the afternoon at Everyt’ing Cool, and had my first Big Black Banana there. Great! Taxi back for $3 per person at 3:30pm. Long line boarding caused sailing 15 min late ( a trend here: long lines boarding and late sailings). They still had lunch open aboard, too. Dancing waiters again at dinner (Macarena), filet of sole, Beef Wellington. The show was a tribute to Sammy Davis Jr and Frank Sinatra by Christopher Allen Graves, and received the only standing ovation I can ever recall on a cruise. He was great, started as a player in shows, then producing, now starring. He alternates between the Spirit and the Legend. He got the audience involved in the show. Finished the night in Satchmo’s again, and in late night dining in the Unicorn Café, where the jambalaya was great. Day 5 Barbados: Had champagne and room service breakfast on the balcony, as we were not due in Barbados till noon. It was a long run at 21 knots for 20 hrs to get there. As a result, scheduled in port till 10pm. Unfortunately, because we were the last to arrive, we were berthed on the breakwater. The Sea Princess, the Costa Mariner, and SeaDream were already berthed closer to the terminal. After lunch we walked into town, about a 20 minute walk. We located the bus terminal across from St. Mary’s church, and for 75 cents per person, each way, we rode about 20 minutes to Folkestone Park, the national underwater park and beach just beyond Holetown. Entrance is free, and there are restrooms, showers, souvenirs and refreshments, picnic tables, a children’s playground, and chair rentals ($5). At high tide the sandy beach is limited, but there are plenty of sunny areas. Snorkeling is best over the reef about 100 yards offshore to the right of the beach in front of the rocks to the right. Nice coral and schools of multicolored fish….hundreds in a school. Water was very clear. Took the bus back to town and shopped at Harrison’s, downtown, then took a taxi for $5 to The BoatYard, a beachfront bar and grill with water sports, trampoline, rock climb, and a great bar/music with inexpensive drinks ($2 beer and $3 rum punch). Taxi to ship $6 at 7pm. Most shops in the cruise terminal closed at 7pm, but a few were open till 8. After a dinner of turbot and beef tenderloin, they had music on deck at 9:45, a buffet at 11:30pm and games at 11:45……island night. Day 6 Martinique: Arrived 7am. 8am cleared to go ashore. We left at 9am, took a taxi for $8 per taxi to the town, where the ferry landing was located, off the city park. For $6 each, round trip, we took a 20-minute ferry ride from Fort du France, to Pointe du Bout. Two hotels make their beaches available to the public, and we chose the Meridian. The famed black sand beaches were not here, as they had soft white, probably imported, sand. Chair rental was $5 each. Some topless. Snorkeling was excellent around the rocks and a nearby rocky point of land. Saw many fish and a few schools of larger ones, and even a sea snake on the bottom. The resort town there had many little shops and restaurants. After returning on the 12:15 ferry, we went into Fort du France to locate a CD of French popular music for our daughter’s French teacher. We asked a woman on the street where we could have a glass of wine, and she walked three blocks to lead us there. Despite frequent forewarnings, on this our second visit to Martinique, everyone we met was polite. Not as much English spoken here, but pidgeon French will do. We stopped at a waterfront place near the newer pier in town, and had great French wine for $1.50 a glass. Taxi back to port for $8 per taxi. The Destiny had come in while we were ashore. After the early sail away at 2pm, we relaxed until the Past Cruiser receptions at 6:45. We told the Cruise Director, Mike Mullane, that it was our anniversary when he greeted us at the door. They put the invitations into a bucked and had a child pull out one. We were selected and went on stage. The captain came out, and congratulated us, gave us a bottle of Pierr-Jouett Champagne ($99 on the wine list aboard), and asked how many cruises. We said 16 and that my wife had been on 8 Carnival and I on 7, and we reeled off the names when he asked: Tropicale, Jubilee, Fantasy, Inspiration, Sensation, Destiny, Triumph and Legend. As a result, for the rest of the cruise we were greeted by strangers with “Happy Anniversaryâ€Â. Then we went to dinner at the Golden Fleece, the premium restaurant with $25pp cover charge and jackets required for men. The musical duo, Just Duo, is outstanding. The Captain was having dinner with his officers at the adjacent table and cheered us with a “Salute†as we sipped our champagne. A 6 course meal, including appetizer, starters, soups, Caesar salad prepared tableside, 18oz Porterhouse steak and 12 oz Maine Lobster tail, an anniversary whipped cream cake, and dessert including triple crème Brule and a cheese and fruit tray, accompanied by a good Wolf Blass Australian Cabernet that was only $22. A great time dining, dancing, and photos. Finished the evening dancing in Satchmo’s. Day 7 At Sea: A casual day. Breakfast in the Unicorn Café, and sun on the balcony. Late lunch in Unicorn Café…Mexican today. They held a 4pm Christmas show with children performing and photos with Santa and his elves. The Banger Sisters with Goldie Hawn and Susan Sarandon was the TV movie of the day. This was the second formal night. We had not posed for formal shots till not, but there are multiple locations all over the ship and the lines were shorter than on any cruise we have been on. Another struggle in the dining room with lobster, snow crab, Chateaubriand and baked Alaska. Skipped the third comedian show of the week. Finished at Satchmo’s again. Tonight was the only Grand Buffet, available for photos in Truffles from 11:30pm to 12:15, and open at 12:15am. Day 8 At Sea: Truffles Restaurant for Eggs Benedict, and sunning on the balcony again. Had a nearly 2 hour meet with another website and her husband and toured their Cat 11 suite with extended balcony. Then at 1:45 the group of cruisers from the bulletin board had arranged a group luncheon in Truffles. Before dinner we began to pack and struggled through prime rib at dinner. The show was a double grammy nominated singer who did Streisand/Deon/Warwick style songs. Visited Satchmo’s one last time. I did not use the internet café in the library at all, for a change. Cost is $3.95 one-time set up charge, a needless charge in my opinion, and 75 cents a minute plus 50 cents per page for printing. Packages of minutes can be purchased: 30min for 55 cents a minute or 60 minutes for 40 cents a minute. Day 9 Ft Lauderdale: Ship was not cleared till almost 9:30am, but there was no push to get us to vacate cabins. And there seemed to be no lines at stairs or overcrowded lounges, for a change. Leisurely breakfast in Unicorn, vacated cabin and waited till our tag color was called. No problems debarking or locating luggage, and we got a taxi within 5 minutes of arriving at the curb. Overall: Décor: 4 stars. The Legend theme is carried effectively throughout the ship, elevators, lounges, art, etc. It is NOT over the top as some Europeans termed it. There is no “neon†as is noticeable on Destiny and other Carnival ships. The sight lines in the Follies Lounge, especially the balcony, are terrific. Cabin décor was very different than that on the older ships. Service: 4 stars. The room stewardess never introduced herself, but was very efficient and accommodating, provided extra ice and put our champagne in the fridge. Our dining room staff was excellent, and bar staff spoke to us often. One night when the waiter was ill, the assistant filled in admirably. They brought things we used every night without having to ask again a second time. The Cruise Director was very personable and one of the best we have had. His wife is aboard as an entertainer, and looks like a red haired Liza Minelli. Food: 5 stars. Dining room was absolutely superb at any meal. The tremendous selection at lunch in the Unicorn, with extended hours for the grill, deli and great pizza, made lunch an adventure every day. And any cruise with eggs benedict available every day in the dining room is great. And bagels with lox and crème cheese from room service. I shop and cook at home, and this was superb. The best in 16 cruises, bar none.

Oct 17-19, 2003 Arrived in downtown Norfolk about 12:20pm, parked in the Town Point garage, and walked across the street to the cruise terminal/pier at Nauticus. There was no line and we were through check-in, security and photos, and onboard by 1pm. We had decided to save money this year and just get and inside guarantee. We were assigned cabin 6289 on the Upper deck. A large room, with beds made up as a king. Having been on Destiny, which I did think was very “neon†in décor and a bid gaudy, the Victory was a pleasant surprise. We knew the layout of the class, but liked the Victory’s colors and décor. We sent directly to the Atlantic dining room, to which we had been assigned for late seating at 8:30pm, only to find that we were seated at a table for eight and had requested a table for two. Marko, the Matre d’ was very accommodating and set us up with a nice table on the upper level. We enjoyed embarkation lunch in the Mediterranean restaurant on Lido deck, where the Chinese wok, deli, buffet lines, Mississippi BBQ, and Pizza kitchen were all open. Lifeboat drill was about 25 minutes later than scheduled, so we sailed about 4:45pm. It was a sunny day, in the low 70’s, the outstanding pool band Ecstasy was playing, and Karen even sunned in her bathing suit. With sunset about 6:20, we were still in the Hampton Roads channel at sunset. We found our favorite wine and martini bar at the Caspian Bar and enjoyed pre-dinner cocktails. At dinner hour we reported to the dining room only to see from the entrance that someone was seated at our table. I asked to headwaiter to check, and she moved the couple. She said to wait a few minutes until the table was ready. No one came to advise us, and finally at 8:45 we just walked to the table and sat down. The wait staff did an outstanding job of accommodating us at that time and by the time of the main course we were right on line with everyone else. I brought my own wine to the dining room each night, prepared to pay the $10 corkage fee. We were not charged either night. The waitress, however, knew little about wine other than how to uncork it……not offering me a taste and immediately filling my wife’s glass to the brim. The second night I asked her to just let it breath after opening and I’d pour. We had no trouble with it during boarding. They x-rayed the boxes and asked if it was wine. I said yes and they sent me on my way with two bottles of champagne and two of dinner wine. I had carried a copy of the policy from the Carnival website FAQ’s that allow it. The menu the first night was not memorable, but good. I had gazpacho, and rack of lamb and Karen had catch of the day: tilappia. Dinner the second night was outstanding. I enjoyed smoked salmon, strawberry bisque, Caesar salad, three lobster tails, and cherries jubilee, followed by birthday cake. Both nights the dining room staff paraded and danced during dessert. They actually appeared to be having fun and enjoying it. The shows both nights were outstanding, possibly some of the best we have seen aboard Carnival. The lead songstress, Diana LaSalla, has an awesome voice and vocal range, and Kevin Jayroe, the lead singer, was very good. The dancers dressed both nights like a Vegas review and were excellent. They were so good that neither of us fell asleep either night! The weather on day two was as bad as last year, raining till late afternoon, and eliminating the normal pool activities and making the food lines very long and slow. They moved some activities inside, and the Siren’s Pool on Lido deck, with the retractable cover, was busy. A blackjack tournament made the casino the most crowded I’d ever seen on cruises. They did have nickel slots and me made our customary donation. Photo portraits were available both nights. Camp Carnival was in full swing, including a coketail party and formal dinner for them. There were far fewer men in formal dress than on any other cruise we have been on, including this same cruise last year. Women were mostly formally attired. At the captain’s welcome aboard party, in the Adriatic Lounge, there were plenty of free drinks and appetizers even after the Captain and other officers were introduced and left, an uncommon situation. There were a nice variety of music/dancing venues both evenings, from 70’s to jazz, classical, rock, etc. A Filipino band, The Bestsellers, was awesome. Because of the rainy day on Saturday we did attend a matinee comedy show with two comedians. TV is VERY limited. No CNN and intermittent movies. They did have Saturday college football in the sports bar by the casino. The ship returned about 7am Sunday morning but we were able to stay aboard with luggage in our room until 9:20. We enjoyed breakfast in the Pacific dining room, the larger of the two dining rooms. I thanked the matre d’ for his attention to our table problems. Leaving was easy, and we walked across the street to the parking garage, deposited our luggage and returned to the park adjacent to the terminal to watch the ship sail and then attended the Town Point Wine Festival to make a who weekend of it. We had a nice weekend holiday. But two years in a row of lousy Saturday weather stealing our sun time, darn.

Barbados, St. Lucia, Terre de Haut (Iles des Saintes), Dominica, Antigua. St. Kitts, Martinique, Barbados After numerous cruises to the Western Caribbean on a variety of conventional cruise ships, I was looking for something different for our annual wedding anniversary cruise in December. I found the Star Clipper Line on the internet and was fascinated by the ship and the itinerary….the Windward Islands, places we had never been before. When we arrived in Barbados, and the cruiseline rep waiting at the airport called us by name, I knew we were in for something special. Our bags were in the cabin in minutes. The ship is fairly new (July, 2000). This is a big sailing ship - not a hotel. Biggest sailing cruise ship in the world - certainly bigger than any plying the Caribbean waters or the Med. A visual feast with five very tall masts, and almost always under sail. Compare it to other sailing ships or steel cruise ships: 429 feet long, masts almost 200 feet high, 54 foot beam (width), 56,000 square feet of sail (a typical cabin on a cruise ship has 140 square feet floor area.) Includes 26 square sails, 12 staysails, three jibs, a spanker. Every time the sailed and hoisted sail, they played inspiring music over the topside speakers! High quality appointments, cabin fixtures, and materials throughout. Very pleasant crew, enough food - well prepared - to keep us alive and happy. Rides the waves like a sailing ship - not bumpy, not flat, not boring. You're here to sail but not to fear for your life. 20 knots top speed at sail (that's very fast over 4-6 foot swells - feels great!) This ship has stairs (lots of them), no elevator, three wetting pools, more open deck space than 5 cruise ships, ample lounge chairs, and a nice quiet "public" room and library. The cabins - even the basic ones - are very well appointed, attractive, and roomy. The whole place feels pretty upscale but you don't find yourself wishing you brought your tux or tiara. Pax capacity is 228. The mix was 15% US, 20% UK, 50% Germany, 15% Canada and others. All adults. Age averages seemed to be 50+; some retirees, some captains of industry, some solos. There were a few younger single women. Many were past cruisers and past Clipper fans. A number of European's were taking back to back week cruises aboard, due to the high cost of flying to Barbados. Veteran cruisers appreciated the size/style/environment of this sailing ship vs. the "floating Hyatts". At most ports, we anchored offshore and used the tenders to land. The marketing brochures of Star Clipper leads one to expect unique landing or small beach anchorages. This ship is too large to sneak into some swimming holes. But it certainly comes near shores easily. Although Windstar and other sailing lines (like Windjammer)" sail these waters, it was clear in most ports that the size and unique qualities of the Royal Clipper earned admiring gazes of many folks on shore, and even other conventional cruise ships. One went out of their way to pass close for their pax to take photographs of us under sail, leaving St. Kitts. The Crew: A mixture of nationalities of very pleasant men and woman who are relaxed, polite, and obviously satisfied to work on this vessel. Many eastern European men are in the deck crew. Many said they had worked for several of the larger cruise lines but chose Star Clipper Lines. They treat the employees well, even letting some return home during peak periods like the holidays. Officers were Norwegian, Polish, English, etc. Captain Marek is animated, boisterous, loves to dance with guests, eats in the dining room every night, and loves rainbows!! For most, his positive energy was contagious. The bridge is always open to visitors. The Cabins: They're clean, well decorated, comfy, and have adequate space, with storage for bags under bed. We had a true double bed, not two twins faking it. Lots of wood (ersatz) and classical-looking materials. Marble (real) in the bathroom. Toiletries provided and towels changed twice a day. Storage adequate, not great. Rooms sound proof - except in some when the anchors come and go, or the power grinders help with the sail lines. Carpeting galore. Nice nautical colors and patterns. No neon. No "art". TV ran text news - sometimes. Movies played in English, French, German, and a variety of music on several channels. In room safes were available. Public rooms: Nice variety - exterior very free form, interiors like large living rooms. A comfy library with a faux fireplace. A forward room called the Observation Lounge that few people use. Contains two computers for Internet use if you purchase an internet card, and board games. A library, as equipped as other ships. Below decks, you can descend to Nemo's Lounge. It's not a lounge as was planned, but the "gym" and a beauty salon. It has exercise machines, including some treadmills and stationery bicycles, and a few other devices. There were, as advertised, three or four underwater portholes ! A great idea. Except in day you can't see much. Amidships, (above the water line) is a very nice and quiet inside room, called the Piano Bar which is really just a large space with couches, chairs, coffee machines, a bar and a piano. It surrounds the "atrium" - another touch from the "big iron ships." The dining room is the lower level of the "atrium." The dining room is wonderful and skillfully plotted to handle everyone at any time. The galley (and dishes, serving stations) seem to be miles away - so it's quiet, odorless. Buffet dinner the first night before sailing, and all breakfasts and lunches. Dinner is open seating ala carte menu. Come in anytime between 7:30 and 10pm. A bar and covered deck area (where we embark and disembark) were nautical and nice. This is were after dinner dancing, entertainment by crew and passengers, and fun and games takes place at night. One night they brought aboard a fabulous steel band until we sailed about 11pm. The top (Sun) deck is the best - huge, all areas open. Features big things which help the ship sail - like masts, lines, machines, gadgets, chains. All teak decking, abundant benches and things to sit on or lean against or lie on. Visibility from the deck is 360 degrees with no air conditioning boxes or cranes blocking your view or your movement. The pools are wet - one has a glass bottom which is viewed from the piano bar atrium. Two are very small. I like to float in water that's floating on a ship that's floating in sea. It's comfy - if you like salt water. There's lots of room to stand or sit by the bridge area - there's a great high platform to stand like an Admiral and study the horizon. Looking back over the deck, even the slightest roll of the ship is magnified by the 200 foot masts - this thing is an engineering marvel that must be seen to appreciated. We heard it cost $65 million to float it - that may be low. Forward (in front of) the bridge area is more deck space. And beyond that (even more forward) is some tight netting that hangs out over the water under the bowsprit. (That's the stick thing that points ahead of the ship.) You can get out on this net - there's room for a brigade - and ride (dry) above the waves just ahead of the ship as it cuts thru the surf. Food: There's a lot of it. The variety at breakfast and lunch buffet each day is amazing. Breakfasts had all the normal crunchy stuff plus oatmeal. A nice chef with stove top cooked eggs any way/any time/any amount you like. Lunches had lots of greens, lots of cheeses, lots of noodle things, lots of fruits, lots of desserts. And many hot dishes, meats. Dinners were very nice. Every night there were three entry choices, and two choices of appetizer, a soup, a salad, a pasta, three desserts, and a cheese plate. Selections included lobster tail, rack of lamb, baked salmon, flounder, grouper, beef tenderloin, duck, shrimp tempura etc. The wine list is good, and more moderately priced than any cruise line we have been on. $12 for bottle of good French merlot, the house red wine, $22 for a French pinot noir, etc. They don't "push" alcohol. There were finger sandwiches, fruit and hot snacks from 5-6pm on deck, and a snack in the piano bar from 1130pm-0030am. There is no room service except in suites. Didn't need it anyway. Noticeably absent are ship photographers. There was one captain's night, when men ore shirts with ties, few coats. Other nights, long trousers and tropical or polo shirts for men and nice casual for women. During the day shorts, etc were acceptable. Sports The ship has a platform off the back (the stern) that lowers into the water. The ship comes apart - and a float platform, with room for 40, becomes a dock in the water (when the ship is anchored). You can swim off that - I did. They launch some scuba and snorkel adventures off that. They also offer banana boat and zodiac boat rides, and a Laser sailboat…..all for free. You can borrow for a week (for free) all the snorkel and scuba gear you need. It's well organized. In some ports the equipment is moved to the beach. Shops The a desk where the purser lives has toothpaste, lighters, and any combination of hats and shirts with the ship's logo. No emeralds, no booze, no art, no nonsense, no discounts. Diamonds International and Columbian Emeralds are not represented. Tours Couldn't comment. We didn't take them. Seemed moderate and well-planned. Tour director was professional and thoughtful - not a shill for the line's treasury. Ports: St. Lucia: most shops closed on Sunday. Visited Reduit Beach/anchored in Rodney Bay. Terre de Haut (Iles des Saintes): Anchored. Picturesque French fishing village with shops. Used private beach at resort hotel….topless permitted. Antigua: Anchored off Falmouth Harbor….longest in port day 11am-11pm. Tendered to beach for BBQ then tendered to yacht club and walked to English Harbor and Nelson Dockyard. Looks like Annapolis harbor with some HUGE yachts and lots of sailing yachts. Some people took taxis to St. John's to shop. St. Kitts: Anchored off Bassterre/then moved to anchorage at South Friars Beach in Frigate Bay. Spectacular unspoiled scenery. Artificial reef with good snorkling and some topless sunbathing. No hotels in sight….just beach, sea, and green mountains. Dominica: Pierside at Cabrits, Portsmouth. Rain forest. Snorkling excursion by tender to underwater park. Rain!! Martinique: Pierside in Forte de France. Walked to downtown shopping. Very French. My wife called it a woman's port: lots of boutique dress shops, jewelry, etc. Went to duty free shops. Some took ferry to resort strip which they swore was like the southern coast of France. Left too soon. We purchased our air through the cruise line and bought insurance….due to the recent troubles. The ship arrived in Barbados the last day 13 hours late due to rough weather. They advised everyone early and they said they would handle new travel arrangements for everyone by satellite to their European and Florida offices, whether we had purchased through the cruise line or not. The held a briefing and then held "open bar" for the rest of the day….including wine with lunch and dinner. We finally arrived after dinner, and they promptly transported us to a Barbados resort hotel on the beach and provided the room and meals at not cost, and transfer to the airport the next day. A class act. And I only heard one complaint. Imagine that on Carnival! Misc: No problem with purchasing liquor ashore and bringing it aboard to use in the cabin. 220V electricity except shavers. No doctor aboard, only a nurse who also works in the dining room. Tips directly to the crew are discouraged. Guideline is $8 per day per person, put in cash or charge to a pool shared equally by the crew. No smoking in cabins or any enclosed public areas, except a few smoking tables and a small area in the piano bar. Major pros: Ship is stunning and sea-worthy - and truly sails (by hand, not computer.) Plenty of space, beautiful fixtures and decorating. Well planned. Passenger count and socialization, if desired, is very satisfying. "Intimate" is not the perfect word, but the idea works. Major cons: None. But you must know difference between sailing this ship and floating on a cruise ship. This ship sails. There is the "motion of the ocean." Some may wish they were back in the Waldorf. Most pax who were concerned used patches or dramamine tablets. Compares: To no ship at sea - it surpasses other "sailing" cruise ships that are upscale with metallic sails or sails that are moved by computers. The Royal's sails, while lowered and raised with power aids, are set and "trimmed" by the Captain and his crew for maximum efficiency. And in size and material, this is closest to what were true sailing ships of the 19th century - the way people and goods moved between the hemispheres. Note: We have cruised twice on Princess, 5 times on Carnival, once on HAL and once on RCL, and my wife has cruised on QE2 and Norwegian once each. We'll do those again, but this was special. From the pricing and outfitting, you will expect to see folks who might otherwise ride Princess or HAL ships. This is not the Carnival crowd. This is a cerebral crowd, usually sober, bored with slot machines, and past the stage of wearing baseball caps (backwards), tank top shirts, or nose rings. I'll likely try another Star Clippers Line cruise next year, perhaps on Star Clipper through the Treasure Islands!

Arrival We selected this itinerary for our spring break cruise with our two teenagers, our second RCL cruise, 17th overall. We flew down the morning of departure to New Orleans, arriving at the airport about 11:40am. We had arranged for a limo with an agency we found on the web boards, and a white stretch limo with a bottle of champagne was waiting for us by 12:15 in the parking garage across from baggage carousel number eight, as they had said it would be. While the emails from the vendor indicated we could pay by credit card, the driver would only take cash. The limo is cheaper than a taxi for four. We arrived at the Juliett St Terminal with 9 bags about 12:45, and whisked through embarkation process in 20 minutes. They did have us fill out a SARS virus questionnaire. We were aboard by 1:10pm, with sailing scheduled for 5pm, so had plenty of time to explore, check dining table assignment, and have lunch before the scheduled 4:30pm life boat drill. We purchased a soft drink sticker for my son for $23 for unlimited fountain drinks. We also purchased a 12 drink, nonalcoholic, card for my daughter for $21 which included “smoothiesâ€Â, which are her favorite. Our bags arrives about 3:30pm Cabin Grandeur is in fine shape, showing no wear, in our opinion. We were assigned two adjoining balcony cabins on deck 7, starboard side, just aft of midships. Each cabin had a queen sized bed made from two twins but were very comfortable. They each also had a sofa bed that opened into a double. There was plenty of storage of two people per cabin, but four would have been tight. Lots of small shelves, cabinets, and a mini-refrigerator, dressing table, coffee table, and two chairs and a small table on the balcony. The balconies are very private, with no observation at all from above, and from the adjacent balcony you would have to lean or peer to see the next balcony. The standard bathroom had a shampoo dispenser in the shower, but no other amenities. The one drawback to the location was that the cabins were located over the Schooner Bar and they played music and vocals there until about 12:30am which could be heard in the cabin. We were assigned table for four, as requested, table 136 on the main floor of the Great Gatsby dining room. It is a large two level room, the main floor on deck 4. The lunch in the Windjammer Café on deck 9, the pool, solarium, and spa deck, was typical buffet fare, but had the addition of a taco bar, a sandwich or wrap bar, and a dessert buffet. The Windjammer is a light, airy room in the front of the ship overlooking the bow, unlike most other ships where the buffet room is all the way aft on the ship. I liked the arrangement. Lifeboat drill in mandatory, and they repeatedly announced they were checking cabins to ensure everyone was on deck. Due to late arrival on the pier of some supplies, the ship sailed about 45 minutes late, at 5:45pm. As daylight savings time had arrived the week before, the first two hours of the trip down river to the gulf was in daylight. The old Commodore Lines Enchanted Isle is still moored, rusting, downriver. Food My impression on my first RCL cruise about 4 years ago was that RCL had great physical plant, layouts and mediocre food. For the first half of the cruise I felt the same. I expect cruise food to have a “wow†factor, and things I don’t cook at home. The basic lunch and dinner menus for the dining room are contained in the Welcome directory in the cabin, so we could see what to expect and could plan our wine accordingly. We bring our own champagne for cabin consumption and wine for the dining room, were we gladly pay the $8 corkage fee, when/if they charge it (5 of 7 nights this week). The lunch in the Windjammer Café on deck 9, where the pool, solarium, and spa are also located, was typical buffet fare, but had the addition of a taco bar, a sandwich or wrap bar, and a dessert buffet. The Windjammer is a light, airy room in the front of the ship overlooking the bow, unlike most other ships where the buffet room is all the way aft on the ship. I liked the arrangement. For dinners we were assigned a table for four, as requested, table 136 on the main floor of the Great Gatsby dining room. It is a large two level room, the main floor on deck 4. Each day the lunch and dinner menus are posted outside the dining room by morning, and there are a few additions beyond the basic menu. Regardless of the menu, every day options include New York strip steak and Norwegian salmon. The directory had listed no lobster night, no escargot, no beef Wellington or Chateaubriand. But, fortunately, they saved the best for last. Day 4 was a Mardi Gras dinner, with typical Louisiana/New Orleans fare, including shrimp etoufee, gumbo, catfish and fried chicken, followed by an optional terrific serving of Bananas Foster, if desired. We also had escargot, shrimp cocktail and lobster on the second formal night –day 6 after leaving Key West early in the day. Other entrees we enjoyed included Duck ala Orange, strip sirloin and filet mignon steaks with bernaise sauce, rack of lamb and roast lamb, a variety of fish including tilapia, cod, halibut, mahi-mah, salmon and others. Breakfast in the dining room includes eggs benedict every day, and the Windjammer breakfast includes all the usual buffet items plus eggs and omelets to order. No tomato juice for us type 2 diabetics, though. Only fruit juices. There were two midnight buffets, a chocolate buffet early in the week, and the Grand buffet on Thursday, the second formal night. In the end, I was well satisfied with the food. One night the waiters danced with lighted cakes on their heads, another night they marched and sang, and the last night they all paraded to the stairway in the dining room carrying national flags. The Matre De was very visible, stopped by the table every night, and even sampled our wines when I offered him the opportunity. The Wait Staff was efficient, and even perhaps a bit too quick for my taste. But they remembered our preferences for tea or milk, or a fruit and cheese plate for dessert. We enjoyed room service full breakfast on the balcony twice, and my kids enjoyed peanut butter and jelly sandwiches and other snack, including pizza slices from room service. The normal room service 24-hour menu is somewhat limited, but during dining room lunch and dinner hours the full menu from the dining room is available from room service. Entertainment The welcome show the first night was a comedian and welcome by the cruise director and dancers. The evening shows in the Palladium generally offered a first show at 7pm for those who had late seating at dinner, and another show, at 9pm, I believe, for those who went to main seating so they could attend after dinner. Sunday night was a Review of Broadway musical shows. Monday was another comedian. Tuesday was a show, The Beat Goes On, a musical review of the 50’s through the 90’s. Wednesday, where the ship remains overnight in Key West, was an Illusionist. Thursday was an impressionist, and Friday they had a matinee show at 2pm, their first ever they said, a Carol King Tapestry musical review. In addition to the usual bingo and casino, ice carving, napkin folding, and cooking demos and wine tasting for those interested, there were multiple venues for dancing from pre-dinner through late night. One we especially enjoyed was the Glen Fox Trio playing in the Centrum Lounge. Most nights when there wasn’t a reception planned there, in the South Pacific Lounge the show band played dance music ranging from big band sounds to 50-60’s night, to 70’-90’s mix. The Viking Crown Lounge had romantic dancing most nights for an hour before it turned into a disco at 10:30. No one under 18 allowed in the disco. Children There are organized programs for children 6-10 years, 11-14. and 15-17, with a daily schedule of events delivered to the cabins. There is also baby-sitting service available in cabin with 24 hour advance request, and centralized baby sitting in the children’s center for the younger ones. As it was spring break for our 13 and 15 year old, there were a significant number of children and teens aboard, but not so many as to be disruptive. The Solarium Pool and Hot tubs enforce a rule that no one under 16 is allowed, despite the nearby pizza/hamburger station. This is a lovely lounging area around the pool with the retractable roof. Water kept at 77 degrees in the pool with some powerful water jets in it. The main, open-air pool was where the children congregated. Special Events As it was Holy Week, and Passover, the ship had some accommodations for this. A Catholic priest had mass every day in the South Pacific Lounge at 8am. On Friday of Passover there was an interfaith service also in the afternoon. The Captain’s Welcome aboard reception was held on Sunday, the first formal night, with mixed drinks and light appetizers served by roaming waiters. Photos/portraits are available only for about three one-hour periods, an hour before the two dinner seatings and one hour after. Lines were shorter than we had experienced on other lines. The Crown & Anchor Society/Repeaters Reception was held on Monday evening, with champagne for all and hot and cold appetizers from self-service buffet stations. The Crown & Anchor Society Platinum and Diamond level reception was held on Thursday from 11:45am-12:30pm in the Viking Crown Lounge, and offered champagne, steamed shrimp, hot and cold appetizers, and even a free “smoothie†for my daughter. These were easily the best such events we have attended in 17 cruises. The Captain, a 37 year old Argentinean, is personable, mixes a lot, and has sense of humor. In addition to his shipboard experience, he also has helped in the construction/outfitting of Voyager class vessels. Repeaters/Crown & Anchor Society members also receive a coupon booklet for free wine tasting, a 2 for 1 drink, spa and shop discounts, bingo cards, and the casino. I was surprised at how few tuxedos were worn on either formal night, less than I have observed on any of our 17 cruises except on Royal clipper. The first one was listed as “Formal Desiredâ€Â, the second as “Formal/Suit and Tie.†There are far more tuxedos today on Carnival Spirit class ships than on the Grandeur last week. We enjoy, especially my wife and daughter, dressing formally once in a while, and even my teen-aged son seems to feel special dressed in his tux. They also have a flower cart available every night before dinner. I prefer to have corsages made up for my wife and daughter, and they readily accommodated me when I stopped by the purser’s desk to inquire. I found our later that the head housekeeper made them up: a single red rose with baby’s breath for my wife and a similar one for a wrist corsage for my daughter. A little duct tape added to the installed safety pin and wrist ribbon tie---a newly discovered additional use of duct tape. Grandeur, homeported in New Orleans, tries to continue the theme, focused on the Louisiana Bicentennial, by offering daily Louisiana based classic movies, zydeco dance lessons several days, a Mardi Gras theme dinner, and a late night Mardi Gras dance party. We brought our beads and masks, but few others did. The late night get together was a disappointment, as it was mostly line dancing and reggae music from the pool band, and a taco buffet bar, no less. The staff tossed a few beads and masks but that was about it for the late night Mardi Gras event. A personal observation I made was how receptive the staff was to special requests. Whether it was my request for corsages, or a special request for a birthday cake for my about to become a teen daughter, or a request to accommodate us for late delivery of an invitation to our cabin, or to make an adjustment on our account, the staff seemed generally eager to please us. Ports Calls Progresso: Arrived in Progresso at 8am. We went ashore about 10:30 and rode a free shuttle bus down the 3 mile length of the pier into town. We visited the local indoor market which included butchers, a fish market which included sharks, a local version of a food court, and general shops. Across the street was an open tourist market next to the local library, where the shuttle bus drops people off. T-shirts were 5 for $20, necklaces $4, and so on. They accepted US currency and gave change in USD. We then walked to the beach, which is just east of the long pier. It is on the northern coast of the Yucatan Peninsula, so the prevailing winds are a bit stronger and the water is churned and sandy. Fine for body surfing but not suitable for snorkeling at all. The beachfront is lined for blocks with restaurants and bars, and on the beach are tented areas where food and beverage can be served by the restaurants. There were plenty of lounge chairs and no one asked us for any rental fee in the several hours we were there. We ate at one of the restaurants, name in Spanish: The Old Man & the Sea. They have bathrooms and changing areas in the restaurant, and they accept Visa cards. There are many roaming vendors, but they are not persistent and move on if you show no interest. We paid $34 for 4 beers, 2 large bottles of coke, nachos for two, grilled marinated shrimp, and a chili cheeseburger. The last bus to the ship left at 4pm, and the ship sailed at 4:30. Cozumel: We have been here numerous times and love Cozumel. After many trips to Chankanaab we decided to try the beach resort at Playa Sol, which I had not visited in years. The ship arrived at 9am, and the Carnival Holiday and Victory were already there at the new international pier. We berthed at the next pier, closer to town, where Senor Frogs has opened a ½ Senor Frogs, with a pool. The duty free shops here are not as elaborate as those at the newer pier. Taxi for 4 to Playa Sol was $14. Admission, including all facilities, is $8 each, and I had a $1 coupon from their website. You need one coupon per person and the website isn’t always up. For those wanting unlimited beer and rum punch and soft drinks, the cost is $30 each, and for unlimited beverage and a luncheon buffet the cost is $37, a bit much in my opinion. I purchased a beer and a rum punch for $8. They take VISA at the gate. Snorkeling was fair, with some underwater manmade Mayan structures where fish congregate. Water is clear, but there were many tiny jellyfish. I felt no sting, however. Lounge chairs are included in the admission fee, but beach umbrellas may be rented for $4. There are showers and restrooms, but no lockers that I could see. We then took a taxi into the far end of town for $20. Visited Diamonds International to replace my wife’s engagement ring, which they had ready, after swapping stones, in an hour. We stopped at Viva Mexico to shop and then walked to the new location of Senor Frogs and Carlos and Charlie’s at the extreme other end of the waterfront strip. Carlos and Charlie’s is now a first floor venue, and Senor Frogs is above it on the second floor. Both are owned by the same family. My daughter had a Yard of virgin strawberry daiquiri and announced that when she grows up she wants to go there and live at Senor Frogs. Wrong! As usual we had a great time and lunch there. They also take VISA. Taxi back to the ship was $10 and we returned to the ship by the 5pm deadline. Key West: Arrived at 11:30 at the channel. US Immigration reps boarded and spent the next two hours, while the ship steamed in and berthed at the Hilton/Hyatt piers, checking everyone’ passports or birth certificates and picture ID’s. We were the only ship in port that day. They allowed passengers ashore by 1:45pm and we left about 2:30. We walked around Duval Street, toured the Curry Mansion in where my wife and I had stayed for a week several years ago, visited Fat Tuesday’s and Hard Rock Café, then headed to the Half Shell Raw Bar for lunch. We enjoyed fish and chips made from mahi-mahi, a pound of Key West Gold (large steamed shrimp), conch chowder and conch fritters, and an oyster shooter which includes a free glass. The latter is not on the menu and you have to ask for it. With beers, soda’s and tips it was just over $50. Half Shell is a Key West institution, on the waterfront, no pretense, but great food. After Key Lime Pie on a stick, we wandered back to Mallory Square for the sunset events preceding the 7:45pm EDT sunset. We enjoyed the unicyclist, the one man band, dog show, acrobats, artisans and food booths. Since the ship remains on New Orleans CDT all week, we returned in plenty of time for our 8:30pm second seating dinner. After dinner we walked back briefly into town with my 13 year old daughter, but she was not allowed with us in Sloppy Joe’s or Irish Kevin’s, so we were not able to do the night time pub crawl we had looked forward to. The ship doesn't sail until 5:30am the next day. Debarkation On Friday colored luggage tags were distributed based on your departure flight arrangements. With a 12:20 flight we obtained orange tags. Bags were to be put in the halls between 7 and 11pm. Comment cards were distributed. If you prefer to have gratuities charged to you Sea Pass card, you must submit a form by Wednesday. Otherwise envelopes are available for use on the last night. Comment cards are distributed on Friday, as are customs declaration forms. The ship sailed upriver Friday night arriving about 3am in New Orleans. By the 7am wake up call all bags were already ashore. They asked they we vacate our cabins by 8am. The Windjammer serves breakfast 6:30 to 8am, and the dining room from 7-8:30. By 8:30 the ship had been cleared and the first tags called. We were in the second set of tags, and were called as we finished our breakfast. No one even asked for the customs declaration. Our bags were waiting and we were at the curb before 9am. Our limo was not there, and we had to call the dispatcher, as the number we had went to voice mail. The limo arrived about 9:35 and we were at the airport by 10am for our flight. The embarkation and debarkation are remarkably quick and easy. I was impressed. In summary, we loved the ship, enjoyed itinerary, and would enjoy the same cruise on the same ship again. What higher compliment can I pay? It is funny how a 2,100 passenger, 7 year old ship is thought of as old with all the new behemoths coming on line. I prefer this size and style of ship. Well done, Grandeur.