Monday 29 November 2010
Tuesday 23 November 2010
Obituary
Today we mourn the passing of a beloved old friend, Common Sense, who has been with us for many years. No one knows for sure how old he was, since his birth records were long ago lost in bureaucratic red tape.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned, but overbearing, regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teenagers suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they had themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer paracetamol, sun lotion or plaster to a pupil, but could not inform the parents when a pupil became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home, but the burglar could sue you for assault because you protected yourself and your own.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realised that he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
He will be remembered as having cultivated such valuable lessons as knowing when to come in out of the rain, why the early bird gets the worm, life isn't always fair, and maybe it was my fault. Common Sense lived by simple, sound financial policies (don't spend more than you earn) and reliable parenting (adults, not children, are in charge).
His health began to deteriorate rapidly when well-intentioned, but overbearing, regulations were set in place. Reports of a six-year-old boy charged with sexual harassment for kissing a classmate, teenagers suspended from school for using mouthwash after lunch and a teacher fired for reprimanding an unruly student, only worsened his condition. Common Sense lost ground when parents attacked teachers for doing the job they had themselves failed to do in disciplining their unruly children. It declined even further when schools were required to get parental consent to administer paracetamol, sun lotion or plaster to a pupil, but could not inform the parents when a pupil became pregnant and wanted to have an abortion.
Common Sense lost the will to live as the Ten Commandments became contraband, churches became businesses and criminals received better treatment than their victims. Common Sense took a beating when you couldn't defend yourself from a burglar in your own home, but the burglar could sue you for assault because you protected yourself and your own.
Common Sense finally gave up the will to live after a woman failed to realise that a steaming cup of coffee was hot. She spilled a little in her lap and was promptly awarded a huge settlement.
Common Sense was preceded in death by his parents, Truth and Trust, his wife, Discretion, his daughter, Responsibility and his son, Reason. He is survived by three stepbrothers; I Know My Rights, Someone Else is to Blame, and I'm A Victim. Not many attended his funeral because so few realised that he was gone.
If you still remember him, pass this on. If not, join the majority and do nothing.
Friday 26 February 2010
Snaggie's Caribbean Blog
Day 1 - 28 January 2010
The day started on time, mainly because we didn't go to bed. So at about 0300 hrs on Thursday 28 January 2010, I was having a nice refreshing shower in an attempt to make sure I stayed awake long enough to get to London Heathrow for our flight to Miami. We were aiming to leave Harby at about 0400 hrs, hoping to do the journey in about 2.5 hours. The best laid plans do not always come to happen as planned, and so it was that we left home, in Michael's car, at about 0445 hrs. After a 15 minute stop at Newark to refuel, both the car and ourselves, we hit the A46 towards Leicester. Michael reckoned he knew the quickest route, so he took us north to Nottingham, and then to the East Midlands airport, before finally pointing south on the M1. On reflection, I remain convinced that it is quicker to go straight to Leicester, but never mind.
We had a couple of deadlines to meet in order to catch our BA flight to Miami, the final one being the bag check-in which closed at 0840 hrs. I became quite concerned when, upon turning onto the M25 from the M1, we came to an immediate standstill. It was still quite dark, and we were treated to a wonderful display of bright red lights as far as the eye could see. "Never mind", said Michael, we have loads of time yet. We eventually got moving and sped along for about 800 yards before once again we were treated to a dazzling display of red lights.
The dreaded Road Works sign appeared, telling us there were roadworks 3 miles ahead! By now, I was getting somewhat apprehensive knowing the M25. By the time we reached the roadworks, it was 0810 hrs, and we found out that there was a contra flow of 5 miles to endure, and we would still have 11 miles to go after that. To cut the long story short, having been totally convinced that we were going to miss our flight, and wondering how the hell we were going to get to Miami to catch the cruise ship, we pulled up outside Terminal 5 at Heathrow with only 3 minutes to spare. 
A little after 1400 hrs, we were able to take possession of our cabin for the duration. A compact little space that they like to call a ‘stateroom’ it was nonetheless and very comfortable cabin, with the definite advantage of being on the outside of the ship with its own private balcony. Our bags were delivered, one at a time, over the next couple of hours, so we spent our time unpacking clothes etc, and lazing on the balcony. We are on the port (left) side of the ship as you look towards the pointy end (bow) and had a good view of Miami when we eventually made our way out of the port at 1700 hrs. After some shenanigans with the bedding in the cabin, and some fairly robust discussions with the Customer Service officers, I eventually persuaded them that we should have clean bed linen on the bed, which they managed to correct for us as we ate in the restaurant at 2000 hrs. We had a good wander around the ship, inevitably comparing it in my mind with previous ships I had cruised on (with Princess), before retiring to our cabin for a well deserved rest/sleep. As we slept, so the ship set sail for Samana in the Dominican Republic, but it would take us 36 hours to get there, so we looked forward to our first day at sea after our night’s sleep.
After getting up rather late, we managed to find everything where we had put it yesterday, got dressed and had some breakfast. Then it was off to explore the ship! It is quite a large ship with about 2200 passengers and 1400 crew. It is certainly well equipped with something in the region of 15 different bars/lounges, 8 different restaurants and a cinema, casino and theatre. For the more energetic folks there is a jogging track and a walking track, and also a fitness centre. However, with the majority of the guests being American and middle aged, there doesn’t seem to be much use made of the exercise facilities. Of course, there are also swimming pools (3) and a pool for kids; thankfully, although I know there are some kids on board, NCL seem to have devised a way of keeping them under wraps somewhere, so I haven’t seen anything of them really. We seem to be sailing into a headwind of about 20 kts, and the sea is described as moderate, which equates to a swell of between 4 and 8 feet. On a ship of this size, you don’t really feel this, although Jeannette does seem able to feel the slightest of rolls. In any event, no sea-sickness here! (so far).
This evening, largely as a result of our spirited conversations with the Customer Service officer last night, we are being treated to a meal in the premier restaurant on board the ship. The restaurant is called Cagney’s (what else), and is a restaurant specializing in steaks and lobster – rather nice. NCL thought it would be a nice way for us to mark my retirement from the RAF after 31 years service and, as they were picking up the tab, I could not help but agree with them. :o) The meal was really excellent, and we did have a lovely time. We both returned to the cabin rather late, feeling very, very full. Yum yum. Had some fun trying to work out what could be found on the TV in the cabin, and also decided to start writing this blog. I have absolutely no idea if, or when, or where it will be published, as I haven’t yet sussed out internet connections. However, I am told that we can get a slow connection via satellite, so we will see how we get on.
Day 4 – Samana - 31 January 2010
Stop Press – Last night (late) we found the internet café manager hiding behind his desk in the ship’s internet café (where else?). Managed to get him to explain how we could get online with our net books, and have purchased the necessary package - $100 phew! Anyway, we have a connection, albeit a very slow and tenuous one. Jeannette is very pleased with the prospect of keeping in touch via Facebook, and I can keep an eye on KWSN, so it is not all bad.
I woke this morning to beautiful weather, sunshine and a very warm breeze, as we sailed into Samana Bay in the Dominican Republic. We were not all that sure that we would visit here after the earthquake 2 weeks ago, but it seems that the quake did not physically affect this end of the island. It would seem that cruise ships are a quite recent addition to life in Samana, and there is no port here so to speak. Consequently, all those wishing to get off the boat have to do so via a tender boat relay system. We have decided not to go ashore here. Instead, we are going to join a party of folks who are going to go whale-watching. Of course, it really depends on whether or not the whales want to be watched, so fingers are crossed. Apparently, every year between 15 January and 15 March, hundreds of Humpback Whales come south from their normal areas of operation (Greenland, Canada) and turn up in Samana Bay to give birth to their calves. Once they have given birth, the females immediately get pregnant again, and then they go back up north. If you are lucky, it is possible to go out in a smallish boat, and get quite close to these beautiful creatures. We shall see how we get on. We have already been warned that we are likely to get wet, and may suffer from sea-sickness – just hope it is worth it.
Well, we are just back from our whale-watching trip, and I can confirm the bit about getting wet, and Jeannette can also confirm the bit about going green around the gills, although she was able to weather the storm. We went out in a catamaran with about a dozen other guests, and a crew of 2 local guys who allegedly knew where we might spot some whales. The main man was a really nice guy who seemed well versed in the whale habits, and had the touristy patter as well. He started, however, with a request for a minutes silence in memory of those who died in the earthquake. It was quite a poignant moment, and brought home the fact that at just the other end of this island, there was a scene of really human tragedy and misery. He took the boat out of Samana Bay, and into the Atlantic in search of the Humpbacks. The swell was between 5-8 feet, and within a very short while, we were drenched. However, this was all made worthwhile when we spotted one of these beautiful creatures. They are absolutely enormous, you do not really appreciate just how big they are until you get close to them. These whales were about 40 ft long and weighed something in the region of 50 tons, yet they are incredibly gentle giants. We saw them come to the surface to breathe, their waterspouts bringing your attention to their location, and the boat then closing in on them so we could get a good look. Having said that, they were fleeting looks as the whales surfaced to breathe, and then went down deep again. We saw this quite a number of times, and left me feeling very very privileged to have been able to see these wonderful creatures live in their natural habitat, and not on one of David Attenborough’s television programmes. Somehow it made me feel quite small and humble to be beside a life form that travels such immense distances annually to exactly the same place to breed, and then returns to whence it came. My only regret was that I was unable to catch one on film – by the time you had seen them, there was too little time to get out a camera and take photos. Rather, I felt compelled to just watch them as they swam into Samana Bay. I guess very few people have the good fortune to get really close to these creatures, and I am so glad to be numbered amongst the few who have.
Back on board the ship, I came crashing back to normality, and got down to the business of removing wet clothing etc which you do not need to hear about. Later, we found a nice Wi-Fi hot spot in the Java café where one can sit down with the net book, and log onto the ship’s network to catch up with Facebook etc. Jeannette managed to have a quick chat with the family in Lincoln, and I just quickly checked my emails before shutting down the net book, and legging it into the restaurant for dinner. I had a rather bland shrimp and potato salad for a starter, but a nice braised lamb shank for the main course. Then back to the cabin for some last admin of the day, before turning in for the night. Tomorrow we are in the British Virgin Islands in Tortola as we enter the Caribbean Sea. Sounds like it will be a nice leisurely day.
5 – Tortola - 1 February 2010
It is now 2230 hrs and we have had our dinner. Actually, we ended up sitting at the next table to an American lady by the name of Gilberta! She is quite a character and on the lookout for a man. Seems to have had a bust-up with her friend (lady) who she is on holiday with and with whom she is sharing a cabin. This bust-up is so severe that they are no longer talking to each other, and are communicating by email and letter, in spite of the fact that they are sharing a cabin! We do find some folks. Anyway, dinner was entertaining if not all that great eating. I have to say that the NCL cruise line has been great so far in everything apart from the dinner menu, which is invariably small in choice, and unadventurous. I suspect that this is a ruse by NCL to try and persuade us all to eat in the speciality restaurants on the boat, which occasion an additional cover charge. Funny old thing. The wind is howling outside, with the wind speed up to 30 kts. The sea state remains relatively slight so should be a smooth and peaceful night.
The weather is still very warm with the temperature outside, even now, at a very respectable 26.5 C. The barometer is steady at 1015, so hopefully will remain that way for the next 12 days; seems the weather is not so good at home so, on balance, I am pretty pleased to be here in the Caribbean.
I am sitting here in the Java Café which is supposedly an internet hot spot, so we should be able to connect to the internet. However, it is such a slow connection that it would be more appropriate to call it an internet cold spot. Earlier on, when we were docked at Tortola, I managed to bum a connection on a different Wi-Fi network that the net book picked up. I don’t know who it belonged to, but it gave me a cracking connection for about 30 minutes. Then I think I must have been rumbled because the connection suddenly shut down, and the network disappeared. Such is the life of the modern day Pirate of the Caribbean! Ho Hum.
Day 6 – Antigua - 2 February 2010
The day dawned bright and sunny as we sailed slowly into the port of St John in the beautiful island of Antigua. We have now sailed 1283 nautical miles since leaving Miami, and although we have had a pretty strong breeze all of the time (25 mph), we have enjoyed really good temperatures of between 27 - 31 C. It was lovely waking up and seeing Antigua again, as it is one of my favourite destinations in the Caribbean. The island is beautiful and green with many tropical fruit trees everywhere. The people are probably the friendliest I have encountered over here, and nothing is too much trouble for them. So today we have decided to go on an organized tour to see some of the island’s coastline, and to visit Nelson’s Dockyard, the only Georgian built dockyard still in daily use anywhere in the world.
After a very leisurely start to the day (again), we had an unhurried breakfast on the main open deck of the ship. An omelette with bacon went down extremely well, and this was quickly followed by a couple of American pancakes with maple syrup. When you are not sure when you will next eat, it is important to make sure you are well provided for i.e. full up. A stroll along the pier where the ship had docked revealed 2 other cruise ships in with us. One was the Royal Caribbean cruise liner, ‘Serenade of the Seas’, and the other was a Fred Olsen boat, ‘Boudicca’. I must say that the ‘Serenade’ looked a fine ship whereas the Boudicca looked a little more like a coastal tramp steamer. Jeannette tells me that the reputation of the Fred Olsen line does not make good reading, so I am pleased we are on the boat with NCL. At 1000 hrs, both the Serenade and the Norwegian Dawn held their weekly crew emergency drill.
Apparently, they have to exercise the crew in emergency procedures on a weekly basis. Both ships lowered lifeboats to the water which then proceeded to race about the water between the 2 vessels like a group of demented water-boatmen. After much noise in the form of tannoy broadcasts and ship's whistles (which are not whistles but extremely loud sirens), the exercise was completed and a big thank you broadcast to the passengers for putting up with it all! After taking a few photos of the ships, we met up with our tour guide, a young lady by the name of Daria. She looked about 18, but was actually 30, and a really happy and bubbly girl. She also knew her stuff and was able to share lots of information with us as we travelled across the island to Nelson’s Dockyard.
Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was stationed here for 3 years before the Peninsula War took him, eventually, to Trafalgar. The harbour is still used daily in Antigua, and was a very interesting visit. The Antiguan government is slowly restoring all of the buildings to their original state, and is being very successful. One of the old workshops has been converted into a small and exclusive hotel with only 22 suites. You can stay there now for about $350 per night!
Antigua is also becoming a favourite haunt of the rich and famous, and we were also shown the residence of Eric Clapton whilst we were there. It is a very nice house in a very nice spot. Wish I could afford it. Anyway, after we were treated to a complimentary rum punch in the Dockyard, which we actually paid for within the price of the tour no doubt, we all ambled back to our air conditioned minibus for the journey back to St John’s, the capital of Antigua. We went past the national cricket stadium, named after Sir Vivian Richards, one of my cricketing heroes. It transpired that Viv Richards was, in fact, a cousin of Daria, our guide. However, as she quickly explained that she did not like cricket, there was the end of my cricketing conversations. On a bus full of Americans, it seems I was the only one who understood the game. Never mind.
We eventually made it back to the port, having first stopped to pick up Daria’s baby daughter from her crèche facility. She was the most beautiful little girl, and cheerful as her mother. Once back, after goodbyes to Daria, we had the opportunity to look in a few shops before making our way back on board. We got to our cabin, and then sat on the balcony watching as the
‘Serenade of the Sea’ reversed away from the port to turn 180 degrees in her own length before departing the port. Once she was away, we had the chance to capture a few Frigate birds and a brown pelican on film before the Norwegian Dawn followed suit, and we left Antigua behind us. I love the island, and hope I can come back again sometime. The place is so beautiful, and the people are absolutely marvellous. What a place to live; I can understand why Eric lives there!
Back on board, and it is now 2130 hrs. The dining room menu is unchanged again, and I am still fed up with what I consider to be a very poor standard of evening cuisine. When one pays the amount we have for the whole cruise experience, then there is a standard of cuisine expected in the evening which, when the service is also up to standard, gives rise to what is collectively described as ‘fine dining’. This is what we should have in the evenings on board but, unfortunately, the standards in the dining room at night have signally failed to rise to the required level on all counts. Having said that, my burger this evening was gorgeous, but that is not the point. It is warm and quiet here on the deck, even open to the air as it is. However, I am now off back to the cabin for a bit of room service (hot chocolate), and to transfer my photos for today from the camera to the hard drive.
Right. It is now 2245 hrs, and the photos have been transferred. Hopefully, if this blog is ever published, some of the photos will serve to illustrate our experiences. Not had my hot chocolate yet, but as soon as I do, it is off to bed, as we have an early start tomorrow on the island of yet another one of my cricketing heroes - Sir Garfield Sobers and Barbados!
Day 7 – Barbados – 3 February 2010
It is a bit crowded here! We arrived at not so sunny Barbados at about 0900 hrs today only to find 3 other cruise ships already in the port. The Carnival Victory, Ocean Village and Ruby Princess were already docked which meant that we were relegated to the commercial dock area, just by the container crane. As we were not allowed to walk through the commercial area, we had to wait for a shuttle bus system to be set up. Given that our tour today was supposed to leave at 0915 hrs, you can already see that it was not going to be a good day. We actually made the terminal building on time as we were at the front of the queue to get off the boat. All that meant was that we had to hang around for 45 minutes, waiting for everyone else to get there. Once everyone was there, for some reason we had to change bus. It wouldn’t have been too bad if it were not for the fact that, excepting us, the average age of the other passengers on the trip must have been approaching 75. As a consequence, everything that required us to move from A to B took 3 times longer than it really should. This, coupled with the fact that the sun came out and the temperature went quickly up to 31 C, ensured that I was not in the very best of moods.
The only good thing was the return to the port which was early enough to do some shopping, which pleased Jeannette. At least the tour guide, who was quite a comic, remembered to mention Sir Garfield Sobers as we came back into Bridgetown, mainly because we had to wait at the traffic lights just outside the Kensington Oval. Last time we were here, 3 years ago, we visited the Banks Brewery (Barbados’ beer) and the Mount Gay Distillery (Rum) – I was pleased to get a bottle of Banks in a bar just outside the Terminal building. It was so hot by then, the beer didn’t touch the side. Even Jeannette tried a quick sip, and then came back for more, saying that she thought it was really quite nice!
We had both caught a bit of the sun on the trip this morning, so this afternoon was time for a chill out in the cabin. Once the shopping was put away, it was into the shower and then siesta time. The air conditioning was pumped up to maximum, and a few Zs were pushed out. By 1700 hrs, I was starving, so I persuaded Jeannette to go out for an early dinner. We thought it would be a good idea if we were to try the main dining room once again. You, my readers, will know by now my opinion of the NCL dining room standards, and unfortunately nothing had changed. Jeannette’s rare steak with fries came in disguised as a medium steak with a baked potato. How can they get it so wrong? Only 4/10 tonight, and I am now upstairs in the self-service area where the food is generally better, and I can get a curry.
In the meantime, I am just going to transfer the photos again. Then it will be recharging the net book time, and either watching a film or back to my book – the book looks favourite right now. So it is goodnight to all my readers – St Kitts tomorrow!
Day 8 – St Kitts – 4 February 2010
Today was a slightly quicker day as we did not dock in St Kitts until 1100 hrs. We were the only cruise ship in the port, so there wasn’t too much hassle involved in getting off the boat this time. We had been here some 3 years ago, and had discovered Brinley’s Rum in a little bar on the only street leading away from the ship terminal. How things can change in 3 years! When we came out of the terminal, it was very obvious that a huge amount of development had taken place since the last time we were here. I had been exchanging emails with Zach Brinley, one of the owners of Brinley Rum, and had arranged to meet with him in his bar. However, it quickly became apparent that with all the new buildings etc, the Brinley shop and bar had been relocated. In spite of much looking around, and even enquiring with the local policeman, we were unable to find where they had moved to. Feeling very disappointed, we had a good look around the shops, which pleased Jeannette. What pleased me was that we did find a shop which sold Brinley’s Rum, and we bought 2 bottles of Mango Rum and 1 bottle of Coffee rum. Haven’t tried the coffee rum yet, so am looking forward to that.
Strolling a little further along the street brought us to a bar situated under a pagoda style edifice right in the middle of the street – good job it was pedestrianised! Anyway, and even better, it served Brinley’s Mango Rum, so Jeannette had one of those served with ice and cranberry juice, and I settled for a Carib beer (The beer of the Caribbean). We were also able to get a few bits and pieces to take home for grandchildren etc. so the day was not a complete loss. After we had shopped a while, and taken a few happy snaps, we returned to the boat for a rest. What I have found during this holiday is that my feet do significantly limit what I am able to do during the day. Most days, by the time I get back to the boat, I really do need to get my weight of my feet, and get the leg raised.
We left St Kitts at about 1800 hrs, and set course for Miami. It will take us more than 2 days to get there, so we will have a couple of relaxing days at sea before docking in Florida. It will give us a chance to really chill, and for Jeannette to have a good look around the tax free shops on board. The on board TV is not great, but we both have our net books, handily pre-loaded with films, music etc., and we can get online as well, although at a prohibitive cost!
Day 9 – At Sea – 5 February 2010
Today we are at sea all day, speeding towards Miami at about 21 kts. The wind is building up to quite a speed, and was averaging about 33 mph by the time we got up. The sea condition was still not too bad, with a swell of between 4 – 8 feet, so we are still enjoying quite a smooth passage. There are loads of activities going on around the ship all day, it being a day at sea, but to be honest it is all a bit ‘Hi de Hi’ and reminiscent of Butlins, but American with it. I really just cannot bring myself to get very excited about it all. I have been watching a re-run of ‘Yes Minister’ on my net book, and Jeannette has been watching a couple of films. I am now on my 4th book of the cruise, so everything is going really well, and according to plan. So long as the weather behaves itself, all should be OK.
After a really restful and quiet day, we decided to risk going into the main dining room again this evening. For those of you who have been regular readers, you will know by now that this flies in the face of reason and logic, the main dining room thus far having been somewhat of a disaster area. However, we were seduced by the promise of New York Strip steak, and broiled lobster tails – how easily am I swayed. So dining we did go, and would you believe it? It really was pretty good. I am not sure if the waiters have had a sneak preview of my comments here somehow, but they were at pains to ensure we had a good meal with attentive service. Our waiter was a chap from the Philippines, and was assisted by a lady from Indonesia. They must have realized that I have a weakness for lobster, as when they served me with my broiled lobster tail (which was quite delicious with melted butter), they then contrived to bring me another two of them! I must confess that I found it very hard to resist this, so I promptly ate the lot. We then decided to go and see a show in the theatre. The show was called ‘Bollywood’ and was loosely based on Indian cinema, and Cirque Soleil. It was really quite good. On the way back to the cabin, we had a look in the Duty Free shop and Jeannette bought a couple of items. I confess that shopping is not one of my favourite activities, and so rather follow her around the shop looking at clothes, handbags etc., I stood off to one side and watched as she browsed the handbags – she has a little weakness for bags as those of you who know her will be aware. Anyway, she spent a long time looking at one bag, picking it up and admiring it. She then looked at a few others, but returned to this first bag again, almost caressing it. I then joined her, and she told me all about the bag, singing its praises, and saying how nice it was. I agreed, and then we moved on to other things, cheaper things like sweets and such like. After she had finalized on a couple of very small items, and we had paid for them, we left the shop and went outside on the open deck so Jeannette could have a smoke. I excused myself, supposedly for a pee and nipped back to the shop and bought the bag for her. I smuggled it into her shopping bag without her seeing it, and we went back to the cabin. I got my book out to read for a while, when there was an exclamation from the other side of the bed as Jeannette found the bag. Lots of ‘brownie points’ there, so I watched a couple more episodes of Yes Minister, and went to bed. I thought that the boat was moving around quite a bit, and wondered if we had hit some weather. We had come out of the Caribbean, passing Puerto Rico on the port side (nautical term), and were now in the Atlantic Ocean – it seemed a bit rough. I rapidly tuned the TV to channel 2 where we get regular updates from the bridge on all aspects of navigation, weather etc, and discovered that the sea was now categorized as rough (8 – 15 ft swells), and the wind speed had risen to strong gale Force 9 – more than 45 mph! It was a night full of motion.
Day 10 – At Sea – 6 February 2010
Another day at sea en route to Miami signalled another lie-in and slow start. In fact, there was very little to do apart from the usual Butlin type of activities which really do not appeal to either of us. Still, we have had a lovely slow day, and it has recharged the batteries. I was lucky enough to discover that the Liverpool vs. Everton match was on ESPN live, so I watched that; great result for Liverpool (1-0) although they had 1 player sent off, unfairly I thought. Having enjoyed the game, I was then pleasantly surprised to discover that ESPN were then showing the England vs. Wales Rugby international, as it was the first day of the 6 Nations Championship. I watched that as well, seeing England win comfortably. A good start to the day, and we were set up for the rest of our day.
After a relatively quiet afternoon, we decided to give the main dining room another try this evening, as we had enjoyed a good meal with good service yesterday, and thought that maybe we had been a bit harsh in our previous judgment about the dining arrangements. We decided to go at 1830 hrs as that was not too early to eat, and still gave us time to look around the ship afterwards, or so we thought. So we eventually got to the dining room at about 1850 hrs, and were shown to our table. At about 1930 hrs, a waiter decided to turn up and take our order, just before I was about to leave in disgust. We placed the order, which was for a basic steak with baked potato and vegetables. That should be easy for them to get right, I thought. Not so. The meal arrived at 2000 hrs and, by then, we were pretty hungry. However, as Jeannette cut into her baked potato for her first bite, she told me that the potato tasted ‘fishy’. Upon investigation it became very clear that the potato was off, the inside being a nice shade of black and grey. It rather put Jeannette of her meal, and I certainly could not eat mine after that either. We pointed out the problem to our waiter who immediately took it to the Maitre D’ to show him. He came over to us and offered Jeannette a fresh meal, but she said she really did not feel like eating anymore. In the end, he produced a nice plate of fresh strawberries with some ice cream for Jeannette by way of compensation. I ate nothing. I am not impressed, again, and will not go back to the main dining room again.
We left the dining room feeling pretty fed up, and made our way to the duty free shop again, as Jeannette had decided that she wanted to get something for me. I thought that was a lovely idea, and so we had a lovely long look at some duty free watches for me, before deciding upon a Tissot. It is a lovely watch, and I am really chuffed. To make up for the disaster that was dinner, we then returned to our cabin, and ordered some food from Room Service and spent the rest of the evening reading and watching films on the net book.
Day 11 – Miami – 7 February 2010
At 0700 hrs, the Norwegian Dawn docked at Miami once again, signalling the end of the first half of the cruise for those of us that were staying on board (160 passengers), and the end of the cruise for all the rest of the passengers. Up to this point, we have cruised a total of 3033 nautical miles. As we were staying on board for the next part of the cruise, we were able to have a less stressful day than those leaving the ship. However, because the Americans are rank amateurs when it comes to security, they insist on those passengers who are remaining on board getting off the boat, and going out through Customs, to re-enter through Immigration etc. This is because we had visited countries outside the US during our cruise. Why they couldn’t just leave us on board is quite beyond me. So we were duly herded off the ship at about 1000 hrs, went through the charade of customs (they were not interested as we were not staying in the US) and then through Immigration (they were not interested as we already had completed the booking in procedure 10 days ago). All rather pointless. Just to make it worse, we were then put into a holding area which was a bit like a doctor’s waiting room, only for 160 people without the out of date magazines, and told to wait there. We were eventually allowed back on board at 1120 hrs. Of course, the crew was hugely busy preparing the ship for all of the new passengers who were due to board after 1200 hrs, so everything was topsy turvy on the boat. It stayed really busy for the rest of the day with all the new passengers arriving before 1500 hrs.
At 1600 hrs, we set sail once more, leaving Miami behind the Dawn’s sister ship, Norwegian Jewel, which had been tied up alongside the same pier as us. Everywhere was suddenly very crowded, and the make up in terms of age had changed very significantly. The second half of the cruise is shorter than the first half, being only 5 days long from Sunday pm to Friday am. As a consequence, it is very much cheaper and also is about the same as just one week of school time. For these reasons, it seems we have very many younger couples on board, together with a whole lot more kids, Ugh! We decided to try and get online earlier today, having spoken with the whole family earlier on. We thought the hot spot in the Java Café might be best as the Superbowl was to be shown there later on, and it seemed wise to establish a base camp before the Café was inundated with raucous Americans. Anyway, Jeannette had a while online, and I spent 45 minutes or so catching up with this blog. I am filled with doubt about whether or not it will ever be read by anyone, as I cannot publish it day by day owing to the awful internet connection. Maybe I will publish it on the KWSN boards, as no-one else has put anything on there since 1 February, and that was me! The Superbowl started just after 1800 hrs and I watched it all the way through to the beginning of the last quarter. By then it was 2115 hrs, and we had a table booked for 2130 hrs in the French Restaurant, so I had to leave before the end of the game. Only the Americans can design a game that includes just 60 minutes game time, and then spread it out over 4 hours of real time! The game was highlighted at halftime by a short concert by The Who, with Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend belting out a few classic Who tracks. Anyway, I left the game with 11 minutes of game time remaining, with the Indianapolis Colts leading; by the end of the game, the New Orleans Saints had scored sufficiently often in the last quarter to have hammered the Colts. C’est la vie.
The meal in the French Restaurant was gorgeous. I had Escargots to start and Jeannette had seared Scallops. We both then had French Onion soup before moving onto the most perfect of fillet steaks. We ended up with Jeannette having some amazingly rich chocolaty something, and me having some Crepes Suzette. It was absolutely delicious. Then back to the cabin completely tired out for a good night’s sleep.
Day 12 – At Sea – 8 February 2010
Wow! What a beautiful day there was when I awoke this morning. We were about 30 miles NW of Cuba and there was not a cloud in the sky. The sky was an amazing shade of blue, there was very little swell on the water and, in short, it was a perfect day for cruising. Which is just as well, as we are not stopping anywhere today; it is full steam ahead for Great Cayman, arriving there tomorrow morning. Jeannette had a lie in, and whilst she was kipping, I spent some time catching up with my blog which, I am pleased to say, is now bang up to date. I have even managed to download the pics from my little camera onto the net book so hopefully I will be able to illustrate my blog if and when I publish it. We have had a relaxing day, with a late breakfast upstairs on the deck where they have the pool etc. We discovered a waffle station which pleased Jeannette no end. In fact, we both had a go at it, with Jeannette enjoying her with strawberries and cream, and mine with maple syrup and cream. They were really quite good. Unfortunately, one of the waitresses suffered an epileptic ‘grand mal’ fit which upset Jeannette, bringing back memories of when Jessica had her fits before Christmas last year.
Having had breakfast, we adjourned to the deck around the pool. Lots of folks were there as it really was lovely weather. A little while later, a barbeque was put on by the pool, with hot dogs and burgers for all. We were not all that hungry so did not partake. However, Jeannette decided that we both deserved a drink, so she had another strawberry daiquiri, and I had a G & T. Very nice but it didn’t last long so I had to try a banana daiquiri as well. That was also rather nice so I decided to quit whilst I was ahead and we retired to the cabin for a while. After more blogging and reading, we went to a presentation about shopping in Great Cayman and Cozumel. The lady doing the presentation (Tamara) was very knowledgeable, and Jeannette found it both informative and enjoyable. I think I am in for some serious shopping very soon.
One thing I have not mentioned yet in my blog is the whole vexed question of tipping on the boat. Like most of all the cruise ships, NCL do impose a service charge of $12 per person per day, so it is costing me an extra $24 for each day of the cruise. Now I know that Americans tip just about everybody all of the time, so I suspect that this system is aimed mainly at them. In any event, they seem to be very happy with it. I, however, am definitely NOT happy with the system. It seems to me that, if you have paid a great deal of money for a cruise of this kind, then you should be entitled to expect a good standard of service as part of the deal. I honestly do not see why I should have to pay an additional $12 each day for what has been, on the whole, pretty average service at best, and bloody awful service in the dining room. How can a wait of 55 minutes for your meal be construed as excellent? Of course, NCL do maintain that the daily charge is ‘discretionary’, but they make it jolly difficult to cancel, insisting that it be done on the last day of the cruise, and producing a form to complete upon which you are required to give your reason for deciding to cancel the arrangement! All this is done against another system designed to rip you off. Anything you purchase on board, from bottled water and gifts through to golf lessons and spa treatments also attracts a service charge. This charge varies from 15% on beverages to 19% on spa treatments! So not only do they expect you to pay a standing charge of $12 per day, whether the service is good or bad, but they then impose a further service charge on every transaction you undertake, effectively making you pay service charges twice for everything, regardless of whether you think it is deserved. The Americans seem to be happy with this. I am not, and have already been to cancel my ‘discretionary’ daily charge. In line with NCL policy, this was made as awkward as possible for me and, of course, I was made to feel something of a cad for doing it. I do not care. I will not subsidise NCL’s salary bill, just so they can pay meagre salaries. I have received wonderful service from our cabin steward, Sonia, and she will be appropriately rewarded at the end of the cruise. As for the rest, they can take a hike. Why encourage shoddy service? End of today’s rant.
So here I am, bang up to date with the blog, sitting in the Java Cafe on the boat with Jeannette and our net books. I am now going to stop boring you with my writing, and am going to get a drink. I think I deserve it. I will be back later.
Day 13 – Grand Cayman – 9 February 2010
Came into Grand Cayman this morning as the sun was rising over the island, and it made for a couple of nice pics of some other cruise ships already anchored in the bay. Grand Cayman is quite a small island, made from coral, so it is pretty flat and there is no way that a ship can get close enough to dock, so it is transfer to shore via tenders today. Experience tells me that this is not always the best option, as there always seems to be something to go wrong, but we shall see. We are booked onto a shore excursion today which will take us around the island, stopping at a turtle farm and a village called ‘Hell’, so it should be very interesting. After that, we are supposed to go on a submersible to view coral reefs; shipwrecks etc. so sounds like it may be a nice day out. We have never been to the Cayman Islands before, so I am quite looking forward to our visit.
Well, here I am back on board after a frustrating, disappointing and enjoyable day, although not all at the same time. As I feared, the day started badly with chaos as part of the tender process. First of all, we used commercial tenders and not our own boats. The commercial tenders carried up to 350 passengers at a time, so we therefore had to wait on board until there were 350 of us wanting to go ashore! It was not a good start, and it got worse when we docked to find, after we were taken to the wrong dock. It then took NCL almost an hour to sort out what had gone wrong, and we had to walk half a mile to find the tour bus. At least when we got on, it was a nice, modern bus with good a/c. The guide got on and introduced himself, and then went on to say that we were going to enjoy our 2 – 2.5 hour trip. This rang a couple of alarm bells as the trip had been advertised as 4 hours. Anyway, off we went for a drive along some beautiful beaches, until we reached the turtle farm.
This was a really fantastic place, where we were able to see, and hold, some green turtles that they rear for both commercial and conservation purposes. They market the turtle meat which is very popular in the Caribbean region, tasting a little like chicken, or so I am told. On the plus side, in the 15 years they have been operating, they have released 31,000 turtles back into the ocean. They have to be 15 years old before they start to breed, and can live for 70 – 80 years. They can weigh up to 600 lbs when fully grown.
Having spent some time in the farm, handling and photographing the turtles, and having spent money in the obligatory gift shop, we were back on the bus and on to the Tortuga Rum Cake bakery and shop. Famous throughout the Caribbean, I hadn’t realised that it was made in Grand Cayman. So 6 cakes later, we were on the road to Hell (no. not the M25).
Hell is a very small village in the middle of Grand Cayman whose name derives from some very strange limestone rock deposits. We were taken to view these, and photograph them; it is easy to see why they would give the village that name.
After a visit to the post office so that a postcard could be sent, and a few more photos taken, the tour guide announced that we were on the way back to town. Of course, we were all ready for our submersible ride, but on arrival at the dockside, he announced that the submersible was broken and would not be running that day. ‘Please get off the bus here’ and that was that. I was not a happy bear. My bad temper was cooled by the fact that, just where we disembarked from the tour bus, was the Grand Cayman Hard Rock Café! Yippee!
After a beautiful cold beer, and the purchase of suitable mementoes, it was back to the dock side to catch the tender. Another 45 minute wait before 300 of us got on board, and were ferried back to the Norwegian Dawn. I was pretty annoyed about the way the tour had been cut short, and the submersible trip cancelled, and was looking forward to a good fight with NCL’s excursion staff. However, credit should be given where it is due; a letter from NCL was delivered to the cabin apologising for the mess up, and refunding half of the cost of the tour. They escaped my wrath! So off to dinner now – tomorrow is another day – Cozumel in Mexico.
Day 14 – Cozumel – 10 February 2010
Our first grey day, and there is a significant overcast here in Mexico. Does not look like a good start to the day but we will see. After breakfast, it is onto the quay and a walk to the cruise terminal. This one, like most, is designed to separate the unwary traveller from all, or as much as possible, of his cash as soon as possible. Having safely negotiated that, and the usual wait and confusion whilst NCL get their act together, we eventually made it onto a bus with our tour guide. He had his patter down to a tee, and it was obvious that he had been doing these tours for some time. All of the corny jokes were coming out but it was a grey day so, it was fine. He was almost like a Mexican version of Del Boy – a Latin American Arthur Daley. We went off on our circular tour of Cozumel Island, which is very small.
After a very short distance, we turned into the Botanical and Mayan Park where we disembarked for a tour around the Mayan ruins.
The park was lovely and the ruins (?) were also worth seeing, although some were reproductions, and some brought to the park from elsewhere. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and the whole visit was interesting. Photos were taken, including one with Jeannette holding an iguana.
She was not all that comfortable at the time as a rather large macaw was sitting on her head! He even tried to steal her sunglasses. It didn’t rain too much, so I was not too wet when we re-boarded the bus for the next visit on the tour. Having left the park, it rapidly became very clear that there is not a lot going for Cozumel. The island is flat and featureless, covered with bare scrubland and not a lot else. This is a result of a severe hurricane 4 years ago which just about denuded the island of all vegetation higher than about 5 feet. The soil is very poor quality and will support no cultivation, so nothing is farmed. In fact it is totally and utterly boring. Of course, it is rightly famous for the high quality snorkelling and scuba opportunities that lie offshore, but onshore it really is a non event. Anyway, our Mexican ‘Arthur Daley’ had his own ideas about what we should see, and he took us into a village where the local people all make jewellery using black coral as a gemstone. Apparently, black coral is rare and much sought after – something I had heard elsewhere. He showed us several shops cum workshops, and was at pains to indicate which was best, saying that all of the others were dishonest. I wonder how much he was paid by the ‘honest’ trader.
Next, we were off on a circuit of the island. The road follows the beach all of the way round, but the beaches were mostly conspicuous by the lack of sand. In actuality, mostly they were stone and shingle, and quite plain. About three-quarters of the way around the island, he brought us to a halt at a beach bar. I use the term in its loosest sense. A collection of shacks were built around a larger shack comprising an area of basic chairs and tables, and a small bar.
There was also a male and female WC, and it may be that those facilities were what gave the whole place its distinctive aroma. We were served with a free drink, supposedly a marguerite, which was in a plastic cup, and pretty horrible. Frankly, I couldn’t wait to get out of the place. It left me wondering whether this was an approved facility by NCL (in which case they need to review their standards), or another of our Arthur Daley arranged stops! So, it was back onto the bus to carry on to our final scheduled stop, the Cozumel Museum. Whilst we travelled along the unremarkable coast road, Arthur regaled us with tales of Mexican cuisine which he made sound absolutely delicious. He then told us that, strangely enough, the best restaurant on the island was called ‘Panchos’, and was situated on the main street, just a few yards from the museum. Hmmmmm, I thought; what is coming next? True to form, he then suggested that we all get off at Panchos restaurant for a bite to eat. I am afraid this was just one step to far for me and Jeannette, as well as about 5 or 6 other passengers. When Arthur became aware that there were a few of us who really did not want to eat at Panchos, his response was for us to make our own way to the museum, and he would pick us up again in about 1 hour. When you consider that the museum comprised only 4 quite small rooms, with correspondingly few exhibits, then you might understand why we were less than impressed. However, much sucking of teeth was done, and I resisted the temptation to tell him what I thought he might do with Pancho!
We duly disembarked outside the restaurant, and slowly walked back to the pier, stopping for the odd bit of souvenir shopping as we went. If you enjoy snorkelling and scuba diving, I am sure Cozumel would be a fine place to go. If, like me, these types of activities are not your scene, my advice is to steer clear of Cozumel. If anyone from NCL is reading this, take note that one of your guides is making a ‘nice little earner’ at NCL clients’ expense. Anyway, that was Cozumel. I am glad I have visited the island, mostly, but I won’t be coming back in a hurry. Last day of the cruise tomorrow, so that is all for now. I will return tomorrow.
Day 15 – At Sea – 11 February 2010
Today is our last day on the cruise, or should I say our last complete day. We had a very late start, as we are determined to take life very slowly today. We are off upstairs to the buffet for a late breakfast – more of a brunch really. After a very leisurely brunch, and a drink, we had a walk around the ship for the last time. Nice ship and the staff are very friendly. Then back to the cabin to do the dreaded packing. We are off to the Cagney’s steak bar tonight for a last treat, and then have to retrieve our bottles of rum from the liquor store so that they can also be packed. The weather is pretty dull, and is getting noticeably cooler as we make our way back to Miami. Not as cold as the UK though, I suspect. Anyway, the packing is almost done now, and Jeannette is having her last siesta. I will read my book for a while before we go to eat.
The meal at Cagney’s was absolutely delicious, with our steaks cooked perfectly. I have never seen such a large fillet steak! We also managed to get the bottles of rum, and the cases are packed, locked, tagged and outside the cabin for collection. Nothing left to do now but go to sleep – tomorrow is going to be a long day.
Day 16 – Miami – 12 February 2010
The ship docked at the pier a little before 0700 hrs, but as we did not have to disembark until 1000 hrs (last off) we didn’t get up until 0800, and then went upstairs for some breakfast. The weather was overcast, and the temperature right down to 20 C. Of course, this is a very busy day for the crew, and they are all running around in a very business–like fashion. I spent some time watching them unload the baggage from the ship which was quite interesting. Then, seemingly very quickly, we were called for disembarkation. I was a little concerned about this phase, as my mobility had gradually become worse over the holiday, and I was only managing to walk very slowly, and in great discomfort. The thought of lugging heavy suitcase around did not fill me with glee. As it happened, I need not have worried. As soon as we were through customs, we found a very helpful porter who went straight to our bags (how did he do that), loaded them onto a trolley, and whizzed them through immigration etc, along with us, and then out to the coach where they were placed in the boot. All this for $1 per bag – it was outstanding value for money.
From the port, we went back to the Sofitel hotel where we had a room booked for our use until it was time to go to the airport. Jeannette then went on a quick shopping trip with a lady she met on the ship. They wanted to get to a Wal-Mart before going home. As it was only a 10 minute cab ride away, there seemed to be no problem, so I stayed at the hotel with the lady’s husband and had some lunch whilst the girls went shopping. We had to catch the hotel shuttle bus to the airport at 1400 hrs, so Jeannette had about 2 hours for her trip. At 1415 hrs, I was getting a bit concerned about checking in at the airport, when Jeannette got back with tales of ‘no cabs’ etc.
We quickly got our bags onto the shuttle bus, and in 10 minutes were at the terminal. BA had forwarded to the airport my request for mobility assistance, and this worked brilliantly, with a porter getting from the check-in desk, through all the security checks, and out to the boarding gate, all in about 10 minutes! We even had time to have a look around a miserable selection of duty-free shops, which really had very little to commend themselves. We boarded the aircraft on time at 1710 hrs, and got to our seats which were quite comfortable enough. The aircraft departed at about 1740 hrs, which was more or less on time, and so I reset my watch for UK time which was some 5 hours later. Apart from the awful airline food, the flight was OK, and I had a chance to see a film I had long wanted to catch; Grand Torino starring Clint Eastwood. This is supposedly his last ever starring role in a film, and it was very, very good. Caught another classic as well (Bridge over the River Kwai), and then we were just about back to Blighty. We had to stooge around London for a few minutes as we were early getting there, but eventually landed at about 0620 hrs (1120 hrs USA time). No problems getting through Immigration, getting the bags which were almost first off, or getting through Customs. After a couple or more cigarettes for Jeannette, who was gasping by then, and a coffee for me, we found Nikki and Michael who had kindly come down from Lincoln to pick us up. We eventually made it home at about 1045 hrs; it was lovely getting back and seeing our kids again (Tobi, Megan and Charles (2 dogs and a cat)), but it was so cold!
We are missing the Caribbean already – Jeannette is already looking for another holiday. Within a couple of days of getting back to England, we had experienced rain, sleet, snow and frost. Why do we live here?
The day started on time, mainly because we didn't go to bed. So at about 0300 hrs on Thursday 28 January 2010, I was having a nice refreshing shower in an attempt to make sure I stayed awake long enough to get to London Heathrow for our flight to Miami. We were aiming to leave Harby at about 0400 hrs, hoping to do the journey in about 2.5 hours. The best laid plans do not always come to happen as planned, and so it was that we left home, in Michael's car, at about 0445 hrs. After a 15 minute stop at Newark to refuel, both the car and ourselves, we hit the A46 towards Leicester. Michael reckoned he knew the quickest route, so he took us north to Nottingham, and then to the East Midlands airport, before finally pointing south on the M1. On reflection, I remain convinced that it is quicker to go straight to Leicester, but never mind.
We had a couple of deadlines to meet in order to catch our BA flight to Miami, the final one being the bag check-in which closed at 0840 hrs. I became quite concerned when, upon turning onto the M25 from the M1, we came to an immediate standstill. It was still quite dark, and we were treated to a wonderful display of bright red lights as far as the eye could see. "Never mind", said Michael, we have loads of time yet. We eventually got moving and sped along for about 800 yards before once again we were treated to a dazzling display of red lights.
The dreaded Road Works sign appeared, telling us there were roadworks 3 miles ahead! By now, I was getting somewhat apprehensive knowing the M25. By the time we reached the roadworks, it was 0810 hrs, and we found out that there was a contra flow of 5 miles to endure, and we would still have 11 miles to go after that. To cut the long story short, having been totally convinced that we were going to miss our flight, and wondering how the hell we were going to get to Miami to catch the cruise ship, we pulled up outside Terminal 5 at Heathrow with only 3 minutes to spare. 
Thankfully, we had checked in online earlier, so we were able to dump our bags at the bag 'drop-off point', shout a very quick 'goodbye' to Nikki and Michael, and run to the security check which we had only 10 minutes left to get through. Once through security, no time for shopping as we had to get to the boarding gate before it closed at 0920 hrs . We made that with just a few minutes to spare, and BA started to board us a few minutes later. We found our upgraded seats quickly, and made ourselves comfortable, awaiting the 0940 take-off. We were feeling mightily relieved, having come so close to missing the flight, and were a little bemused to find that we were still sitting at the gate at 1000 hrs. Shortly afterwards, I was less than amused to hear an announcement from our chief steward to tell us that the captain of the aircraft was stuck on the M25, and BA were calling in a replacement captain who was on standby! We were still sitting there on the pan at 1155 hrs when the replacement pilot arrived. We eventually took off at about 1215 hrs – about 2.5 hours late. An uneventful flight and a supremely boring 9 hours later, we landed at Miami airport, where we were submitted to the inevitable nausea of American security. Having managed to get to the front of the queue, we were able to get through all that quite quickly, grab our bags, and catch the shuttle bus to the Sofitel Hotel. The hotel was lovely, with a superb room, and we dined on the terrace that evening, having the most perfect steak you can imagine. A good night’s sleep rounded off an extremely long day .
Day 2 – Miami - 29 January 2010
The day dawned bright and sunny, and we enjoyed a rather nice continental breakfast in our hotel room, before making our way downstairs at about 1045 hrs to hopefully grab some transport to the ship. Things went pretty much as planned, and without much further trouble, we found ourselves on board The Norwegian Dawn, our home for the next 14 nights. Unfortunately, the ship was not quite ready for us (or any of the other passengers) so we trooped up stairs to deck 12 where we eventually secured a table to sit at, and I had my first overpriced American beer (ugh). We had some time to kill before we were able to get to our cabin, so I had some more American beer which was still overpriced, but a little less ugh. It is funny how it tastes better as you drink more of it.
A little after 1400 hrs, we were able to take possession of our cabin for the duration. A compact little space that they like to call a ‘stateroom’ it was nonetheless and very comfortable cabin, with the definite advantage of being on the outside of the ship with its own private balcony. Our bags were delivered, one at a time, over the next couple of hours, so we spent our time unpacking clothes etc, and lazing on the balcony. We are on the port (left) side of the ship as you look towards the pointy end (bow) and had a good view of Miami when we eventually made our way out of the port at 1700 hrs. After some shenanigans with the bedding in the cabin, and some fairly robust discussions with the Customer Service officers, I eventually persuaded them that we should have clean bed linen on the bed, which they managed to correct for us as we ate in the restaurant at 2000 hrs. We had a good wander around the ship, inevitably comparing it in my mind with previous ships I had cruised on (with Princess), before retiring to our cabin for a well deserved rest/sleep. As we slept, so the ship set sail for Samana in the Dominican Republic, but it would take us 36 hours to get there, so we looked forward to our first day at sea after our night’s sleep.Day 3 – At Sea - 30 January 2010
After getting up rather late, we managed to find everything where we had put it yesterday, got dressed and had some breakfast. Then it was off to explore the ship! It is quite a large ship with about 2200 passengers and 1400 crew. It is certainly well equipped with something in the region of 15 different bars/lounges, 8 different restaurants and a cinema, casino and theatre. For the more energetic folks there is a jogging track and a walking track, and also a fitness centre. However, with the majority of the guests being American and middle aged, there doesn’t seem to be much use made of the exercise facilities. Of course, there are also swimming pools (3) and a pool for kids; thankfully, although I know there are some kids on board, NCL seem to have devised a way of keeping them under wraps somewhere, so I haven’t seen anything of them really. We seem to be sailing into a headwind of about 20 kts, and the sea is described as moderate, which equates to a swell of between 4 and 8 feet. On a ship of this size, you don’t really feel this, although Jeannette does seem able to feel the slightest of rolls. In any event, no sea-sickness here! (so far).
Day 4 – Samana - 31 January 2010
Stop Press – Last night (late) we found the internet café manager hiding behind his desk in the ship’s internet café (where else?). Managed to get him to explain how we could get online with our net books, and have purchased the necessary package - $100 phew! Anyway, we have a connection, albeit a very slow and tenuous one. Jeannette is very pleased with the prospect of keeping in touch via Facebook, and I can keep an eye on KWSN, so it is not all bad.
I woke this morning to beautiful weather, sunshine and a very warm breeze, as we sailed into Samana Bay in the Dominican Republic. We were not all that sure that we would visit here after the earthquake 2 weeks ago, but it seems that the quake did not physically affect this end of the island. It would seem that cruise ships are a quite recent addition to life in Samana, and there is no port here so to speak. Consequently, all those wishing to get off the boat have to do so via a tender boat relay system. We have decided not to go ashore here. Instead, we are going to join a party of folks who are going to go whale-watching. Of course, it really depends on whether or not the whales want to be watched, so fingers are crossed. Apparently, every year between 15 January and 15 March, hundreds of Humpback Whales come south from their normal areas of operation (Greenland, Canada) and turn up in Samana Bay to give birth to their calves. Once they have given birth, the females immediately get pregnant again, and then they go back up north. If you are lucky, it is possible to go out in a smallish boat, and get quite close to these beautiful creatures. We shall see how we get on. We have already been warned that we are likely to get wet, and may suffer from sea-sickness – just hope it is worth it.Well, we are just back from our whale-watching trip, and I can confirm the bit about getting wet, and Jeannette can also confirm the bit about going green around the gills, although she was able to weather the storm. We went out in a catamaran with about a dozen other guests, and a crew of 2 local guys who allegedly knew where we might spot some whales. The main man was a really nice guy who seemed well versed in the whale habits, and had the touristy patter as well. He started, however, with a request for a minutes silence in memory of those who died in the earthquake. It was quite a poignant moment, and brought home the fact that at just the other end of this island, there was a scene of really human tragedy and misery. He took the boat out of Samana Bay, and into the Atlantic in search of the Humpbacks. The swell was between 5-8 feet, and within a very short while, we were drenched. However, this was all made worthwhile when we spotted one of these beautiful creatures. They are absolutely enormous, you do not really appreciate just how big they are until you get close to them. These whales were about 40 ft long and weighed something in the region of 50 tons, yet they are incredibly gentle giants. We saw them come to the surface to breathe, their waterspouts bringing your attention to their location, and the boat then closing in on them so we could get a good look. Having said that, they were fleeting looks as the whales surfaced to breathe, and then went down deep again. We saw this quite a number of times, and left me feeling very very privileged to have been able to see these wonderful creatures live in their natural habitat, and not on one of David Attenborough’s television programmes. Somehow it made me feel quite small and humble to be beside a life form that travels such immense distances annually to exactly the same place to breed, and then returns to whence it came. My only regret was that I was unable to catch one on film – by the time you had seen them, there was too little time to get out a camera and take photos. Rather, I felt compelled to just watch them as they swam into Samana Bay. I guess very few people have the good fortune to get really close to these creatures, and I am so glad to be numbered amongst the few who have.
Back on board the ship, I came crashing back to normality, and got down to the business of removing wet clothing etc which you do not need to hear about. Later, we found a nice Wi-Fi hot spot in the Java café where one can sit down with the net book, and log onto the ship’s network to catch up with Facebook etc. Jeannette managed to have a quick chat with the family in Lincoln, and I just quickly checked my emails before shutting down the net book, and legging it into the restaurant for dinner. I had a rather bland shrimp and potato salad for a starter, but a nice braised lamb shank for the main course. Then back to the cabin for some last admin of the day, before turning in for the night. Tomorrow we are in the British Virgin Islands in Tortola as we enter the Caribbean Sea. Sounds like it will be a nice leisurely day.
Awoke today to bright sunshine and a very calm sea as I looked through the floor to ceiling windows and past our balcony to the outside world again. Funnily, after a few days in the cabin it often seems as if the window and balcony is giving us our own window onto this part of the world. Out onto the balcony as we close to the pier at Road Town, the capital of Tortola, which is the largest of the British Virgin Islands. The island is best known for the amazing waters that surround it; apparently some of the best waters in the Caribbean for snorkeling and scuba diving. Consequently, almost all of the organized tours here are biased towards those activities. As neither one of us is particularly keen on swimming, we have decided to do our own thing today. So after a reasonably slow start to the day, a refreshing shower for me, and a lie in for Jeannette, we eventually had a breakfast upstairs on the open deck in strong sunshine. Bacon and egg went down very well indeed, and after that we went down to deck 4 where the gangway was extended to allow us to get off and make our way into Road Town. To call Road Town a capital city would be to give a rather misleading impression. It seems that, once again, cruise ships are a relatively new phenomenon here as we docked next to a very plain concrete quay, and walked along the key to what was essentially a large, permanent build pagoda, under which sat a lady from the British Virgin Islands (BVI) tourist office, and a non-descript chap in uniform who may have been customs or immigration or police. In any event, neither of them took much notice of us, or anyone else walking through from the ship, so we just strolled through as well. Immediately beyond this area were the very obvious signs of construction including large pipes and an earthmoving machine. Also there was the usual army of taxi drivers, all telling you about their wonderful island tours, and suggesting to you that it would be money well spent engaging them as your personal tour guide. Having negotiated a path through the taxis, we were able to walk along a fairly rough surfaced road until we came to a series a market style stalls laid out in a row on a rough car park.
Apart from these, the only other establishments catering for visiting tourists seemed to be the usual Columbian Emeralds shops and a couple of others. There was nothing else to see here really, so we spent some time looking through the market stalls, and chatting with some of the ladies manning them. Bought a couple of T shirts, another shirt for me, and a fridge magnet, and then had another leisurely stroll back to the boat. We always seem to buy a fridge magnet. On the way back, we had a good look at the boat docked on the other side of the quay. Obviously a cruise ship of some kind, it was an enormous sail boat which evidently had a major propulsion unit as well. Called ‘Wind Spirit’, it was the largest yacht I can remember seeing. I must remember to look for it on the internet some time soon. Having taken the odd photograph here and there, we returned to the ship for a late lunch, followed by a strawberry daiquiri for Jeannette, and a lemon & lime drink for me (no more of that American beer). Thus satisfied, it was back to the cabin with us, Jeannette for a siesta and me to write this blog. I will resume later.
It is now 2230 hrs and we have had our dinner. Actually, we ended up sitting at the next table to an American lady by the name of Gilberta! She is quite a character and on the lookout for a man. Seems to have had a bust-up with her friend (lady) who she is on holiday with and with whom she is sharing a cabin. This bust-up is so severe that they are no longer talking to each other, and are communicating by email and letter, in spite of the fact that they are sharing a cabin! We do find some folks. Anyway, dinner was entertaining if not all that great eating. I have to say that the NCL cruise line has been great so far in everything apart from the dinner menu, which is invariably small in choice, and unadventurous. I suspect that this is a ruse by NCL to try and persuade us all to eat in the speciality restaurants on the boat, which occasion an additional cover charge. Funny old thing. The wind is howling outside, with the wind speed up to 30 kts. The sea state remains relatively slight so should be a smooth and peaceful night.
The weather is still very warm with the temperature outside, even now, at a very respectable 26.5 C. The barometer is steady at 1015, so hopefully will remain that way for the next 12 days; seems the weather is not so good at home so, on balance, I am pretty pleased to be here in the Caribbean.
I am sitting here in the Java Café which is supposedly an internet hot spot, so we should be able to connect to the internet. However, it is such a slow connection that it would be more appropriate to call it an internet cold spot. Earlier on, when we were docked at Tortola, I managed to bum a connection on a different Wi-Fi network that the net book picked up. I don’t know who it belonged to, but it gave me a cracking connection for about 30 minutes. Then I think I must have been rumbled because the connection suddenly shut down, and the network disappeared. Such is the life of the modern day Pirate of the Caribbean! Ho Hum.
Day 6 – Antigua - 2 February 2010
The day dawned bright and sunny as we sailed slowly into the port of St John in the beautiful island of Antigua. We have now sailed 1283 nautical miles since leaving Miami, and although we have had a pretty strong breeze all of the time (25 mph), we have enjoyed really good temperatures of between 27 - 31 C. It was lovely waking up and seeing Antigua again, as it is one of my favourite destinations in the Caribbean. The island is beautiful and green with many tropical fruit trees everywhere. The people are probably the friendliest I have encountered over here, and nothing is too much trouble for them. So today we have decided to go on an organized tour to see some of the island’s coastline, and to visit Nelson’s Dockyard, the only Georgian built dockyard still in daily use anywhere in the world.
After a very leisurely start to the day (again), we had an unhurried breakfast on the main open deck of the ship. An omelette with bacon went down extremely well, and this was quickly followed by a couple of American pancakes with maple syrup. When you are not sure when you will next eat, it is important to make sure you are well provided for i.e. full up. A stroll along the pier where the ship had docked revealed 2 other cruise ships in with us. One was the Royal Caribbean cruise liner, ‘Serenade of the Seas’, and the other was a Fred Olsen boat, ‘Boudicca’. I must say that the ‘Serenade’ looked a fine ship whereas the Boudicca looked a little more like a coastal tramp steamer. Jeannette tells me that the reputation of the Fred Olsen line does not make good reading, so I am pleased we are on the boat with NCL. At 1000 hrs, both the Serenade and the Norwegian Dawn held their weekly crew emergency drill.
Apparently, they have to exercise the crew in emergency procedures on a weekly basis. Both ships lowered lifeboats to the water which then proceeded to race about the water between the 2 vessels like a group of demented water-boatmen. After much noise in the form of tannoy broadcasts and ship's whistles (which are not whistles but extremely loud sirens), the exercise was completed and a big thank you broadcast to the passengers for putting up with it all! After taking a few photos of the ships, we met up with our tour guide, a young lady by the name of Daria. She looked about 18, but was actually 30, and a really happy and bubbly girl. She also knew her stuff and was able to share lots of information with us as we travelled across the island to Nelson’s Dockyard.
Admiral Lord Horatio Nelson was stationed here for 3 years before the Peninsula War took him, eventually, to Trafalgar. The harbour is still used daily in Antigua, and was a very interesting visit. The Antiguan government is slowly restoring all of the buildings to their original state, and is being very successful. One of the old workshops has been converted into a small and exclusive hotel with only 22 suites. You can stay there now for about $350 per night!
Antigua is also becoming a favourite haunt of the rich and famous, and we were also shown the residence of Eric Clapton whilst we were there. It is a very nice house in a very nice spot. Wish I could afford it. Anyway, after we were treated to a complimentary rum punch in the Dockyard, which we actually paid for within the price of the tour no doubt, we all ambled back to our air conditioned minibus for the journey back to St John’s, the capital of Antigua. We went past the national cricket stadium, named after Sir Vivian Richards, one of my cricketing heroes. It transpired that Viv Richards was, in fact, a cousin of Daria, our guide. However, as she quickly explained that she did not like cricket, there was the end of my cricketing conversations. On a bus full of Americans, it seems I was the only one who understood the game. Never mind.
We eventually made it back to the port, having first stopped to pick up Daria’s baby daughter from her crèche facility. She was the most beautiful little girl, and cheerful as her mother. Once back, after goodbyes to Daria, we had the opportunity to look in a few shops before making our way back on board. We got to our cabin, and then sat on the balcony watching as the
Back on board, and it is now 2130 hrs. The dining room menu is unchanged again, and I am still fed up with what I consider to be a very poor standard of evening cuisine. When one pays the amount we have for the whole cruise experience, then there is a standard of cuisine expected in the evening which, when the service is also up to standard, gives rise to what is collectively described as ‘fine dining’. This is what we should have in the evenings on board but, unfortunately, the standards in the dining room at night have signally failed to rise to the required level on all counts. Having said that, my burger this evening was gorgeous, but that is not the point. It is warm and quiet here on the deck, even open to the air as it is. However, I am now off back to the cabin for a bit of room service (hot chocolate), and to transfer my photos for today from the camera to the hard drive.
Right. It is now 2245 hrs, and the photos have been transferred. Hopefully, if this blog is ever published, some of the photos will serve to illustrate our experiences. Not had my hot chocolate yet, but as soon as I do, it is off to bed, as we have an early start tomorrow on the island of yet another one of my cricketing heroes - Sir Garfield Sobers and Barbados!
Day 7 – Barbados – 3 February 2010
It is a bit crowded here! We arrived at not so sunny Barbados at about 0900 hrs today only to find 3 other cruise ships already in the port. The Carnival Victory, Ocean Village and Ruby Princess were already docked which meant that we were relegated to the commercial dock area, just by the container crane. As we were not allowed to walk through the commercial area, we had to wait for a shuttle bus system to be set up. Given that our tour today was supposed to leave at 0915 hrs, you can already see that it was not going to be a good day. We actually made the terminal building on time as we were at the front of the queue to get off the boat. All that meant was that we had to hang around for 45 minutes, waiting for everyone else to get there. Once everyone was there, for some reason we had to change bus. It wouldn’t have been too bad if it were not for the fact that, excepting us, the average age of the other passengers on the trip must have been approaching 75. As a consequence, everything that required us to move from A to B took 3 times longer than it really should. This, coupled with the fact that the sun came out and the temperature went quickly up to 31 C, ensured that I was not in the very best of moods.
The highlight of the day was being introduced to some 'black-bellied sheep', apparently found only in Barbados, and notable for the fact that they have short coats and do not produce wool.
Presumably, this enables them to keep cooler in the Caribbean sun! The tour was awful, and showed us nothing that we had not seen before, and a visit to a ‘Botanical Garden’ was, in fact, just a 5 acre plot of land that had been allowed to grow wild! 
The only good thing was the return to the port which was early enough to do some shopping, which pleased Jeannette. At least the tour guide, who was quite a comic, remembered to mention Sir Garfield Sobers as we came back into Bridgetown, mainly because we had to wait at the traffic lights just outside the Kensington Oval. Last time we were here, 3 years ago, we visited the Banks Brewery (Barbados’ beer) and the Mount Gay Distillery (Rum) – I was pleased to get a bottle of Banks in a bar just outside the Terminal building. It was so hot by then, the beer didn’t touch the side. Even Jeannette tried a quick sip, and then came back for more, saying that she thought it was really quite nice!
We had both caught a bit of the sun on the trip this morning, so this afternoon was time for a chill out in the cabin. Once the shopping was put away, it was into the shower and then siesta time. The air conditioning was pumped up to maximum, and a few Zs were pushed out. By 1700 hrs, I was starving, so I persuaded Jeannette to go out for an early dinner. We thought it would be a good idea if we were to try the main dining room once again. You, my readers, will know by now my opinion of the NCL dining room standards, and unfortunately nothing had changed. Jeannette’s rare steak with fries came in disguised as a medium steak with a baked potato. How can they get it so wrong? Only 4/10 tonight, and I am now upstairs in the self-service area where the food is generally better, and I can get a curry.
Back in the cabin now and it is 2140 hrs. No curry on offer, just to round the day off, so it looks as if room service will be getting a bell in the near future.
In the meantime, I am just going to transfer the photos again. Then it will be recharging the net book time, and either watching a film or back to my book – the book looks favourite right now. So it is goodnight to all my readers – St Kitts tomorrow!
Day 8 – St Kitts – 4 February 2010
Today was a slightly quicker day as we did not dock in St Kitts until 1100 hrs. We were the only cruise ship in the port, so there wasn’t too much hassle involved in getting off the boat this time. We had been here some 3 years ago, and had discovered Brinley’s Rum in a little bar on the only street leading away from the ship terminal. How things can change in 3 years! When we came out of the terminal, it was very obvious that a huge amount of development had taken place since the last time we were here. I had been exchanging emails with Zach Brinley, one of the owners of Brinley Rum, and had arranged to meet with him in his bar. However, it quickly became apparent that with all the new buildings etc, the Brinley shop and bar had been relocated. In spite of much looking around, and even enquiring with the local policeman, we were unable to find where they had moved to. Feeling very disappointed, we had a good look around the shops, which pleased Jeannette. What pleased me was that we did find a shop which sold Brinley’s Rum, and we bought 2 bottles of Mango Rum and 1 bottle of Coffee rum. Haven’t tried the coffee rum yet, so am looking forward to that.
Strolling a little further along the street brought us to a bar situated under a pagoda style edifice right in the middle of the street – good job it was pedestrianised! Anyway, and even better, it served Brinley’s Mango Rum, so Jeannette had one of those served with ice and cranberry juice, and I settled for a Carib beer (The beer of the Caribbean). We were also able to get a few bits and pieces to take home for grandchildren etc. so the day was not a complete loss. After we had shopped a while, and taken a few happy snaps, we returned to the boat for a rest. What I have found during this holiday is that my feet do significantly limit what I am able to do during the day. Most days, by the time I get back to the boat, I really do need to get my weight of my feet, and get the leg raised.
We left St Kitts at about 1800 hrs, and set course for Miami. It will take us more than 2 days to get there, so we will have a couple of relaxing days at sea before docking in Florida. It will give us a chance to really chill, and for Jeannette to have a good look around the tax free shops on board. The on board TV is not great, but we both have our net books, handily pre-loaded with films, music etc., and we can get online as well, although at a prohibitive cost!
Day 9 – At Sea – 5 February 2010
Today we are at sea all day, speeding towards Miami at about 21 kts. The wind is building up to quite a speed, and was averaging about 33 mph by the time we got up. The sea condition was still not too bad, with a swell of between 4 – 8 feet, so we are still enjoying quite a smooth passage. There are loads of activities going on around the ship all day, it being a day at sea, but to be honest it is all a bit ‘Hi de Hi’ and reminiscent of Butlins, but American with it. I really just cannot bring myself to get very excited about it all. I have been watching a re-run of ‘Yes Minister’ on my net book, and Jeannette has been watching a couple of films. I am now on my 4th book of the cruise, so everything is going really well, and according to plan. So long as the weather behaves itself, all should be OK.
After a really restful and quiet day, we decided to risk going into the main dining room again this evening. For those of you who have been regular readers, you will know by now that this flies in the face of reason and logic, the main dining room thus far having been somewhat of a disaster area. However, we were seduced by the promise of New York Strip steak, and broiled lobster tails – how easily am I swayed. So dining we did go, and would you believe it? It really was pretty good. I am not sure if the waiters have had a sneak preview of my comments here somehow, but they were at pains to ensure we had a good meal with attentive service. Our waiter was a chap from the Philippines, and was assisted by a lady from Indonesia. They must have realized that I have a weakness for lobster, as when they served me with my broiled lobster tail (which was quite delicious with melted butter), they then contrived to bring me another two of them! I must confess that I found it very hard to resist this, so I promptly ate the lot. We then decided to go and see a show in the theatre. The show was called ‘Bollywood’ and was loosely based on Indian cinema, and Cirque Soleil. It was really quite good. On the way back to the cabin, we had a look in the Duty Free shop and Jeannette bought a couple of items. I confess that shopping is not one of my favourite activities, and so rather follow her around the shop looking at clothes, handbags etc., I stood off to one side and watched as she browsed the handbags – she has a little weakness for bags as those of you who know her will be aware. Anyway, she spent a long time looking at one bag, picking it up and admiring it. She then looked at a few others, but returned to this first bag again, almost caressing it. I then joined her, and she told me all about the bag, singing its praises, and saying how nice it was. I agreed, and then we moved on to other things, cheaper things like sweets and such like. After she had finalized on a couple of very small items, and we had paid for them, we left the shop and went outside on the open deck so Jeannette could have a smoke. I excused myself, supposedly for a pee and nipped back to the shop and bought the bag for her. I smuggled it into her shopping bag without her seeing it, and we went back to the cabin. I got my book out to read for a while, when there was an exclamation from the other side of the bed as Jeannette found the bag. Lots of ‘brownie points’ there, so I watched a couple more episodes of Yes Minister, and went to bed. I thought that the boat was moving around quite a bit, and wondered if we had hit some weather. We had come out of the Caribbean, passing Puerto Rico on the port side (nautical term), and were now in the Atlantic Ocean – it seemed a bit rough. I rapidly tuned the TV to channel 2 where we get regular updates from the bridge on all aspects of navigation, weather etc, and discovered that the sea was now categorized as rough (8 – 15 ft swells), and the wind speed had risen to strong gale Force 9 – more than 45 mph! It was a night full of motion.
Day 10 – At Sea – 6 February 2010
After a relatively quiet afternoon, we decided to give the main dining room another try this evening, as we had enjoyed a good meal with good service yesterday, and thought that maybe we had been a bit harsh in our previous judgment about the dining arrangements. We decided to go at 1830 hrs as that was not too early to eat, and still gave us time to look around the ship afterwards, or so we thought. So we eventually got to the dining room at about 1850 hrs, and were shown to our table. At about 1930 hrs, a waiter decided to turn up and take our order, just before I was about to leave in disgust. We placed the order, which was for a basic steak with baked potato and vegetables. That should be easy for them to get right, I thought. Not so. The meal arrived at 2000 hrs and, by then, we were pretty hungry. However, as Jeannette cut into her baked potato for her first bite, she told me that the potato tasted ‘fishy’. Upon investigation it became very clear that the potato was off, the inside being a nice shade of black and grey. It rather put Jeannette of her meal, and I certainly could not eat mine after that either. We pointed out the problem to our waiter who immediately took it to the Maitre D’ to show him. He came over to us and offered Jeannette a fresh meal, but she said she really did not feel like eating anymore. In the end, he produced a nice plate of fresh strawberries with some ice cream for Jeannette by way of compensation. I ate nothing. I am not impressed, again, and will not go back to the main dining room again.
We left the dining room feeling pretty fed up, and made our way to the duty free shop again, as Jeannette had decided that she wanted to get something for me. I thought that was a lovely idea, and so we had a lovely long look at some duty free watches for me, before deciding upon a Tissot. It is a lovely watch, and I am really chuffed. To make up for the disaster that was dinner, we then returned to our cabin, and ordered some food from Room Service and spent the rest of the evening reading and watching films on the net book.
Day 11 – Miami – 7 February 2010
At 1600 hrs, we set sail once more, leaving Miami behind the Dawn’s sister ship, Norwegian Jewel, which had been tied up alongside the same pier as us. Everywhere was suddenly very crowded, and the make up in terms of age had changed very significantly. The second half of the cruise is shorter than the first half, being only 5 days long from Sunday pm to Friday am. As a consequence, it is very much cheaper and also is about the same as just one week of school time. For these reasons, it seems we have very many younger couples on board, together with a whole lot more kids, Ugh! We decided to try and get online earlier today, having spoken with the whole family earlier on. We thought the hot spot in the Java Café might be best as the Superbowl was to be shown there later on, and it seemed wise to establish a base camp before the Café was inundated with raucous Americans. Anyway, Jeannette had a while online, and I spent 45 minutes or so catching up with this blog. I am filled with doubt about whether or not it will ever be read by anyone, as I cannot publish it day by day owing to the awful internet connection. Maybe I will publish it on the KWSN boards, as no-one else has put anything on there since 1 February, and that was me! The Superbowl started just after 1800 hrs and I watched it all the way through to the beginning of the last quarter. By then it was 2115 hrs, and we had a table booked for 2130 hrs in the French Restaurant, so I had to leave before the end of the game. Only the Americans can design a game that includes just 60 minutes game time, and then spread it out over 4 hours of real time! The game was highlighted at halftime by a short concert by The Who, with Roger Daltry and Pete Townshend belting out a few classic Who tracks. Anyway, I left the game with 11 minutes of game time remaining, with the Indianapolis Colts leading; by the end of the game, the New Orleans Saints had scored sufficiently often in the last quarter to have hammered the Colts. C’est la vie.
The meal in the French Restaurant was gorgeous. I had Escargots to start and Jeannette had seared Scallops. We both then had French Onion soup before moving onto the most perfect of fillet steaks. We ended up with Jeannette having some amazingly rich chocolaty something, and me having some Crepes Suzette. It was absolutely delicious. Then back to the cabin completely tired out for a good night’s sleep.
Day 12 – At Sea – 8 February 2010
Wow! What a beautiful day there was when I awoke this morning. We were about 30 miles NW of Cuba and there was not a cloud in the sky. The sky was an amazing shade of blue, there was very little swell on the water and, in short, it was a perfect day for cruising. Which is just as well, as we are not stopping anywhere today; it is full steam ahead for Great Cayman, arriving there tomorrow morning. Jeannette had a lie in, and whilst she was kipping, I spent some time catching up with my blog which, I am pleased to say, is now bang up to date. I have even managed to download the pics from my little camera onto the net book so hopefully I will be able to illustrate my blog if and when I publish it. We have had a relaxing day, with a late breakfast upstairs on the deck where they have the pool etc. We discovered a waffle station which pleased Jeannette no end. In fact, we both had a go at it, with Jeannette enjoying her with strawberries and cream, and mine with maple syrup and cream. They were really quite good. Unfortunately, one of the waitresses suffered an epileptic ‘grand mal’ fit which upset Jeannette, bringing back memories of when Jessica had her fits before Christmas last year.
Having had breakfast, we adjourned to the deck around the pool. Lots of folks were there as it really was lovely weather. A little while later, a barbeque was put on by the pool, with hot dogs and burgers for all. We were not all that hungry so did not partake. However, Jeannette decided that we both deserved a drink, so she had another strawberry daiquiri, and I had a G & T. Very nice but it didn’t last long so I had to try a banana daiquiri as well. That was also rather nice so I decided to quit whilst I was ahead and we retired to the cabin for a while. After more blogging and reading, we went to a presentation about shopping in Great Cayman and Cozumel. The lady doing the presentation (Tamara) was very knowledgeable, and Jeannette found it both informative and enjoyable. I think I am in for some serious shopping very soon.
One thing I have not mentioned yet in my blog is the whole vexed question of tipping on the boat. Like most of all the cruise ships, NCL do impose a service charge of $12 per person per day, so it is costing me an extra $24 for each day of the cruise. Now I know that Americans tip just about everybody all of the time, so I suspect that this system is aimed mainly at them. In any event, they seem to be very happy with it. I, however, am definitely NOT happy with the system. It seems to me that, if you have paid a great deal of money for a cruise of this kind, then you should be entitled to expect a good standard of service as part of the deal. I honestly do not see why I should have to pay an additional $12 each day for what has been, on the whole, pretty average service at best, and bloody awful service in the dining room. How can a wait of 55 minutes for your meal be construed as excellent? Of course, NCL do maintain that the daily charge is ‘discretionary’, but they make it jolly difficult to cancel, insisting that it be done on the last day of the cruise, and producing a form to complete upon which you are required to give your reason for deciding to cancel the arrangement! All this is done against another system designed to rip you off. Anything you purchase on board, from bottled water and gifts through to golf lessons and spa treatments also attracts a service charge. This charge varies from 15% on beverages to 19% on spa treatments! So not only do they expect you to pay a standing charge of $12 per day, whether the service is good or bad, but they then impose a further service charge on every transaction you undertake, effectively making you pay service charges twice for everything, regardless of whether you think it is deserved. The Americans seem to be happy with this. I am not, and have already been to cancel my ‘discretionary’ daily charge. In line with NCL policy, this was made as awkward as possible for me and, of course, I was made to feel something of a cad for doing it. I do not care. I will not subsidise NCL’s salary bill, just so they can pay meagre salaries. I have received wonderful service from our cabin steward, Sonia, and she will be appropriately rewarded at the end of the cruise. As for the rest, they can take a hike. Why encourage shoddy service? End of today’s rant.
So here I am, bang up to date with the blog, sitting in the Java Cafe on the boat with Jeannette and our net books. I am now going to stop boring you with my writing, and am going to get a drink. I think I deserve it. I will be back later.
Day 13 – Grand Cayman – 9 February 2010
Came into Grand Cayman this morning as the sun was rising over the island, and it made for a couple of nice pics of some other cruise ships already anchored in the bay. Grand Cayman is quite a small island, made from coral, so it is pretty flat and there is no way that a ship can get close enough to dock, so it is transfer to shore via tenders today. Experience tells me that this is not always the best option, as there always seems to be something to go wrong, but we shall see. We are booked onto a shore excursion today which will take us around the island, stopping at a turtle farm and a village called ‘Hell’, so it should be very interesting. After that, we are supposed to go on a submersible to view coral reefs; shipwrecks etc. so sounds like it may be a nice day out. We have never been to the Cayman Islands before, so I am quite looking forward to our visit.
This was a really fantastic place, where we were able to see, and hold, some green turtles that they rear for both commercial and conservation purposes. They market the turtle meat which is very popular in the Caribbean region, tasting a little like chicken, or so I am told. On the plus side, in the 15 years they have been operating, they have released 31,000 turtles back into the ocean. They have to be 15 years old before they start to breed, and can live for 70 – 80 years. They can weigh up to 600 lbs when fully grown.
Having spent some time in the farm, handling and photographing the turtles, and having spent money in the obligatory gift shop, we were back on the bus and on to the Tortuga Rum Cake bakery and shop. Famous throughout the Caribbean, I hadn’t realised that it was made in Grand Cayman. So 6 cakes later, we were on the road to Hell (no. not the M25).
Hell is a very small village in the middle of Grand Cayman whose name derives from some very strange limestone rock deposits. We were taken to view these, and photograph them; it is easy to see why they would give the village that name.
After a visit to the post office so that a postcard could be sent, and a few more photos taken, the tour guide announced that we were on the way back to town. Of course, we were all ready for our submersible ride, but on arrival at the dockside, he announced that the submersible was broken and would not be running that day. ‘Please get off the bus here’ and that was that. I was not a happy bear. My bad temper was cooled by the fact that, just where we disembarked from the tour bus, was the Grand Cayman Hard Rock Café! Yippee!
After a beautiful cold beer, and the purchase of suitable mementoes, it was back to the dock side to catch the tender. Another 45 minute wait before 300 of us got on board, and were ferried back to the Norwegian Dawn. I was pretty annoyed about the way the tour had been cut short, and the submersible trip cancelled, and was looking forward to a good fight with NCL’s excursion staff. However, credit should be given where it is due; a letter from NCL was delivered to the cabin apologising for the mess up, and refunding half of the cost of the tour. They escaped my wrath! So off to dinner now – tomorrow is another day – Cozumel in Mexico.
Day 14 – Cozumel – 10 February 2010
Our first grey day, and there is a significant overcast here in Mexico. Does not look like a good start to the day but we will see. After breakfast, it is onto the quay and a walk to the cruise terminal. This one, like most, is designed to separate the unwary traveller from all, or as much as possible, of his cash as soon as possible. Having safely negotiated that, and the usual wait and confusion whilst NCL get their act together, we eventually made it onto a bus with our tour guide. He had his patter down to a tee, and it was obvious that he had been doing these tours for some time. All of the corny jokes were coming out but it was a grey day so, it was fine. He was almost like a Mexican version of Del Boy – a Latin American Arthur Daley. We went off on our circular tour of Cozumel Island, which is very small.
After a very short distance, we turned into the Botanical and Mayan Park where we disembarked for a tour around the Mayan ruins.
The park was lovely and the ruins (?) were also worth seeing, although some were reproductions, and some brought to the park from elsewhere. The tour guide was very knowledgeable, and the whole visit was interesting. Photos were taken, including one with Jeannette holding an iguana.
She was not all that comfortable at the time as a rather large macaw was sitting on her head! He even tried to steal her sunglasses. It didn’t rain too much, so I was not too wet when we re-boarded the bus for the next visit on the tour. Having left the park, it rapidly became very clear that there is not a lot going for Cozumel. The island is flat and featureless, covered with bare scrubland and not a lot else. This is a result of a severe hurricane 4 years ago which just about denuded the island of all vegetation higher than about 5 feet. The soil is very poor quality and will support no cultivation, so nothing is farmed. In fact it is totally and utterly boring. Of course, it is rightly famous for the high quality snorkelling and scuba opportunities that lie offshore, but onshore it really is a non event. Anyway, our Mexican ‘Arthur Daley’ had his own ideas about what we should see, and he took us into a village where the local people all make jewellery using black coral as a gemstone. Apparently, black coral is rare and much sought after – something I had heard elsewhere. He showed us several shops cum workshops, and was at pains to indicate which was best, saying that all of the others were dishonest. I wonder how much he was paid by the ‘honest’ trader.
Next, we were off on a circuit of the island. The road follows the beach all of the way round, but the beaches were mostly conspicuous by the lack of sand. In actuality, mostly they were stone and shingle, and quite plain. About three-quarters of the way around the island, he brought us to a halt at a beach bar. I use the term in its loosest sense. A collection of shacks were built around a larger shack comprising an area of basic chairs and tables, and a small bar.
There was also a male and female WC, and it may be that those facilities were what gave the whole place its distinctive aroma. We were served with a free drink, supposedly a marguerite, which was in a plastic cup, and pretty horrible. Frankly, I couldn’t wait to get out of the place. It left me wondering whether this was an approved facility by NCL (in which case they need to review their standards), or another of our Arthur Daley arranged stops! So, it was back onto the bus to carry on to our final scheduled stop, the Cozumel Museum. Whilst we travelled along the unremarkable coast road, Arthur regaled us with tales of Mexican cuisine which he made sound absolutely delicious. He then told us that, strangely enough, the best restaurant on the island was called ‘Panchos’, and was situated on the main street, just a few yards from the museum. Hmmmmm, I thought; what is coming next? True to form, he then suggested that we all get off at Panchos restaurant for a bite to eat. I am afraid this was just one step to far for me and Jeannette, as well as about 5 or 6 other passengers. When Arthur became aware that there were a few of us who really did not want to eat at Panchos, his response was for us to make our own way to the museum, and he would pick us up again in about 1 hour. When you consider that the museum comprised only 4 quite small rooms, with correspondingly few exhibits, then you might understand why we were less than impressed. However, much sucking of teeth was done, and I resisted the temptation to tell him what I thought he might do with Pancho!
We duly disembarked outside the restaurant, and slowly walked back to the pier, stopping for the odd bit of souvenir shopping as we went. If you enjoy snorkelling and scuba diving, I am sure Cozumel would be a fine place to go. If, like me, these types of activities are not your scene, my advice is to steer clear of Cozumel. If anyone from NCL is reading this, take note that one of your guides is making a ‘nice little earner’ at NCL clients’ expense. Anyway, that was Cozumel. I am glad I have visited the island, mostly, but I won’t be coming back in a hurry. Last day of the cruise tomorrow, so that is all for now. I will return tomorrow.
Day 15 – At Sea – 11 February 2010
Today is our last day on the cruise, or should I say our last complete day. We had a very late start, as we are determined to take life very slowly today. We are off upstairs to the buffet for a late breakfast – more of a brunch really. After a very leisurely brunch, and a drink, we had a walk around the ship for the last time. Nice ship and the staff are very friendly. Then back to the cabin to do the dreaded packing. We are off to the Cagney’s steak bar tonight for a last treat, and then have to retrieve our bottles of rum from the liquor store so that they can also be packed. The weather is pretty dull, and is getting noticeably cooler as we make our way back to Miami. Not as cold as the UK though, I suspect. Anyway, the packing is almost done now, and Jeannette is having her last siesta. I will read my book for a while before we go to eat.
The meal at Cagney’s was absolutely delicious, with our steaks cooked perfectly. I have never seen such a large fillet steak! We also managed to get the bottles of rum, and the cases are packed, locked, tagged and outside the cabin for collection. Nothing left to do now but go to sleep – tomorrow is going to be a long day.
Day 16 – Miami – 12 February 2010
The ship docked at the pier a little before 0700 hrs, but as we did not have to disembark until 1000 hrs (last off) we didn’t get up until 0800, and then went upstairs for some breakfast. The weather was overcast, and the temperature right down to 20 C. Of course, this is a very busy day for the crew, and they are all running around in a very business–like fashion. I spent some time watching them unload the baggage from the ship which was quite interesting. Then, seemingly very quickly, we were called for disembarkation. I was a little concerned about this phase, as my mobility had gradually become worse over the holiday, and I was only managing to walk very slowly, and in great discomfort. The thought of lugging heavy suitcase around did not fill me with glee. As it happened, I need not have worried. As soon as we were through customs, we found a very helpful porter who went straight to our bags (how did he do that), loaded them onto a trolley, and whizzed them through immigration etc, along with us, and then out to the coach where they were placed in the boot. All this for $1 per bag – it was outstanding value for money.
From the port, we went back to the Sofitel hotel where we had a room booked for our use until it was time to go to the airport. Jeannette then went on a quick shopping trip with a lady she met on the ship. They wanted to get to a Wal-Mart before going home. As it was only a 10 minute cab ride away, there seemed to be no problem, so I stayed at the hotel with the lady’s husband and had some lunch whilst the girls went shopping. We had to catch the hotel shuttle bus to the airport at 1400 hrs, so Jeannette had about 2 hours for her trip. At 1415 hrs, I was getting a bit concerned about checking in at the airport, when Jeannette got back with tales of ‘no cabs’ etc.
We quickly got our bags onto the shuttle bus, and in 10 minutes were at the terminal. BA had forwarded to the airport my request for mobility assistance, and this worked brilliantly, with a porter getting from the check-in desk, through all the security checks, and out to the boarding gate, all in about 10 minutes! We even had time to have a look around a miserable selection of duty-free shops, which really had very little to commend themselves. We boarded the aircraft on time at 1710 hrs, and got to our seats which were quite comfortable enough. The aircraft departed at about 1740 hrs, which was more or less on time, and so I reset my watch for UK time which was some 5 hours later. Apart from the awful airline food, the flight was OK, and I had a chance to see a film I had long wanted to catch; Grand Torino starring Clint Eastwood. This is supposedly his last ever starring role in a film, and it was very, very good. Caught another classic as well (Bridge over the River Kwai), and then we were just about back to Blighty. We had to stooge around London for a few minutes as we were early getting there, but eventually landed at about 0620 hrs (1120 hrs USA time). No problems getting through Immigration, getting the bags which were almost first off, or getting through Customs. After a couple or more cigarettes for Jeannette, who was gasping by then, and a coffee for me, we found Nikki and Michael who had kindly come down from Lincoln to pick us up. We eventually made it home at about 1045 hrs; it was lovely getting back and seeing our kids again (Tobi, Megan and Charles (2 dogs and a cat)), but it was so cold!
We are missing the Caribbean already – Jeannette is already looking for another holiday. Within a couple of days of getting back to England, we had experienced rain, sleet, snow and frost. Why do we live here?
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