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REGAL PRINCESS: Quiet Cruise to Nowhere, Two Letters, and a Yokohama Flashback
So I’ve been referring to our little cruise as the ‘Cruise to Nowhere’ but that’s just wrong. The island of Eleuthera is NOT nowhere, and it’s not just the island where Princess Cruises plops their passengers for an idyllic day in the sun, for lounging, snorkeling, and feasting. Ok the Princess part of the island IS all that, but Princess only owns 40 acres of Eleuthera, the longest of the Bahama chain at 110 miles. This gorgeous island paradise is known for its magnificent beaches, aqua-marine waters, Bahama charm, and laid-back vibe. We hopped off to explore the Princess acreage and its pristine sandy beaches, and by cruise ship standards, the resort…
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Transpacific Cruise: Hawaii Hotspots, LA Party Animals, and Where to Next?
Our 30-day transpacific cruise reminded me a bit of our 30 years of marriage, and FYI our anniversary is TODAY –the old married folks say Woo Hoo! (See end of article for info on our upcoming Irish Honeymoon Re-do 30th Anniversary Trip.) On both journeys, there have been constant surprises (Padre turned into a gardener, and onboard we both turned into classical cello groupies! Who knew?), threats to survival (eruptions and Rapid ‘Ōhi’a Death – yikes! – and then there was that time with the circular saw….), and fortunately, plenty of successful teamwork. I shudder to think what life in a tiny cabin must be like for an unhappily married couple…
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Passenger Categories: Which One Are You? Southern Caribbean, Post #1
I love to people-watch on a cruise ship. Everyone’s away from home in a new environment; so how will they behave? I’ve already met several folks like me: a Planner as opposed to a Show-Up (who just shows up). I booked this cruise almost two years ago, in fact, and have thoroughly researched our seven island destinations: Antigua, Barbados, St. Lucia, Grenada, Aruba, Curacao, and Bonaire. We have a huge map of the Caribbean Islands covering the wall of our cabin, a mini-Christmas tree set up on the desk (Planners think of everything), and I know the best place on board to meet like-minded over-planners (the Cruise Critic Roll Call…
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Darwin, Australia: Crocodiles, Cyclones, Bombs, and Snakes – Oh My!
Darwin, Australia: It started with a romantic Fanny Bay beach walk, until I found out that saltwater crocodiles crawl over rocks there. Oh, and the bombs. Oh, and the cyclones and snakes. Let’s just call this the Death to Humans Day. Before I get to all that, an important discovery: A new favorite pool! In my last post I said the Sanctuary pool was behind a pay wall – not true (so don’t believe everything you read on the internet…). Anyway, What I thought was the private pool is actually the adults-only Lotus Pool, just steps from our room. Very peaceful and almost empty, except for a man floating on…
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Diamond Princess Dilemma: What to Do Onboard for Six Sea Days?
Today is Day 6, and we’re not bored yet. Not even close. One of the best things I’ve amused myself with so far was the Goldilocks Swimming Pool Challenge. It started at 5:30 am and Padre wasn’t invited, since he’s a morning snoozer. We’re opposites in many ways; I’m up at the crack of dawn or before, he sleeps ‘til 8; I’m usually in bed reading by 8 pm (or earlier, no joke). He’s up ‘til midnight watching sports, news, and bad movies. He’s more of an introvert than me in some ways but handles crowds fine, but I dislike crowds and crave quiet. And our opposing preferences usually work…
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Diamond Princess: How to Find Your Cabin, Coffee, Chocolate….and a Fave Sparkling Swimming Pool
So first things first: Where ARE we? Not in the world, mind you; we know we’re in the Coral Sea sailing along the Great Barrier Reef and on to Darwin (see map). No, it’s more basic than that. Where are we on this ship, and which way to breakfast? You know, the important stuff. So we’re learning school stuff (map locations), ship stuff (the best places to eat, sun, swim), and people stuff (new friends!). And so far, we’re miserable failures when it comes to avoiding all the fabulous food everywhere, including chocolate on the pillow each night. Who knows, maybe tomorrow we’ll stick to the salads – there’s always…
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Cruise Ships: Favorite Hideouts and Hangouts Onboard
Would these lovers ever see each other again? Was her heart broken, or his? Would she make it up the gangplank before the ship pulled away from the dock? We only learned the answer to that last question (darn), as we played a favorite game in one of our favorite spots on board, called Will They Make It? The game goes like this: After returning from shore excursions, we like to park ourselves by windows looking down on returning passengers hurrying back to the ship. Inevitably, everyone makes it back (you’ll hear the announcements if someone doesn’t) but sometimes there’s drama. In this particular instance, a taxi careened down the…
