Country #95! We moved the clocks back an hour last night so it was bright sunlight before the alarm even went off this morning. We were sad to see an enormous NCL ship already docked. Good news, there was still space at the pier for us to dock behind them. There was a big Carnival cruise ship docked at the other pier location. The seas were millpond calm today so it wouldn't have been a terrible tender ride anyway. But, docking is better.
Roatan is an island, one of 3 called the Bay Islands off the coast of Honduras. Coxen Hole where we are docked on Roatan is the capital of the Bay Islands. It used to be a British colony before becoming part of Honduras. The official language of Roatan is English but they drive on the right. Spanish is Honduras' official language. Confused yet?
First email of the day was from our TA regarding our next 2 cruises onboard Riviera. See it below.
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So, we were docked and the ship cleared by 8 am. We reported to the Riviera Lounge before our 8:30 am time to exchange our tour tickets for little tour #30 stubs. We were called by 8:30 am and a very large group of us made our way to the long walk down the pier. As we arrived at the buses, tour guides divided us into very small busloads. Clay and I were next to last to board ours and split up with me over the rear wheel well and Clay in the back row. The aisle was so narrow that even I had to turn sideways and shimmy to get by each row of seats. The AC worked though! We were on the Islands Highlights tour at $89 each. It was a good morning for us. Tour description below. The iguanas were a nightmare. The butterflies and hummingbirds were awesome. The island of Roatan is much more scenic and inhabited than was Cozumel so the bus ride was engaging today. Our guide, Edwin, stated that this island is also protected due to the surrounding reefs and there is no agriculture but construction is still ongoing here. Tourism is again the primary industry.
Island Highlights (ROA-008)
Port: Roatan
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 1/4 hours)
Tour Description
See hundreds of iguanas in a protected habitat shaded by tropical foliage.
Hear about iguana behavior, and why the reptiles are endangered on Roatan.
Walk among hundreds of fluttering butterflies in an eco-park.
See hummingbirds darting about the eco-park and drinking nectar.
Snap a selfie with a parrot perched on your arm or shoulder.
Enjoy two aspects of the natural world by observing iguanas in a protected zoo-like habitat and then visiting an eco-park that revolves around birds and butterflies. Roatan is known for its biodiversity, but few tropical animals are as iconic as the iguana, hundreds of which you will see at the Iguana Hideaway. It is an excellent venue to observe these prehistoric-looking reptiles, as iguanas are threatened on Roatan from loss of habitat and being captured for the pet trade. Watch them basking in the sun, lounging in trees and munching on vegetables. Flying creatures take center stage at the Mayan Eden Eco Park, where you will stroll through an enclosure with a huge variety of butterflies indigenous to Honduras. You can also expect to see hummingbirds flitting from blossom to blossom and brightly colored parrots. With the guide’s assistance, you can probably coax one to perch on your arm for a photo.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
This tour includes approximately one hour of easy walking and standing, plus additional walking at the guests’ discretion during free time. The tour is available to wheelchair guests who have a collapsible wheelchair, are able to make their own way on and off the coach, and have an able-bodied companion to assist them. The venues are wheelchair-accessible, but the restrooms are not. Those with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour.
End of tour description.
We got back to the pier area around noon and checked out some of the shops before going back aboard for lunch and to escape the blazing sun and humidity. I managed to get to Baristas before 2 pm for my Illycrema and canele! This is my absolute favorite part of cruising on Oceania!
We have no specialty dinner reservation tonight so I expect we'll eat at Terrace again.
We got our 2 upcoming cruises' new invoices from our TA. The cruise we are on now is our 9th Oceania cruise. At #10, our O Club status and benefits increase including gratuities and doubling shipboard credit. The 2 invoices did not handle the increased shipboard credit in the same manner so we have emailed back a query about that. It was a step in the right direction anyway.
While we were out, delivered to our bed was a disembarkation questionnaire from destination services. It was 2 full pages with a lot of option except for the option of continuing on the next cruise! Destination Services Desk is closed from 11 am to 5 pm today so we'll have to inquire about our options when they reopen. I took the form down when they reopened and the guy seemed surprised that they'd missed an option but agreed it was an option. He used a highlighter to add the option. We're still expecting the special letter and next cruise's keycard delivered on the last night of the cruise as the guy at Reception told us the first day we boarded. Time will tell.
Melissa, our cabin attendant surprised and delighted us again tonight. When we came back from dinner we found Bob on the bed again with his own chocolate AND his own Bob-sized copy of tonight's Currents!
Melissa, our cabin attendant surprised and delighted us again tonight. When we came back from dinner we found Bob on the bed again with his own chocolate AND his own Bob-sized copy of tonight's Currents!
