Still at Sea

The seas calmed down by about 3-4 feet overnight so the ride has gotten mercifully smoother. Clay was up about 6:30 am looking for sunrise. There was a Bahama island and clouds blocking his view. We are sailing along about 16 miles north of the coast of Cuba.

We had breakfast at Terrace. Clay got to walk laps on the finally reopened fitness deck. I got a final needlepoint kit. Our luggage was pulled out to remind us to pack up when we returned to the cabin. We are mostly packed up. Melissa, our cabin attendant, was so in love with our shoe organizer hanging bag that we packed it up and gave it to her. Not to be forgotten, we left her assistant Diman a stack of magnets for sticking things to metal walls. They have done a great job.

We were back at Terrace for lunch. The menu on the TV was a repeat of the day we discovered pork knuckles at the Mobi-Chef so we checked there first. It was open and uncovered but only big cans of river rocks were visible in there. I came back out and checked it again when I got potato chips at Waves. No change. Around 1 pm as we finished lunch, we went to check a 3rd time. We found a whole roasted goat on a spit supported by the cans full of river rocks! Clay had some and said it was tasty cabrito.

We plan to watch a movie this afternoon in the cabin. Dinner at Terrace again. Early to bed as we move the clocks back 1 hour tonight. We have to have our big bags out by 10 pm. We have to be out of the cabin for good by 8 am tomorrow. We have to off the ship by 9:30 am.

Today is Mardi Gras and like Valentine's before, it has gone totally ignored aboard Oceania Riviera.
It has been a good month, 100 countries accomplished, sorry to have missed the Dominican Republic.

The final Currents says we traveled 3374 nautical miles. The 12 day cruise cost us $7918 total for both in a category B1 cabin. For unknown reasons, at the end of this final segment Oceania is failing to provide the docking terminal for disembarkation. It wasn't in the disembarkation letter nor in the final Currents. Clay called reception and then went to Destinations Services and both told him verbally, Terminal J. If true, it will be the first time we've used that terminal on the opposite side of the island that is Port of Miami. It was only all 3 cruises final cruise vacation summary documents but at the last 24 hours has changed to E or F so I guess we'll know when we get ashore. Not convenient for arranging transportation though. That with the fact that we'll be departing from and returning to different sides of the port seems to be information Oceania should share with all passengers, departing or continuing. In any event, tomorrow we're off.

At Sea

We had about 4 hours of the best kind of sailing last night leaving Antigua. It was cool with a light breeze. Smooth water that sizzled as we cut through it. We saw fish flying, jumping and birds fishing. By 8 pm, it was all over. We have rocked, rolled, pitched, shuddered, wallowed, you name it. The barf bags are back out in the vestibules all around Riviera. We were sailing along the north coast of Puerto Rico this morning. I had a single 3-piece order of Swedish pancakes in GDR. Clay had a single regular pancake. I don't think it was as big as he was expecting. I made it up to Horizons Lounge for needlepoint. It was a challenge to stand up there. Clay walked above the pool deck as the fitness decks are closed.

It looks like weak lunch and dinner menus so sadly we'll probably eat both upstairs and aft at Terrace. Clay is still hoping to find crispy pork knuckles again at the pool deck Mobi-Chef on one of these last 2 sea days. We'll keep checking it!

Clay updated my Century Club list today and I have 129 countries/places visited by their criteria.

So we did eat lunch at the Mobi-Chef. It was tandoori chicken and rice biryani though. It was spicy and we enjoyed it. This afternoon we are sailing along about 60 miles off the north coast of the Dominican Republic. According to the Captain's noon announcement the 9 or so foot swells we're in are causing the rough ride. We evidently need a bigger ship.

Back to Antigua

We were here last cruise exactly 2 weeks ago. It was a Sunday then too. The differences were the weather and last time we took a tour to the island's top local attractions outside the beaches. Today was a sunny, blue sky day and the island looks beautiful from the ship. Last time we were here it was gray and blowing rain so no long views. Most everything is closed here on Sunday which may explain why we're the only cruise ship in port here each time. We woke up after 7 am. We were already docked on the starboard side. Both sides have a view that includes some of the harbor and some of the land as it is a nice sized bay where St. John's sits. We went to the Grand Dining Room for a big weekend breakfast as we had no tour time to meet today. I enjoyed 4 Swedish pancakes with cherry jam and bacon. After breakfast, we thought we'd walk up the pedestrian part of the street before it got too hot. Last Sunday afternoon, almost the entire stretch was shuttered closed. First though since it looked like a whole lot of passengers were touring or out on the street nearby, we checked the deck 8 guest laundry. We were able to get a last load washed so we won't need to do that at Mom's when we get off Riviera. We started the dryer's 45 minute cycle and went ashore. That wonderful sunshine was brutal! A lot more shops were open this morning, maybe half of them. Most of them had signs saying they'd close for the afternoon and that would reflect our experience 2 weeks ago. Too bad Oceania couldn't make it here once on a weekday. We had gotten a flag patch last time we were here so we weren't shopping for anything. Before we left Riviera we checked with the local tourism representative aboard about Devil's Bridge. We thought about maybe hiring a taxi if it was close but it was about 1.5 hours roundtrip. She thought it was interesting and beautiful enough to be worth a visit but agreed it was a long roadtrip for 1 thing. She didn't recommend anything to add to such a trip for us to think it was warranted the time and money. The taxi vendors were very busy on the pedestrian street informing arriving cruisers that the town was closed for Sunday and trying to sell 1-hour town tours in AC vehicles, or a drive to a beach or one guy adamant that each of us should go to church which was open. We were back aboard before the clothes were dry.

The lunch menu at GDR and Terrace looked particularly weak so we both ate at Waves Grill. I really like their grilled panini without tomato and with potato chips. It is prosciutto, black olive tapenade, basil and mozzarella. Like a Mediterranean grilled ham & cheese. Clay had a burger which he'd planned to get in Terrace in any event.

The sun setting behind St. Kitts, a new country that we just sailed by.

We have dinner reservations at Polo, the steak house aboard, tonight. It is our last specialty restaurant reservation and a bonus one offered for our longevity we suppose. Based on your cabin price, I think, you are offered a fixed number of reservations per cruise segment. Ours was 1 per each of the 4 restaurants, so this is number 5.

All aboard is 3:30 and we sail at 4 pm. Two weeks ago, we were here until 6 pm. We have 2 sea days to return to Miami, but maybe we need the extra early start.

Fort-de-France, Martinique

Photos

Today we arrived at Pointe Simon Cruise Pier at the foot of downtown Fort-de-France, Martinique just ahead of Caribbean Princess. There were 2 other big ships at the cruise terminal on the other end of town. It was a busy day in town especially as the country is an overseas territory of France and mostly Catholic and today is Samedi Gras, the start of carnival. As Princess was making their all aboard loudspeaker announcements, we heard that due to the spread of a GI virus onboard that they were raising their sanitation practices to Code 7. Whatever that means to them. What it means to us is rut-roh because we were quite literally bumping into, rubbing up against and sharing space with Princess tour groups for hours today!

While we haven’t been here before, it doesn’t count as a new country because France.

We had an 8:15 am meeting time for our ship’s tour again today. Terrace opened a ½ hour earlier today at 6:30 am. It was an early start like yesterday, but today’s tour was only 4.5 hours instead of 8. Pasted below is a description of our tour. We paid $126.75 non-refundable per person. It was obviously not the same value as yesterday’s tour in Grenada. Today’s tour guide claimed they were the only agricultural rum producer in the Caribbean because they grow their own cane and distill from it instead of imported molasses. Maybe as an exporter but yesterday’s River Antoine rum distillery processed directly from locally grown cane too. Internet is down, so I have no idea what tour description I’ll find online and I’m far too lazy to type it in from our booklet! I can’t really compare our experience to the description then. It was in a full-size bus for the first time I can remember. The roads were quite as terrifying even though this is another volcanic island. This one active. OK, so we went to the church, garden, Clement's plantation. No sugar cane tasting. No banana field stop.

Clement's Plantation & Balata Garden (FDF-002)
Port: Fort de France
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 4 1/2 hours)
Tour Description
Tour a 19th-century plantation where sugarcane is still grown to produce rum.
Sample freshly cut sugarcane and several premium Clement rums.
Drop by a banana field and learn about the crop’s economic importance.
Visit a church designed as a smaller version of the glorious Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris.
Meander through a fecund botanical garden that was farmland a few decades ago.
Delve into some of the attractions that have come to define Martinique, including a plantation that produces rum, a historical church and Balata Garden. Following a scenic drive to the town of Le Francois, you will visit Clement’s Plantation House, a meticulously restored 19th-century residence surrounded by sugarcane, an essential ingredient in rum making. While meandering the grounds, you will be offered a taste of the cane and the spirit. You may also learn about the historical meeting here between U.S. President George Herbert Walker Bush and France’s President François Mitterand. The French influence is apparent throughout Martinique and extends into the architecture, as you will discover at Balata Church, a scaled-down version of the Sacré-Coeur Basilica in Paris. Afterwards, you will stroll the shaded paths of Balata Tropical Garden. In all likelihood, you will see exotic palms, brightly colored flamingo flowers and hummingbirds darting from bloom to bloom.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
This tour includes approximately two hours of easy to moderate walking and standing on uneven ground and a significant number of steps. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and those with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour. As there are winding roads, the tour may not be suitable for those who suffer from motion sickness. The order of the sites viewed or visited may vary.

End of tour description.

We got back just in time to catch a quick lunch before Terrace closed. Showers and rest this afternoon. There is an Oceania Club reception at 5:45 pm. We have Toscana reservations for dinner tonight. All aboard is 5:30 and sail away is 6 pm.

Tomorrow is yet another Sunday in St. John’s Antigua. We were there 2 Sundays ago and toured out of town. But we noted going back and forth through town that mostly everything is closed on Sundays. We hate to call it another sea day since this cruise ends with 2 sea days before ending in Miami on Wednesday anyway. But there it is.

Speaking of which, I failed to mention that a couple of days ago we got our 3^rd and final disembarkation form. The previous 2 had later disembark windows and they were delayed even further when the actual day arrived. This one said all passengers had to disembark by no later than 9 am. That is the time we chose figuring on a 10 am pickup time from Mom and friend Steve. We’ll wait to schedule until the night before in case they move the times back again at the last minute as they’ve done the last 2 turnaround nights/mornings.

Sorry this is so late there was a technical problem systewide with the ship's Internet and I didn't get online until after dinner. We went to the O Club reception at 5:45 pm as we began to sailaway. Clay ordered his Ricard on ice with water on the side from a sommelier and not a regular bar waiter tonight. He hadn't ever heard of it and rather than go to the bar with the order argued with Clay about it. I assured him it was a French liquor and it was at the bar. He left me a glass of champagne and didn't really act as though we could expect him back. By the time a 3rd bar waiter had questioned Clay's lack of a drink, he explained about the order and asked him to check with the bar if they'd gotten his order. Shortly after both waiters delivered drinks but only the bar waiter brought a glass of water. So it was a lot of booze. Clay felt bad and drank it all. He was very drunk. He had a half bottle of white wine he planned to finish with Dover sole at Toscana. After he lost his keycard (again) and almost fell out of his chair, I had to cut him off and ask the sommelier to throw out the last glass in the bottle. He has less than a half bottle of red to finish with steak at Polo tomorrow.

Photos

Mission Accomplished, 100!

Photos

We were already tied up at dock when we woke up around 6:30 am this morning. So we found ourselves in St. George's, Grenada. Country #100!

We  booked our longest ship's tour here today. It was advertised as 7 hours but we we were out closer to 8 hours. Description is pasted below. It went pretty much as described. The exception being that the fort was never armed or used according to our guide. I think the cannons facing inland description is from yesterday's fort. Also the crater lake was not any shade of blue, but olive green. Regarding lunch, always iffy, but I enjoyed it and had plenty to eat. It was a covered, breezy outdoor dining area with a combination of served and buffet courses. Soup was either split pea or callaloo, which was described as spinach. Both soups were smoothly pureed. I had split pea which I thought tasted like peanut butter. Clay had callaloo and thought it was milder than collards. Main course was buffet and included salad, potato salad, chickpea salad, bananas or yams, rice, chicken legs, fish, and stewed lentils. Dessert was a choice of vanilla ice cream OR chocolate cake. We got one of each and shared. The cocoa processing tour that followed lunch was good, as was the chocolate. I thought it was a good, comprehensive tour and I would recommend it. We paid $119.25 each for it. Once again, it was like the road to Hana with hairpins and ups and downs and today, one lane bridges. It rained off and on but never on when we were off the bus. Interesting point, I think Grenada's flag is the only country flag with a spice on it, nutmeg. Grenada produces about 75% of the world's nutmeg. It produces about 5% of the cocoa.

Discover Grenada (GND-004)
Port: St. George's
Tour Length: Full Day (Approximately 7 hours)
Tour Description
Spend an enlightening day driving to Grenada’s signature destinations and attractions.
Tour an 18th-century fort and dine at an estate from the same time period.
Gaze down on an impossibly blue lake that filled the crater of an extinct volcano.
See the spot where Caribs jumped to their death rather than surrender to the French.
Pass through one quaint village after another, including the island’s largest fishing village.
View the bays where U.S. forces landed during the 1983 invasion of Grenada.
Enjoy a remarkably comprehensive driving tour of Granada that will leave you with a clear understanding of the island’s charms. Just east of Saint George’s, you will find the 18th-century Fort Frederick, which is named the “backward-facing fort” because its cannons point inland. The views will be spectacular, as will be the ones of Grand Etang, a cobalt-blue lake in the crater of an extinct volcano. Grenada is also known for its premium rum, which you will taste at River Antoine Estate before dining at historical Belmont Estate. More memorable scenery awaits you at Carib’s Leap, where dozens of indigenous Caribs jumped into the sea rather than surrender to the French in the mid-1600s. Continuing on, you will pass the island’s largest fishing village, tour Dougaldston Spice Estate and finally see the bays where U.S. forces landed in 1983 during the invasion to protect American nationals from Grenada’s Marxist regime, which was soon overthrown.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
This tour involves approximately 3½ hours of moderate walking and standing. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and those with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour. Guests must be at least 18 years old to consume alcohol.

End of tour description.

We sailed away before we both had time to shower. We were advised to wear both sunscreen and insect repellent here. According to the signs, they have zika virus here. We didn't see any mosquitos. Dinner tonight in Terrace. Featured on the buffet tonight but not listed on the menu anywhere was the national dish of Grenada, oil-down. Clay liked it.

Photos

Saint Vincent & the Grenadines, #99!

Photos

Clay got up first today before 7 am. It was light and we were approaching the harbor in Kingstown. It is a nice natural bay surrounded by high cliffs. The downtown area is crowded and compact. According to our guide today, only 3 main streets. Bay St., Middle St. and Back St. That may have been meant as a joke because Google Maps says the back street is named Halifax. We drove through most of each street and what we saw enticed us not to go out walking downtown after our tour.  No sidewalks. We docked at 8 am and we sail tonight at 11 pm. I assume because we don't have far to sail and not because people want an evening ashore here.

We had a ship's tour today. We paid a discounted, non-refundable price of $74.25 each for a half day tour. Tour description is pasted below. The tour was described in a little more detail in our booklet, but this was what I could find online. It is more or less what we got except that the drawbridge has been replaced so no bus changes required. Clay was able to get a Hairoun beer at the drink stop. Pronounced high rune. The word means land of the blessed in the language of some early Amerindian settlers.

Best of St. Vincent (KGN-002)
Port: Kingstown
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 1/4 hours)
Tour Description
Trace the island’s history at Fort Charlotte and then behold its natural beauty at a botanical garden. The British started construction on the fort in 1763, building it on a ridge that offers an unobstructed view of Kingstown and beyond. Interestingly, the cannons point inland over the moat, as the fort was built to protect the English from the indigenous Indians and their French allies, who were more inclined to attack from land than the sea. Nearby, you will find the island’s botanical gardens, which are among the oldest in the Western Hemisphere, having been established in 1765. An oasis of serenity, the gardens contain countless species including rare ones such as a breadfruit tree that is the third generation of one donated by the infamous Captain Bligh of the HMS Bounty. Continuing on, you will venture through the Mesopotamia Valley, where much of St. Vincent’s fruits, vegetables and spices are grown. Photo stop at Belmont Lookout. After departing the picturesque valley, you'll stop at Paradise Beach Hotel's bar for a cool drink of rum punch or fruit punch and then return to the pier. Hairoun beer available for purchase.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
This tour includes about an hour of easy to moderate walking with some slopes to negotiate. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and those with mobility concerns should evaluate their stamina and ability before joining the tour. Due to a weight restriction on the drawbridge at Fort Charlotte, you will travel there by minibus. Following this stop, you will travel by motor coach for the remainder of the tour.

End of tour description.

Lunch at Terrace. Dinner tonight at Polo. Tomorrow Grenada, Country #100!

Photos

Bridgetown, Barbados

Photos

I was up first this morning. We were just outside the protected harbor. By the time I was dressed, we were backing into our spot behind a cargo ship. There was only 1 other cruise ship in port with us today, Ponant's Le Champlain. The weather was spotty today. It was either hot sun & humidity or else sideways blowing rain. The good news is that we'd been here before on a perfect weather day and seen a lot out of town. It was not noted in any of the ship's informational handouts but by the onboard lecturer and the waitstaff that there were UNESCO World Heritage sites in Bridgetown. There are but I could substantiate the claim that the entire historic center city was a declared site. It also seems that the 30 in Barbados that I could find documented were mostly declared after our previous visit.

It turned out that we didn't have to walk the 1.2 miles or so to town. That was good because weather and the walk didn't look all that interesting. We shared a taxi mini-bus to town at $2USD per person. We got there before a crowd and the drivers tried to shake us down for $5 for both. We planned to give $5 as fare and tip, but it was the principle. When a crowd to fill the vehicle arrived he changed to $2 each and not one of the other 7 tipped him. We still paid the $5. The taxi mini-buses ran from outside the cruise terminal building to near the intersection of Broad and McGregor in town. Clay's only goal here was a flying fish cutter for lunch. He had targeted Mustor's as an established source that also had cheese or ham cutters for me. He actually could have gotten a flying fish cutter at the bar right outside the cruise terminal building if he could have tolerated the loud music. As it happened, we walked right around the corner where the taxi dropped us and there was Mustor's! We were about an hour too early. We walked around in both rain and sun by turns. We went in and watched the work at Agapey Chocolate. We didn't buy any because they kept it in fridges and it would melt. We walked on and through City Center Mall, over to Jubilee Gardens Park where we sat to dry out for a bit in the wind, finally across the street and inside St. Mary's Anglican Episcopal Church. The church was a UNESCO World Heritage site. Finally we walked back to Mustor's where we first went upstairs to see that cutters were only served downstairs so back down we went. We had 2 sandwiches and a Coke Zero for $6 USD. Clay had to go to the bar in the next room for a $2 USD Banks beer, the local brew. It was good.

We walked back around the corner to be immediately offered a ride back. How'd they know where we came from? This driver also asked for $5 USD and he got it instead of a tip. We rode alone back. We had to walk the shops around the terminal to spend the entire $50 Barbadian Dollars Clay had gotten at a bank downtown. That is about $25 USD.

We came back to Riviera for AC, shade, to get out of the rain and for ice cream. We showered and rested. Dinner tonight at Terrace where the menus for GDR and Terrace both look weak and unappealing. So low expectations. All aboard is 6:30 pm and sail away is 7 pm. We should arrive in Kingstown, St. Vincent tomorrow at 8 am. Country #99!

A final piece of information and comment about Oceania. This 3rd segment is the only 1 that offered YWC or Your World Collection pricing on ship's tours. If you buy a minimum number of tours, you get a small discount. So for example, yesterday's tour we saved about $7.40 each off regular price. Now when we booked the tours online months ago neither of us can remember any warning that by taking the discount we were waiving any cancellation and refund privileges. When we received our tour tickets on board, that non-refundable notice was printed prominently on each ticket. Just saying.

Early this evening we found ourselves alone on an elevator from 8 to 14 with Senior Executive Chef Heiko Baller. He asked me about my Seabands (presumably because we were docked). I took a chance and asked if he was responsible for the crispy pork knuckles the other day. He said he was and we both praised him. Clay asked if he boiled them first. He said he boiled them for half their cooking time, then roasted them at 165 C and then spritzed them with beer. Clay is still hoping to see that dish repeated. He should have asked him!

Photos

Back to Castries, St. Lucia

Photos

We got a late start today because we could. We weren't scheduled to dock before 10 am and our tour doesn't meet until 12:55 pm. So we were still down in the atrium on deck 5 watching for land and out of our cabin around 9 am. We went up to Horizons to see the entry to the harbor as the top decks are still closed for safety. (Or someone's forgotten to remove the ropes and signs!) We were surprised to see 2 large cruise ships already docked. P&O's Azura at La Place Carenage and HAL's Koningsdam at Pointe Seraphine. Last week there was a giant NCL ship at Pointe Seraphine and we didn't realize there was room for 2 cruise ships over there. Today we are docked at Pointe Seraphine on the port side. From our starboard balcony, we have a great view of the side of Azura.

Around 10 am after the announcement the ship had cleared we walked through the open air duty free mall that is at this side's port. It was bigger and with more bars than the other side. The other side had more local open air market outside the duty free terminal building. Clay bought a Piton Beer that he missed finding the first stop here. We went back after our tour and bought some of their cocoa.

We are on a different ship's tour today. Description pasted below. We paid $44.25 each for it. It was about as described. I would say the tour title was a bit of absurd hyperbole, but as Clay said splendour is in the eyes of the beholder. Obviously, today's tour was a much better value than last week's 2-stop with 30 minutes at the beach for pretty much the same money. It lasted twice as long and we went out in the hills. The road was frightful or exciting depending on your perspective, I guess. It would compare to the road to Hana on Maui without the bridges, the distance or the views, but it may make up for it in steep elevation changes. Today we learned that in addition to a major export crop of bananas, St. Lucia produces cocoa and exports 95% of it to Pennsylvania to Hershey and Cadbury. The other 5% they keep here to make hot chocolate. The big difference between the description and the tour was the stop at the St. Marks house took place first in the first 15 minutes I'd say and had the only rest rooms of the tour.

Island Splendour (STL-007)
Port: Castries
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 1/2 hours)
Tour Description
Enjoy a panoramic drive through the most scenic areas on St. Lucia’s western shore.
Explore the remains of the 19th-century fort La Toc Battery.
Marvel at the sweeping seaside views that capture the splendor of St. Lucia.
Snack on Caribbean treats at a beautiful colonial house overlooking Castries’ harbor.
Settle in for a rambling drive through the countryside that presents the island’s natural beauty and architectural charms. It won’t take long to reach La Toc Battery, a 19th-century fort built to protect St. Lucia’s vital coal stations. It is an intriguing site with many of its tunnels, shell lifts and ventilation shafts still intact. Driving on, you will enter a bucolic landscape of banana plantations tucked between undulating hills before passing through the rustic village of Anse La Raye. Continuing on, you will soon arrive at Marigot Bay, a tranquil blue lagoon that the surrounding hills shelter, making it an ideal natural yacht harbor. On the return to Castries, you will pause for snacks and a beverage at St. Marks, a grand colonial-era house that overlooks the harbor.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
There are steps at La Toc Battery and St. Marks. Menu items are subject to change. Guests must be able to get on & off the buses and there are 5 steps leading up to St. Mark’s and approximately 10 steps at La Toc Battery.

End of tour description.

All aboard is 7:30 pm and we are scheduled to set sail at 8 pm. According to our guide today, our next stop is only separated from this island by about 25 miles of ocean. No hurry to sail then. We are going to Terrace for dinner again. We should arrive in Bridgetown, Barbados at 8 am. We took a long island tour on a previous visit so tomorrow our only goal is lunch ashore. We never got a St. Lucia port sheet on this cruise (sorry I didn't keep last cruise's!). Today we got one for Bridgetown, Barbados and it had the piece of information that there is a taxi-run port shuttle to town center bus for $2 pp one way just outside the port. The lecturer that held the info desk didn't offer that option when he was showing us photos of the mile or so walk! We'll see tomorrow.

Photos

Back to St. Barts

Photos

We were up around 7 am today. We had a quick breakfast in Terrace. Granola is back! There was another wildlife viewing at 8 am on deck 14. We were positioning to anchor. All we saw were some birds. Clay says it is a tern if white, otherwise it is some kind of booby. I got there late. We are anchored beside Sea Dream 2 today. Last week we were the only cruise here.

This was our second visit to St. Barts in a week. Once would have sufficed, but we don't control the schedule. It was not nearly as rough wind and surf today as last time. Conditions were better except for rain today, but that didn't affect tendering. The other thing was a lot fewer big yachts anchored out (at least a few had moved and were docked in the harbor today) so we were much closer to shore and better protected from swells. Still it was a rough ride and I still hate tendering. They announced right away this week that they would not transport scooters or passengers with impaired mobility because of safety concerns with the tossing of the tenders. Last week they didn't make that announcement until near noon.

We set out from the cabin shortly before 10 am and got pink tender tickets to depart shortly around 10 am. We were ashore around 10:30 am. We walked around the harbor to the Musee Municipal. It is in an historic building and free. It was almost all in French, so we got our money's worth. Shortly after we dropped our donation and left, the guy running it locked up and left counting the morning's donations. It was just after 11:30 am, it supposed to be open until noon, so we were glad we'd gotten in. If we'd spent an hour walking there to find it closed until after 2:30 pm, we'd have been pretty upset.

We walked back around the harbor by a slightly different route. We stopped at bought Clay a Le Select t-shirt again. We think he outgrew 2005's. We found a patch for me on the outbound walk. We had drinks at Le Select while we waited for food service to open at noon. We shared a cheeseburger and fries. The bar only took cash (USD or Euros) but the food side took MC and VISA or cash. A Presidente beer and a Coke Zero were 6 Euros and food was 8.5 Euros. So it was reasonably priced. It was really good food. I haven't had a burger aboard Riviera but Clay said the ship's burgers are nowhere near as tasty. We spent another $10 for a cold dessert while we waited for the tender line to diminish. It didn't. We just braved the rain and scrummed for the next tender. It was another nightmarish ride. Clay says that he never has to tender again. I hope that's true! We were back aboard about 2 pm.

All aboard is 5:30 pm and we sail at 6 pm. Today's stay is longer than last week's. Tomorrow we should be docked in Castries, St. Lucia again at 10 am. We have a different ship's tour this week, so we should see something different. Sadly according to Currents tomorrow we'll dock across the harbor from Castries at Point Seraphine. Last cruise we docked right down town at La Place Carenage. Our tour tomorrow sees other parts of the island away from Castries so we won't miss anything. But anyone on this cruise who thought they'd just walk into town... probably not.

We spent the afternoon after the rain storm cleared in the cool shade of our balcony. Much of the time, we had a big yacht, Eclipse, in view. We are both sure it was anchored by us last week as well. Today we watched a helicopter land on it and take off again. It was memorable. I Googled it and found it is since 2013, the world's 2nd largest private yacht. Memorable and that was in about 100 other nearby yachts.

We'll have dinner back at Terrace tonight.

Photos

Second Sea Day

Last night was a short one. Not bad news considering the rough ride. Riviera has a shimmy that we don't remember experiencing on her sister ship Marina crossing the North Atlantic. Riviera shimmies side to side at speed regardless of windspeed, direction, swells, waves, etc. I feel like it is just the ship and not conditions. That said the wind is stiff enough today that the upper decks are closed again. Clay is not happy about his walks. I went to needlepoint again today. A completely different crowd with no men. Go figure.

We had a Sunday morning breakfast at 8 am in GDR. Tomorrow I'll go back to yogurt and hope for the return of granola. After a lunch in GDR we went up for Clay an ice cream cone and to Baristas for me. I was thrilled and relieved to finally find a delicious Illy Crema and caneles!

We went to the enrichment lecturer's morning atrium information desk. Clay was looking for a recommendation on where to get a flying fish sandwich in Bridgetown, Barbados. Peter Croyle hadn't had one but gave us a lot of useful information about the landscape and conditions and distances for finding one. He told us the sandwich is called a cutter. He showed us photos of the walk from cruise port to town, including flying fish at a fish market. We plan to attend his wildlife viewing this afternoon since he spotted birds yesterday according to a question asked before we reached the desk. We had seen those birds fishing around the ship on previous segments and learned they're brown boobies.

We did find the wildlife viewing, he was teaching people how to spot flying fish. It is so windy and the water so rough, it would be hard to see a 7" long fish out of water for a few seconds. From deck 14 aft, nearly impossible. No sign of birds today though we were mostly north of the Dominican Republic. It might have been more worthwhile if he could get permission for his group to view from deck 6 where the lifeboats are kept. More protected, you can see over the rail if you're 5 feet tall and you're closer to the water. Oh well. A for effort.

We have a 6:30 pm dinner reservation tonight at Red Ginger. Tomorrow morning we'll arrive at St. Barts again. We'll see what tendering looks like to determine whether or not we'll go ashore, or see what the captain decides.

Third Cruise Segment, First Sea Day

We woke up skirting East along the North Coast of Cuba again. Previously this area has been rich with birds and flying fish. Today, not so much. Today more cruise ships and cargo ships seen. The wind is really strong today so the upper fitness decks were closed. Clay was put out. I went to the new social hostess, Towanna's, first needlepoint. She did okay with what was a different crowd. About 50% men. Some of the ladies who'd been on previously stepped up and did crowd control for her. I just got the only change purse kit she had out and left. It was lurching around up there so roughly that I'd lost my balance once already.

There was evidently a fairly large crew turnover yesterday as lots of new faces today. Lots of things not working today and not clear if there is a correlation. An original barista told me yesterday the Illy Crema machine was broken but promised it would work today. He was no where to be found after lunch when I ordered from what appeared to be a working machine. It was not. It was pure liquid handed to me with the warning that it wasn't frozen. And there were no caneles. The streaming TV was broken. The Internet satellite was broken. We pulled the drapes and reset. Got back in bed and took a long nap. The TV and Internet appear to be back. I don't want to jinx the reset by going back up to Baristas. This is looking like it really will be our longest segment!

There is an enrichment lecturer aboard now vs the previous onboard guest lecturer. We haven't seen him but his claim to fame is a career spent traveling as a tour director, cruise director, port lecturer. He held an atrium information desk in the morning and wildlife spotting (weather permitting) in the afternoon. So that seems like value-added. We think the wildlife spotting must have been the people sunning around the pool, theoretical wildlife spotting, or he had some wildlife to release since there has been a shortage today in our view. We were napping at that point and don't know if he actually did it or not. The CD had announced the location change due to the top decks being closed for wind, so there is a possibility it was scrubbed.

Clay's Ricard and my giant Bellini. Clay is easily amused.

Tonight at 5:45 pm is the Captain's Cocktail reception. Clay has some alcohol to put away on a deadline anyway. He took 1 of our 2 bottles of wine to dinner last night. O Club gives either white sauvignon blanc which was bad or red cabernet sauvignon which Clay likes alright with a meal. If you take a complimentary O Club bottle of wine to dinner aboard, the sommelier opens and stores and serves it throughout the dining system for NO corkage fee. Clay still likes the Ricard aboard, so we'll go to the Grand Bar for cocktails before dinner. The string quartet performs there. Dinner at Terrace tonight. It is really rough up there. Clay had seen the Mobi-Chef being set up during his morning walk and insisted on eating upstairs for lunch. It was a repeat menu of Taste of Mexico that he'd loved in GDR. But he thought they'd have the chips & salsa up there. They didn't. They had bell pepper-laden ground beef. We ate in Terrace where they moved the pizzas for the chips station.

We move the clocks ahead one hour tonight and tomorrow is a 2nd sea day before St. Barts again. (Maybe.) I'll plan to have Swedish pancakes at GDR for Sunday like we did today. True weekend breakfasts!

Another Ends, A Third One Begins

Photos

This is our final segment and hopefully by next week this time, we'll have landed in countries 99 and 100. We arrived later than expected and docked at Terminal F this time. Last 2 times here in Port of Miami we've been docked at Terminal E. We didn't get the email notice of the change from J as the previous 2 times and no mention was made onboard that we'd return to a different terminal than we left. I guess as it was right next door they thought it wasn't necessary. It was a completely different terminal though. We had a lot longer wait and trouble getting back aboard amidst embarkation day than we had at terminal E on 2/4. No idea what was up with that but it appeared to be a staffing issue.

We lined up in about a half-ship long line with those self-carrying their luggage before the color-coded tags would be called. We were in line from about 8:15 to 8:45 am. As we took an Uber to our morning tour at South Beach, we noticed something new since 2/4. It looks like they are constructing an Eye (ferris wheel) by Hard Rock Cafe at Bayside Marketplace. We didn't notice that when we were here before.

We really enjoyed our tour of Art Deco today. We learned a lot and saw a lot of buildings' insides which was a bonus. I'd recommend it for a morning well spent and a good value. They only take small groups but today it was just us, the guide and a British guy. After the tour, we had a good lunch at 11th Street Diner. Then we went on a mission for a Valentine for our cabin attendant, Melissa.

For dinner tonight, we have reservations at Jacques French restaurant. It wasn't very busy in there. It wasn't too crowded at the mandatory boat drill at 5:15 pm either. Maybe a smaller load this cruise?

Valentine's Day went unmarked aboard Riviera.

Photos

Second Sea Day with a Surprise

Photos

We continue rocking side to side. Yesterday the Captain said we had following swells and would surf into Miami. I guess that's what we're doing. Today is our last sea day and the last day of this cruise segment. We slept in until 7:30 am. We went up to Terrace for breakfast. I expected to have a small cup of either strawberry or raspberry yogurt mixed into a small box of granola. Not to be. There was not a single box of granola to be found anywhere on Riviera. I sure hope they re-provision it in Miami tomorrow!

Clay walked on the top aft deck around the funnel. That is his favorite spot to walk. I am sure he hasn't even been in the gym for a treadmill on Riviera. I don't know why. I went by 9:30 am needlepoint and picked up a kit. Lisa announced it was her last day as social hostess. She will be employed by Bellarri, Oceania's onboard jewelry store, in the future. Her replacement has been on this cruise training but I haven't met her yet.

We had mail this morning. It was the letter about face to face Customs Inspections in Miami tomorrow. The important information that was missing from last segment's letter is in colored type this time stating that if we want to go ashore we can do prior to 9 am and final disembarkation. That's what we'll plan to do. The first paragraph says to use the new keycards enclosed as our old ones are no longer valid. There were no new keycards in the envelope. As our cards are now dated through 2/26 and still open our door, we'll assume the letter is in error.

Surprise! Authentic Bavarian Pork Knuckle with sauerkraut, mustard and bread

We had checked the menus for today on TV and found all our options disappointing. But, Clay was in for a surprise and the best meal at lunch of the trip. When we boarded back in January the front corner of Waves Grill closest to the pool by the interior wall, around the corner from the Waves' beverage station was a really big long wooden table of seating. We don't spend much time at Waves and certainly not the area by the pool, so we don't know when exactly that table went away. But yesterday for sure it was already gone. In its place had been a large item under a big blue tarp. Yesterday the blue tarp was off at lunch and they were serving chips, salsa, guacamole, etc from it. There was a sign in the hall outside Terrace on the starboard side only saying the "mobi-chef" was out by Waves with a chips & salsa bar. Today there was no sign. Clay had a plate of Danish baby back ribs from the Terrace buffet and I had 3 little cold ham & swiss triangle sandwiches. I wanted potato chips so I went outside to Waves to find some. I didn't see any in the usual place so I walked around the corner and past the beverage station to see the mobi-chef uncovered and manned. I could see a big honking heap of something inside that was not chips. It looked like a pile of pork knuckles and a heap of sauerkraut. I could see the back of a sign on top and walked around to see it said Bavarian Pork Knuckles and Sauerkraut. Clay was going to die! I found the chips, got a bowlful and raced in to tell Clay to stop eating and get out to the mobi-chef with his camera. (He deboned his ribs and wrapped up a sandwich for later!) How does the biggest culinary coup of the day go unannounced? They announced that fresh yellowfin tuna 3x a day until it was gone! Also, Mobi-Chef? That didn't get a Currents mention or announcement and neither did the Humphry Slocombe Ice Cream partnership get introduced with any fanfare. It is a mystery to me.

We watched a movie on demand on TV, "Harriet" rather than go to the popcorn screening in Riviera Lounge.

We had dinner in Terrace. We move the clocks back one hour tonight.

Last night Currents says we traveled 2968 nautical miles for this 10 day segment.

Photos

First of Two Sea Days

St. Barts was our final port of this cruise segment. Now we have 2 sea days to return to Miami. We continue to experience rough sailing. They put the barf bags out again last night. We're really rolling side to side this time. It was tough staying on a side in bed last night.

We still went up to Terrace for a light weekday breakfast this morning. We plan to return to Terrace for lunch and dinner.

We had mail this morning when we opened the cabin door. One letter invited us to the deck 5 reservations desk after 8 am today for next segment's restaurant reservations. As it was after 8 am, we went directly there before breakfast. When we booked online months ago, we were only able to get 2 reservations at 6:30 pm. To get the other 2 reservations we were entitled to, we'd have to eat at 8:30 pm or later. We got our other 2 reservations at 6:30 pm and the guy asked us if we'd like to make any additional reservations. We took a bonus to Polo at 6:30 pm. No idea what is wrong with O's online reservations system! The other letter was an invitation to in transit guests to a lunch served in the Grand Dining Room from noon to 1 pm on Friday 2/14. We didn't get one of these invites on the 2/4 turnaround day. We don't know if they didn't have the lunch or we just weren't invited. We declined the invite due to a schedule conflict. Clay made 10 am 2-hour Art Deco Walking Tour reservations for us in Miami's South Beach so we won't be available. I assume we'll have lunch off the ship that day. It is our Valentine's Day present to each other. According to the TV's navigational channel, we should dock in Miami at 6 am.

We've seen lots of flying fish today with all the big waves. So, which is it, a flock or a school of flying fish? According to the Internet, neither. It is a glide!

Bob entertaining Melissa's babies

If you've been following along, then you may remember the day Bob went missing and I panicked. I called Housekeeping and our wonderful cabin attendant, the sweet Melissa answered. She told me where she'd seen Bob last and there he was. She also told me she was almost to my door to find him. She looked as relieved as I felt when I opened the door. She told me that day that she too had a stuffed dog aboard and she'd like Bob to meet him. I agreed and today was the appointed play date. Melissa set the time for cocktail hour and we left Bob to entertain. Melissa also brought her dog's "twin" (they were born the same day). Bob was pleased to meet and entertain a pair of fellow world traveling mascots.

Currents today warned that we turn the clocks back an hour tomorrow night. Also we were warned that disembarkation will not begin on 2/14 before 8:45 am due to operational reasons. Disembarkation with no luggage handling or assistance will be available from 8:30 am approximately.  We plan to just walk off ASAP on Friday, make our tour meeting and come back to rejoin Riviera after lunch ashore.

Gustavia, St. Barts

Photos

Let me start with last night. This ship, Riviera, holds 1250 passengers. At last night's first O Club party for repeat cruisers they announced over 700 people on this cruise were past passengers. They could only invite half of us at a time and are having the second O Club party tonight. We have over 135 nights and the top night's winner at our party had close to 800. This is the first time in years that we have been aboard a cruise ship that had a hand shaking greeting. We can't remember the last time we saw the Captain of a cruise ship actually shaking hands for reasons of health and sanitation. Crystal definitely replaced hand shakes with elbow bumps.

We had another rough night of sailing. We were in sight of St. Barts when we woke up about 6:30 am. The schedule had us anchoring here at 8 am. Since our last tender port was scrubbed due to big swells, we weren't too sure they'd stay here today. I guess they decided one scrubbed port was the limit per cruise. They kept moving the ship around until after 8 am before they announced tendering had begun. Clay & I decided that I didn't need to return to Gustavia. Clay went ashore briefly and came back to tell me I'd made a good choice. It looks to me like the only difference is all the 2005 sailboats have been replaced by big yachts. Riviera didn't open tendering without a ticket issued until afternoon. By that time, I thought the seas were calmer but that was when after all the rough tendering condition warnings they announced that they were not taking wheelchairs or their passengers ashore due to safety concerns. So I guess it hadn't calmed down.

I took a quiet morning alone to go ahead and do a load of laundry. I have timed it well twice now and avoided any drama. Clay came back for lunch and to remain aboard Riviera. We watched a movie in the afternoon.

All aboard is in about 30 minutes and we should set sail by 4 pm. We have 2 sea days to get back to Miami. Friday is Valentine's Day (which I hadn't previously realized) and turnaround day between cruise segments. The next segment is the longest at 12 days. Fingers crossed for 2 new countries,
St. Vincent and Grenada. Oh, we'll be back for another chance at St. Barts. Next time we have a longer day scheduled here but still no plans here.

Photos

St. Lucia, Country #98!

Photos

We had some rough sailing last evening. I was up at 6:30 am for no good reason. We were approaching St. Lucia. On the bow cam there was a cruise ship entering port ahead of us. We'd been told there were 3 cruise ship options here. Docking right at town, docking 1 mile away or anchor and tender to town. The huge NCL ship ahead of us took the distant dock across the harbor and we docked on the starboard side right at the foot of Castries. Luck or due to size?

We had breakfast like a Sunday morning in the GDR today. I got a double order of 6 real crepe-like Swedish Pancakes with a side of bacon and 2 little cherry jam jars with a small cappuccino. It made me very happy. While we ate, the CD announced the ship had cleared. Relief! That was the last hurdle as St. Lucia had turned away a cruise ship earlier this winter due to illness aboard during the coronavirus global health scare.

We booked a ship's tour here today, the St. Lucia Trolley Train. It lasted 1.5 hours, met at 10:45 am and cost $49 each. Description is pasted below. Once again the description I was able to find online at Oceania's website was different from what we had in our booklet. Since we didn't save a copy of the online description from the website at the time we booked online months ago, it is hard to know sometimes how we picked what we picked. In the end it doesn't really matter because you get what they deliver on the day of your arrival. That said this tour lasted 1.5 hours and planned to spend 30 minutes at the beach. That use of an already short tour was never described in any version of a tour description that we saw. If we had known about the 30-minutes at the beach, we probably would not have picked this tour or canceled it aboard for some other tour in its place. The only other stop was at the Nobel winners' square beside the cathedral which we had 10 minutes on foot to visit and take photos.

St. Lucia Trolley Train (STL-013)
Port: Castries
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 1 1/2 hours)
Tour Description
See the highlights in Castries from the comfort of an open-air trolley train.
Hear about notable local figures such as Derek Walcott, a Nobel Prize-winner in 1992.
Visit the cathedral that was the largest of its kind when completed in 1897.
Relax at the beach toward the end of the sightseeing tour.
Ride the Hibiscus Trolley Train through Castries as the guide regales you with entertaining stories of the capital city’s history and architectural highlights. Although the exact route will depend on the traffic conditions, you can expect to pass the bustling craft market, beautiful colonial government buildings and Derek Walcott Square, named for the St. Lucian-born poet and playwright that won the Nobel Prize in 1992. The highlight will be visiting the Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception, the largest church in the Caribbean when it was completed in 1897. Be sure to look above the altar, where you will see a representation of St. Lucia, the island’s patron saint. She died in 304 A.D., the victim of Christian persecution during the reign of Roman emperor Diocletian. Following the city tour, you will enjoy a bit of free time at the beach where you can enjoy a complimentary rum or fruit punch.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear a swimsuit under a cover-up and bring a towel and sunscreen.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes or aqua socks.
PLEASE NOTE
Sun chairs and umbrellas are not included at the beach. Transfer times may vary due to traffic conditions. Bathing suits can’t be worn in the church.

End of Tour description.

Tonight at 5:30 pm we have an invitation to the O Club reception. We plan to wear our Silver Member pins and attend. All aboard is 4:30 and we sail at 5 pm. We have no more specialty reservations for this segment. We plan to dine in Terrace this evening.

Photos

Antigua, Country #97!

Photos

This morning we woke up early around 6:30 am for no good reason. We were about to tie up to the dock in St. John's, Antigua. I think the official name of this independent country includes another, less populated, island of Barbuda. So, Antigua & Barbuda.

It looks like there is room for at 1 to 3 more cruise ships to dock here, but somehow we managed to be the only ship in port here today. The dock is right at the foot of downtown St. John's, the capital.

We went up to Terrace for Sunday breakfast because we had an 8:45 am tour meeting time. They had a chalkboard up saying Swedish Pancakes with fruit skewers. I had asked about them yesterday and I've really missed having any this trip. I thought it was my lucky day, but when I pointed to the board and asked, I was referred to the single regular pancake that is there as a sample order everyday. Yesterday that was just a pancake. You can't just change the wording! I am afraid now to make the trip to GDR for breakfast for Swedish Pancakes. Clay said maybe they meant a Swede made the pancakes today. We have a 10:45 am tour time tomorrow and I only had a bagel today that I didn't even finish because it was so gummy. New guy manning the toaster today and he barely had the heat on, 4 passes through and we never saw any browning. Plus he was a serial processor! Fingers crossed for real Swedish Pancakes in GDR tomorrow.

We booked a ship's tour here, The Best of Antigua. It was 3.5 hours and $99 each. Tour description is pasted below.

Best of Antigua (SJH-001)
Port: St. John's
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 1/2 hours)
Tour Description
Admire the views from a hilltop where the British manned a lookout in the 18th century.
Drive through villages with characteristic West Indies vernacular architecture.
Enjoy other scenic views from the overlook at Antigua’s southernmost point.
Linger over a drink at a charming inn and then browse the shops nearby.
Travel around Antigua, taking in the natural beauty and visiting must-see landmarks that showcase the island’s history, architecture and culture. Before leaving town, you will stop at the Dow’s Hill Interpretation Center to watch a short but enlightening multimedia show and then pause for photos at the blockhouse that served as a lookout for the British in the 18th century. As you might imagine, the views will be spectacular and you may spot musician Eric Clapton’s home below. Continuing on, you will pass through traditional villages of West Indies-style chattel houses and smallish plazas that present an authentic view of daily life. More sweeping vistas await you at the Shirley Heights Lookout, Antigua’s southernmost point. Nearby, you will find Nelson’s Dockyard Village, a fully restored 18th-century naval base where you will enjoy a drink in an historical inn. Afterwards, you will still have time to admire the sleek yachts while meandering around the marina and shops.
HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
A wheelchair is allowed if it is collapsible and the guest can walk up or down the steps to the bus. Only Dow’s Hill and Nelson’s Dockyard are accessible by wheelchair.

End of tour description.

The tour went pretty much as described. I will mention that after my Destination Services query about Priority Check in being meaningless yesterday that today for the first tour day since January 26 they did not have up the signs for separate queues for those with and without status. There was still no line when we entered so it still meant nothing to us. But while we sat in Riviera Lounge waiting the line extended out of the theater so it probably meant something to a bunch of other folks. My apologies to them if I caused this change today! The tour bus was another of the previously described "Japanese Coasters". Somehow we lucked out today and were the second couple to board the bus. Clay went forward and got shotgun and I was right behind him, in front of the passenger door. It rained on and off all day. We enjoyed the tour and learned a lot and saw a lot of the island.

We got back to St. John's in time to see that near noon on Sunday with only 1 ship in town most things were closed. We had lunch in Terrace. I tried the Beef Stroganoff which had minced beets in the sauce! I risked the Humphry Slocombe ice cream again today and again they had failed to get it frozen. I am sure they aren't meant to serve it soupy. It was Elvis (the Fat Years). I was happy I got a slice of chocolate cake with it! Too banana-y.

We sail at 6 pm. We have our last specialty restaurant reservation tonight at the steakhouse, Polo, at 6:30 pm. For those interested, the Oscars pre-show and ceremonies will be aired live on a big screen in Horizons and on our in cabin TVs tonight.

I'll assume nothing noteworthy the rest of the day and post this now. Tomorrow, fingers crossed that we'll make landfall at St. Lucia for country #98.

Photos

Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Photos

We arrived at Philipsburg, Sint Maarten (or Saint Maarten) at about 8 am. That was 2 hours earlier than previously scheduled due to bypassing the port of Punta Cana, Dominican Republic yesterday. We were the fourth cruise ship to dock and the closest to the port. We docked on the port side, but our starboard balcony was on the side closest to land. The docks were concrete finger piers that extended parallel to the shore. We had a tugboat tied to our starboard aft corner during docking and we hadn’t seen that before. There is a strong wind here today and maybe that’s why. Fingers crossed that weather conditions don’t prevent our next 2 ports or we won’t make 100 countries.

Is St. Maarten a country? It is a more complicated question than you’d imagine. But, for our purposes using the Encyclopedia Britannica list of countries as our definitive source, the answer is no. Some background since the 1600’s this small island has been unevenly divided into territories controlled by France and the Netherlands. It still is. In the 2000’s both French St. Martin and Dutch St. Maarten held elections regarding independence. According to our guide, Eva, today St. Martin opted to remain in France and St. Maarten opted for independence. According to the Encyclopedia Britannica St. Maarten by that election became a country within 4 countries making up the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The US State Department also defines St. Maarten as being within The Netherlands. So, while the status of the Dutch side has changed since we last visited here, we still can’t count it as a country.

Our ship’s tour was originally scheduled to meet at 11:15 am. That got changed with our earlier arrival to 9:15 am. It is not clear what the problem was, but it was an hour after that before the bus arrived for us to load. Pasted below is a description of our tour. (Sorry, the description Oceania has on their website now is completely different than what we booked. I typed it in from our hard copy.) The hour we spent waiting for the bus was bonus and the tour lasted the promised 3 hours after we boarded. It was interesting to drive around through both countries on the island. I haven’t had enough Internet access to look it up, but as I recall we only walked into Philipsburg on our previous visit here.  We were back onboard Riviera by about 1:30 pm.  Eva said there were 14 roundabouts with historic event marking monuments. I don’t know if that is what the tour description of 14 historical monuments is referencing, but most of the roundabouts (I didn’t count them) were 1 empty with a blank concrete base where something used to be and 2 we were on the right side of the bus and could only see what was or was not there in the center through and between other bus passengers. I know we saw a statue of a man in broken chains for emancipation, a woman dancing to celebrate either liberty or independence, a brown pelican for the national bird, a dry fountain that went unremarked and what looked like a broken water tank lying on its side (again unremarked). The rest of the roundabouts were empty as far as I can recall. We stopped at beach first for about 10 minutes after crossing into France. We stopped for a 30-minute potty/shopping break in the French-side’s capital of Marigot. (I was surprised that nearly everyone who spoke to us in Marigot did so in English. Clay bought 2 beers. Ironically, he bought a beer in French St. Martin that was brewed in Dutch St. Maarten.)  We stopped for 10 minutes on a windy seacliff with a monument to 5 brothers before returning to the port. It was not a great tour, and an alarm went off constantly inside the bus from the first stop to the Marigot stop. I don’t know if it was because it was Saturday, but we were in an almost continuous traffic jam as we circled the island. We’re still glad we did it as it was a completely different look at this port stop from our previous visit and we learned alot. The island has a sandy white beach for every square mile. There are 131 nationalities residing on this small 2-nation island. The 3 main languages are Dutch, French and English. The word soualiga in our tour title is an Arawak Indian (first inhabitants, here when Christopher Columbus discovered the island) word that means Salt Place. Gambling is legal on the Dutch side but not the French except for cockfight wagering.

Soualiga Historical Island Tour
3 hours Tour price $89

Drive through St. Maarten's scenic routes while soaking up the island's history.

Relive our ancestors past, learn of our struggles and get ready to understand how we got to where we are as the smallest island in the world that shares 2 countries.

This 2 nation historical tour takes you around the entire island with visits to 14 historical monuments in between multiple photostops.

End of tour description.

We had lunch in Terrace and plan dinner there as well. We don’t set sail from here until 9 pm. I’m not sure why the long day here except we are pretty close to our next port of Antigua, which we hope is country #97 now.

I asked about our Silver VIP port disembarkation perk tonight when I went to return our disembarkation form (which she tore up and threw out since I'd written in our back-to-back option as her coworker had done last time). She made a phone call and took the book with the perk listed in a O Club Silver benefits to her superior. She came back and said "they" (Riviera's Destinations staff? Oceania management?) had changed the wording and now the benefit was called Priority Shore Excursion Check-In. Um, that's not a wording change. It's a benefit removal. She said, that's all you get now. In other news, we received our promised silver member pins, ball caps and messenger bags instead of tote bags. We see the extra shipboard credit and gratuities on the TV account screen. We got the bottle of wine.

All aboard was 8:30 pm. Everyone must have gotten back aboard early as we set sail between 8:30 and 8:45 pm.

Photos

Thwarted, Again

Last night was some rough sailing. There were barf bags out today. We didn't know if that was partly due to the Captain's complimentary cocktails from 6 to 8 pm last night or the ship's motion. Terrace was pretty empty last night and this morning.

Today we pulled up in sight of the Dominican Republic to our anchorage. We dropped a tender and opened the tender dock in the hull. The rough surf washed over Riviera's dock. The Captain canceled the port. Country #97 will have to wait. It looks less certain that I'll make it to 100 countries by 2/26. The real irony here is that we were ashore on the same island in January but this island is occupied by 2 different countries! We visited Haiti then and missed Dominican Republic today. You can see it from here, but it doesn't count. Ship happens.

I got a bonus needlepoint kit. The CD announced that all canceled excursions would be refunded automatically. When RCI cancelled Jamaica they refunded excursions and port fees and taxes automatically. We'll wait and see what happens here on Oceania. They are still struggling to catch up with accounting errors due to our gaining Silver O Club status and them deciding to combining our 3 cruise bookings once we got onboard. We'll see.

The CD said they'd issue a new Currents with sea day activities but it hasn't come yet. Clay has been spending the bulk of the last days and nights listening to audiobooks that all came off hold to him at the same time. Hopefully, he is caught up and we can watch some movies with our bonus sea day.

The Captain mentioned trying to get to our next port early. He doesn't know if the port will allow it or not. We've visited Philipsburg, St. Maarten before and have a ship's tour booked there so it won't matter to us. St. Barts is our next tender port and we won't care about missing it either.

We have a dinner reservation for Jacques at 6:30 pm tonight. Otherwise, we have nothing on our schedule today. For fun, you can look at some example menus.

I'm going to assume that Clay won't have any photos today and that nothing else newsworthy will happen and publish this now.

Sea Day on Riviera

Since we lost an hour last night and today was a sea day, we slept in. It was after 8 am before we headed out to Terrace for breakfast. It was not busy there so others must have been sleeping in too. Clay deck walked above the pool deck. The top fitness decks are closed today due to high winds. Seas were about 5-6 feet at lunch time's Captain's announcement. I think they are higher now possibly due to completely clear of the Bahamas now. I got my needlepoint kit for today.

We had lunch in the Grand Dining Room today. Clay checked the menus and found Mexican food was being served everywhere today but the GDR had the Croque Monsieur on the menu today. The noon announcement included a chef's update that they were grilling fresh caught yellow fin tuna in Terrace. A woman at the next table in GDR ordered the Nicoise salad and was surprised to hear it would contain a freshly grilled yellowfin tuna steak instead of canned tuna. She told her husband that she'd really been looking forward to the canned tuna, but she ate it all so it must have been good. We discovered a feature at GDR that we'd somehow failed to register before. GDR has a little lower righth corner of the menu called Tastes of the World. Today it had a selection of all the Mexican dishes being served as either a main course or a tapas platter to share. The waiter said it is there everyday with some featured global cuisine. We'd noticed there was always a theme at Terrace and the same dishes at GDR but hadn't noticed the sampler platter feature. Clay got it as his main course and it was beautifully presented and he enjoyed a big lunch. It was photo-worthy but sadly he left his phone in the cabin!

There is a big screen popcorn movie this afternoon. They are screening "Judy" again. We won't go. The Captain's Cocktails are at 5:45 pm this evening. We have no early reservations tonight, so we'll probably try the Grand Bar again before dinner in Terrace. Clay checked the menus for tonight too and told me I'd be shooting for the beef & basil stirfry station at Terrace. I like that and hopefully last segment's chef is still onboard. I had him trained to not put bell peppers or green onions in my food!

I'll assume no other news and post this now.

Tomorrow is country #97, Dominican Republic.

Nassau, Bahamas

Photos

Today was a new country for Clay. He'll still always have more than me because, Libya. I was here before as a child on my first ever cruise in the 1970s. Boy has it changed a lot. We were the smallest of 6 cruises ships docked here today. We were docked at the absolute furthest point from the port gate. It must have been at least a mile long walk.

We booked a ship's tour here, Charm and Beauty of the Bahamas, for $79 each for a 3 hour tour. Description is pasted below. A few points. On arrival onboard yesterday, there was an excursions info pack, it contained changes to previously published tours. One was ours today changing from an easy tour to a moderate exertion tour. It was obviously the unmentioned dock walk. I will also say that we didn't return to port until after 1 pm so it was well over a 3 hour tour. The first hour was spent on the dock though, banding over 100 wrists (by my estimated count) and counting and recounting people standing still as 2 ships emptied out on either side. Then the long walk to our "Japanese Cruisers". These are miniature buses with rows of 2 by 1 seats with the aisle a fold down seat. Fortunately they did not fill the fold down seats but it wasn't terribly comfortable. I think we had about 2 dozen people per bus for our tour. I am sure we saw more of the island than I'd seen before so that was interesting and good to get out of the state fair crowds and atmosphere in walking distance of the port. A couple of other points about the tour vs. the description. We were released at Atlantis for 20 minutes and the rum distillery did NOT include a tasting.

Charm and Beauty of the Bahamas (NAS-014)
Port: Nassau
Tour Length: Half-Day (Approximately 3 hours)
Tour Description
Drive past a remarkable number of must-see attractions in the capital city.
Pause for photos at historical Fort Charlotte, which offers extraordinary views.
Savor a selection of locally produced, small-batch rum at John Watling Distillery.
Admire landmark after landmark on this all-encompassing driving tour of Nassau and Paradise Island with stops at historical Fort Charlotte and the John Watlings Distillery. Highlights include palm-dotted Rawson Square, lovely government buildings such as the Supreme Court and the pink-hued House of Assembly, and the mega-resort and theme park Atlantis on aptly named Paradise Island. Other iconic sights include the Prime Minister’s residence, historical Graycliff Inn and Fort Charlotte, where you will pause for photos. Built in 1788, the fort features a waterless moat, dungeons, underground passageways and dozens of cannons that have never been fired in an act of aggression. Continuing on, you will also visit a beautiful 18th-century estate downtown that is now home to a distillery named for buccaneer John Watling. The small-batch rum produced here is said to capture Watling’s bold spirit of adventure. You can determine that firsthand by sampling the different rums.

HELPFUL HINTS
Dress in weather-appropriate clothing.
Wear flat comfortable walking shoes.
PLEASE NOTE
This tour is primarily panoramic in nature with limited, optional walking at the stops. The tour is not available to wheelchair guests and those with mobility concerns should evaluate their personal level of stamina and ability before joining the tour.

End of tour description.

This second segment is 10 days and we paid a total of $6398 for a category B1 balcony cabin. We reached Silver Oceania Club status with this segment as O counts this as our 10th cruise credit. Oceania promises things worth real money but we've had to ask for them and work to get them. I have no idea if this is usual but we had to put our TA to work when we realized after final payment that we were not receiving promised benefits that we'd earned. We thought it was sorted out before this segment started, but now we're back to waiting to see. We thought for sure we'd get the promised tote bags and caps as we've seen them around the ship, but not yet. Hopefully it will all get sorted out as we expected from Oceania's literature and website but it seems in principle that as the guest you shouldn't have to manage getting what Oceania has promised.

We sailed away on schedule with no fanfare or announcements again. The horn was blown outside the harbor, I suppose to bid farewell to the pilot.

We have dinner reservations at 6:30 pm at Toscana tonight. We have to change the clocks 1 hour ahead tonight so it will be a short night. Good news is that tomorrow is a sea day.

Photos

One Ends, Another Begins

Photos

So today the first of our 3 Oceania Riviera cruises ended, and the second began. It was not a smooth finish nor a happy start. Last night in neither of the versions of Currents nor in our disembarkation letter was there any notice of a mandatory cabin vacating deadline. This morning at 7:45 am, the CD's voice came on in the cabin that all passengers were required to vacate their cabins by 8 am. That was 15 minutes away! I found Melissa and told her we wanted to go to breakfast and return before our 9:30 am meet time in Red Ginger for in-transit passengers. She OKed it and assured us we'd be able to do our laundry today whenever we wanted.

The in-transit special treatment for about 100 of us was torturous. Once you checked into Red Ginger you were held and not allowed to opt out. That included an hour and a half later after clearing US CBP screening! They intended to keep us all corralled until they had inspected and cleared the ship and herded us back onboard in a herd. I came off the rails and chewed out the CBP officer that I was a US citizen with Global Entry clearance and he had no right to detain us or prevent us stepping out of the terminal just because we were continuing in-transit. Had the Oceania letter spelled out the procedure as being onerous and time-wasting rather than describing it as a special privilege, we could have just walked off between 8 and 8:30 am with the self-carrying luggage group. We were penalized for following directions. We wound up out on the sidewalk at about 10:50 am. That won't happen when we get back here on 2/14! Hey, Valentine's Day!

We walked directly to the Miami's free Coral Way Trolley stop on the other side of the street and the other side of the park in the port's center. Clay found an app online. I don't know how to tell you to get there. I don't know whether the trolleys ran every 20 minutes or 45. We saw both posted. We never waited more than a few minutes. It looked like at both ends that if you were by the curb and saw one coming and flagged it down that it would stop anywhere. On our return the driver stopped outside Terminal E when the cord was pulled. It was easy. From where we boarded the trolley to get to Bayside Marketplace, you could have walked on a sidewalk across a bridge and been to the mall in 7 minutes according to Google Maps.

We did some shopping, but did not find a CVS or convenience store that would have carried what we were looking to buy actually. We ate lunch from a takeaway window that seemed most popular with local workers. It was Latin American Cuban. We shared a Cuban sandwich that was authentic and delicious and an empanada, followed by ice cream from next door at Mammamia Gelato which was also delicious. Both were better than what we've had onboard Riviera, so it was a worthwhile break. There were tables and chairs under the escalators in front of the shops so it was cool, shady and comfortable. After lunch, we used the restrooms (mens and womens not together so incovenient) and an ATM and went back to the port on the next Coral Way trolley.

We got back onboard Riviera by going through terminal security and showing our through keycards. We skipped the health screen as in-transit by showing our keycards again. The health screen appeared exactly the same as it was on 1/26, just a small paper to fill out. There was no temperature scanning apparent.

Cabins were not yet available to all passengers when we got aboard. We checked and found our guest laundry room empty and decided to go ahead and do it. We ran into a bit of resistance from the workers on the port side hallway who must have been working to keep guests out before the cabin ready call. Melissa offered escort if needed, but it wasn't. We had the laundry to ourselves. Good news since it took 2 45-minute dryer cycles on high to one 24-minute cold water wash cycle!

Clay went to dispute the latest billing on our account per the TV display. It had more than double the number of tour tickets we'd received or booked and prepaid. There's a snafu somewhere but Reception nor Destination Services could explain and asked Clay to return on the first sea day. We knew something was wrong when we didn't receive a hard copy of the first segments accounting. Also when we arrived on 1/26, there was a stack of about 6 pages documenting the accounting, billing and tours. Today on the first day of segment 2, we received nothing. We think something went wrong with book keeping and they just didn't print & deliver. What we don't know is whether it is just us or shipwide or systemwide. We'll have to wait and see.

We sailed away on schedule with no announcements to mark it and no horn blowing. Crystal wins classiest sail away with the ever-present recording of Louis Armstrong's "What a Wonderful World". Oceania is inconsistent and erratic with their sailaways. Unless you're really paying attention, you'll just miss it!

Dinner tonight is 6:30 pm at Red Ginger again. Tomorrow is Nassau.

Photos

Final Sea Day of this Segment

Photos

We were up around 7am today to try to catch the sunrise's green flash. According to Currents, sunrise would be at 7:14 am. Also, it should be on our starboard side as we skirt Cuba heading northeast. We saw the sunrise but there was a thick cloud layer at the horizon so no chance of a flash.

We are still in heavy winds. The top decks are closed due to it. We had breakfast about 7:30 am in Terrace. I finally had an Egg Benedict and a chocolate croissant. After, we split up and Clay went to walk above the pool deck which was still open. I walked across the pool deck to get forward to Horizons and got blown back a step or two. I don't know how they were walking on that upper more open deck except it had to be an extra workout half the track as they went into the wind. I arrived in Horizons at 8:20 am. There were no other passengers in there when I arrived, only workers. I sat with my tablet at the table where Lisa lays out her needlepoint kits after 9:30 am. Maybe 3 people came in the next 20 minutes and ate and left. One woman came in about 8:40 am and sat where the previous sea day's woman had appointed herself #1 for needlepoint. Everyone who came in and she waved over walked by me and I made eye contact with and spoke to. That included the woman who said she was #1. When Lisa came, I ceded the table to make way and told her I had been there since 8:20 am. She said she thought the others by the window might say they were first and she went and got them and they did. Lisa told #1 I said I arrived at 8:20 am. She looked at me and at Lisa and said she arrived at 8 and the woman next to her was also there before 8:20 am. I couldn't believe she'd LIE about such a thing. Enough. After I picked up my dropped jaw, I told her she was no where near 8 am but 8:40 am as she'd walked past me and I'd greeted her. The woman she called #2 stepped in and said that she'd walked past me and I'd greeted her. I agreed that all of them who'd just pushed in front of me had walked past me and I'd greeted them all. #2 agreed that was so as she'd seen me do it except for the first woman who'd claimed #1 and #1 moved aside and said she didn't care. She cared enough about to endanger her mortal soul. Anyway, she's #2 today. How annoying. If Lisa isn't going to arrive early to check and she knows this happens and she runs out of kits pretty quickly, she needs to set out a signup sheet to thwart liars and pushy people. I just how #2 won't be on the next 2 segments!

They are showing the movie "Joker" at 3 pm in Riviera Lounge on the big screen with popcorn. We haven't seen it but after the morning in Horizons, I can say it is a much rougher ride up front and I'm not sure we'll go. After checking the Grand Dining Room menu on TV every day it has been on we've finally seen the Croque Monsieur sandwich appear today! We'll go down to the Jacques at GCR for lunch today. The menu also said they had skinny fries available today. I hope so. They have an ice cream menu at dessert that includes Humphry Slocombe toast & jam. It is a real flavor! Here is a link to the announcement about the Humphry Slocombe/Oceania partnership. I assume we'll have to try that. Back from lunch and the Croque Monsieur was served in crustless fingers and was delicious and worth the wait. The Humphry Slocombe toast & jam ice cream was very good and interesting. First flavor was salt and I reckoned salted butter on the toast because there were crunchy crouton-like bits in there with swirls of raspberry jam and the ice cream was buttery. We also each had a 2nd scoop of our previous favorite flavor of cinnamon for me and pistachio for Clay. They both failed in quality side-by-side as they were not rich and creamy quality but more like sugar-free ice milk. So we realized how badly we'd been settling for O's ice cream but thumbs up to them for the new quality partnership.

We have a 6:30 pm reservation for dinner tonight at Red Ginger. I hope we really like it because our first dinner of the next cruise segment is tomorrow same place, same time!

So tomorrow is turnaround day in Miami. We'll assume breakfast will start at 6 or 6:30 am. Our letter says in red ink, we meet at 9 am in Red Ginger from where we'll be escorted to the US Customs inspection with passports and keycards in hand and be advised when we may return onboard. It states it is not necessary to follow any check-in formalities and our onboard account will continue until the end of our cruise. Our keycards now say February 26, 2020. Oceania has already charged my CC for this segment's $288 dollars in tips so hopefully those will be disbursed tomorrow. The following 2 segments are our 10th and 11th Oceania cruises and should include our tips as a status perk. We'll see.

We have some loose plans for a 1/2 or so day in Miami to take the free Coral Way Trolley from the port of Miami to Bayside Market Place and back. I argued for a laundry day onboard instead but in the past we've often found the guest laundries closed for maintenance on turnaround day and have learned the hard way you can't count on it being available. Sad because that would be the most likely day to find availability if it were open. Again, we'll see. Fingers crossed that we could do both!

After lunch we located the guest laundry room on deck 8. It is forward of the forward elevators on the port side. You have to go through 2 doors to get to it. A signed door off the passenger hall into a crew area with 3 doors, 1 of which is to the guest laundry. Inside the very small space (and no one had an ironing board down!) were 3 stacked washer/dryers. The machines had token slots on them. The signage was contradictory. One sign said the guest laundries were complimentary (like Crystal!). The more detailed instruction sign said to use tokens in the machine's slots. Our last Oceania cruise suffered a laundry token shortage of crisis proportions. We went to Reception in case both signs were correct. The receptionist informed us that the laundry machines are self-service and complimentary and no longer use tokens. Huge thumbs up to Oceania for that improvement. Next we asked sweet Melissa if the guest laundry was expected to be open on turnaround day. She and her assistant both said they'd heard nothing about closing them for maintenance and thought they should all be open at 7:30 am.

This morning we got a new restaurant reservations card. It only had the 2 reservations we'd made online before boarding, not the 2 we made a few days ago. Clay went and asked and was told about the 08073 number being attached to our cards and not 8073. But today the guy told him not to worry about it or try to get our keycards fixed, that all the reservations are there. They just have to enter the cabin number 2 different ways to see them all. OK.

This afternoon we got a new Important Customs letter regarding our instructions for the day the next cruise begins. It looks identical to the first letter except for the yellow highlighted 9:30 am in Red Ginger instead of 9 am. Good to know since we'd have been annoyed if we'd shown up a half hour early!

Just received an email from our TA, tomorrow's Port of Miami Terminal has been changed from J to E again for 2/4/2020 turnaround day. It would be nice if we could expect the same heads up when we terminate on 2/26/2020. Since we only got this notice as embarking passengers and not as disembarking passengers I fear a cluster cuss on 2/26 when we'd like to give our transportation a correct address! Just saying.

In related news, the CD announced after 5 pm that disembarkation tomorrow had been delayed by a half-hour due to operational considerations. My cruise docs stated disembark was 7 am originally, btw. The earliest one can depart now is 8 am and then only if they carry their own luggage off the ship without any assistance. If you need or want to put your luggage out the night before then you can't depart the ship until after 8:30 am. Presumably none of this schedule shuffling affects our 9:30 am meeting in Red Ginger. We'll see.

The Currents for the last night said we sailed 2,023 nautical miles on this cruise. I don't know if there is some kind of odometer on Riviera and that's actually what we sailed. Because we covered a lot more sea than was necessary between a few of our many ports! In summary, this was a 9 night cruise and cost us $6492 for a category B1 balcony without air.

There were at least 2 notices in Currents for this last night and tomorrow's stating the Terminal E change in Miami tomorrow. So that is good news.

In bad news, we had NO ice tonight. I ran out in bare feet with our ice bucket to catch Melissa. She said there is no ice because the last night before Miami. In the morning they have US health inspectors onboard and the ice machines have to be empty and clean for that. That doesn't sound right. Shouldn't they be clean anyway? I must have made a bad face because she snatched the bucket from me and said she'd go try to find a bar that still had ice. She was back pretty quick with what she pointed out was bigger than normal cubes and hoped it was alright. It was perfect. We won't be too happy about NO ice in the morning though!

Speaking of which, we are surprised that Oceania's Destination Services never offered any tours for continuing guests. I know we're not the only ones. I've heard several people say they're on for multiple cruises.

Photos