St. Lucia, Country #98!

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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.

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