This year Clyde and I celebrated our 10th Wedding Anniversary and decided to take a cruise out of Colon, Panama. We mentioned it to a few friends who decided to join us as we set sail on Royal Caribbean's Vision of the Seas. Although our anniversary was on Valentines Day, February 14th, we didn't cruise until March when prices were more reasonable.
Our Floating Hotel....Royal Caribbean's Vision Of The Seas
Our Final Night Of Dinner With Our Waiters
From Left To Right: Raul, Rey, Anand, Barry and Clyde
In Front Terry, Olive and Louise
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| Formal Night on the ship |
We jumped aboard on March 15th just in time for lunch. This would be the first of many more trips to the dining room to shovel food into our bellies in massive amounts. My technique was to start with a salad and lots of vegetables followed by a taste of the fifteen desserts that Clyde had on his plate. After all we all know that calories don't count if they're on someone else's plate! But seriously by tasting what he had I could decide IF the sweet treat was worth having a whole piece of or if I wanted to try another ten or so. I woke up early and hit the gym a few times in between taking the stairs also. Our cabin was on deck four and the dining room was on deck nine which made for a nice climb before digging into the food.
If you remember.....a post from last year when we did a similar cruise out of Colon on Pullmantur Cruise Lines? We only saw Cartagena, Colombia from the inside of a hospital since Clyde broke his big toe in the middle of the night in our cabin and needed surgery to fix it. So this time we wanted to see the sights and take advantage of all they had to offer.
Our friends Louise and Barry joined us as we walked past hundreds of taxi's and tour buses that were in our face hoping to get our money. Our strategy was to hold out for the best offer and the longer we walked, the lower the prices went. Finally one female tour guide followed us asking, "how much did we want to pay?" She said she'd give us a tour in her air conditioned van for $80 so we kept walking. We let Barry do the negotiating and finally she agreed on $50 for all of us only if WE could decide where we wanted to go. Last time Louise and Barry were in Cartagena they were pushed into more shopping than they cared for, especially in the area of emeralds which is what the city is known for.
Cartagena, Colombia....This Is For The Birds!
Shopping In Cartagena, Colombia.....Terry and Barry
Two Colombian Ladies
Where's The Beef.....This Was Also In Cartagena
Real Gold Filigree Inside A Museum....Cartagena, CO
A Pretend Emerald Mine In The Emerald Museum, Cartagena, CO
Joyeria Caribe.....Emerald Store And Museum....The Green In Those Rocks Is Emerald
Time To Make The Jewelry
Natural Emeralds Behind Glass
New Parrot Friends In Cartagena, CO
Our tour guide named Bigloniza drove us around the town and did stop to encourage shopping here and there. And she did take us to see the emerald museum where one can also buy expensive emerald jewelry, but the four of us passed. Hundreds of locals were directly in our face pushing us to buy tee shirts, rosary beads, necklaces, cigars, watches, artwork and hundreds of other items. Clyde and I (or should I say just I) wanted a few things. I picked up decorative maracas along with a "guiro"....a hollowed out gourd in the shape of a fish. It has a raised section to scrape a stick on to make music and seemed to go with the purchase of the maracas for $15. And since Colombia is know for coffee, I thought I'd pick up some. I stopped to look at one selection of coffee when Bigloneesa said, "you can buy if you want, but it is expensive." So I gave up on that idea until much later when she pointed out a stand selling coffee to us. She said, "if you want coffee that one is good and cheap." The brand is Don Chico and for $25 we bought three large bags that we divided up with our friends. As I write this I'm enjoying a cup and wished I'd bought more since it is rather tasty.
After our long day walking the streets of Cartagena in 90 degree temperatures, the next day was a day at sea to rest. Clyde slept in while I hit the gym early before joining him for breakfast. We found our friends Louise and Barry along with other friends Rey and Olive in the dining room for a breakfast that lasted until noon. We soon realized that the dining room was empty as the crew changed over the food to a lunch buffet. One of the waiters named Efram stopped to chat and we joked with him about us sitting there to eat all day long. For some unknown reason he said, "well maybe if you drink green tea it will help everything come out and then you can eat some more." We all laughed about the strange comment but within a few minutes Efram approached our table with six cups of green tea. He said, "here this is for you and now my shift is ending, so I see you later," indicating that we all might just be there when he came back to work the dinner shift? It was funny and we all did drink the green tea as we laughed about it.
After that Clyde and I put on our bathing suits for some fun in the sun. The outdoor pool was packed with passengers, lots of wind, screaming kids and loud music. Instead we decided to try the inside "adults only" pool which turned out to be chilly so we squeezed into the hot tub. The pool featured a retractable roof that allowed the sun to shine through but featured a much more tranquil atmosphere.
The next day found us on the island of Curacao which was our favorite stop on our last cruise. Since we'd been there before we decided to walk around the town on our own which got old fast in the hot, dry temperatures. We found a city tour for just $25 for the two of us, then bumped into Barry and Louise who came along too. One of the stops was the liquor factory where the famous "curacao" liquor is produced and we took advantage of the sampling of six different flavors.
Our Ship Docked In The Port Of Curacao
The "Wedding Cake" House, Willemstad, Curacao....Unique Architecture
More Affordable Homes In Curacao
The Beaches Of Curacao, Antilles Netherlands
Crisp, Clear Waters Of The Caribbean Sea
More Beautiful Waters In Curacao
Our next days adventures brought us to the island of Aruba where Clyde had his heart set on snorkeling in the beautiful waters of the Caribbean. I had never snorkeled before in my life and was a bit unsure about the whole process. Our day began on a large catamaran with about 28 other people. Winds were fierce as the guide explained that there's NEVER a good hair day in Aruba with the heavy winds. We were treated to water and juices as we sailed to our first snorkeling stop. The guide named Robertson explained nicely that snorkeling is nothing more than floating face down in the water. He went on to instruct us to simply lie down in the water, listen to the sound of our breathing and before long we'd become one with the water just going with the flow. I have to say it really was that wonderful as we floated in the chilly Caribbean waters marveling at fish, coral and other creatures in front of us. I was hooked on snorkeling and wanted more! So many more things to discover in this underwater world. We climbed back on the boat and headed out to a deeper spot where we'd be snorkeling over a ship wreck. The Antilla has been under the water in Aruba since 1940 and is one of the famous diving sights in the area. Our guides warned us to stay close to the boat since the deep waters were rough and choppy not to mention cold. But venture out we did as the waves knocked us to and fro and came up over our heads and down into our snorkels at times. Because of the rough waters many of the people didn't stay out too long and by the time I climbed aboard I'd felt as if I'd been beaten up a bit by mother nature.
Our Guide Robertson On A Catamaran In Aruba
A Snorkeling We Will Go
A Stranger Parasailing By Our Boat In Aruba
We Have Arrived At The Beach In Aruba.....Absolutely Gorgeous!!!!
Sipping Rum Punch In The Caribbean Sea In Aruba... Our Boat The Pelican In The Background
Back on the boat we were treated to an open bar so Clyde and I took advantage and sucked down some rum and cokes. Next the boat took us to a gorgeous white, sandy beach where we enjoyed a swim in the crystal, clear blue waters. Robertson our guide walked out into the water with a tray of rum punches to quench our thirst. Afterwards we were treated to a bbq lunch at a local ocean view bistro and many more cups of rum punch too. A large meal of grilled ribs, chicken, corn on the cob, macaroni salad, beans, bread and fruit salad filled our bellies. Back on the boat we sucked down some more rum punch on the way back to the pier. After all with the price of alcohol on the ship being so pricey this was the only time we'd be treated to free cocktails, so why not indulge?
The Bar Is Open Now That Snorkeling Is Done
On Our Way Back To Port We Pass The Carnival Breeze Parked
In Front Of Our Ship, Vision Of The Seas
After two tiring days in port we had one more, our final stop on the island of Bonaire. Known to have the best diving in the
world we booked another snorkeling trip. Once off the cruise ship we were greeted by our crew that helped us climb into rubber rafts. Once again the winds were howling as our raft turned into a white water experience that brought us to our next stop. From the raft we climbed up the side of an old, wooden Japanese Junk Ship for today's adventure. The crew served us a combination of juices since it was too early for adult beverages just yet. Our boat soared along the beautiful blue waters and stopped just short of a beach. Once again we climbed down onto rafts along with our snorkeling gear and walked out onto a white, sandy beach. We hiked maybe a quarter of a mile along the beach following alongside a coral reef. The crew instructed us to do so in order to find a break in the reef to swim in between. The water was crisp and clear with all sorts of beautiful coral and sea life to be seen. But once on the other side of the reef the waters became deeper and opened up to a spectacular world of sea life. A virtual amusement park under the sea and we were in awe at the wide array of plants, fish and other creatures allowing us to share their waters. A new experience to me happened as soon as I put my face into the water and felt a painful sting on the side of my face. Unsure what caused the horrible pain I thought perhaps the mask was pulling on my hair but soon realized I'd been stung by something? The pain subsided after a few minutes only to start again in another part of my body as I made my way through the underwater pathways. Later I found out I'd encountered "wasp fish" a small version of a jelly fish that appears like a red string in the water. Our guides said the stings were harmless and would go away in a few days but I still have a few red spots on my body as reminders of our day in Bonaire. Right before exiting the waters Clyde was stung one time, unlike me who provided lunch for many a school of wasp fish.
The Little Raft Took Us Out To Our Ship.....An Old Japenese Junk Ship In Bonaire
Our Captain Steering The Junk Ship.......By The Way That Wheel Moves
I Know Since I Leaned On It And Almost Fell Over.....It Was The Fault Of The Rum!
More Scenery In Bonaire
Our Ship From Afar
The Streets Of Bonaire In The Dutch Caribbean
Posing In Front Of A Time Capsule....Bonaire
A Local Artist Personalizes This Painting For Us Of A Boy And Girl Flamingo.....
Bonaire Is Known For It's Flamingos
Back on the Junk Ship we were pampered with rum punches on our hour long trip back to port. By the time we picked up our belongings and climbed down into the rafts for our final journey back, I was rather tipsy. For someone that rarely drinks anything with alcohol I was feeling rather happy that day in Bonaire. But when you figure the average drink on board the cruise was $8-$10 before they added tips, our free drinks nearly paid the $70-$90 we each paid for snorkeling excursions.
Our last day on the cruise was a much needed day of rest at sea. We slept in, ate a late breakfast and relaxed by the outdoor pool listening to loud music. On this cruise we realized there's a world of Latin line dances that we know nothing about. Besides the typical beat of salsa, rumba, merengue and such there's a whole world of dancing that we need to learn about in order to enjoy our lives in Panama.
Back On Board......A Tour Of The Galley On Vision Of The Seas
500 Gallons Of Soup Anyone?
Some Kind Of Soup For An Appetizer With Tentacles From Octopus
Escargot In Butter And Garlic...The Ship Had Great
Appetizers And We Usually Had Two Each
First Time We Had This
Lobster And Shrimp With Veggies
Leg Of Lamb....A First For Clyde
And for anyone reading this that's never gone on a cruise, the selling point is this. You get a lot for the money especially IF you watch the prices and book it while they're down. We booked through vacationstogo.com and I watched prices until I thought it wasn't going to drop any lower, then booked it. For a seven-day cruise we paid $459 per ticket plus $57.99 for taxes for an ocean-view cabin. So for $516.99 each or less than $74 per day we received this: ALL the food we cared to eat, from early morning till late at night. A nice cabin with a large window to see the ocean passing us by. It had a comfy king-sized bed, tv, private bathroom with shower, sitting area and vanity. We could choose to dine at a buffet or a sit down dining room where they served a three course meal. During the week we ate lobster, escargots, duck, lamb, prime rib, and filet mignon along with many other varieties of food too. We could drink all the iced tea (unsweetened), lemon aid, fruit punch or coffee we wanted daily or purchase alcoholic drinks and sodas. Plus we were taken to four different ports where we could explore ourselves or book shore excursions either through the cruise line or in port. We absolutely loved the pampering onboard by a staff from around the world. Crew members represented 51 different countries and all spoke fluent English, as well as other languages. They work a 70-hour week for 7 months at a time, then go home for 3-months to see their families.
A Show In The Six-Story Centrum Theater.....
The Chocolate One In The White Hard Hat Looked Yummy!!!!
A Stingray Towel Creature On Our Bed
All Of The Wait Staff In Aquarius Dining Room Posing
On Last Night Of Cruise
Last Night Show In Centrum.....The Crew Represents 51 Different Countries Each Holding A Flag And Performing A Bit Of Song And Dance
Today when Clyde woke up he asked me, "so what port are we in today?" And last night he showered and threw his towel on the floor waiting for the maid to pick it up. Needless to say the maid was not amused and will refrain from saying what part of Clyde's body that towel now belongs to, but at least neither of us went overboard.....along the gringo trail.
