2023-24 POSTCARD FROM THE CARIBBEAN Tuesday 19 December – Tuesday 9 January

 I was picked up by a special car from Silversea at 7am on Tuesday morning, 19 December, and driven to LHR where I faced another BA crisis!  They had moved the Club check in from one end of Terminal 5 to the other end, so had to walk the length of it with luggage and then found a long queue, of course, at check in!  The new check in centre is the opposite end of the terminal to the Club Lounge – a long walk back once inside the Terminal.  The fun and games of BA.

Flight took off almost on time and arrived a little early.  Was met by a smart lady, who then found me a driver once I had got my luggage, and I was then driven to the Sugar Bay Hotel.  Room average but nice sea view.  After a couple of rum punches as I sorted myself out, I went to dinner and sank a lot of rosé.  Then took a rum and ginger ale to bed with me and slept pretty well.  Spent a few hours on the beach the next morning, and then retired to my room to find drilling going on [just like being back home!].  Eventually persuaded them to stop for a few hours!  It was raining outside so relaxed in my room.

 

My last morning at Sugar Bay was a struggle to stop them from drilling.  Eventually when they did start I went downstairs to reception and waited there for my taxi.  He arrived just before 12.30 for the 15 minute drive to the Cruise Terminal. Embarkation wasn’t due until 2pm but this crazy tour agency insisted I leave an hour and a half before check-in was due.

 

Eventually checked in and got on board a little early so went to a bar for a drink as our cabins were not ready.  At 2pm we were given the go ahead to go to our cabins so plenty of time to unpack and relax before the life boat drill.  Then had a quiet Italian dinner and retired with a nightcap.  Had a dreadful night not only was there a lot of noise in my cabin but from absolutely nowhere a cold descended on me – streaming nose and coughing.  Thankfully I had nothing on the next morning until 1pm so took it easy in my room/balcony.  In the afternoon did a visit to a Nature Reserve in Tobago – a lot of humming birds but not much else.  In the evening it was the Captain’s Reception – all very weird these days.  You don’t stand and mix with everyone, you sit down with a glass of champagne.  The Captain introduced his team, but I didn’t manage to hear one name/job title!  Once that was over I went to the Solo party, but it was in a bar but could find no Solos!  Eventually sat at the bar with a lady who was sort of Solo, but travelling with her mother and daughter who had remained in their cabins.  We had a good chat and decided to dine at the restaurant on that deck where you don’t have book – but unbelievably it was full.  So we went to a SALT Kitchen.  Did not enjoy their food – very strong rich flavours.

 

Overnight I became quite ill – coughing and sneezing a lot and even very sick – very rare for me.  The nurse came to visit me and gave me some medicines and I was told to remain in my cabin.  To be honest I was quite happy about this.  I found the ship too big and found it difficult to find my way around.  So I missed St Lucia.   The next day the nurse told me my fever was down but I had to stay in my cabin.  No problem as I felt lousy and was still coughing and sneezing a lot.  Sadly though I missed Bequia.  Still taking four pills 

 

Christmas Day was at sea so I spent it quietly in my cabin/on my balcony.  I did manage to go to a restaurant for the Christmas dinner but was not impressed.  Am still on one pill at bedtime which forbids alcohol within an hour of taking, so I have to relax in my cabin after dinner for an hour!

On Boxing Day we arrived in Curacao – I cancelled my tour as it was in a submersible and I didn’t feel I should be coughing over everyone in there.  Took a shuttle up to the Floating Bridge in Willemstad and had a walk around there to remind myself of the little place.  Sadly there were four huge ships in that day hence a mass of some very fat and noisy tourists!  So back to the comfort of my cabin.  The next day we were in Aruba, so I took the shuttle out of the cruise terminal and wandered around Oranjestad, but there was nothing new to see so returned to my cabin.  Thursday 28^th was another quiet day at sea, so I relaxed in my cabin.

 

On 29^th December we arrived in Cartagena and I had a wonderful day there.  After great difficulty in getting out of the terminal, I found my friend Angelica [PA to Felipe Bautista], and we had a fun day together wandering around my favourite Colombian city.  We had a good lunch and finished up the day with a rooftop drink before I returned to the ship.  

 

On 30^th December we departed Cartagena just before 11am and sailed for Colon, Panama.  Spent a very quiet day in my cabin.  In Colon I went on a Walking Tour of the Old City, but it was not the best.  Not least it took us an hour by coach there [and back].  Having been there before I should have known better not to bother! On New Year’s Eve I had a quiet dinner and an early night!   New Year’s Day was spent quietly in my cabin, coughing away!

 

On 2^nd January we visited Roatan Island [Honduras] and I did a tour of the island – big disappointment as it was full of rubbish and potholes.  In fact, the guide told us the most dangerous thing on the island was their roads!  The following day I did a tour of Cozumel which was not much better a very boring and very long tour but at least no rubbish and pot holes!  Both tours were very badly organised.  Excursion team were nowhere to be seen once you got off the ship.

 

After a day at sea – a day to pack up! – we arrived in Fort Lauderdale just before 7am.  By 8am I was out
of cabin and at 8.30 I disembarked.  A car picked me up and took me to the Turnberry Isle Resort.  After a bad room to start with [no bath and on the ground floor], and after a lot of problems in moving my luggage, I eventually moved into a nice room with a bath, with a balcony overlooking the pool.  I spent the afternoon on my little balcony reading, and soaking up the sun when it showed itself!  In the evening I had dinner with my friend Angelica, who had just arrived in Miami, and another lady from Felipe’s team, called Ye!   Saturday was rather a miserable day – I tried the pool for an hour or two in the morning but it was a bit chilly so retired to my room.  That evening I met up with Angelica and Ye again and we dined in the Turnberry Isle Resort.   The following day was chilly and wet so was stuck in my room all day.  In the evening I dined at Corsair Kitchen.  As there was a big party going on in the pool area, I took an extra ‘glass’ to my room to knock myself out as soon as the party finished – around 10pm.  The last morning was grey with the sun struggling so I stayed in my room and packed up – with the odd few minutes here and there on my balcony.

 

I had a very easy journey home – Felipe’s car took me to the airport, I checked in easily and spent some time in the Lounge before going on the 20 minute journey to the Gate.  Had a very smooth easy flight and was home by 8am.  Not the best of holidays – very poor cruise and lousy weather.