Yachtsman's Caribbean and Flavors of the Caribbean Review: 19Jan-02Feb 2013

[Love.II.Cruise]

I'm glad so many enjoyed the short video I posted.

 

As for cabs, we only paid cash - we didn't even ask if they took credit cards. We brought US Dollars and Euros, since each island varies on their currency.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Saturday, Jan 26, 2013: Philipsburg, St. Maarten

 

Today was the end of the cruise for most on board. Our cruise cards showed the sail date range of both cruises and we did not have to change cards, nor did we have to move rooms since we had made sure we were booked in the same cabin for both cruises. For all intents and purposes, it was a typical port day for us.

 

We wandered off the ship around 9:30am and took a taxi to Maho Beach, close to the airport. We walked over to the Sunset Bar & Grill, got a nice table for two at the end of the upper deck’s patio section, enjoyed cocktails, some food and watched the planes land and take off. Below are some pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Love.II.Cruise]

Saturday, Jan 26, 2013: Philipsburg, St. Maarten (Continued)

 

While we were relaxing and watching the air traffic, as well as the hoards of folks wanting to be savagely pelted with sand as the larger jets took off, a child on the beach caught my attention. He seemed to be having so much fun that I couldn’t help to take some pictures of him. He spent 15 or twenty minutes digging a hole in the sand and, when finished, promptly sat in what had quickly become the best seat on the beach! After a few minutes, a big wave climbed the beach and drenched both him and his newly-carved sand recliner. After each dousing, he simply got back up, re-dug his hole, sat back down, and waited for another wave.

 

Later, when he went to play in the ocean, I noticed an adult with him. I felt like I had taken some good photos and thought the parents might want copies. I asked my DH what he thought of me approaching the parents and saying something like “Hello! I’ve been sitting over there at that restaurant watching and taking pictures of your son for the past half hour and I took some great shots. I’m not a wierdo and I’m not doing this for money, but I thought you might want a copy.”

 

My DH looked me straight in the eye and said, “Yeah, I don’t think it’s a good idea. Their probably going to alert the authorities and I’d prefer not to have our lunch interrupted.” When I insisted it was a good idea and that they would, most likely, appreciate impromptu vacation pictures of their son, all he could say was, “Better you than me, sweetheart.”

 

As I approached the family on the beach, I began to think about how I was going to say this without sounding completely psycho. I’m sure I did sound weird initially, but we did exchange emails. After we got home, I sent them pictures of their son, and they did give me permission to post these pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Love.II.Cruise]

Saturday, Jan 26, 2013: Philipsburg, St. Maarten (Continued)

 

 

We had to be back on board by 5pm. On the way back to the ship, we talked with the driver, learning a few new things about the island and confirming a few other things we’d been told by past drivers. One interesting fact we learned about St. Maarten was that there is only one stop light on the island (and it will be removed soon). At one time, there had been over 40 traffic lights on the island, but they had slowly been removed in an effort to lower the stress on the island’s power grid. Now, the roads have traffic circles to manage the traffic. We also drove past the landfill (an island in the Great Salt Pond) several times and were told that the fire department does controlled burns of the trash about once a month. I’m glad we weren’t there on one of those days.

 

That evening we ate at AmphorA. We tried the Crispy Calamari, Oven Roasted Prime Rib, and Wild Forest Mushroom and Truffle Risotto. They even made an effort to get us the stout horseradish (used in the bar for spicy Bloody Marys or spice Bloody Caesars) - typically it is served with the creamy horseradish. Everything was excellent and between the last cruise (on Oceania) and this cruise, my DH and I are starting to have a real appreciation for Risottos.

[sealord]

And four days later we were there. If you look at the picture of the American Airlines 757 landing, you will see the Sonesta Maho Beach Resort in the background. We were in the top floor room directly below the "e" in Sonesta. By the way, I've made that landing many times ... fun!

 

Saturday, Jan 26, 2013: Philipsburg, St. Maarten

 

Today was the end of the cruise for most on board. Our cruise cards showed the sail date range of both cruises and we did not have to change cards, nor did we have to move rooms since we had made sure we were booked in the same cabin for both cruises. For all intents and purposes, it was a typical port day for us.

 

We wandered off the ship around 9:30am and took a taxi to Maho Beach, close to the airport. We walked over to the Sunset Bar & Grill, got a nice table for two at the end of the upper deck’s patio section, enjoyed cocktails, some food and watched the planes land and take off. Below are some pictures.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited February 28, 2013 by sealord

[Woobstr112G]

Absolutely fantastic pictures. I very much enjoy looking at them while I read your review.....:):):)

 

Bob

[Love.II.Cruise]

Sunday, Jan 27, 2013: At Sea

 

 

Today was a relaxing day at sea. We spent most of the day reading. Today’s Events onboard were:

 

Snorkel Gear Handout

Putt-Putt Golf Tournament in the lounge

Shore Excursion Presentation

Open Bowsprit - recreate the famous scene in Titanic where the sports coordinators take photos from your camera (closed footwear required).

Blackjack Tournament

Team Trivia

Line Dancing Lessons

Captain’s Cocktail Reception

 

This morning, we ate breakfast at Veranda and it was wonderful. In addition to their daily buffet that offers traditional items, they offer a menu that is composed of about half a dozen variations on Eggs Benedict with the common denominator being the poached eggs, as well as a few burrito and waffle options if Benedict dishes aren’t your thing. You are more than welcome to pick one or the other, but you can certainly choose items form both the buffet and the menu if you like. We didn’t eat breakfast everyday, but when we did, it was usually at Veranda and it was always amazing.

 

In the afternoon, we tried our hand at Trivia and though we didn’t win, we did learn a few new things, making today a success in our books!

 

Tonight was the Captain’s Cocktail Reception and, since we enjoyed it so much on the first cruise, we attended this week’s party, too. Obviously many of the jokes and commentary were the same, but it was still a good time.

 

I’ll leave today with a few pictures of a beautiful full moon.

 

 

[Love.II.Cruise]

I appreciate all the posts about liking the review and the pictures. I would have given up had there not been a good response. I will follow this review to the end. :)

Edited March 2, 2013 by Love.II.Cruise

[JimAOk1945]

Wonderful review and stunning pictures!

[Love.II.Cruise]

Monday, Jan 28, 2013: Le Marin, Martinique

 

We arrived at 8am and the last tender was 4:30pm. The watersports platform was open from 9am - 4pm. Below are some more pictures of the platform taken from a higher deck.

 

 

 

We’ve been to Martinique before, so we decided we would just get off and walk around. When we travel, I never carry a purse. My DH carries both our state ID’s, credit cards, etc. in one wallet secured on him. Cruise cards he sometimes puts in his buttoned pocket on his shorts until we get to shore to secure them (especially on tenders).

 

It was near 11am and we were on a full tender to shore when I asked my DH if he had his wallet. His head fell to his chest immediately, telling me he had left his wallet, along with all of our ID, money, and credit cards, tucked in the safety of our in-room safe. Well, that is one way not to spend any money. We stayed on the tender and took it back with another couple whom we became good friends with later in the cruise. The other couple said we didn’t miss anything, so we decided to snap photos from the yacht and read out on deck. Below is a picture of the harbor from the yacht along with a shot of the sails taken later in the day.

 

 

 

 

We noticed a change to the continental breakfast today that is worth noting. Up until today it was always served in the Yacht Club, but from today on it was served in Compass Rose. We asked why it had changed venues, and the bartenders merely said it was requested by guests. Weird.

 

In the afternoon we were pleasantly surprised with a lemon sorbet served in a hollowed out lemon half and topped with a strawberry slice. The entire thing had been frozen before serving. It was a perfect cool snack for what was turning out to be a warm day.

 

 

That evening we also got a nice shot of the night sky...

 

Edited March 2, 2013 by Love.II.Cruise

[Love.II.Cruise]

Monday, Jan 28, 2013: Le Marin, Martinique (Continued)

 

That evening we had reservations at Candles. It was pretty windy out on deck and we were hitting some decent waves, but we decided to keep our reservation because both of us were craving the filet and bernaise sauce. We were seated at a table for two next to the pool, which had a net in it to help reduce the splashing. Our menus where given to us, and not more than 10 seconds later, my DH’s menu whips right off of the menu holder and flew into the air eventually landing in the ocean. We were both stunned. My DH said all he read was filet and said it must be what he should get and he did. :p Dinner was fabulous, although we were sprayed a little by the water in the pool (fortunately it didn’t get our food). At one point we hit a huge swell that caused a jacuzzi to spill over, drenching the empty table next to it.

 

When we retired to our cabin, I opened the curtains to the sound of the sloshing (we were well on our way to Pigeon Island) and saw the moon outside our porthole. I tried to take some photos, then a huge wave hit the porthole while I was taking a picture which scared the bejesus out of me :eek: (See last picture of water hitting porthole) - time to close the curtains and go to bed! At least I was getting used to the sloshing sounds. ;)

 

 

[dandee2]

We love your review. Did you pass near Montserrat on the Sunday on your way to Martinique? We were really surprised to smell the sulfur from miles away coming from the volcano when we were there in Dec.

 

BTW, Martinique has a quite lovely beach in Les Salines which is not far from le Marin. Friends of ours took a taxi from the dock and spent a nice afternoon there. There is a snackbar and washroom on site.

 

Also, if you want to buy some good French wine or local rhum, the grocery store called "Carrefour" has quite a nice selection of very good wine (and cheap too), Foie Gras and other europeean delicacy. The store is located on the west portion of the village (left from the dock) about 15 minute walk from the dock past the Macdonald.

 

There is an internet café (not wifi) on the right from the dock. For a nominal fee you can use an available PC.

 

Cheers

[Love.II.Cruise]

We love your review. Did you pass near Montserrat on the Sunday on your way to Martinique? We were really surprised to smell the sulfur from miles away coming from the volcano when we were there in Dec.

 

BTW, Martinique has a quite lovely beach in Les Salines which is not far from le Marin. Friends of ours took a taxi from the dock and spent a nice afternoon there. There is a snackbar and washroom on site.

 

Also, if you want to buy some good French wine or local rhum, the grocery store called "Carrefour" has quite a nice selection of very good wine (and cheap too), Foie Gras and other europeean delicacy. The store is located on the west portion of the village (left from the dock) about 15 minute walk from the dock past the Macdonald.

 

There is an internet café (not wifi) on the right from the dock. For a nominal fee you can use an available PC.

 

Cheers

 

We didn't smell any sulfur, but perhaps the winds were just right. Next time we will have to make sure we have our ID's, money, and credit cards. I would have liked to see that grocery store you talked about - as long as they weren't as expensive as the gourmet one we saw in St. Barts.

[dandee2]

For future travellers to Martinique here are a few photos of the grocery store and the wine selection with prices starting at 3euro per bottle. Pick a nice bottle and add the $15 corking fee on the ship and you get yourself a nice evening on board.

 

 

 

 

[beachbuddy]

Lovey, really enjoying your review. Love the moon and sail photos.

 

Patty

[stcruise]

Great review and wonderful photos. I think reviews such as this are really helpful for someone who has never experienced a small ship cruise. Thank you for taking the time to do this - I always say I will do a review and just never seem to get around to it!

[buckymarz]

We have never cruised on Windsurf, but have done several wruises on Windspirit and Windstar. Doing the LIsbon to Canary Islands on Windsurf in November. Great review!

[surfcitygirl]

I would second that about breakfast on the Veranda. I thought the breakfast pastries were better than I have had on any other cruise, including Oceania Riviera (of course their bagette can't be beat). Sure could go for a marzipan stuffed pastry right now.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Lovey, really enjoying your review. Love the moon and sail photos.

 

Patty

 

Thanks Patty!

 

Great review and wonderful photos. I think reviews such as this are really helpful for someone who has never experienced a small ship cruise. Thank you for taking the time to do this - I always say I will do a review and just never seem to get around to it!

 

I hope it is helpful. Doing a review like this takes me a lot of time; but I feel like I'm reliving my vacation as I post about it. ;)

[Love.II.Cruise]

We have never cruised on Windsurf, but have done several wruises on Windspirit and Windstar. Doing the LIsbon to Canary Islands on Windsurf in November. Great review!

 

Thanks! And enjoy your cruise. :)

 

I would second that about breakfast on the Veranda. I thought the breakfast pastries were better than I have had on any other cruise, including Oceania Riviera (of course their bagette can't be beat). Sure could go for a marzipan stuffed pastry right now.

 

Oh great... now I want a stuffed pastry! :D They were really good!

[Love.II.Cruise]

Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013: Pigeon Island, St Lucia

 

It seemed we arrived around 10pm here (the night before). My DH thought we arrived at that time, and I know I got up just past midnight and we were here. Tenders began at 8am and lasted until 5:30pm. Water sports were available at the beach between 10am - 3pm. The beach BBQ was hosted between 12pm - 2pm.

 

We arrived early to Pigeon Island to secure a spot in the shade, but were surprised that there were not many to be had since the crew was still setting up the necessary infrastructure (serving and eating tables, bar station, grills/ovens, etc.). They weren’t even ready for us to really be there and we didn’t want to be in their way so we decided to venture about and explore on the trails. Below are some pictures during our exploration to the other side of the island.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Once back at the location of the lunch BBQ we asked a few of the workers if we could move a couple of the lounge chairs into the shade. Not only did they say it was okay, but they even moved them for us! Our happiness was short lived, though, as the lounge chairs were hard white plastic with no cushion; after an hour we decided this was not what we had in mind and decided to go back to the yacht to cushioned loungers and a lunch that we knew would be more private. The Beach BBQ on this island is very labor-intensive as there is no infrastructure to easily serve food or drinks. Back onboard, we enjoyed a wonderful lunch of exactly what was served at the beach. My DH also found out that on this cruise they were now serving Guinness (guests can make drink requests before they board, and Windstar does their best to accommodate). Had we known, we would have made the request before our cruise.

 

[Love.II.Cruise]

Tuesday, Jan 29, 2013: Pigeon Island, St Lucia (Continued)

 

After we left that evening the wind began to pick up drastically, so the decision was made to move Candles to Veranda that evening. The rain also affected The Compass Duo, Jump, who was trying to set up outside that evening for entertainment; they were supposed to start at 6:15 but had to move inside and didn’t start until 6:45pm. We did catch beautiful sunset photos while having cocktails in Compass Rose, however.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This evening we arranged to have the Goat Cheese Souflee’s from AmphorA, along with sandwiches from the Yacht Club, delivered to our room for dinner. It was wonderful to dine in our room and watch a movie all while hearing the sloshing outside our porthole. Yep, I was finally getting used to the that sound...

[Delta Queen]

Thank you for your review & beautiful pics. We are due on Windsurf Mar 30 for the TA & can't wait.

 

DQ

[gambee]

i love windsurf reviews, they are pretty rare. Thanks for posting the link on the Princess board, I would of not found it otherwise.

 

Very nice pictures, thank you.

[Love.II.Cruise]

Wednesday, Jan 30, 2013: Roseau, Dominica

 

Today we docked and it wasn’t in downtown Roseau, but rather where cargo ships dock. There was a Galley Tour scheduled for 10am and then it was rescheduled for 11am due to a crew fire drill conflict at 10:15am. We cancelled the galley tour since we wanted to do the car hire as we planned without missing sights that we wanted to see today.

 

We enjoyed a wonderful breakfast at Veranda and then ventured out seeking a car hire for the day. We met Smokey (his nickname), who was a cop on the island previously, and he took us everywhere we wanted to go which was Trafalgar Falls, Emerald Pool and a book store (sounds silly, but there was a book in a middle of a trilogy that we forgot to pack that we were looking for - we didn’t find it in either of the 2 book stores Smokey took us to). Below are a couple pictures from the mountains.

 

 

 

 

 

This was a great way to see the island; we had our windows rolled down and could hear all the waterfalls and birds as we climbed the mountains to the falls. We also got to talk with Smokey and learned huge amounts of historical and cultural information.

 

Our first stop was the Emerald Pool. It’s a short hike, but well worth it once there. Below are pictures from the hike and of Emerald Pool.