Captivating Caribbean booked!

[Ski Mom 2]

I've been watching the price of Captivating Caribbean on Wind Surf departing Barbados on January 18, 2020 go down. Yesterday I received an email that had a further reduction. Broke the news to my husband that I thought we should go ahead and book our next cruise (he had no idea I was watching it) and today I did! I will continue to watch for lower fares and hope for the upgrade fairy to visit!

[Strenz]

Hi, Ski Mom, We are on the cruse 1/18 for 14 days. Look forward to meeting another positive person who enjoys the WS experience. This will be our 27 th cruise with WS. 

Have to get out of New England in January. Love, love the Caribbean. Happy Sailing.

[clubrudee]

Looking forward to this cruise! 4 islands I haven't explored. See you onboard!

[Ski Mom 2]

Strenz I'm so excited we will be on this cruise together! I feel like you are the WS legend and I'm so lucky we will get to meet 🙂

 

We spend summers in Minnesota and winters in Florida but the last two winters haven't been as warm as we would like. I've always wanted to go to the ABC islands and after 25 days in the Mediterranean aboard Wind Surf last September, I knew a one week cruise wouldn't be long enough. When I saw this two week combination (and the fact like clubrudee, we haven't been to all the islands being visited) I knew this was the one for us!

[Strenz]

Hi, we will have to organize to meet. I adore the Caribbean and sailed in it  pre Wind  Surf years as a  teen with  my father and as a young adult since we discovered the Surf in 1999 we try to spend time on her every year. I was not able to do the Surf during my teaching years so  we had  a lull from 1999 - 2005 when we started up again. We were stupid in those years, one week, pathetic. Now it is 2 weeks smarter as we age. I have to be away in January I am chronically freezing. ( In 1999 I took a sabbatical ). 

On this trip we have been to every island  with the exception Tobago and Curaçao ( my father’s favorite island ), I love the itinerary. Most favorite Bequia and Bonaire least Aruba we will fly home that day. We also love the Surf for trips. I think there is a huge difference vacation/ trip. Our travel plans are: September 2019 Sweden and the Hurtigruten to the Arctic ( first time since 2005 we have jumped ship, going with Swedish friends ), Jan 2020 Surf, September 2020 Surf to Malta, plus trains in Italy visiting art and ruins. Grateful we are. My email is sstlulu@gmail.com. Do not want to wish my life away my favorite season  coming up but excited for January. Happy Sailing.

[new_cruiser]

We are looking forward to this cruise too.  Sacramento winters are moderate compared to New England, but we still like a warm get away. Most of the ports will be new to us and we really like this itinerary including visiting all 3 ABC islands. We booked in January right after returning from our Panama/Costa Rica on Wind Star. 

 

We have also been moving to longer cruises now that we are both retired. 

 

I'd love to join a meet-up.

[Strenz]

Hi, We should have a meet up since lots of folks that regularly contribute to CC seem to be on that cruise. We have been to most islands not Man-O-Bay and Curacao. Can’t wait to go to Curacao it was my father’s favorite island, he sailed the Caribbean a great many times in his mid to late years. His passion for the Caribbean rubbed off on me. Adore Bonaire and Bequia. I feel all those years with WS only 7 days considering how miserable it is to get there from Boston I was daft, became smarter three years ago now it is 14. Perhaps someone knows how to do a meet up. Perhaps we get our names and when we get onboard send notes to the cabins with a time and place. I know Now Ski Mom’s name and very good friends with sb44 ( WS connection now we travel and visit together, the joy of meeting the like minded onboard ). It will be a superb cruise. Happy Sailing. 

[Ski Mom 2]

I've organized a Roll Call for our cruise..stop by and say hello!

[sb44]

On 6/4/2019 at 3:48 PM, Ski Mom 2 said:

I've organized a Roll Call for our cruise..stop by and say hello!

Will definitely need to get together for a drink ! Should be a beautiful sailing.

[Strenz]

Hi, I have been looking for the roll call. Good for you. Thanks and happy sailing to us.

[new_cruiser]

On 5/23/2019 at 9:10 AM, Strenz said:

On this trip we have been to every island  with the exception Tobago and Curaçao ( my father’s favorite island ), I love the itinerary. Most favorite Bequia and Bonaire least Aruba we will fly home that day. 

 

Anyone else have feedback on Aruba? Usually, we would at least stay overnight since this will be our first time in the port, but the flights available if we are willing to leave on Saturday afternoon are much better than the flights home on Sunday and Monday.

[ridethetide]

1 hour ago, new_cruiser said:

 

Anyone else have feedback on Aruba? Usually, we would at least stay overnight since this will be our first time in the port, but the flights available if we are willing to leave on Saturday afternoon are much better than the flights home on Sunday and Monday.

I personally was not impressed with Aruba.  Bonaire was much more interesting.

[Ski Mom 2]

We booked our flights to leave on Monday late afternoon so we could see Aruba. We have never been there and it was one of the reasons we chose this itinerary so it was important for us to stay. I have booked a short tour on Saturday morning to see the sights of the island and on Sunday we will have a beach day before heading home on Monday. 

[Ski Mom 2]

2 hours ago, new_cruiser said:

 

Anyone else have feedback on Aruba? Usually, we would at least stay overnight since this will be our first time in the port, but the flights available if we are willing to leave on Saturday afternoon are much better than the flights home on Sunday and Monday.

We booked our flights to leave on Monday late afternoon so we could see Aruba. We have never been there and it was one of the reasons we chose this itinerary so it was important for us to stay. I have booked a short tour on Saturday morning to see the sights of the island and on Sunday we will have a beach day before heading home on Monday. 

[Ski Mom 2]

Sorry for the double post. I don’t know what happened and I couldn’t figure out how to delete one!

[Strenz]

We are not fans of Aruba but that is us. We dislike beaches where there are hotels on top of hotels, the downtown is far too commercial for us. We are not shoppers unless it is an outdoor food market. We are more Gertrudes at Jost Van Dyke. We need authentic to place. This trip sounds Windsurf magical for us. Look forward to meeting folks onboard. I can  not find the Roll Call.  Ski Mon 2 so looking forward to meet you and new-cruiser too. Happy Sailing to us and everyone stay in good health. 

[Doh15]

We had a cruise end in Aruba a few years ago (one of the cruises where they are repositioning from Costa Rica to Europe in the Spring). 

 

We had to be home that day, but (with the help of an Aruba-specific forum) we found a friendly beach bar only a couple miles from the airport, so we were able to spend the day hanging out there, had some lunch, I think they even had showers we could use and then they called us a taxi. 

 

Was a great way to spend an afternoon and actually made me think Aruba might be a nice place to spend more time.

[new_cruiser]

57 minutes ago, Strenz said:

We are not fans of Aruba but that is us. We dislike beaches where there are hotels on top of hotels, the downtown is far too commercial for us. We are not shoppers unless it is an outdoor food market. We are more Gertrudes at Jost Van Dyke. We need authentic to place. This trip sounds Windsurf magical for us. Look forward to meeting folks onboard. I can  not find the Roll Call.  Ski Mon 2 so looking forward to meet you and new-cruiser too. Happy Sailing to us and everyone stay in good health. 

The roll call is at:

 

[O2B@Cagain]

Like many Caribbean destinations, Aruba has a tourist driven economy. Yes, they have gone for the high rise hotels along the beach. Barbados does the same thing. But, if you get away from the hustle-bustle, there are some amazing sights. The north coast is a weird moonscape with a natural bridge (which collapsed several years ago) and a chapel. It used to be a thing to rent jeeps and drive yourself out on the sand. Being from America, we couldn't believe that they weren't managing this area better. People were out there doing donuts and all sorts of ecologically damaging maneuvers. Not to mention that this was before everyone had cell phones and it was really remote! I think they now have guided tours, from looking at the website. Still, a very eerie place.