Live from the Pride - So. Caribbean

[SantaAna,CA]

Hello to all! Boarded the Pride yesterday in Barbados under sunny skies. Staying over on the east coast, had some cloudy and very rainy weather, but Saturday was sunny, and over in Bridgetown is well. Saw many CCers at Peach and Quiet, adorable little hotel with one of the most spectacular settings (smack on the ocean, no one else in sight if you look right or left) I've ever seen. Two drawbacks: no A/C and lots of mosquitos. But I had some very good dives and I'm glad I got to sample this quiet, unobtrusive place.

 

I idiotically left my laptop in the car when I was brought from the hotel to the ship and, in a panic, couldn't remember the name of the company. After getting onboard, I did recall the name and asked the Seabourn rep to go online to find the phone number, call them, and ask them to bring it back to the ship. One benefit of not leaving port until 11pm! I did get it back and all is well. As usual Seabourn came through with smiles and graciousness. Boarding was once again a delightful experience, they are so welcoming and genuine, it's so appreciated. Once again, I feel very privileged to be on this beautiful ship.

 

Somehow Seabourn had mercy on me and instead of showing me to my lifeboat, I was given cabin 213, a balcony! I was just overcome, how generous of them. Have seen Jane from PHL and Fred, Crystal808, nanagirl, cruiserbunny and bostonbrahmin (oops, I think I misspelled that). It's really a delight to see CCers in person, and I'm looking forward to the week.

 

Dinner last night was with the Club entertainers, a delightful couple from Poland and I won't even try to spell their names for you. I ate light, ceasar salad and salmon, tomorrow is formal night you know, must fit into the dress! Once again, talking to my fellow passengers was informative and fascinating. How is it Seabourn seems to attract the most interesting people!

 

We are heading towards Tobago, hoping for good weather. In the clouds this morning when I looked out was a beautiful rainbow. I enjoyed several good dives in Barbados and have just one scheduled here since I think we get in a bit later, around 10am. Well that's all the news that's fit to print right now, will check back later.

 

Jane

[Host Dan]

Glad you're off to a great Seabourn start! :)

Are the Club entertainers from Poland a very attractive young couple? (She looks like Christina Aguilera) If so, tell them "hello" from the heavy metal lover from the Legend this past summer! ;)

 

Host Dan

[ITravelNow]

Jane....sounds like you're off to a wonderful start! Please keep the seamail coming, we love it. :)

[DisneyJen]

Thanks for reporting in Jane!

 

Did you use Seabourn transfers from the hotel to the ship? Good news that you were able to recover your laptop!

 

Are you scheduled to have a marina day?

[SantaAna,CA]

Jen, I didn't see one scheduled on the printout in my cabin, I might be looking in the wrong place. We are trying to get into Tobago; Charlotteville was too choppy for tenders so the captain is waiting for the pilot to guide us into Scarborough. I had to cancel my dive at 11:30, tricky trying to reschedule on a ship to shore phone with only voicemail answering.

 

I didn't use Seabourn transfers; I hired a car to pick me up at the airport, take me to P&Q, take me to the ship, pick me up, etc. She was a very nice lady and, yes, I'm sure glad I got my laptop back too.

 

Rainy out there. I have learned weather systems move very quickly in the Caribbean, so we are all looking at plan B or C for the rest of the day. Rule: the ocean is in charge of what we can do, and the captain decides how we can safely negotiate whatever the ocean is doing at any particular time! Lesson learned.

 

No excuses for not going to the gym then, which I did. More later.

 

Jane :)

[crystal808]

Ok...

 

Thursday evening, having "arrived" in Barbados.

 

BB was absolutely right. Don't plan to get out of the airport for at least an hour...maybe more. Apparently it doesn't matter what day you come in, Immigration lines are loooong. After an hour or so patiently waiting to snake through the "S" line, I arrived to the luggage carousel. Spotted one of my 2 bags...Joy!! Now, where's the other matching one? Realizing that the plane landed over an hour ago, and the stuff was still parading around the carousel....I didn't see my 2nd bad after about 15 minutes. Asking a nice lady with a tag what would happen, she said "if it's not here, go stand in that line over there & file a report". Great.

 

On my way over to "that line", I spotted my 2nd bag, sitting by itself, away from the carousel. Hmmmm. If I got one off, shouldn't I have had the bliss to pull of the other? Apparently not in the Barbados airport, after about 1.5 hours. Look around the carousel...OFF the carousel! Someone may have been nice and just "set it aside". Well, at least I have all my luggage!

 

Went outside, caught a taxi with a minimum amount of asking, and some 30 minutes later found myself at the Coral Mist Beach Hotel. My taxi driver let me off at the wrong end of the complex, but I'm not complaining. (!) Just glad to find my "home" for 48 hours.....

 

The young lady at the desk escorted me to my room (I rolled my 4 bags myself), and pointed out the AC and the room key. I was just glad to put my bags down!

 

The Coral Mist seems to be a very nice place. It ain't no 5-star Hilton, but then, neither is the room rate. It's clean, spacious, comfortable, and has AC (as long as your room key is in the interior slot....adding to the "greening" of the planet, I'm told).

Being a smoker, I went in search of a cigarette lighter, at a Texico about 4 minutes' walk away. Grabbed a 6-pack of the local beer (Banks), but realized it wasn't a twist top, and hadn't checked to see if the room had an opener in it's "efficiency" set up. Of course, it did, and cork-screw, etc. Tomorrow's a new day....and I'll take a walk in the morning!!

 

Had dinner in the restaurant of the hotel...it is, after all, Independence Day here....a couple of beers before dinner, a bottle of wine to finish in the room....around $100 BDS...$50 American. Pretty good deal, all in all!

 

Tomorrow will be the aforementioned trip to the market, and investigate the pool, and the beach, both apparently well-kept and picturesque!

 

The Coral Mist is on a busy street, as had been mentioned in its reviews I read, but anything in the part of Barbados beach area (Christ Church parish) is....since there's only one main road....

 

Update, on a side note: met Don (BostonBrahm/?) who "tipped" his way into a shorter, VIP line at the airport. Why didn't I think about that?? :eek: :rolleyes: ;) Think he got through in 10 minutes or so. Hmmm.

 

Jane's right: foggy & rainy right now...but the sun's out there hiding somewhere!!!

 

We had been waiting on the (one) pilot to take us in...Capt. just announced he wasn't coming, but we had permission to "take ourselves in", and so that's what he's doing! Nice to be kept up to date!!

 

Paul

[DisneyJen]

Appreciate the updates Jane and Paul. Here's to sunny skies soon!

 

Interesting on the tipping to get in the VIP line ... would appreciate more info if you can get it Paul (who? how much?).

 

Sorry to hear that your dive was cancelled Jane:( Mother Ocean does have a mind of her own.

 

Have started packing for next week ... Am I correct that the only formal night is this evening?

[CruisinMatt]

Thanks for the updates Jane and Caribbean Paul! Those of us on the land are living vicariously through you! :D

[SantaAna,CA]

Jen, yes, the only scheduled formal night is tonight, just as on BB's trip. We are sitting in a port called Scarborough which is, excuse me, really ugly. Unfortunately I have been sitting here waiting for the announcement that the ship was cleared for us to get off....but there was none and I just found out it's been "cleared" for quite awhile. So I"ve been sitting in my cabin since about noon and it's almost three, the ship sails at 4:30, not much point getting off now. Well....it's raining again anyway, so I ordered room service and watched a movie I downloaded to my laptop before leaving.

 

Looking forward to formal night, and I hope tomorrow's excursion on Margarita Island (I'm doing the horsebacking riding) goes off as planned; on a seven day trip, port disappointments can get ya down. But then, watching the rain through my beautiful Seabourn balcony isn't all that bad either.

 

Jane :rolleyes:

[DisneyJen]

Looking forward to your report on formal night Jane and Paul.

 

We have cruised SeaDream the last two years and haven't had a formal night ... I sort of missed dressing up one night although DH didn't:rolleyes:

 

Room service and a movie sounds good to me although I agree that it is a bit of a letdown when you have your heart set on a port or excursion. Anymore DH doesn't even know what islands we will visit as it is about being on a ship in the Caribbean for him:p

[johnnycruise]

Jane, Paul and the others,

 

I hope the weather has cleared and you get to enjoy a stroll under the full moon after a delicious formal dinner.

 

johnny

[crystal808]

Hi to all...

Dressed up for formal night, and the Captain's reception before dinner. He's a character, to be sure! :) Apparently today he "stretched" information, so as to pilot us into the dock himself, when a pilot wasn't going to be provided, and we were faced with a tender situation, after several hours' delay circumnavigating to the port of Scarborough. "job well done, Captain"! :D

 

Dinner tonight was with the Seabourn Cruise Specialist, Nadia Meersman, accompanied by her husband, David, and eight of their closest friends(!). Again, David brought a bit of intrigue to the table, after having met him yesterday. He confided this evening that he is a Chief Security Officer for Seabourn, although I didn't ask him which ship (obviously not the Pride). Now I know why I was feeling "watched" since yesterday! ;)

 

SantaAna Jane corralled me into taking some pix on her camera after the Captain's Reception, and she insisted that she take one or two of me, as well. (I left the pink bow tie in the cabin, thankyouverymuch.) Perhaps she'll share her knock-out gorgeous dress with you all! :eek: It was very appropriate to take a shot of her next to a mural with a similarly-dressed pixie! Lobster, lobster, lobster was on tonight's Restaurant menu. I'm still hoping to try "2" before the cruise ends, although the "solo" invitations keep a-comin'....

 

Tonight is David Greene's big show in the lounge, but I'm now formal-less, and relaxing in my cabin. I'll catch him later in the week; apparently he does a Nat King Cole tribute, as well.....

 

Gonna go look for that full moon....

 

Seabourn Dreams to all...and to all, a good night....

 

Paul

[blackbird71]

Sounds like you all are having fun. Say hi to Nadia "Zip Line" Meersman from me. Even if she did FORCE ME to book another cruise. :D

 

Waiting for the pictures. :)

[Seabourn-nail]

Hi Paul!

Please pass on my regards to Nadia and David (last seen on the Legend) and I believe we will see them soon.

I hope your cruise will be everything you hoped it would be. And also that the weather will improve.

Marja

[DisneyJen]

Thanks for the update Paul!

 

Looking forward to seeing the photos of you and Jane in your finery:D

[crystal808]

Quick update before dinner tonight...

 

The Venezuelans were blocking our internet today (I'm sure not on purpose), so we're just now online again.

 

Getting ready for dinner with Jan Stearman in the Restaurant. Don & his friend David will be joining us.

 

I'll give Nadia & David your regards...they're really nice folks. He'll be joining the Pride after his vacation, and working along side Nadia. Ran into Liam at the SkyBar this evening(!), who was on the Legend in April, and had a nice chat. Hoping to find arrangements to reserve dinner in "2" later this week. I love the "hosted" tables, but eating with 9 of my next-to-closest friends is stretching it a bit! Looking forward to a quiet dinner for 2, or 4, as the case may be....

 

Lovely day at Isla de Margarita, and sailaway was about a half-hour early. OF course, at the SkyBar, with Nelson, those things don't matter! :D

 

A good night to all...

 

Paul

[DisneyJen]

I was wondering why you and Jane were so quiet today Paul:p

 

Hope that the weather has improved ... and that Jane was able to go horseback riding (I think this was the port that she talked about riding).

 

Looking forward to spending sail-away with Nelson at the Sky Bar in just 5 days:D

 

Almost finished packing ... so far it's two suitcase and a garmet bag ... and of course the requisite roll aboard.

 

How are the public rooms in terms of temperatures? Wondering if I need to pack a wrap for dinner in the Dining Room.

 

Thank again for sharing Paul!

[Martita B.]

Thanks for the reviews, Pride Sailor's!

Paul, please tell my buddy, Mr. Nelson I'll see him on Dec. 16th~~~

and I'm looking forward to an ice cold Mojito~~

Also, please give Nadia a warm hug for me........she's one of my favorites!

Have a continued wonderful voyage! Smooth seas and blue skies above~~~~

Martita

[PeaSea8ch]

I am so much enjoying your posts and living vicariously through you!

Jane, you mentioned that upon embarkation that you met Boston Brahmin. If you see him again can you please ask him if he was on the recently completed November Legend Trans-Atlantic crossing? He started the roll call thread for that crossing and, as far as I knew, he was planning to sail with us. I did not have the pleasure of meeting him and another passenger I asked had not met him as well and wondered if he was onboard.

Keep up the great work! :)

[Archipelago]

Thank you for the updates Jane and Paul !!! I think that my final payment went in today for the March voyage so I'm anticipating having a nice time in the Caribbean. Let us know how 2 is as I'm hoping to sample that as well !! Thank You !!!!!:)

[SantaAna,CA]

Hello all from the Pride again, heading towards Grenada from the sunshine drenched Isla Margarita! As Paul said, our internet was knocked out so I couldn't post anything. So glad to be "back up" tonight. I was laughing at Paul's rendition of our running around deck 5 taking photos in front of the murals, because we did exactly the same thing tonight. If I can figure how to upload any of the pictures, I surely will. Paul looked incredibly handsome in a white dinner jacket at formal night.

 

Today Margarita Island was truly drenched in sunshine. Bright, hot, clear, and much less humid than the uncooperative Tobagao. No dives today for me; I did the horseback riding tour, and what fun that was. Gorgeous countryside, red, green, black strata in the hills and larger mountains further in the distance as we rode very well-behaved horses around the very "desert-y" vegetation and then down to the ocean. A beach had literally thousands of pretty pink conch shells, they gave us (11 people from Seabourn on this trail ride) each one.

 

Off the horses, back to the boat and all of us were walking like the greenhorns we are. I sat out by the jacuzzi for awhile and then hopped on the treadmill for an hour, oh you know you have to! Dinner tonight was at Jan's table and Paul was sitting right next to me. We had a wonderful time. As usual, our dinner companions were witty, interesting, informative and fun. This evening we had a pianist, sorry I don't have his name in front of me, an Asian man who is one of the most brilliant classical performers I've ever seen. What talent they find for Seabourn! Tomorrow I have a dive scheduled (we dock in Grenada, yay!) and they have a Rock the Boat show scheduled so all good wishes for fair weather are appreciated.

 

I will try and get through messages, as requested! I'm delighted to know you are all looking forward to your respective upcoming cruises and, once again, it's a privilege to share the great fun we're having on ours.

 

Have a nice evening/day, wherever in the world you are, will check back soon! Oh, P.S. just FYI, I'm finding using the laptop in my cabin rather frustrating; it often kicks you back to the sign in page, while working on Cruise Critic, it's almost like it "times you out" or something. I never had that problem in the computer room on the ship. Just a word, in case anyone is thinking about leaving the laptop at home and using the ship's computers. Probably much easier!

 

Jane

[crystal808]

Martita:

 

Your anticpated arrival has the crew a-buzz! I ashamedly have taken your SkyBar stool on several occasions, but the plaque remains in place!

 

John:

 

I'm gonna make my own reservation if it kills me to do a solo reservation! Maybe you'll join me in March....hard to find a dining partner, sometimes!

 

Dan, BB.... gave our Polish duo your sentiments & regards! Smiles all around!

 

Might just follow those guys to the beach tomorrow! LOL

[blackbird71]

Oh, P.S. just FYI, I'm finding using the laptop in my cabin rather frustrating; it often kicks you back to the sign in page, while working on Cruise Critic, it's almost like it "times you out" or something. I never had that problem in the computer room on the ship. Just a word, in case anyone is thinking about leaving the laptop at home and using the ship's computers. Probably much easier!

 

Jane

 

problem using their computers is they charge you while you write. I just wrote offline and cut and pasted. :)

 

hey have a Rock the Boat show scheduled so all good wishes for fair weather are appreciated.

 

Now BB is getting :mad: No Rock the Boat on my cruise.........

[Martita B.]

Paul,

A dining partner???? May I suggest inviting Nursey Elisabeth to have dinner with you? Elisabeth is THE cutest Staff member on the Pride Castle!! She and my Mother were great friends......(she is one of a kind~~~a real hoot!:D )

Thank you for keeping "the stool" warm~~~~

OH, who is your Executive Chef? I am hoping it would be Markus.

Please tell David E. I am bringing him a most unusual Christmas "costume prop!" I have a holiday tiara for Jan, as well......

Have lots of fun making wonderful, magical memories!

Martita

[SantaAna,CA]

BB, it isn't only in email, I'm kicked out when I want to go from one site to another, although this morning it seems fine.

 

Grenada looks lovely, I'm looking forward to a dive. Martita, Jan had lovely things to say about you. She said you were the best ambassador for Seabourn there is and that you had a "heart of gold". You are very appreciated on these ships.

 

Have a nice day to all, hope to talk more soon.

 

Jane :)