Just back from Barcelona - Rio

[hondorner]

Arrived home this morning from Rio de Janeiro after our transAtlantic voyage from Barcelona aboard Insignia. Still unpacking and tired, and will write more a little later, but suffice to say that on this entire trip, Betsy and I frequently looked at each other with a satisfied grin -- because everything went so perfectly. It was click - click - just like clockwork, and more fun than anyone deserves to have.

 

Lot's of things to say, but just want to spice up this initial message with a shot that may never have happened before -- at least not in recent memory -- two R ships in the same port at the same time. This photo has taken from the bridge over Guanabara Bay in Rio. After we arrived this past Saturday around 1:00 PM, Azamara Journey arrived early Sunday morning and docked immediately behind us. We were on our combination transfer/tour and were heading out of Rio that evening, so we didn't get to talk to anyone aboard Journey, but friends of ours who are going on to Buenos Aires had friends on Journey, and they planned to get together while the two ships were in port. I may be able to wheedle Gerald into giving a report.

 

More later -- it was a fantastic voyage!

[XTEACH281]

We are doing the 11/24/08 Lisbon to Rio for our 30th anni......will be really interested in your report ---especially if you stopped at Cape Verde Islands....(we do and not alot of info out there) ---also good to know they offer a tour with the transfer .......was getting concerned seeing the "latest" Insignia review was from last spring !:)

[tak2]

... This photo has taken from the bridge over Guanabara Bay in Rio. .....More later -- it was a fantastic voyage!

 

Thanks for the photo. Now I know the ship docks in the middle of business district , so we can make better use of our time as our TA Lisbon- Rio 2008 arrives Rio at 1 pm and overnight there. We were Istanbul - BCN just before you boarded, so am not surprised that you're happy with the cruise. Great Captain, GM and staff.

 

Susan, come join in on Roll Call , we should start sharing our planning ideas. I don't remember if I have signed up yet.

[hondorner]

We arrived in Barcelona about Noon on the Tuesday before the Saturday sailing after a decent, but tightly confined 1-stop flight on Air France, Miami-Paris-Barcelona. I'm not as well-traveled as most on Oceania; this was my first time in Europe -- ever. Before we left, I had rashly made the claim that I could endure "anything" for 8 hours, including flying in economy class. When I discovered that I could not even reach my shoe laces to loosen my shoes, I came close to regretting that statement. Still, one hour after landing, I forgot completely how crowded it was.

 

One of the most frequently asked questions on this forum is about Barcelona hotels. We stayed in the Regencia Colon. This small hotel is owned by the same folks that own the Hotel Colon, and the Regencia is immediately behind the Colon. The front rooms of the Colon have a straight-on view of the Barcelona Cathedral; the back rooms of the Colon have a view of the Regencia. We had a corner room in Regencia that, because of the angle of the street, also had a view of at least a slice of the Cathedral. The room was of adequate size with a tile bath, comfortable bed, refrigerator and LCD TV. At the time we booked and paid for the room, it was €70 per night, or $99 with tax at the exchange rate when we paid. The staff is interchanged with the Colon staff, and all the linens are from the Colon -- the same service and essentials as the hotel that costs considerably more. The Regencia does not have wireless internet nor a restaurant, but guests are encouraged to use the restaurant in the Colon, just a few feet away. We stayed in the Regencia a total of 3 nights, and friends mentioned that they heard street noises one of those nights, but we slept like logs.

 

The first picture is our room in the Regencia; the second is the "view" of the Cathedral from the small window above the TV. The building on the right is the Hotel Colon. The last picture is the entrance to the hotel. It is mere steps from the Cathedral square, a couple of blocks from La Rambla, and a short walking distance to Plaza Catalonia, in the center of the Gothic District.

 

The hotel staff arranged for a rental car to be delivered to the hotel on Wednesday morning and we drove to the countryside, to be covered in the next installment. They graciously stored our excess luggage while we were gone for one night, and we returned to the Regencia on Thursday and Friday nights before sailing on Saturday.

 

Recommended for those who are frugal.

 

Tuesday afternoon, we walked the length of fascinating La Rambla, spent some time in the market, discovered a supermarket for my Diet Pepsi and hit the sack after a quick bite of pizza, making up for the overnight flight.

[hondorner]

Wednesday, the rental car was waiting out front. We used Vanguard and were pleased with their efficient delivery, fair rates and neat little Fiat Panda car. When we came back, all we had to do was park the car in the garage next door and they sent someone to pick it up.

 

We headed for Montserrat. Most people make the journey by train, but since we were traveling on to Cardona, we needed the car. We got a little tangled on the roads leavng Barcelona but got back on track and made our way to the monastery perhaps 15 minutes later than we expected. Arriving by car, we saw spectacular scenery on the 10 km drive from the valley, a distance of about 1/2 km by cable car.

 

Montserrat is incredible and should not be missed. We heard the boy's choir sing in the Basilica, the took the funicular to the walkway to the Chapel of the Holy Grotto. This walk, perhaps 1/4 mile or so, is punctuated by statues and tableaus representing the stages of the life of Christ.

 

We did not take the funicular to the top of the mountain because the top was surrounded by clouds.

 

The first picture is of the monastery; the second is the Chapel of the Holy Grotto. A tiny part of the walkway to the Chapel can be seen near the right center.

 

At 4 PM we drove on to the town of Cardona, about 100 km from Barcelona. An acquaintance recommended we stay in one of the Paradors, a series of 92 hotels built by the Spanish government into old castles, convents, fortresses and other historical buildings. We chose the Parador de Cardona, a hotel in an eleventh century fortress on the top of a small mountain. Because of the season, we were able to arrange a senior's package that included dinner and breakfast for what we considered a reasonable €164. Again, we lucked out because we paid it in advance last April when the exchange rate was much more in our favor. When we arrived, we found we had been upgraded to a suite with a king size bed and marble bath with jacuzzi.

 

The next picture is of the fortress exterior, the next is the hotel entrance and the last is of the dining room. Highly recommended for a romantic getaway.

[hondorner]

We drove back to Barcelona on Thursday, and met with Gerald and Sheena from Halifax, friends from our cruise last year on Regatta. They arrived Thursday Noon and in a wild coincidence, used the same taxi/tour driver that we used to get to the hotel on Tuesday

 

Gerald and I had discussed touring the Palau de la Musica (Music Palace), but we discovered a performace on Thursday evening by a young pianist and a youth orchestra with tickets the same price as a tour -- €10 each. Gerald order the tickets and after a quick supper, we walked to the theater -- just a couple of blocks from our hotel. The first two pictures are of the stage and the stained glass skylight in the theater. Technically, cameras are not permitted in the theater, so I had to sneak these without flash. :eek:

 

The performance was very enjoyable.

 

On Friday, we met early and walked to the Plaza Catalonia where we exchanged our pre-purchased vouchers for the HoHo Bus -- the Hop On, Hop Off double decker tourist buses seen all over Barcelona. We hopped off at the Sangreda Familia, the Parc Guell, a nice little cafe restaurant, the National Palace and the bottom of La Rambla, from where we walked back to our hotel -- stopping in the Supermarket for more Diet Pepsi for both Gerald and me. We also stopped in a small wine shop in the market from some local Tempranillo and Garnache to take onto the ship.

 

The pictures of The Barcelona sites are available anywhere, but it isn't often one gets to see Gerald and I solving all the problems of the world on top of a bus. :rolleyes:

 

Saturday, we boarded Insignia and sailed for Gibraltar.

[PA Nana]

There is more to come, right? ;)

 

Linda

[potterhill]

I have spent the last 3 weeks reliving our cruise from Nov 06. Were you aware I was looking over your shoulder almost all the time? We are doing Barcelona-Miami next fall. Hate to wish my life away, but.....

 

Mo

[hondorner]

There is more to come, right? ;)

Oh, yes. I'm sure there are folks who think I write too much, but as long as someone seems to enjoy it, I'll carry on.

 

Embarkation at Barcelona was unbelievable. We deliberately booked 4043, low and in the middle of the ship, because we had no idea what sea conditions would be like, and I can't take too much motion. We were due to board at 3:00 PM, but since we had scheduled nothing else on Saturday, we met Gerald and Sheena and shared a mini-van taxi to the dock about half past Noon. The taxi for 4 people and all our luggage was €18,60, so Gerald and I each gave the driver €10, and he seemed happy -- tipping is not as expected in Barcelona. We were met immediately with a porter who took away our bags before we could tip him, and went to check-in. There were no lines! There were four clerks, and they took us immediately, regardless of our lowly status. We were on board, in the terrace cafe eating lunch, in less than 15 minutes! The availability of our cabins was announced at 3:00 PM, and our luggage arrived about 3:05! We quickly unpacked, dressed for dinner and made our way to the lifeboat muster at 5:30. Then, we went directly to the Horizons lounge to meet our fellow cruise critic members.

 

I had made name tags for 9 couples, but in the end only 5 couples appeared. In retrospect, this is a poor time to have a get-together. It's convenient to remember, but there is just too much going on. If someone chose to explore the ship and make dinner reservations in the afternoon, then attend the muster, then get ready for dinner, they would have dififculty meeting. The problem, of course, is that there is too much going on at all times aboard to find the best time!

 

Still, we enjoyed putting faces to names, and it was a nice gathering -- to the point that we were almost forgetting about dinner.

 

Last year, we learned that there is little point to making alternate dinner reservations the first day. Everyone is guaranteed at least 1 visit to Polo or Toscanna, or 2 each depending on booking status, and they can be booked at any time. We did not book until about 3 days into the cruise, and got exactly the times we preferred. We did not plan to spend all of our time with Gerald and Sheena, but enjoy each other's company enough that we make our specialty reservations with them -- 2 nights in Polo and 2 in Toscanna, even though we were only guaranteed 1 night each.

 

The picture is Barcelona at night as we sailed.

 

Insignia is so nearly identical to Regatta that we were immediately at home, with the minor exception that Betsy had just as much trouble knowing which way to turn to get to the front or back as last year. Everyone tries to tell her that the pointy end is the front, forgetting that you can't see the pointy end from within the hallways! I don't mind, because it makes me feel needed.

 

After all the touring and walking in Barcelona, we were absolutely ready for our first sea day. I could not take one of the European cruises which are so port intensive. I can handle a fair amount of physical activity considering my cardiac myopathy, but I need to balance it with an equal amount of rest. I stored up a little extra to be ready for Gibraltar, and it turned out I needed it.

[scdreamer]

Thanks for taking the time to write this trip report - I am enjoying reading about your journey.

 

We will be on Insignia for the reverse itinerary (Rio - Barcelona) in March 2009, so it's fun to get a taste of what we can expect.

 

Looking forward to hearing about the sea days - we are very active, and this will be the first cruise we have taken that is not port intensive - we're hoping there will be enough to do onboard while we are sailing across the Atlantic.

[hondorner]

"The Rock" was shrouded in fog as we arrived early in the morning, but cleared up nicely. Betsy and I avoid tours -- either ship's tours or private tours -- unless there is something we really want to see that we can't reach any other way. In Gibraltar, everything can be reached on foot. We walked into town, window-shopped our way through the fascinating main street, and ducked into several electronic stores in search of a power cable for my laptop.

 

I brought only half of the power cable, from the transformer to the computer, and stupidly left the other half, the part that plugs into the wall, plugged into the wall at home. The power cord is in two pieces so the wall end can be changed to accommodate the local outlets. I picked up a cable in Gibraltar that was configured for UK outlets. I was OK, because I carry a power strip from a company called Wonpro that has 6 outlets that will handle virtually any Imale plug, and is available with alternate wall cords that will plug into different wall outlets. I bought mine with European and US wall cords, and can add UK, Asian or other wall cords at future dates as I need them. The strip does not convert voltage, but I find that all of my chargers will automatically adapt from 100V to 250V and either 50 hz or 60 hz, so all I need is plug adaptation. We bring cell phone, laptop and two camera chargers. I can also use this strip inthe RV, where I have a lot of other rechargeable stuff. Wonpro Power Bars

 

We made our way to the cable car and rode to the top of the rock. Breathtaking views and the Barbary Apes scampering around, then we started along the roadway. Our plan was to walk halfway down, seeing whatever was to see along the way, like St. Michael's Cave, then get on the cable car at the midpoint and ride back down to town. This was a great plan until I got within sight of the halfway station of the cable car (see picture below). Now, I'm as much of a big, strong, macho guy as the next ;) , but I'm afraid of high, narrow places. There was NO WAY I was walking out on that gangplank! The only option was to continue walking down.

 

Everything was going OK as long as the road was pointing towards the ship, but it switched back, and it looked like we were going to have to walk the length of the town a couple of more times before we got down. Plus, we had to be back aboard by 12:30 PM, and it was getting late.

 

Just about then, I spotted a gap in the wall along the road and a small sign that said, "Public access to upper town". There was a narrow stone stairway with irregular riser distances and no railing, then a gravel path that led into the unknown -- but in the direction of the ship! We took a chance, and stumbled into a neat pathway with great views and lots to see, which led to a staircase through an upper town neighborhood and finally down to the library on main street. The pictures are of the path and Betsy on the stairs. At one point, she laughed, "Only 100 steps to go" (without actually knowing); I counted and there were 88 steps -- this was about 2/3 of the way. But, we got to see neighborhoods that most tourists likely miss.

 

We made it back to the ship with about 1/2 hour to spare, and I had 3 sea days in a row to recuperate before we arrived in Cape Verde.

[tak2]

I've been following the wave height for the part of Atlantic you were on, it seem just fine. Was that your experience? What was the motion like on Terrace deck, since I will spend lots of time there, as well as library, oceania@sea, level. Thanks very much for your review, especially when this itinerary has not been written as review in places I've looked.:)

[hondorner]

...Looking forward to hearing about the sea days - we are very active, and this will be the first cruise we have taken that is not port intensive - we're hoping there will be enough to do onboard while we are sailing across the Atlantic.

Good timing -- the next stage of our journey was three sea days in a row. There is plenty to do -- or little, which is what I preferred. But, Betsy is more active and her days were filled. I'm sure the activities vary somewhat from cruise to cruise depending upon staff specialties, but a typical day on our cruise included:

9:00 Good morning coffee chat and needlepoint

9:30 Beginners bridge lesson

9:45 Password game show (one of several game shows throughout the cruise)

10:00 Golf putting

10:00 Bingo

11:00 Intermediate bridge lesson

11:00 Cooking demonstration with guest chef (first of 4)

11:30 Brazilian Embroidery Class group A

1:00 Premium wine tasting (nominal fee)

2:00 Duplicate and social bridge

2:00 Art seminar -- Dominic Pangborn "My Life, My Art"

2: 00 Brazilian embroidery class Group B (Betsy enjoyed this)

3:00 Afternoon pingpong

3:00 Golf putting obstacle course

3: 15 American sign language class (Betsy enjoyed this, also)

4:00 Shuffleboard torunament

4:00 Afternoon tea (must go at least once)

4:15 Team Trivia

5:00 Enrichment lecture

5:30 Friends of Bill W

6:00 Friends of Dorothy

8:45 Team Trivia

9:45 Whatever evening sntertainment is scheduled

 

In addition, the band usually plays on the pool deck in the afternoon and several times in the evening for dancing, the string quartet usually performs at tea and several times in the evening in the upper hall (at the top of the grand staircase), and there are several appearances of a pianist/singer in Martinis Bar every evening.

 

Entertainment on our cruise included comedian Bruce Smirnoff (we also saw him last year on Regatta, very good), Spanish guitarist and composer John Varadin (exceptional) and baritone Jamie Michael Stewart (best known for the "Love Boat" them song, but an outstandng performer. We also had performances by the entertainment staff (Simon Heath, excellent, and Amanda Cason, very good), a sock hop, a deck party with Brazilian folkloric dancers, a concert by the full 12 piece orchestra (band and string quartet), a crew variety night, and a final variety show which featured everyone except Smirnoff, who had left the ship at Cape Verde. The only show we missed with the special evening with lecturer Don Klein, who showed his Land Rover adventure from London to Cape Town, and the only reason we missed it was because we had seen it the year previous on Regatta, and we dined late.

 

While some people rate the entertainment low, Betsy and I thoroughly enjoy it, and apparently so do the 300 to 400 people who crowd into the showroom lounge every evening to standing room capacity, and who clap long and loud for every performance. It's probably a good thing that some don't lke the entertainment, as the lounge is not large enough to accommodate everyone on board. When one of the detractors asked me how I enjoyed the crew variety show, I replied, "It was terrible -- but it was great FUN, and the crew members were enthusiastic. What could be better?"

 

The daily schedule varies with different sports, different games, etc., and the times move about. Some folks complained that the schedule could be more regular, with the enrichment lecture scheduled for the same time each day so they could remember when it was. My own feeling is that having to read the newspaper each day and keeping track of the times helps to keep me from getting senile. I appreciate the variety.

 

There is always sunbathing, the Spa, the fitness room, the pool and the jacuzzis, of course. As a physical therapist, Betsy likes to do her exercises in the pool each afternoon, and she usually does her 13 laps of the walking deck to complete a mile in the early morning.

 

My own sea day schedule is more sedimental. After the buffer breakfast around 9:00 I work the daily Sudoku puzzles at a table in the shade on the pool deck, read a little, have lunch in the Waves grill, then head back to to the cabin to relax in the AC, read a little, maybe watch a movie, and frequently catch a nap (to rest up from my busy morning), or perhaps download some pictures to the computer and start to organize them. Barely having time to get ready for dinner, I eat and go to the evening show, then hit the bed, exhausted after all my activity. I like the enrichment lectures and the cooking demonstrations, providing I can decipher the French and Italian accents. The chefs are really funny. I did go to afternoon tea in Horizons once, and a Gala Afternoon Tea in the main lounge. We also enjoyed the gala brunch in the main dining room.

 

Somehow, I never seem to have time to get everything done by the end of the day. :cool:

[hondorner]

I've been following the wave height for the part of Atlantic you were on, it seem just fine. Was that your experience? What was the motion like on Terrace deck, since I will spend lots of time there, as well as library, oceania@sea, level. Thanks very much for your review, especially when this itinerary has not been written as review in places I've looked.:)

We had an exceptionally smooth crossing. We had been offered a complimentary upgrade to a class B2 veranda, but it was the first veranda on the side of the ship on deck 6, and that was too high and too far forward for me, so I turned it down and stayed in the C1 category. I like the fresh air on the balcony, but there is little to see in the middle of the Ocean. We had a balcony on the Amazon cruise last year and have booked a balcony for the Chilean Fjords next year, but stayed down low for the transAtlantic.

 

I understand Regatta had a storm and a few rough days the week before us, on the way to Miami, but we had seas no more than 7 to 10 feet (and usually less), sunny days (about 1/2 hour of rain, one day). Still, the motion could be felt. We felt the aft vibrations and a "fanny wiggle" often in the grand dining room and on the terrace cafe outside tables, but it was tolerable because I could move when I liked. I was glad I wasn't paying thousands for the Owners Suites, however, where the motion would have annoyed me.

 

Betsy had an embroidery class in Horizons Lounge one day, on deck 10 in the very front of the ship, and I went up with her to sit nearby and read. On that day, the pitch and wiggle was annoying enough that I went back down after about 5 minutes. But then, no one else seemed to notice, and I think I may be hyper-sensitive to the motion. Some folks were queasy. I never felt ill, but rather simply annoyed, and it was easy to avoid it.

 

Had it been very rough, the lounge on deck 4 near Reception would have been a good refuge -- low and in the middle of the ship. That location really did make a difference, as we seldom felt any pitch, roll, bump or wiggle in our cabin. I also learned to appreciate the extra bit of storage on the fiberglass shelf that surrounds the window.

 

I forgot some of the daily activities. We also had an officer's round table where the Captain, General Manager and Food Manager answered any questions.

 

But, perhaps the most fun was the ceremony for crossing the Equator, with King Neptune indoctrinating Polliwogs into the secret society of Shellbacks. Each Polliwog had to kiss the fish, then get dubbed with a ladle of secret sauce (pancake batter). Betsy and I became Shellbacks last year on Regatta, so we were able to watch and giggle this year.

 

That's all for today; I have a few things to do to get ready for an RV trip this weekend and again next week to see the grandkids at Christmas. I'll add more on the food, Cape Verde Islands, Recife, Salvador and Rio in the next few days.

[XTEACH281]

great reading so far ....as far as the equator ceremony ---if you have flown across the eq. ---does that count ---or are you still a newbie ?

[Druke I]

Great thread so far.

 

Susan W. - flying across the Equator does NOT count. King Neptune has no jurisdiction in the skies - the seas are his realm.

 

I've crossed the Equator by ship several times, and some of the crossings have had great Initiations by King Neptune's Court.

[scdreamer]

"While some people rate the entertainment low, Betsy and I thoroughly enjoy it, and apparently so do the 300 to 400 people who crowd into the showroom lounge every evening to standing room capacity ..."

 

Another question ... I am curious to know if the ship was full to capacity. I was under the impression that the Transatlantic itineraries did not usually sell out, but that number of passengers in the showroom lounge seems to indicate that may not be the case - (unless the rest of the ship was empty during the shows :rolleyes: ).

[dkbustr]

Great reading, Don. I appreciate taking time out of your hectic schedule to get all this written to us here on the boards. We have talked about a TA at some point in time, and I actually saw that Oceania has a heck of a deal on the March crossing of the Regatta with a B2B Barcelona to Rome. The 22 days is only slightly more than the cost of the Barcelona to Rome leg. Now if I could just get 22 days off work, that would be great....guess it will have to wait for retirement.

 

Oh, and I hope you have settled down now that you have returned..those days you had on the ship would take the energy out of a 22 year old, let alone studs like us. :rolleyes:

 

Can't wait for your next installment,

 

Mike

[hondorner]

"While some people rate the entertainment low, Betsy and I thoroughly enjoy it, and apparently so do the 300 to 400 people who crowd into the showroom lounge every evening to standing room capacity ..."

 

Another question ... I am curious to know if the ship was full to capacity. I was under the impression that the Transatlantic itineraries did not usually sell out, but that number of passengers in the showroom lounge seems to indicate that may not be the case - (unless the rest of the ship was empty during the shows :rolleyes: ).

Heads up, folks, this transAtlantic was nearly full. It was less than a year ago that Jan mentioned that repositioning cruises may not be full and upgrades might be possible. It was just a little more than a year ago that people were reporting that transAtlantic cruises were half full. Jan and Rickey worked their butts off to try to get me a comp upgrade on this cruise, and the best they could do was a one-category upgrade to a cabin that was too far forward for me. Nothing else was available. A few months ago, I could have purchased an upgrade to an A2 for a reduced rate (I'm too much of a penny-pincher to have done that), but by the time of sailing they were all gone.

 

My gut feeling is that more and more folks have discovered Oceania but find it just above their budget, so are turning to the transAtlantic cruises for a bargain. This is filling the ships The success will create more demand, and I predict that transAtlantic cruises on Oceania will start to go up in price. I predict that within a year or so, you will have to book a transAtlantic as early as you do other Oceania cruises in order to get the location you want.

 

I've had my December, '08 cruise booked since 8:00 AM on the morning they became available, and I already know which cruise I want for Winter '09/'10. I'll book it as soon as it is available. Then, I'll be looking to see where the new ships go in '10 and '11 -- if they have cruises with sea days mixed with port days, we'll be booking one the day they become available.

[Aussie Gal]

Don,

 

Have loved reading your report and look forward to the next instalment. We are hoping to do the Transatlantic from Athens to Miami (hopefully it will be a similar itinerary to next year's) in 2009. It is a 24 day cruise on the Regatta with wonderful ports. I am waiting for the new schedules to come out in March and we will definitely be one of the first to book.

 

Jennie

[tak2]

Heads up, folks, this transAtlantic was nearly full.

 

My Nov 08 Lis-Rio sold out 500 days prior to cruise! Within a short time, the BCN-Miami TA , same time, got sold out as well( but that one has Jaques Pepin onboard )

 

For some reason, the March crossing doesn't sell well. Any ideas why?:confused:

[dwelsh]

I understand that the 3/10 Rio - Barcelona is 100% occupied. We did a Regent Monte Carlo to Miami 2 years ago and that was only 60% occupied.

Thanks for the reports, very well written and informative. We are looking forward to our 3/10 reverse itinerary. Look forward to additional reports.

[hondorner]

Where was I? Ah, yes, on the way to Cape Verde Islands. Most of us pronounced it "Verdy", but Don Klein, our lecturer, consistently pronounced it "Verd". Your first impression will be rusty ships. Remember all those Dirk Pitt or James Bond type stories where the bad guys are in a rusty freighter? They're all tied up in Porto Grande harbor, amazingly still afloat.

 

The ship's tour was a view of the main street, a trip to somewhere called Catfish Bay, and a folkloric show that apparently was to last about 15 minutes, if I was intepreting the schedule correctly. I heard later that the folkloric show was 4 guys with a guitar or two. We passed it up, and walked into town. It's not a long walk.

 

Before we left, the ship's TV destination channel described the transportation as "not up to European or American standards" and stated that "few taxi drivers speak or understand English". Actually, most of the tour vans or sedan taxis we saw were in surprisingly good condition. On the other hand, I think there may be the world's largest collection of Toyota Starlets on the island, which have not been produced in that style since 1984.

 

To say the tourist aspects are undeveloped is an understatement. Betsy buys a couple of postcards in every location for her extensive postcard collection (our family knows to save whatever she mails and give them back when we get home). In Porto Grande, we never saw a store selling a postcard. Finally, we spotted a young lady sitting on a step outside the produce market with a laundry basket poartially full of postcards. She was too shy to call attention to herself, but once some of the other passengers saw Betsy buying postcards, the young lady did a brisk business.

 

Of course, that lack of pushiness made the visit charming in the sense that almost no one was hounding us to buy something, and no one was begging. There were no street performers and for the most part, the local folks ignored us. That made it more likely to be in tune with their lifestyle.

 

We had been warned not to take pictures without first asking permission, especially of girls carrying baskets on their heads. Our tactic was to be sneaky about it. It worked; no one noticed us taking surreptitious pictures.

 

There isn't much to see, and little of architectural note, and just one statue that we saw. Some of the locals did speak English, and one or two were genuinely friendly.

 

Frankly, it's difficult to recall exactly what we did see unless I look again at our pictures. It's worth the walk into town. but it's not a place to which you would schedule a specific visit. A few pictures might be worth many words.

[hondorner]

Next, three more sea days. This might be a good point to talk about the food and maybe a little about the fellow passengers.

 

We saw a greater number of slightly younger folks on this cruise, but our last Oceania cruise was 26 days, and possibly fewer younger folks could afford the time. I know that's the reason we largely put off our cruising days until at least one of us retired. For some reason, there was a surprisingly large number of Canadians. There was a group of 33 from one housing development neat Toronto, and another group from Vancouver, and many traveling independently. We always tried to dine at a shared table, and by some weird coincidence we met Canadians, folks from Ireland, from Scotland, Venice and Switzerland, but we sat with only one American couple until the last night!

 

There also seemed to be a larger number of seriously wealthy people compared with our Amazon cruise. We finally ran into one of the couples usually mentioned with regards to even more luxurious cruise lines, who lost no time in informing us of how many houses, boats, acres, exotic cars and such they owned. Fortunately, that's a rare occasion on board an Oceania ship, as few fellow passengers are pretentious, regardless of how much money they have. There was more formal dress, as some passengers wore coat and tie to every evening venue, and many wore sports coats. There were at least two men in Tuxedos one evening, with their better halves wearing very dressy long gowns. In honor of the more formal dress, I wore socks at every evening meal unless we were in the Terrace restaurant. I took a blazer but never wore it.

 

I said I'd talk about the food, but I think it has all been said before. It was great, delicious, beautiful and pretty rich for my simple tastes. My favorite dishes are based on pasta, but I didn't want to miss the veal chops, filets, lobster, prime rib and more, so I got into the habit of having many of the pasta dishes served in an appetizer portion, especially because so many of the appetizers were too rich for me. Some of my medications tend to increase weight, and I just managed to lose about 18 pounds in an 8 month struggle and didn't want to put them back on. I'm proud to say that I actually lost about 2 pounds during this cruise.

 

My only complaint is that as a soda (or pop) lover, I get cheated. The ship serves free coffee, tea, iced tea, cappuccino, espresso, juices, lemonade, punch and morfe, but I have to pay for every diet cola I drink, even though a fountain drink setup would probably cost less than coffee service.

 

Recife, Brazil coming up.

[Aussie Gal]

Don,

 

Great photos. The food looks wonderful and it is a lovely photo of the four of you. I am so sorry that we will not get to meet you and Betty on our Nautica cruise in April.

 

Jennie