Response to Veendam Questions

[vcdarty]

We got off the ship in Tampa Sunday morning. Here's a brief response to some of your questions:

 

Entertainment: the Veendam Singers and Dancers are really wonderful. We saw two of their three shows--absolutely professional in every way. Staging, choreography, costumes, energy and talent galore. Highly recommended (and I don't much care for musicals).

 

The new combo in the Ocean Bar is a far cry from the group who played there last season. We often danced both before and after dinner. Then. Now it's three gravel-voiced, humorless guys from Acapulco, "Bombalero," and their phony-sounding synthesizer making with the canned violin music. A miss. The place was deserted every night.

 

We gave the Piano Bar and its host, Ian, a brief try one night. Not tempted to stay. The HAL Cats work hard and deserve credit. Their gal-singer is just OK.

 

The show lounge featured a magician one night and a comedian another. We skipped both.

 

Ports: I had a cold at Key West and stayed aboard. Three of our party enjoyed the trolley because of its flexibility with stops, and liked the Hemingway house--non-commercial, quiet, and a must-see for aficionados.

 

We anchored at some distance from Belize City, with fast tenders getting guests to the mainland. Again, three of our party went ashore and engaged a chap who with his van ($20 apiece) took them on a city tour they found informative: the American expat enclave, the lawyers' enclave, the doctors' enclave, and crime-ridden streets he refused to enter--too dangerous.

 

None of our group was interested in the adventurous stuff in any port, though others seemed to enjoy that sort of thing. We have an interest in Mayan culture and have visited independently most of the sites in Mexico and Honduras. Nothing on these shore excursions seemed worth the often long bus rides. Two hours in Tikal is nowhere near enough time. So we didn't so those. Santo Tomas de Castilla is a busy container port that receives cruise ships twice weekly. There's a big tin-roofed bldg filled with handcraft vendors who often drive for hours to get there.

 

Two of our group took the trolley excursion to Puerto Barrios and found it valuable--totally untouristed. Lots of street life (unlike Belize), lively and active. A busy, big street market selling everything: car parts, tires, animals, cars, and the like. Nothing quaint about it! But real. Leaving port in the late afternoon was a trip: dancers performed for the sailaway, taxis honked, drummers drummed. And watching the sunset and twilight over the hilly, dark headlands was magical.

 

Costa Maya is, of course, a made-up place for cruise ships. The port facility is a secure enclave filled with shops, bars, eateries, and a large swimming pool. Plus palapas along the shore for lounging. Everything spotless and well looked-after. Totally commercial. For me, the best thing about the place is the amazingly blue, clear water where we docked.

 

And the flying fishes the next day were a big plus!!

[RuthC]

Thank you. That info helped a little.

[Krazy Kruizers]

Welcome Home.

Puerto Barrios for you with the wonderful sailaway of the taxis honking, children dancing, ambulances also honking -- everyone waving -- sounds like the great sen off we had at Santo Tomas last spring.

Are we talking about the same port?? I am confused.

[Copper10-8]

Welcome Home.

 

Puerto Barrios for you with the wonderful sailaway of the taxis honking, children dancing, ambulances also honking -- everyone waving -- sounds like the great sen off we had at Santo Tomas last spring.

 

Are we talking about the same port?? I am confused.

 

That send-off the OP is talking about takes place in the port of Santo Tomas de Castilla. Puerto Barrios is the port down the road which was severely damaged by an earthquake in 1976. Santo tomas de Castilla has been receiving cruise ships since 2004.