Destiny: Caribbean Gems

[kruzseeka]

Destinations - part 2.

 

La Romana, Dominican Republic

This was our middle day and after reading reports that there wasn’t a great deal in the town of La Romana and that taxis were rather expensive here (sorry – I should have checked out the actual prices), we decided to take the ship’s excursion to Altos de Chavon with the Mississippi paddle boat trip.

We were taken by bus for about a 15 minute ride to do the boat trip first, sailing along the Chavon River which due to the recent heavy rain was a red/orange clay colour because of the run-off from the land. We were told it is usually clear. (Some of the excursions do the river trip after visiting Altos de Chavon.) Rum refreshments were very free flowing (and strong) on this stage of the excursion. We don’t like to spoil our holidays by over-indulging but I believe during the approximately 45 minutes we were on the river, some had imbibed at least 5 (strong) rum and cokes! There didn’t appear to be any limits other than self-imposed ones!

When the river trip was over, we were taken by bus to the village of Altos de Chavon a 32-year old village constructed in the style of 16th century Italian village. Although obviously not authentic (it did look it though!), it was very picturesque and had an amphitheatre, craft shops, church with bell tower, restaurant and good views. Our guide was very informative both during the bus ride and during our tour of the village. We had about three quarters of an hour to explore on our own before returning to the bus. The journey to the ship took us through a very up-market golf resort in which some famous American football stars have invested huge sums of money and were now worth a fraction of what they had paid. There were some very attractive villas complete with golf buggies in the drive and beautifully manicured and maintained gardens.

And then, just to see how the other half live, we walked into La Romana town. There is very heavy security around the port but we didn’t feel threatened after leaving the confines of the cruise terminal. After crossing the rail track we could see sugar cane laden wagons making their way to the factory - the black smoking chimney denoting it's location! It is a noisy, busy town though with evidence of a great deal of poverty and many examples of recycling in a culture of having to improvise to make the most of everything. The following week (departure day) we went into the town earlier to see the local market – and that was quite an eye-opener – in contrast to most of the markets seen elsewhere on the islands which are geared to tourists. There weren’t many shops for the visitor or interesting features to the town although the church stands well, overlooking a lovely shady square which offered some welcome relief from the sun. There were some interesting sculptures in this square and elsewhere – again made from recycled materials but they were very creative and inventive. There were many young men on motor bikes and we did feel you have to take great care crossing roads here (unlike most of the other islands where motorists seemed very willing to stop for you to cross even where there wasn’t a crossing). There also appear to be some ‘guides’ with ‘Touristico’ (or something similar) printed on the back of their light blue polo style T-shirts who tell you they are with Thomson (don’t think so!) and their main objective seems to be to lead you towards and encourage you to go into a particular gift shop. The guy who linked up with us was perfectly polite and not at all threatening – but be warned, he took a bit of shaking off.

 

St George’s, Grenada

The spice island – and it really is! There is a good mall at the port (with quite strict security – bags scanned and pass through the X-ray each time you go back to the ship) but there is a post office here and lots of tourist souvenir shops although I think you can get better deals at the markets stalls outside of the terminal where there were many shops selling the usual tourist gear – beach bags, wraps, hats, gifts etc., etc..

Here we took a local taxi for a 2.5 – 3 hr trip. There were loads to choose from of varying duration and itineraries. We went to Allandale Falls and Great Etang Park (and lake) plus a brief stop to see the Grand Anse Beach on our way back. Our driver tried to point out plants and things of interest but unfortunately he wasn’t the best at giving information which was a little disappointing but that didn’t detract from the lush vegetation and colourful island which we greatly enjoyed seeing. One note of caution though - I think this was the trip where our taxi didn't have seat belts and given the rather precipitous roads with incredible gradients and hair-pin bends, this wasn't too good. Perhaps we should have declined - but didn't. It might be worth just asking, when negotiating a taxi trip, whether seat belts are fitted and insisting on a taxi which has them.

The traditional dress is really bright and you see women with fruit baskets on their heads – obviously for photo opportunities - and if you give them a dollar they are quite happy for you to snap away but they are on the look-out for those with cameras and do approach you for money. Still, it’s a way for them to make a bit of money and in the context of our holiday cost, a dollar is insignificant. At the Falls there were young men jumping off the high rocks and will say you can watch for nothing but will want $10 to take a photograph – and they are a bit persistent calling after you – but not threatening. You have to walk down to the Falls along a rocky path which can be a bit hazardous if wet (likely to be from spray) so it’s as well to take care and it may not be suitable for those with walking difficulties.

There are also stalls at both the Falls and the Park selling necklaces of spices to hang in your kitchen. These are made from fresh seeds so take them out of the plastic bag they will give you to put them in and hang them in your cabin until you are ready to pack as they will ‘sweat’ and go mouldy if you keep them wrapped up. I was a bit worried whether they would be confiscated coming back (I thought they would be less likely to be damaged in my hand luggage) but didn’t know whether they’d come under the restrictions for food products you couldn’t bring back. As it happened my hand luggage was subject to a fairly thorough search at La Romana including a close look at my spices but they let me through ok. They cost about $5 for 2 or perhaps even cheaper at the market in St George’s so they were very cheap and a lovely reminder of our holiday each time we walk into the kitchen!

On returning to the ship we then got a local taxi for the 10 minute trip to Grand Anse beach ($5 each), a lovely sweep of soft sand where we enjoyed another cooling dip. We went back via the water taxi at $4 each which takes you back round the Destiny to a jetty close to the berth.

 

Roseau, Dominica

Here we’d planned to have a ‘lazy’ day (it gets quite exhausting getting up early to see something of each island, pull in some beach time and then stay up to see the shows!!). After reading that there were some Botanical Gardens in Roseau we decided to spend time there, explore the town and then find the Fort Young Hotel.

We were docked a good 10/15 minute walk from the berth by the Fort Young Hotel – there was a large RCI ship berthed there – so we walked into the town passing some rather run down dwellings and the walkways weren’t too good in places. We passed some passengers returning to the ship at 09.30 claiming it was a horrible place but it was clear they hadn’t ventured far and hadn’t really got into the town to make a valid judgement however we weren’t going to be deterred so easily. (How can you come so far and dismiss a place so easily? I think it’s so important to respect where people live and their culture and perhaps they do live in some pretty deprived conditions but our presence and spending in their towns does make a difference.)

We had to ask for directions to the gardens but everyone we asked was very helpful. Actually, the gardens weren’t as extensive as we’d imagined – although pleasant to visit (free entrance). We should have taken the opportunity to get a taxi to see more of the island as our friends did, being given loads of information including being shown giant caterpillars and iguanas. The main feature of the island is it's flora and fauna as the beaches here are black volcanic ash and not really recommended. We spotted some aerial roots from trees in the gardens which were incredible. Look out too for the bus which was crushed by a falling tree over 30 years ago in a devastating hurricane. (There are examples in many of the islands of hurricane damage – and looking at the fragile looking wooden houses on stilts it must be a terrifying experience.)

As we were leaving the gardens there was a short sharp shower and we found ourselves sheltering under a tree chatting to a guy who lived half the year in Dominica, some time in Portugal and also the UK. He had a lady friend who lived 200m from where I used to work! Small world! As was our experience, the locals were very friendly and more than willing to chat and pass the time of day. We were also extremely impressed by the mission statement painted on the wall of the school which backed onto the gardens: ‘Everyday is Courtesy Day’. How commendable and it shows!!!

Following instructions from our ‘new friend’ from under the tree we skirted round to the left when leaving the gardens, passing the library and church to find the Fort Young Hotel on our left. We meandered through a very elegant hotel making our way through the building down to the waterfront where we found the terrace (thanks Bella!) and enjoyed a couple of iced lagers for $6. One guy approached me asking how much we’d paid for the beer and after telling him he decided to ordered some because the price for a beer on the RCI ship on which he was travelling was $5.75 and the cheapest bottle of wine was £17/18. No wonder he took the chance of having a drink at the hotel! It was a lovely spot to spend some time relaxing. On the way out of the hotel there were some more market stalls directed at tourists but I didn’t see much in the way of shops which looked interesting.

Taxis from the quay for island tours were about $20 p.p. pulling in the Falls, Sulphur Springs, Botanical Gardens etc. A similar trip from the ship was about £36 (but may not have been identical). I would recommend it's best to do a trip or activity here but take time to walk into the town later if you have time and get a flavour of the place especially enjoying some refreshment at Fort Young Hotel.

 

 

St John’s Antigua

Here we took the ship’s trip to Blockhouse Fort, Shirley Heights (both with amazing views) and to the most interesting historic Nelson’s Dockyard, passing en route the now infamous Sir Viv Richards’ Stadium and the old Recreation Ground – recently pressed into service for the test match! Our guide was excellent: amusing, knowledgeable and extremely informative. This was a really good trip but we did pay more for this than we would have done taking a local taxi having paid £32 each compared with about $25 – but we did have the advantage of a good guide which we’d missed out on in Grenada (plus we did have a complementary rum punch at Nelson’s Dockyard).

Antigua is a beautiful island and clearly rather more prosperous than some of the others we visited. The homesteads are well tended and colourful and the beaches here are gorgeous. (365 – one for day of the year!)

Once back at the ship, we took a local taxi to Dickenson Bay ($10 for two each way). Our driver waited for an hour so that we could have a swim before getting us back to the ship in good time to have a look around the lovely duty free shops in the area of the port. And I found Noreen Phillips designer dress shop - gorgeous! You'll look the business on your cruises later this year in one of those dresses, Bella!

 

A rather disturbing theme as we travelled around the islands was the level of outside investment –understandably the islands were only too willing to improve their infrastructure and amenities – but you had to keep asking ‘At what price?’ and ‘What are these investors after?’. In one instance it was whaling rights but this was being actively opposed by the U.S. to the extent that they were prepared to ban American tourists from going to the island concerned. Talk about being in a cleft stick – much needed investment but at the risk of losing their vital tourist trade (sometimes representing 80%+ of the economy). Life ain’t ever simple!!!!

 

Philipsburg, St Maarten

This was a really lazy (and lovely) day. We walked from where we were berthed to the town which took only about 15/20 minutes but it wasn’t a very attractive route and I would suggest that it’s best to take the water taxi from the jetty adjacent to the terminal. It costs $6 return or $4 one way. (We caught the water taxi back). There is a lovely bay here backed by a promenade, cafes and bars and we negotiated a price of $10 for an umbrella and two loungers for the day. The price drops gradually from about $15 the further you walk away from the ship end of the bay. Some areas on the beach also offer ‘happy hours’ from the bars too when you purchase your beach furniture. There are watersports available here and lots of traders wandering around offering beach bags, necklaces etc. but they aren’t a nuisance - a polite 'No thank-you' was respected everywhere we went.

The sea has a tendency to shelve quite suddenly from knee to waist depth but once you’ve got past this it seemed to be a very safe just gradually getting deeper. It’s a lovely place to swim with little in the way of waves and seemed to have no detectable undertow or currents – just a slight drift in the direction of the wind.

The shops in Philipsburg just behind the promenade are great with lots of duty free jewellery, electronics, clothing and souvenir shops. The staff from the Destiny said it was the cheapest shopping place and it’s very smart with a good market too. We saw large beach bags complete with matching wrap at $12 here. The best price we could get for identical ones in Tortola was $18 so if you see something you like, I’d advise you to buy here! It’s a most attractive, clean and well kept shopping area fringed with palm trees and brightly painted buildings and quite different from other islands being a much more sophisticated shopping area. We had a great day here without venturing out of sight of the ship. This was one of my favourite destinations.

 

 

 

Well, I think that's it for destinations unless anyone has any questions to ask. I'll do a general review of other aspects of the cruise but in fairness I don't think there'll be much new to add to reviews already posted - my views mirror much of the opinions already expressed. But I will try to get something done before you lucky folks are off on 22nd.

[kruzseeka]

I forgot to mention that our table companions went on the aerial tram ride through/over the rainforest in Dominica and really enjoyed it - but it is quite expensive. It lasted for about an hour and they did say it was quite chilly up there - the guide wore a fleece! The tram (a bit like a cage) was several hundred feet up but they said it was quite sedate and not too scary although it was open to the elements so waterproofs might be a good idea in addition to the fleece!

[capasamari]

My mum and dad went to the market in La Romana and found it really interesting, very much a "proper" market for the locals rather than the usual tourist stuff. They watched cigars being rolled by hand!

 

I still have my spice necklace from Grenada in my kitchen although it has lost its fragrance now, but I have had it since 2004! I had a "2 lady, $2" photo there! We visited two months after Hurricane Ivan when the whole island was devastated and they were desperate for the cruise ships' revenue, the American ships had dropped Grenada as it wasn't "smart" enough for them. Amongst all the rebuilding that was needed, the first thing to be done was a new cruise ship terminal to encourage the visitors. It was very humbling. We go back there this December and are really looking forward to it.

 

We enjoyed St. Maarten so much that we went back for a week's stay in 2005 after we had first been there on a cruise.

 

Glad you enjoyed your cruise, we love these little islands and are always intrigued by how different they all are.

 

Carol x

[EH1]

WOW KRUISEKA :)

What wonderful reviews ,although we are not going to all your ports in April I've printed them off for the ones we will be visiting. Feel we've really got our own tourist guide books now ! Thanks to you . Did you find that the local guides were quite geared up for departure timesof the boats ? I would rather go with the local guides if possible as we always do but I'm just a bit worried about missing the boat and ending up doing a Robinson Crusoe;)

[kruzseeka]

Pleased you have found it helpful. Yes, the local guides are very clued up regarding ship departures and will adapt a trip to your requirements - shorten it/lengthen it and fit in with your schedule. They really want/need the business so go out of their way to be accommodating. We tended to get off the ship early so we had a good start and could go on a trip and still have time to find a beach (often the closest to the ship) for a swim in the afternoon. It's amazing how much you can pull in - but try to find some lazy beach days - they're pure joy!

[Bella36]

Another wonderful review Kruzseeka!

 

Glad you enjoyed a drink on the terrace of the Fort Young Hotel in Dominica. When we were there in December, Destiny had the berth right in front of it and it was rather nice to sit in the shade and watch all the "comings and goings" on the ship.

 

Isn't Noreen Philips dress shop in St. John's Antigua just fab? EH1 - you really should go and have a look when you are there in April. The formal dresses are AMAZING. I can't wait to wear the two I bought there on Splendour of the Seas in May. However, I just wish the lovely Captain Psarrakis from Destiny would be onboard to compliment me! LOL! :D What a charmer that man is!

 

And I definitely agree with you that the lovely Cane Garden Beach on Tortola would be my No 1 attraction as well. It was almost deserted when we were there, as Destiny was the only ship in port that day. I will never forget the azure water, the pelicans diving for fish around us and the friendly locals. Pure bliss!

 

We are eagerly awaiting your thoughts on Destiny herself and the facilities/entertainment on board now!

[BIGMANTAM]

Fantastic review I absorbed every word. Myself and OH and friends are going on the 15th of March and cant wait. I have a hundred questions to ask but will leave it for now as you already have done a brilliant job with your review and Im sure will be tired just now.

 

Well done on a precise and very interesting review of all the islands. I look forward to hearing your opinion of the Ship as it is having quite different reviews at the moment.:p:eek::D

[smiffy1951]

Hi Kruzseeka:)

 

Another great review which I have printed off ready to take with me on the 22nd March, along with the review of the Coral Islands.

 

I'm not worried about the review of the Destiny as we have been on her twice before and thinks she's great. I know some have really given her bad reviews, but we've never had any bad experiences at all.

 

Only 4 weeks on Sunday before we leave and I can't wait.:cool:

 

Janet

[GM0NJl]

Thanks for all the info about the cruise stops.

 

When visiting Tortola visit Bomba's shack, it sits on Little Apple Bay and is famous for its full moon beach parties.

Take time to read all the notices on the shack as well, they are fun.

 

On St. Maarten island if you get to hot and bothered walking along Front street just pop into a jewellery shop as they are all air conditioned, great to cool down. If you are thinking of making a purchase they might even offer you a cold beer or two. I had three in one shop as my wife abused the credit cards.

 

Roll on the 15 March so I can return.

 

Ron

[kruzseeka]

Thanks to everyone for your kind comments. :) Just pleased you've found it helpful. I've gained such a lot from others on this board, it's nice to be able to return the favour.

 

WOW Bella - I didn't realise you had bought TWO of Noreen's fabulous dresses. :D They are so unusual, individual and stunning creations. No wonder you are looking forward to your next cruise: enjoying a beautiful ship, exploring great destinations AND wearing Noreen's dresses! Lucky girl - and don't forget to take that Tanzanite with you too! ;)

[kruzseeka]

My DH has just reminded me that the Post Office was in the Mall in Barbados - not Grenada. I was getting my weeks mixed up and am still having a bit of a problem visualising and distinguishing between all the port terminals/shopping malls. I'll have to start downloading my photos now to help consolidate my memories.

It's worth getting cards off as soon as possible though - our son's card from Barbados (2nd stop, week one) arrived on Wednesday this week exactly a fortnight from posting!