AOS 14 Nov 04 Review - Very Long Review (Part Seven - St Thomas and Disembarkation)

[bobbyd6363]

St Thomas – 17 November 2004

 

We all got up at 0630 so we could go down to the dining room and go through customs. The long was already all the way down the promenade but it went really fast and did start early. The cruise staff fed the line through a couple of the sea pass machines and everyone had to put their sea pass in the machine (like you do when you leave and return to the ship). I think this was a great idea because it really gave them a computerized list of who had or had not cleared customs. Once you go through the sea pass machines they fed you around to the other side of the dining room where the custom agents (mine was cute as hell) looked at your passport and you and waved you on. At the end of the line the cruise staff gave each person a ticket that was supposed to prove you cleared customs and were allowed off the ship. We headed downstairs to deck three and the main dining room and had breakfast. Do you see a morning ritual beginning here?

 

My friend Dee and I investigated and found a private charter company – New Horizons to take us on a half day sail to St John. We left the ship and no one took our tickets that we got for clearing customs? Does this mean we could have just left when we wanted?! Our little group of eight met on the pier and after a quick search we figured the rest of our whacko group had gone ahead to red hook and to the yacht harbor. We exited the pier and I looked for a taxi. We were immediately beset upon by a fellow trying to put the eight of us in taxi that already had about 5 people in it!! Now tell me how the heck we were all going to fit in there? I told him no way we were going to fit in there and he seemed to want to argue but then thought better of it and hooked us up with a minivan and a driver. I forget his name but he turned out to be great. He took us to the yacht harbor and we made plans with him to come back and get us later. The driver even went so far as to verify with the boat captain when to return so he could be there when we returned.

 

We found the rest of our group already onboard the boat so we popped off our shoes and hopped onboard. The crew consisted of Captain Dave and crew-person Tango. They made us all feel really welcome and after making sure everyone had a drink and knew where the bathroom was, we cast off and headed to Honeymoon Beach!! It was fun watching Tango work the rigging and listen to the cracks Captain Dave was making at her expense. He told me that he was her personal trainer and that she needed the exercise so he made her do all the work handling the sails and the anchor!

 

On the way over to St John a miracle happened! Yep you guessed it! THE SUN CAME OUT! We had great weather the entire voyage! We dropped anchor off Honeymoon Beach and snorkeled for little over an hour while Captain Dave and Tango prepared lunch. The snorkeling was really good but my favorite part was simply doing cannonballs off the side of the boat!! WOO HOO!!

 

Lunch was great and there was plenty of food for everyone and I have to say that this excursion ranks right up there with the private charter we did at Stingray City in Grand Cayman! We had so much fun, ate too much and actually got a little sun burnt. On the way back to St Thomas we watched the storm clouds and rain bursts roll onto the island. We got a brief respite from the rain but it wasn’t going away anytime soon! When we arrived at the harbor we found our driver waiting for us and he took us back to the ship. At the ship we hit the shops on the pier and picked up some cologne and a watch. We actually bought some of those little mini bottles of booze to sneak back on the ship.

 

Tonight was the farewell dinner and a bit sad. We had so much fun this week and even with the bad weather the dining room staff really made up for it. Our server Kibwe was absolutely amazing and the trick she played on Renee with the chocolate cake was too damned funny! Ah but good things must end.

 

After dinner we went to the Farewell show in the Lyric Theater and prior to the show we had worked out a signal that if anyone was bored and thought the show sucked then that person was to raise their hand! Well wouldn’t you know it the cruise director comes out and introduces the JUGGLER WHO CANT JUGGLE! WOO HOO!! This poor slob (again) dropped everything and I had had enough so I raised my hand and our ENTIRE group just got up and walked out! I strongly suggest this tactic because all week we had sat through some dreadful shows and not wanting to be rude and for fear that someone in our group actually was enjoying the show we would sit there and endure it!! LOL!! Well not tonight! We all walked out and went to the casino.

 

Debarkation – 21 November 2004

Well all good things must end so we all had our final breakfast today and hung out as long as we could. We met and said goodbye to all the great new friends we have made. They called our tag color and we headed ashore. This has to have been the fastest I have ever gotten off a ship! We were off the AOS by 0830! We found a porter and told him our luggage tag color and he loaded our bags and whisked us through customs and into a taxi. Ron and I had to say goodbye at the pier because we had booked an extra night in San Juan at the Caribe Hilton. It was really sad leaving our friends but we all knew we would be back together off and on over the next year and we were already all booked on the Island Princess for fifteen days to Hawaii in 2005!

 

We unloaded at the Caribe Hilton and checked in at the Executive Lounge. Let me state right here that I have never stayed in ANY hotel where the staff goes out of their way as much as this hotel staff does to make you feel welcome! Omar the executive lounge concierge got our room ready and checked us in by 0930. Omar got us an amazing room with an ocean view and in our room waiting for us was complimentary champagne and strawberries from the Hilton Honors Manager. If you are not a member of Hilton Honors I recommend you join soon! Well since it was cloudy, dreary and raining we took a nap!

 

We woke up hungry so we headed downstairs and I asked the valet where to get some good local food. The valet put us in a cab to the Las Hibarito (pronounced Hee-barito and means the "hillbilly") in Old San Juan. You have got to go there and get the cubed steak with onions! FANTASTIC and cheap! We walked out of there stuffed to the gills. Even though it was raining, I wanted to see the water front and the hotels by the Carnival Cruise Line cruise terminal. It is a shame that we had to depart and return to that dumpy Pan-American pier when Carnival has that awesome new facility! We hit a few shops and I bought a pair of fake Oakley sunglasses for $10.

 

San Juan – 22 November 2004

Well wouldn’t you know it!! We woke up to roaring sunshine and beautiful blue skies! Go figure! It’s the day we fly home! We hit the breakfast buffet in the lobby - $30 each! WOW but the champagne mimosas were nice! We then grabbed our swim trunks and hit the pool for few hours and a few more rays of sun before our flights home.

 

You know besides Ron’s lost luggage, food poisoning and the bad weather – it wasn’t a bad cruise!

[DMorris]

Great ending Bobby....

[alexkrn46]

Thanks again can't wait.....Will post a review when I get back in a couple of weeks. ALex

[bobbyd6363]

alexkrn46 - glad you liked my review! I cant wait to read yours!:)

[Deets]

Bobby. . .

 

What a wonderful review. . . . .you did an awesome job. I am glad you had a good time in spite of the uncooperating weather. Glad that you have another cruise booked to look forward to--a 15-day cruise at that!

 

A group of us are sailing on the Adventure o' the Seas in 6 weeks. Your review has got me even more anxious to get going. Thanks!

 

Deets

[bobbyd6363]

Deets - i am glad you liked the review! While everything is still fresh in my head, let me know if you have any questions I might can help you with! I still have all my Cruise Compasses.