Transatlantic Escape. Part One

We joined this 16 night cruise in Barcelona. Hoping to get an upgrade we arrived at the dock at 11 am and to our great delight we ended up in a suite for a very modest cost. We had previously booked a balcony cabin on deck 7. Embarkation was smooth and we were on board by 11:45.

This was our second cruise on the Legend and chose it because we prefer its size to the Mega ships. Part of the “Vision Class” it is easy to navigate and seems more intimate than others we have sailed on. She carries 1800 passengers and 720 crew, weighing in at around 70,000 tons and eleven decks high she is by no means small but around the second day you can begin to recognize familiar faces. The majority of the passengers on this cruise were Spanish, the remaining in order of numbers were American, British, German, and Canadian. The majority of the staff hailed from Asia they certainly earned their wages and tips very pleasant genuinely nice people.

On board costs are billed to your credit card in US funds. For non US issued credit cards you may have your charges converted by your credit card issuer{ I recommend this} If you opt for RCL to convert you will be charged a service fee. Gratuities may be pre paid by adding them to your credit card account or you can pay in cash on the last night of the cruise.{ our tips pre- paid totaled around $393} excluding room service tips.

The Ship & Public Areas

The Legend of the Seas is an attractive, well maintained ship. There are many places to sit and relax although I wished they had enforced the policy on the saving of deck chairs. {They don’t} We noted many unoccupied chairs loaded with belongings that remained empty for well over two hours and during my early am deck walks around 7am many of the said chairs had been claimed by the presence of books, towels, even shoes.

There are 6 bars and lounges scattered throughout the ship, easy to obtain a cool drink and we particularly enjoyed the Champagne bar located on deck four. The Champagne bar is a great location for people watching and each evening a very talented trio entertained { Easy listening } The shiny brass and glass etched bar is very elegant and compliments the stunning Centrum atrium area which is seven decks high and accessed by duel glass elevators. Glass skylights provide abundant light during the day, a very popular place day and night.

The Schooner bar with its nautical trim and piano entertainers was another popular place. . We played trivia twice daily there but it can become very smoky because the smoking tables outnumber the non- smokers. The Viking crown lounge on deck 11 is lovely in the evening with twinkling lights; {late night dancing} it also houses a cigar aficionado’s room. The lounge is accessed midship atrium (glass) elevators all other elevators stop on deck 10, there are no elevators at the stern of the ship so aft passengers need to walk to midship to go up or down.
The solarium indoor pool and spa area is a very popular place and themed in a Roman baths style children under 16 are not allowed and there are two whirlpools. Sauna, steam room and well equipped gym are located in the adjoining spa.
Anchors away lounge is the place to dance and see shows like Millionaire, biggest liar, Quest, etc.

That’s Entertainment Theater is very comfortable and we never had to arrive early to obtain seating. There isn’t a bad seat in the room. There is also a well stocked library, card room, { deck7} and internet area{deck8} and conference center on deck3.

Cabin .

I loved our cabin {starboard side} and will find it hard to go back to an “outside window.” Because this was a transatlantic we felt a balcony cabin would suit us better {and we were celebrating my 65th} it was ideal, however I would not pay for this category on a seven day or less. This was billed as a Royal suite {FS category deck 8} and indeed it was spacious. Nice entryway lots of mirrors, shelves cupboards and storage space. There were 2 bedrooms with twin beds, 2 bathrooms one with tub one with shower and a separate living area with pull out couch and two comfy arm chairs. TV/ DVD fridge, Floor to ceiling windows in the living room and bedroom walk out balcony with two chairs and table. We were located next to the internet room but we were not disturbed by undue noise, we also enjoyed concierge service and one evening entertained our tablemates pre- dinner in our cabin and were provided Champagne{ gratis} and yes there were chocolates on the pillow and strawberry dipped strawberries most days.

Restaurants.

There are no alternative restaurants on this ship but the two tiered Romeo and Juliet dining room is stunning with floor to ceiling windows, grand staircase, huge central chandelier and lots of polished sparkling brass. We had a table for eight and were fortunate to find them congenial and fun loving, all mixed ages and we became quite a force to challenge at trivia. Our food service personnel were tops and the food was fine. Lots of choices not gourmet by any means but well presented hot and tasty.

The Windjammer casual restaurant was very spacious, again filled with light from floor to ceiling windows. We did not eat in it and so I cannot comment on the food.
The Pizza bar in the Solarium served burgers, cookies and hot dogs from 4 :30pm-2am and Café Latte-tudes, Ben& Jerry’s open from 6 30am-11am 3pm- 11pm. Room service was available 24 hours and coffee/ Tea and hot chocolate was available on the pool deck until around 2am.

Entertainment.

There were nightly shows in the theatre mainly musical reviews some unfunny comedians and various vocalists. We enjoyed two accomplished vocalists one from Wales and one from England but the review show dancers lacked talent they seemed amateur and clumsy.

The following entertainers were excellent. Poolside music with “Captain Boom.” Easy listening {Centrum area} “23 degrees.” Favorite hits with “Ricardo” piano schooner bar. Dance music provided by “Lucky Trio”

The nine hole mini golf and rock climbing wall was well attended as was the Casino. We did not like the fact that to access the theatre one needed to walk through the casino and it was always blue with smoke.

We had a total of seven days at sea; five of them consecutive and the time flew by. I was hoping for some true rough sailing weather but the Atlantic crossing was as smooth as ironing. We attended port lectures, trivia, bridge, dance classes, scrap booking, digital photography and occasionally reading. The days passed resulting in a relaxing escapade. We did not book any ships tours except for one and that was in Barbados we were supposed to join a sailing yacht that had competed in the Whitbread cup race unfortunately it was cancelled due to rain as was all beach tours at that port.

Disembarking.

We disembarked in Santo Domingo. Everything was well organized and so what is usually the most unpleasant part of the trip was hassle free with transport provided to the airport. From there it went down hill, after re routing and long delays we finally arrived in Toronto in the biggest snowstorm of the year, the airport had been closed all day and we arrived at 11pm just after it re- opened. To make matters worse there were no towel animals, strawberries, or chocolates on the pillow that night.

We did not stay at this hotel but following our long hike around the town and Botanic garden we decided to have lunch there. We were very impressed by the quality of food, service and beautiful grounds.

In 1720 there was a wooden fort on this site it was built by the French. In 1761 British forces captured it and the island. Nine years later construction began on the Hotel {named after the British Governor} some of original walls have survived and are part of the present building. Hurricane David totally destroyed the hotel which had opened in 1964 and it wasn’t re opened until almost ten years later.

The hotel has 73 rooms/ including 3 suites. The luxury oceanfront suites all have walk out decks overlooking the Caribbean but most rooms are sea views. {All my information was obtained from the lovely receptionist at the front desk} Internet and business facilities are available.

This hotel is nestled on a cliff overlooking the Caribbean sea yet it is quite close to shops and town center. Some of its amenities and public areas include; a stunning sun terrace, friendly sea breeze bar, duty free shops, boardwalk café& bar, and waterfront restaurant.

We spent a couple of hours at the waterfront restaurant sipping on Gin and Tonics. There is a real old world charm that permeates this historic building and its staff are definitely charming.

We ordered Baked fish with French Fries and a fruit dessert it was beautifully presented and was delicious no grease at all on the fries. We certainly would choose this hotel for a stay in Dominica. It’s close to heaven sitting on the sun terrace surrounded by luscious blooms, despite the on and off showers we encountered in Roseau our spirits were lifted not dampened.

Rates Us $ Jan 15- 08- May 14/08
Standard. $115
Oceanview. $130
Deluxe Oceanview. $175
Oceanfront Suites. $230
May 15/08- Jan 14/09
Standard. $100
Oceanview. $110
Delux Oceanfront. $160
Oceanfront Suites. $ 210
Per room per night plus 10 percent service charge and 10 per Vat
Our total bill for lunch $40

We had the best ships welcome ever in St Vincent’s it was the inaugural visit of the R.C.L’.s Legend of The Seas and the port was set up to welcome the ship.
An excellent steel drum band played non stop and there was ample room for visitors to sit and enjoy the music or dance, whatever the mood provoked. All the shops in the port area were open and ready for business a very festive and welcoming air abounded.

We arrived on the 12th of December around seven am and we disembarked around 10am. We did not book ships tours preferring to peruse the town first and then find an island tour independently.

St Vincent is located in the Windward Islands between St Lucia and Grenada, it is quite small being only 11 miles wide and about 18 miles in length. It is a volcanic mountainous Island and this is reflected in some of its beaches and architecture. Soufriere the Volcano is located in its northern point and it is still active. Tours are available from the ship or you can negotiate with local drivers.

The ship docked in its capital Kingston about a ten to fifteen walk into town. We found this walk challenging because once out of the port there were very few sidewalks with cars parked haphazardly upon the very narrow verges. Having to walk around them was a bit tricky, plus the cobbled stones were hard on the ankles.

Kingstown is situated in a sheltered bay surrounded by steep hills and small houses can be seen seemingly perched on the slopes. The center of commerce is mainly around the port and within a cluster of shops in its center. We just wandered in and out of the little shops everyone was friendly and seemed happy to have the cruise ship in port. This is not a prosperous city and totally lacked pretentious shops. Christmas decorations adorned most windows and the lively market overflowed with fresh vegetables, fruits, spices and meat products. I purchased some spices and vanilla and hot sauce. There is a very West Indian feel in the town; colorful batik cotton dresses and headgear adorned most females, Caribbean music and lovely lilting voices sang out like sirens enticing customers to view the market stalls. I bought cards, Christmas decorations, and T shirts, I didn’t need them but did so to support the merchants.

It is quite easy to imagine the pirate era in the architecture of the shop fronts. Many buildings are constructed from dark volcanic stone and cobbled arch ways stretch along a few blocks. It is not really a pretty town its character is its appeal. One could imagine the round cobblestones brought to the town as ships ballast and the rum shops beneath the tunnel like walkways and alleyways add to its allure.

In the center of the town St Mary’s Catholic Church is a Hodge podge of architectural styles. Romanesque arches, Gothic spires, it is a real jewel and was a surprise. It reminded me of the Cathedral in Palma Mallorca but on a much smaller scale. We didn’t get to see the interior but from the outside it is highly embellished and fancy.

Nearby St Georges Anglican church is a contrast in color and style, it has a wonderful stained glass window known as the red angel because the angel is dressed in a bright red robe. Well I guess a Caribbean angel would be quite flamboyant.

We wandered the town for a couple of hours which was ample time to get a good feel for the place, then we walked back to the fancy dock and joined a group tour{ $15 per person} Again it was a fairly well maintained and air conditioned mini van and there were 8 of us. Traffic in the town was jammed, hooting horns and loud motorized bikes that darted in and out of traffic made it seem like rush hour on the 401 { Ontario} but once on the edge of town things settled down. Roads are not good and mostly serpentine but our driver was used to them. Our tour started on the west side of the island, Caribbean side then we cut across from Chaleaubelair to Georgetown to the Atlantic side.

Our first stop was the Botanic Garden just west of the town. It is the oldest botanic garden in the western Hemisphere and is filled with exotic plants; Prince Rainier of Monaco exchanged many plants for his cactus and flower gardens. One of its big draws is an original breadfruit plant that was part of Captain Blighs second voyage. The Bounties first attempt to get to St Vincent was curtailed by the Mutiny, but the breadfruit that the Captain brought from Tahiti in 1793 survives.
Also located in this garden is the Museum Of Archaeology but we didn’t have time to visit.

Following the Garden tour our guide said we would be passing a lovely waterfall and he asked if we would like to stop, we all said yes and after following a narrow but main highway for 30 minutes or so he pulled into a muddy wooded area. Well I could not believe my eyes, the waterfall was really a trickle pretty yes but to make it even more hilarious tour buses { and I mean big one} arrived they to pulled onto the side of the road and you could tell by the look on the peoples faces it was not what they expected. Niagara Falls it is not!

We passed the ruins of Fort Charlotte there was an overlook there and the views of the island were magnificent. We passed through lovely little villages and parishes all have them have charming brightly painted houses many of the fishing villages seem to be from a gentle quieter era. Black sand beaches stretch into the Caribbean Sea and red and blue fishing boats bob on the water.

We pulled into Wallabou Bay a black sandy cove and beach where some of the “Pirates Of The Caribbean” movie was filmed. There was a small bar adorned with photographs of members of the cast, we checked out the photographs while we enjoyed a cool Guinness. The sea water was quite cool and I am not really a lover of black sand, still it was an interesting stop.
We enjoyed our visit to St Vincent and given more time would have enjoyed a more in depth exploration. It is a very pretty Island and I would definitely take a longer vacation there.


Post Office. Halifax Street.{ Town Center}
Open. Mon- Fri. 8am- 3pm
Sat. 8:30am- 11:30am.
Taxis. Outside cruise port.
Make sure you have clear understanding re fare. A cab to Villa and Port Charlotte is around $30 return.
There are a few lovely shops inside the port shopping areas and internet access.

This volcanic island was the first permanent European settlement and was established in 1642 by Captain Thomas Warner an Englishman. He and his small group landed at Sandy Point on the Caribbean side.

The Caribs who inhabited the island granted English settlers permission to remain, however the British and French struggled for control and the island was fought over for over 80 years until the treaty of Versailles gave the British dominion and the Caribs were all slaughtered at a place now known as Bloody Point.

In 1877 St Kitts became a crown colony and five years later its sister Island Nevis. The state of St Christopher and Nevis was declared independent in 1983 and in 1988 its affectionate name St Kitts became its official name.

This was our first visit to this Island, we docked around 7am and the ship sailed at 4pm and so after a leisurely breakfast we left the ship around 10am. The Pelican Mall right in port Zante houses the jewelry shops; e.g. Diamonds international, souvenir rum shops, Pirana Joe’s. The dock is new and still under construction. Beyond the upscale mall but inside the port is a large area with covered stalls selling cottons, caps, and the usual Caribbean souvenirs. The post office and internet is also in this mall. We picked up a town map from the welcome center and walked into the lovely town center {5 minutes away}.

Our first stop was Independence Square once known as Pall Mall but the name changed when independence was declared. There is a white picket fence around this huge park and it houses a lovely but waterless fountain in its center. Large Plane trees and flowering shrubs provide a peaceful environment conducive to reflection. I couldn’t help but contrast the present to the past when slaves were bought sold and beaten here.

Facing the park is the church of The Immaculate Conception. We were able to join in Rosary prayers and afterward we walked around admiring the icons, stained windows and old but beautiful wooden pews. The original church was built in 1876 and the present one 1927 it is the co cathedral serving smaller islands and communities.
Many of the buildings near the square and especially those on the north side reflect the colonial heritage of this town; brightly painted homes with balconies embellished with ornate fretwork. Similar buildings also surround the hub of the town known as The Circus. The circus is essentially a large circle with a memorial clock tower in its center.
We Relaxed there and enjoyed lunch on a second floor restaurant facing the monument. We were able to look out over the busy town and marveled at the rapid darting of traffic dodging cruise ship pedestrians. We had a veggie burger and fries with vegetarian salad aprox $20 { we shared}

On our way back to the port we stopped in at the treasury building which houses the local artifact museum. It was a very small museum but photographs and artifacts gave a good insight into the “heydays” of Sugar plantations and also slavery. {Admission $2}

We booked a three hour tour of the island through the welcome center and joined another 6 passengers from the QM2. Cost of the tour was $25 per person and good value. Our guide / driver Neil was friendly and very proud of his Island heritage.

We began the tour on the south side toward old road bay past well kept bungalows and incredible views of the blue Caribbean Sea. Thomas Warner and his group made their first settlement at old road Bay and the Warner estate was the Capital of St Kitts until 1927.
Our guide pointed out the 17th century fort from the road, it wasn’t on the tour stop but its location atop Brimstone Hill would be a great vantage point for photographs. {800ft elevation}
We did make a 30 minute stop at Romney manor a delightful flowering oasis. We had ample time to wander around the botanic garden and browse Caribelle Batik located in the lush grounds. Romney Manor was owned by the Earl of Romney in the 17th century a sugar plantation that was the first to free its slaves.

The Batik factory gives demonstrations in the methods of wax dying, a very colorful and interesting place, there are many items for purchase; cottons, bags, wall hangings and exquisite cotton gowns. There is no pressure to buy and I enjoyed seeing the cloth dying and the interior of the tiny shop was filled with the fragrant aromas of soaps and Caribbean spice.

Just beyond Romney Manor we viewed some Carib rock drawings, known as petroglyphs we didn’t go into the house there but we were offered cold beer and sodas. The petroglyphs reminded me of some of the cave drawings at Ayers Rock in Australia.

During our ride we noted many old and well preserved churches, neat homes and well maintained schools, the roads were narrow and winding and in many place a squeeze for passing cars. The island is very pleasing to the eye, certainly a tropical delight. We stopped briefly at a place named Black Rocks so named because of the black volcanic rugged cliffs and the scenery is incredible.

Many of the sugar plantations have been refurbished and transformed into hotels and inns. Most are located on the leeward side of the island and it is there you will discover lovely coves and beaches.
We also noted a super golf course along Frigate Bay but how anyone can play golf and not become distracted by the incredible views is beyond my imagination.

There is a narrow gauge railway that runs around the island and is offered as a ships tour. We saw the trestle bridges and the lovely track along the coastline, we didn’t see the train but I would recommend it to those folk who dislike mini van rides or who want to take the ship excursion.
A few of our ship mates took the all day rain Forest hike up to a Volcano and raved about it, also a couple from England told us they had been to St Kitts before and so took the Ferry to Nevis and had a great time touring that island.

Batik Caribelle/ Romney Manor.
Old Road Town. Phone. 869. 4635. 6253.
Open. Mon - Sun. 9am-5pm. No charge.

Taxi rates from Cruise Ship Pier. North Frigate Bay. $16 return. Turtle Bay. $40 return South Friars Bay. $24 Return. Tour of Whole Island by Mini Van 8 person minimum. $25 per person.

Post Office. Located Port Zante. Open 8am-4pm Mon- Fri except Thursdays open 8 30am - 3 30pm.

We saw this ship ahead of us as we approached Tenerife and we caught another glimpse of it in the late evening after we left that Island. We could not believe that it was a sailing ship because it seemed to be traveling very fast, it was quite a sight all lit up against the ocean.

We arrived in La Palma Canary Islands around 7am and noted the ship was already docked further down the Wharf. We had a burgee from our Yacht club in Hamilton and so decided to check out the ship and hopefully meet its crew and present the Burgee to them.

It turned out that the Ship belonged to the Jubilee Sailing Trust a UK charity and its aim is to promote access to sailing for physically disabled and able bodied men and women through tall ship adventures. People with mobility impairments can benefit from learning to sail and these ships {there are two} are especially designed to provide anyone regardless of ability to take on active roles in all aspects of sailing.
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We were invited aboard and presented our burgee to the second in command because the Captain was busy in the chart room. We met the captain later and was surprised to discover that she was first, a female and second only in her early forties.
We were shown around the beautiful tidy ship and met many of the adult crew who’s ages stemmed from late forties to 70’s.

The ship and galley is wheelchair friendly plus disabled sailors can ascend to the crows nest by means of special rigging. The Helm is set up to allow Hearing and vision impaired individuals to take their turn. Our guide demonstrated the speaking compass, vibrating alarms and brighter lighting for tracking the radar on screen for those with visual impairments; for those with limitations using hands and arms, extensions have been added in order to allow a turn at the wheel.

There are 8 permanent crew, total crew capacity is forty persons, fifty percent of whom must have physical impairments. There are no “passengers” and able sailors are budded with disabled. There certainly seemed to be a friendly atmosphere among the crew they exhibited friendly banter amongst themselves with lots of jollity and laughter.

We remarked on seeing the ship the previous afternoon and related that we were surprised that a sailing vessel seemed to be overtaking our large cruise and our guide told us they had sailed all night and they decided not to stop in Tenerife sailing through the night to La Palma . Our guide related that on her watch they had a close call she said “ a foreign cargo ship was moving in too close as if to cross the path”, radio messages from The Lord Nelson reminded the vessel of right of way {because she was under sail}, a heavily accented male voice replied “you are using engines as well because your speed is nearing 14 knots” she replied “we are under sail I am the captain we are not using the engine give way.” he replied “ In my country we do not recognize female captains women should be at home looking after husbands” The Lord Nelson moved off because the foreign vessel continued course refusing to follow the seafaring rule that motor vessels yield to sailing vessels. Being on watch is not a time to slumber, and being right could be dead right.
The Jubilee Sailing Trust offers trips throughout the year from four days and longer’ around the UK, Europe and the Canary Islands.

These ships are maintained to the highest standards; it is a charity and welcomes donations. E mail. voyages@jst.org.uk for further information