Tag Archives: Travel

Sailing On The Apex

April 11, 2023 Tom Dills 5 Comments

Our stateroom #7231 aboard Celebrity Apex

I’m getting close to the end (you’re welcome) of the photos from our cruise marathon this past February. I’ve posted three galleries on my Adobe Portfolio page for anyone who just has to see more.

The Infinite Verandah was a bit of a letdown. When the window is open the climate control in the room shuts off. The shade covering the window at night can only be raised or lowered, so there is no way to use the balcony while someone in the room is still asleep.

I get a lot of comments about the size of cruise ships, especially from people who have never sailed on one, or sometimes have never even seen one. So I thought I would post some photos and make some comments about this particular ship plus show a brief comparison of ship sizes.

Le Grand Bistro dining room aboard Celebrity Apex

Celebrity Apex is the second ship in what is known as the Edge Class that was introduced in 2018. The first ship of course was Edge (2018), followed by Apex (2020), Beyond (2022) and later this year, Ascent. There may be more in the pipeline but I’m not sure. Edge Class is the latest of three classes of ship, with the exception of some smaller specialty ships that sail exclusively in the Galapagos (they are on our long-term list but are quite pricey).

‘Eden’ lounge and restaurant aboard Celebrity Apex

Guitarist Bryan James performs in Eden aboard Celebrity Apex

Cruise ships are generally compared in terms of Gross Tonnage (a measure of volume, not weight), length and passenger count. I’m using Celebrity’s ships for comparison, although there are many other ships with different lines, both larger and smaller.

From a previous cruise: Celebrity Constellation, Oasis of the Seas and Celebrity Beyond

The orange structure on the side is the Magic Carpet. It travels up and down the side of the ship and functions as a bar by day, a restaurant at night, and a tender platform when the ship is operating tenders to take guests to shore.

We don’t usually sail on ships when they are fairly new, because in general they are more pricey than ships that have been out a while. But in this case, we were already in Fort Lauderdale for our first two cruises, so by spreading the travel expenses over another cruise we were able to bring the average cost down. And we got a pretty good price for booking fairly late, and it gave us a chance to try out a ship sooner than we might otherwise.

The main pool deck area aboard Celebrity Apex

Oceanview Cafe dining area aboard Celebrity Apex

Rooftop Garden area aboard Celebrity Apex

One of the recent trends among some of the cruise lines is to make the ships larger and larger. Royal Caribbean has the largest ships afloat, and will soon be introducing Icon of the Seas, which will carry 7,600 passengers. I’m sorry, but that is stupid big. Not to say we’ll never sail on her, but when our preference is ships 1/3 of the size, we aren’t going to be standing in line!

What always surprises us is that for the most part, the ships don’t feel crowded. Exceptions are sea days by the pool, and “lobster night” in the main dining rooms. Sometimes there is a special event going on in the central atrium (called different things on different ships) and those can get crowded. Other than that, Kathy & I have developed some routines that get us out and about before the crowds arrive (we call them “the nooners” although I’m aware that term has several meanings. 😉 ). There are often out of the way places where it is quiet and uncrowded, although that also means we have to walk a way to the bathrooms and retrieve our own drinks. 🙂

Passageway along the pool deck aboard Celebrity Apex

The great thing about newer ships, however, is that the decor and architecture are beautiful. The layout, styling and technology have come a long way since we started cruising in 2000. There are more dining choices, more entertainment options, the theaters have new technologies and even the staterooms have fancy gadgets like temperature and lighting controls. It’s even possible to adjust the shades, lighting and temperature of a stateroom using an app, from anywhere on the ship. Not terribly useful, but there are cases where it might be.

Production show ‘Rockumentary’ in The Theater on Celebrity Apex

Cellist ‘Elanka’ performing in The Theater aboard Celebrity Apex

Cosmopolitan dining room aboard Celebrity Apex

Tuscan dining room aboard Celebrity Apex

There were things we loved about Apex, and a few things that we didn’t care for. I won’t go into a lot of detail here, but overall we liked the ship, but for our money we prefer the smaller and slightly older Solstice Class like Equinox that we sailed on for the first two cruises.

Cleaning the light fixture over the Martini Bar aboard Celebrity Apex

Travel

You Better Belize It!

April 8, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Jaguar Temple, a Mayan structure at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, Belize

After our visit to Key West, Celebrity Apex sailed to Belize. We had sort of visited Belize in 2020, but only to stop at Harvest Caye, Norwegian Cruise Line’s private island. This time we got to see the “real” Belize with a visit to Lamanai Archaeological Reserve.

From travelbelize.org: Lamanai (from the Yucatec Maya for “submerged crocodile”) was a city-state dating to 1500 BCE. Archaeological research has revealed that the site was continually occupied for 3,000 years until European contact. More than 700 Maya structures have been identified, but only a few have been excavated and studied, including a ball court, stelae, and principal structures like the Mask Temple, adorned by two impressive carved limestone masks over 13 ft. (3.9 m) in height.

The vast majority of the site remained unexcavated until the mid-1970s. Archaeological work has concentrated on the investigation and restoration of the larger structures, most notably the Mask Temple, Jaguar Temple, and High Temple. The summit of this latter structure affords a view across the surrounding jungle to a nearby lagoon, part of New River.

High Temple, a Mayan structure at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, Belize

Restoration work in process at High Temple, a Mayan structure at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, Belize

Mask Temple, a Mayan structure at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, Belize

Jairo, one of our guides at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, Belize

We were not able to climb the High Temple, as it was closed for restoration work. Instead, we were able to climb the Mask Temple. It doesn’t have the view of the High Temple, but it was interesting and fun to climb.

Yes, I climbed it! Mask Temple, a Mayan structure at Lamanai Archaeological Reserve, Belize

Getting to Lamanai involved a tender ride from the ship (there is no cruise ship dock in Belize), an hour plus bus ride to a boat, then a boat ride to the reserve. Once there, a lot of walking, then back to the boat and do it in reverse back the ship. Fortunately, between the return boat ride and the bus ride, we got lunch!

Colorful canopies shade the walkway along the waterfront in Belize City, Belize

Colorful waterfront in Belize City, Belize

Colorful buildings along the waterfront in Belize City, Belize

The ruins were very interesting, and our guides did a good job explaining the various pyramids and their uses. The Mayan culture has largely disappeared, although their descendants, including our guides, help keep the heritage alive.

Celebrity Apex anchored off the coast of Belize

Travel

A Short Stop In Key West

April 4, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Where To? The Sunset Pier Bar in Key West, Florida

After our two cruises on Celebrity Equinox, we boarded one of Celebrity’s newest ships, Celebrity Apex, for a 7 night cruise to the Western Caribbean. The first stop was Key West, Florida. Not exactly an exotic Caribbean destination, but certainly an interesting place to spend some time.

This was our first time sailing to Key West, but we had visited there previously, flying down for a few chilly days in February 2015. I think we must have experienced record low temperatures on that visit. It was sunny and warm this time, however!

As a cruise port, visited during the day, Key West is pretty much like any other cruise port except the natives speak English and everyone takes dollars. It’s a different world in the evenings, as we experienced previously. No, it’s not all the wild and crazy scene that Key West might be known for, but it is definitely more of a party atmosphere.

The Sunset Pier Bar in Key West, Florida

View of Sunset Key from the waterfront in Key West, Florida

Snowy Egret on the waterfront in Key West, Florida

Along the waterfront in Key West, Florida

One example would be our visit to the Sunset Pier Bar. We arrived in the morning, and at that point the bar was closed. There were a few people taking selfies on the pier, but for the most part it was deserted. It’s a completely different place at sunset, which is what that part of the island is famous for.

Even the trash cans were green! Key West, Florida

Kathy & I spent a few hours walking around town, ending up at Blackfin Bistro, a favorite lunch spot that we remembered from a previous visit. We had a lovely lunch of fresh fish and veggies, along with a nice glass of wine. Afterward we wound our way back to the ship to prepare for departure and sailing to our next stop, Belize.

Photography

Colorful Curacao

March 31, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

The colorful waterfront of Willemstad, Curacao

After our stop on Bonaire, we sailed to the island of Curacao. Like Bonaire, we had visited previously but it was a number of years ago. Things hadn’t changed a lot, but there were a few obvious differences from our prior visit.

Arriving in Curacao aboard Celebrity Equinox

Colorful mural on a building in Willemstad, Curacao

The cruise port on Curacao is the capital city of Willemstad. The colorful waterfront and the Queen Emma floating bridge are two of the main symbols of this beautiful island. Downtown Willemstad is an easy walk from the cruise terminal. Although we made the walk three times, and it got a little longer each time!

Colors of all kinds in the New Market, a marketplace in Willemstad, Curacao

The Queen Emma Bridge is a floating bridge, hinged on one end with an engine and propulsion unit on the other end that allows the bridge to open, allowing ship traffic to pass in St Anna Bay. We were fortunate to be able to see the bridge open several times throughout the day, and from both sides of the water. When there is a lot of ship traffic and the bridge needs to stay open for more than a few minutes, there is a free ferry that will take pedestrians from one side to the other. We only saw that happen once, as a large cargo ship was escorted out of the bay, and the bridge stayed open long enough for the tugs to return. And yes, it is possible to stay on the bridge when it opens for a long time, and it is possible to get off, but only on one end. So be careful if you have somewhere to be (like the ship?)!

Ship traffic on the St Anna Bay through Willemstad, Curacao

The Queen Emma Bridge opens to allow ship traffic to pass in St Anna Bay in Willemstad, Curacao

Punda Love Heart sculpture covered with padlocks on the waterfront of Willemstad, Curaçao

Interesting artworks in Willemstad, Curacao

When our ship first arrived in Curacao, Kathy & I walked into town and spent several hours walking around. We walked all over, including through the New Market, a public market offering all kinds of items, from clothing to produce and beyond. The best part for me was all the color there and in the town. It made for some interesting photography, for sure!

After our walkabout we headed back toward the cruise dock, stopping for lunch at the “It’s 5 O’Clock Somewhere Bar.” Yeah, it was a tourist trap, but it was close to where we needed to meet our tour, which was scheduled for that afternoon.

It is precisely our human diversity that keeps this ship afloat to resist the storms.

Waterfront of Willemstad, Curaçao viewed from the Queen Emma Bridge

Waterfront of Willemstad, Curaçao viewed from the Rif Fort, former fort turned shopping mall

Our tour took us back into town, where we retraced a number of the steps from earlier in the day. This time we had a guide and narration, however, so we learned a bit more about the town, its history and architecture. After our walk, we boarded a bus for a tour through the city and a stop at the Curacao Liqueur Distillery. Curacao liqueur is a bitter orange liqueur that can be enjoyed on its own, or used as flavoring in numerous cocktails.

Cruise ships Silver Dawn and Celebrity Equinox viewed from atop the Rif Fort, former fort turned shopping mall in Willemstad, Curacao

After our distillery visit we were taken to a local restaurant, where we were served local cuisine, including baked chicken, plantain and rice & peas. Except for the fact that we weren’t too hungry after a big lunch, it was a yummy experience.

Tour of the Curacao Liqueur Distillery in Willemstad, Curacao

View of the harbor from atop the Queen Juliana bridge during our tour of Willemstad, Curacao

Our tour brought us back to the cruise dock in the late afternoon, and we debated whether or not to return to the ship. I really wanted to head back into town in order to photograph the bridge and the waterfront at dusk. We decided that if we went back to the ship we would likely not leave again, so despite being tired and thirsty we headed back into town. We found some bottled water and a place to chill while we waited the hour or so before twilight.

Our efforts were rewarded, as we not only got to witness another bridge opening, but we were treated to some really gorgeous light on the buildings as the sun set. Soon after, the lights came on on the bridge and I was able to capture the photos I had hoped for. We then walked back to the ship one last time, grabbed a quick shower and headed for drinks and dinner. My Garmin tracker recorded 15,672 steps for the day, so those drinks and dinner were well deserved!

The Queen Emma Bridge and the waterfront of Willemstad, Curacao

Travel

Bon Bini To Bonaire

March 26, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Swimmers and windsurfers at Sorobon Beach, Bonaire

‘Bon Bini’ means ‘Welcome’ in Papiamentu, which is the common local language on Bonaire.

This was only our second visit to this lovely island, as not too many cruise ships stop there, opting instead for the more popular Aruba and Curacao. We last visited in 2007, and while we knew we enjoyed the island, we hadn’t remembered a whole lot about it. I tried to set up a private tour, but we couldn’t generate enough interest on our message boards to make it cost effective, so we booked a ship tour to see the highlights.

Cargill Salt Works on the island of Bonaire

The main industry on Bonaire other than tourism is salt. Yes, salt. There is a huge Cargill salt facility there, where they evaporate sea water in large ponds, scrape away the salt then move it out to container ships to be sent around the world.

Slave huts along the beach on Bonaire. The huts were originally built to house the slaves that worked the salt operations. They have been preserved to document some of the history of the island.

The island is very dry and arid, and is probably best known as a diver’s paradise due to the shallow and clean water. We enjoy looking at water more than getting in it, but there is plenty to see and do for everyone. Flamingos are also very common on Bonaire, and while they are generally pretty shy, we did manage to come across a few.

Crashing waves along the eastern (Atlantic) coast of Bonaire

Marker commemorating the history of this stretch of beach on the east coast of Bonaire, a site of many shipwrecks and attempts to minimize them.

Along several beaches are restored slave huts. These huts were used to shelter the workers that were brought here in the early days of salt production, before the implementation of heavy machinery. The huts are pretty to look at, even though they represent a less than pleasant past.

Sebastians Beach Bar at Sorobon Beach, Bonaire

Windsurfing shop at Sorobon Beach, Bonaire

She wouldn’t get out of my shot…what could I do? Sorobon Beach, Bonaire

Coconut weather forecast. Sorobon Beach, Bonaire

The Atlantic coast has several beaches with huge waves, and the prevailing winds make places like Sorobon Beach especially attractive for wind surfing and kite boarding. There is also a place on the island where you can rent go karts that are powered by sails.

Government Office Building in Kralendijk, Bonaire

The town of Kralendijk reflects the Dutch influence of the island, in the buildings and architecture. We spent a little time walking around the area close to the ship, which included a marketplace with locally made arts and crafts. A good place to pick up a flamingo souvenir!

Bon Salud! (Cheers!)

Arriving in Bonaire aboard Celebrity Equinox

Windstar “Star Legend” in Bonaire during our arrival aboard Celebrity Equinox

Travel

Turnaround Day In Port Everglades

March 25, 2023 Tom Dills 4 Comments

Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise

One of the things that is fun about doing a back-to-back sailing is what is often referred to as Turnaround Day. The ship returns to port (usually but not always where it started) to disembark passengers, embark new passengers, take on food and supplies and prepare to head out in the afternoon on a new cruise.

Part of what makes Turnaround Day fun, especially if you don’t have to change staterooms, is that you basically have another nice morning on the ship while all of the passengers that are disembarking are schlepping their luggage (some or all of it) into and out of elevators, generally congregating in and blocking the stairwells and public areas, anxiously waiting for their luggage tag number to be called so they can race off the ship and on to wherever and whatever comes next. Those of us who get to stay on board walk around smug and proud, ignoring the fact that they’ll likely be joining that group the next go-around. 😉 My eventual goal is to never have to leave, although that’s not likely to happen!

Yes, that is a ferry on the deck if the cargo ship! Early morning arrival in Port Everglades after our first Celebrity Equinox cruise

One of the other really nice things is that the crew is often really excited to know that you are a back-to-back passenger. Especially if you are really nice to them and even more especially if you tip well.

After the disembarking passengers have left the ship, those of us who are staying on gather in a central spot, where we are escorted into the terminal, through customs and back on the ship, where we can enjoy an hour or two before the new passengers are allowed to board. There is often a special lunch set up for “consecutive cruisers” which is a nice bonus.

Most mornings on this past cruise I didn’t get up too early. On the islands where we were doing an early tour, the timing didn’t work out, and I had to pace myself for a long day! For some reason, on the morning we returned to Port Everglades, I was up early with my camera, and managed to catch a few photos as we entered the port. Especially interesting was a cargo ship that was transporting a ferry on its deck. In general the port at night is a pretty cool place, as it operates 24/7 and there is always something interesting to see. The light was pretty as the dawn approached, so it made for some nice scenes.

Departing Port Everglades on our second Celebrity Equinox cruise

I didn’t make too many photos during the day, and I regret that I didn’t get to see the ferry offloaded from the ship it had come in on. That would be interesting to see, but as we left the port in the afternoon I could see that the ferry was gone, although I have no idea where it went.

Next stop, Bonaire!

Travel

Ambling Around Antigua

March 22, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

View from The Lookout, part of the Shirley Heights Military Complex of the Nelsons Dockyard World Heritage Site

On Antigua I was pleasantly reminded of the joy of a pre-arranged private tour with a small group and a knowledgeable local driver/guide. Kathy & I have done this previously – we arrange a tour for just us or for two or three couples, then post on one of the roll call message boards for someone to share the tour with us, splitting the cost. We have met some lovely people that way, since, at least in our experience, people interested in this type of tour are travelers like us. Not photographers necessarily, but people interested in a little slower pace with more details.

In this case, we responded to someone else’s post, and ended up meeting Susan and John, a very nice couple from Indiana. We had lunch with them on one of our sea days to get acquainted. Unfortunately Susan was not able to join us for the actual tour, so there were just three of us plus Emelda, our guide.

We started our tour with a stop at Betty’s Hope Historic Sugar Plantation. We found the remains of an old sugar plantation, with two windmills, and the ruins of several buildings including a still house, where rum was once produced.

Betty’s Hope Historic Sugar Plantation near Pares, Antigua

We then proceeded to Devil’s Bridge National Park, a place with crashing waves and a blow hole. The blow hole wasn’t blowing too much during our visit, which likely reflected the lovely weather we were having! We did get to see a few bursts, however.

Crashing waves at Devil’s Bridge National Park, Antigua

After Devil’s Bridge it was on to Nelson’s Dockyard, another national park which is known for its marina but is much more. Included within the park is a number of historic sites, including forts, lookouts, beaches, hiking trails and more. We spent quite a bit of time in the various locations, since there was so much to see. It was quite windy at the higher elevations, which made it very pleasant without air conditioning – but hold on to your hat!

Crossing the Atlantic the hard way – by row boat. Nelsons Dockyard Marina, Antigua

Boats and yachts from around the world. Nelsons Dockyard Marina, Antigua

View of Eric Clapton’s home from The Blockhouse, part of the Nelsons Dockyard World Heritage Site, Antigua

The Blockhouse, part of the Nelsons Dockyard World Heritage Site

The Lookout, part of the Shirley Heights Military Complex of the Nelsons Dockyard World Heritage Site

Our last stop was at St. Barnabas Anglican Church. The church is one of the oldest Protestant church buildings in the western hemisphere, dating from the 1670s. The church has a green color due to the high copper content of the stone, which came from a nearby quarry.

St. Barnabas Anglican Church near Liberta, Antigua. One of the oldest Protestant church buildings in the western hemisphere, dating from the 1670s. The church has a green color due to the high copper content of the stone, which came from a nearby quarry.

After the church it was back through town and to the ship to prepare for our return to Florida and the end of Cruise #1.

Travel

Lovely St. Lucia

March 21, 2023 Tom Dills 8 Comments

View of the Pitons from La Villa de Piton Restaurant near Palmiste, St. Lucia

After our visit to Martinique, we traveled about 50 miles south to the island of St. Lucia. St. Lucia also has a bit of French influence, although not to the extent of Martinique.

Boat on the beach in Anse La Raye on the island of St. Lucia

Fishing nets hung to dry. Anse La Raye on the island of St. Lucia

St. Lucia is a beautiful, tropical island, featuring The Pitons, the twin mountains that are actually two parts of a huge, now-extinct volcano. The biggest issue with seeing St. Lucia is the continuously winding and undulating roads.

Town of Soufriere on the island of St. Lucia

Town of Anse La Raye on the island of St. Lucia

Town of Castries on the island of St. Lucia

We started our tour sitting in the very back of the bus, and while I don’t usually have trouble with motion sickness, I got so woozy that I asked to sit in the front of the bus. I joked with the driver that if he needed me to help him with the driving I would (although I would be terrified!). 😉 The good part was that I was able to take some photos through the windshield, which was fun and a nice distraction.

We had a nice tour, however. Our stop in Anse La Raye reminded me of our first visit, back in 2000. The beach there always has some colorful boats, which make for nice photographs. The downside is the residents that pester you for money, offering to pose for photos. One guy was really annoying, until I told him I didn’t have any money. He walked away and didn’t bother me any more.

We stopped for lunch at a nice restaurant with a great view of The Pitons. After lunch we visited a waterfall and a cocoa plantation, where we tasted some roasted cocoa beans and fresh coconut. Yum! On the way back to the ship we passed a parade celebrating St. Lucias 44th year of independence.

Parade celebrating St. Lucias 44th year of independence. Near Castries, St. Lucia

Go. Road construction on St. Lucia near Castries

St. Lucia is a beautiful island, but I was reminded that the next visit we should take a boat, instead of a van on those winding roads! 🙂

Travel

Food, Flowers and Faith: Martinique, Part 3

March 19, 2023 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Lunch stop at La Chaudiere Restaurant in Le Mourne Rouge, Martinique

After our rum tasting we proceeded to La Chaudiere Restaurant for a nice lunch. We had some tasty baked chicken with plantain, rice & peas and other yummy sides, along with some French wine and coffee with dessert. After that, we yawned our way to Jardin de Balata Botanical Gardens to walk the grounds and enjoy the tropical plant life. After that we visited The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Balata. The church reminded me a bit of some of the churches we visited in Italy.

There aren’t too many cruises that visit Martinique (yet) but we really enjoyed our time there. Next time I might plan a longer visit to the distillery and perhaps more time checking out the scenery and some of the small villages we passed through on our bus. The lack of flexibility being one of the downsides of a ship tour.

Jardin de Balata Botanical Gardens in Fort-de-France, Martinique

Hummingbirds at Jardin de Balata Botanical Gardens in Fort-de-France, Martinique

The Basilica of the Sacred Heart of Balata, Martinique

Bicycle taxi in Fort-de-France, Martinique

Travel

Did Someone Say Rum? Martinique, Part 2

March 18, 2023 Tom Dills 4 Comments

Distillerie Depaz, rum distillery in St-Pierre, Martinique

The next stop on our Martinique tour was the Depaz Rhum Distillery. Now this was pretty nice rum, and the facility has some very historic origins. There was plenty to see and photograph there. The taste of rum was good, but was pretty skimpy, however.

I didn’t end up bringing home any ‘liquid souvenirs’ from this trip. Unfortunately the cruise lines are strict about bringing liquor on board. And while I could have brought it onto the ship from the port on this cruise, the rules would prevent me from taking it on the next ship. Strange but there is no getting around it – I asked ahead of time!