It was another nice sea day and it was a very busy one. After breakfast, I had a hot stone massage which was just perfect. Then, we were invited to lunch with Marck, the general manager. We met him on a previous trip on Marina and liked him a lot. We had lunch with him then too. He is from The Hague and it is always fun to hear unedited opinions from non Americans.
For the second day, no one showed up for the blackjack tournament so I went with Norm to the enrichment lecture which was iPhone Camera Essentials. The speaker was Benedict Brain. I use my iPhone camera a lot but learned some new things. He will be doing more lectures during this trip. He is also very willing to help people 1:1.
Well, they are getting geared up for Easter.
Lots of chocolate eggs and jelly beans. They refill the dishes all day long.
We didn’t do as well in trivia as we did yesterday, placed third today but had fun.
Tonight we had the Captain’s Cocktail Celebration. We got to meet the Captain and the Officer team. We know some of them but have not sailed with this Captain before. I had my favorite drink, the Big O Martini. The O is for Oceania in case you were wondering!😃
We had dinner in the Grand Dining Room and went to the first show by the entertainment team – Broadway- which we had seen before but they totally redid the selections from what we had seen before. The singers are excellent. They will do three more shows on this segment of our trip.
Our first port is tomorrow. Marck says this is only second time that Oceania has been to this port. Looking forward to seeing beautiful weather day.
We are on our way to Jost Van Dyke and the Atlantic Ocean is calm and the weather is just about as perfect as it gets. Temperature is mid 70s with sun and some clouds. We had a pretty quiet day, deck walks, hoped for a blackjack tournament but NO ONE showed up?! We will see if that continues. I am hoping that the lecture at the same time drew people there instead of into the casino.
We joined our friends James and Shelley from Victoria BC and 2 other couples for a trivia team which we named “Tropic of Answer”. No, not original, we borrowed it from a team that was on Vista with us in December because it was one of our favorite names. It will be a good team, we got first place with 2 other teams – 16/17 correct.
We had dinner in Red Ginger, a favorite. They start you with edamame and then do the “magic towel” for you to clean your hands. Remember the towels you got for your kids? Put hot water on this compressed thing and it turns into a towel. Here is the one in Red Ginger after they use a little teapot to pour on the hot water.
The food is delicious. I can’t help taking pictures of it. just a few since I started to eat some before I remembered to take pics.
We were seated at the back of the restaurant so we had the sunset view!
The show tonight was amazing. Tom Franek is a musician and then some. He is a terrific pianist, singer and contortionist who plays the piano from every angle you can imagine! It was hard to get good pictures, but look at this position!
You can see it better from the one I took of the screen.
And he plays very difficult songs. If you ever get the chance to see him, definitely drop everything and go. He will have one more show on this cruise.
Tomorrow is another sea day. Relaxation is on the agenda.
We were happy to board in Miami, it is so much less stressful than having to fly to the embarkation port. When we arrived, the ship was a different terminal than in the past since Vista was also in port – and it seemed so quiet! The porter told us that we were “late”, that most people had boarded already. And it was only 12:30. Our room was ready, so we dropped our carry on bags there and headed for lunch in the Terrace Cafe. Seems like home since Sirena is the same size as the Insignia, our home for the world cruises.
Here is the itinerary for the first of our three back to back cruises.
It was a relaxing start. We had an afternoon of unpacking, stocking up on some books from our favorite spot on the ship, the library, and sitting out on our veranda watching the Miami waterfront and high rises.
We had a casual dinner in Terrace Cafe and a toast to the start of another adventure. The show was a comedian, Fred Klett. We both enjoyed his humor.
We have already seen Leslie, our cruise director and as usual we are meeting old friends among the staff and guests.
We will be at sea for two days before arriving to Jost Van Dyke.
This morning, as I completed yesterday’s post, we were approaching the island of Great Stirrup Cay, where we would anchor and be taken to shore by a large boat. The boat was being pretty tossed around by the waves and Norm thought it was probably going to be too rough to go to the island. Sure enough, within 5 minutes of him saying that, the captain came on the intercom and announced that it was not safe to go ashore in the swells. Norm had noticed the boats turning back so we were not surprised. There were two ships at another part of the island so they were able to go because they were docked.
It is Mark’s birthday today!! They put the birthday announcements on the room TV. We will celebrate later with dinner in Red Ginger. So good to have the whole family here with him.
Leslie announced a new schedule for the day including a cooking demonstration, the casino tournaments and a movie in the Vista lounge.
Norm is having a massage today so he extended it to a longer one.
The rest of us went to the cooking demonstration which is always fun. Executive Chef Raffaele and Executive Pastry Chef Andrea made us laugh with their banter and showed us how to prepare some delicious dishes. We got the recipes for Cotoletta Ala Milanese (a veal dish), Risotto Alla Milanese, Chocolate Mousse and Tiramisu. The carved watermelons would have been at the onshore barbecue so they used a few of them for decoration here.
Here are some more pictures from our galley tour. Adam has over 400 pictures just from this tour and these are all from his selection. There are 142 chefs on the culinary team. They go through 100 pounds of sugar a day!
Mark and I played in the blackjack tournament again but neither of us won. I was rooting for the birthday guy but it was not to be!
I went to the movie – My Big Fat Greek Wedding Three. Don’t bother is my opinion, but the popcorn was good.
We played our last trivia. All of the points were given to Adam, Mark and Ramsay and they redeemed them for shirts and socks.
Mark and Ramsay did get to check out afternoon tea in Horizons.
We had some cocktails in Martinis and the Founder’s Bar (for the blog readers that are also Oceania travelers – Founder’s bar is amazing – we think the best on any of the ships).
Dinner was in Red Ginger, delicious as always with great service. And a birthday celebration for Mark with his favorite, carrot cake.
And they decorated Mark’s room for his birthday!
We still had some non refundable credit to use up, so Mark and I bought a few things in the boutiques, I played a bit in the casino and cashed in my chips (more than I started with!)
Miami in the morning, good bye to our sons and daughter in law and an end to a wonderful cruise but especially the family time. We are very grateful.
My plans for the day at sea were fun and relaxing with a wonderful galley tour in the afternoon.
It started with a final cooking class at 10 AM. The rest of the family went to a morning trivia session.
The cooking class was Passport to the New World and it was all about foods that came to our country from other countries and those that came to us. Noelle was very interesting as usual. She pointed out that for example tomatoes were unknown in Europe until Columbus brought them back. So no pizza in Italy before that! The tomato was known as the poisoned fruit because sailors died after eating it. But it turned out that the cutlery they were using at the time interacted with the acid in the tomato.
We made new world black bean meatballs with creamy roasted red pepper sauce, smoky gazpacho, pan seared scallops in pecan brown butter, allspice crepes with spiked creme fraiche and DYI ginger beer with a kick. All delicious. In fact, everything I made in the 5 classes I took would be recipes I will make at home.
After lunch, I played in the blackjack tournament. I was in the first qualifying round and Mark came to this one and played in the second qualifying round. The top 6 players from each round play in the final. Mark knocked me out of the final with his score! Yay for Mark. He came in second in the final but on this ship it is winner takes all. $360 in this case. But it was fun and he did great.
At 4:30 we were all invited on the gallery tour with our executive chef, Rafaelle and our food and beverage director, Susanna. First they gave us all a glass of champagne and later on the tour we got some special sweets,
The tour was so interesting. We got to see all of the refrigerated store rooms and the whole galley operation. They make all of the breads except the bagels and English muffins on board. They could make them but the time and effort to get the quality they want makes it better to buy them. The bakery works all night. We saw the chefs in a huddle tasting items from the menu before dinner. Much more I could say but these pictures will have to tell the story. It is a well coordinated operation for sure.
Susanna said that the two places that they use to stock the ship are Miami and Barcelona and most items except the most perishable are shipped from there around the world to the ships.
Baking bread in a huge ovenMaking mashed potatoesThis is the escalator that the waiters use to bring the food up to the restaurantsThe liquor storage room
We were lucky to be invited on this tour. Adam told me that he has 400 pictures and can give me more information to post at another time, but this gives you a taste of the massive operation to run the food service on the beautiful Vista.
How do you like the lobster shirts??
We missed afternoon trivia today but it was well worth it! We met in Martinis for drinks and then went to the grand dining room for dinner. After dinner, Mark, Adam and I went to the show which was the second one by Linda Gentille.
A very nice sea day. Tomorrow will be Great Stirrup Key, Bahamas before heading back to Miami.
San Juan, Puerto Rico, is the capital and largest city of the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. It is located on the northeastern coast of the island, and is known for its historic old town, stunning beaches, and vibrant culture. The city is a popular tourist destination, offering a blend of historic architecture, modern amenities, and a rich culinary scene.
Ponce de Leon never did find the Fountain of Youth but he did stumble upon the island of Puerto Rico! San Juan is the second oldest European settlement in the Americas and the entire city is still enclosed by the original fortress walls dating back to the early 1500s.
The government of Puerto Rico is a representative democratic government. The executive branch is led by the governor, who is elected by the citizens of Puerto Rico. The legislative branch consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. Puerto Rico has a non-voting representative in the U.S. Congress – it has been a US possession since 1899. The island operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. federal government while also maintaining its own local government and constitution. All Puerto Ricans are US citizens and have been since 1917 so they can vote in national presidential elections if they are a legal resident in one of the 50 states. The population of people living on the island compared with those living in the states is roughly equivalent, approximately 4 million each. Puerto Ricans have voted three times to maintain their status as a commonwealth vs becoming a state.
We have been here several times but not in quite a few years. Mark, Ramsay, Norm and I went out for a walk through old town to the fort. Adam explored on his own. Here are some of the sights we passed on the way.
The old town is quite well maintained and is much cleaner than last time we were here.
On the walk to the fort, we passed lots of cats. One of the local residents told us that there is a foundation that takes care of the cats. Here is one that posed for us. As you can see, it was a beautiful day for a walk.
As we approached the fort, we saw many iguanas. Mark got this shot of one that was calmly munching on grass.
Castillo San Felipe del Morro, also known as El Morro, is a 16th-century citadel located in San Juan, Puerto Rico. It is a prominent historic landmark that played a crucial role in defending the city from attacks by sea. The fort is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is renowned for its breathtaking views of the coastline and the vast ocean.
The fortress, with its iconic, imposing walls, stands as a testament to the rich history of Puerto Rico and the resilience of its people. There are many tunnels, dungeons, barracks, and ramparts to explore. You can really get an understanding about the strategic significance of the fort when you visit.
We were told that a cannon firing exhibition would be happening soon after we arrived. The guide said they hadn’t done one for a while and it took them some time to set up. The first firing was a misfire so we continued to tour the castle since it would take 10 minutes before they could reload. We heard one firing, then a second one happened just as we got back to that area. It is very loud!
Who is up there in this photobomb?
We usually do trivia at 4:30 but during dinner with Damien, the executive chef, Raffaele Saia, came by our table and asked if we would like to do a galley tour and of course we were all thrilled to be able to do that. So we gathered at reception and after a few minutes of waiting, Damien rushed by and apologized – it is tomorrow! So we hurried in to trivia where Leslie was surprised to see us. David and Dorothy were there and were glad we joined them.
We had the second Oceania Club cocktail party and at this one the HR manager gave out service awards to several staff members. They are usually a bit shy in front of the guests, but we love when they are recognized, especially since some of them work behind the scenes on the ship.
The deck department’s tree was voted the best. The entries line the way into Horizons where the party was held.
Our dinner tonight was in the new restaurant, Ember. It is only on Vista, so it was a first for us. We really enjoyed everything. We thought the decor was beautiful, loved the open kitchen and the “fireplace”. I couldn’t finish my entree OR my dessert.
The show tonight was The Anchor Inn, another production cast show. It was in the setting of a British Pub and was just terrific. What a talented cast.
After the show Mark, Ramsay and Adam went to Horizons for karaoke (to watch!) and I played in the casino. We all had a good night.
Tomorrow we are at sea before our last port in the Bahamas on Friday.
Antigua, also known as Wadadli, is an island in the West Indies, in the Caribbean region. It’s part of the country of Antigua and Barbuda. The island is known for its beautiful beaches, such as Dickenson Bay and Half Moon Bay, and its coral reefs, perfect for snorkeling and diving. . There are 365 beaches on the island – one for every day of the year!
The English Harbour is a historic district and marina, home to Nelson’s Dockyard, which was a base for the British Navy in the 18th century. The island’s rich history, stunning landscapes, and vibrant culture make it a popular destination for tourists from around the world.
Cricket is very popular and the country hosted matches during the 2007 Cricket World Cup.
That looked like a nice party boat
Last time we were here, we went swimming with the stingrays and loved it! This time we opted for a walking tour with Mark and Ramsay. It is Boxing Day which is celebrated here so everything other than the shops on the pier was closed. We set out on a walk to the Botanical Garden. We took one wrong turn but found it – and it was really not a garden at all but an open space scattered with trash – it looked like people had quite a party there.
Murals spotted on our walk
I did some shopping and got 2 Pandora charms and a Longchamp tote.
This was at the “Botanical Garden”
Tonight was the first of two Oceania Club parties. We were recognized as the most traveled guests!
We enjoyed the cocktail party and after that we were all invited to dinner with Damien, the General Manager. We had a great time, good food and good conversation. We love the design of the Grand Dining Room on Vista.
Merry Christmas! Santa showed up early and gave gifts to the few kids between 11 and 17 who are on board this voyage.
St. Lucia is a stunning Caribbean island located in the eastern Caribbean Sea. It is part of the Lesser Antilles and is situated north/northeast of the island of Saint Vincent, northwest of Barbados, and south of Martinique. The island is of volcanic origin and is known for its iconic twin peaks, the Pitons, which rise 2000 feet dramatically from the sea. St. Lucia’s lush, mountainous terrain is complemented by beautiful beaches, dense rainforests, and stunning coral reefs, making it a perfect destination for nature lovers and adventure seekers. The island is only 27 miles long and 14 miles wide with a shape that is said to resemble an avocado or a mango.
Mark and Ramsay got married in October of 2019 at a Viceroy resort in Snowmass, Colorado. They had a free night in any Viceroy hotel gifted to them for having their wedding there. But COVID interfered with being able to do that. There is a Viceroy hotel here on St. Lucia and they agreed to let Mark and Ramsay spend the day at the hotel and beach. It is about 1 1/2 hours from where our ship docked, so they hired a taxi to take and return them. This ended up being an interesting tour of the island as well as a nice beach day for them. Mark did some snorkeling along one of the large Pitons. He said the coral was pretty bleached but there were nice fish.
St. Lucia is known for its banana exports, which have historically been a significant part of the island’s economy. The agricultural sector, including banana production, plays a crucial role in St. Lucia’s economy and cultural heritage. The island’s lush, fertile lands are conducive to growing bananas, and the industry has been a key source of livelihood for many St. Lucians. While facing challenges such as natural disasters and international trade dynamics, the banana industry remains an important aspect of St. Lucia’s identity and economy. Mark and Ramsay learned that the roads here are so much better than, for example, those in Dominica. This is because bumpy road travel bruises the bananas making them unacceptable for export!
We chose to take a walk around town, and because it was Christmas, most things were closed but we enjoyed the many local people who wished us a Merry Christmas (and wanted us to hire them to take us around the island!)
Here are a few sights from town.
We thought this was a hotel but it turned out to be a law office! They must do a lot of business.A lovely little park.
The flowers in every port are lush and beautiful!
After our walk, we had lunch on the ship and they had a beautiful Christmas cake. We didn’t eat any of it but they did cut and serve it. There are also frequently replenished cakes and cookies at the gingerbread village in the atrium. I try to stay away from there but the powdered Mexican tea cake cookies call my name once in a while!
At trivia we placed second and had a lot of fun. We didn’t know that Jimmy Carter caused a scandal by kissing the Queen Mother on the lips. You learn something new with every trivia game.
Norm and I had the invitation to the Moet and Chandon tasting at 7, so the rest of the family went to dinner alone. It turned out to be a private tasting!
Vitaly from Ukraine talked to us about Champagne in general before we tasted
Champagne is a small region located northeast of Paris. It is about 87,178 acres in area but accounts for only about 1% of global wine productions. Moet and Chandon is known as the most iconic Champagne Maison in the world.
We tasted three champagnes: Grand Vintage 2013, Nectar Imperial and Moet Rose Imperial. Each was paired with a compatible food. The first was a ceviche which was delicious. The other two were a foil gras on mint jelly and round bread and a beef carpaccio with grilled bread. I don’t eat meat so had another ceviche and the waiter brought me two mussels and a seafood on grilled bread.
All of the champagnes were really good. Vitaly told us that the 2013, which is made using only the grapes harvested in 2013, is comparable to Dom Perignon. But this one sells for only $125/bottle!
The Rose Imperial is the #1 Rose Champagne in the world. And the Nectar Imperial undergoes 21 months of maturation which gives this Demi-Sec champagne a sweet and luscious taste. That one was Norm’s favorite. I liked them all!
We did have a bit more to eat in the terrace, and then went on to the show. It was called Headliners and it showcased the onboard entertainment team singing and dancing to popular songs. They are very talented.After the show, I played in the casino for a while and then Christmas was over for another year. We do like this idea of Christmas cruising, especially since we live close to the Miami port. Who knows, maybe we will plan for next year.
St. George’s is the capital of Grenada, a picturesque island nation in the Caribbean. It is about 90 miles from the north coast of South America and is the first in the chain of Windward Islands. It is only 21 x 12 miles in area. With its colorful waterfront houses and bustling market, the town exudes a vibrant charm. The harbor offers stunning views and is often filled with the masts of sailing boats. We can see Fort George from our ship.
Grenada is an independent country and a member of the British Commonwealth of nations. It has a population of about 95,000. Tourism and spices are the biggest economic producers here.
It was hot and humid today and we decided to just take a walk around town.
We asked some local people if it was safe to walk through this tunnel and they said yes, but stressed that we should stay on the left side. There is no designated walking area and the cars come pretty close to you.
After our walk around town and lunch, we opted to watch Oppenheimer, or at least half of the movie since it is 3 hours long. We watched 1 1/2 hours and then Mark, Ramsay and I had a cooking class and Norm and Adam went to trivia without us. We said if they (with our teammates David and Dorothy) finished first, we were probably irrelevant!
The cooking class was fun. The subject was Mastering Heat – Unleashing Intense Flavor.
Three divas on a grill with rustic chimichurri and minty verde sauceGrilled vegetable panzanella saladWe also made the crepes with seared pears, gorgonzola and honey in the right front of the display. I forgot to take a picture of mine
Adam and Norm came in after the class to sample. And they told us they came in first in trivia!
Because the cooking class ran from 4 – 6 pm and it was Christmas Eve, we had asked our butler, Melvin, to create a cocktail and pizza party in our room. It was a good idea for us to do that since we weren’t that hungry and we could just relax and nibble. Adam then asked Mark, Ramsay and I all of the trivia questions. I got two that they missed at the trivia game!
Selvin couldn’t resist a selfie!
The show tonight was Linda Gentille – we have seen her several times before. She conducts the Jersey Shore Pops when she is not traveling and performing on cruise ships. She was as exceptional as usual and we enjoyed her fast fingers on the piano, her running commentary and much more.
After her performance, most of the ship’s crew came on stage and sang carols with the audience. Santa and the Grinch both showed up!
There are trees around the ship that are decorated by different departments. This one is done by housekeeping.
It was a fun Christmas Eve. Adam and I watched the officers and other staff line up for photos. Then Santa went into the General Manager’s office. Hmmmm?
Tomorrow we will be in Castries, St. Lucia. We are invited to a Moet and Chandon Tasting experience at 7 pm.
Pat and Norm's World Cruises and other adventures 