Freeps Ahoy 3

the Free Republic Network Cruise Committee | 12/22/2003 | DoughtyOne

[NormsRevenge]

People look at the pics with the water so blue and go, no way it could look like that... but it does.. :-]

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Norm. I've never seen water that clear outside of a pool, that is. Those boats seem to be floating on air not water. I love the water, so that would be a fantastic enticement for me.

[NormsRevenge]

If you enjoy scuba or snorkeling, St John is excellent as long as storms or winds haven't stirred up the seas too much.

Magen's Bay is sweet as well. Not too far from there is a place called Coral World, an underwater observatory. Plus buku shops to look at and ogle nice stuff or to spend bucks and get some great deals on darn near anything.

I would love to hit the lotto and sail a yacht for a few weeks and hit some of the small island stops or do a Windjammer cruise in that neck of the woods.

St. Martin (St Marteen) is another nice place to visit (unfortunately not on this cruise). Good shopping, great diving in a cove and reefs on the Northeast end, and nice folks,, the island is half Dutch and half FRench controlled, but don't let that stop ya if ya ever get a chance to go there as well.. St Croix is nice as well for all the same reasons.

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the comments and suggestions Norm. Something"s" else to look forward to. ;-)

[MinuteGal]

Hope everyone has noticed we're visiting three British ports (Nassau, Half Moon Cay and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands) and one American (St. Thomas/St.John in the U.S. Virgin Islands). Plus, we'll be on a Dutch ship.

Vive....oops.....hooray for our staunch allies in the WOT!

Leni

[MinuteGal]

As always, we'll endeavor to match you up with a suitable roomie if you want to split the cabin fare.

Right now, we have a personable, non-smoking lady freeper who was on our last cruise and who would like a cabin mate.

Freepmail me at "MinuteGal" if you're interested.

Leni, Cruise Chair

[Chad Fairbanks]

VERY nice... I wish I could keep my pool that clean LOL

[DoughtyOne]

;-)

[Action-America]

Here's a hint for the shoppers on the cruise.

I'm sure that you have all heard about the great prices that you can get on stuff in St. Thomas. In some cases, those prices are much better than you can find here in the good ol' US of A. But, on certain items, the St. Thomas prices can actually be higher than you would be able to find here. So here's the hint.

Decide what you want to buy before you leave on the cruise. Then, price those items here in the US and make a list of the items and prices (don't forget sales tax). Also, price the items on the Internet and add those to the list (don't forget to include shipping on Internet purchases). With you list in hand, you can immediately tell if the item that you are looking for is one of those great deals or a waste of time. Also, if you can tell the salesperson what you can get the item for in the US and where, you can cut through a lot of the BS. If they can meet or beat your price, they will. If they can't, then you know right away, so you can spend your shopping time only on those products that are priced better in St. Thomas.

If you follow this formula, not only will you save money, but you will save time, since you won't be wasting time trying to find a decent price on an item that is more expensive in St. Thomas. With all that extra time, you can concentrate on finding the best deals on the items that you will purchase there.

Here's a hint for the chocoholics on the cruise.

This hint is in two parts - where to go and when to get there.

Where to go:

Caribbean Chocolate Company
15 Dranigans Gade(next door to Haagen-Daaz)

When to get there:

Go there as soon as you get ashore. That way, you have time to go back several times before departure. In fact, I'm not sure, but it may be illegal for chocoholics to go to St. Thomas without visiting CCC. (Don't quote me on that.) Anyway, if it's not illegal, it should be.

I hope that you all have a great time on the cruise. I doubt that I will be able to make it, as I expect to be very busy at about that time.

 

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks for the tips. We'll have to keep those in mind.

[MinuteGal]

You're certainly correct on your shopping tips. From my personal observations, I find that freepers really don't look on our cruises as extensive "shopping trips". I, myself, only pick up a few inexpensive unique items or native crafts to decorate some nook or cranny in my home. No serious purchases.

From my cabin balcony on past cruises, it always amuses me to look down at the gangplank in port to see tourists huffing, puffing and sweating as they haul cases of liquor and other bulky items back to the ship. Stuff they could get cheaper on sale at Walgreen's when they get home.

One passenger told me she purchased a particular piece of Royal Doulton she wanted in the ship's shopping arcade, and it was less expensive than in St. Thomas.

To me, the ship's the trip, plus the sightseeing and beach fun. But then, I'm not a mall rat to begin with. But I do love to browse the native craft shops in the ports. In Cozumel, I bought 8 light-weight place mats on the cheap (plus easy to pack and take home). They're handpainted with colorful hibiscus and are so eye-catching that my dinner guests exclaim over them. These are the type of things I look for.

Leni

[Action-America]

Like you, I can't see hauling 4 or 5 bottles of liquor through customs and then on a plane, just to save 3 or 4 dollars each. It's worth 20 or 25 dollars to me not to have to deal with that. On the other hand, if you are into single malt scotch and cognac, as I am, it suddenly becomes worth it.

Last year, I saved almost $100 on each of three bottles of scotch and over $500 on a bottle of cognac. I think that most people would put up with a little hassle to save $800. You just have to decide what your limit is.

I should also note that cognacs and other French brandies are much cheaper if you buy them on one of the French owned islands, such as Martinique or the French side of St. Martin. But, just keep in mind that you can only bring back one bottle per person, tax free, from islands other than St. Thomas. I buy my single malts on St. Thomas and then buy just one or two bottles of cognac on a French island (my wife declares a second bottle of cognac, if necessary).

Since the French got so snooty about the war in Iraq, I have boycotted most French products. It really wasn't that hard to do, since there are at least moderately acceptable substitutes for most French products. However, nothing in the world comes anywhere close to matching the character of Louis XIII or Richard Hennessy cognac, except a few other very expensive French cognacs. The same applies to champagnes. Therefore, I make exceptions for those two products. After all, there are limits to what civilized people should be forced to endure. :-)

 

[Jaxter]

bump - thinking about it...

[Conservababe]

What is the balcony room on a cruise ship?

[MinuteGal]

The Zuiderdam is Holland/America's newest ship and when built, the line took into account the popularity of balcony staterooms. Sixty-seven percent of its cabins feature balconys (verandahs) which come furnished with table, chairs and privacy panels on either side. You step out onto your balcony through sliding glass doors.

The balconys are great for watching all the scenic vistas and bustling activity on the dock as the ship pulls into port, for enjoying a leisurely room-service breakfast al fresca, or for having a late-night adult beverage under the stars talking freeptalk with friends!

Leni

[MinuteGal]

Cabins with balcony are nicely discounted right now, but for a limited time only. They'll go fast, so I recommend phoning Wanda on Monday to register and make your deposit by credit card. Her toll-free number is 1-800-890-7583 (Pacific time zone).

Leni

[hoosiermama]

Lazy Saturday BUMP...

[MinuteGal]

Now that the holidays are over, Bahama Mama, your cruise Q & A Lady, is now posting detailed cruise information on the "Bahama Mama" threads.

You can navigate easily around the cruise threads by clicking on the various links plus the non-bouncing red ball with the "3" on it.

Post your questions on the Bahama Mama thread, or if you want an answer to any kind of personal question, freepmail me at "MinuteGal".

Thanks,

Leni/Bahama Mama

[Conservababe]

I need a woman room mate who does not mind smoking to share a cabin.

[MinuteGal]

Our final port of call, Nassau, is a charming, international city surrounded by beautiful beaches. It's close to the U.S., but is "foreign" enough to be very interesting. The city is a perfect combination of British heritage, colonial history plus a variety of things to see and do.

The Bahamas are only 50 miles from the U.S. There are over 700 islands in the Bahamanian archipelago. Less than 50 are inhabited. The islands derive their named from the Spanish "baja mar", which means "shallows".

While docked in Nassau, you can either take a shore excursion arranged through the ship, or do things on your own. You can snorkel with sting rays on Sting Ray Island, swim with dolphins, take a horse-drawn surrey ride through the city to see historical sites, shop on Bay Street where one boutique leads right into another, or visit the Straw Market which is famous for its native handicrafts.

The shopping boulevard, the surrey ride station and the Nassau sightseeing information booth are all just a 4-minute walk from where we dock.

This trip, I plan on taking the surrey ride. It takes about 25 minutes and is $5 per person. Each surrey holds two people. It's best to go in the cool of the morning, perhaps after your breakfast on ship. The horses are rested every day from 1-3 PM, another reason to surrey early.

The ride takes you past historical sites of British colonial times as well as other points of interest in the immediate downtown city area.

After the freeper Linda Tripp banquet in South Carolina several years ago, I had a few hours to sight-see in Charleston. I took a Sunday morning surrey ride through neighborhoods containing beautifully-preserved homes dating back to the Revolutionary and Civil wars.

Though a surrey ride may sound corny, it's actually a great way to take a mini-tour, as I discovered. You get a close-up view of things and can absorb the sights, sounds and feel of your lovely and historical surroundings much better than from a bus or taxi.

Leni