Stingray City on a Catamaran

Grand Cayman Stingray

Last spring, we took a Caribbean Cruise aboard the Carnival Magic. Our favorite port was Grand Cayman.  What made Grand Cayman stand out, beyond it's welcoming attitude, was the excursion we booked to Stingray City aboard the catamaran Allura.  The entire excursion, from beginning to end, was professional and efficient.  Most importantly, the staff of the Allura made sure that we got an up-close and personal view of the stingrays.  


What to Expect
After disembarking from the cruise ship, a shuttle bus driver met us at the port and gave us a brief but humorous tour of Grand Cayman on the way to the catamaran's dock.  Once on board the Allura, the staff welcomed us with a brief introduction and explanation of the tour.  We were told what to expect from the stingrays, how to feed and pet them, and assured of the safety of handling these stingrays. Once they had answered our questions, we began the short ride out to Stingray City Sandbar.  

In less than an hour we, were at Stingray City Sandbar, which is a gathering place for Southern Stingrays and tourists alike.  If you are hoping for some time alone with the Stingrays, you are out of luck, as Stingray City is an all-out tourist trap. By the time we arrived, there were already a dozen tour boats anchored at the sandbar.  Despite the crowds, there was still plenty of opportunity to interact and pet the stingrays.  The stingrays were clearly accustomed to tourists, and seemed to relish the attention.  Several stingrays leisurely swam near our feet as we explored the sandbar.  The Allura staff caught a couple of large stingrays to give us a chance to hold and pet them.  We were told that they (the stingrays, not the staff), loved to be pet on the belly.  The staff took photos with their own professional camera but also let you take photos with your own camera.

Stingray City is crowded

After about 45 minutes at Stingray City, which was plenty of time to see the stingrays, we re-boarded the Allura.  The conditions were favorable, so the captain raised the sails so we could sail back.  I enjoyed relaxing on the deck of the ship as we sailed back nearly as much as petting the stingrays.  Once docked, we were back to the cruise port in less than a half hour. The entire tour was efficient, but not rushed, and more than exceeded the expectations of everyone in my party.  I have been on a half dozen cruise excursions, and this tour ranks at the very top.

Just the Basics

• Cost: Adults $71, Children $64
• Duration: 3.5 hours
• Allura Website:  http://www.nautilus.ky/allura.php   
• Carnival Website: http://www.carnival.com/Activities/Excursion/417037
• What to Bring: Swimsuit, sunscreen, and a camera (waterproof if possible)
• Good to Know: There is a basic toilet available on board.  

Carnival Magic's Best Secrets

My wife and I "sold out" this past spring break and booked a Caribbean cruise aboard the Carnival Magic rather than map out our own independent adventure. We opted for a cruise for several reasons; it was cheap, required very little planning, and was easy to coordinate with other friends. This was our second cruise, so we understood how a cruise vacation can be a double-edged sword.  Cruise ships offer an abundance of entertainment and food.  However, if one isn't careful, a cruise can be aggravating because of crowds, screaming kids, and hidden costs.  Below are five quick tips to make the best of your time about the Carnival Magic. 

1. Eat lunch at Cucina del Capitano.  Want a taste of the more expensive dining options on board without having to pay for it?  The ship's Italian restaurant, Cucina del Capitano requires reservations plus a surcharge of $10 per person for dinner.  However, you can still eat there for free...at lunch.    The restaurant is located directly above the Lido Marketplace and is an easy way to upgrade your culinary experience on board without having to pay more. 

Carnival Magic Pool

2. Enjoy the pool and waterslides on port days, before or after you return from an excursion.  While at sea, the lines for the waterslides can be nearly an hour long.  The pools also tend to be so crowded that is is difficult to find and open lounge chair.   However, on port days you will have no problem finding open spots near the pool and you there are no lines to ride the waterslides.  I'm not suggesting that you skip out on port stops.  Just pop by the pool as soon as you get back to make the most of your time.  

Cocktails from "Play it Again"

3. Go off menu at the the "Play It Again" piano bar.  Americans love predictability in their food and drink.  How else can one explain the popularity of Applebee's and the Olive Garden.  However, take a chance at Play It Again, and let the bartender surprise you.  One of the highlights of our cruise became tasting the daily concoctions that the skilled bartenders were able to create for us.  Just throw out a flavor or taste (apple? strawberry? spicy?) and let the crew do the rest.  You won't be disappointed.  Advice: Check out the piano bar before dinner during the 5pm show rather than the later shows.  You'll get better service and have no problems getting the performer to play your requests.  

Line to disembark the Carnival Magic

4.  Book a shore excursion (or at least pretend to) to avoid standing in long lines when disembarking at port stops.  The most unpleasant experience of our cruise was waiting to disembark at our first port-of-call of Jamaica.  We stood in line for 45 minutes while our fellow cruise patrons pushed, shoved, complained, and acted like fifth graders making the whole experience more miserable.  We booked an excursion through Carnival for our next stop of the Grand Cayman.  Instead of standing in line, we met in the theater and were wisked ashore ahead of everyone else.   Can't afford an excursion and hold little moral standards?  Just meet in the theater and walk out with everyone else....they never checked our tickets!       

"Fun Times" with towel animal

5. Plan your time on board using "Fun Times"  Don't get sucked in to throwing your money away at the on-board casino or shopping area.  There is a ton of free entertainment on board; from movies in the pool area, to themed trivia games, to professional comedians.  All are free, and most are worth your time.  Every night your cabin steward will leave a copy of the next day's itinerary and schedule, called "Fun Times," on your bed. 

Still want to learn more?  Explore more of the Magic at Carnival's website for the ship. 

Carnival Magic Stateroom Review

Below are pictures of stateroom #1212 on the Carnival Magic, cruise dates April 1-8, 2012.  My wife and I booked this stateroom because it was the cheapest cabin available on the cruise.  The stateroom met all of our basic needs; it was clean (with twice a day cleaning service), cheap, and had surprisingly comfortable beds. 

Carnival Magic Stateroom 1212

 With that in mind, the stateroom offered some challenges.  The bathroom was cramped and made with cheap finishes.  The TV was small.  The room was long and narrow which meant the two twin beds couldn't be converted into a single full/queen which is possible in many other staterooms.  Instead, the beds could be set up either as bunk beds, or the couch could be converted to a bed.  The biggest downside of this room was wave noise.  By wave noise, I don't mean the soothing splashing that will lull you to sleep.  Because this cabin is positioned in the front and bottom of the ship (called "Forward" and "Riviera Deck" when booking), loud booming sounds from waves hitting the hull could be heard whenever the ship was at sea.  Though the noise was not constant, we heard it often enough to rattle our nerves. 

Carnival Magic Stateroom 1212

If we could do it all over again, we would book the same room again because we didn't spend much time in the room.  We spent most of our time on the cruise exploring the ship, basking in the sun, or out on shore excursions.  For the money we saved by booking this stateroom (we paid only $499 a person) instead of a balcony room (at least $200 more per person), we were able to budget more money for shore excursions.  
 

Carnival Magic Stateroom 1212

Advice: When booking Carnival Magic cruises from the Carnival website, choose "Interior Room" when you first start the room selection process.  From there, you will be able to also choose rooms that have porthole views. 

Cruise Destination: St. Maarten

Great Bay Beach, St. Maarten

St. Maarten is a popular Caribbean destination known for it's great beaches and duty-free shopping.  Also known as Saint Martin or Sint Maarten, St. Maarten is one of the smallest islands in the world that is divided between two nations, the Netherlands and France.  If you travel to St. Maarten as a cruise port of call, you will disembark on the Dutch portion of the island.  St. Maarten is not as visually stunning as other Caribbean islands such as St. Thomas or St. John.  However, the friendly attitude of everyone we met on the island, combined with the great beaches and shopping, made St. Maarten my favorite stop on our cruise!  I am not alone in loving St. Maarten; it is currently the fastest growing port of call in the Eastern Caribbean. 

What to Expect

Most visitors to St. Maarten arrive by cruise ship to the A.C. Wathey Pier & Port Facility.  The easiest way to reach the main shopping area of Philipsburg from the cruise port is by ferry.  While it is possible to take a 20-minute walk into Phillipsburg, ferry tickets only cost $3 each way, and it is a fun ride!  On our ferry ride, speakers pumped a catchy "Welcome to St. Maarten" reggae tune, while the ferry operators enthusiastically welcomed us to their island.  They were well aware that tourism is the lifeblood of St. Maarten. If you have any questions about the best shops, beaches, or bars on the island, I'd suggest asking the ferry operators.  They are working off of tips, so it is in their best interest to offer you great advice!

Downtown Philipsburg is where most tourists flock for duty-free shopping on electronics, alcohol, and jewelry.  While neither my wife or myself are passionate shoppers, we did enjoy walking the narrow streets of the bustling shopping district.  Most shops are located in and around Front Street.  One shop offered free samples of the St. Maarten's specialty drink, Guavaberry Rum, which I would highly recommend sampling.  My wife and I were able to find a great small print made by a local artist in an art gallery/museum. 

Downtown Philipsburg, St. Maarten

Because of it's small size, it is easy to catch a taxi to any of the beaches on either the Dutch or French side of St. Maarten/St. Martin.  Popular beaches include Dawn Beach, Cupecoy Bay, and the clothing-optional Orient Beach.  My wife and I wanted to stay close to port, so we simply rented some chairs on the mile-long white sand beach of Great Bay, which parallels Front Street in Philipsburg.  The local restaurants were willing to serve us food and drinks right on the beach, which made relaxing even easier.  Public restrooms on St. Maarten are few and far between, so you will need to patronize on of the local restaurants or risk having to pay to use a bathroom elsewhere.  The only real drawback of Great Bay was that we were never out of view of the cruise ships at port, dampening our image of being in an "island paradise."  However, the easy access sand, sun, and shopping made St. Maarten my favorite cruise stop in the entire Caribbean.    
  

Just the Basics

Great Bay, Philipsburg, St. Maarten

• How to get there: St. Maarten is serviced by over a dozen cruise lines.  You may also fly into St. Maarten on major airlines, which arrive at Princess Julianna International Airport. 
• Currency: US Dollar, Euro, and the Netherlands Antilles Guilder.
• Advice: Shop, relax on the beach, and taste the local specialty, guavaberry rum.  Like most other Caribbean islands, prices on everything on St. Maarten can be negotiated. 

Labadee Haiti

Labadee, Haiti, hammock and beach

 Labaee, Haiti was the last stop on our cruise aboard the Celebrity Eclipse last December.  Labadee is a private port that is leased to Royal Caribbean International.  Royal Caribbean spent millions to turn Labadee into a private paradise, with white sand beaches, palm trees, and even hammocks. Visiting Labadee will not give you a window into the "real" Haiti, but it is a great place to relax for a day. 

What to Expect

Celebrity Eclipse at Labadee, Haiti

The only way to get to Labadee is as part of a cruise port stop.  Your entire experience on Labadee will be controlled by the cruise company, which isn't necessarily a bad thing.  Local Haitian musicians will provide music while you enjoy the white sand beaches in a hammock or beach chair.  Waiters take drink orders right on the beach.  A cafeteria-style lunch will be provided.  If you like to shop, there is a small market where local artists sell their painting, carving, jewelry, and other crafts.  For the kids, there is an aqua park.  A zip line hangs high above the beach for adventurous souls.  As long as the sun is shining (Labadee weather is nearly always great), Labadee is a Caribbean paradise. 

Sunset over Labadee

I had mixed feelings about visiting Labadee.  Haiti is the poorest country in the Americas.  At the time of our visit, there was an outbreak of cholera killing thousands of Haitians.  The country had not fully recovered from the devastating January 2010 earthquake.  Labadee is separated from the rest of Haiti, both physically and economically, through use of fences and a private security force.  You cannot visit any other part of Haiti if your cruise line stop in Labadee.   However, by visiting Labadee, you will provide Haiti with much-needed tourist income.  Royal Caribbean has provided Haiti with their largest source of tourist income for the last two decades. 

There is a small flee market in Labadee in which 200 locals are allowed to sell their wares.  The poverty of these artists is apparent in their appearance and marketing techniques (one told us "Please buy something.  I must sell something today").  We did buy a couple of amazing paintings, but could do little else to help these people.  I hope that increased tourism can help build a foundation for Haiti to begin to road to recovery.   If you are comparing Caribbean cruise itineraries and port-of-calls, Labadee is a worthwhile stop!

Just the Basics 

• Transportation: The only way to reach Labadee is by cruise ship.   
• Labadee Activities: Sing up through your cruise operator for the Aqua Park, History Tour and  Zipline.  Shopping and swimming are free!
• Labadee Accommodation: None.  There are no overnight stops in Labadee.
• Website: http://www.royalcaribbean.com/findacruise/ports/group/home.do?portCode=LAB 
• Advice: Spend some time shopping in the market to support the local Haitian artists.

Celebrity Eclipse Stateroom

Below is a video of our cabin from the Celebrity Eclipse, taken during December 2011.  One of the most impressive things about the cruise was how well the staff took care of every guest on the cruise.  We were treated like royalty.  Every meal seemed like fine dining, our cabin was cleaned twice per day, and everywhere we went there were staff waiting to serve us. 

Our cabin (called a Stateroom by Celebrity) was better that I expected.  The veranda was large enough for a small table and two chairs----perfect for watching the sun set.  The bed was only slightly smaller than a king.  There was enough closet space and storage for Nora and I to completely empty our suitcases.  The flat screen TV doubled as a computer that could be used to order free on-demand movies or (my favorite) free room service.  Some unexpected extras included a hair dryer, a fridge/mini-bar, and unique artwork.  

Original Canopy Zipline Tour

Zipline Original Canopy Tour

The Original Canopy Tour is a zipline adventure through the jungle near San Juan, Puerto Rico.  I took part in the canopy tour as part of a shore excursion from a Celebrity Cruise.  Overall, I would recommend the tour, though please be aware of some of the drawbacks that I encountered before booking.  Our tour was booked through Celebrity Cruises and cost $131 per person.

What to Expect
The tour operators picked our group from the dock in San Juan.  After a thirty minute ride on a charter bus, we were dropped off at an empty lot in the hilly countryside of San Juan.  Confused, we were told that a smaller bus would pick us up in a few minutes to deliver us to the canopy tour site.  Once we boarded the second bus, it was clear that the mountain roads in Puerto Rico were too steep, narrow, and winding for a large charter bus.  In fact, the drive was almost the most thrilling/scary part of the adventure.  In Puerto Rico, everyone speeds through mountain roads while continually honking to warn motorists and pedestrians around the corner.  We had several near accidents.

Once we dropped off at the site, we signed a waiver and climbed a VERY STEEP hill to the canopy site. All participants were fitted with a harness, gloves, and helmet.  Instructions, given in English and Spanish, made it clear that the company took safety very seriously.

Unlike other tours, this tour really took you from tree-to-tree through the rain forest.  Though none of the ziplines were all that long, it was beautiful to see and hear the sounds of the forest.  My only complaint was that, with a large group, we had to wait nearly an hour to travel on our first zipline.  Once we started, however, the tour was completed in about 45 minutes.  

Tips
1. Bring a rain jacket.  It rains often on the mountain, and it rained during my tour.  On the positive side, rain will increase the speed you fly through the jungle!

2. Take motion sickness pills--not for the canopy tour, rather for the bus ride through hills of Puerto Rico.

3. If you are looking a long, fast zip line ride, book another tour.  This tour is fun because it takes you through the rain forest.  However, none of the zipline rides last longer the 15 or 20 seconds.

Tips for a First Cruise

Celebrity Eclipse

Over Christmas, I went on my first cruise with my wife and her family.  We traveled on a week-long Celebrity Cruise through the Eastern Caribbean.   I was not sure what to expect.  Most of my travels have been self guided with an open itinerary...exactly the opposite of cruise travel.  I loved the experience but will do a few things differently on my next cruise.  Here are some cruise ship tips that might help you if you are set to embark on your first cruise. 

1. Do not book shore excursions until you are on the cruise.  We didn't have any problem with excursions booking up, and many excursions would not have been fun had the weather been raining or cold.
2. Bring sufficient cash to avoid outrageous ATM fees. Our ship's ATM carried a fee of $6!   I would suggest at least $200 per person if you plan on doing any shopping--remember, you don't have to spend it all. 
3. Do not pack beach towels, hair dryers, or an umbrella.  I wasn't sure what to pack on my cruise.  I found out that most cruise ships will provide these items.  Check your cruise line's website for specifics. 
4. Talk to cruise staff for tips specific to your ship and ports.  
5. Bring several formal outfits and shoes for dinners.  Most cruise ships have a dress code for dinners, again, check your ship's website for specifics.  Men often must have a tie and/or jacket. 
6. Visit websites such as www.cruisecritic.com before disembarking for advice specific to each vessel and port.
7. Bring walkie talkies if traveling in a group.  Cell phones do not work at sea and it can be difficult to locate people because of the size of the ships. 
8. Read your ship's daily newsletter.  We used the newsletter to identify free entertainment, drink specials, and the evening dinner menu.  
9. Prioritize and budget before leaving. What would you most like to spend your budget on?  Excursions? Shopping? Drinks?  Daily fees can add up quickly.  Visit your cruise's website so that you are aware of the cost of daily gratuities, soda/alcohol, excursions, etc.      
10. Take advantage of free 24 room service.  Nearly every vessel offers the service!



Formal Dinner Table

Cinnamon Bay Beach Virgin Islands

Cinnamon Bay Virgin Islands

Our cruise ship, the Celebrity Eclipse, stopped at St. Thomas in the Virgin Islands.  We had been given a tip that St. John had better beaches,and decided to give Cinnamon Bay a try.  The beach at Cinnamon Bay was amazing.  However, getting to Cinnamon Bay all the way from Charlotte Amalie may not have been worth all the hassle for only a couple hours of beach-time.  


Getting to Cinnamon Bay
After stepping off of the Eclipse in St. Thomas at Charlotte Amalie, we boarded a taxi van to take us across the island to Red Hook at a cost of $10 per person (a rate set by the government).  From there, were boarded a ferry for $6 to St. John, Cruz Bay.  There is a possibility of taking a ferry for only $12 directly from Charlotte Amalie to Red Hook, but the ferry did not run at times to fit our schedule.  From Red Hook, we took another Taxi for $7 per person to Cinnamon Bay.  Of course, we had to repeat all of those steps on the return trip.  All told, it took us three hours and $43 a person to get to Cinnamon Bay. 

Finally, Cinnamon Bay

Cinnamon Bay Virgin Islands

Cinnamon Bay was rugged and beautiful with a white sand beach, strong surf, and (best of all) FEW TOURISTS!  This is not a beach for those who want a tiki bar, steel drums, and hoards of merchants peddling crap to tourists.  There was a small campground, one cafe, a tiny shop for necessities, and a place to rent kayaks and sailboards. 
If you have the means to take a trip to St. John where you aren't at the mercy of the few hours that Cruise Line excursions offers, I would highly suggest Cinnamon Bay.  For more reasons, just look at the pictures.  Otherwise, your time and money are better spent staying on St. Thomas's beaches, such as Magens Bay. 
Website: http://www.cinnamonbay.com/home.html