When we booked future cruises (See Day 5 – 1/6/22 post) we received $400 cruise credits to us on this trip. That’s a whole lot of booze. So we flipped a coin – heads we spend it on spa treatments, tails we change our Day 8 excursion to a day pass at an all-inclusive resort on Antigua. Tails won.
There aren’t a lot of pictures for today. You can only take so many shots of one or both of us lounging, reading, and enjoying the ocean. But here are a few.
The drive to the resort took us past the ‘fresh market’ street.And to the dry side of the island.Here’s the name of the resort in case we want to come back.Check-in was next to an old sugar processing furnace. These are pretty much ubiquitous throughout the Caribbean.Having checked in, we waited for the golf cart to take us to the beach side of the resort.Nice but small beach bordered on both sides by significant basalt outcroppings.At the beach there were two areas identified as ‘Turtle Nesting Areas’.We avoided those…And found a couple of lounges and a shade.Close to lunch where we enjoyed the view (and a brief tropical shower)and were joined by several Geckos.but where we didn’t slip on the wet floor because the banana peal signs told us not to.
On the way back to the ship we noticed several very small, very brightly colored buildings. They appear to be either tiny houses and/or commercial establishments.
Back at the ship it was time for the Port Talk for St. Maarten. We’re scheduled for a dune buggy tour to ‘airport beach’. Should be really interesting.
Next was a lecture on earthquakes. Interesting information, but some we already knew – having ‘been there, done that’.
Then it was off to dinner. Because we had a short time till our next event (trivia) we chose to have dinner in the cafeteria. At least that’s what I told Cheryl.
It may also have been related to the fact that they have a sushi bar (only) at dinner time.
Trivia was not our finest hour. We scored 7 out of 15. So we didn’t win the free glass of bubbly. Oh well. we’ll have to study up on useless information.
Trivia pretty much wiped us out so we skipped the 9:00 show and retired to our cabin for a bit of photo management, a bit of reading, and bed.
Tomorrow is Sint Maarten (the Dutch side).
Here are a few photos of the ship. This is the Explorer’s Lounge on Deck 7.
As you approach the lounge on the starboard side you pass Mamsen’s. Mamsen was the family name for the matriarch of the Hagen family. This has become our favorite place for second breakfast (superb Danish waffles) and 4sies (shrimp salad). Note, also, that Cheryl is standing next to the Christmas tree. Christmas decorations around the ship stayed up until epiphany.It’s a great place to sit and watch the world go by – in air conditioned comfort.They even have a ‘fireplace’. The flames really look real. They’re not – this being a ship and fire being a major problem. They are actually lighted water vapor.Past Mamsen’s and round the corner you find Paps – the bar named for the patriarch. This is also the location for daily trivia.One of the many libraries around the ship. There’s no check-out system for the books. They trust you to return them. They also have an exchange library. Note the art pieces.Art is a huge deal on the ship. There’s an audio tour with commentary on several hundred of the pieces.The second floor of the Explorer’s lounge has more seatingMore books, more art.
