Day 1. Ft. Lauderdale Depart 3:30pm
Day 2. At Sea
Day 3. San Juan, Puerto Rico Arrive 5:30pm Depart Midnight
Day 4. St. Thomas, USVI Arrive 7:30am Depart 5:30pm
Day 5. Tortola, BVI Arrive 7:15am Depart 5:50pm
We had an excellent tour of Tortola by bus. We enjoyed spectacular views of the island's high peaks and beautiful crystal clear waters and beaches. Some of the ride had elements of a roller coaster. This Island is the play ground of the rich and famous like Virgin Airlines owner Brandson, Oprah Winfrey and Bill Cosby, etc. There is great wealth here and abject poverty living side by side.
Day 6. At Sea
Day 7. Princess Cays, Bahamas We sailed near Princess Cays where the ship had planned a Barbecue, shore and water fun, but unfortunately the sea was too rough to tender ashore safely, so the stop was canceled. Thus the day was spent on board with great fun and of course more casino and shopping time.
Day 8. Ft. Lauderdale Arrive 6:30am The Port Everglades we returned to was vastly different than the one we sailed out of just one week before. Hurricane Wilma had left her mark every where.
Star Princess Debarkation
Princess does not rush passengers out of their stateroom or off the ship. Passengers are advised to wait in their staterooms or in the public lounges, and not in the gangway area, until their luggage tag colors are called, so that an orderly exit can be achieved. However, as usual some passengers do not comply. We hated to say good-bye to our new friends and especially our old one: PSD Gianfranco Sampiero. We had wheelchair assistance from our stateroom through passport check and customs right out to the curb. No problem.
Conclusion
The change of the itinerary did not affect our enjoyment of this cruise, even though we heard some people manifesting their disappointment when the Commodore announced it from the bridge. We have cruised many times in the Caribbean, so it does not matter which ports we visit. We now cruise for the enjoyment of the ship, service and, most of all, the delicious cuisine, which on Princess ships is one of the best at sea. Moreover, for us cruising is resting and relaxation, which we had plenty this time, escaping the daily routines of our life on land and, in this case, getting away from the fury of hurricane Wilma. When we returned home, we were happy to hear that the electricity had just been restored the evening before. How lucky can you get?
Gratuities are automatically charged to your sea pass card --- unlike some other lines where you must sign a request. There was a mix-up and gratuities were not charged. Vincent noticed the error when our final account statement arrived and the lovely Jr. Asst. Purser Yolanda Mills Rosati made the adjustment. It is very important to check your final statement for discrepancies. The hard working staff deserves proper recompense!
While on board, we have booked another future cruise on Princess, yet to be determined. Our next cruises are on the Navigator of the Seas, Dec. 3rd, on the Costa Magica, Jan. 8th, and on the Carnival Liberty, Jan. 29th. By then we'll have planned a few more cruises for the Spring/Summer 2006, and in the autumn we'll cruise on the new behemoth Freedom of the Seas.
Happy Cruising!
