New York

What a fitting finish to a wonderful cruise. We arrived at the entrance to the New York harbor area right at sunrise, and then sailed up the Hudson River past the Statue of Liberty. It gives a whole different meaning to welcome home, and really makes you thankful for what you have. It was a beautiful day with temperatures reaching into the 70’s with clear skies, which made for a superb day in the Big Apple.

Given the size of Manhattan, we knew that there was no way that we would be able to do the city justice in our 7-8 hours available, so Sharon and I decided that because we docked right at the foot of 50th St., we would concentrate on Midtown. Leaving the ship shortly after 9am we were off, walking down 50th St. toward Rockefeller Plaza. The docks are off of 12th Ave., and the Plaza was at the corner of 50th and 5th Ave. Oh, by the way, the blocks going in that direction? They are really LONG! It actually is a little over a mile walk.

But we made it, and once there decided to take the tour to the “Top of the Rock”, which is the top of the Rockefeller Building. From the top you have an excellent view of the city. After coming down from there, we walked around the underground there and had lunch at a Subway. After that we saw the plaza where the ice skating rink is during the winter.

Then it was off to Central Park, a mere 7 blocks away, but they were short blocks so the walk only took us about 15 minutes. Once there we decided to rest our feet and take a horse drawn carriage ride through the park. We saw most of the park during the tour and felt the money spent was well worth it. Given the size of the park, it’s one of the better ways to see it.

By now the time was approaching 1:30 and we both were getting pretty tired, so we decided to start back toward the ship. About half way there we popped into a TGIFridays and rested a bit over a couple of beers. Then it was off again arriving back at the ship around 2:45.

It really was a fantastic day in the city and an excellent end to a wonderful cruise. We left shortly after 5pm and will arrive in Ft. Lauderdale Thursday morning around 7am. Once we get off the ship it’s over to the Amtrak station and headed home. I hope that all who have been reading this blog have enjoyed traveling along with us and reading about the many ports that we visited. Next up is a 63 day round trip cruise out of Los Angeles, going down through the French Polynesian Islands to Australia and New Zealand, and on the way back making a three island stop in Hawaii.

Until then, CHEERS!

Hamilton Bermuda

Hamilton Bermuda

Waking up to blue skies and bright sun is worthy of a Starbucks latte. But being on a cruise ship small enough to dock at pier 6 right downtown Hamilton, PRICELESS!!

What a beautiful island and city. It’s squeaky clean with trash cans on every corner and some in between, they are actually used. Courtesy is treasured and you will be greeted with a Good Morning or Good Day by most everyone and you are expected to reply. The people are extremely friendly and most willing to assist you.

We were off the ship just before 9am and headed off to the post office two blocks away. We mailed off a couple of post cards, and purchased a couple of commemorative blocks for the grandkids collection. From there we walked toward the local bus terminal and passed by the Cathedral of the Most Holy Trinity which is one of today’s pictures. At the bus terminal we purchased two all day passes at $12 per person, and then boarded bus 7 for the botanical gardens.

What a lovely garden to visit. There were many different varieties of plants in bloom and we managed to spend almost 3 hours there taking pictures. One of the many flowers we saw is the second picture featured today.

We originally had thought about taking a bus out to the Royal Dockyard where the larger cruise ships have to dock, but after spending so much time at the gardens we really didn’t have enough time left to get there and back by our 3:30 all aboard time, so we hopped another bus that went down along the South Shore so that we could see some of the beaches Bermuda is so famous for.

Arriving back in downtown, we got off the bus and did a little window shopping. As expected, everything is expensive on the island so we didn’t buy anything other than some postcards. But it was an enjoyable walk and it was right across the street from the ship.

Leaving Bermuda we have a sea day tomorrow and arrive in New York’s Manhattan piers around 7am Monday. Then it’s two days at sea before our arrival at Ft. Lauderdale where we board our train back to DC. While the cruise has been wonderful, 50 days is a long time and we are looking forward to returning home.

Cheers!

Ponta Delgada Azores

Ponta Delgada Azores

After a leisurely cruise of around 900 miles from Lisbon, we arrived at Ponta Delgada to a partly cloudy sky and temperatures in the mid 60’s. While there were some very dark clouds in the distance, they soon went away and the day turned out to be great. For those who haven’t been here in a while you will be pleasantly surprised. They have built a brand new docking area that puts you a short five minute stroll from the ship to the main avenue of the city. It’s really a very nice facility and well thought out.

We didn’t really have any plans today so we hung around the ship for a while and didn’t go into town until 10am. We walked down the avenue toward the old fort and found the post office so Sharon could send off postcards to the grandkids. It’s about half the cost of mailing on the ship so that is what we try to do in each port.

We walked past the Praca Goncalo Velho Cabral which is the main square of the town. It features a statue of Velho who is credited with the islands discovery. The statue gazes out to the sea and behind the statue are the three arches of the city gates. Looking through the gates is the Largo de Matriz square home to the City Hall and Sao Sebastiao Church. Continuing along the avenue toward the fort, we found the local mini train offering various routes around the city. The cost is only 4.5 Euros per person for each of 5-6 different routes. Each one starts at a different time. We were there for the 10:30 historical tour. This tour took us around the old section of the city and down several of the very narrow side streets and around the lower part of the city. Lasting about 45 minutes it was well worth while to get a feel of the city for those who have never been here. We then wandered about through some of the pedestrian areas stopping at a small café for a local beer, and then another stop for postcards. After that we slowly made our way back to the ship and were back onboard around 2:30.

Next up is a four day transit to Hamilton Burmuda arriving there April 25. Some of the happenings along the way is a Mariners reception followed by a brunch on April 22, and a “Behind the Scenes” tour on April 24 of Deck 4 where the main galley is. We will see the galley, where the stores are kept, the pastry shop and other kitchen areas and where the crew eats. It should be quite interesting and I will try and get a lot of photos of the area and post them up online after our return.

I haven’t been very good about keeping up with the gifts that HAL have given us, so here is an updated list so far:

Very nice heavy fleece jackets
Umbrellas
A four port USB hub with a clock
Luggage straps and tags
An ID holder
A necklace and cufflinks
Journal Book

Cheers

Lisbon Portugal

With temperatures hovering around 60 degrees and an overcast sky, we arrived in Lisbon shortly after 8am and the ship was cleared around 8:30am. Based on an article we had read in Travel Tips newsletter we had booked a private all day walking tour of the city by a local resident. At only 50 Euros for 1-6 people (total, not per person) we didn’t quite know what to expect but the price was certainly reasonable. Through emails our guide (Alice Moura) had told us where to meet her which we near the city center.

A word of warning for those cruising to Lisbon. The center of the city is about 1.5 miles away and the ship does not provide a shuttle. To get from the ship and out of the terminal is about 200-250 yards. Once outside you will be met by taxi drivers trying to sell you a tour with them. When we asked about a taxi into the city we were told it would be 10-12 Euros. If you walk about two blocks straight away from the terminal, you can catch a bus or train into the city. We opted for the train which was 1.20 Euros per person and took about 10 minutes.

At the end of the day Alice suggested a taxi back to the ship. When we told her what we were told in the morning she said that it should only be around 5 Euros. Sure enough, a taxi back in a metered taxi was 5.45 Euros. I’m not sure if we were simply given the wrong information, or perhaps the cost to somewhere else within the city or what. But I do suggest checking very carefully.

I have to say that Alice was simply delightful. A young lady very passionate about her city, she is very knowledgeable and very flexible about where to take you. We did go to three different churches including the main cathedral, but we primarily spent most of the day walking around the old part of the city. Because we had mentioned that we were avid photographers she concentrated on showing us several places for good views of the city and river, along with some very photographic buildings and plazas.

Around 1pm we stopped for a light lunch at a restaurant run by a Circus Clown School that was only open for lunch. The restaurant was terrific with a wonderful view overlooking the river and very reasonably priced. The picture today is the entranceway to the restaurant and Alice.

Even though we had some light rain on and off all day, it was an excellent tour. It was very tiring as the city does have a lot of hills, and I would not recommend it for anyone with limited mobility.

If you don’t mind a lot of walking, I highly recommend a tour by her.

Tomorrow is a very necessary rest day, and then we dock at Ponta Delgada Azores. Cheers!!

Cadiz Spain

We were supposed to leave Malta at 6pm and arrive in Cadiz at 8am this morning. Because of some mechanical problems we didn’t leave Malta until after midnight. The Captain did what he could and put the pedal to the metal, and we managed to dock around 9am this morning. Not bad in making up around 5 hours of time over the two day transit.

Temperatures today were in the low 60’s with a 9-10mph wind occasionally gusting to near 20mph. It was a partly cloudy day, and while we did get a couple of passing sprinkles of rain, all in all it was a pretty good day.

After getting a detailed map from the local tourist agent, we decided to take one of the walking tours of the city and chose the one going into the old part of the city (primarily because that would get us to the main post office so Sharon could buy stamps for the grandkids).

The docking was fantastic as we were right at the city. Directly out from the cruise dock was the Plaza de Espana with a large monument to the Cadiz Constitution. It was quite a beautiful area with flowers and trees. We also saw wild parrots again similar to what we saw in the Canary Islands, and I chose a picture of one for today’s blog just to prove that I really did see them.

Continuing on our walk we saw the San Francisco Church, the Museum of Cadiz, Mora Palace, San Pablo Church, Old Roman Dry Salting Factory, Central Market, Santiago Church, and stopped for lunch at the Plaza de Cathedral which is very close to the post office.

After lunch we continued our walk passing other churches and various homes of local well known people, and finally finding ourselves back where we started.

Talking with others from the ship that took the hop on bus they were very disappointed. They said it only goes around the outer edge of the city, and didn’t stop where it was supposed to stop. The city is very walkable if you are up for it, as it’s only about 1 mile from the dock to the furthest point away. In the old town area the streets are typically cobblestone so a good pair of walking shoes should be worn.

Tomorrow we are in Lisbon and have booked a walking tour with a guide that will be showing us the city. The weather reports say that there may be some light rain but I have my fingers crossed that it will clear up.

Until tomorrow, Cheers!

Valetta Malta

Wheeee, Poseidon must have been restless yesterday and especially last night. The wind was blowing at 30+ knots, and the waves were reaching 12-15 feet which made for a sleepless night for Sharon. When we docked at Valetta, the temperature was at 61 degrees with dark overcast skies. The wind was still quite brisk and shortly after picking up our guide a light rain started and it stayed with us off and on all day. But, we did not let that deter us from enjoying the sights of the area.

We managed to cram in a lot today, starting off with the Vilhena Palace and then moving on to Mdina where we walked the streets and saw St Pauls Cathedral and the Auberge de Provence (now called the Museum of Archaeology). From there it was another fantastic lunch at a local restaurant then off to the Hypogeum which is an underground burial site from the 16th century and finishing up with the Inquisitors Palace.

It should be noted that the Hypogeum does cost (I’m not sure how much as it was included in our tour), but tickets must be purchased online. To protect the site, they only run a tour every hour on the hour, and only allow 10 people per tour. They typically are booked at least two months in advance so you can not just walk up and get in.

Next up is two wonderful relaxing days at sea and then we arrive at Cadiz Spain.

Until then, Cheers!

Santorini, Greece

The God’s of sun and blue skies looked favorably upon us once again today. The seas were almost like a sheet of glass and with the bright blue sky it was almost impossible to see the horizon. We couldn’t have asked for a more perfect day to see one of the prettiest islands in the Mediterranean Sea.

Upon arrival we first stopped near the ferry docks to off-load passengers taking ship tours. Once they were off, the ship moved over toward the area where the cable car was to reach the top of the mountain and get to the town. After tendering in and riding the cable car to the top, we met our private tour guide Nicko, and were off on our adventure.

It should be noted that there really isn’t any “tourist” things to see on Santorini. What it does offer is spectacular views and beautiful whitewashed buildings, and over 500 blue domed churches. Our tour actually consisted of driving all over the island, through the various small villages, and stopping every now and then for pictures. Eventually we found ourselves at the highest point on the island where the clouds actually swilled around us as we stood there.

What we did get the chance to see was the blue domed church that dominates most pictures that you see of Santorini. In an area where tour buses can’t get to, our private van could and we were able to capture that same picture, which is featured with this blog.

Lunch today was near the islands international airport, and right on the ocean. While a bit expensive, the meal was great and well worth it.

The cable car ride was very nice, and in our opinion better than walking or taking the donkeys up the side of the mountain. Be aware however that the cost of the cable car was 4 Euros each way per person. At no point did the ship ever inform us of the cost so while we expected that there would be a charge we didn’t expect quite that much. But, the ride is nice and you can get some really great pictures along the way.

Tomorrow is a much needed day of rest and then we dock at Valetta Malta. Until then, Cheers!!