Caribbean
MSC1 Day 12: Cozumel, Mexico
Our first trip to Mexico, over 20 years ago, included a day trip to Cozumel. We had a great day and since then Cozumel has always been one of our favorite places on earth. So yesterday, despite not feeling great, Jett rallied so that we could go ashore. We didn’t do much – had a … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 11: Georgetown, Grand Cayman
We had breakfast in our cabin, as has become our habit, then got ready to go ashore. Georgetown is a tender port, so we had to board a smaller boat for a short trip to shore. This trip was much shorter than Belize – about 5 minutes. And, unlike most people, we didn’t have to … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 10: Ocho Rios, Jamaica
Ocho Rios is the only port on our 2-week cruise that we have not visited previously. So it is a highlight if for no other reason than we can increment our country count by 1. I am sure it has many wonderful attractions and I would like to see some of them someday. But Jett … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 7: Ocean Cay, Bahamas
Ocean Cay is MSC’s private Bahamian island. It is brand spanking new, just opening for use in December 2019, about 2 months ago. It is still a work in progress as there are at least three major construction areas on the island. But what is there is quite nice. Pristine beaches, crystal clear water, brightly … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 6: At sea
This was a card day. A windy card day – the ship was rocking enough for me to wear my wrist bands for the first time. But I never felt seasick. After a late breakfast, we started playing Hand, Knee and Foot at 11am and didn’t stop until it was time for trivia (4pm). Again, … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 5: Roatan Island, Honduras
We have been to Roatan Island before and we like it. The people are laid-back and friendly and the island, though not exotic, has some beautiful beaches and fine houses. It also has a distressing number of shacks. But it still ranks higher, in our eyes, than either Costa Maya or Belize City. And it … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 4: Belize City, Belize
Another day, another port that we don’t like all that much. Belize has some wonderful places to visit, but Belize City is not one of them. It is like Detroit which, as a friend once put it: “You have to get out of the city to find something to do.” We didn’t really want to … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 3: Costa Maya, Mexico
Our first port of call was Costa Maya, Mexico. We have visited Costa Maya twice before and we still don’t like it. It is fine as a place to embark on an excursion, to a Mayan site or a snorkeling adventure, but it useless as a destination. There is nothing there but souvenir shops and … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 2: At sea
The first day was spent entirely at sea, cruising along the north coast of Cuba. The weather was considerably warmer – in the high 70s – and mostly sunny, so it was a lovely, smooth day to cruise the Caribbean Sea. We slept in until after 8, then I embarked on a search for cappuccino. … Continue reading
MSC1 Day 1: Embarkation
The day began with final chores: finishing the packing, loading the bags into the truck, shutting windows, turning on the air conditioning, turning off the water and hot water heater, locking up. Then a short drive to the hotel to fetch Jett’s sisters and their luggage. It all fit. Barely. A stop at Starbucks then … Continue reading