Blogs from Oceans and Seas - page 4

Hello again. This morning the clocks moved forward an hour preparing us for Halifax time when we reach port in a couple of days. We tried setting an alarm so we would get up early and could go to the dining room for breakfast, but that plan misfired, and we slept until after 10:00. That’s the relaxed lifestyle we have adopted for this cruise. We had a nice buffet breakfast in the Horizon Court, but it was so late in the morning that we simply skipped lunch. There is a nearly endless list of activities available on the ship, but we opted for a quiet afternoon in the cabin watching a movie (called “A man named Otto”). Janet can’t ever just sit and watch a show, so she worked on one of her stitching projects too. ... read more

Hello, This includes a couple of pictures from yesterday and one from today. Last night we sailed through the weather front off Florida's coast, so the ride was a little bumpy. But we were safely tucked into bed and actually slept pretty well. It was a little tricky walking when we had to get up in the night, but no real problems. However, we slept so late in the morning that we missed the dining room hours, and we had breakfast in the Horizon Court. Today was the first meeting of the knitting group on the cruise and Janet showed off some of her needlework. Good news for the Hook & Needle people back at home, she has finished a scarf already. At the same time David watched the Martini Demonstration where they mixed a variety ... read more

World Cruise 10 Due in Muscat, Oman on 25th March We had a speaker on before we got to the Gulf who was really interesting, talking in general about Oman, that I knew nothing about. I hope you find it as fascinating as I did. Frankincense and myrrh. A heady Arabian mix that is Oman Typical thoughts about the Arabian Peninsula…. For the first half of the 20th century was closed. Muscat was a fishing port. It is a land of minarets, mosques and mountains. Donkeys and mules were still important in the villages. Because it developed late it was able to learn from the UAE states and has an old blend with the new. It has the faraj irrigation system from 1000BC and the interior fortress are impressive. It is one of the most mountainous ... read more

Our port of call on Wednesday, March 15, 2023 was San Juan, Puerto Rico, our fourth port in four days. As of midway through the cruise, I had subscribed to only two (both culturally oriented) shore excursions in these final four ports, and “Puerto Rico Folklore: A Latin Traditions Show” was one of them. In all of my travels, when I find folkxxxx in the title of an event, I’m usually all in. From the Holland America web site: “Puerto Rico's folklore heritage has been shaped by many vibrant rhythms from across the globe. Today's dazzling show is a virtual journey through the world of music and dance, with steps and sounds originating from Cuba, Brazil and Dominican Republic. You'll also notice the beat of Africa and a fiery expression of Flamenco from Spain. Enjoy popular ... read more

Our port of call on Monday, March 13, 2023 was Roseau, Dominica, officially the Commonwealth of Dominica. Dominica is a 290-square-mile volcanic island country in the Caribbean Sea with the highest point being 4,747-foot Morne Diablotins. Geographically, it is part of the Windward Islands chain in the Lesser Antilles archipelago. Her two closest neighbors both are overseas departments of France – Guadeloupe to the northwest and Martinique to the south-southeast. There was a population of 71,293 in the 2011 census. The capital, Roseau, (population of 14,725 also in 2011) is located on the western side of the island. The island was settled by the Arawak arriving from South America in the fifth century. The Kalinago had displaced the Arawak by the 15th Century. Columbus is said to have passed the island on Sunday, November 3, 1493. ... read more