Al Holden

Charleston Blog 15th February 2020 Charleston, the South Carolina port city founded in 1670, is defined by its cobblestone streets, horse-drawn carriages and pastel antebellum houses, particularly in the elegant French Quarter and Battery districts. The Battery promenade and Waterfront Park both overlook Charleston Harbor, while Fort Sumter, a federal stronghold where the first shots of the Civil War rang out, lies across the water. The South Carolina Aquarium is another coastal attraction and is popular for its 385,000-gallon Great Ocean Tank. Nearby, the circa-1773 Charleston Museum showcases the history of the South Carolina Lowcountry region. Many refined Downtown restaurants also specialize in Lowcountry cooking, which blends Southern U.S., African, French and Caribbean flavors. Beyond Downtown, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens offers a glimpse of t... read more

Jamaica, Ocho Rios Blog 2nd February 2020 So much potential but a poor choice of city for the visit. A Sunday as well. Jamaica, a Caribbean island nation, has a lush topography of mountains, rainforests and reef-lined beaches. Many of its all-inclusive resorts are clustered in Montego Bay, with its British-colonial architecture, and Negril, known for its diving and snorkeling sites. Jamaica is famed as the birthplace of reggae music, and its capital Kingston is home to the Bob Marley Museum, dedicated to the famous singer.Kingston is also site of the Hope Botanical Gardens and Zoo, showcasing native plants and animals. The city's restaurants offer island specialties such as curry goat and jerk chicken, as well as raucous nightclubs mixing rum cocktails. Looming over the city are the misty Blue Mountains, with hiking trails, panoramic views ... read more

St Maarteen Blog 29th January 2020 6 other cruise ships today including sister ships Azura and Britannia Sint Maarten, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a country on the southern part of a Caribbean island shared with Saint Martin, a French overseas collectivity. Its natural features span lagoons, beaches and salt pans. The capital, Philipsburg, has cobblestone streets and colorful, colonial-style buildings lining its Front Street shopping area. The port is a popular cruise-ship stop.To the west of Philipsburg are beaches such as Cupecoy, set against limestone cliffs, and Maho Bay, where low-flying jets from the nearby airport create strong breezes. On the east side, Dawn Beach features an offshore reef and views of neighboring St. Barts island. Catamaran sailing trips, shipwreck dives and deep-sea fishing excursions are prevalent daytime activities. Casinos, b... read more

Road Town, Tortola Blog 27th January 2020 Devastated by a hurricane a couple of years ago but has bounced back. Lots of rebuilding still going on and tourism is its lifeline. Tortola is the largest of the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean. It features several white-sand beaches, including Cane Garden Bay and Smuggler’s Cove. Road Town, the capital of the British Virgin Islands, has a harbor dotted with sailing boats and is known as a yachting hub. In the island's southwest, forested Sage Mountain National Park offers trails and sweeping views over neighboring cays.... read more

Saint Lucia Blog 24th January 2020 Another day, another island. An early arrival with two other cruise ships in port as well. We berthed in the older part with great views across the harbour. Again running the gauntlet of taxi drivers touting for trade and there are a lot of them it was outside to have a look round. Tourism now outstrips Agriculture as the main source of income and with three ships in the battle for trade is endless. The road infrastructure around the port is okay for cars but underfoot with all the stalls spilling onto the road was a bit hazardous and it wasn’t much better the further you got away from the terminal. There was a small garden (George V) which seemed to be dedicated to Saint Lucians that helped in the ... read more