Cruise Information

To return to The Jimmy Buffett Listserv List Travel Page index

Carnival Reviewers

Gordon Hammerle
Ports: Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica.

Gordon Hammerle's Carnival Review

Cruise Taken: December 1994

Gordon sailed on a 7 day Carnival Cruise that took him to Cozumel, Grand
Cayman, and Jamaica.

He didn't really have one favorite stop, "They all had some nice features. 
Cozumel had nice snorkeling.  Grand Cayman had (Stingray City), where
stingrays congregated and you could swim with them, pet and feed them.  
Jamaica had Dunn's River Falls that you climb for a half hour or so, hand 
in hand with a zillion other tourists.

Gordon had no complaints about the ship, "It was glitzy and modern.  (The
cabins were) fairly large for a ship, but the rooms were too cold and you
couldn't adequately control the temperature.  The staff, almost all from
other countries, was wonderful."

He says he would recommend this cruise, "It's a good value."  The only
downside was the cruise director, "Your stereotype of a cruise director, 
... the announcements of activities over the speaker system were annoying."

For more information, contact Gordon Hammerle.

Cunard Reviewers

Karie Parker
Ports: Numerous ports in the Caribbean

Karie Parker's Cunard Review

Cruise Taken: Numerous, Latest April 1996

Way back, when traveling on a cruise ship was a means of transportation,
Cunard was the leading cruise line.  The Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary were
both Cunard liners.  Today, Cunard operates cruise ships throughout the
world.  Karie Parker has sailed on Cunard a number of times.  She's taken
cruises covering much of the Caribbean.  In 1994 she sailed from Ft.
Lauderdale and visited the Dominican Republic, St. Thomas, San Juan and
Nassau Bahamas.  The next year her itinerary included Ft Lauderdale, Ocho
Rios Jamaica, Grand Cayman, Cancun and Cozumel.  Last year her trip took
Karie to Tortola, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, St Thomas and San Juan.

Karie lists her favorite islands from each cruise. 

St Thomas: we went on a sail boat to Buck island, snorkeling. There is 
good shopping in St Thomas even for people who are not shoppers, 
and lots of things to do. There are a fair number of places to eat for 
as much or as little as you want. (My first trip there I ate at an 
Arby's as it was the only thing open on New Year's Day) while the 
people of St Thomas are a breed apart from what we are used to as 
continent based Americans, they speak the same language and share 
a similar culture. it's easy to get a start there in the Caribbean 
because it seems so much like home, only a lot warmer. From there 
you can go on to other more "foreign" cultures. While you did have a 
few people inviting you to buy at their store, no one really hassled 
you, and you felt pretty much safe there.

Cancun: Wonderful bars full of people having a grand time. The
facilities were up to date and you weren't confronted with the abject 
poverty that exists all over the Caribbean, which can be disconcerting 
to someone with a sympathetic heart on a very ostentatious cruise 
ship. There was modern shopping, great golf courses, plenty of water 
based activities, and reasonable costs. 

Antigua: despite a lot of damage from the hurricanes, the people of
Antigua were wonderful fun loving people who made you feel like 
their home was your home. I never felt like I "didn't belong" there. 
The area is nice, there is an older charm combined with modern 
businesses (banking is big there) and while touristy, felt a lot like a 
neighborhood, too. The tourist area was not separate from the 
regular people like some tourist places. People intermingled, which is 
much more interesting than plopping your own culture down in a 
foreign place. A lot of residents were transplants from all over, which 
may be one reason the populace seemed so universal, yet not 
ordinary. Our only regret was that we didn't run into Eric Clapton, 
who has a place there and has been known to hang out at the Big 
Banana Holding Company, a bar and pizza joint.

She lists her least favorite, also in order from each cruise.  

Dominican Republic: I never got a chance to meet the people. The 
poverty was so great and the luxury of the ship so obvious that we 
never got off the ship. It depressed me, and I felt guilty knowing 
how poor these people were. 

Ocho Rios: Most of the Jamaican people were absolutely wonderful.
The countryside is beautiful, as was the rain forest. Again, it is hard
to enjoy oneself when all you can think of is how much more you 
have than these people. Of course most of them are happy, which 
again, makes one feel guilty for having so much stuff, yet most of us 
aren't satisfied. I did find the sellers at Dunn's river falls a bit 
annoying. They hassle you and try to intimidate you into buying 
things that you do not need or want. The straw market in Nassau was 
the same way.

Martinique: The people were unfriendly, the prices were outrageous,
the French did not even attempt to understand you even in shops 
where they were trying to sell you something. The flea market 
people were nice, but the upscale shops and regular touristy areas 
were most aloof. I even spoke French to shop girls who didn't seem 
to understand English, and they were still kind of strange. (When the 
one checking our purchases didn't understand English, she called 
another over to repeat the same thing to us in French. I finally had to 
use what little I remember of my French to try to communicate, 
much to the chagrin of my companion who doesn't speak a word of 
French)

Asked about the ships themselves, she had this to say, "The Crown 
Jewel (cruises 1 & 2) was a fabulous ship. I can't think of much that I 
would change. We loved the whole thing. unfortunately, they sold the 
ship to an Asian market right after our second cruise.

"The Countess (cruise 3) was a dog. She had been refurbished within
the last year. The first thing we noticed coming onboard was a lack of
varnish on that deck. Then we looked up at the superstructure and 
could clearly see the outline of the old lettering before it was 
painted. They obviously didn't scrape and did a lousy job of painting. 
Some of the staff and crew members were either surly or 
disinterested. The food was no better than one might expect to find 
at an average "family" restaurant, certainly not up to what I consider 
Cunard standards. The cabin walls were paper thin and we caught 
every subtle and not so subtle nuance of every activity the libidinous 
couple next door engaged in. We could hear their speech clearly.
The facilities were worn and haggard, even after a refurbishment, 
and it was obvious that the staff and crew was none too proud to be 
there either. The room where the stage shows were presented was 
hideous, with columns all over its narrow width and great length. But
it didn't matter as the entertainers weren't very entertaining, so who 
cared if you couldn't see them. There were no in-room TV's so if you 
wanted to see a movie, you had to go to the theater and the times 
were usually not convenient. We liked being able to see a review of 
the previous day's port lecture on TV while getting ready for dinner 
if we happened to miss it for some reasons. We had to ask for ice
constantly, there was no duty free liquor on board, (unlike the Jewel) 
and on the last night when they sent around slips if you wanted to 
buy liquor it was about twice what I would pay in the US and a lousy 
selection. What we enjoyed the most was the crowd on the ship. The 
port calls were outstanding, and the people on board (passengers) 
were great! fortunately, Cunard sold this ship right after our cruise.

The Dynasty (cruise 4) is the sister ship of the Crown Jewel and we 
are looking forward to sailing her. We have heard wonderful things 
about her, including from list member Dana Bollar. Unfortunately, 
she, too will no longer be advertised as part of the Cunard fleet as 
she is on long term lease to Majesty Cruise Lines. It seems that 
Cunard now wishes to concentrate strictly on upscale cruising, and 
not much in the Caribbean.

Accommodations:  The rooms were somewhat small, as is to be 
expected, but then again, I don't cruise for the room. I would like for 
the rooms to have had more than one electrical outlet, and on our 
first cruise we were surprise to find it inset a bit, so that if you 
wanted to plug in something with a transformer (such as a Walkman 
to save the batteries) you needed an extension plug, such as the type 
to convert a three prong to a two prong. The twin beds could be 
hooked together to form a double, but we did just as well bed 
hopping when necessary and getting some sleep otherwise. We 
quickly discovered the value of putting the suitcases under the bed 
to act as another drawer (or dirty clothes hamper) On the Cunard 
ships, the rooms were pretty much the same on every deck, so there 
is no need to pay more for a higher deck, unless you want to enjoy 
the rocking of the boat more. (It's more stable the lower you get.) No 
one spends a lot of time in the cabin anyway. We did enjoy having an 
outside cabin and often slept with the curtains open to the gentle 
glow of the ship's lights reflecting off the water. You did need to 
remember to close them if you were pulling into port early the next 
morning.  Depending on how the ship docked and on which side, you 
could wake to the view of burly dock workers walking by at eye 
level. Security was not a problem on the ship, but each cabin on the 
Jewel had a safe deposit box in the closet. The Countess had a vault, 
and there were only certain times you could get to your stuff.

Karie offers these recommendations. I would absolutely recommend 
the Crown Jewel (and presumably her sister ship the Dynasty) to 
anyone were she still available. We were treated like royalty, plied 
with service, including double desserts or entrees if you dared to 
even mention it was good. It was hard to get them to stop bringing 
more food! (I don't particularly ever eat desserts) so of course, they 
made you feel like you deserved to eat all of that rich sinful food. 

She offers these general travel tips. Relax and enjoy, and by all 
means, if you can afford it, buy the ubiquitous pictures. you will 
regret it later if you don't. At the very least, take down the picture 
numbers along with the ship and date of sailing and the photography 
concern's address. They generally save the negatives for at least a 
year, and you can buy them after the fact when you return home, or 
have extra copies for that always difficult birthday present for the 
parents. However, this does not save you money, but maybe will be 
at a time when you aren't all tapped out from the cruise. 

Don't take the gambling too seriously. Set aside the amount that you 
think you can afford to lose and treat it as "entertainment expense" 
Leave the rest in your room or in the safe. If you start winning, I 
usually put twice my original "fund" back in my room, then play with 
the winnings till it is gone. That way I always go away a winner (in 
that circumstance) or with a feeling that I have spent money on a 
transient but enjoyable activity like going to a movie or dinner. 

Speaking of dinner, don't be afraid to ask for seconds, exchange an 
entree you don't care for as much as you thought you would or order
more than one entree with the intent of sampling a little of each. This 
is very common on cruise ships and you should not be made to feel 
bad in any way. Often the waiters will offer this if you have trouble 
deciding between entrees. 

On the other hand, because you will be doing lots of eating and 
drinking, I usually start each morning with a 1 mile walk around the 
deck or track. I am handicapped and find it invigorating in the fresh 
air, and not a bore at all. Nearly everyone can walk, and it's the best 
exercise there is! There is usually a deck marked out with a one mile
distance (I.E. 4 laps around that whole deck) if they don't have an 
actual jogging track. Be considerate of your fellow travelers if it is a 
deck which may have people sleeping in cabins directly below. I 
have actually lost weight on a cruise. If you eat your early courses of 
your meal slowly and enjoy them, you will give your body time to 
signal its satiety much quicker. I try to take advantage of the
weight or exercise room too. I'm far from an exercise fanatic 
(basically lazy) but it's different "out there". 

Cruise lines make money off of shore excursions. You can usually get 
the same excursion cheaper on shore, or from your travel agent. Buy 
a book that lists common ports and shore excursions, and read it 
before you go. The down side of going off on your own is that if you 
are late, they won't hold the ship for you.

Try not to be a snob when you visit foreign or poor islands. These 
people are people just like you. Though their lifestyles are 
necessarily different, they have the same feelings and dreams as you 
or I. Try to enjoy an opportunity to get to know someone new and 
exciting. Remember that areas which look "dirty" to you may not 
really be. You are in a tropical atmosphere, and molds and rust are 
endemic. The houses often look rusty or run down because of this. In
a tropical atmosphere they often use different building materials to
compensate for the rot which would inevitably occur with some of 
our common building materials. Tin roofs at home means poverty. 
Tin roofs in the Caribbean is a sturdy material which won't rot. Paint 
peels very readily in the humidity. You'll also see a lot of tile and 
stucco. When in port, try to enjoy some of the culture of the people-
perhaps try a new food, or enjoy the Folklorica dances. You didn't 
come all this way to see America (or wherever you came from) So 
learn about something new, that you will remember always.

Most island folks are quite willing to please. They make their living 
from our tourism, and most are genuinely friendly folks who'd love 
to share their country and traditions with you.

Make sure you have your passport and birth certificate (raised seal) 
put aside months before you go. I usually make a packing list then
decide what I really won't wear. Take a copy with you and leave one
at home in the event of lost luggage (rare) Take a fresh set of clothes 
to change into on your carry-ons. Your luggage may not arrive at 
your room for a few hours, and you'll want to get out of your travel 
clothes. Also, put medications in your carry on just in case. There is 
always an infirmary on board, but they only carry basic medications. 
Seasickness pills are usually available from the purser (if you
are prone) and are often free. Modern cruise ships are very stable 
and seasickness is rare. You will experience gentle rocking. Lower 
cabins rock less, as do those amidships.

Fall is the off season for cruise ships which is why they are so cheap
then. This is because it is hurricane season and you are more likely 
to encounter inclement or rough weather. It may be worth a few 
hundred extra to go in the spring. Besides, who wants to go when it is 
still hot back home.

Try to be on deck for your embarkation and getting underway. 
(However about this time you will be REQUIRED to participate in a 
safety drill. It is Coast Guard law and must be done. Many people 
take their video cameras to the drill. Introduce yourself to the people 
standing next to you and start making friends!)

Bring a sports bottle or get your first bottle of Evian water from the 
ship (expensive) then save the bottle and refill it from your tap. Take 
it with you on your shore excursions or up on the pool deck. I usually 
bring a knapsack to carry all the stuff I pick up on shore, plus water
and tanning lotion and whatever. (and comfortable walking shoes).

Remember, the sun is much stronger there. Limit your initial
exposure and it doesn't hurt to go 7 or 8 time to a tanning salon 
before you go to get a good base. Guys too. Even if you're not the 
type who likes to tan, it's better than ruining your vacation because 
you got a nasty burn. It's always breezy on deck and you don't notice 
how much sun you are getting till it's too late.

	"Most of all,  ENJOY!"

Holland America Reviewers

Nancy Williams
Ports: Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman; Cozumel; St. Thomas; St. John; and Nassau, Bahamas
Nancy Williams
Ports: St. Maarten; Barbados; Martinique; Grenada; and Tortola in the British Virgin Islands

Nancy Williams' Holland America Review

Cruise Taken: January 1996

Nancy took a 2 week cruise on Holland America. Her itinerary included 
Ocho Rios, Jamaica; Grand Cayman; Cozumel; St. Thomas; St. John; and 
Nassau, Bahamas.

Her favorite stop was the Mexican Caribbean coast, especially the Mayan 
ruins at Tulum. She says, "These ruins were so fascinating and it was 
totally amazing  how incredibly advanced these people were in calculating 
such things as phases of the moon, seasons, etc. Also, the ruins are situated 
right on the (Caribbean), so when you reach the main temple in the area of 
the ruins, it overlooks a gorgeous beach and a beautiful blue sea. . . .
definitely worth the trip!!!!" She also liked St. Thomas, calling it, "the 
patron saint of shoppers!". Speaking of shopping, Nancy adds this bit of 
advice, "One thing I would recommend would be to register all of your 
expensive jewelry that you purchased in the US with your local customs 
department. This way, when you come back from one of the duty free 
shops and the customs agent see a Rolex watch on your arm, you can prove 
to him that you purchased in the States and you won't end up paying more 
duty on it than you already did. This also works for any and all camera 
equipment that you take with you. Proves to the agent you DIDN'T purchase 
it in the Islands!!!!" She adds, "If you've never been to the island, you 
must at least travel to Magen's Bay and see that beautiful, horseshoe-shaped 
beach. Word of warning though, there are beach scavengers that are looking 
for more than just seashells, and if you do go to the beach, protect your 
valuables!!!! One highly recommended sightseeing tour is the seaplane 
trip that takes off from the harbor in Charlotte Amalie and flies over the 
US and British Virgin Islands. In a word. . . .SPECTACULAR!"

Her least favorite stop was Jamaica. She found the prevalence of poverty, 
bugs, petty crime, and pushy vendors unappealing. 

Nancy rates Holland America "Five Star": "There is absolutely nothing 
whatsoever to dislike about the Holland America Line. The Dutch officers 
are extremely cordial, and the Indonesian and Filipino crew members pamper 
you to death. And HAL practices a "no-tipping" policy, but you end up doing 
it anyway because of the royal treatment that you receive from all on board. 
I cannot say enough about this cruise ship line!" 

Asked about publications useful to the prospective traveler, she comments, 
"One publication that I would highly recommend is the magazine "Cruise Travel". 
It is published every other month and rates cruise lines plus their ports of call 
on a regular basis. Good information if you are planning a cruise." 

For more information, contact Nancy Williams.

Nancy Williams' Holland America Review

Cruise Taken: April 1995

Nancy took an eleven day cruise on Holland America Lines. Her ports-of-call 
included St. Maarten; Barbados; Martinique; Grenada; and Tortola in the British 
Virgin Islands.

Her favorite island was Barbados, "...An absolutely beautiful island! Tends to 
be a little pricey, since it is British and the rate of monetary exchange is not 
as great as those of the other islands, but still worth the trip. One worthy 
sightseeing trip is to take the helicopter tour of the island. One moment you're 
flying over lush sugar cane plantations and the next, you're skimming the rough
Atlantic shoreline...awesome!" 
Another favorite was St. Maarten, the Dutch half of St. Martin. She observes,
"Great stop! This island is half Dutch and half French! On the Dutch side, in
Phillipsburg, there is a shop there called "Last Mango in Paradise" that sells
. . . .guess what? Buffett stuff!!!!! Yup, you can find all the newest Caribbean 
Soul t-shirts there, plus all of Bubba's releases!!! You can't miss the shop as 
there is this huge shark standing up right in front of the place! A sightseeing 
tour that shouldn't be missed while in St. Maarten, especially if you are a 
seasoned sailor, is the 12-meter keelboat races! This is the coolest tour I have 
EVER been on. The tour operator actually has 3 or 4 America's Cup boats that he 
takes you out on and you actually race these boats outside the harbor! Plus, he 
did have Dennis Connor's 1987 boat that took back the Cup from the Aussies, 
upstairs at his marina!" 
She also enjoyed the BVI: "One must stop and see place are the Baths on Virgin 
Gorda. . . .Unusual rock formations right down on the beach. And you must stop 
in at Pusher's in Road Town and sample some of that great hum. There is a small 
island in the chain called Jost Van Dyck, and on the beach is a great place called 
Foxy's that's been known to host the likes of (Jimmy Buffett) himself!"

Her least favorite island was Martinique. She says, "I guess the reasons I don't
care for the island are:
1.) it's very dirty! The last time I was there, the townspeople had been partying 
the night before and tossed their garbage right out into the streets and there 
were large rodents crawling all over it. YUK! 2.) The "French Attitude" - hate 
to say it, but if you don't buy something from a shopkeeper, they practically 
escort you to the door. I've actually had vendors at the open air market in the 
town square shot obscenities at me because I didn't buy anything from them!"

Nancy rates Holland America "Five Star": "There is absolutely nothing whatsoever 
to dislike about the Holland America Line. The Dutch officers are extremely 
cordial, and the Indonesian and Filipino crew members pamper you to death. And 
HAL practices a "no-tipping" policy, but you end up doing it anyway because of 
the royal treatment that you receive from all on board. I cannot say enough about 
this cruise ship line!" 

Asked about publications useful to the prospective traveler, she comments, "One
publication that I would highly recommend is the magazine "Cruise Travel". 
It is published every other month and rates cruise lines plus their ports of call 
on a regular basis. Good information if you are planning a cruise." 

For more information, contact Nancy Williams.

Norwegian Cruise Line Reviewers

Al Jewel
Ports: Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Bart's, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, St. John and St. Thomas

Al Jewel's Norwegian Cruise Line Review

Cruise Taken: October 1996

Al sailed from San Juan on the Norwegian Cruise Lines ship, Windward, in
October 1996.  The seven day itinerary included Barbados, St. Lucia, St.
Bart's, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, St. John and St. Thomas.
	
Al's choice for his favorite island is, "Tortola.  You can sail to Virgin Gorda 
to snorkel the Baths, then come back, head over the mountain to Cane 
Garden Bay for a cold one and some beautiful scenery.  A very relaxing place."

When asked what his least favorite stop was, he was equally emphatic, "St.
Bart's. Getting over hurricane damage.  People very anti-social.  Shops
closed longer than usual to "avoid" cruisers.  Friend tried to get an 11.5 oz
can of Coca-Cola on one beach and the price started at $7 US, bartered down
to $4.  When you have to have one....  Even the topless women on the beach
didn't rate very well..."

Al would definitely recommend this trip.  He reports that the ship is new
and not too big (passenger capacity is 1280).  He adds that the ship had "
...lots of windows, large cabins, good food, and nice casino.  Very good 
service, exceptional activity list (almost too much). "  On this trip they had 
a superior suite with a floor to ceiling window, TV, sitting area and a large
bathroom.  Al comments that the itinerary changes and that one including
Aruba, Curacao, and Tortola with 2 days at sea would be an even better deal.

For more information, contact Al Jewell.

Royal Caribbean Reviewers

Carolyn Meizis
Ports: St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, St. Martin, >Guadeloupe, and San Juan

Al Jewel
Ports: San Juan and visited Aruba, Curacao, St. Martin, St. John and St. Thomas

Carolyn Meizis's Royal Caribbean Review

Cruise Taken: January 1996

Carolyn sailed with Royal Caribbean on a 7 day, Eastern Caribbean 
cruise. Her itinerary included stops in St. Croix, St. Kitts, St. Thomas, 
St. Martin, Guadeloupe, and San Juan.

She sailed on the Song of America which she says was nice in spite of 
the cramped accommodations. It seems the best thing about the ship 
was its staff.  She says, "they are specifically there to make sure you 
have a good time.  Our waiter, Devin, and his assistant, Mustafa, were 
great....by the second time you sit down for dinner, they know your 
names, what you like to drink and your personality."  She adds, "the 
Viking Crown lounge is spectacular.  You are nine stories up and the 
view is great."

The downside, she says, is the ships smaller size; "we hit a storm on 
the last night, and let me tell you, we felt it....my friend fell into our 
closet coming out of the bathroom when the ship started rocking."

Carolyn's least favorite port-of-call was Guadeloupe.  "(It's) a 
beautiful island.  Strolling around town was okay, but the people 
were not as friendly as on the other islands.  

Her favorite stop was St. Croix.  She says, "(It seemed) completely
untouched.  (We) felt like we were in paradise.  Snorkeling around 
Buck Island, a national underwater park, was incredible.  Our guides
 had moved down from Cleveland, and were a blast.  Fish come right 
up to you.

"The people on the island were incredibly friendly.  You didn't feel 
like they were being nice to you simply because you were spending 
money.  The island is small, charming, and not that touristy."

Carolyn offers this advice for travelers, "Make sure you bring an 
extra bag for all the crap you will bring back.  Also, make sure you 
know the prices of merchandise such as jewelry, perfumes, etc. 
before you leave.  You may actually spend the same amount, or in 
some cases more, on things simply because they're 'duty free'."

For more information, contact Carolyn Meizis.

Al Jewel's Royal Caribbean Review

Cruise Taken: January 1993

Al sailed on the Royal Caribbean, Sun Viking, on a 7 day, pre-Christmas holiday. 
They departed from San Juan and visited Aruba, Curacao, St. Martin, St. John
and St. Thomas.
	
Al's favorite stop was Aruba with great beaches, casinos, and plenty of
Caribbean sun.  His least favorite was St. Thomas.  He comments that it was
too dirty and felt that everybody was out for your money.

Al says, "The Sun Viking is the smallest ship in RCCL's fleet."  It carries
a maximum of 780 passengers, although only 600 were on this cruise.  He
describes it as an older ship with small cabins. He adds, "We had an 
upper/lower berth and the person going up had to be a contortionist to get 
in their berth."  The public areas were very nice.

Al would definitely recommend this cruise; "...the itinerary was great, the
two days at sea fantastic.  Going the week before Christmas cut down on 
number of children on board AND got a fantastic discount because we booked 
early and that week was considered low season.  RCCL's food and service is 
excellent."

For more information, contact Al Jewell.

Windjammer Reviewers

Lorrie McLaughlin
Ports: Most islands in the Lesser Antilles

Lorrie McLaughlin's Windjammer Review

Cruise Taken: November 1993 & May 1996

Windjammer Cruises operates a fleet of sailing ships throughout the
Caribbean. 

They are mostly 3 masted schooners and barkentines built in the early part 
of this century.  Some ships were formerly yachts owned by the likes of 
Vanderbilt and Onassis; others carried coal and bat guano.  They offer 
passengers the chance to cruise but not in the same style as offered by 
more conventional cruise lines.  Windjammer is much more casual and 
often stops at smaller, less visited ports.
	
Lorrie McLaughlin has taken a couple of different Windjammer Cruises on 2
different ships.  She's visited most islands in the Lesser Antilles on these
cruises.  Her first, aboard the Mandalay, was a 13 day trip that called at
Grenada, Carriacou, Mayreau, Bequia, Palm Island, St. Vincent, Dominica,
Guadeloupe, Iles de Saintes, and Antigua. In '96 she took 2 back-to-back 7
day cruises, for a total of two weeks, on the Polynesia that had stops in St.
Martin, Anguilla, St. Barts, Saba, St. Kitts, Statia, and Nevis.  This cruise
was a Parrothead Cruise that had about 50 other Jimmy Buffett fans aboard,
besides Lorrie.

Her favorite ports include Bequia, St. Barts, and Martinique.  "All" she
writes, "are worth at least one visit.  I didn't dislike any of them (that 
much). However, you have to watch the French islands as they can sometimes 
be a bit snobbish and unfriendly."

She says, "I loved that the ship was a sailing ship with real sails and
(was) mostly made of wood.  It made you feel like a sailor of old.  Other
than navigation equipment, nothing was automatic; it had to be done by hand.
At night they turn off the top deck lights so you can really see the stars.
There are so many stars in the Caribbean, it's incredible.  Also the Windjammer 
crew are wonderful and extremely friendly.  They mingle with the passengers 
(dancing and partying) and by the end of the cruise, you forget they aren't 
part of the passenger list.  You also get to see the Captain a lot and talk with 
him.  They all have a great sense of humor.  

"The clothing required is t-shirt and shorts.  The optional "formal" wear
for the Captain's dinner is a clean t-shirt.  You forget what shoes are for 
unless you're touring an island.  You really get a chance to see and visit the 
less traveled islands, and not just for an hour or two. I really like the laid
back attitude aboard."