Cruise Diva's CRUISE
DIARY
~ Oceania Cruises' REGATTA ~
Caribbean
Hideaways
Antigua
Before heading ashore after docking
in Antigua, an island I have visited in the past, I had an appointment
in the Oceania Spa for my facial. Days spent outdoors and antihistamine
medication had taken their toll during the past week and the treatment
was sorely needed. The Oceania Spa is staffed by British spa operators
Harding Brothers and I found them to be friendly and efficient. They
provided a soothing treatment with quality products and no high
pressure sales pitch to purchase them, although I thought the
"eye patch" to relieve puffiness was probably worth its
weight in gold.
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|
St.
Johns, Antigua |
St. Johns, Antigua has certainly
changed in the years since I had been there. Gone are the dreary
storefronts along Heritage Quay—bright pastels have transformed them
into a cheerful haven to entice cruise ship passenger 'pirates' to
shop and dine. A concerted effort by the island's government has paid
off in terms of appeal and one has to venture several blocks inland
before encountering the quaint, if somewhat seedy, less touristy part
of the city with its cobblestone streets and weathered houses.
Antigua
boasts it has a beach for every day of the year and, while that is somewhat of an exaggeration, the sugary white
sand beaches are lovely and all are open to the public. Runaway Beach is close to the port and popular for swimming and
sunning. For history buffs, a visit to Nelson’s Dockyard National
Park is a must. One of the Caribbean’s finest attractions, is often
compared to Colonial Williamsburg. Explore the park with its beaches
and nature trails that wind through lush tropical vegetation.
Late
afternoon found me in—of
all places—Regatta's main galley! Executive Chef Eric Borole led our
small group through his gleaming province where 65 cooks and 90 crew
members perform their highly orchestrated duties, from baking fresh
bread three times a day to tending stocks around the clock. While
salads, desserts, and certain dishes are prepared ahead of time,
individual meal preparation doesn't begin until a waiter places an
order. It is then that fish and most meat dishes are cooked à la
minute with the freshest ingredients possible. Oceania Cruises spends
at least 25% more on food than other ingredients and their efforts
really pay off—for my taste, all meals thus far have exceeded my
expectations.
St. Barts
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|
St.
Bart's Gustavia Harbor |
What would a Caribbean cruise be
without snorkeling? With its excellent coral reef, St. Barts seemed
the ideal spot to snorkel and the Odyssée Caraïbes Snorkel Adventure
tour fit the bill. After meeting in the Regatta Lounge where beach
towels were available, we tendered ashore and boarded the catamaran
dive boat right at the pier in Gustavia Harbor. Our comfortable vessel
motored to a sheltered anchorage where the crew gave an equipment and
safety orientation. All participants were outfitted with masks, fins
and "noodles"—colorful flotation devices that enabled us
to float as well as swim unimpeded. Once in the water it took some effort
to spot the colorful fish among the rocks and coral (they wouldn't pose
for my camera, unfortunately), but some of us identified as many as
a dozen different varieties.
After an hour we climbed aboard our vessel
and dove into the French sausage and cheeses, as well as a refreshing
rum punch offered by the crew. Another great tour, made all the more
satisfying by the warm, friendly, and safety-conscious captain and
crew!
Back in Gustavia, we spent the
remainder of the day lazing in outdoor cafés and window shopping in
the very pricey boutiques. Exclusive and oh-so-French, St.
Bart's is a bit of the Côte d’Azur in the Caribbean, yet we were
pleased not to encounter the snobbishness often present in other
French islands.
Virgin Gorda
(British
Virgin Islands)
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|
The
Baths |
A day at The Baths was on the minds
of many Regatta passengers as we anchored off Virgin Gorda. In fact, the
main reason to visit Virgin Gorda is The Baths, where immense boulders
form grottoes in the sea.
An inexpensive, open-air shuttle
operates continuously from the dock area in Spanish Town. It is a
simple matter to hop on board or hire a taxi for the short ride to The
Baths where a day of sun and tranquility at the beach are life's
greatest rewards. The
pools around The Baths are excellent for swimming and snorkeling and
snorkel equipment is available for rental. While getting down (and
later, up) the hill from the parking lot and restaurant-pool area can
be challenging, it is worth every step!
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