A Caribbean Christmas Cruise

Click on any picture to see it full size; use the ESC key or back arrow to return to this page. 

THE ADVENTURE OF THE RUNAWAYS

Carol Dennis

After years on the organ bench, or being a song leader, or having a household full of family, these two Young at Hearts decided to take a Caribbean Cruise for Christmas.  When asked whether we should run away, our sons replied, “Go for it!”  So we did.

December 23 found Jerry and me flying to Fort Lauderdale, FL.  We avoided the college vacation crowd and headed for our floating hotel and our week in the sun.  We were greeted with palm trees and Christmas trees just like the cards our snowbird friends send each year.

Our first full day was Christmas Eve at sea as we headed to our first-ever tropical isle.  On board ship we had the lighting of the Christmas tree in the Atrium as “snow” sprinkled down on us and some of the show people sang holiday songs.  

Dinner was a formal affair with roast beef and Yorkshire pudding.  There was even a Midnight Mass for the occasion, although these two runaways were too tired for that late hour. 

  Anyway as musicians, we had done our share of late night church services over the years.  This time, we relaxed and attended mass late on Christmas afternoon just before another formal dinner of sirloin beef and plum pudding.  

It was an odd juxtaposition since we had spent the day under palm trees and swimming in the Caribbean on Grand Turk Island.

Grand Turk and Caicos Islands are in a Caribbean archipelago and are territories of Great Britain.  Grand Turk is also famous as the island near where John Glenn’s Friendship 7 Mercury spacecraft splashed down in 1962.  The name for the island comes from the local Turk’s Cap Cactus that is reminiscent of the shape of the Ottoman fez.

Wednesday found us in San Juan, Puerto Rice, visiting the Old City.  Being from New York City, we have known Puerto Ricans all our lives so it was interesting to learn more of the history of this United States territory.  There we were visiting Fort Cristóbal run by the United States National Park Service, walking in Spanish plazas, seeing homes in what were to us the French style of New Orleans, and hearing English and Spanish just as we do here in the D. C. area.  We even visited the local CVS and mailed postcards at the United States Post Office.

On Thursday, we had a fascinating international experience when we visited Saint-Martin/Sint Maarten Island in the North East Caribbean. The island is divided in two with 60 percent belonging to France and 40 percent belonging to the Kingdom of the Netherlands.  Our bus tour took us around the island, and the only sign that you were leaving one territory and entering the other territory is a monument with the Dutch flag on one side and the French flag on the opposite side.  We learned so much of the history of the islands of the Caribbean and of the wars fought for European possession of these lands.  What a heartbreaking history the people of the Caribbean have.  The lands are more peaceful now, but the people still suffer periodically from devastating hurricanes.

On Friday, we were again at sea.  It was lovely to walk the deck for exercise, rest and read on the deck chairs with pleasant temperate breezes, and of course, do a little shopping and enjoy an afternoon Dutch high tea.

Our last cruise day was spent on Half Moon Cay, one of the 700 islands of the Bahamas archipelago.  It is owned by the cruise line and is pristine, safe and full of activities for children both young and old.  Or if you prefer, you may lounge in your shady clam shell, swim the turquoise water and eat in the shaded pavilions with meals provided as part of your cruise.  

There is even a charming little chapel with an altar and a few pews with open doors front and back to catch the tropical breezes.  Alas, there was no organ (with pipes or without) to add a harmonious note.  

Oh yes, I mustn’t forget - you can also shop.  That evening found us once more at mass for the vigil of the Feast of the Holy Family followed by an international gourmet dinner with an offering of several delicious entrees. Later, reality set in as we packed for our early morning disembarkation.

We enjoyed running away for our once-in-a-lifetime Christmas adventure on tropical islands.  Now it was time to return for the start of the New Year complete with winter’s cold, snow and ice.  Of course, we were ready to come home – weren’t we?