I have just returned from three delightful cruises in the Caribbean, all on Princess Cruises. Good weather, good food, nice people and excellent ships. Princess has done a great job in refurbishing the Grand Princess - - she is like a new ship. Crown Princess, I was very pleased to find, still has the sumptuous cosmopolitan atmosphere that I liked so much when she entered service. But the dark horse of the group was Island Princess, a unique blend of Princess’ Sun and Grand classes that was designed to do some unique cruises. If you are looking for something beyond the standard Caribbean itineraries, take a look at Island Princess. But more about these ships in coming weeks.
This week, Beyondships focuses on going ashore. First, we have a new article about cruising on the Atlantis submarines. These subs are submarines with windows through which the passengers can look out at the undersea world. I found it to be an exciting experience as we cruised through the coral heads and in amongst the sea creatures. Atlantis has subs based in several of the most popular Caribbean ports of call and the cruise ships often offer dives on the subs as a shore excursion. The article is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---undersea-cruising-on-the-atlantis-submarine.html
The second article is about Seven Mile Beach in Grand Cayman. Seven Mile is a long (actually only about five and a half miles) crescent of white sand bordered by beautiful turquoise waters. It has received much praise and so is a popular attraction on Grand Cayman. The article relates my experience going independently to Seven Mile. It is posted at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---a-walk-to-seven-mile-beach.html As with the Atlantis submarine article, this article is illustrated with photos.
In addition, the Beyondships cruise destination photo guide to Aruba has been updated and expanded. New additions include the Butterfly Farm, the Ayo Rock Formation and the Aloe Factory as well as some new photos of the beaches. It begins at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-Aruba.html
On a more somber note, this year marks the 70th anniversary of the fire that destroyed the ocean liner Normandie. She was perhaps the most beautiful liner of all time and was capable of traveling at sustained speeds that none of today’s ships can match. Her demise was not only a loss to the shipping world but a tragic loss to the Allies in World War II as the fire took place as she was being converted to a troopship. To mark the anniversary, I have re-published a short piece that I wrote about the fire several years ago. It is at http://www.beyondships2.com/cruise-article---the-demise-of-the-normandie.html
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