The first port for our Royal Caribbean cruise of the western Caribbean was Labadee, Hispaniola which is actually a part of Haiti. This specific port is leased out to Royal Caribbean, so only their cruise ships come here. Labadee is actually a peninsula with a few beaches. Getting to land from the cruise ship is by tender.
There is a small section for kids with floating fake icebergs to climb and water slides but they charge an admission fee. Flotation mattresses are also available for rent for those who just want to float in the ocean. There are also locals who help with getting beach chairs for you but they expect tips. So things here are a money grabber.
The cruise ship did have optional tours for snorkelling, parasailing, waverunner and kayaking tours but we thought that they were overpriced. Most passengers just spent the day relaxing around the beaches. The area around Labadee was pleasant enough, but the beaches and shores themselves were fairly rocky, so wearing sandals in the water would be advised.
Royal Caribbean had organized a beach BBQ at an outdoor picnic facility which was okay but nothing special. There is a market there consisting of two buildings. One is a store where the souvenirs and items have marked prices and the other building is like your typical market where locals try to hustle you for business. The locals inside the market were aggressive, but polite. If you don't mind haggling, you could get some pretty good deals but if you dislike this type of pushy atmosphere, then you had best avoid the market except for the fixed price store.
One big difference between this port compared to others is that since it is pretty well being used as a private beach, you will not be hassled by locals. The vendors coming around with drinks at the beach locations are actually Royal Caribbean staff so if one wishes to buy a drink, the cruise ship passcard is all that is required. As for concerns about being in Haiti, given the poverty and political situation, Labadee was not a problem because the entire site is enclosed by a high steel fence. Other passengers later told us that they wandered off near the perimeter of the site and saw many Haitians along the fence begging for handouts and food. The fencing was mostly concealed in the distance from the main tourist areas.
We found Labadee in general to be a bit of a waste of time for us. The beaches were too rocky and we didn't have access to inexpensive activities since everything was run by Royal Caribbean. If one wanted to just go lie on the beach all day and not much else, then Labadee would be a suitable place. For those who want to experience some culture, do water sports without going through the cruise ship, or shop duty free, Labadee would not be the place to go. We decided to stay on board the ship after the BBQ lunch for the rest of the afternoon. I like Royal Caribbean and would definitely cruise with them again but would not want to go on an itinerary that included Labadee in the future.
| ©2005 Clint Leung. All rights reserved. |
One of the most used departure ports for cruise ships in the Caribbean is San Juan in Puerto Rico. We decided to arrive a day early to San Juan in order to see some sights before our cruise ship departure.
San Juan, known as 'La Ciudad Amurallada' (the
walled city), was founded in 1521 and is the oldest city under
the US flag. During the 16th century, the Spanish used it as a
point of departure for expeditions to the New World.
Fortifications in the Old San Juan section of the city repulsed
numerous attacks from the English and the Dutch during those
years. Today, Old San Juan is a
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Niagara Falls has certainly grown over the last thirty years. When I was a kid, I remember that it was Niagara Falls itself as the only real attraction here. This natural wonder of the world consists of two main falls; the semi-circular shaped Horseshoe Falls where daredevils in buckets have thrown themselves off and the smaller American Falls to the left of it.
The Floral Clock,
Maid of the Mist boat rides that take visitors up close to the
falls were already there as well as the cable gondola over the
whirlpool just minutes up north but that was about it. The
Minolta Tower was also there but the
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The Bahamas is arguably the most popular cruise destination for U.S. travelers, and is especially popular with first-time cruisers from the U.S. Only 75 km from mainland USA, the outer islands that make up the group can be reached within a matter of hours. This makes the Bahamas an excellent choice of location for a short Bahamas cruise break of two, three or four nights away from home.
Some 700 islands make up the archipelago of the Bahamas, of which only around 50 are inhabited. Cruise lines generally focus on just two Bahamian ports - Nassau and Freeport.
Nassau is Bahamas' capital, and is located on the
island of New Providence. It is
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Bali is to everyone not only known for its indigenous culture, people, but also for its nature, i.e. magnificent mountains, alluring sea, beaches, pristine forest, waterfalls, hot springs, rice fields, flora, fauna, traditional villages, etc are the great asset that Bali has to offer. It attracts the tourists to come to Bali especially to those who are fond of travelling. They like to go to the places where they can recharge their souls, unwind, release the tension from work, and simply enjoy what life has to offer.
While enjoying the great view, you may thoroughly enjoy the adventures in Bali
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Whilst much of England and Wales has been battered by torrential rains causing wave upon wave of flooding, Scotland - not normally renowned for great weather - has completely escaped the severe downpours and has been enjoying a notably drier summer than its Southern counterparts.
Each year between July and September, Edinburgh plays host to the largest arts festival in the world, drawing crowds from all over the world to indulge in an eclectic collection of culture, music, films, books and comedy on show across various venues within the city. Commonly referred to as the Edinburgh Festival, the event is
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