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. |
Nature teaches me, and that's what I write about. My first great lesson from nature was in the summer of '88 while on a weekend motorcycle trip with my new husband, Leonard. We visited Brownville and Auburn Nebraska, known for Indian Caves, local theatre and antique shops.
We stayed in a small locally owned motel adjacent to Rotary Park,
which was a gift from the local Rotary Club. It has a small
wandering lake surrounded by grass, trees, park benches and
ducks. We walked out to the park with journals in hand to have
quiet time to write and relax. I took a park bench near the
water's edge. Although
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Costa Rica is a small country - just 75 mi/120 km separates the Pacific Ocean from the Caribbean Sea at the narrowest spot - Costa Rica still has some of the most diverse scenery in the world. Its coasts have both sandy beaches and marshy swamps, while its interior is dotted with volcanoes, dense with rain forests and abundant with unusual flora.
When you are planning your Costa Rica vacation, make sure to visit destinations like Monteverde Cloud Forest, Corcovado National Park, Tortuguero National Park or Manuel Antonio National Park. In addition, you will enjoy in your Costa Rica vacation, a
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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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Toronto, my city of birth, is the largest city in Canada with a
population of about 3 million (5 million in the greater area) and
it keeps growing every year as it seems to be the first city of
choice for immigrants from around the world. With over 100
languages spoken here, Toronto is the most multicultural city in
the world according to the United Nations. This is actually a
good thing since Toronto can be a model for the rest of the world
in regards to showing how it is possible for different people of
many different cultures and faiths to get along peacefully.
Friends of different racial
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High spirits and vitality govern in abundance when in Barcelona. This infectious capital of Catalonia, and second largest city in Spain, exudes soul and energy, living life to the full. Barcelona's verve is matched by its magnificent architecture, characterised by one man's signature, Antonio Gaudi.
Running from seafront through to Placa de Catalunya, Las Ramblas is a fusion of market stalls and street entertainment. Watch out for the mime artists, though keep a hand on your wallet.
In progress since 1882, La Sagrada Familia is perhaps Antonio Gaudi's most magnificent achievement. As yet
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