Cruise Destinations

It has been a week since I returned from my Caribbean cruise on Eurodam, plenty of time to reflect on what the ship had to offer. So what's the verdict? I had not sailed with Holland America before, but I can report that they are now my second favourite cruise line. Although Eurodam is HAL's biggest ship, it is a manageable size, on a par with Cunard's Queen Victoria, and P&O's Arcadia. As I wrote during the voyage, the ship handles its 2,100 passengers admirably, and there was never a moment when it felt over-crowded. There's a wraparound Promenade deck [...]

There are snorkeling and SCUBA-diving tours at most Caribbean ports of call, and plenty of marine life to view. In St Thomas yesterday, we went one better, and explored beneath the waves in a submarine. Reef sharks, stingrays and countless colourful fish swam bay as we travelled 90 metres down to the sea bed off Buck Island, a 20-minute boat ride from the island's capital, Charlotte Amalie. It was like visiting an aquarium, only 10 times better, because we were travelling through a living coral reef, never knowing what would appear next in the porthole viewing windows. Atlantis submarines operate [...]

Dinner last night was in the Eurodam's Tamarind restaurant, and an excellent evening it was. For a modest premium of $15 a head, we ate a delicious Asian fusion meal, served by attentive waitresses. The restaurant is at the top of the ship, on Deck 11, next door to the Silk Den bar, another haven of tranquility, overlooking the Lido pool area. Soup was described as Jewels of the Sea, a fragrant lemongrass and sesame broth containing prawn-filled won ton. That was followed by a satay sampler, of lamb, pork, beef, chicken, and prawn, and then a spicy and sweet [...]

There are more than 2,100 passengers aboard Holland America's Eurodam for this week-long Caribbean cruise. Plus another 900 or more members of crew. Yet the ship never feels the slightest bit crowded. There were sunbeds to spare yesterday as we spent a day at sea en route to Grand Turk. Mrs Greybeard and I don't have a fixed seating assignment for dinner, but so far we have had no problems getting a table when we turn up at the Rembrandt restaurant. It's been easy to find a seat in any of the 11 bars, and there's always a waiter ready [...]

In early January a fleet of cruise ships set out on their annual round-the-world voyages. Some went west and through the Panama Canal to the Pacific. Others went south and rounded the Cape of Good Hope before entering the Indian Ocean, and the rest sailed through the Mediterranean and through the Suez Canal. Within the next couple of weeks, 17 of them will arrive at the magnificent Sydney Harbour. P&O’s Oriana was the first to tie up yesterday, and Amadea, run by German line Phoenix Reisen, sailed into port today. They will be followed by Cunard’s Queen Victoria, Tahitian Princess, [...]