Curacao – Cruise Destination Photo Guide

One of Curacao's scenic beaches

 

This week, we again go beyond ships and present a profile of another place where ships go – – the island of Curacao.  Located off the coast of Venezuela near Aruba and Bonaire, Curacao is a popular stop on Southern Caribbean cruises and often on Panama Canal cruises.

 

Any cruise to Curacao starts with the capital city Willemstad.  The cruise ships dock near the center of the city and all of the sights are within walking distance of where the ships dock. Willemstad is a unique Caribbean city.  At first glance, the architecture looks Dutch but there is clearly a Spanish influence.  The pastel colors of the buildings are Caribbean.  In short, the architecture is a blend of styles that reflects the island’s mix of cultures.  With its history and shopping opportunities, Willemstad is an interesting place to explore.

 

Outside of Willemstad is a different world.  The countryside is wild and often undeveloped.  Large sections are preserved as national parks so there are opportunities to hike and take all terrain vehicles through this arid landscape.

 

The coastline is also two worlds.  The beaches tend to be small, often tranquil coves that are quite scenic.  Since the water is very clear, there are numerous dive sites as well.  But then there are also places where the sea hurls itself again the land with great force.  At Boka Tabla, for example, the sea has carved a deep grotto out of the rock cliffs.

 

Beyondships’ cruise destination photo guide to Curacao begins at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-Curacao.html    There is also a slideshow of scenes from Curacao at http://www.beyondships2.com/curacao-slideshow.html

Cruise Destination Photo Guides To Boston and Halifax

As Fall starts to approach, people start thinking about cruising toNew EnglandandCanada.  These “Fall Foliage” cruises are famous for combining crisp air with spectacular colorful displays.  However, the region is a nice place to visit just for its history and lifestyle.  Of course, the best way to get there is by cruise ship.

Quite a few ships do New England/Canada cruises in the Fall.  In addition to the ships that ply these waters during the spring and summer, quite a few ships come to the region to do a season of cruising.  Many of these ships come over fromEuropeas the European cruising season winds down.  Eventually, they go to theCaribbeanfor the winter but the Fall is the peak hurricane season down there so its better to spend some time inNortheastern Americabefore heading south.  Moreover, these are popular cruises.

The unofficial capital ofNew Englandis its largest city,Boston,Massachusetts.  It is both a port of call on New England/Canada cruises and an embarkation port.  Several ships use it as their base for such cruises while others cruise fromBostontoBermudaand  points south.

   Bostonis one of the oldest cities in theUnited Statesand so has an extensive history.  Indeed, if one is interested in the birth of theUnited States,Bostonhas preserved many of the sites that played an important part in the early days of the American War forIndependence.

With a long cultural and intellectual tradition, it is not surprising thatBostonhas a bevy of museums covering a spectrum of topics from fine art to politics to science.  There are also some 50 colleges and universities in the area, which gives the town a youthful feel.

WhileBostonis a large city, it is a friendly town.  Moreover, many of the things of interest to visitors are centrally located.  In fact, quite a few of the historic sites are along the two and a half mile long Freedom Trail.

Beyondships new cruise destination photo guide to Bostonis posted at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-Boston.html

A second popular stop on Canada/New England cruises isHalifax, the capital ofNova Scotia.  Even more so thanBoston, the majority of the places of interest are concentrated not far from the cruise port.  Furthermore, the short walk along the Harbor Boardwalk to downtownHalifaxis a pleasant stroll takes you past sailing ships, shops, museums, and restaurants.

Beyondships has had a section about Halifaxsince last year.  However, I have added an additional page to that section to incorporate photos that I took last month on yet another cruise to Halifax.  The cruise destination photo guide to Halifaxis at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-Halifax

Cruising to Grand Cayman / Celebrity Constellation Specialty Resturant Review

Cruise ships at anchor off Grand Cayman

This week, we look at one of the ports of call that cruise ships visit, Grand Cayman in the Cayman Islands.  The focus of Beyondships is ships but the ports are part of the cruise experience.  Indeed, I am told that some people even come on the ships to travel to the ports.  Accordingly, I have attempted to put together some information about the ports and some links along with photos of some of the things that one can do while visiting the port.   Consistent with the focus of this website, these profiles are written from a cruise traveler’s perspective.

Grand Cayman is a thriving cruise port.  Ships like to stop there because it is in a good geographic location in that it is centrally located in the Western Caribbean.  Guests like it primarily for its beaches, opportunities for snorkeling and diving as well as for the shopping.  Also, because Grand Cayman is a world financial center, the island is more prosperous and has lower crime rate than many Caribbean ports.

One fact that underscores the attractiveness of Grand Cayman is that there is no place for a modern cruise ship to dock.  Consequently, even relatively small cruise ships have to anchor in the harbor and tender guests ashore in their lifeboats or on a commercial tender.  Nonetheless, it is not surprising to see four or five ships calling at the port on the same day, which is delightful if one likes looking at ships.

The scenic beauty of the island lies primarily in and by the water.  It is a coral-based island with little fresh water and so the interior of the island is flat and dry.  Places by the shore such as its internationally famous Seven Mile Beach are delightful.  In addition, the coral reefs around the island make for a fascinating undersea world.

Beyondships’ profile and photo tour of Grand Cayman is at http://www.beyondships.com/Ports-GrandCayman.html

Also, I have added a review of the Ocean Liners Specialty Restaurant to the Celebrity Constellation section of Beyondships.  The restaurant is a gracious fine dining venue and I have concentrated on the value-added by its professional serving staff.  The review appears at  http://www.beyondships.com/Celebrity-Constellation-review-OceanLiners.html