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Deaf Exotic Southern Caribbean Cruise
February 11-25, 2012

Ship
Presentation at the Fine Cuisine lecture


Our cruise started in Ft. Lauderdale, FL. where we embarked Celebrity's Constellation. The first two Days At Sea were filled with onboard activities like Trivia, Spa workshops, Dance Classes, a Fine Cuisine lecture, relaxation at the pool deck and in the Solarium, a deaf game night and a beautiful show in the Theater.





Our first port of Call was Oranjestad on the island of Aruba. We visited the Fantastic Gardens during a guided bus tour. There, we learned interesting facts about the flora of Aruba. Our next stop at the California Lighthouse provided a magnificent panoramic view of the island. Continuing the tour, we visited the Natural Bridge Ruins and passed the Gold mill ruins, where gold was discovered in 1824. Our tour terminated with the drive along the famous Eagle and Palm Beaches.

Oranjestad, Aruba
Oranjestad, Aruba
Curacao Liquors
Curacao Liquors

Willemstad, the capital city of Curacao and a UNESCO World Heritage was our next stop. Since Curacao is famous for its liquors, we tested several samples in a Liquor factory which is a beautiful restored plantation house. At Dinah Veeris Herbal Garden we enjoyed a tour where we saw native trees and an enormous variety of herbs and we learned about their use. At night, we met for a Deaf Puzzle Night.


The next Day At Sea was very busy with many onboard activities. One of the highlights was the Bridge Tour with the Captain. The Captain and one of his First Officers showed us around their workplace. They explained how the navigation works at sea, the use of different instruments, how to read a radar and much more.

Bridge Tour
Bridge Tour

Ready for River Tubing Adventure
Ready for River Tubing Adventure

The island of Grenada is known as the "Spice Island". Some of us participated in a bus tour across the island, others had fun on a river tubing tour. The bus tour stopped at the Dougaldston Estate where the group received an introduction to the spices. More was to learn about spices at the nutmeg factory in Gouyave. River Antoine Rum Distillery is a place where the rum is strong: 75% alcohol. And it is still a working distillery. Lunch was served at the Belmont Estate, a plantation dating back to the 40's. The group that opted for the river tubing tour took a drive through the scenic hilly Grand Etang Rainforest Reserve and in order to get to the launch site. Then, the ride down the river started and continued spinning and swirling in the currents of the river while passing through tropical vegetation.
Our tour on the island of Barbados started in its capital Bridgetown. After a nice drive along the coast we reached Bathsheba. Bathsheba is well known for it's "Soup Bowl" an acclaimed surfing spot. Many international surfing competitions take place there. Next stop was Farley Hill National Park with its Great House ruins. It is a place of tranquility. Gardens with various plants and trees invite the visitor for a walk.
Bathsheba Beach, Barbados
Bathsheba Beach, Barbados

The Pitons, St. Lucia
The Pitons, St. Lucia

St. Lucia is the island of the Pitons, two peaks rising more than 2,500 feet. After passing the busy city of Castries, the tour started with a drive through an area with an abundance of tropical flowers and trees. The first stop was Marigot Bay. We continued with a scenic drive along a winding road on the edge of a rainforest and finally reached the town of Soufriere. Here, we had a short guided visit of the Sulphur Springs, the worlds only "drive-in volcano" where we saw and smelled bubbling lava! The next stop was designed for for garden-lovers: Maranatha Garden or Prayer Park. It is a place of exotic and colorful plants and flowers, fruit trees and birds, all arranged in a perfect setting. Before returning to the ship, we enjoyed stunning views of the Pitons and the Caribbean Sea from a balcony with atmosphere at the Beacon viewpoint and hilltop restaurant.

The capital city of Antigua is St. Johns where some of us started a bus tour. On the way to Antigua's National Park, the bus passed quaint villages. After arriving at the park, we stopped at three different locations and enjoyed great views. But the main stop was at Nelson's Dockyard, a charming 18th-century village. In an 18th-century inn we enjoyed a strong rum punch. Then, there was time left to discover the Old Bakery, the Officers' Quarters, the Admiral's House and Sail Makers Loft on our own. The other group participated in the Canopy & Challenge Tour. After a 40-minute bus ride through the Antigua Rainforest, the challenge tour started at the Old Pump House with a walk over an 'Indiana Jones' type suspension bridge. Next was a a breathtaking eleven zip lines journey through the forest. Other challenges were some aerial walkways, a tree house, and nine exciting elements of a challenge course over rope and cable bridges.
Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua
Nelson's Dockyard, Antigua
Marigot,Capital City of St. Martin
Marigot,Capital City of St. Martin

Our ship docked at the Dutch side of the island of St. Maarten/St. Martin, in Philipsburg. From there, one group drove to the French side of the island where we visited Marigot. We spent time on our own to discover this port city with sidewalk cafes and the open-air market with regional products. Then we continued to Grand Case, a quaint fishing village. We went aboard the Seaworld Explorer, a semi-submarine for a 45 minute narrated tour of the coral reefs. In order to explor the sea life, we descended into the hull of the boat. There we sat in air-conditioned comfort five feet below the surface of the water and watched the fish and coral through glass windows. The other group opted for a Mountain Top Downhill Treck. The walk started from the highest point on the island. The duration of the all-downhill trek was around 2 hours. We walked along old trails and saw the remnants of a sugar plantation which was abandoned in 1848. The guide was knowledgable about the history and the flora and fauna of the area.

In the harbor of Charlotte Amalie on the island of St. Thomas, we boarded an open air safari bus and traveled on the picturesque Skyline Drive. We stopped at Beacon Point where we had magnificent views of St. John and the British Virgin Islands. We continued our drive to the highest point on the island. At the Mountain Top, the home of the "World Famous Banana Daiquiri" we had another spectacular view, this time looking down at Magen's Bay Beach. The last stop was at St. Peter Great House and the Botanical Gardens. It is a beautiful estate with stunning views located in a beautiful tropical setting.

Mountain Top, St. Thomas
Mountain Top, St. Thomas
The production manager is conducting our private Back Stage Tour
The production manager is conducting
our private Back Stage Tour


Galley Tour
Galley Tour

The last two Days At Sea were packed with onboard activities and relaxation. The production manager guided our private stage tour. She provided interesting insights of the daily life of the cast including the singers and dancers. She explained the responsibilities of the technicians working behind and in front of the stage. After being on the stage and learning about the different equipment, we ventured into the space behind the stage. There, we found many of the costumes that we saw during the spectacular shows on previous nights. Everything is neatly stowed away despite the very limited space available. The Gally Tour allowed us to see where the chefs and their teams are creative in order to provide delicious meals every day. The kitchens are spacious and spick-and-span clean. Modern equipment guarantees smooth operation in the Galley.





Group Picture
Group Picture


What our clients said after the cruise:

HI, Kerstin...first of all, we did really have a good time on the cruise with you all. We do appreciate your plans to make sure we had the activities/shows interpreted. And set up with the crew for the tours like visiting the bridge, backstage, etc. And planned games to keep us occupied during some evenings. Holly Macfadden

We had a marvelous time on the Exotic Southern Caribbean cruise. We wish to appreciate all the works you did in making our Cruise enjoyable. You are the best agent. Bob & Linda Sheak

We really enjoyed our Caribbean cruise very much. David & Barbara Christianson

i had enjoyed the two weeks on celebrity cruise and had the fun on land tours Beth Geesey

We loved our trip and made new friends. Edelmira Raimondi

Kerstin,
I want to thank you for making this trip a wonderful experience for all of us. I enjoyed myself on this cruise. Your hard work in keeping things going was impressive. The interpreters were great and helped us enjoy the shows so much more. thank you for everything! Jane Bolduc

Donation for Deaf Schools in Jamaica


Fundraising Poster

We would like to thank the following people for their donation:
  • Clarence & Karen Russell
  • Steven Frank & Edward Knight

Contact Kerstin's Travel to book your next cruise by sending an e-mail to kerstin@kerstinstravel.com



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