WALLEYE MIKE
04-06-2009, 09:58 PM
Took off from Metro airport at 6:30am Saturday March 21 headed for Memphis then on to San Juan, Puerto Rico. Arrived at 2:30pm. Man was it HOT there!!! The heat hit you like a brick wall. A short trip to the hotel followed. This is the Intercontinental hotel. (we got upgraded services the whole trip starting with this hotel) Had just regular rooms with 2 queen beds (doubled up- 2 couples per room) They didn't have our room ready so they upgraded us to, get this, 11th floor ocean view. For $200 per nite rooms we got $1550 per nite rooms.
Also got upgraded on our cars. From regular cars to SUV's. Good thing because of all the luggage we had.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/hotel.jpg
That evening we had a hire tour guide (walking) to take us around old San Juan.
Sunday about 3pm we headed for the ship. because we got upgraded to suites we were considered "preferred" so no waiting with the commoners in line. Our line was right up to the counter to check in. Our luggage also made it to our rooms before we did. Upon arriving to our rooms we were met by our steward with glasses of champagne. The suites we had had its own corridor. Only 7 suites in that corridor and we had 4 of them. Right in the middle of the ship. All the shops and such were right there at the beginning of the corridor with the casino just above us on the next floor. We had easy walking distance to everything and yet had complete privacy. Want to see the room?
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/room1.jpg
The bathroom came equipped with his and her sinks with granite counter tops and a jacuzzi tub and glass enclosed shower. Floor and wall was tiled in marble.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/bathroom1.jpg
Rooms came with these amenities (all free): laundry service, replenished fruit bowl, replenished horsdervers (sp),first round of the mini bar was free, floral bouquet, carnations (corsage) for formal nite, and our own private breakfast dinning room. Not bad of an upgrade yea!!!!!
Oh yea, did I mention we were the very FIRST occupants of these rooms. Newly remodeled part of the ship.
Day 1 we were at sea all day. Explored the ship.
Day 2 we arrived in Aruba. Four of us walked down the street to our charter boat. The other 4 went inland to site see.
We only had 3 hits on the charter. First was my BIL and a tuna. Notice something took a bite out of the tail.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/nicksfish.jpg
The next hit a few minutes later was for my other BIL. His was a wahoo at some point. Some bigger fish wanted breakfast.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/joesfish.jpg
My fish came next. 50-52" wahoo.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/mikes_fish.jpg
Walked around town a bit afterwards then back to the ship for sea at 4pm.
Day 3 was Bonaire for snorkeling. Was there for about 5 hours. Saw lots of colorful fish while snorkeling. Took many pictures and video with the underwater camera I got off e-bay. Well worth the $65 I paid. Then back onboard.
Day 4 we arrived in Grenada. We grabbed a local with a van and toured the countryside. Stopping at numerous places of interest. Spice and chocolate plantations along with a few waterfalls. And of course the rainforest.
When we arrive back at the ship I had a note on the bed from the ship. Me and my wife were invited to the bridge for a private tour and to met the captain. What a thrill to be up there and see what its like to run a ship that size. The captain was a real nice fellow. He is Italian and with his accent he asked me (jokingly)what I was doing with those wrist bands on my wrists. I told him the evening before he kept rocking the ship so much I had to put them on. he was making me woozy.
Day 5 we arrived in Dominica. Had another hired driver. Went to another rainforest where we found hotsprings. A couple went into the springs pool which was about 100* at that point. It came from a much higher lake and down the mtn. in the form of a tall waterfall. Visited a couple of falls and swam in the pools below them. Heres one:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/emeraldpool.jpg
All of us got in this one for awhile:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/waterfallpool.jpg
Then some more sight seeing on the way back to the ship. Probably took about 300+ pictures of nature and scenery
Day 6 went to St.Thomas and rented 2 cars and hopped the ferry for St. Johns for more snorkeling. Stayed there for most of our time on the beach. Then back to St. Thomas and the ship for the trip back to Puerto Rico and the flight home.
Heres the ship:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/boat35.jpg
Also got upgraded on our cars. From regular cars to SUV's. Good thing because of all the luggage we had.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/hotel.jpg
That evening we had a hire tour guide (walking) to take us around old San Juan.
Sunday about 3pm we headed for the ship. because we got upgraded to suites we were considered "preferred" so no waiting with the commoners in line. Our line was right up to the counter to check in. Our luggage also made it to our rooms before we did. Upon arriving to our rooms we were met by our steward with glasses of champagne. The suites we had had its own corridor. Only 7 suites in that corridor and we had 4 of them. Right in the middle of the ship. All the shops and such were right there at the beginning of the corridor with the casino just above us on the next floor. We had easy walking distance to everything and yet had complete privacy. Want to see the room?
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/room1.jpg
The bathroom came equipped with his and her sinks with granite counter tops and a jacuzzi tub and glass enclosed shower. Floor and wall was tiled in marble.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/bathroom1.jpg
Rooms came with these amenities (all free): laundry service, replenished fruit bowl, replenished horsdervers (sp),first round of the mini bar was free, floral bouquet, carnations (corsage) for formal nite, and our own private breakfast dinning room. Not bad of an upgrade yea!!!!!
Oh yea, did I mention we were the very FIRST occupants of these rooms. Newly remodeled part of the ship.
Day 1 we were at sea all day. Explored the ship.
Day 2 we arrived in Aruba. Four of us walked down the street to our charter boat. The other 4 went inland to site see.
We only had 3 hits on the charter. First was my BIL and a tuna. Notice something took a bite out of the tail.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/nicksfish.jpg
The next hit a few minutes later was for my other BIL. His was a wahoo at some point. Some bigger fish wanted breakfast.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/joesfish.jpg
My fish came next. 50-52" wahoo.
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/mikes_fish.jpg
Walked around town a bit afterwards then back to the ship for sea at 4pm.
Day 3 was Bonaire for snorkeling. Was there for about 5 hours. Saw lots of colorful fish while snorkeling. Took many pictures and video with the underwater camera I got off e-bay. Well worth the $65 I paid. Then back onboard.
Day 4 we arrived in Grenada. We grabbed a local with a van and toured the countryside. Stopping at numerous places of interest. Spice and chocolate plantations along with a few waterfalls. And of course the rainforest.
When we arrive back at the ship I had a note on the bed from the ship. Me and my wife were invited to the bridge for a private tour and to met the captain. What a thrill to be up there and see what its like to run a ship that size. The captain was a real nice fellow. He is Italian and with his accent he asked me (jokingly)what I was doing with those wrist bands on my wrists. I told him the evening before he kept rocking the ship so much I had to put them on. he was making me woozy.
Day 5 we arrived in Dominica. Had another hired driver. Went to another rainforest where we found hotsprings. A couple went into the springs pool which was about 100* at that point. It came from a much higher lake and down the mtn. in the form of a tall waterfall. Visited a couple of falls and swam in the pools below them. Heres one:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/emeraldpool.jpg
All of us got in this one for awhile:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/waterfallpool.jpg
Then some more sight seeing on the way back to the ship. Probably took about 300+ pictures of nature and scenery
Day 6 went to St.Thomas and rented 2 cars and hopped the ferry for St. Johns for more snorkeling. Stayed there for most of our time on the beach. Then back to St. Thomas and the ship for the trip back to Puerto Rico and the flight home.
Heres the ship:
http://www.michigan-sportsman.com/photopost/data/500/boat35.jpg