Caribbean Cruise 2018 Day 7
It’s hard to believe that a week has past already, and yet there is a pleasant familiarity on board the ship.
Everywhere we go, whether along the narrow corridor where our cabins are located, in the lifts or one of the many restaurants – passengers exchange warm greetings; a good morning, good afternoon or good evening, as well as sharing stories about what they have done so far and plan to do. I don’t think I’ve been on a holiday where everyone was so friendly, which is certainly one of the best aspects of this cruise.
Another important ingredient that’s a huge contributory factor to the success of this trip, is the five-star service delivered by the 1500 or so staff on board the Britannia. Those serving the restaurants and bars, like Ashwan (pictured left) must be especially commended. They work long hours, serving hundreds of tables and thousands of passengers and do so with grace, professionalism and a warmth that one simply does not experience in the UK.
On day seven of our cruise, we woke up in the beautiful island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, a former British colony that gained independence in 1979. It is a stunning volcanic island situated between Saint Lucia and Grenada .
Saint Vincent has a great vibe, a vibrant town centre and seemingly more opportunities to interact with local people throughout our tour, which lasted around four hours in total.
We took a tour that began in the capital of Kingstown and included Fort Duvernette (pictured below), the Pirates of the Caribbean film set in Wallilabou, the Botanical Gardens and the Buccament Bay Beach resort – a former five-star resort once owned by David Ames.
The resort, which was acquired by the Saint Vincent government is now under new ownership and is expected to re-open soon. In the meantime, the beach is largely occupied by locals and was the perfect spot for a dip in the sea and to enjoy rum, reggae and relaxation.
The 20-acre Botanical Gardens was the highlight of the trip, being the oldest gardens in the western hemisphere, having been established in 1765. It is well maintained and home to some impressive specimens of bamboo, Eucalyptus, palms, flowers and other tropical plants.
After returning to the ship we watched Entertainment manager Giovanni and his team lead the sail away celebrations as the Britannia set sail for our next stop on the cruise, Saint Lucia.
