Dipping a Toe in the Water - 2021

Princess Cruises
Copyright Andy Richards 2013 - All Rights Reserved

WHEN THINGS shut down in late 2020, we had no idea what was in store for us. Or the rest of the world. We had had flu, ebola, West Nile, and numerous other "outbreaks," and I think many of us thought this was just another one of those. Very bad, but addressable. By now, everyone knows that was not the case.

It was not until October, 2021 that we were able to find a cruise that fit our thinking

AT THAT time, we had a couple future cruises booked - mostly in Europe. The were eventually cancelled, as were a series of "replacement" cruises we booked. It was not until October, 2021 that we were able to find a cruise that fit our thinking. For that cruise, we went back to Princess and the sister ship of the Royal Princess (our first ever cruise in Europe); The Regal Princess.

IN MANY ways, it was a bit of a letdown. The itinerary was not an ideal one for us (and it got worse as 2 of the 3 main ports decided it was still too soon to allow cruise ships - necessitating "pivots" in both cases). Having been thoroughly indoctrinated to Celebrity by now, we found the food to be mediocre and the dining experience likewise. And, with Covid-19 Protocols still in place, the overall experience was not what we were accustomed to.

AS NOTED in the previous post, getting to Europe (and back home) and getting on the ship were complications we had never previously had (and thankfully no longer have today). Our trip to London (which was a wonderful, weeklong, pre-cruise adventure) involved testing in the U.S., and testing immediately upon landing at LHR airport. Then we were tested again by Princess before boarding the ship, and once more at the end of the cruise, before shuttling to the airport. These were all so-called "rapid" test which gave results within a very short period. Princess handled their part of the testing admirably. They were very organized, and we were quickly moved through the testing area and then sat in a waiting area until cleared to board. It took us less than an hour and the subsequent boarding was quick and well-organized.

Princess' Medallion "Key Card"

BUT WE were cruising again! And we were optimistic that things would improve along with the rest of the world. It was going to take some time. And there were a couple things we actually really liked on the Princess ship. One of them was Princess (now on all their ships, I believe) the rollout of their "Medallion" program. The medallion replaces the traditional "seapass" card. It is very similar to an Apple airtag and transmits electronically everywhere aboard the ship. It is your room key and boarding pass. With a "smartpone" app, it also allows you to "connect" to others (it was great for my wife and me to be able to know where to find each other on board), and to order food and drink anywhere on board and have it delivered! While some have some trepidation about it, I loved it and wish other lines would adopt the technology (to the best of my knowledge, only Disney has done so). Princess offers a wristband and or waist clip (I bought the latter and found it great for my purposes).

PRINCESS IS said to be the first cruise line to offer "anytime" dining, but for numerous reasons, we had not embraced that concept fully yet and on this cruise had an assigned table. In our view, the layout of the MDR on the Regal Princess wasn't ideal. We were placed away from the center of the dining room, up on a raised area and back in a kind of corner. There were two rectangular tables in that corner, seating 4 couples altogether. We never saw one couple. The second couple at the adjoining table were only there for one night. I can only surmise that they asked to be moved (we probably should have, too). Our table mates were a perfectly nice couple from New Zealand. They were there punctually every night and we did have nice conversation with them. But it was essentially "private" dining with the 4 of us for the entire cruise. We didn't feel comfortable asking to be moved, as we thought it would be insulting to the couple. Along with mediocre food offerings, it was not our best outing. But at the same time, it was perfectly nice company. I think, though, that it was the last time we ever had assigned time and seating.

Le Verdun-sur-Mer, France (from the deck of the Regal Princess Cruise Ship)
Copyright Andy Richards 2021 - All Rights Reserved

WE WERE Originally scheduled to stop at The Isle of Guernsey, LaRochelle, France, and Bilbao and "A Coruna, Spain. Shortly before the cruise, we were informed of a change of itinerary. Guernsey was still not allowing cruise ships and that stop was dropped entirely (substitution a sea day). The fact that it is a tender port probably added to the issues involving on shore Covid-19 protocol. Either way, a disappointment.

Shops - Soulac-sur-Mer, France
Copyright Andy Richards 2021 - All Rights Reserved

FOR REASONS never explained, La Rochelle was changed to Le Verdon-sur-Mer ("the port for Bordeaux"). Current searches online suggest that at the time the changing and inconsistent Covid-19 protocols exercised by different French municipalities made La Rochelle problematic. The do not specifically say that the port would have been impossible. They also suggest that Le Verdon fit better with Princess sailing times and fuel effeciency. Not something a passenger really wants to hear about a promised port. The problem, in our view, was the La Rochelle is a sizeable community and at the time offered some things to do. Le Verdon? Not so much. While it might be touted as "the port for Bordeaux," it was a rather long train ride to Bordeax (aligning with my oft-repeated complaint that cruise lines are sometimes misleading with their port descriptions). The port itself is very industrial, with no walking and no place really to go that is nearby. Instead, Princess offered a shuttle to the nearby beach town of Soulac-sur-Mer. A pretty little town. Also a tiny little town. The beaches were impressive, but this was not beach weather and they were desolate at that time. The town was little more than about 2 blocks of typical touristy shops and the like. Nice, but quite a letdown over anticipated La Rochelle.

A 'Coruna, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2021 - All Rights Reserved

THE REMAINING  stops - for us - were just ok. La Coruna was just kind of your "everytown." To take a few days to stay and get a feel for a place like this might be rewarding. We got off the ship, got a cappuchino and sat at a cafe near the port, walked a bit, and re-boarded the ship. In Bilbao, we did pretty much the same. I also searched out a cigar shop where, ironically, the cuban cigar the proprietor talked me into buying was terrible (not properly humidored), and the 3-pack of "American" (you have to imagine the derogatory tone in which the proprietor described the "mere" American cigars) cigars were actually decent. But I digress. 😁.

A 'Coruna, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2021 - All Rights Reserved

IN FAIRNESS, we did not really do our "homework" for this cruise. Denominated as a "sampler cruise" by Princess, it was a bit last minute for us and we did not do our customary planning and excursion bookings. We just wanted to get out on a ship and get back in the swing of things. Bilbao, we know now, has a lot to do and at the very least we probably should have visited the Guggenheim Museum. We finally did do that, just recently, in 2026 on a Gate 1 Travel stop in Bilbao. It is a pretty spectacular work of art (in my opinion, it is mainly the very modern architecture - both inside and out - that "steals the show").

Bilbao, Spain
Copyright Andy Richards 2021 - All Rights Reserved

IN THE end, it was still a fun experience. The smoking area on the Regal is on the back, much like the Celebrity Solstice class ships, but not as well thought out. It was often windy, and we felt a little like we were shoved into a corner. But that didn't stop me from having a few cigars, and make some new acquaintences. By January (2022), we would be back on board our familiar Celebrity Reflection; this time back in the Caribbean.

Back On Board - Celebrity Reflection - 2022

Back Cruising on Celebrity - Western Caribbean - 2022

YOU HAVE no doubt heard the expression: "never say never." The so-called "Western Caribbean" seemed to be one of those times. To me there is a lot of "sameness" when cruising in the Caribbean. You have to see out the unique aspects for shore visits. For us, it is really all about the ship, the company, and the normally great weather. And, on the positive side, we were back cruising - and it looked like "out of the woods." No more masking (not even employees). We were once again allowed to approach bars and order our own drinks. And we were back aboard our favorite Celebrity Cruises - on my own all-time favorite ship: The Celebrity Reflection. This would be our 5th trip on her (and I hope to have yet more chances). The weather was beautiful, and my favorite spot on the ship,the smoking side of The Sunset Bar, continued to be our place to finish the days. But by the end of this one I was ready to say to the western Caribbean: "never again."

You have no doubt heard the expression: "never say never"

THE (minor) NEGATIVE was the itinerary. Again, a rather short one, designed to get us back out there, it was our first (and maybe last) so-called "Western Caribbean" cruise. We have cruised many times in the Eastern (and southeastern) Caribbean, both before and after the pandemic. There are some now very familiar places (I think we have been to St. Kitts 7 times). For us the western side was all new (actually, my wife did a short, 3-day cruise with a friend some years back) to me. Which brings me back around to the "never say never" thing.

New Cruise Port - Nassau, Bahamas (it didn't look like this when we stopped in 2022)
Copyright Andy Richards 2025 - All Rights Reserved

OUR PORTS of call were Nassau, Bahamas; Cozumel, Mexico; Belize (Belize City); and Roatan, Honduras. As happy as we were to be aboard the Reflection, the itinerary pretty much left me cold. Indeed, it prompted me to think (and I maybe said it out load once or twice) that I did care if I ever did another "Western Caribbean" cruise.

Carnival Cruise Ships - Nassau, Bahamas - 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

I HAVE been to Nassau a couple times now. I am still of the firm thinking that I don't care to go there again. Sometimes it is just on the "rotation" for some of the shorter cruises, so I acknowledge I probably will. But not if I can avoid it. Probably the largest cruise port in the world (certainly in the south - The Bahamas are not technically in "The Caribbean"), it is built for "party cruise" tourism. In 2022 it was not a commercially developed. By the fall of 2025, when we were last there, the cruise port had been completely re-built and enlarged. Still build solely for tourism and partying.

Our Celebrity Reflection moored next to Disney Fantasy - Nassau, Bahamas - 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

WE GOT off the ship and walked around the old port and then walked right back on board. I did make a few pictures, mostly of the other ships in the port. I was trying out a new M4/3 camera outfit and wanted to make some images for further evaluation. Nassau is close to our origination port in Ft. Lauderdale, making it an easy first stop before the longer sail (involving sea days) down to Cozumel on the far western shore of the Caribbean.

Nassau, Bahamas - Celebrity Reflection 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

COZUMEL IS an island just off the mainland of Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula. It is directly across from the major resort area of Play del Carma, south of Cancun. Aside from the beach and crazy tourist resorts, the area is also know for some of the best snorkeling and diving in the world. It is also know for good fishing. For cruisers? Unless you are going to do a diving or fishing expedition, or if you like to party or buy cheap souvenir trinkets, there really isn't any draw. Maybe that is unfair. Coming of the pandemic we were so much in a hurry to get on a cruise, we didn't do a lot of research. There are, we know, lots of great natural resources on the mainland, including some of the most magnificent Mayan Ruins. We probably should have booked an excursion to one of them. But, you see, they are over on the mainland. We docked on the Island of Cozumel.

Cozumel, Mexico Cruise Port (one of the things I have been trying to do is get an image of these somewhat uniform colorful signs in almost every Caribbean Port)
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

INSTEAD, WE just walked off the ship in the main port area. Within the port is a complex that looks pretty much like every other developed cruise port in the Caribbean. Commercial restaurants like Senior Frog and Margaritaville. Other touristy establishments and shops. We were used to that. What we weren't used to was the annoyingly persistant "hawking" of the folks on shore in this Mexican port. We made the mistake of walking outside the cruise port to see what was there. More restaurants and souvenir shops. And one particular bar proprietor who literally followed us a couple blocks down the street harranging us to come into his restaurant where he would make us a great deal! Our polite "no thank you's," and "we are just walking," fell on completely deaf ears. He was persistent to the point of making us uncomfortable. He was, in a word, rude. I couldn't wait to get away from this shore and back on board our ship! But I did buy a T-shirt. 😀

Once again, we found ourselves quickly back on board

OUR NEXT stop was Belize City, Belize. If you "Google" Belize and ask if it is "safe," you will get mixed results, but mostly that it is not really safe. There is apparently a lot of crime, including violence and gang related activity. We always like to at least get off the ship - so we can say we did more than anything. Right in the cruise port, things were just like other developed Caribbean ports, with the usual commercial establishments. Almost as soon as we exited the port, we immediately felt unsafe and re-entered the port. Once again, we found ourselves quickly back on board. I was carrying my camera and made just a couple "obligatory" images. But can you see a pattern developing here?

Cruise Port - Belize City, Belize - 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved 

THE FINAL port of this cruise was Honduras. When we booked, I was thinking maybe there would be a chance to visit a cigar factory somewhere as I knew Honduras to be a substantial cigar producing region. My research soon told me otherwise. Our port was actually Roatan, which is (again) an island some 40 miles to the north, from the mainland. Most of the cigar manufacturing and tobacco production is found to the western and southwestern side of the mainland, well away from the Caribbean.

Anyone who - like us - saw it only from our cruise ship deck, could be forgiven for thinking we had just docked in the proverbial "third world."

IT IS probably fair to hold me responsible for poor (or non-existent) research once again. Our cruise berth was in Coxen Hole, on the southwestern side of the island. Anyone who - like us - saw it only from our cruise ship deck, could be forgiven for thinking we had just docked in the proverbial "third world." The dock was nothing more than a dock. From what we could tell, there was really nothing on shore that resembled a cruise port as we know it. To our southwest, there were dilapidated buildings right on the shoreline with waves lapping onto and into the first floor. The buildings were build from whatever materials the owners could find. I was out on deck as we came into our dock and quickly concluded that we would not be getting off the ship today. Maybe if we had booked an excursion and someone was meeting us at the dock. But otherwise, I had visions of getting off and never returning. O.k., that is a bit of an exaggeration. But we seriously could see no reason to go ashore.

Coxen Hole Cruise Port - Roatan, Honduras - 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

THIS SITUATION was surprising to me. I would have thought there would be better accomodations when a major cruise line/ship was going to dock there. Well. I learned only later, upon coming home, that there actually was a much more "developed" cruise port, much like what we were accustomed to just a 3 miles up the south coast of the island, at Mahogany Bay. For us, the problem would be that the much more "developed" and modern Mahogany Bay is Carnival's (parent company of Princess and HAL as well as Carnival Cruise Lines) terminal, so our RCL owned ships port at Coxen Hole.

Coxen Hole - Roatan, Honduras - 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

SO FAR, this is sounding like perhaps the most negative post I have ever made here. And maybe a little bit of that "entitled American" is coming out here. That is not my intent. I am just calling it as I see it in regards to the western Caribbean ports. They weren't great. But then, with a couple notable exceptions, the Caribbean is - to us - more about the ships and the weather than about the ports. There are fun and interesting things to do, but we really focus our cruises there on the "cruise experience." Today, several years later, we are more likely to get off the ship and at least try to see some of the local culture. That was just a weird time in the world.

Celebrity Reflection (image courtesy of cruiseship gallery - copyright above)

AND THAT was great. It was refreshing to be back on familar "ground" with the Celebrity Reflection. We have generally found the food to be superior to the competition (particularly Princess and Holland America). We love the amentities and the laid back (and perhaps more mature) "vibe" of the Celebrity Ships. Not being particularly focused on the on shore portion of the cruise, we were happy as clams, just to be cruising again in "familiar waters." The weather was what you hope for at that time of the year - warm, mostly sunny, and beautiful. It was very enjoyable just to sit out on the ship, both at sea and in the ports.

Martini Bar - Celebrity Reflection 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

AS FOR "never say never," we are booked for the upcoming February (it is 2026 as I write this) for a kind of unique cruise. I think it may be the first of its kind - at least for Celebrity. We will be sailing out of Ft. Lauderdale on the Celebrity Eclipse, a Solstice Class ship, like the Reflection. We have not been on the Eclipse. It was the third of 5 in the class, while the Reflection was the last (and had a few touches that were newer than the prior 4). Since the last time we were on a Solstice ship, Celebrity has done some major refurbishing (they refer to it as "revolutionizing") of most of the Solstice ships, adding some new (and looking like welcome and exciting) new venues, while maintaining the general layout and popular venues (like the Sunset Bar and the Martinini Bar). From what I can tell the Eclipse has not yet been "revolutionized" and it is uncertain when that will happen. No matter. We like it the way it was just fine, too.

As for [the] "never say never" [thing], we are booked for the upcoming February [2027] . . . on the Celebrity Eclipse where we will do the vaunted "ABC" cruise in the western Caribbean

WHAT MAKES this cruise new and different is that over about 10 days, it splits the Eastern and Western Caribbean. Leaving out of Ft. Lauderdale, we will have the customary 2 sea days, before docking first at St. Kitts, followed by St. Lucia and then Barbados. We have friends joining us and (with the exception of St. Lucia which we will probably not even leave the ship), we have a pretty lively excursion agenda planned. We then have a another day at sea, as we head to the Western Caribbean where we will do the vaunted "ABC" cruise (Bonaire, Curacao and Aruba) where we again have a full agenda. My understanding is that the ABC islands will "change my mind" about the Western Caribbean. Looking forward to it.

Celebrity Reflection - Nassau, Bahamas - 2022
Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

THIS ONE ended well and we had the usual almost melancholy about the last day. Fortunately for us we were both then retired and already looking forward to the next adventure. In September we would cruise on the Celebrity Apex (sister to the Edge) in the Baltic; a new part of the world for us. We would meet some great new friends on that cruise who would become familiar and frequent cruising companions and lifelong friends. Stay tuned.

Reflecting Back 6 years - What the 2020 CID-19 Pandemic Did to the Cruise Ship Industry

Over time, Celebrity has become our "go to" Ocean Cruise Line
Image Copyright Andy Richards 2022 - All Rights Reserved

WE DIDN'T cruise in 2020. Nobody did. 2019 had been a busy "cruising" year, with 2 full cruises in the Mediterranean, though we seem to have taken a hiatus in Caribbean Cruises (that would change post-covid; I don't believe we have missed a year since we re-opened). And then the world shut down. The first officially confirmed case of Covid-19 is credited with an infection in Washington State in an individual who had recently traveled to the U.S. from Wuhan, China, widely believed to be the original source of the virus. However, post- pandemic studies seem to indicate that there instances of the virus on the U.S. west coast at least as early as December, 2019. I don't want to minimize the catastrophic effect of the disease on human lives and the world economy. At the same time, this is a blog about cruising and few industries were more effected by Covid-19. And I think that at first, many of us underestimated the sweep of this worldwide pandemic. For us, we had a series of several cancelled cruises before we were finally able to get back on a cruise ship in late 2121 on a limited basis.

I don't want to minimize the catastrophic effect of the disease on human lives and the world economy . . . [but] this is a blog about cruising and few industries were more effected by Covid-19

FROM THE perspective of the Cruise Industry, things officially started on the Princess Cruise Lines' Diamond Princess, in Japan, in February, 2020. The ship was ultimately quarantined for 14 days, before being evacuated. My information indicates that there were numerous confirmed infections and at least two deaths reported. Also reported was that the first confirmed Covid infection was found in a Chinese man who had flown to Yokohama to board the Diamond Princess for the cruise. This probably contributed to the widespread belief early on that the virus originated in China.

IN MARCH of 2020, the U.S. Center For Disease Control (CDC) and the Cruise LInes International Association (CLIC) stopped all cruising. We did not board a cruise ship again after our October 2019 "Italian Riviera" cruise on the Celebrity Edge, for a full 2 years. We had a series of cruises cancelled nearly as quickly as we could book them up until March 2020. In the meantime, we waited patiently for things to open back up.

IN LATE May, 2021, the CDC cleared a Celebrity Ship (Royal Caribbean Group) to sail from Southampton, England, to the U.S.  Other lines followed suit in short order. Princess resumed operations in July 2021 with a week-long voyage to Alaska from Seattle aboard Majestic Princess.

Even though by late 2021, we were accustomed to masking and seeing everyone around us masked, it was still a bit surreal to be on a cruise ship where all the employees were masked at all times.
Copyright Andy Richards 2021 - All Rights Reserved

ON VIRTUALLY every one of these early re-entries, stringent Covid-19 protocols were observed. All guests and all ship employees were required to have received a COVID-19 vaccine 14 days prior to departure. Testing was required immediately prior to boarding the ship (in addition to the requirements imposed by countries where ships began and/or terminated their voyages. We were on our first cruise since the pandemic closed things down; The Royal Princess, sailing out of Southampton. Our progression was complex. In order to board our airplane in the U.S. we had to show proof of vaccination, and proof of negative test results within 48 hours of boarding. When we landed at London Heathrow, in addition to again providing proof of vaccination, we were required to test immediately after deplaning. We go our rapid (thankfully negative) results via text message on board our express train from LHR to our hotel in London. Upon arriving a few day later at Princess' Southhampton cruise port, we were once again required to undergo rapid testing, waiting in a separate waiting area for our results. Once again getting negative test results, we were allowed to board the ship. A week later, before we got on our bus to LHR to return to the U.S. we were again required to undergo rapid testing while still on board the ship. That is quite a process.

RULES WERE also enforced regarding the face masks and social distancing. On board the Regal Princess, we were required to wear masks whenever moving about public areas, including passageways, elevators, buffets, restaurants and bars, the theatres and bathrooms. Even while walking outside the ship. Only once you sat down in a venue, or in your stateroom were you allowed to unmask. In spite of the comfort issues that could present, most people "got" that it was necessary. You were not allowed to approach the bars to order a drink. You had to be waited on. Perhaps a saving grace on Princess was their medallion system, allowing ordering on an app, and facilitating staff finding you with your order. But the thing that I hated the most, however, was that the ship crew were all required to be masked at all times. I didn't like that I couldn't see the person who was interacting with me. I couldn't see their smile (something that is pretty common among cruise ship staff). Fortunately, all this was temporary.

But it appears it was the proverbial "too soon."

CAPACITY reduced during the initial phase of the resumption.The success of the first voyages was followed by the resumption of service on additional vessels. In addition to the ships "feeling their way" with Covid Protocol, the ports were having their own issues. Our Regal Princess itinerary when we boarded the ship was to include The Isle of Guernsey, La Rochelle, France, and Bilbao, Spain. The two latter cities are substantial, with Bilbao known for its Guggenheim Museum and Medieval Old Town and La Rochelle for its beautiful old vieux Port and gothic architecture. Both are cities. But it appears it was the proverbial "too soon." Guernsey was simply not allowing ships at all yet, and that port was simply cancelled. The two cities were substituted with the desolate (yet perhaps beautiful) Soulac sur Mer (for La Rochelle) and the small, commercial/industrial A 'Coruna. Though both were nice - and places in the world we can now say we visited - there was little to do in either place. Soulac was essentially an outpost. There was a provided shuttle into the very small, beach resort. Other than a capucino, or expresso and some knick-knack shopping there was literally nothing to do but walk around. While surely unfair, we thought A 'Coruna was just kind of a plain, metropolitan area where lots of people lived and worked. We walked around briefly and returned to the ship. Not the most memorable cruise - especially from a port stop perpective.

STILL, WE were cruising again, and we had to be grateful for that. We remained optimistic that it would get better in time. And it did. But it did take a bit. Predictably there were significant financial losses. RCL was said to have been losing around $500 million monthly during the shutdown of operations. Overall, the industry is said to have lost nearly $80 billion over the nearly 2-year period. Perhaps more significant, the pandemic was responsible for the loss of around 160,000 cruise industry - related jobs.

Still, we were cruising again

THERE WERE also some not so obvious consequences. The shutdown and economic stress motivated ship companies to streamline, scrapping or selling many of their older and less efficient vessels, resulting in small fleets. At the same time, all lines have moved toward a more efficient digital approach to operations. Health and sanitation protocols have been modernized.

those of us who have experienced substantial cruises both pre and post Covid do share some concerns

THE TAKEAWAY is surprising. Today, just a few years hence, the industry has experienced the biggest boom in its history. Jobs are back at and above previous levels. Newer, often bigger, more modern ships are being ordered and built at unprecedented levels, proving, we think, our optimism well-founded. However, those of us who have experienced substantial cruises both pre and post Covid do share some concerns. Like every other thing post-Covid, costs and prices have gone up substantially. At the same time, cost-cutting measures have in numerous instances resulted in a lowered quality experience in areas and on board lines we have come to expect great quality from. As we continue to look at Covid in the rear-view mirror, we can only hope things will continue to improve and adjust in a postitive manner.

WE RETURNED to the Caribbean and to full - time, "normal" cruising in 2022. As I have noted, among other world-wide cruises, we have not (yet) missed a year in the Caribbean, making some new friends and establishing some new "traditions." Stay tuned here, as I continue the walk through the years of our cruises.