Today we sailed on a slightly NNW course towards the Windward Passage the gap between Cuba and Haiti on Hispaniola. This means that during this course we sailed south along the East side of Hispaniola and then north on the West side. A sort of circumnavigation of the island with a very wide turn. The…   read more of “28 March 2015;…”

Guests do not always understand why we sail early from one port while the next one is just around the corner; and why we stay longer in another port while the next port is also nearby. Well it has to do with the design of a cruise. The company tries to create a multi experience…   read more of “27 March 2015;…”

Today we were the only cruise ship in port and thus we docked at the mega pier on the outside of the harbor of Willemstad.  As previously explained Willemstad really consists out of two halves. Otrabanda to the West and Punta to the East of the fairway leading into the harbor in the middle. That…   read more of “26 March 2015;…”

In the early morning we rounded Bonaire from the West and then sailed south under the island heading for the town of Kralendijk. Looking towards the south, towards Venezuela it looked as if we were in for a rainy day. Dark clouds were laying overland and some extended to the ship.  But then the sun…   read more of “25 March 2015;…”

Today we had our sea day, crossing the Caribbean Sea on an almost southerly course (175o to be precise). From the Mona Passage, outside Samana, to the Westside of Bonaire. Our next stop Kralendijk on Bonaire is located at the south side and thus the Noordam will curve around the island and come north again…   read more of “24 March 2015; At…”

The route last night was a bit of a Zig Zag.  To leave Grand Turk safely, the ship first had to sail to the South west until approx. 18.00 hrs. to avoid yet more Bahama Sandbanks. Then it turned to the South East to head into the General direction of Samana and after following the…   read more of “23 March 2015;…”

Today we were in port with the Carnival Sunshine. This used to be the Carnival Destiny but after a major make over and upgrade it was decided to rename her the Carnival Sunshine. The reason for seeing a Carnival ship here is the fact that the Pier was built with the assistance of Carnival. Before…   read more of “22 March 2015;…”

Poor people today at least that is what I think. It was supposed to be in the high seventies. But when we arrived it was flat calm at the anchorage. The Eurodam and Noordam were floating on a mirror like sea which only moved gently on a very low residual swell from the winds of…   read more of “21 March 2015; Half…”