Quest for 243

A global nomad's pursuit to see all 195 countries, 39 territories, & 9 de-facto nations

Bora Bora, French Polynesia

At Sea Day #6: Rough Seas & Tons of
Work as We Near the Canary Islands

This is our sixth and final day at sea as we cross the Atlantic from St. Lucia to the Canary Islands. Experienced rough seas for the first time, which made me feel lethargic later in the day. But earlier I got a ton of blogging and trip planning work accomplished.

Tomorrow we arrive at Tenerife Island. Mom and I were there last November during our MSC Fantasia trans-Atlantic cruise from Italy to Brazil, so I won’t be doing any shore excursions. Plan to find a WiFi hotspot and get busy booking hotels and other arrangements for my next several trips. I’m not expecting to be back in the USA until mid-June.


At Sea Days #4&5: Crossing the Tropic
of Cancer aboard Costa Pacifica

My cruiseship crossed the Tropic of Cancer while I slept, marking a milestone on our way from the Caribbean Sea to the Mediterranean Sea. I tried out two new dining venues and continued working away on travel planning for my next three trips as we spent our fourth and fifth days at sea.

Got up at 7 p.m. April 4 aboard Costa Pacifica. While I slept this morning, we crossed the Tropic of Cancer. This is the fourth day at sea during the trans-Atlantic voyage from St. Lucia to the Canary Islands after we departed La Romana, Dominican Republic, March 25 and visited six Caribbean islands.


At Sea Day #3: Free Dinner at Samsara
Pacific Fusion Specialty Restaurant

I ate my lunch (dinner service) at the Samsara Pacific fusion specialty restaurant this evening during our third day at sea crossing the Atlantic from the Caribbean Sea toward the Mediterranean Sea. Also got a lot of travel reading and planning done for my next three trips.

As a Costa Club pearl member, I received an invitation for a free dinner at Samsara. Normal cover charge is €15 for Costa Club members and €30 for first-time cruisers. Sat down for my lunch about 9 p.m. I discovered there is a limited menu for free Costa Club invitees, which I found to be ridiculously cheap of Costa. There’s a separate, expanded menu for paying guests.


At Sea Day #2: First Dinner in the Dining
Room & a Late-Night Tropical Buffet

Read about West Africa for my next trip, had my first dinner in the New York New York dining room, took in the tropical buffet and dance party, and failed to override an annoying restriction on my cabin’s TV during our second day at sea crossing the Atlantic Ocean after visiting six Caribbean islands.

Got up at 1:52 p.m. aboard Costa Pacifica. Oh man I slept almost 12 hours again. Plus there’s a one-hour time change forward from GMT-3 to GMT-2, so the time became 2:52 p.m. I missed the lunch buffet. Ugh.


At Sea Day #1: A Sunny Day to Get Stuff
Done & Exercise aboard Costa Pacifica

I enjoyed a gorgeous blue-sky day reading, jogging, and working during the first of six days at sea we’ll be crossing the ocean from St. Lucia to Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, Spain.

Got up at 12:36 p.m. aboard Costa Pacifica. Today is our first day at sea on our Atlantic Ocean crossing after departing La Romana, Dominican Republic, a week ago and stopping at six Caribbean islands. This is a 17-night voyage from La Romana to Barcelona, Spain.


St. Lucia: Snorkeling in the Pitons Management Area World Heritage Site During Last Caribbean Stop

I’m on my way across the Atlantic Ocean for the next six days after the sixth and final Caribbean island port of call today on my 17-night cruise, where I snorkeled in St. Lucia’s Pitons Management Area World Heritage Site on an absolutely spectacular day.

Costa Pacifica sailed away from Castries at 5:10 p.m. We visited six Caribbean islands after leaving La Romana, Dominican Republic. As the sun set at 6:16 and St. Lucia faded out of view, that was our last sighting of land for the next week as we voyage more than 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean to Tenerife Island, Canary Islands, Spain.


Guadeloupe: Lackluster Snorkeling in the
Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve

I took a boat ride off the west coast to the Jacques Cousteau Underwater Reserve, supposedly one of the island’s top sights, but I found the snorkeling unexciting. It’s my first visit to this Caribbean state of France.

We were given a brief 20 minutes to snorkel. Unfortunately the gear they gave me was really crappy. The snorkel didn’t attach to the mask, and the mask leaked water. Makes it hard to snorkel if you don’t have the right equipment. I didn’t have space in my luggage to pack my own snorkel gear for this trip unfortunately.


Martinique: Watching Rum Being Made &
Visiting the Former Capital Destroyed by Lava

I toured a rum distillery and the island’s former capital, wiped out during a devastating 1902 volcanic eruption, during my first visit to this overseas state of France.

Martinique, population 396,000, is the fourth port of call on my 17-night Caribbean and trans-Atlantic cruise. It’s my first time here. One would think I could count this as a new territory visited, but no – Martinique is a state of France (like Hawaii is of the USA).


Antigua: A 3-Hour Island Tour &
First Cruise Day with No Problems

I took a three-hour excursion to southern Antigua Island today, enjoying the beautiful sunshine on this unusually dry Caribbean island. Adding to my delight, this fourth day of my cruise is the first day in which I didn’t encounter any terrible customer-service issues aboard Costa Pacifica.

Got up at 7:55 a.m. Went up to the breakfast buffet on Deck 9, then prepared for today’s shore excursion: “Discovering the Beauty of Antigua.” This is, I believe, my third visit to the dual-island Caribbean nation of Antigua & Barbuda, population 94,000. And this is the third port of call on my 17-night Caribbean and trans-Atlantic cruise.


St. Kitts: A Delightful Tour of the Island But a
Poor Guide & Continual Appalling Service Aboard

Thanks for a fantastic afternoon and a beautiful sunset St. Kitts! I went on a four-hour sightseeing tour around the island today. Unfortunately the guide wasn’t that great, and I continue to experience abysmal customer service aboard Costa Pacifica on the third day of my cruise.

Got up at 11:27 a.m. aboard Costa Pacifica as we sailed from Catalina Island, Dominican Republic, to Basseterre, St. Kitts & Nevis. I’ve had horrible customer-service experiences thus far on my 17-night Caribbean and trans-Atlantic cruise, and now more fails: There was no cruise newsletter in my mail slot; had to retrieve one from reception. Then when I obtained one, the meeting times and places for excursions weren’t listed. (Not shown on my ticket either.)

I visited the tour desk, only to find it was closed. Bumped into a ship’s officer in the hallway, who rallied to get me the vital info. I’m in total disbelief at how awful this cruise has been thus far. A new low for sure.