Dave's digital postcards from Paradise Islands on Marella Explorer

by **grannyM** » 25 Dec 2018 12:30

Great photos Dave. Nice to see the blue sky while looking out on a very grey cloudy day here. :wave:

Hope you both have a lovely Christmas Day on board Explorer. It does look like a lovely ship. :thumbup:

by **Dave** » 25 Dec 2018 15:08

Thanks for the replies Marie and Geoff, and a Merry Christmas to you too (and to anyone else who might be reading!). :-)

Today is a sea day of course and it's an idyllic one at that. We're just passing Dominica - close enough to see a cruise ship is there.

We really like Explorer, but on balance we prefer the two Discoverys - mainly for their better show-lounges and faster and friendlier coffee service. There's not much in it though; Explorer is a great ship!

I may have been a bit premature saying this will be our last cruise. It's becoming likely we'll be back next winter! :-)

BTW... My answer to those who ask: "What's the point of having a balcony?". ;-)

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by **Dave** » 25 Dec 2018 20:37

We've just had a very nice surprise... we passed close by Celebration and there was a lot of waving and blowing of horns. :-)

Celebration is another of our favourite ships! :-)

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by **rdw123** » 26 Dec 2018 08:25

Thanks for posting your lovely photos Dave. Good to see that blue sky and sun still exist, all we have at the moment is grey and foggy.i can really see your point about the balcony! Have a good one and happy and healthy new year to you both.

by **bobbyoscar** » 26 Dec 2018 08:49

Lovely photos, Dave. Another one who totally agrees with you about a balcony. We so missed it on our last cruise.

by **Dave** » 26 Dec 2018 14:31

We're at anchor in Philipsburg, St Maarten. I've counted seven other cruise ships in port and, presumably because we're the smallest, we're the one having to tender to shore. :-(

There are various Mammoths of the Sea, Britannia, Silhouette, and MSC Seaside(?) - equivalent to a town the size of Whitstable!

Our excursion is at 12.30 so we haven't time to go ashore this morning. However, Explorer will dock at 2pm and our departure time has changed to 11pm, so we'll have plenty of time later.

This is our fourth visit to St Maarten. On the last two occasions we went to Orient Beach, which we didn't like much. Our trip this afternoon is to a small island called Pinel Island on the French side... :-)

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by **Camela** » 26 Dec 2018 17:53

Nice to hear your cruise news from a lovely part of the world. I love pics of cruise ships in port, drives Mr P mad when I'm taking them!

by **Dave** » 26 Dec 2018 23:33

Camela wrote:Nice to hear your cruise news from a lovely part of the world. I love pics of cruise ships in port, drives Mr P mad when I'm taking them!

Then here are a couple of photos just for you... ;-)

Marella Explorer (right) after moving into the space vacated by MSC Seaside, and Harmony of the Seas:

Celebrity Silhouette with Celebrity Edge behind. The Edge(!) was quite something!

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by **Dave** » 26 Dec 2018 23:49

We had a brilliant time today! :-)

The time before last that we called at St Maarten we went to Orient Beach and didn't like it at all - too packed and noisy with waves too big for snorkelling. Then we inadvertently went to the same beach last time we visited! We'd started to dislike St Maarten! But everything changed today. We were taken by coach to a small ferry which took us to Pinel Island - and it was perfect!

We had the last pair of loungers on the right:

View along the beach:

There were Hermit Crabs everywhere:

View of the beach as we were leaving:

What a fantastic place! :-)

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by **Camela** » 27 Dec 2018 15:44

Great ship pictures Dave, though poor Harmony OTS in the news for wrong reasons today