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| Cruz Bay, 2019 |
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| This time, there were new places |
But, after going on this cruise, I was actually relieved that we didn’t have a lot of new places. Our shore time was limited. We had six actual days cruising on an "eight-day cruise" because on the first day we didn’t depart until 5:00 p.m. and on the last day we were in port before breakfast.
We were in ports half of those days, but for only for six hours in Half Moon Cay, ten in St, John and nine in Sint Maarten. Once you subtract the time it takes to check out, tender out, tender back and check-in well in advance of sailing, the time shrinks even more.
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| I guess, for many, the cruise is the goal, not the places you cruise to |
Still, I was hoping to snorkel and sightsee.
Unfortunately, despite frequently checking the website to see when excursions would open up, I didn’t get the word and I was a bit late to sign up. I’ll discuss how that played out when I cover each stop.
Half Moon Cay
Half Moon Cay, which is actually Little San Salvador Island, is an “award-winning,” 2,400-acre private island in the Bahamas owned by Carnival Corporation.
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| I am not sure what awards islands win, but it is pretty |
The Carnival Corporation acquired the island when it acquired Holland America, which built out Half Moon Cay. Only 50 acres are developed, with the rest being kept “as natural as possible.”
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| Mangroves |
Half Moon Cay is one of about 700 islands that make up the archipelago of The Bahamas.
Situated roughly halfway between Eleuthera and Cat Island, Half Moon Cay serves as a destination for both Carnival and Holland America Cruise Lines.
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| Our destination; Map: Google Maps |
It is known for its two-mile-long crescent-shaped white-sand beach and brilliant turquoise water.
While no one lives on the island permanently, more than 100 Bahamians staff Half Moon Cay, commuting from nearby islands. They are currently building some onsite housing for employees.
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| Aerial view; Photo: Holland America |
Activity options include swimming, snorkeling, kayaking, biking, personal watercraft, a Stingray encounter or visiting the island's resident donkey.
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| Beach amenities |
A stop there includes a BBQ buffet lunch. There are also bars, a straw market and a children's aqua park. Private cabanas, beach villas and private "clamshell" shades are available for rent. A large portion of the island is designated as a bird sanctuary.
Scott wasn’t interested and didn’t go ashore at all. By the time I found out sign-up was open, our friends had already selected other activities. So, I was on my own.
Since Half Moon Cay is known for its sandy-bottomed bay, it didn’t seem to be a good candidate for snorkeling. Because it is a bird sanctuary, I figured a guided nature walk would be a good bet. Maybe I could see some new birds!
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| I expected sea birds, but didn't see any |
Half Moon Cay does not have a dock, although one is being built.
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| There was a lot of construction going on |
So, access is by tender. Waiting, loading and unloading eats up time. The tender over was in a closed boat, which I found steamy.
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| One of the tenders |
I went back on a more pleasant open boat.
The Cay is predominantly limestone, formed over thousands of years from shallow marine carbonate deposits. It is covered with whire sand, exposed craggy white limestone, mangroves, sea grapes and other beachy plants.
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| Local flora |
I had time to kill before my hike, so I just wandered about, visiting the Bahamian Church, a small, non-denominational chapel located near the beach that is often used for small weddings and vow renewals. It accommodates small ceremonies for up to 20 guests arranged through cruise line.
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| Bahamian Church |
Then, I walked along a row of trees down the beach. I heard a bird and spent what seemed like ages trying to find it in the dense foliage. Merlin told me it was a Bahama Mockingbird – a new bird for me.
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| I persevered until that sucker finally came out for a photo |
I briefly saw what I thought was another bird, but never got a good look. And, later I saw a few more familiar birds (I can’t recall which: I think some House Sparrows and Yellow-rumped Warblers).
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| Except for a Blue-tailed Skink, that was it for critters near the beach |
Half Moon Cay doesn’t have much shade and the white sand blindingly reflects the sun. With my heavy cameras, roaming around wasn’t that much fun, so I strolled back to the main area by the activities check-in center and waited under a shaded table for my nature hike.
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| The waiting area is called Pirate's Cove |
We started by taking an open-air bus to another part of the island and, then, we ambled about, looking at plants and ruins of a limestone building.
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| Natural limestone made into building blocks |
We walked down to the a lagoon where the Stingray encounter is offered.
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| The Rays were not performing at the moment |
Quite frankly, it was not a very exciting activity. I think I could have seen just as much by just walking about by myself.
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| Would I have found a giant ant nest? Maybe |
Even though the Cay is a bird sanctuary, I saw nothing else but some Zenaida Doves.
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| Very common on Half Moon Cay |
I think, maybe, I should have just gone to the beach.
By the way, it was a little breezy, which resulted in some of the water-related excursions (such as kayaking) being cancelled.
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| Not much happening |
Yes, it was pretty, but, as an excursion, it was “meh.”
I ate at the buffet and then returned to the ship, underwhelmed.
Cruz Bay
Our next excursion was to Cruz Bay on St. John, US Virgin islands.
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| Cruz Bay |
I wanted to snorkel on St. John because I had already seen the other sights, I knew the snorkeling was good and it could be too hot for hiking.
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| But, it is pleasant on the water |
The one snorkeling option was full when I tried to sign up. Scott and I joined the waitlist, but to no avail.
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| Snorkeling in St. John in 2019 |
So, when the day we arrived, I decided that I would go ashore and walk around, maybe finding some new birds even though I had birded pretty extensively when we were there in 2019.
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| Magnificent Frigatebird; Not new, but fun to see |
Once again, there was no deep-water harbor, so we had to tender. As soon as I disembarked, I regretted going (or maybe I just regretted taking cameras). It was hot and the dock-area of Cruz Bay is not particularly charming. I headed up to where we had stayed before, knowing that that area was a little more leafy and charming. But, it was steep and not that pleasant, so I headed back.
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| I encountered a Green Iguana on my little trek |
There were some of the ship’s blues entertainers performing at the little park near the dock, but I wasn’t really feeling it.
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| This Zenaida Dove wasn't loving the music, either |
I ended up just heading back to the ship, which was cooler and had some lovely views of the islands, bays and hills.
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| It is a beautiful place |
It occurred to me that maybe I should have lined up some kind of private air-conditioned tour. But, as I said, I had seen all of the island before and I thought the snorkeling would come through.
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| The views from the ship were good enough for me |
I would have liked snorkeling, though.
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| One of the Green Sea Turtles we saw in 2019 |
Two down and not much excitement. Well, at least our next location was going to be a new adventure.
Sint Maarten/Saint Martin
Based on photos I had seen, I decided a sight-seeing tour of both Sint Maarten and Saint Martin (I’ll explain) might give me good photo ops, especially of colorful buildings that I thought were common throughout the island.
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| Simpson Bay |
Scott, once again, wasn’t interested, so I booked him something he did find intriguing – an excursion on an America’s Cup Yacht.
Before I talk about my day, let me share a little about Sint Maarten/Saint Martin.
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| Moored boats |
Two separate countries, Sint Maarten and Saint Martin share a 37-square-mile island in the Leeward Islands of the Lesser Antilles in the northeastern Caribbean. The Dutch side (Sint Maarten) is in the south and the French side (Saint Martin) in the north.
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| Sint Maarten flag |
Known for its binational culture, 37 pristine beaches and vibrant nightlife, the island is more urban on the Dutch side and more nature-focused on the French side.
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| Lots of pretty scenery |
Sint Maarten is an autonomous country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands and Saint Martin is a French overseas collectivity. The capital of Sint Maarten is Philipsburg, where we docked, and the capital of Saint Martin is Marigot.
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| Yes, a real dock! |
The island boasts a "two nations, one island" culture, offering a blend of Dutch, French and Caribbean influences. English is widely spoken, along with French and Dutch.
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| A beautiful estate |
Top attractions include duty-free shopping, gambling and nightlife on the Dutch side and snorkeling, hiking and dining (how French!) on the French side.
Sint Maarten has a population of about 58,500 people on an area of 13 square miles (44 percent of the island). Saint Martin has maybe 45,000 people on 20 square miles. (Census figures are old and hard to find.)
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| Above-ground cemetery |
The island's pre-colonial names include Oualichi (Arawakan, meaning the island of women) and Soualiga (Kalinago, meaning the island of salt).
The island is mountainous, with 1,391-foot-tall Pic Paradis in the center of a hill chain on the French side. There are no rivers, but many dry gullies.
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| Hiking trails give access to the dry forest that covers tops and slopes |
It is often said that Christopher Columbus named the island in honor of Saint Martin of Tours when he encountered it on his second voyage. But, he really applied the name to the island now called Nevis when he anchored offshore on the feast day of Saint Martin in 1493.
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| Columbus in the bay; Illustration: YachtCharterFleet |
With all the poorly charted small islands in the Leeward Islands, the name was accidentally transferred.
After jointly claiming the island, France and the Dutch Republic agreed to divide it between themselves. They created a formal border with the signing of the Treaty of Concordia. Later conflicts resulted in 16 border changes over the years, but it has been stable since 1816. Although unification is often discussed, the freedom of movement between both parts afforded by the Treaty has caused many to view any merger as unnecessary.
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| The border |
The island's population is highly diverse, with people from more than 70 countries and many languages spoken. An English-based creole is the main local vernacular, but the official languages are French for Saint Martin, with Dutch and English for Sint Maarten.
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| A tiny island east of Puerto Rico |
The main industry is tourism, with more than a million visitors annually. About 85 percent of the workforce is engaged in the tourist industry.
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| Philipsburg Harbor |
Archaeological finds point to a human presence on Sint Maarten/Saint Martin as early as 2000 BC, most likely people who migrated from South America. The earliest identified group was the Arawak who are thought to have settled around 800 - 300 BC. Circa 1300-1400 AD, they began to be displaced with the arrival of the Kalinago people.
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| Many nice bays |
As I mentioned, Columbus visited in 1493, after which the island became the focus of the competing interests of the European powers, notably the French and Dutch. The French wanted to colonize the islands between Trinidad and Bermuda, and the Dutch found the island a convenient resupplying port for trade and colonies. Meanwhile, the Amerindian population began to decline precipitously, dying from introduced diseases to which they had no immunity.
The Dutch built a fort (Fort Amsterdam) on the island in 1631.
From 1624, when the Dutch discovered the Great Salt Pond, until the 1960s, salt production was St. Maarten's primary industry. Both slaves and, later, free individuals from the Dutch and French sides of the island undertook the labor-intensive task of salt harvesting.
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| The Salt Pickers, Philipsburg; Photos; Bernard's Tours |
In 1633, the Spanish captured Sint Maarten/Saint Martin and built what is now Old Spanish Fort to secure the territory. In 1648, the Eighty Years' War between the Dutch and Spanish ended and Spain abandoned the island.
Then the Dutch and French re-established their settlements and, after some initial conflict, signed the Treaty of Concordia.
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| Fort Louis, Saint Martin |
To work the new cotton, tobacco and sugarcane plantations, the French and Dutch began importing large numbers of African slaves, who soon came to outnumber the Europeans. When the French abolished slavery in 1848, slaves on the Dutch side threatened to flee to the French side to seek asylum. The local Dutch authorities then freed the colonies' slaves. While this decree was respected locally, it was not until 1863 when the Dutch abolished slavery in all of their island colonies that the slaves became legally free.
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| Dutch- and French-side statues on; Left: Magic of the Caribbean; Right: Wikipedia |
After the abolition of slavery, plantation culture declined and the island's economy suffered. In 1939, Sint Maarten received a major boost when it was declared a duty-free port. In 1941, the island was shelled by a German U-boat as part of the Battle of the Atlantic.
Tourism began growing from the 1950s onward, and Princess Juliana International Airport became one of the busiest in the Eastern Caribbean.
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| Near the airport |
Sint Maarten became an "island territory" of the Netherlands Antilles in 1983 and a constituent country in 2010.
In 2017, Hurricane Irma damaged over 90 percent of structures on the island. Widespread looting and violence erupted in the wake of the recovery and a state of emergency was announced. Among those providing aid was Royal Caribbean Cruise Line. A little over a year after Hurricane Irma, the island’s cruise industry had recovered.
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| Most of the island is recovered |
Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is home to 522 wild plants including as mangroves, hibiscus, yellow sage (seen on the flag), flamboyant trees, mahogany and cacti. Many of the hilltops are semi-evergreen seasonal forests which are rare in the Caribbean.
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| Greater Antillean Carpenter Bee |
The island is a premier Caribbean hub for superyachts, especially during the winter season. The Simpson Bay Lagoon alone holds hundreds of yachts at any given time, often with more than 50 superyachts. The island has ten marinas and hundreds of charter boats, ranging from luxury motor yachts to sailboats, for hire.
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| So many boats |
The Sint Maarten Heineken Regatta is held every March, featuring four days of competitive racing, parties and live music.
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| The 2026 event featured a fleet of 113 yachts from 38 nations |
I learned much of this on my bus tour, which, like most of the rest of my off-boat experiences, was disappointing.
First of all, the morning we docked, we got word that our tour was delayed about two hours, So, I had a little time to wander the port area of Philipsburg.
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| This time, we could just walk off the ship |
Since I didn’t know where I was and I knew Philipsburg was on the tour itinerary, I didn’t go far. I just wandered, took photos and located a second lifer for the trip: some Carib Grackles.
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| Female and Male Carib Grackle |
I also saw some old favorites, but not much else.
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| Red Junglefowl |
When the tour finally came together, we boarded a bus and headed out in terrible traffic. Since we were running late and not moving fast, I already knew the tour would not accomplish much.
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| A tour outside of Philipsburg and traffic in town |
I had hoped for rows of picturesque brightly colored buildings. We did see some small groups of buildings wearing bright island colors, we never encountered what my brain had imagined.
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| A little bit of color |
Instead, we saw lots of poverty as we crawled out of Philipsburg.
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| From the bus |
We passed the border to the French side, eventually stopping at an open-air market in Marigot.
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| I just love touristy shopping! Sarcasm intended |
Fortunately, there wasn’t really time to even shop. A quick bathroom break and then back on the bus for more traffic. I suspect had the tour been on time we would have had more time in Marigot. As it was, it was a drive-by.
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| I walked over to the marina and back |
Next, we crossed back into Sint Maarten (so much for spending time in Saint Martin!) and over the (very pretty) Simpson Bay Causeway, heading toward Princess Juliana International Airport, which is known for its very low final approach over Maho Beach at the end of the runway.
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| Princess Juliana runway |
We all filed off the boat and schlepped a block over to the tiny beach where we witnessed the thrill of small planes and major jets coming in about 100 feet above our heads to land across the street.
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| Coming in |
According to what I read, visitors consistently underestimate the jet blast from departures which can result in towels, toys, purses or even people being blown into the sea.
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| Waiting for the next plane |
Fortunately, we saw only landings.
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| Really close |
It was interesting, but I don’t know if it actually warranted the time spent to get there and back. You decide ...
Next, we did what cruise ship tours do: we went to a rum tasting which is just code for going to a store that wants to sell you rum. I tasted and didn’t buy a bottle. But, I did buy a small rum cake.
Then, we loaded back up and headed back to port, stopping in Philipsburg at a Dutch cheese shop (more opportunities to spend). We tasted the excellent Gouda, but what would I do with a huge slab of cheese in a too-warm climate?
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| Nope. No purchases for me |
Then, back to the ship. Was the tour worth it? Probably not, but I did get to see a lot of the island. So, maybe yes. I just wish we had had more time to appreciate it.
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| I do enjoy a new place |
I think the secret to “beautiful Caribbean islands” like Sint Maarten/Saint Martin is to go to an exclusive resort nestled on a pristine white beach. Then, you can skip the poverty and gas fumes and sticky bus seats and pretend you’re in Paradise.
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| Pretty beach by the harbor |
Cynical? Well, I warned you – I don’t like big ship cruises.
Oh, and while I was sweating in steamy traffic, Scott was having the time of his life aboard Dennis Conner's America’s Cup contender, Stars & Stripes, where they enjoyed cool sea breezes and actually raced another one of Connor's boats, the Canada II. They lost.
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| Scott on his adventure |
Maybe, sometimes I do know how to pick an excursion. This time, it was for him.
Onboard
I already talked about how we spent most of our time onboard. With all the music, there wasn’t really time for spas or hot tubs or other typical ship activities.
I did walk the decks and spent one morning photographing Brown Boobies as they fed alongside the ship.
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| Brown Boobies are large seabirds |
Brown Boobies are the most common and widespread species of the Booby and Gannet family, especially in the Caribbean. Flocks plunge-dive to take small fish, especially when these are driven near the surface by their predators (or ships).
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| They are acrobatic hunters |
I was hoping for some Flying Fish, Dolphins, Whales or new Pelagic Birds, but Brown Boobies were all we saw.
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| We hardly saw any other ships, either; this was close to Florida |
Departure
As I said earlier, we arrived in port early in the morning. On big ships, everyone is assigned a group with a specific departure time. You have to set most of your luggage out the night before and then be responsible for anything you want to hand carry – which for us is usually a lot because of cameras.
We had everything ready and were just waiting to be called to disembark. Time came and went. Nothing. We were concerned that our room speaker wasn’t working. We went out to investigate: lots of crowds; lots of confusion; no one departing.
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| They were still moving luggage; Photo: Eye of the Flyer |
We never got a good explanation, but finally groups were called. Our departure was about two hours late. Fortunately, we didn’t have a flight to catch.
We think the problem was limited gangways for off-loading the rather considerable amount of amplifiers, instruments, stage components and other musical gear. But, this was the 44th voyage. You’d think they’d have it down. Of course, with the current administration, it could have been immigration/customs issues. We’ll never know.
So, we said goodbye to the Legendary Rhythm and Blues Cruise. Did we love it? Yes!
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| Tommy Castro and the Painkillers |
Would we do it again? Maybe, but not real soon. We loved it, but we have other places to go and other things to see!
Next we’ll see what happens when winter hits the Florida Keys.
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| A chilly Double-crested Cormorant |
Trip Dates January 22 – February 8, 2026.
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