Sea Dream II Cruise

Cancun, Mexico - Grand Cayman - Jamaica - Virgin Gorda - San Juan, Puerto Rico
April, 2005
Jane, Kate & Tom, Mike, Carol and Jerry

Jane from California, Mike from Ohio, Kate & Tom from Texas and Carol & Jerry from NM assembled in Cancun, Mexico in preparation for a luxury cruise on the Sea Dream II.

Kate found this hotel for us in Cancun where we spent a day before the cruise.

This peacock entertained us on our way to the hotel breakfast.

Mike watching a kite boarder getting started.

For people, sensors in our heads enable us to keep our balance. When a pelican rotates his head 180 degrees to rest, it seems like this would mess up his ability to balance :-)

Mike and Jerry joined a beach volleyball game.

Mike entertained us in the hotel karaoke bar with Hey Jude.

We taxied a few miles south of Cancun to Puerto Moreles and boarded the Sea Dream II.

Mike very quickly adapted to luxury cruising.

Mike dozing after late night bar hopping

Carol on deck to watch our departure.

Late every afternoon was the hors de'overs table with 24 hour open bar! Click for a larger image.

The hors de'overs were immediately followed by dinner and more wine.

Once the Sea Dream was out in the open Gulf we entered the rough water and half of us felt a bit seasick. We were beginning to regret the wine indulgence :-(

We had another day of pounding through the swells. Notice that almost no one is on deck. Click for larger image.

Our first port of call was Grand Cayman. Eden Point restaurant (with red roof dive symbol) surprisingly was a fairly good snorkeling area right in the harbor.

Mike is down for a look around.

We found lots of fish but harbor activity detracted from water clarity.

Jane is having a chat with the ships captain. Due to the number of passengers that had gotten seasick, the captain had reduced speed by shutting down one engine. This greatly reduced the pitching but meant we had to skip one port of call (the Dominican Republic).

With the ship's pitching subsided, we were feeling like eating again.

The caviar and other hors de'overs were terrific!

We had a choice of dinner wines.

The covered dish dinner fanfare went on night after night :-)

In addition to the hors de'overs hour and the wonderful dinners, we also discovered a nice tea up in the ship's library.

Did I mention the nice lunches!

All the great food and drink had some effect on us.

Pulling into Port Antonio, Jamaica on a foggy early morning.

Port Antonio had a well sheltered harbor and a small marina.

We hired a taxi and drove through the town.

Carol liked seeing the tin roof homes.

A vegetable and T shirt market. Click for larger image.

A Jamaican wood carver and his masks. Click for larger image.

A box of colorful peppers. Click for a larger image.

Driving out of Port Antonio, we were surprised to see this castle.

The taxi took us to Frenchy's Cove private beach.

The heat and humidity made Carol and I enjoy being in the water.

Mike and I enjoyed body surfing in the waves.

Jamaica must get a lot of rain as evidenced by this jungle growth. The Hibiscus was well over my head. Click for larger image.

On the ride back to the ship, the taxi took us on a sightseeing loop of the town.

Back at the port after our tour and ready to depart. Click for a larger image.

We were a bit sad to leave so much of Jamaica undiscovered but there were more adventures ahead.

A wind blown glass of champagne as we cruise away.

Carol enjoying the sunset as Jamaica slides away behind us

Another day another lunch at one of our favorite tables on deck.

One of the on-board duties is to watch the sunset.

Our next to last stop was the Baths in Virgin Gorda. Click for a larger image of Mike on the boulder.

One of the boulders had a hole through it.

This grotto is one of the most photographed spots in the Baths.

Carol clowning around with a couple of seashells.

We take turns snapping pictures with the underwater camera.

We got some fish photos but probably could have gotten a lot more if we had some food for them.

Leaving the Baths behind, we drove over the high point of Virgin Gorda toward the north end.

I am wearing a stylish dry bag :-)

Tiny ship between Carol & Tom's head is the Sea Dream II. Roll the mouse over the picture for a better view.

The Bitter End Yacht Club is at extreme right of picture.

The crew is hosting a caviar and champagne party on a surfboard near the beach as our farewell. Note the captain immediately left of the flag. He was the best sport of any cruise ship captain by far!

Three unsuspecting women start out on the banana boat with Mike in the lead.