Cruise From Texas Oil Rigs to Caribbean
G A L V E S T O N, Texas, Nov. 5, 2003 -- — As the cruise ship pulls away from shore, a tropical mood takes over with a band playing island music and waiters handing out rum fruit drinks.
The setting, though, is definitely Texas Gulf Coast. Sticky heathangs in the air. Oil refineries dot the horizon. Throughout theevening the ship sails amid brightly lit offshore drilling rigs andpast big tankers.
A question lingers: Can this really turn into a Caribbeanvacation?
By Day Two an answer arrives.
Only the sea and clouds are in sight. The brownish-green tint ofthe shallower water near shore gives way to the deep blue of themiddle of the Gulf of Mexico.
Soon, the scene is Key West, the Cayman Islands and Cozumel,Mexico. You're hanging out at one of Ernest Hemingway's favoritehaunts or snorkeling beside colorful fish along a coral reef. Theship has reached its exotic destination.
A Car Trip Away
More than 267,000 cruise passengers headed to Caribbean hotspots from Galveston in 2002, a 79 percent increase from 2001. Formany, getting aboard a Texas-based ship requires only a car trip ora quick flight. That's a plus for passengers in the post-Sept. 11era who worry about international trips or who don't want to dealwith tighter airport security. It also means vacationers don't haveto waste a day of their precious time off traveling somewhere elsebefore boarding.
Cruise lines see the demand and are happy to oblige.
"Texas is one of the highest-ranked states, based on ourresearch, for people with a propensity to cruise," said Jenniferde la Cruz, spokeswoman for Carnival Cruise Lines. She attributesthat to a variety of factors, including the accessibility andappeal of Galveston, a historic island town on the Texas coast.
Over the past three years, Carnival Cruise Lines and RoyalCaribbean Cruises have begun offering trips departing fromGalveston. Norwegian Cruise Line, which started service from Texasin 1997, is resuming operations out of Houston this month followinga hiatus.
Most passengers are Texans, the companies say, but some comefrom other states.
Carnival offers four- and five-day cruises, and its PrincessCruises is starting weeklong trips in the fall. Royal Caribbeanalso offers a seven-day cruise, and Norwegian will this fall.
The ships sail into the western Caribbean, with slightlydifferent itineraries.
Sunsets, Hemingway Light Up Key West
On Royal Caribbean's Rhapsody of the Seas, a ship thatdeparts from Galveston every Sunday, most of the initial 48 hoursis spent at sea until the first stop at Key West.
This funky town at the southernmost tip of Florida is known forits spectacular sunset views from Mallory Square. Walking tourstake visitors to Hemingway's house, President Harry Truman's"Little White House" and a winter retreat of poet Robert Frost.
The Key West nightlife is anchored by bustling Duval Street withits famous bars and restaurants like Sloppy Joe's — a tavernHemingway frequented in the 1930s — and Jimmy Buffet'sMargaritaville Cafe. On nearby Greene Street is Captain Tony's,where Sloppy Joe's was first located. Business cards and underwearare the decor. Guitar-strumming musicians, some playing the tunesof Texas songwriters, lure in crowds.
A little detour off the main tourist path brings pleasantsurprises, like the Green Parrot, a lively, gritty bar favored bylocals. An ice cold mug of beer costs $1 during an early eveningspecial.
Not far away is Blue Heaven, a top-notch restaurant in an oldhouse with an outdoor cabana bar and rustic courtyard wherechickens prance around. An elegant yet unpretentious dinner indoorsfeatured yellowtail snapper so fresh it must have just arrived fromthe fishing boat. A neighborhood cat, Martha, sat on a bar stoolpeople-watching.
Swimming With Stingrays
Back at sea, the ship skirted around western Cuba for a fullday. Mountains were faintly visible miles in the distance. At Grand Cayman Island and Cozumel the next two days, thevacation reached its peak.
In Georgetown, Grand Cayman, cruise passengers can relax onSeven Mile Beach, tour a sea turtle farm or indulge in shopping forjewelry. But a Grand Cayman must-do, if you're up to it physically,is a swim with stingrays.
Locally operated boats take visitors to a sandbar off the islandwhere stingrays glide through the clear Caribbean waters. Theinitial apprehension quickly subsides as swimmers watch, touch andeven hold the satin-skinned creatures. It's guaranteed totemporarily erase real-world worries.
In Cozumel, world-renowned snorkeling and scuba diving are mainattractions, though shopping and dining are readily available. On aside boat trip, travelers can also reach the Yucatan mainland toview Mayan ruins at the seaside site of Tulum.
A delightful option for the day in Cozumel is Chankanaab, apristine national park along a shore of the island lined by coralreefs, where brilliant fish and underwater plants abound. Floatingand swimming in the clear salt water is almost effortless.
Snorkeling equipment can be rented and underwater cameraspurchased along the beach. A well-maintained bathhouse allows foran easy cleanup after the water adventure. Beachside restaurantsserve tasty nachos and chilled Carta Blanca beer.
Desserts and Even Exercise
Chankanaab Park is covered with lush, well-maintained tropicalgardens where native iguanas crawl near the sidewalks. A few smallgift shops along a secluded path sell black coral jewelry, T-shirtsand exquisite Mexican vanilla extract.
Central to cruise vacation, of course, is the ship itself.
On Rhapsody of the Seas, which transports more than 2,000people, passengers lounge beside two pools or gaze at the sea on asparsely populated part of the ship's deck.
They take in livecomedy or music shows, gamble at a casino, purchase art at anauction or play bingo for big bucks.
Then there's the food, served abundantly almost constantly andincluded in the price of the cruise ticket. Chocolate desserts getparticularly high praise.
Fortunately, for those so inclined, there are exercisefacilities.
After the Caribbean leg of the trip is complete, the full daysail back across the Gulf of Mexico might seem like a letdown atfirst.
But the gulf's shimmering waters are pleasing. A clear nightshows off a sky full of stars, streaked by the Milky Way.
Even those lighted offshore oil platforms that begin to reappearon the final night have a feeling of familiarity, as if to sayTexas is not too far away.
If You Go...
GETTING THERE: Galveston is 50 miles south of Houston onInterstate 45 and is accessible by car. Major airlines fly intoHouston's George Bush Intercontinental Airport north of the cityand Hobby Airport closer to downtown. BOOKING IT: Do it early, especially if you desire a balconystateroom. They're also more expensive than regular ocean-viewrooms or interior rooms with no window. A travel agent can helpfind good deals. CONTACT: Carnival Cruise Lines: www.carnivalcruises.com or (800)CARNIVAL. Royal Caribbean Cruises: www.royalcaribbean.com (800) 327-6700. Norwegian Cruise Line: www.ncl.com or (800) 327-7030. Princess Cruises: www.princess.com or (800) 421-0522. EXCURSIONS: Cruise ships offer onshore excursions, but some canbe costly. Arranging shore activities through the ship's excursiondesk works well for complex side trips. But if you are heading to abeach or snorkeling site, consider grabbing a cab and getting thereon your own. CHILDREN: Many cruise lines offer kids' activities and childcare. Check for availability. FOOD: If intimate fine dining is your thing, make the most ofshore stops by finding nice restaurants on land. On the ship mostmeals are served for hundreds or thousands of people en masse,whether in the dining room or buffet-style. HIDDEN COSTS: Most meals come with the price of the cruise.Alcohol and soft drinks, however, are extra. Also, it's customaryon some ships to tip the room steward, waiter and bus boy at theend of the cruise. PHONING HOME: Look for phone banks at ports for routine calls tothe United States. The prices are more affordable than calling fromthe ship's phones. Cellular phones, even if they work at a foreignport, can be costly depending on your contract. HEALTH AND HYGIENE: On board, good hygiene is emphasized inrestrooms and dining rooms in the wake of intestinal illnessespopping up on some cruises. DOCUMENTS: A passport or birth certificate along with a driver'slicense are required to board the ship. GALVESTON: There's lots to do in this historic island townbefore and after a cruise. For more information check outwww.galveston.com.