ABOARD THE SILVER SPIRIT – Yesterday we hit land after six days at sea. We visited the island of Antigua. It ended up being a bit of a crazy day for us.
Chet and I decided to choose the golfing shore excursion and headed off early with three other intrepid souls to the Cedar Valley Golf Course. The weather seemed perfect. However, we managed to play about seven holes before it began to rain – lightly, we thought, just a quick shower. So we ducked our cart under trees and continued to play.
But about ten minutes later the light rain turned into a downpour. We had no raingear. No umbrellas. No windshields. We were on No. 9 by then, so we headed for the clubhouse but were drenched by the time we got there. Our friends, who were two groups back, did not make it in until 20 minutes later and were thoroughly wet through. We waited for about 45 minutes but the rain was consistent so, as the course was so wet anyway, we decided to quit and headed back to the ship.
After lunch, Chet and I walked around a bit in town but the weather was hot and humid and we did not find much of interest. It seems St. John’s is feeling the recession, too. However, some 60 people joined the ship in Antigua so it is definitely busier in the bars and restaurants on board.
A bit about the entertainment on ship:Our cruise director, Kirk Detweiler, is the leader of the team. There are six singers and dancers, all very versatile, and they provide the core entertainment. Most are Americans. They seem to be a notch above the usual on-board troupes and many of them have already performed solo shows during this trip. Singer Francesca Camus, of Las Vegas, is a stellar performer, with an operatic voice. But she can be sultry, too. Her rendition of “Peel Me a Grape” was a stunner.
Between the Canary Islands and Antigua, there was one highlighted performer, classic pianist Hyperion Knight. Not only were his performances excellent, but he was also a friendly on-board personality. He joined a trivia team, attended all of the lectures and mixed and mingled with all passengers. We hated to see him leave yesterday.
There are also two gentleman hosts, Bryan and Richard, who also mix with the guests, particularly solo travelers. They host a singles get-together each evening and put together tables for dinner and such. They fill out trivia teams. They also partner the many ladies on board for dancing.
Today we are in St. Bart’s and we are participating in an island tour around noon. It has already rained this morning so we hope the rest of the day will be clear.
Photos by Chet Janssens
November 25, 2012
Heidi, Editor-In-Chief
