Ever since I was a small boy I can remember my father taking me on a mackerel fishing trip from Weymouth harbour and then spending the next two hours being sea sick. Ever since that day, I have kept well away from the sea, that is until Mrs Delboy suggested a cruise and stay holiday in Barbados.

Reaching for the Kwells I apprehensively agreed.

Now this was one of the first ever Package tour cruises, run by Airtours and they had purchased an old ship and done it up for the occasion. The name Lusitania had been sandpapered out and a brand new name applied in paint.

The day came when we flew into Barbados from a Gatwick and quickly discovered that ‘Everything is done tomorrow in Barbados’. The coach took us to the AI hotel we would be staying in for one night, it would also be accommodating us in our second week.

At the reception, whilst others got their keys, we were told our room wasn’t ready and told to go to the bar and have a drink. Well after 2 hours, several enquiries and 4 pina coladas later, our room still wasn’t ready.



but it can get boring



A further hour passed and reception had another queue, the Manchester flight had arrived and they were being given their keys to their rooms straight away. I went to the counter to make my feelings known and a voice from the back said, “Ere mate there is a queue”. I told him in no uncertain terms just how long I had had to wait for my room. Finally we got our key and we were the last to go and freshen up.

Meantime, whilst in our room, the rep. had decided to give her talk and was just finishing as we came down.” Sorry we missed your talk”, I said, “Is there anything we should know”? “Just have your cases down here by 10:00am as a lorry will separately pick them up and a coach will take you to the Harbour at 11:00am”. “You will find your cases placed outside your cabin”, she added.

The next morning I added our cases to the huge pile in the lounge and went for a coffee. At 11:00am the coach picked us up and dropped us alongside the waiting liner, which was berthed at the far end of the harbour.



We did all the registrations booked our dinner for the second sitting and were then shown to our cabin. Our baggage wasn’t outside so I went to see the Ship’s Purser. “Don’t worry”, he said, “They don’t always put them out straight away”. Some hours later and a fluke discussion with another passenger revealed that we were supposed to put the cases on the lorry ourselves, something the rep. failed to inform me about.

Frantic calls to the hotel and the rep. confirmed our cases we still in the hotel lounge. The rep. said, “She would drop them to the ship” but another call from her later said, “She was not allowed to take them passed customs”.

So Mrs Delboy and I, had to run the full length of a very long harbour to get them past the customs.

Hot and bothered we rushed back and changed just in time for evening dinner, we walked hand in hand down to the restaurant, happy that it was all over. We were seated in tables of eight and guess who was sitting opposite me on the same table, yes, the man whom I tackled in the queue from Manchester.



This was going to be a good cruise?

Looking forward to the next instalment delboy

Great story delboy, how long ago was this cruise? Also as Hayzer has said, looking forward to the next story

Mick
It was a seven day cruise and seven day stay but more to come.

Sorry mate, I meant in what year?

Mick

Mrs delboy reminds me it was 1997

top stuff delboy
cant wait for the next instalment

moocher
ps
i have a horror holl story if anyone wants to hear it

Go for it moocher

Why not Moocher I like to hear it

Was it the night you over spent changing a 10 euro note?

delboy wrote:

Why not Moocher I like to hear it

Was it the night you over spent changing a 10 euro note?

thud !!!! tweet tweet tweet moocher fainting at the thought

Steady delboy, Moocher is feeling very delicate yet again, after a night on the lash Are you in a position to tell us your story yet Moocher, or later when the alcohol has been sweated out of you?

Despite Airtours owning the ship and having a British Captain and Senior Crew, we learned that there was only 120 Britain’s onboard out of 1000 and the majority were Americans and Canadians. This was due, I believe, to Airtours not wanting to take the risk of not filling their boat on this first package cruise.

After the meal the boat began to move, no Southampton ticker tape send off for us, we just quietly slipped out of the harbour. Once outside I began to feel sea-sick so I took a pill and exhausted from the day went to our cabin.



Now the cabin I had picked was next to the engine room at the back of the boat, on the bottom deck. I can’t remember whether this choice was influenced by me seeing the film ‘The Possienden Adventure’ or whether it was a Yorkshire man’s decision to go for the cheapest cabin. It did have a little sealed porthole to see which way we were going and I never heard them shoving any coal in the boiler at night.





Then next morning I awoke early still feeling sea-sick, so I took another pill. Soon the ship pulled alongside the Island of St Lucia.

Two mountains dominate the skyline called the Pitons



The ship moored up in the harbour and there was a choice of two trips (at extra costs) One was around the island, the other a cataraman to take us to the Pitons to see a live volcano and have lunch on the cataraman, yes I braved the latter trip

There were lots of tropical trees and river outlets



and residential property in very nice locations



somebody had restored a very nice galleon



Finally we came sailing into a port town of Soufriere and minibuses were waiting at the pier to take us up into the mountains





as we passed through it looked as if some on the houses were made of metal but we didn't stop as our first visit would be a botanical gardens in the mountain area



finally we got to the top and gathered around the top of the volcano still bubbling and the whole place smelled of bad eggs from the sulphur being ejected



we then returned to the cataraman for lunch but i didn't have too much to eat, as fearing it could be all returned to the sea.

I survived the trip ok and relaxed on the ship before dinner



After another lovely evening meal Mrs Delboy and I retired to bed. AT 3am in the morning we woke up sweating and gasping for air, the air conditioning, vital in our small cabin, had broken down. So we went up on deck very early just to survive and saw the ship cruising into Grenada about 6am in the morning.

Grenada............................................................................................................




Sir George's Harbour I put two photos together, as didn't have panoramic in those days but wanted to get more of the harbour



Unfortunately it was not the Carousel's turn for mooring, as two boats were already in, this i didn't like, as you had to make sure you we back at the boat in time before it sailed.



So we had to be tendered in but talk was of taxi's taking you to the other end of the island and demanding higher fares to get you back.



This tme we decided to walk around the town rather than take the boats expensive tour but as soon as we docked the youths were on us, "take you on a tour mister", one tagged on to us despite us saying no and every taxi stopped us for a chance fare. In the end it sort of spoilt it and we happened to by chance meet up with a couple on our table. We decided to team up and shared a cab, after one driver offered the same trip as the boat for 40 dollars for all four of us

So we did a rain forest trip but wasn't impressed and various items were push through the taxi window to try and sell you things



The cabby took us to another spot where youths would do a dangerous dive for you, for the price of a dollar but I declined, didn't want anybody killing themselves on my behalf.



We then went up in the hills and got some photos of the area



it was good to see our ship was still in the bay









Then it was a ride down to famous Grand Anse Beach to relax



We had beers on the beach and could see our ship from there





soon it was time to return to the ship, this was a water taxi to take us back to the harbour to get the tender to the boat



Food was 24/7 on board, there was even a midnight feast but we struggle to stay awake to even get there, during our evening meal, the ship left Grenada and we were on our way to the Island of Curacao

Curacoa..............................................................................................................................to follow











.........................................................................

Great story on a BRITISH Ship delboy

Shiver mee timbers ye old sae dog

Just thought I retell the story with some pictures got from the attic

just started adding pics and talking of the islands

Nice tale so far del

Interesting that you got sea sick there. I'm prone to it too, but was told you don't get it on Caribbean cruises as the water is so calm and the boats are so big. Any truth in that?

BTW, you haven't changed much mate.

no truth in that, as you will see coming up Mark

This is a good story Del.....and great pictures, 1997 did you say.....both still looking good!

Wonder if you have been on another one since.....maybe the next instalement might answer that!

The next morning the ship entered the harbour of Curacoa, a Dutch owned Island and the first thing we noticed was the bright painted building



I don't recall any tour being on offer but we had the town to explore, this is where the famous blue liquour Curacoa is made



The boat tied up just by the bridge on the otherside of the town



So the first thing to do was to get to the other side of the harbour. Now they have the most unusual bridge all built on pontoons



It spans right across the harbour and when a ship comes in, they don't care about pedestrians using it, they just open it up



and it folds right back to the far shore



and those that miss the cut, endup right back where they started on the other shore, a most amazing bridge to see



On the otherside there is a daily market and some use boats to sell their wares





The island seems to be quite up to date with shops



Buildings are not run down





plenty of cars about



even one of these for Daryn



We ended the afternoon having a beer in an outside bar before returning to the ship.

At a previous dinner one evening on the ship, a trawler skipper from Hull was sharing our table, had got quite attached to our boat and was moaning that the Americans kept telling him it was their boat.

But what was about to happen was something many will remember for the rest of their lives. The ship was about to leave before dinner and the whole town had turned out on the shoreline to wave us off. I don't know whether it was because it was Britain's first ever package cruise or a regular occurance.

The Carousel in turn blasted out 'Land of Hope and Glory' across the tannoy, for the whole Town to hear and we slipped out of the harbour with everyone waving frantically back at the town. We had been given that tickatape farewell from people we did not know

The trawler skipper turned to me and proudly said , now the Americans know who owns this boat.

Darkness soon fell and the harbour was now far in the distance



next on to the Venezuela Island of Margarita

a most enjoable story so far.

Enjoying this thread DB. My husband (Terry) & I had a wonderful holiday in St Lucia in 1995 and seeing your photos of the volcano, the Pitons & Soufriere has brought back so many lovely memories.

We had a great holiday in Barbados in 2002, too, (the year before he died) so looking forward to the next bit & any pics you have.

Great story Del loving it thanks for sharing

Don't want to pixx on your firework though Delboy, but shouldn't this be in the Worldwide section mate?