AMTRAKING AND CRUISING FOR CHRISTMAS By Jack M. Turner Photos by John C. Turner
AMTRAKING AND CRUISING FOR CHRISTMAS
By Jack M. Turner
Photos by John C. Turner
A short trip from New Haven to New York aboard
Northeast Regional Train # 161 begins the trip southward. The
“Silver Meteor” eases out of New York’s Penn Station shortly after
3:15pm and glides along the Northeast Corridor in excess of 100
mph. After stops at Newark, Trenton, and Philadelphia it is time
to head to the dining car for the early dinner seating. Soon
after being seated, we pass beneath a towering bridge then spy a
massive oil tanker ship plying the waters of the Delaware
River. We roll past Amtrak’s shops and make the station
stop in Wilmington at 5:20pm. I’m glad that I sat on the left
hand side of the diner as all of these views have been visible on that
side. A tasty dinner of steak, baked potato, mixed vegetables,
and salad fits the bill while enjoying conversation with a couple from
Davenport, Florida who have been on vacation in Bar Harbor,
Maine. The Susquehanna, Bush, and Gunpowder rivers provide more
scenic views as daylight wanes.
Amtrak Train # 161 arrives in New Haven en route to New York
The southbound Silver Meteor prepares to leave New York Penn Station
Heritage fleet dining car 8505
A tanker plying the Delaware River as seen from the Silver Meteor
One of the scenic rivers crossed at dusk between Wilmington and Baltimore
The 45 minute stop in Washington, DC allows time for
a post-dinner stroll along the platform as our electric engine is
switched out for a pair of diesel locomotives. The journey down
the former Richmond, Fredericksburg & Potomac Railroad through
Alexandria, Quantico, Fredericksburg, and Ashland is smooth and we
pause in Richmond, Virginia just after 9:30pm. Crossing the James
River is impressive even at nighttime and the nocturnal scenes to
Petersburg are composed mostly of homes and forested areas. All
too soon it is time to turn out the lights and turn in for the night in
roomette 5 in sleeping car “Forest View”. I’m awakened by the
station stop in Rocky Mount, North Carolina then sleep through the next
six stops.
Viewliner sleeper 62011 "Gulf View" seen after dark at Washington Union Station
We are leaving Savannah, Georgia as I awaken and
shortly I am in the dining car for breakfast. As the meal
arrives, we pull into Jesup then make our way through piney woods that
dominate southern Georgia. Train # 97 reaches Jacksonville,
Florida 17 minutes early at 9:06am and I detrain to make the two hour
drive home. The “Silver Meteor” continues south to Miami,
however, I will need to wait a few weeks to continue my journey
southward.
My wife and son join me for the next part of the
trip which take us to the eastern Caribbean aboard Princess Cruises’
beautiful “Emerald Princess”. Sailing from Port Everglades in
Fort Lauderdale, FL is convenient for Amtrak travelers who can take
either the “Silver Meteor” or “Silver Star” from the northeast to Fort
Lauderdale. Connecting to the ship requires an overnight in Fort
Lauderdale, however, after the cruise it is easy to connect with the
“Silver Star” for the northbound return. The Amtrak station is a
short cab ride from the port and many hotels are available in the
vicinity. In the not too distant future there will be another
rail option as All Aboard Florida trains will connect Orlando and Miami
with a stop in downtown Fort Lauderdale along the Florida East Coast
Railway.
One of the great conveniences of cruising is
dropping luggage curbside and having it magically appear at your
stateroom door prior to sailing. There is ample time to unpack
and stow suitcases beneath the beds prior to setting sail and it is
convenient to spend the next 10 nights searching the closets for
something to wear rather than rummaging through luggage. Our
stateroom is located on the Baja Deck near the aft end of the ship and,
though smaller than a hotel suite, it is a good deal larger than an
Amtrak bedroom. There are two twin beds and an upper berth that
resembles what one finds aboard a passenger train. A television
provides a variety of programming including college football bowl games
shown on ESPN. A private balcony which includes deck chairs
provides us with an excellent place to view arrivals and departures
from the ports we will visit as well as a place to retreat to watch the
ocean or simply gaze at the stars.
As “Emerald Princess” sails from Port Everglades we
make our way to the Botticelli Dining Room where we meet our
tablemates, a couple from Vero Beach, FL and a family from Juneau,
Alaska. We are grateful for such wonderful company and are
delighted by our excellent table location in the back corner of the
dining room. Our server, Cornelio, is an exceptionally
accommodating gentleman and it is evident that Princess takes great
care in selecting its staff. There are multiple dining choices
aboard this ship including the fixed dining option that we
selected. This provides the same table, same server, and same
dining companions every night, either at 6:00pm or 8:15pm.
Anytime dining is available for those preferring not to have an
established dining time or table each night while buffet dining is
available for those desiring a less structured meal. Breakfast
and lunch are available on a walk-up basis in another dining room while
the buffet and a variety of other food options such as a pizzeria and a
hamburger stand are also available. Additionally, room service
will deliver meals or snacks to the stateroom upon request. All
of these options are included in the cruise price with only specialty
restaurants requiring an additional cost.
The author’s son John at dinner on Emerald Princess along with server Cornelio
A pizzeria is one of many food options on board Emerald Princess
The first two full days of our cruise are at sea
which allows a chance to relax and enjoy the ship’s many outstanding
features. There are six swimming pools and the warm tropical
temperatures allow us to enjoy their waters while most of the country
is shivering a few days before Christmas. “Emerald Princess” also
offers a putting green, lawn bowling, basketball, and a variety of
other outdoor activities on the ship’s top deck. Clustered around
the ship’s atrium are a variety of shops and compact lounges where
musicians entertain guests. The casino seems to always be alive
with activity while the Princess Theatre offers a variety of nightly
shows ranging from song and dance productions, a Four Seasons tribute
group, and comedians to an impressionist. The smaller lounges,
meanwhile, host cabaret acts and audience participation events.
Simply put, one can keep as busy as they desire or simply catch up on
rest on board this ship.
Putt-putt golf is available on the top deck of Emerald Princess
The aft swimming pools; note the children’s play area at right
Looking at the aft swimming pool and the ship’s wake
Forward view from the top deck
Christine enjoys high tea offered daily in one of the dining rooms
The Internet Café is convenient for staying in touch
On Day 4 we dock at our first port of call, St.
John’s, Antigua and soon we are off for a private sightseeing
tour. Outside St. John’s we see a few remnants of the sugar cane
railway that once linked the island’s abundant sugar cane fields with
sugar mills and docks from which sugar products could be shipped.
The sugar cane industry disappeared due to lack of profitability and
the railway was no longer needed. Only a few short bridges,
mostly overtaken by underbrush, remain as testament to the railway’s
prior existence.
Arriving in Antigua
At the south end of the island we stop to savor a
beautiful vista of Falmouth Harbour where a beautiful sailing ship and
a host of beautiful sailboats are anchored offshore. At another
stop we gaze in amazement at the sleekest, longest, and certainly most
expensive yacht we have ever seen. It reminds of the type vessels
used in James Bond films where a wealthy tycoon has an expensive yacht
in his arsenal of possessions. Indeed, Antigua attracts the
wealthy including a number of entertainers who are especially fond of
its tropical climate in the wintertime.
Just down the road we come to English Harbour,
another scenic bay whose waters wrap around small fingers of land which
offer shelter from storms to maritime vessels while providing excellent
hillside locations for beautiful homes. Alongside the harbor we
find Nelson’s Dockyard, a restored military base established in the mid
to late 1700s and administered by Admiral Horatio Nelson. Here
British sailing ships were maintained and refurbished and several
original buildings used to repair sails, maintain ship wood and metal
surfaces, and house and feed the crews have been preserved. The
dockyard still services luxury sailboats while serving the dual role of
attracting tourists.
Nelson’s Dockyard
This yacht docked at Nelson’s Dockyard reminded the author of those seen in James Bond movies
At Fort Blockhouse we see the ruins of a military
outpost located atop a hill guarding the island where the Atlantic
Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet. The vistas are stunning as the
turquoise and deep blue waters meet the rocky coastline and one can see
for miles and miles. Next we visit Shirley Heights from which a
beautiful elevated view of English Harbour, Nelson’s Dockyard, and
Falmouth Harbour unfolds. Along the way we note the ruins of
another sugar mill standing just off the roadway.
The Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea meet near this point at Fort Blockhouse
Nelson’s Dockyard, English Harbour, and Falmouth Harbour seen from Shirley Heights
During the day we pass a massive pineapple farm and
several banana plantations and we follow Fig Tree Drive which passes
through a rain forest in which mango, palm, and almond trees
flourish. The scenic drive deposits us along Antigua’s southwest
coast where numerous beautiful beaches can be seen. Our tour
guide, Cleo, notes that Antigua boasts 365 beaches, one for every day
of the year. Indeed, it seems we have spied a beach at every turn
during our morning long expedition; many of these are hideaway beaches
tucked between bends in the land where hills meet the sea. Our
wonderful tour ends but we still have time to browse the shops near the
dock in St. John’s before returning to “Emerald Princess” for a
relaxing afternoon and evening.
Turner’s Beach, a favorite name of the author and son
Fryes Beach near the Coco Bay Resort
Pineapple fields in south central Antigua
Departing St. John’s, Antigua
Day 5 finds us docked at Castries, the capital of
St. Lucia. By mid-morning we set out on an all-day tour purchased
through Princess to see the scenic highlights of this island located in
the Lesser Antilles in the eastern Caribbean. It soon becomes
evident that we made a wise choice in leaving the driving to our tour
bus operator as St. Lucia’s main highways are incredibly winding with
hair-pin turns as they climb the coastal mountains. Like all of
the islands we visited, driving is on the left hand side which is
disconcerting hence best left to those used to that practice.
Another thing that jumps out quickly is the fact that St. Lucia has a
French influence that is evident in locals’ Creole accents.
Our sightseeing target is the southwest corner of
St. Lucia near the community of Soufriere. The signature feature
of this region, and the island in general, is The Pitons, a pair of
peaks standing sentinel over the coastline as they seemingly rise out
of the sea. The twin spires stand over 2,000 feet tall and are
made of hardened lava. Our tour takes us to nearby Sulphur
Springs Drive-In Volcano, an active volcano which emits
sulphur-smelling steam that evokes memories of Yellowstone National
Park. This is billed a “drive-in volcano” since motor vehicles
can be driven right to viewing locations within the crater. A
short drive from the volcano we visit Diamond Botanical Gardens where
rain forest paths lead us past a variety of tropical flora and to the
foot of a towering waterfall named Diamond Falls. During the
drive back to Castries we pause at scenic Marigot Bay where yachts are
anchored amid a panoramic view. Shortly after returning to the
ship it is time for dinner and an evening show in the Princess Theatre.
The scene at one fishing village along the west coast of St. Lucia
Sulphur Springs, known as a “Drive-In Volcano”
Diamond Falls
Diamond Botanical Gardens
Various varieties of flowers can be seen at Diamond Botanical Gardens
The Pitons, St. Lucia’s most notable sight
Marigot Bay
We awaken on the sixth day of our cruise to find we
have already docked in the Barbados capital city of Bridgetown.
Barbados is the easternmost Caribbean island as it lies 100 miles
east-southeast of St. Lucia. Once again one of the tours sold
onboard is selected and we enjoy visiting several photogenic
locations. Most notable is Bathsheba Beach located on the
Atlantic side of the island. Large mushroom shaped volcanic rocks
dot the beach giving this spot an other-world appearance. Our
tour also visits an historic cathedral and a preserved sugar
plantation. Other sightseeing favorites on this island
include Harrison’s Cave, the Andromeda Botanical Gardens, and Sunbury
Plantation. Duty free shopping at shops located adjacent to the
docks offer bargains on popular brands of perfume, jewelry, and other
merchandise.
Mushroom-like rocks are unique to Bathsheba Beach, Barbados
This picture of John provides perspective of the size of these rocks
At the one week mark in our voyage we visit the
island of St. Kitts which, like most of the islands called upon by
Emerald Princess on this cruise, once had an economy based upon sugar
production. Traces of this industry remain, however, tourism and
craft factories are the economic leaders. A leftover from the
sugar industry days, a narrow gauge rail line linking the sugar cane
fields with the sugar factories, today is one of the most popular
sightseeing activities on St. Kitts. See “Riding St. Kitts Scenic
Railway” for a trip report about this interesting train ride.
Arriving in St. Kitts
A beautiful sailing ship anchored off St. Kitts
A beautiful sunset observed leaving St. Kitts
Another cruise ship sails into the sunset off St. Kitts
Looking back at St. Kitts at sunset
Overnight we sailed past several of the northern
Leeward Islands and morning finds us paralleling the southern coast of
St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands. The entry into the harbor is
beautiful and validates spending extra money for a balcony
stateroom. The views of the harbor and the island’s mountainous
terrain provide a stunning way to begin the eighth day of our cruise
and evokes memories of our previous visit a dozen years earlier.
During that visit we took a tour of the island highlighted by a visit
to Coral World, a popular aquarium, and observed beautiful elevated
views of the island and its gorgeous harbors.
Having toured St. Thomas, we opt for another tour
offered by Princess, this one to the neighboring island of St.
John. Part of the U.S. Virgin Islands, St. John is a tremendous
surprise with its fantastic beaches, a couple of which are ranked among
the world’s best, and Virgin Islands National Park which is part of the
United States National Park System. Getting to St. Johns involves
a 45 minute boat ride that departs from the same pier where “Emerald
Princess” tied up in Charlotte Amalie. The journey along the
rocky south coast of St. Thomas through Frenchmans Bay is nothing short
of spectacular and the 80 degree temperatures feel fantastic on the day
after Christmas. After crossing Pillsbury Sound we land at
Cruz Bay along the southwest coast of St. John. There we board an
open air tour tram for a highway tour along the national park’s scenic
coast. Along the way we view inviting beaches at Trunk Bay,
Cinnamon Bay, Maho Bay, and Caneel Bay and tour the remains of Annaberg
Sugar Mill. We even have an opportunity to stroll along one of
the beaches for a few minutes. Back in Cruz Bay we board our tour
boat for the return to St. Thomas and another fun evening aboard
“Emerald Princess”.
The harbor at St. Thomas
The tour boat ride from St. Thomas to St. John offers spectacular views
Trunk Bay on the west coast of St. John is recognized as one of the world’s top 10 beaches
The scenic beach at Cinnamon Bay
Our tour stopped to allow guests to walk on the beach at Cinnamon Bay
Maho Bay
Annaberg Sugar Mill ruins in Virgin Islands National Park
Another view of Annaberg Sugar Mill
Leinster Bay seen from Annaberg Sugar Mill
Another view of Leinster Bay
Coral Bay
Our tour boat “Island Girl” passes in front of the Virgin Islands National Park visitor center in Cruz Bay, St. John
The south shore of St. Thomas
Approaching the harbor at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas at the end of our boat ride from St. John
Emerald Princess docked at Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas
Sunset departing St. Thomas
Our busy itinerary the prior five days left us ready
for a day at sea on Day 9 as we are able to sleep late, enjoy a room
service breakfast, and unwind by playing putt-putt golf, spend time in
one of the swimming pools, and generally relax. The following day
will be similar as the ship anchors off Princess Cay, a private beach
on Eleuthera Island in the Bahamas. After tendering to the beach
we find the beach pleasant with warm, smooth waters and plentiful
chaise lounge chairs lining the beach. Many passengers have
rented a variety of watercraft while others participate in beach
volleyball games and other activities.
Another sunset at sea
The sun sets on our sea day late in the cruise
Emerald Princess anchored off Princess Cay
Water sports are available at Princess’ private beach
The fantastic cruise ends the following morning and
soon we drive to Miami to visit family. Along the way we pass a
couple of Tri-Rail commuter trains traveling between Miami and the West
Palm Beach area as well as Amtrak’s northbound "Silver Star" bound for
New York. We drive past new Miami Intermodal Center, future
terminal for Amtrak and Tri-Rail trains, MetroRail elevated trains, and
a people mover connecting to nearby Miami International Airport.
The future train station’s location adjacent to major rental car
offices as well as MetroRail will greatly benefit Amtrak passengers
arriving in Miami once it opens.
Miami Intermodal Center, the future terminal for Amtrak and Tri-Rail plus a stop for MetroRail
Princess offers numerous cruise itineraries around
the world. The majority of the cruises departing North American
ports originate at Ft. Lauderdale, FL (Port Everglades), San Pedro, CA
(outside Los Angeles), Seattle, WA, or Vancouver, BC. Each of
these departure ports is accessible by Amtrak stations. Whether
the destination is the Caribbean, Alaska, Hawaii, or Mexico, a cruise
is a perfect way to travel.
