Blue Planet Journey

What the bridge officers see.  This is from a presentation on ship navigation given by the captain. In general, the larger the ship, the more activities there are to keep you busy on a sea day (cruising between ports).  Right now I'm on the Celebrity Summit , and in a few minutes the Captain will make his 10 AM announcement on our location, sea conditions (we are 190 miles from St. Croix), and weather.  We left the island of Aruba last night, headed toward St. Croix.   I thought I would use this day as my "life on a cruise ship" example. My morning started with me heading out of our Deck 7 stateroom at 6 AM for a session in the gym on Deck 10.  I like hitting the gym early because there are no crowds... some free weights, machines, then 4 miles on the treadmill.  The ship was rolling slightly this morning, which makes running interesting as you sway. I have to hold on to the safety bar with one hand as I run, which is an acquired skill....

Mo'orea!  This island in French Polynesia is only 11 miles from Tahiti.  About 17,000 people live here, which makes the arrival of a ship carrying 3000 guests a big deal.  Clearly, French Polynesia is the preferred location for those magazine shots of romantic cabins over the water, although no one mentions that boats can buzz by and peer within (we did). The topography is dramatic, as erosion has been working on this extinct volcano for 2 million years.  And the circling fringing reef inspired Charles Darwin, looking down at Mo'orea from a mountain on Tahiti,  to hypothesize a process for the formation of coral atolls. NASA Photo ID: ISS006-E-39837. One day isn't enough to even begin exploring these islands.  Since we had gone tramping in Tahiti, it was time to explore the water.  With friends Carla and Michael, we booked a lagoon excursion through Albert Transport.  This was to include 2 snorkels, 1 with sharks and rays, an...

Caroline checks out a snorkeling site on Vanuatu.  Swimmer, snorkeler, PADI rescue diver, and previously lifeguard certified, with Italian made Cressi mask, snorkel, and fins... she is prepared.   I really just want to comment on 2 things that relate to the Celebrity Solstice,  and perhaps most cruise ships.  The first is safety in a reef environment (snorkeling).   The second is a commitment to reef conservation. "National Geographic" gear The Celebrity Solstice shore excursion team promotes snorkeling gear sales.   I'm not sure who makes this equipment, but it is sold under a licensing agreement allowing for the "National Geographic" label to be attached (as if NG has any specialized experience in snorkeling gear... you won't find any real divers using it).  The insinuation is that, if National Geographic endorses this gear, the gear is quality, and you are going to have a great and safe time snorkeling.  Who needs, say,...

Yesterday the Celebrity Solstice  left New Caledonia territory for a few hours and sailed to the nation of Vanuatu.  The destination?  Mystery Island. Caroline is standing on the grass runway for the island's airstrip. Other than the beaches, the main feature is the grass runway. Actually, I can't find much about "Mystery Island." The island we visited actually is Inyeug Island , which is uninhabited but used for a cruise destination and the regional airport for Aneityum , the southernmost island in Vanuatu .  I think "Mystery Island" runs off the tourist brochure and tongue better than " Inyeug Island ." We spent an hour walking around the perimeter of the island. We usually walk pretty fast, and this walk should have taken us 20 minutes or so, but we kept being distracted by the thousands of little hermit crabs scurrying on the beach. You had to be careful not to step on these little guys! Finally, after scoping out t...