My favourite waterfall? Champagne, of course!
Nina Myskow raises a glass to the Caribbean and a very special cruise
Only the shoes are missing! Kate Middleton’s outfit and Dalmatian spot coat that she wore when she launched the Royal Princess are in a glass case next to the Customer Services desk. Luis, the twinkly Shore Excursions Manager, says they also have the scissors she used to cut the ribbon, the letter she wrote, the foil and the neck of the champagne bottle, but, no shoes.
We are sailing out of Fort Lauderdale in Florida for a Southern Caribbean cruise in search of the best rum punch... and to sample some bubbly.
We check out the Mermaid’s Tale bar by the pool area before setting off, clutching our little pocket maps. Grant and I had sailed with the Princess line around Japan a couple of years before and loved it, so it was familiar, but still on a grander scale across the 19 decks.
The poolside screen for the Movies Under The Stars feature is the biggest at sea – and the central triple pool complex has great dancing fountain displays. The seawalk glass walkway extends so there’s nothing but glass beneath your feet and the sea many decks below.
Our first two days are at sea with us visiting the Dutch island of Aruba off South America. We will also see Bonaire, where we will snorkel, and Curacao... they make up the ABC islands.
This being a cruise, I get to glam up and squeeze into my frock for the Captain’s Champagne Waterfall. Watching maitre d’hotel Giorgio splashing bottle after bottle over the fragile tower of champagne coupes – what if it collapses? – fills me with awe.
But it was less scary than watching young guys tombstoning into the pool beneath the Annadale Falls on Grenada... or swimming through a dark cave towards the falls inside Titou Gorge on Dominica. All three are thrilling waterfall experiences but I know which one I’ll repeat!
On board we had our routine. Each morning I’d go to the topdeck gym and then join Grant for a swim before breakfast before relaxing into our day.
You can’t see and do everything, but we had a go and loved stand-up Troy Thirdgill, and The Love Boat Disco Pool Party.
So, is this the ship with everything? Well, not quite. There is the question of Kate’s shoes. Over to you Kate...
And the best rum punch, I think it was in Grenada. But there’s no such thing as a bad one. Princess Cruises (princess. com/go) offers a 10-night Southern Caribbean cruise from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, from €921pp, departing on March 10. It includes return flights and full board.