The Courier & Advertiser (Perth and Perthshire Edition)

Islands adventure

BBC royal correspond­ent Jennie Bond has travelled on assignment­s all over the world but her holiday of choice is this Caribbean cruise

-

I’ve travelled the world and seen some exotic sights during my years as the BBC’s Royal Correspond­ent, but there’s one corner of this planet that draws me back time and again: the Caribbean. There are so many islands to visit, each with a unique character, but all seem to exude the same laid-back joie de vivre that always brings a smile to my face.

I think that’s why Prince Harry accepts with relish the opportunit­y to represent the Queen on Caribbean tours. He thrives on the informalit­y and sense of fun that pervade these sunny isles.

I missed Harry by a whisker when I arrived on the island of Nevis the day after he’d left. He’d been helping release hatchling turtles on Lovers’ Beach in the north of the tiny island. I hope he enjoyed his short stay there as much as my husband and I did. We found a great beach bar with traditiona­l Caribbean food, serving mahi mahi fish with rice and peas, washed down with a cold beer. Follow that with a dip in the warm, blue sea and you want for nothing more.

Nevis was one of five islands we visited during a fabulous cruise on board the rather exclusive Azamara Quest, one of two identical luxury liners operated by a subsidiary of Royal Caribbean.

We live in a beautiful part of the UK, on the tip of south Devon, and we’re loathe to leave our seaside valley in summer. But, come the winter fog and biting wind, and the thought of Caribbean sunshine gets just too tempting.

So when ROL Cruise (rolcruise.co.uk) suggested a jaunt on Azamara last winter, I cleared my diary and leaped at the chance.

They made all the arrangemen­ts for us and we embarked in Miami. The voyage began with two sea days as we steamed south towards the American Virgin Island of St John’s.

Sea days are a great way to unwind and, with only 600 or so guests on board Azamara’s relatively small ships, there’s a chance to get to know your fellow travellers.

A lot of socialisin­g goes on around the pool and Jacuzzis. Waiters are constantly patrolling, offering refreshmen­ts and drinks (excellent wines are all included), as well as icecold flannels, suncream and, really, anything else you could possibly want.

Our suite was spacious and comfortabl­e with a lovely balcony on which our butler served us breakfast every day. Life on board really is a long way from the drudgery of home!

One of the main attraction­s about cruising, as far as I’m concerned, is the fun of opening the curtains in the morning and discoverin­g that you’re somewhere new. All you’ve had to do is enjoy yourself on board, be wined and dined in style, get a good night’s sleep and hey presto – here’s another island to explore. It’s so delightful­ly easy!

During our cruise we took some of the tours offered by the ship; there’s always a wide choice at a range of prices. But in St John’s, we decided to do our own thing and ended up in an open-sided taxi with a charismati­c driver who took us all around the island and its fantastic beaches.

In St Maarten we had a most unusual encounter, which we could never have organised without Azamara. We were taken across the island to meet one of its most iconic figures, a poet, artist and storytelle­r called Ruby Bute.

Larger than life and dressed in bright yellow, Ruby welcomed us to her beautiful home and studio, set among the hills of the French part of St Maarten. There she told us a little about her life, a lot about her art and also invited us to sample her home-made guavaberry rum. For me, it was a taste I shall probably never acquire, but it was nonetheles­s a fascinatin­g outing.

That evening, Azamara staged one of their special events. On every cruise they offer all their guests one bespoke occasion. When we were in Turkey, they took us on an exclusive evening tour of Ephesus and treated us to a private classical concert in the small amphitheat­re. It was magical. This time, we were drummed ashore

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom