The Caribbean sun came through for our fifth day on this 7-day Carnival Celebration Eastern Caribbean cruise as we visited St. Thomas, our last port of call for this adventure. This island, nestled in the heart of the US Virgin Islands, offers breathtaking views, no beach, but plenty of places to explore within walking distance from the port of Charlotte Amalie.
St. Thomas boasts a fascinating history that stretches back centuries. Long before European colonization, various indigenous groups, including the Arawaks and Caribs, called this island home. In the 17th century, the Dutch arrived, followed by the Danes who gave the island some character. The Danish architecture that is all over Charlotte Amalie, the capital city, serves as a testament to their influence.
Speaking of Charlotte Amalie, its history is intertwined with the infamous pirate era. Blackbeard, perhaps the most notorious pirate of all, is said to have frequented the island, adding a dash of swashbuckling adventure to its past and his own mark with a castle named after him which he supposedly used as a lookout. Once a tourist attraction, the castle is no longer open for tours, but is visible from the port and if you do some walking around you can get up close.
With a full day ahead of us (our ship docked at 7 am and departed at 4 pm), we embarked on our St. Thomas adventure. Our first stop? The iconic Skyride to Paradise Point. For $25, this gondola whisked us 700 feet above sea level, offering a panoramic view that is simply amazing. The 3.5-minute ride was an experience in itself, but the true magic was at the top of Paradise Point.
As I stood on the observation deck, a wave of nostalgia took over. In my hand, On my very first cruise in 1994, also to St. Thomas I stood in this very spot. And guess what? The photo captured the same breathtaking view from Paradise Point, with a Carnival ship docked in the harbor behind me. But what truly made this moment special was the fact that it was the original Carnival Celebration! Thirty years later, I’m in the same spot, aboard the new Carnival Celebration, creating a new chapter in my personal cruise history. Talk about a full-circle moment!
While there is no beach immediately accessible from the port, fret not. Taxis and excursions are readily available, to take you to Magen’s Bay, known for its calm waters and white sand. It’s a popular choice for cruisers who want some beach time. However, we decided to stay in town and do some walking around.
All aboard was 3:30pm and we sailed out a little after 4pm with the other ship in port, Princess Cruises Island Princess, leading the way.
For dinner, I headed over to the ship’s Olive Garden, Cucina del Capitano as my traveling companions opted for an early dinner.
I started out with “Nonnas Meatball” (singular, not plural, and likely not homemade as advertised) and was a bit of a letdown. It lacked the expected juicy tenderness and flavor one would expect from a classic Italian meatball made by Nonna. The Caprese Salad, while good, was nothing more than a few not-so-ripe tomatoes and definitely not homemade mozzarella.
The star of the show, however, was the Osso Bucco. This slow-cooked shank was fork-tender and served in a rich and flavorful sauce. The portion size was generous – as it should be, as it’s a $23 upcharge on the menu.
I also opted for some grilled shrimp which were a bit of a disappointment. They were small and lacked any type of flavor.
For the evening entertainment, the game show “Deal or No Deal” was being played in the ship’s three-story atrium stage. While the contestant ultimately didn’t walk away with the grand prize, the audience sat glued to their seats even though it was quite a boring, drawn-out event with a tad bit of cheesiness tossed in. I’m not a fan, so didn’t stick around long.
In a stroke of luck, and possibly due to people being worn out from the port day, it wasn’t hard to find a post to grab an after dinner drink. However, service remains to be an issue. It’s pretty common to wait 10 – 15 minutes for a bartender to get a drink for you – with the worst offender being Latitudes Bar where there seems to be absolutely no sense of urgency to make drinks no matter how many people are waiting.
The next two days are sea days as we head back to Miami! Thanks for following along.
FunTimes for February 29, 2024:
The FunTimes for February 29, 2024, is also available as a PDF.