At Sea & Back Home 海上行 & 回家

Jan 16-17, 2024: On the evening of the 15th, our ship departed from San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a light drizzle, heading straight for Miami.

Despite being at sea on the 16th and 17th, our days were packed with engaging onboard lectures covering topics like politics, science, history, and music, most of which were related to the Caribbean or current international affairs. Evenings were filled with a variety of performances, keeping us busy with back-to-back events and leaving little time for relaxation. On the night of the 16th, we attended Stardust Dinner club, a special intimate dinner party on the ship. Each cruise segment features one or two of these exclusive dinner shows with limited seating, requiring early reservations as soon as you board. Everyone dressed elegantly, enjoying fine wine and gourmet food while watching the performances and mingling with fellow passengers at our table.

The 17th was sunny and breezy, the best weather we’d experienced on this trip. After breakfast, we headed to the swimming pool for some exercise, fulfilling a pre-cruise goal. We had the entire pool to ourselves, with hardly anyone occupying the surrounding lounge chairs, making it incredibly peaceful. This was a stark contrast to other cruises we’ve been on, where the pool area is usually crowded. Besides attending lectures, we spent the day on deck looking for fish and birds, but unfortunately, apart from a few small flying fish, we didn’t see much else.

We had long dreamed of visiting the Caribbean, and this trip finally made that dream come true. The weather was perfect, with calm seas and sunny skies almost every day, except for two overcast days in Miami at the beginning and end of our trip. Our ship stopped at eight different islands, including U.S. territories, British, French, and independent islands, making the journey thoroughly enjoyable. The service and cuisine on Crystal Cruises were as excellent as always, truly top-notch. Before disembark, we had tried their famous egg tarts.

On the night of the 18th, we returned home smoothly and were ready to enjoy the best season in Phoenix.

一月十六，十七日：十五日傍晚我们的船在濛濛细雨中离开圣胡安，波多黎各，直奔迈阿密。

十六，十七日二天虽说是海上行，但白天船上安排了好些讲座，内容包括政治，科学，历史和音乐，大部分与加勒比海或者与目前的国际形势有关。晚上又有不同的表演，我们俩一场接一场的听，好像也没有什么空闲的时间。十六日晩上我们参加了船上小型的特别晚宴，每次行程游轮上都会安排一，二次这种晚宴秀，座位很有限，必须一上船就预订。大家盛装出席，一边品尝美酒佳肴，一边欣赏歌舞，同时也能有机会与同桌的游客交流。

十七日风和日丽， 是这次行程以来天气最好的一天。早餐后先去游泳池活动活动，也算是完成上船前订下的目标。整个游泳池就我们俩包场了，周围躺椅上也几乎没人，安静的不得了。完全不像之前坐过的其它邮轮，游泳池永远是人满为患，根本没法去。除了听讲座，白天还在甲板上找鱼，找鸟。只可惜这次除了小飞鱼，其它基本都没看到。

说想来加勒比海已久，这次总算如愿以偿。再加上老天爷帮了大忙，除了在迈阿密一前一后二天是阴天，几乎每天都是风平浪静阳光明媚。我们的船前后停靠了八个大大小小的岛，其中除了有美国的领地，还有英属的，法属的，以及独立的岛国，一路上玩得很开心。 Crystal 邮轮公司的服务和饮食还是和以前一样，的确是一流的。

十八日夜顺利回到家，也该享受一下凤凰城的最佳季节了。

San Juan(圣胡安，波多黎各)

Jan 15, 2024: Our nearly two-week Caribbean cruise is drawing to a close, and today we docked at our final destination: San Juan, Puerto Rico, a U.S. territory. As we approached the port, we were greeted by a stunning double rainbow.

Early in the morning, we joined a cruise-organized tour of New and Old San Juan. We began with a bus tour around New San Juan before visiting Castillo de San Cristóbal in the old town. Built between 1631 and 1772, this fortress features tunnels, traps, mazes, and hidden devices. From the fortress walls, we enjoyed a breathtaking panoramic view of San Juan.

After leaving the castle, our guide took us to a street famous for its local food, lined with simple eateries. We sampled some fritters that reminded us of Chinese scallion pancakes, as well as fried meat and shrimp rolls — everything fried tasted delicious. Next, the bus took us to the luxurious hotel district by the sea. Our guide recommended visiting the beautiful Vanderbilt Hotel, Puerto Rico's first luxury hotel, and also suggested trying the local coffee. With limited time, we chose to skip the hotel tour and savor the coffee instead, which was indeed excellent.

Finally, the bus dropped us off at the entrance to the shopping district in the old town. We decided not to return to the ship with the bus and continued exploring the old town on our own. The area was bustling with countless small shops, bars, and hotels, making it a perfect tourist attraction. Many houses were still beautifully decorated for Christmas. Our guide had explained that locals have numerous holidays and continue celebrating with one festival after another well beyond Christmas. We walked from the old town all the way to El Morro Fort at the end of the coastline, enjoying the picturesque scenery and even encountering a few green iguanas along the way.

Overall, San Juan impressed us with its beautiful beaches, rich history, and vibrant culture, making it a destination well worth visiting.

一月十五日：近二周的加勒比海游接近尾声，今天停靠这次行程的最后一站，波多黎各的圣胡安，美国的领地。进港的途中迎接我们的是漂亮的双彩虹。一早参加游轮组织的新／旧圣胡安游，先坐着大巴在新圣胡安地区转转，然后去参观位于旧城区内的圣克里斯托瓦尔堡，建于1631--1772年，内有暗道、陷阱、迷宫和暗器等设施，站在城墙上眺望圣胡安的全景。

出了城堡导游带我们去当地人常去的饮食街，街道两旁都是简陋的小餐厅。我们要了油饼，有点像中国的葱油饼，还要了油炸的肉末卷饼和虾馅卷饼，感觉只要是油炸的都好吃。接着大巴开到了海边的豪华酒店区，导游推荐参观漂亮的Vanderbilt Hotel ，波多黎各的第一家豪华酒店，同时也推荐了当地的咖啡。时间不多，二者取一，酒店就免了，我们俩当然不会错过品尝咖啡的机会，味道的确不错。

最后大巴来到老城区的商品区入口，我们选择不跟大巴回船，而是下车继续我们的自由行去老城区的商品区转了一大圈。不计其数的小商店，酒吧和酒店，真是个吸引游客的好地方。许多房子还保留着漂亮的圣诞节的装饰，我们的导游告诉我们说这是因为当地的节假日特别多，圣诞节之后还有一个接一个的节日，会庆祝很久的。我们从老城区一直沿着海边走到尽头的莫罗古堡，沿途风景如画，在路上还碰见几只绿鬣蜥。

总的感觉是圣胡安除了漂亮的海滩外，还有它特有的历史和文化，很值得来看看。

Jost Van Dyke （乔斯特·范·戴克岛）

Jan 14, 2024: Yesterday's visit to St. Barts exuded luxury, but today’s stop at the British island of Jost Van Dyke felt raw and untouched. It’s also the smallest island we’ve visited on this trip. Our ship anchored offshore, and we took the tender boat to the island.

From our online research, it seemed that apart from the renowned White Bay Beach, there were no other notable attractions. The cruise ship provided a complimentary shuttle service from the pier to White Bay Beach. The weather was pleasant, so after breakfast, we headed to the beach early. The sand was fine and comfortable to walk on, making it a perfect spot to relax. There were several bars along the beach, with plenty of lounge chairs. A large yacht was anchored not far from the beach, with a private club at the far end of the bay for its passengers.

The beach wasn’t crowded when we arrived, so we easily found two lounge chairs in the shade and went for a swim. Fortunately, we got there early because the beach soon filled with tourists, becoming noisy, and small yachts nearly occupied the entire shoreline. We decided to leave and walked around near the pier. Apart from two bars, there was really nothing else. After watching birds catch fish by the water for a while, we returned to the ship.

Having visited different islands every day for the past few days, we were a bit tired and used today to recover. We went back to the ship in the afternoon. We had a Latte and Mozart Torte at Bistro. Dinner was at Waterside restaurant where we ordered a grilled beef rib. It was well-cooked, very tender, and tasted great.

一月十四日： 昨天的St. Barts感觉是奢侈，而今天所停靠的英属小岛乔斯特·范·戴克是原始，它也是我们这次行程中停过的最小的岛。 邮轮抛锚在离岛不远的海里，还是用小船来回接送乘客。

上网查了一下这个岛，好像除了一个比较好的白湾海滩就再没其它什么景点。从码头到白湾海滩邮轮有安排免费接送。 天气不错，早餐后我们俩便早早去了海滩。沙子很细，走在上面很舒服，还的确是个挺不错的放松的地方。沙滩上有好几家酒吧，放了许多躺椅。离沙滩不远处的海里停着一艘大游艇，海湾尽头处是这条游艇的专用俱乐部。沙滩上人不算多，我们很容易就在树荫下找了二个躺椅，然后下海玩水。幸亏我们来得早， 慢慢地海滩就被游客占领了，变得嘈杂，还有那一艘艘小游艇几乎都停到沙滩边了。 我们赶紧撤退，回到码头附近走走，除了二家酒吧，那里真的什么都没有。在水边看了一会儿鸟抓鱼后就回船了。

之前连续几天每天都停靠不同的岛，路走了不少有点累，今天趁机恢复一下。晚餐在水边餐厅，要了一份烤牛肋排，烤的不错，很嫰，味道也不错。

Gustavia, St. Barts (居斯塔维亚，圣巴特)

Jan 13, 2024: Yesterday, we reached the farthest point of our Caribbean journey with a visit to St. Lucia (圣卢西亚岛). Last night, our ship started its return journey, and this morning we arrived at another French island, St. Barts. If the French island Les Saintes (勒桑特斯) we visited two days ago was beautiful, then St. Barts today is even more exquisite, a haven for celebrities and the ultra-wealthy. The first thing that caught our eyes were the enormous private yachts anchored offshore, sparking our curiosity about their illustrious owners.

Since the island lacks a large port for cruise ships, our ship anchored at sea, and we took the tender boat to shore. It began to rain as soon as we landed, fortunately we were prepared. Undeterred, we headed straight to our first destination: the island’s unique small airport. The runway is remarkably short, with the sea at one end and a canyon at the other, closely flanked by a road. Taking off and landing here is a challenge task, and it’s known as one of the world's most dangerous airports. Pilots need specialized training and special permits to land.

After a nearly thirty-minute walk in the rain, we reached the quiet airport, subdued by the bad weather. We found a restaurant at the end of the runway on the beach, where we rested and had lunch, enjoying the sea view while waiting for planes. It was then that we truly grasped the meaning of the world’s most expensive tourist destination: a bottle of water and a lobster sandwich cost over fifty dollars, and the average daily room rate is reportedly $1770. As the sky cleared, the airport buzzed to life with planes taking off. The most exhilarating part was standing by the road next to the airport, watching planes land seemingly just overhead, close enough to touch.

After visiting the airport, we walked back to the pier area, passing through the shopping street to another attraction, Shell Beach. The beach was covered with shells, and after getting our feet wet, we returned to the pier area to stroll along the shopping street. Though it was just a short street, it was lined with super luxury brand stores. We could only window-shop before taking the small boat back to the cruise ship.

Last night, we dined at another specialty restaurant on the ship, the Italian restaurant. Between the two specialty restaurants, we prefer Umi Uma by Nobu. Tonight, we’re heading to Umi Uma again for the third time on this trip. We ordered a variety of sashimi and sushi, indulging in Nobu's Japanese cuisine one last time. The sunset was beautiful and perfect. The evening show featured an Italian musical singer with a captivating voice, delivering each song beautifully. We look forward to hearing him perform again in the coming days.

一月十三号：昨天的St. Lucia（圣卢西亚岛）算是我们这次行程走的最远的一个加勒比海岛了，晚上船离开那里就开始往回开，今天早上来到另一个法属小岛St. Barts。如果说前二天到过的法属小岛Les Saintes（勒桑特斯)很漂亮的话，那今天的St. Barts岛就更上一个台阶了，是名人，超级富豪们的乐园。首先看到的就是一艘艘超级大的私人游艇停泊在海里，让人浮想联翩，揣摩着游艇的主人都是谁。 小岛没有邮轮可停的大码头，所以我们的船抛锚在海里，然后坐小船上岸。 天公不作美，刚来到岛上就开始下雨，还好我们有备而来。冒着雨直奔我们的第一个景点，岛上一个很特别的小飞机场。 机场跑道非常短，一头是海，一头是峡谷，且离边上的公路很近。飞机起飞，降落都是一个挑战。据说这是世界上最危险机场之一，飞行员都必须接受专门的训练，持有特别许可证才能降落。在雨中走了近三十分钟来到机场，天气不好，机场比较安静。我们就在跑道尽头的海滩上找了家餐厅休息也顺便吃个午餐，边看海景边等着看飞机。 那时才知道什么叫世界上最贵的旅游胜地，一瓶水和一份龙虾三明治花了五十几美金，据说那里客房平均日价是$1770。雨过天晴，机场也开始忙起来，一架架飞机开始起飞，最刺激的还是站在机场旁的公路边看飞机降落，飞机就在头边上飞过，感觉手都能碰到。

看完机场，走回码头区，穿过商品街来到另一个景点贝壳海滩。这里的海滩上全是贝壳，在那里湿湿脚后又回到码头区，在商品街上走走。虽说只是短短的一条街，超级奢侈品牌店一家挨着一家。我们只能饱饱眼福， 然后乖乖坐小船回邮轮。

昨天晚餐是在船上的另一家特色餐厅 - 意大利餐厅用餐。对我们俩来说二家特色餐厅我们更喜欢Nobu。今晚又去Nobu日本料理，这已经是这次行程中的第三顿了。叫了一大堆生魚片和寿司，再过上一次Nobu日本料理瘾。

晚上的演出是一位意大利音乐剧歌手，声音很不错，每一首歌曲都唱得非常动听。真希望在接下来的几天里能再次听到他的歌声。

Castries, St Lucia(圣卢西亚国)

Jan 12, 2024: Over the past few days, our cruise ship has been stopping at a different island each day. Today, we arrived at the island of Saint Lucia, docking in Castries, the capital of St. Lucia. We signed up for a seven-hour hiking excursion organized by the cruise ship to see the famous Pitons. The activity description mentioned that it was quite challenging and required good physical fitness. Since several moderately demanding activities we had signed up for in the past few days were canceled, we hoped this one wouldn’t be. However, we were a bit worried if we could handle it after yesterday’s exhausting hike.

When we gathered in the morning, we found that only eight people had signed up for this activity, and none of them were young. Unexpectedly, after boarding the minibus, we drove for two and a half hours to a nature trail on private land. The scenery along the way was quite nice, and our tour guide was very talkative, so we learned a lot. We hiked uphill along the trail to a viewing platform where we could see the two beautiful Pitons. The hike took just over forty minutes, and we didn’t even break a sweat. It’s said that this hiking tour used to involve climbing the Pitons, but the difficulty was too great and it took much longer than expected, causing the ship to delay its departure once before.

After we finished the trail, the minibus took us to a restaurant near the scenic area for a buffet lunch. From drinks to main courses, everything was traditional local cuisine. It was a delicious meal. When we returned to the dock, there were still two to three hours before the ship departed, so we walked to the nearby city center on our own, where there was a farmer’s market, shopping street, and church. Overall, Saint Lucia is the most underdeveloped island we’ve visited on this trip, but it has produced two Nobel Prize winners (in Economics and Literature).

In the evening, we dined at the ship’s main restaurant. The maître d' told us that a few weeks ago, he was robbed near this dock. If he had told us this a few days earlier, we probably wouldn’t have wandered around on our own this afternoon.

一月十二日：这几天我们的邮轮每天都会停靠一个不同的岛。今天来到了圣卢西亚岛，停靠在卡斯特里（Castries), 圣卢西亚国的首都。我们报名参加邮轮组织的长达7个小时的徒步活动，去看著名的岩钉山(Pitons) 。活动介绍称这个难度相当大，需要很好的体力。因为前几天我们曾报名的几个稍微需要些体力的活动都被取消，我们希望这个活动不要再被取消了。但同时因为昨天的爬山搞得我们俩人很累，有点担心今天是否能挺住。一早集合时发现只有八个人报名参加这个活动，且年纪都不轻。没想到上了小巴之后直接开车二个半小时去了在私人绿地上的自然步道，一路上风景倒是挺不错，导游小哥嘴说个不停，我们学到不少东西。沿着步道上坡来到观光平台，可以看到两座美丽的岩钉山。上下就花了四十几分钟，连汗都没出。据说以前这个徒步游是真的爬岩钉山的，结果难度太大，时间花了比预期的多得多，结果造成船延迟离开。我们走完步道后，小巴送我们去到景区边的一个餐厅吃自助午餐。从饮料到主食都是当地的传统美食。再回到船码头时离船开还有二，三个小时，我们便自己走去不远处的市中心，那里有农贸市场，商业街和教堂。 总的来说圣卢西亚岛是我们这次行程到过的所有岛中最落后的一个岛，但却出了二个诺贝尔奖获得者(经济奖和文学奖)。

晚上去船上的主餐厅吃饭，领班告诉我们说几星期前他就在这个船码头附近被抢过。估计如果他早几天告诉我们的话，我们下午就不会自己瞎逛了。

Les Saintes 法属勒桑特斯

Jan 11, 2024: Today, the cruise ship anchored in the bay off Les Saintes, and we were taken ashore by small tender boats. Les Saintes is an archipelago that belongs to Guadeloupe, a French overseas territory. The main street along the coastline is lined with restaurants and shops, giving an immediate impression of a picturesque French town, with red rooftops harmonizing beautifully with the blue ocean.

We embarked on a self-guided tour today, spending the morning hiking to the island's highest observation point, which involved a nearly continuous uphill climb. Our original plan was to ascend from the west and descend from the east, but upon reaching the summit, we found the eastern descent to be much steeper, requiring us to use both hands and feet. After attempting a few steps, we decided to turn back and retrace our route. The round trip covered 1,000 feet in elevation over 4.5 miles and took us three hours.

Once back in town, we decided that taking the tender boat back and forth to the cruise ship would be too cumbersome. Instead, we chose a random restaurant on the street for lunch and took a rest. Afterward, we headed to another attraction on the island – the old military barracks.

The Napoleonic barracks are situated on a small hill over 300 feet high, with no shade along the way, making the sun unbearably hot. However, the higher we climbed, the better the view became, and we were often accompanied by chickens and goats along the way. After more than a mile of walking, we finally reached the top only to find that the barracks are only open in the morning, and the gate was closed. This instantly dampened our spirits, especially since we still had to brave the scorching sun to walk back down the hill, leaving us quite disappointed.

Back on the ship, we first went to the Bistro for a latte, some fruit, and snacks, then returned to our room for a long nap. Today felt like the most exhausting day of the trip so far. We had dinner at the Waterside restaurant.

一月十一日：今天游轮抛锚在勒桑特斯岛外海湾， 由小船送我们上岸。勒桑特斯岛是法国属地瓜德罗普的群岛。沿着海岸线的主街两旁有餐厅和商店，一上岸就有法国美丽小镇的感觉，红的房顶和蓝的海洋相呼相依。我们俩今天自由活动，上午徒步上山去岛上最高的观光台，几乎就是不停地上坡走。原本准备从西边上东边下，到山顶上时发现东边下山是坡度更陡，必须手脚并用，走了几步后就打退堂鼓，原路返回。上下1千英尺走了4．5英哩，整整三个小时。

回到镇上后，因为嫌坐小船回邮轮来回太麻烦，就随便在街上找了一家餐厅吃个午饭，休息一会儿。然后又走去岛的另一景点-古军营。

拿破仑军营在三百多英尺高的小山上，一路往上一点遮阳的地方都没有，太阳晒得好厉害，不过越往上走风景就越好，沿途还时常有鸡，羊陪伴。结果走了一英哩多终于来到山顶却发现军营只在上午开放，门已关。一下子把我们剩下的热情全部打消掉了，关键是我们还要冒着酷暑走下山，别提有多失望了。

回到船上后先去咖啡厅喝杯拿铁，来点水果和点心，然后回房睡了个大午觉。感觉今天是这次行程到目前为止最累的一天。

St. John's (Antigua and Barbuda) 圣约翰

Jan 10, 2024: We woke up early this morning to find the ship docked at St. John's in Antigua and Barbuda. We were especially excited today because we were going to swim with the stingrays. After a half-hour drive in a minibus, we arrived at a small pier and boarded a speedboat. Ten minutes later, we reached Stingray City, a shallow sandy area in the middle of the vast ocean where stingrays gather. Over twenty years ago, locals started feeding a group of stingrays three times a day. Several generations later, even after the nets were removed, the stingrays stayed because they knew they would be fed. These stingrays seemed very familiar with the staff, allowing themselves to be handled and posed. We had never been so close to stingrays before. These enormous creatures swam around and beneath us, often startling us as we tried to avoid stepping on them. We fed them small squid and took photos with them, having a fantastic time.

After our stingray encounter, we returned to the ship for lunch, then headed back out to have the same minibus driver take us on a tour around the island. We visited Nelson's Dockyard, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and other attractions like beaches. As usual, after returning to the ship, we stopped by the Bistro for a strong latte and a small cake to recharge.

For dinner, we went to the main dining room and had seafood paella and T-bone steak. The food was delicious, though the steak was so large we couldn't finish it. Tonight's entertainment was another stand-up comedy show, featuring a performer who had made it to the semifinals of America's Got Talent.

一月十日：一早醒来船停靠在圣约翰 (安提瓜和巴布达)。 今天特别兴奋，要去与黄貂鱼（Stingray)一起游泳。小面包车开了半个小时后来到小码头，换上快艇，十分钟后就来到所谓的黄貂鱼＂镇＂。这黄貂鱼聚集的地方就是在一望无际的大海中有那么一小块水深不到一人高的浅沙地。二十多年前当地人围养了一批黄貂鱼，天天一日三顿喂它们，几代魚下来，把围网拆了，魚还是待在那里不走，因为知道会有饭吃。那些鱼好像对工作人员很熟，任他们抓着摆样子。从来没有这么近距离的与黄貂鱼相处过，一条条超大的黄貂鱼从我们身边和脚下游过，常常会吓我们一跳，怕不小心踩到它们。我们用小鱿鱼喂它们，还扶着它们一起照相留念，玩得很开心。

看完黄貂鱼后回船吃个午饭，又下船岀去请上午那位小巴司机带我们围绕小岛转了一圈，去世界遗产保护地的尼尔森造船厂和海滩等景点看看。还是老规矩，回船后去Bistro, 来一杯加浓拿铁和一块小蛋糕，补充一下能量。

晚餐去了主餐厅，要了海鲜饭和T骨牛排，味道不错，但牛排实在太大，剩下一半。今晚演出又是脱口秀，表演者曾到过美国的达人秀半决赛。

St. Thomas Island 圣托马斯岛

Jan 9, 2024: Yesterday was another delightful day at sea. Besides attending lectures, taking several laps around the deck, bird watching and working out in the gym, we savored the exquisite cuisine on the Crystal ship, renowned for offering one of the best dining experiences in the industry.

Today, we docked at St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands. Early in the morning, we took a taxi to Magens Bay Beach, renowned as one of the most beautiful beaches in the world. When we arrived, there were fewer than ten people on the one-kilometer-long beach. Despite the warning signs about strong winds and waves, the beach was one of the calmest we've ever visited. We spent a long time playing in the water, swimming, and watching pelicans dive for fishes, with small fishes swimming around our feet. When we left the beach, we saw groups of tourists arriving in 20-person taxis converted from trucks. Back at the pier, we noticed another large ship with thousands of passengers had just docked next to ours, and their passengers were noticeably younger. Compared to theirs, our cruise ship seemed a bit quiet and lacking in energy. We had booked two kayaking shore excursions on our cruise, but both were canceled due to low participation.

After returning from the beach, we had lunch on the ship and then went ashore again to explore the town. We walked the "99 Stair Steps" and visited one of the oldest synagogues in the Western Hemisphere.

We walked over 20,000 steps today. In the evening, we dined at Umi Uma by Nobu Again. This time, we skipped the main courses and focused on sashimi, accompanied by sake and white wine. After eating and drinking, we ended our day by watching a show and dancing a little. What a wonderful day, we felt completely satisfied.

一月九日：昨天一整天又是海上行。除了听听讲座，沿着甲板绕船走上几圈或者去健身房锻炼，剩下就是继续享受邮轮上色味俱佳的美食。

今天停靠美属维尔京群岛（US Virgin Islands )上的圣托马斯岛(St Thomas), 俩人一早就下船叫了出租车去梅根湾海滩（Magens Bay Beach)。据介绍梅根湾海滩是世界上最美的海滩之一，我们到那里还早，一公里长的海滩上就不到十个人。在海滩上有大风大浪的警告牌，但对我们来说，这海滩是我们去过的最为平静的海滩之一。在水里玩了很久，一边游泳一边看着从天直下的鹈鹕抓鱼吃，还有小鱼在我们脚边游来游去。当我们离开海滩时，看到成群结队的游客坐着由卡车改装的20人的出租车来到海滩。回到码头时才发现原来我们的邮轮边又来了一艘几千人的大船，而且游客的平均年龄要比我们的船低很多。相比之下我们的邮轮有点冷冷清清，少点生气。我们这次在船上订了两次划船的岸上游，后来都取消了，说是报名的人太少。

从海滩回到船上，先去吃个午饭，接着又下船去市区转一圈，走了＂九十九级台阶＂，又去参观了西半球里最古老的犹太教教堂之一。

今天一天走了二万多步，晚上又去Nobu日本料理店，这次不点主菜，而是以生鱼片为主，再来点日本清酒和白葡萄酒，吃饱喝足后再看一场表演，真是心满意足了。

Grand Turk and Nobu 大特克岛

Jan 7, 2024: Yesterday was a full day at sea. Crystal Cruises claims to have the most diverse range of activities during sea days in the industry. There were several lectures on topics such as politics, culture, and history throughout the day, delivered by experts in their respective fields. We attended three of them out of curiosity and they were all very interesting. In the afternoon, we went for afternoon tea and grabbed a bunch of snacks. With so many carbs consumed, who knows how high our blood sugar spiked. In the evening, we dined at the main restaurant, ordering lobster and caviar, which were delicious. After dinner, we watched a comedy show and laughed all night.

This morning, the cruise arrived at the first port of this trip, Grand Turk, the capital of the Turks and Caicos Islands. We participated in snorkeling organized by the cruise line, which was reasonably priced compared to other cruise lines. The weather was sunny today, and the sea was calm. The yacht took us to the famous 7,000-foot-deep Grand Turk Wall. For safety reasons, we were only allowed to snorkel in a 20-foot-deep water area. We saw many small fish, making it one of the most rewarding snorkeling experiences we've had. After snorkeling, the yacht took us to a private beach with clear waters and fine white sand, allowing us to fully enjoy the perfect Caribbean scenery.

Another feature of the Crystal Serenity cruise ship is the renowned Nobu Japanese restaurant. During our last world cruise on the ship, we visited it every few days. The waitstaff got to know that we liked Japanese ramen and mochi, so each time we went, they would have the kitchen prepare these items, which were not on the menu, specifically just for us. Nobu has branches in some major cities, and it is quite expensive. Before boarding, we even made a point to visit Nobu in Scottsdale. Now back on the ship, we could finally indulge in several delightful meals again. Tonight, we had a fantastic dinner at Nobu, ordering all our favorite items from the menu. Despite being on a ship, the food was just as good as what we had at the Nobu in Scottsdale two weeks ago.

In the evening, we watched a Broadway show, which is also a highlight of this cruise and we enjoyed it very much. The ship offers unlimited internet access via StarLink, and the speed is decent. Since the Shanghainese drama "Blossoms" was about half way in the playing before our trip started, with good enough WiFi on the ship, we ended the night by watching two episodes before going to bed.

一月七日：自五号晚上离开迈阿密后，昨天一整天是海上行。水晶邮轮公司自称有着行业中最丰富多彩的海上行活动安排。整天有好几个面及政冶，文化和历史的讲座，而且讲解人都是行业中的专家。我们也凑热闹去听了三个讲座。之后又去了下午茶，服务员拿来一大堆点心，这么多碳水物吃下去血糖不知道要冲到哪个新高度了。晚上去了主餐厅用餐，要了龙虾和鱼子酱等，味道很不错。饭后去看了脱口秀，笑了一晚上。

今天早上邮轮来到这次行程的第一个港口，特克斯和凯科斯群岛的首府 - 大特克（Grand Turk)。我们参加了由邮轮组织的浮潜，相比其它邮轮，这次我们邮轮上提供的岸上游的价格比较合理。今天天气晴朗，风浪也不大，游艇带我们来到著名的七千英呎深的大特克墙边。为安全起见，只允许我们在二十英呎深的水域区浮潜。看到不少小鱼，算是我们仅有的几次浮潜中最有收获的一次。浮潜后游艇又把我们带到了私人海滩，清澈的海水，细腻的白沙，让我们尽情享受了一下完美的加勒比海风光。

水晶邮轮的另一特点是船上有一家久负盛名的Nobu日本料理店。上次周游世界时，在船上时每隔几天就会去一次。去多了服务员知道我们喜欢日本拉面和麻薯，之后每次我们再去那里时，都不用我们说，就会直接让厨房特意为我们做菜单上没有的拉面和麻薯。Nobu 在一些大城市里都有分店，价格不菲。上船之前我们还特地去了Scottsdale 的Nobu。这次回到船上，终于又能痛痛快快地吃上几顿了。一位难求，所以我们早早地就预订晚餐，今晚就在Nobu好好美食了一顿。饭店领班还是我们四年前周游世界时的领班，有几位服务员也是熟悉的面孔，真是不可思议。我们把菜单上我们喜欢的东西全叫上，还有日本清酒，不过没有拉面和麻薯。虽说是在船上，饭店并不大，但菜的味道不比二周前刚去过的Scottsdale 的Nobu 差。

晚上看了百老汇秀，也算是这邮轮的一大特色。邮轮提供无限量上网，用的是StarLink, 上网速度还不错。上船前，沪语版电视剧《繁花》正在热播中，我们也跟着追剧。StarLink让我们有机会在船上继续追剧，每晚看上两集语《繁花》后，才上床睡觉。

Returning to Miami & Crystal 重返迈阿密&水晶邮轮

Jan 5, 2024: The last time we visited Miami was in the winter of 1989. We don't remember much about Miami from that trip, except that we dined at an expensive Cuban restaurant, which was quite a luxury for us as poor students at that time.

Yesterday, we took an overnight flight from Phoenix to Miami, arriving early in the morning at our hotel  - InterContinental  Miami. We paid an early check-in fee, so we could catch up some sleep in our room. The room was very nice with great ocean view. Once settled into our room and well rested, we went out and spent the rest of the day exploring the Bayside area near the hotel. The cat and dog sculpture garden and the Jimenez Deredia’s sculpture exhibition on the street were quite unique.

This trip is not about Miami though, we have some exciting activities waiting for us. In early March 2020, we had to cut short our ninety-day world cruise trip with Crystal Cruises due to the pandemic. Today, we will board the Crystal Serenity cruise ship again to start a two-week Caribbean journey. The ship is still the same, but the cruise company has changed ownership. The new owner made significant interior renovations, reducing the number of cabins from hosting nearly one thousand passengers to just over seven hundred passengers capacity. Each cabin now comes with a butler, who can be contacted directly if needed.

We woke up early this morning and headed to the Claughton Island near our hotel before boarding the ship. We had some great breakfast from one of the local favorite spots. From there, we saw our beautiful ship, the Crystal Serenity docked at the cruise terminal.

The waiting game was finally over, we boarded the ship around noon. It was an incredible feeling. We went to the Marketplace for lunch buffet，and immediately we felt so welcomed by the crew members. We settled into our room after lunch, and walked around to check out the ship. The new owner did a fantastic job and the ship just couldn’t look any better. We even saw a few familiar faces, crew members and fellow passengers from our last world cruise trip.

Found a photo spot to duplicate the photo taken four years ago.

Our ship left Miami at 6pm, with the song of “What a wonderful world” playing loud, we sailed away and said goodbye to Miami.

Four years ago, there was a Chinese restaurant on the ship, now it  has transformed into an international restaurant, Taste, where we dined this evening. The waiter was one of the crew members from our world cruise trip, so we had a little catch up with him. We ordered four appetizers and two main courses, all in small portions, and the food was delicious. In terms of both cuisine and service, Crystal is above and beyond. None of the other cruise lines that we have cruised so far can compare.

The evening concert was scheduled for 9:45 PM. After attending the concert, we went to the bar and enjoyed some live piano performance for a while before returning to our room to call off the day.

上次来迈阿密还是一九八九年的冬天，当时的迈阿密是什么样都没印象了，只记得当时好像去了一家对我们穷留学生来说很贵的古巴餐厅。

昨天从凤凰城坐夜班飞机来到迈阿密，一早就到了州际酒店（InterContinental)。加付了提早入住费之后就先住了进去。补了个觉后，就在酒店附近的Bayside 区转了一大圈。狗猫雕塑花园和街头上的Jimenez Deredia 雕塑展都是别具一格。

这次行程并非是迈阿密游。二零二零年三月初由于疫情的缘故，我们无奈终止了水晶邮轮九十天的邮轮周游世界游。今天我们又将再次回到水晶尚宁号(Crystal Serenity)邮轮上，开始为期二周的加勒比海之行。邮轮还是同一艘，船公司却已换主人。新主人在收购之后对船作了重大内部装修，许多客房变大了，原本可供近一千人住宿的客房被改建成满客只能容纳七百多人。每间客房还配备了一位管家(butler)，有事可直接找他。

一早醒来先走去酒店附近的 Claughton Island。找了个当地人喜欢的地方吃早餐，简单却很好吃。 在那里可以看到我们的水晶尚宁号邮轮已经停在对面的码头，很兴奋。

中午的时候我们终于上了船，那真是一种难以形容的感觉。先来到 Marketplace 吃自助午餐, 热情的服务员让人感到宾至如归。午餐后我们在船上走了一圈，改建后的邮轮比以前更漂亮了。我们还看到一些熟悉的面孔，有四年前周游世界游时的服务员，也有当时一起的乘客。

晚上六点左右我们的船在“What a wonderful world”的歌声中离开迈阿密。四年前船上的中餐馆变回成了国际化餐厅，今天晚餐我们就选在那里。招待我们的服务员居然是四年前周游世界游时其中的一位，话题自然就从四年前开始了。俩人要了四个开胃菜和两份主菜，当然都是小份的，味道很不错。无论是船上的饮食还是服务，是目前为止我们所坐过的所有其它邮轮都无法与之相比的。

晚上音乐会安排在9:45, 听完后又去酒吧坐了一会儿后就回房睡觉。