St Kitts is busy today. In addition to The Serenade of the Seas, the Celebrity Reflection, the AIDAdiva, and The Silver Seas Explorer are in port. 10,000 people taking tours, soaking up the tropical sun and spending money in the local shops.
Pann, Terry, Adrienne and Steve want to have a local beer. Adrienne scouts out the lowest priced location and we follow her to the dumpiest looking spot in town. But 3 beers for $5.00 is hard to beat. There is a brief shower, but we are under the protection of a canvas canopy. I stay with them for awhile, and then head back to the ship.
It is time for refueling. A fuel barge is tied alongside all day transfering fuel into our bunkers. The fuel used by this ship is probably a little different than some others as her prime power source is gas turbine engines with diesel engines for low power requirements such as when we are tied up in port.
I go to the concierge lounge for a change. Probably has been nearly a week since I went there in the evening.
The bar is nearly empty. I have one drink and head downstairs to meet the others. No where to be found. No concerns, I heard the captain say all passengers were aboard. They arrive a little after 7:00, in plenty of time for dinner.
BBQ ribs, yummy. Again excellent service and good food. If only Royal would do the same on the rest of it's ships.
We are the first ship to leave. Early in the morning the captain backed our ship into dock, so now it is as simple as untie the lines, push off from the pier and head out to sea. Push off is several minutes of full power on the thrusters.
St Marten, or Martin as it is sometimes spelled, is our next port. So close that part of the night is spent just floating. At another point we were moving at the breakneck speed of 3 knots. Barely at a swimmers pace.