Last week Lulu and I took a Caribbean Cruise to Puerto Rico - Dominican Republic - and Grand Turk. We sailed aboard the Caribbean Princess for a beautiful 8 day cruise on this 950 foot long ship. The Princess Line is a British company. It has excellent food - service - and milder entertainment. There were some kids on it - but a majority of the passengers were old like us. It is a typical British middle class vacation.
Puerto Rico is a territory of the USA. The people do not pay federal income tax. They do have Social Security and Medicare. The average household income is $26000. 37% of the people live below the poverty line. A US citizen can jump ship and live there forever. They have problems with water supply and their electric grid. They have about 3 million people. Population has declined in the last 5 years by 100,000. They can move to the USA as they are citizens.
Our ship - the Caribbean Princess - was not full. It made it very nice for attending shows and meals. There are 3 pools on the top deck. We would sail with them again.
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| Caribbean Princess |
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| Grand Plaza inside ship |
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| It was hot and humid in Puerto Rico - 90 degrees and 90% humidity |
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| Water fountains were turned off because of drought |
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| Garden in Old San Juan |
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| St John the Baptist Cathedral |
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| Body of Christ |
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| Tomb of Ponce de Leon - Governor |
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| This bar claimed the Pina Colada |
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| National Hero Roberto Clemente |
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| Colorful hotels |
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| La Perla is the ghetto outside the city wall where Despacito was filmed - the music video |
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| La Perla - they said don't go there at night |
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| La Perla - the Pearl |
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| Fort Wall overlooking La Perla |
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| On top of city wall |
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| Top of wall by La Perla |
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| National Museum inside wall |
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| Blue Stone Streets - they are made of slag - a waste of iron smelting in Europe. They would fill the ships with this ballast to keep it stable. Then unload it here. They would load local goods to go back. |
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| Statue of Christopher Columbus - he visited here on his second trip |
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| More blue slag streets |
We left Sunday - sailed Monday and Tuesday - spent Wednesday in Puerto Rico - Thursday in the Dominican Republic - Friday on Grand Turk Island - sailing back Saturday - Arriving back Sunday.
It was hot and humid and we expected that. As we get older - the hot Florida weather in July and August can wear you out. The ship sails at about 20 mph - providing a wonderful breeze. But you are in the tropics - so the sun's directly overhead. You look for shade and a good hat.
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