Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas, American Virgin Islands

 

Three days into our cruise, we docked in the Virgin Islands right about sunrise, shortly after seven a.m. There was a little bit of sprinkle in the air but the clouds were already beginning to scatter and promise a clear day to come.

We went to the big cafeteria on Deck 14 for breakfast so we could get off the ship before the day got too hot. Since our snorkeling with the turtles excursion had been canceled, we were free to do whatever we wanted. So, we were going to prowl the shops at the pier.

Yeah, I’m a guy and I like to shop. So sue me. Luckily, we got the obligatory shirts-for-kids purchases out of the way pretty quickly, so won’t have to worry about that for the rest of the trip. There were jewelry stores, watch stores, jewelry and watch stores, t-shirt and hat stores, jewelry and watch and t-shirt and hat stores… you get the idea. If you want a ring or watch or t-shirt or hat, this is your place.

It took us about an hour-and-a-half to wander the nearby stores and then re-board the ship. A quick stop in our room, I mean cabin, to change clothes and we headed for the pool. Here’s a bit of shiply advice: hit the pool on a shore day before lunchtime, and you can have your pick of empty chairs around it. Nice.

After an hour of lounging, it was off to lunch. If you miss a meal on a cruise, it’s your own fault. This ship, the Equinox, has stations around the cafeteria rather than counters so lines are virtually nonexistent. It’s a big improvement over the usual setup, and I recommend it.

Tomorrow is St. Kitts where we are booked on a rum-tasting tour. Oh yeah.

Please comment below, even if it’s just a quickie.