Memories of the Caribbean for $5 or Less

Let’s face it; you can’t get much for $5 anymore. Or can you?

In looking over souvenirs I’ve collected from Caribbean cruises over the years, some of my most used, most prized, cost just a few bucks.

Once, I thought these kind of souvenirs were too touristy. But when I got older and wiser, it occurred to me they only look touristy while you’re there. Once you get home, no one else has them. They suddenly don’t seem touristy at all.

And I love them because they remind me of my good times at sea. So, if you’re looking for a memory or two from your next cruise without shelling out a lot, consider these:

Mini sacks for storing. We’ve picked them up in Aruba, Cozumel and Grand Cayman, but you’ll find them just about anywhere. They’re colorful, functional and fun. We use them for storing ear buds, extra batteries and loose change.

Ornaments for hanging. Christmas ornaments make great souvenirs. Some of them are so unique you may want them around all year round. Like the ceramic ones in all different shapes in Cozumel. The replica ruins from Costa Maya. The painted gourds in Bonaire. You can get ornaments for $5 or under, but if they’re more elaborate, they’re also more expensive.

Marking your spot. If you’re like me and still read a book made out of paper, check out the bookmarks. I’ve picked up great handmade ones from Labadee (in the artisan market in the building—they’re at the cashier counter), Bonaire and the Panama cruise terminal.

Encasing your glasses. One of my favorite souvenirs is a colorful heavy fabric eyeglass case that I bought in the Panama cruise terminal. You’ll never misplace your glasses with this one.

Magnets for clinging. Turn your fridge into a scrapbook. You can get a magnet for $1—or for $15. They come in all sizes and shapes—many are amazingly different. I have handmade doll magnets from Nassau and Barbados, mini magnetic paintings from Labadee, faux mini delft “wooden” shoes from Aruba, a ceramic magnet of the Puerto Rican flag from San Juan and many more.

Caps for keeping the sun out. Show off when you get home with a baseball cap like these from Aruba. (For more on baseball caps as status symbols—see the July 27 Wall Street Journal!)

Lots in Labadee. Five bucks go pretty far in the artisan market in Royal Caribbean’s private part of Haiti—especially if you’re willing to haggle. There are painted boxes and other wooden objects, carved stones, macramé bracelets, magnets, small paintings, among others.

Maracas and more. Cozumel is a great place to cheap-souvenir shop. Besides maracas, there are sombreros, ceramics and a ton of other trinkets to remind you of your cruise South of the Border.

One of the great things about this kind of shopping is you can really load up—and still have something left over for a deposit on your next cruise.

Bonaire: Cape Cod on the Caribbean

On seeing Bonaire’s capital city, Kralendijk, my travel companion immediately thought of a small Cape Cod town of his memory.

The “B” of the Southern Caribbean’s “ABC islands” is, indeed, peaceful and picturesque, with its clear blue water sprinkled with sailboats, a promenade along the harbor and tropical foliage. Just a block from the water is a street lined with vivid colored buildings housing boutiques and upscale tourist shops.   

Bonaire is decidedly, too, one of the more European of the Caribbean ports, save, perhaps, for St. Barts. Dutch is the primary language and it’s everywhere. Outdoor cafes with their blackboard easel signs tout the day’s delicacies, like wahoo, barracuda and iguana soup.

Sweetening the pot is that each time we’re in Bonaire, we’re the only ones there. In fact, a local told us they can go days without seeing a cruise ship.

It’s also among the few Caribbean islands not in the hurricane belt. It’s actually quite dry, with only 20 or so inches of rain a year, giving it an unusual mix of desert and tropics.

In so many ways, it’s the ideal port to visit—stuff to see without an excursion and a quiet spot to laze over a coffee or beer, or stick your head in some chic shops.

If you’re into more active activities, you’ll appreciate knowing that Bonaire is renowned for its scuba and snorkeling—the island itself is built on a reef.

Then there are beaches to bathe in, salt flats to visit, flamingo sanctuaries to photograph…

A visit to Bonaire is usually combined with stops at “A” and “C”—Aruba and Curaçao. If you do see the itinerary, grab it. Aruba and Curaçao are great destinations, and Bonaire is truly memorable. Its tourism office says it best, “Once a visitor, always a friend.”*

* Island motto, Tourismbonaire.com

Hung Where You Can See—Ornaments for a Cruisin’ Christmas Tree

After 20+ cruises, my Christmas tree is a travel log.

When I pull out the ornaments every year, carefully unwrapping them from the odd assortment of envelopes, ripped bags and misshapen boxes, I’m immediately cruising to the day and place where I bought them.

Find this one at Amber Cove, Dominican Republic

Christmas ornaments make the perfect souvenir—small, cheap and fun to shop for. And in all the ports, there’s plenty of choice. 

The next time you’re tripping around the Caribbean, look out for these particular gems:

Bonaire – painted gourds. There’s a store on the main shopping street that sells the local whimsical craft. Cute little ornaments will only set you back a few bucks.

 

This cutie can be found in Bonaire (hat not included)

Aruba – faux Delft windmills and whatnots. The cruise terminal has a number of shops with a slew of the blue ceramics—from magnets to figurines to ashtrays. They may not be the real thing, but when you get them home, you won’t care.

Put some blue on your green Christmas tree

Cozumel – painted ceramic balls and bells. In the cruise terminal as well as in town, you’ll have quite a pick of colorful ceramic ornaments of all shapes and sizes. My favorite store—you’ll find one at the cruise terminal as well as in town—is Los Cincos Soles. You may pay a tad more here, but the quality’s worth it.

A colorful Cozumel reminder

Barbados – mini dolls and more. Pelican Village—on the left hand side of the street, just a few blocks from the cruise pier towards town—is a small complex of craft shops. You’ll find handmade ornaments and other locally made art and knickknacks.

Onboard stores – tiny ships. You won’t have to look hard to find these—they’ve been on every big ship I’ve been on.

Deck your tree with some Harmony

In fact, anything that remotely looks like it could hang can be turned into an ornament, like bookmarks or keychains. Because one little thing that everyone knows, when it comes to a Christmas tree, anything goes!

Got a favorite for your cruisin' Christmas tree?

15 Shades of Blue

Think of the Caribbean and you think blue, right? In fact, there are many “shades” of blue when you cruise the Caribbean Sea. 

Blue is the color of:

1. Your passport—Don’t leave home without it! And be sure it doesn’t expire within six months of your trip.
2. The sky above your balcony—With no powerlines to obstruct your view, the sky seems bluer, bigger, bolder. And if you’re headed for the ABCs (Aruba, Bonaire, Curaçao), you’ll see more of that blue sky than anywhere else. Aruba gets only 16 inches a year of rain; compare that to 46 for New York.

   

   The sky seems bluer, bigger and bolder from your balcony
3. The water below your boat—If you’ve never cruised the Caribbean, know this: those photos you’ve seen are real. The waters of Bonaire, St. Maarten, and the U.S. Virgin Island gems of St. Croix and St. John are just that blue, just that clear, just that calm.

   

   Blue as far as you can "sea" in Bonaire 

4. The resorts the lines call their own—Carnival’s private resorts of Princess Cays (Bahamas) and Mahogany Bay (Roatan), and Royal Caribbean’s Labadee (Haiti) boast blue hue water that’s tranquil and see-through, perfect for swimming, sunning and snorkeling. And when your ship comes in, you (and your 2,000-6,000 fellow travelers) get the resort all to yourself.

   

   Calm and comfortably cool is the blue water at Princess Cays

5. The pools of port—Three neat port pools that come immediately to mind are at Grand Turk, Costa Maya and Carnival’s newest resort in the Dominican Republic, Amber Cove. These three pools are big, with plenty of room for making a splash.

   

   A part of the vast winding pool of Amber Cove

6.  The flags of Barbados and Curaçao—Barbados in the Eastern Caribbean and Curaçao in the South—both great ports to visit—use blue as the primary color of their national flags, to reflect the sea and the sky.
7.  The iguana of Grand Cayman—This blue lizard, according to Wikipedia, is a special variety found in Grand Cayman and is on the endangered list. In fact, the only one we saw on our visit was this guy below:
   
8. The cobblestones of old San Juan—Pull into port in San Juan and you’re just a few steps away from cobblestones made from adoquine, a blue stone cast originally brought over on Spanish ships.
   
9. The logos of the lines—Not surprisingly, the mermaid, ship, anchor and X logos of Princess, Holland America, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity are all blue.
10. Curaçao’s namesake liquid—Made from local oranges, with a little help from food coloring, curaçao liqueur is unmistakable in its color and squat round bottles.

    

    
    

11. The delft and faux delft trinkets of the ABCs—Browse the tourist shops of the Dutch isles of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao to find some of the real hand-painted stuff, but more of the mass-produced kind. These are inexpensive, and make great Christmas tree ornaments, magnets and collectibles.

    

    Mass-produced delft, but that everyone can afford

12. Larimar—The lovely baby blue stone is from the Dominican Republic, but sold on many of the islands at a very reasonable price (note that they vary in quality). We picked up good quality earrings in St. Thomas’ Charlotte Amalie for about $40.
13. The female cruiser—What cruising woman can resist a shirt with blue-and-white stripes in classic nautical style (or “nausical” as one retailer calls it). Navy blue, says Wikipedia, got its name from the dark blue uniforms traditionally worn by many navies around the world.
14. That sign that it will come to an end—Alas, blue is also the color of the Customs card that appears on your bed—sometimes as early as the second day of the trip.
15. My mood…when it’s all over.

Getting to 100 and How Cruising Keeps Surprising

Welcome to a milestone. This is post number 100, born from 20 cruises, 14 ships over 10 years on 4 different lines. Number of Caribbean islands? Too many to count

Musing About Cruising started the day the old Pacific Princess—otherwise known as the “Love

Boat”—in August 2013, made its final voyage—to that dry dock in the sky.

While my old Saturday night companion didn’t do much to get me cruising, once I started many decades later, I looked back at the show through different eyes.

And what’s kept me embarkation-bound over the last decade is cruising’s ability to keep surprising:

In the beginning

The magnificent midnight buffet. Alas, it’s been gone quite a while now, but what a show! Celebrity’s Constellation filled the main dining room with rows and rows of eye candy. Ice sculptures and vegetable carvings everywhere! Breads made into villages! Candy made into chess sets! Elaborate cakes and pastries by the many dozens! It was so spectacular that they let us in early just to take photos.

Feast for the eyes at midnight--gone but not forgotten

Black tie waiters and stellar stewards. On our first cruise, the room steward ran down the hallway just to open the stateroom door for us. The formally dressed waiters did napkin tricks and told us stories of their native lands.

Then later on

Chicago, Cats, the ice and aqua shows. When our infatuation with Celebrity wore off and we itched

to try other lines, we gave our nightlife to Royal Caribbean. Broadway shows, ice dancing and high diving—all for no cost and with the best seats in the house.

Ice and delight on the Navigator of the Seas

Off course, but oh, so worth it. We dabbled in some new ports not found on many itineraries and discovered some real gems. The “B” in the ABCs—the pristine Bonaire with its blue glass-like waters; the sleepy and lovely St. Croix; the chic hilly yacht and beautiful-people mecca of St. Barts—all held new wonder.

 

Laid back and lovely is the Virgin Island of St. Croix

A Northerly course. While we cringed at the idea of a cruise where we couldn’t wear shorts, the otherworldly landscape and quaint frontier towns of Alaska more than made up for it. The eerie silence, ice chunk-filled waters and frozen walls of Glacier Bay; the heavy fog looming over the mountain tops; the crisp and piercing clean air that penetrated our down coats—these memories will remain with us always.

The icy waters of Glacier Bay from the balcony of the Golden Princess 

And then there’s now

Making Diamond Club. Getting to Royal Caribbean’s Diamond Club was quite a thrill. The best loyalty club of the mass market lines gives us unlimited free drinks during their extended happy hour. White wine under the white lights in Allure’s nearly deserted Central Park at night has become a cruise highlight.

 

Central Park under the lights

Surging wave of technology—From the robotic bars of Anthem and Harmony of the Seas, to the touch screen room finders on Royal Caribbean ships, to Princess’ shipboard smart phone app that makes walkie-talkies obsolete, the ships are, thankfully, at last, wholeheartedly embracing the digital age. Even the customs folks are getting into the act with the newly launched passport app.

Just a bit more

Then there’s finding a new port that was better than you expected, like the gorgeous calm beaches and spectacular foliage of Carnival’s own Mahogany Bay in Roatan…or doing something new at ports you’ve been to, like picking up paintings for a song in Royal Caribbean’s Labadee…or watching ports grow and change, like the ever-lively Philipsburg, St. Maarten, with its new modern waterfront area with a nostalgic Dutch-style automat.

Mahogany Bay--Carnival's paradise for day

What’s coming next

In the past 10 years, I’ve not run out of things to share, guide and amuse on the world of Caribbean cruising…and the topics just seem to keep floating to the surface.

So, if you promise to keep on reading, you can be sure I’ll keep on writing.

Monkeys and Chickens and Lizards, Oh My! A Walk on the Caribbean’s Wild Side

Your idea of a wild time in the Caribbean might be endless buckets of beer by the sea.

But there’s another wild side to the Caribbean—and you’ll want to take your camera for this one. 

Look out for this fauna and flora to fawn over when you get back home:

The fauna for ya

Iguanas—They’re everywhere. All over the rocks at Crown Bay pier in Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. In Aruba’s Oranjestad, wandering around Wilhelmina Park. In fact, they’re so common in Aruba, their likeness shows up everywhere—even on flip-flops.

Bring some iguanas home from Aruba's Oranjestad

And now, the real thing--posing for the camera in Charlotte Amalie's Crown Bay pier

Chickens—Unless you grew up on a farm, the sight of roosters roaming around may be a bit startling. But you’ll see them in downtown Charlotte Amalie; Georgetown, Grand Cayman; and Frederiksted, St. Croix.

Monkeys—You don’t have to venture far into St. Kitts to see the little local vervet monkeys. Just a stroll down the pier in Basseterre will do. There are several on the arms (or heads) of the locals, picture-ready for a fee. 

All dressed up and ready to go--into your arms for the camera and a fee in Basseterre, St. Kitts

Cats—San Juan has a cat problem. They’re on top of cars, under cars, roaming the streets, lying on sidewalks. But, like most animals, if you don’t bother them, they won’t bother you. And some of them are so pretty and robust, you’d swear they were pets.

Checking out the tourists from the sidewalks of San Juan

Caribbean parakeet—I once had a parakeet in a cage. Imagine my surprise to find several pecking away high up on a palm tree on the busy L.G. Smith Boulevard in Oranjestad. It’s yet one more reminder when you travel: look up.

Don't forget to look up when you're in Aruba's Oranjestad--you don't want to miss the parakeets

Fish—With water so clear—particularly off the pier in Kralendijk, Bonaire and to some extent, Princess’ private Bahamian island of Princess Cays—fish become entertainment. It’s yet one more reminder when you travel: look down.

In Grand Cayman, take a left from the pier, and walk a few blocks along the water. You’ll come up to a small fish market on the beach. After they’ve cleaned the fish, the vendors toss the remains into the water and you can watch the live stuff—some of them several feet long—zooming in for an easy meal, like pigeons descending on a hunk of bread.

Stop and smell the flora

Bougainvillea—These paper-thin flowers come in some 300 varieties and many bright colors, and you’ll find them all over the Caribbean, climbing the walls and hanging down planters.

Palms—They’re on the beaches, in the streets, in the yards, in the gardens. They’re tall and top-heavy. They’re useless when you’re in search of shade, and they break easily in storms. But what would the Caribbean be without its palms?

Cacti—The ABC islands of Aruba, Bonaire and Curaçao are super dry, despite being in the middle of the ocean. So, it’s not unusual to see cacti and palms sharing the same front yard.

Unlikely neighbors in this yard in Kralendijk, Bonaire

Hibiscus—Big, bold and colorful, the hibiscus is common in the tropics, and is the national flower of Haiti. But its petals are not just for admiring—they also find their way into tea in Mexico, and are even dried and garnish desserts.

Cozumel has its own share of the showy hibiscus

Plumeria obtuse—White and yellow clumps of loveliness, these West Indies natives can be found in the Bahamas, Mexico, Barbados, Belize and other warm places.

These were blooming along the waterfront of Barbados' Bridgetown

Frangipani—This multi-colored beauty is known for its fragrance and is sometimes an ingredient in perfume. It’s been said that its smell becomes most intense at night—to lure moths for pollination. Don’t let their heady smell tempt you to touch them, though, the sap is an irritant.

These frangipani caught our eye while shopping in the Pelican Village Craft Centre in
Bridgetown, Barbados

Mango—A staple of the Caribbean diet, when they’re in season, you’ll see them hanging from trees at ports like Roseau, Dominica and Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas. Bananas and plantains are plentiful too, as are coconuts, throughout the Caribbean islands.

Not quite ripe, but appealing just the same, hanging off a tree in St. Thomas' Charlotte Amalie

Cinnamon, cloves, ginger, mace, allspice—These are all grown in Grenada. The island is the world’s second-largest producer of nutmeg—the spice is even on the Grenadian flag. Baskets of pre-packaged spices are sold in the port city of St. George’s and make great holiday gifts for the cooks on your list.

Put more spice in your life with these souvenirs from St. George's, Grenada

When I look at this list I’ve just created—and it’s only a sliver of the Caribbean’s charms—it’s easy to see why the islands were seized, battled over and settled on. And are so much fun to visit!

Some of the Best in Cruising Part 2: The Ports

When I’ve been asked for my favorite Caribbean island, I struggle to find an answer. Because I like so many, each for a different reason. But what they all have in common is plenty to see and do close to where the ship pulls in (no excursion required!). Here, then, is my “best of” list for the Caribbean cruiser:

Shopping: Cozumel. There’s great shopping right at the pier, or you can grab a cab into town for a mind-numbing selection of more of the same. Colorful ceramics; onyx chess sets and figurines; silver jewelry with gems and without; and inexpensive knickknacks from maracas to magnets makes shopping a blast. You’ll find consumables there, too. Read more at Chocolate, Rum and Spice: Food Souvenirs of the Caribbean.  

Cozumel in color.

Best beach: private islands. These are, simply put, paradise. Carnival’s Mahogany Bay in Roatan, Honduras; Princess Cays in the Bahamas; and Royal Caribbean’s Labadee on Haiti offer the quintessential Caribbean beach day. They’ve got powdery sands and calm blue waters perfect for swimming and water sports; palms and hibiscus and bougainvillea to feast the eyes; and lounge chairs everywhere, along with plenty of shops and ways to soothe a parched throat.

The private islands are surely the best way to relax on a cruise.

Lined up and ready to go at Princess Cays.

Biggest variety: St. Maarten. A beach right in town, cheap chair-umbrella-beer packages, surfside seafood shacks, water sports, great shopping, gambling and even a blast from the past—an automat—selling local foods like the Dutch kroket. This lively place of merriment is constantly changing—for the better. There’s more at “How to Spend Your Cruise Day in St. Maarten.”

Prettiest harbor: Dominica, Bonaire. This one’s a tie. Dominica has perhaps the most compact port, with its location at the foot of surrounding velvety green hills. Be prepared to invest some leg muscle if you walk around town, where you can visit a farmers market or grab some free wi-fi at the local library. Or, shop the stalls at the pier, where you can get locally woven baskets and other souvenirs.

Then there’s the transparent waters of Bonaire, where a stroll along the waterside promenade is like a visit to an aquarium. Vibrant-colored fish swish by underfoot, and the sea around you is a painter’s pallet of shades of azure. Read more at Knowing Your ABCs.

A walk along the promenade in Bonaire is like a visit to an aquarium.

Most European-ish: St. Barts. Part Riviera, part Caribbean, totally French, St. Barts is remarkable for many reasons. You won’t find any bargains here, but you’ll marvel at the mega yachts parked in town, the hilly and winding streets that force cars and all manner of local vehicles to part halfway on the sidewalk. You can sip café au lait at a seaside café, nibble on quiche from the local patisserie, marvel at the wines lining the walls at the supermarche´ or browse the fashionable shops. St. Barts is off course and worth it.

Paris? Mais non, the patisserie of St. Barts.

Time travel: San Juan. With two well-preserved, exhibit-laden forts, a dramatic fountain honoring the island’s birth, blue cobblestone streets, mosaic stairwells, and even shops selling Spanish hand fans and the short jackets of the matadors, the old town of Puerto Rico’s capital takes the cruiser back in time. No DeLorean needed here—just a little bit of pedestrian power.

San Juan is one of those ports that are made for walking.

The ancient wall today protects San Juan from sailboats.

Memorable feature: Curaçao. This Southern Caribbean Leeward island off the Venezuelan coast has several oddities—a floating bridge that takes you to the colorful Punda District when it’s not stepping aside to let boats through, and a fruit and veggies market where vendors sell their stuff out of wooden boats tied up to the dock. And if that’s not enough, how about liquor that’s made from oranges but is blue in hue?

Float your way to Curacao's Punda district.

So, that’s my “best of list.” What’s yours?

Musing’s Top Tip: Did you miss Some of the Best in Cruising Part 1? Then check it out here, for ship life highlights—from what’s on your plate to what’s on the stage.