What Makes an Enjoyable Port

On 4/4/10 9:07 PM, frijoli wrote:



Hi Tom,

Why not Key West?

Just curious.

Clay

Found it pretty boring. Beaches were lousy. Museum boring. Little
Aquarium boring. Nothing much going on but drinking (not that there's
anything wrong with that - J. Seinfeld)...

Maybe if I was there with a drinking crowd I'd look at it differently...

But on a Western Caribbean sailing... I'd much rather be in Cozumel or
Cayman. I know a lot of people love Key West... but just not my thing.

--Tom

Tom K wrote:
On 4/4/10 9:07 PM, frijoli wrote:



Hi Tom,

Why not Key West?

Just curious.

Clay

Found it pretty boring. Beaches were lousy. Museum boring. Little
Aquarium boring. Nothing much going on but drinking (not that there's
anything wrong with that - J. Seinfeld)...

Maybe if I was there with a drinking crowd I'd look at it differently...

But on a Western Caribbean sailing... I'd much rather be in Cozumel or
Cayman. I know a lot of people love Key West... but just not my thing.

--Tom


Agreed.

Key West is a drinking place. I found it pleasant during the
day and a blast at night. The weather is great!

I wouldn't want to stay there too long 'cause I like to drink.

Clay

Key West is a drinking place. I found it pleasant during the day and a
blast at night. The weather is great!

I wouldn't want to stay there too long 'cause I like to drink.

Clay

We always sailed in the late afternoon... so never were there at night.

--Tom

Tom K wrote:

Key West is a drinking place. I found it pleasant during the day and a
blast at night. The weather is great!

I wouldn't want to stay there too long 'cause I like to drink.

Clay

We always sailed in the late afternoon... so never were there at night.

--Tom


Key West doesn't get wound up 'til dark!

wrote in message
...
:
: Here is a question for everyone.
:
: What makes a port attractive - one that would cause you to definitely
: book a cruise that included it? [As opposed to a port that you know
: that you won't even get off the ship]
:
: Would it be one that you have visited before by land?
: Would it be one that you have visited before by ship?
: Or would it be one that you have never been to?
:
: Or would it be the activities that you have done or expect to do that
: would make it a desirable port of call?


Architecture, it's all about centuries-old architecture for me. Each
building leaves an imprint of what artisans perceived to be their own mark
on the landscape. I must be an Old World crone. The way sunlight creases
the seam of chiseled stone, a special mortar used, the smell of antiquity.
A worldwide listing of famously known structures that abound with art, the
performing arts, religious and historical artifacts and present-day markets
and I'm certain I've had my eye on it before we stepped foot from the ship,
our favorite means of transport to visit.

A favorite find was the library, or "bibliotique in Martinique" where open
tiers of native wood crossbeams and white plaster shelter books only a few
blocks from the pier.
Or, a trek through New Orleans' historical districts conjures up a blend of
diverse masonry magic. Our first Mediterranean cruise created bookmarks for
places to return
for extended land vacations. Barcelona...Florence...Rome...Venice...ne'er
forgetting
the Carlton Hotel in Cannes.
Nope, they don't build 'em the way they used to!

On Sun, 04 Apr 2010 21:36:32 -0400, frijoli wrote:
Tom K wrote:
On 4/4/10 9:07 PM, frijoli wrote:

Hi Tom,
Why not Key West?
Just curious.

Clay

Found it pretty boring. Beaches were lousy. Museum boring.

Which museum? West Martello? Audubon House? Lighthouse? Hemingway's
House? Wrecker's/Oldest House Museum? Old Customs House?

Little
Aquarium boring. Nothing much going on but drinking (not that there's
anything wrong with that - J. Seinfeld)...

The aquarium was little but interesting before one of the hurricanes -
can't remember which one.

Maybe if I was there with a drinking crowd I'd look at it differently...

But on a Western Caribbean sailing... I'd much rather be in Cozumel or
Cayman. I know a lot of people love Key West... but just not my thing.

--Tom

Agreed.

Key West is a drinking place. I found it pleasant during the
day and a blast at night. The weather is great!

I wouldn't want to stay there too long 'cause I like to drink.

Clay

We love Key West but not for either the drinking or the beaches. We
like it because we used to live there and know it very well and how it
used to be before cruise ships started dumping hordes of people on it
each day. Its smaller than St. Thomas.

Last time we were there at the end of a 28 day cruise so we went to
the PO and mailed the heavy stuff we had accumulated back home to
ourselves and then went to the cemetery which is extremely interesting
- there's a walking tour that you can do there. It includes a couple
of zinkers and the one with the inscription "I told you I was sick".
There's another one not so well known that says "I'm just resting my
eyes".

It for sure isn't a beach place and the best beach in town is on the
Navy base which most people can't get to. Next best (if you MUST do a
beach) is the one on Fort Taylor. I would think the circumnavigation
on the jet skis would be fun, and there's also good fishing. That's
also where I did my first snorkeling and took my first SCUBA course.

We were there overnight one time because it was too rough to get in to
Grand Cayman so we got there early and were right at Mallory square
(and not off in the boondocks out at the former Navy base where you
need a shuttle to get into town) so we could see all the statue people
and the cat trainer and the fire eater and the escape artist hanging
upside down in a straight jacket etc from the deck of the ship. The
town charges the ship extra if you are there overnight (blocking the
view of the sunset from Mallory Square0, so you don't want those
cheapo cruises that leave at 4 pm.

Key West would be a good place to rent a bicycle and ride around town.
There's a bunch of stuff that's not right down on Duval Street.

I guess my answer would be in a list for an enjoyable port. A port is enjoyable if....
It has enough stores and kiosks for food, clothes and other items that are necessary for the passengersIt has amenities and facilities that are offered to the passengers whether for free or paid. It has activities that are offered to the passengers such as tours and adventures
It has hotels and places to stay at in case passengers would like to spend a day or two in the island. It doesn't have any threats of terrorists or diseases.
Of course if it is clean