HENRY NOWICKI
14 APRIL 2002
HENRY NOWICKI
14 APRIL 2002
www.maxpages.com/cruise34
The Olympia Voyager, of the Royal Olympic Cruise Line, is a two-year old, modern medium-sized cruise ship having a top speed of 32 knots. Although it would be much too uneconomical to cruise at max power, this extra speed enables the ship to offer more time in ports and, as in the case of its Mediterranean operations, it occasionally permits more than one port visit per day. The Olympia Voyager has received good reviews and since it was departing from Houston on its inaugural voyage from that convenient port and was scheduled to visit the so-called Mayaribbean (or Central American ports), it was an easy choice for a week's journey.
I drove across the southern tier of states overnighting in Arizona and Texas while exploring Big Bend National Park enroute. This interesting area is rather isolated but the roads in and out are excellent and one should not hesitate to visit this border area if the opportunity arises. One day was not enough to see this national park but it did provide a good cross section of the region. Incidentally, the Rio Grande was about two feet deep which reflected a particularly dry year todate.
Interstate 10 from San Antonio to Houston is exceedingly fast and an overnight near the Johnson Space Center was a good choice inasmuch as it permitted an early morning tour of Galveston before boarding the ship which was quite rewarding. The Carnival's Celebration was in port getting ready to depart for the Caribbean.
The location of the Houston Cruise Passenger Terminal at Barbours Cut is well over twenty-five miles from the center of the city and perhaps ten miles east of the Port of Houston which is easily confused with the cruise terminal location. A number of passengers remarked that they were initially directed to the wrong port area. Parking is located adjacent to the cruise terminal for $7/night and seems to be perfectly safe. The announced time of embarkation was 1300 but nothing happened until after 1400 which meant some passengers had needlessly stood in a line for over two hours. The reasons for the delay were never explained although one employee said they had a late briefing/inspection by the port authority/DEA/USCG but that is open to speculation.
The initial look at the ship revealed how relatively small it seemed compared to the larger vessels now plying the cruise trade. Since it was less than two years old, everything looked in great shape and the crew seemed to be both knowledgeable and hospitable. The food was good, the entertainment excellent (it was a special sailing inasmuch as there were a group of Greek headliners brought in especially for a so-called Byzantine program that charged an extra $300/person) and the weather cooperated. The Captain remarked that the ship could achieve 32 knots and the vessel has been termed the fastest cruise ship in the world. The ship's operation was excellent in good weather although there was a definite increase in vibration in the stern area when higher speeds were attempted.
Sat 30 Mar Houston departure was scheduled for 1700 but it was delayed well over an hour to wait for some late boarding passengers. The lights of Texas City were the most discernible night feature as the ship negotiated the thirty odd miles through Galveston Bay to the open Gulf of Mexico. The first evening was quiet as most turned in early after their long day of travel.
Sun 1 Apr at sea. The day was spent investigating the ship and its activities. Most everything is available but on a small scale; eg, the library, public rooms, pool, etc. The rooms seemed of average size and, overall, everything seemed in order. As remarked earlier, this was a special Greek sailing and there were many Greek and Greek-speaking people on board which made for a more festive air especially when it came to "Greek Night" celebrations.
Mon 2 Apr Playa del Carmen 0700-1800. This lively resort area on the east coast of Yucatan is within view of the island of Cozumel which lies some ten miles to the east. Passengers were tendered to the town and many went swimming right where the jetty merged with the shoreline. Immediately to the south of that point is that part of Playa del Carmen which is called Playacar. It is marked by large hotels with good beaches and large pools. Many others opted to head south to Xcaret and Tulum and a lesser number headed north to Cancun. It was a beautiful day and the ship looked great at anchor.
Tue 3 Apr Puerto Cortes 0700-2200. The port town is all business as it services the country's prime industrial region of San Pedro Sula which is some 20 miles to the south. A small number of passengers traveled quite a few hours to the southwest to see the wonders of Copan near the Guatemalan border.
Wed 4 Apr Belize 0700-1300. The approach from the south to Belize, the main port and capital of the country, follows a zig-zag pattern to find passage through the offshore reefs and shallow waters. The channel is well marked but still tricky. I watched the ship maneuver from the upper decks along with a retired pilot who used to work these waters. He remarked that the captain was doing a good job even though he did not have a pilot aboard. It seems the NCL vessel behind us got the last available pilot so we just did without.
This was another tender operation so that made two out of the four cruise ports required tendering. The city unfortunately did not get high marks with the passengers and it was apparent that the visitors all seemed to head for Ambergris Cay or one of its neighbors some thirty miles offshore. Undoubtedly, the beaches, coral reefs and resort atmosphere constituted the main attraction and not the city. Although no one seemed to find it, there is a very nice museum within walking distance of the pier and adjacent to the US Embassy.
Thur 5 Apr Progresso 0930-2100. The recent construction of a substantial pier has provided this section of the northern Yucatan peninsula with access to two of the most celebrated Mayan ruins; Uxmal (Photos) and Chichen Itza. Both destinations require quite a few hours of overland travel. Progresso (or Progreso as the name is used locally) is also constructing a new cruise terminal that will help its tourism appeal. I contented myself with a trip 20 miles south to the lovely town of Merida, Yucatan's capital.
Fri 6 Apr at sea.
Sat 7 Apr Houston arrival 0800. As usual with cruise ships, the final debarkation always seems to be inelegant; however, having a car waiting seems to take all the apprehension out of the procedure. All cruises should end that way.
Overall, this was a fine cruise but then they all are. And as a final note, I would like to quote Anna Colligas (President, Byzantine, Inc.) who, in the ship's newsletter said the following: "Special Thanks to Captain George Apistolas, Stuff Captain Kost Siamantas, and the rest of the Stuff and Crew aboard the Olympia Voyager."
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