New York

Thursday, April 4th
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 17
New York, New York
Arriving:  12:00 PM
Arriving: 2:30 PM
Partly Sunny - 59 Degrees

Our arrival in New York was delayed by two-and-half hours due to the same storm system that prevented our call to Norfolk.  We had to make some adjustments, but not a big deal.

Cruising into New York is a singular experience.  We have had some spectacular arrivals:  San Francisco under the Golden Gate, Vancouver under the Lions Gate, past mountains and glaciers and sky scrapers, up rivers and down under, back in time, and into the future.  For a sense of arrival, nothing can rival New York.

It was a glorious afternoon in the hazy sunshine:  cruising under the Verrazzano Narrows Bridge, into the Upper Harbor and up the lower Hudson, past Liberty's light and Freedom's tower, docking at ther Manhattan Cruise Terminal.  You can hear the soundtrack as it played on deck:  Empire State of Mind, New York State of Mind, and, of course, New York, New York.  BIG Apple Playlist

We are overnighting on the ship before disembarking tomorrow.  Our tour to the 911 Memorial and Museum was canceled due the late afternoon arrival, but we have plenty of time t make our dinner reservation.

Gato is Bobby Flay's latest and greatest Spanish-Inspired Mediterranean restaurant that is still buzzing five years after opening.  The cool kids line up, it rates high on Zagat, and it was named one of the "Top TV Chef Restaurants in NYC."

Gato Menu

Lexington Brown Butter Bourbon, Apple Jack, Carpano Antica, Apple Bitters

Garnacha/Syrah/Cabernet, 'Berola' Borsao Campo de Borja, ES 2013

Burrata, peperonata, harissa / Lamb Tenderloin, salsa verde / Pork Belly, smoked paprika, apple mostarda

Roasted Octopus, sour orange, bacon, oregano, shishito pepper

Scrambled Eggs, almond romesco, boucheron cheese, tomato confit toast

Porterhouse Pork Chop, tomato pan juices, romesco, polenta

Crispy Potatoes, poached egg, smoked paprika, parmigiano

Roasted Cauliflower, padron peppers, agrodolce

Fromage Blanc Cheesecake Caramel Sauce, Biscotti Crust

Dark Chocolate & Toasted Almond Tart Almond Gelato

Manzanilla, ‘La Gitana’ Hidalgo Sanlucar de Barrameda, ES. NV

Gato means cat in Spanish.  We don't get the name, but we get the food.  It was great!!!

Friday, April 5th

M/S Marina

Americas Connection

Day 18 - Disembarkation

New York, New York

Chance of Showers - 43 Degrees

We abandoned ship and checked-in to the new Edition Times Square Hotel.  Accommodations were tight, but the location put us right on top of the action with views of the chaos from the hotel terrace.

Rockefeller Center is our quintessential New York experience.  So, even in the rain, it has to be the first stop on a Midtown walk.

Those familiar with the blog will know that Hillstone is our favorite upscale small chain restaurant, the New York Midtown location is in the Citicorp Building on 53rd St.  Prime French Dips with hot au jus were a welcome respite from the rain.

After a nap and a pre-theater bite at the hotel, we took a walk on the wild side through Times Square to the Schubert Theater.  To Kill a Mockingbird is one of the great American novels of the 20th century, and one of the top shows on Broadway.  Adapted for the stage by the brilliant Aaron Sorkin, directed by Bartlett Sher, former artistic director of the Seattle Rep, and starring the incomparable Jeff Daniels as Atticus Finch, this is cant-miss theater.  It was enthralling and inspiring.

Saturday, April 6th

New York, New York
Sunny - 65 Degrees

Today, a return trip to a few old favorites, and new neighborhood literally created out of thin air.

Union Square cafe is a legend in New York, the original restaurant in the Danny Meyer empire, and the flagship of the Union Square Hospitality Group.  From Grammercy Tavern to Shake Shack, Danny Meyer invented hospitality.   We have been to USC before, and we love their warm, sweet and salty nuts.  Today we stopped for brunch, which was not particularly noteworthy.

It's the chicken and the egg, Union Square Cafe and the Union Square Greenmarket.  We're not sure which gave rise to the other, but they best enjoyed together.  We walked the market, but it's still a little early in the season.

The West Side Railyards were a vast wasteland of tracks and trash on the far Westside of Midtown Manhattan.  Certainly not the highest and best use for prime real estate, but still active and vital  infrastructure.  They couldn't build on the railyards, so they built over them.  An entire mixed-use neighborhood.  28 acres, over 18 million square feet of built space.  Out of thin air.

There are shops and restaurants, office and residential, arts and entertainment, but the star attraction is The Vessel.

More than 15,000 restaurants in New York City, and we went back to Hillstone for dinner.

Sunday, April 7th

New York, New York

Mostly Sunny - 63 Degrees

It was a brilliant sunny Sunday, and we planned a culinary tour of the best, from Midtown to Houston to Central Park South.

We started with a better weather walk to Rockefeller Center, and breakfast at Thomas Keller's Bouchon Bakery, one of Zagat's 50 Best Restaurants in New York City.  Coffee, Cheese Danish, Blueberry Muffin, and an Almond Croissant at the window counter, and a bag of the namesake Bouchon to go.

After saying our prayers at St. Pat's...

...we headed down to SoHo, just Ho, actually, for brunch at Russ & Daughters Appetizers for a Jewish brunch.  

R&D is the place for a bagel, a schmear, and smoked fish sliced thin by hand.  Take a ticket, get in line, and wait.  Bagel, Gaspe Nova Smoked Salmon, Cream Cheese, Capers, Onions, and a Black & White Cookie

Give a man a fish, yadda yadda yadda. butteach a man where to find the best pastrami, you will feed him for a lifetime.  Katz's Delicatessen for lunch:  Pastrami Sandwiches, Pickles, Russian Dressing

A brisk walk uptown took us to Quality Meats for dinner..  NYC is high stakes for steaks.  Right now, Quality Meats is at the top of the heap.  It has a modern, new American feel, but it's old school good.  

Quality Meats Menu
Picket Fence
Quilt Cabernet
Caesar Salad
Bacon
Ribeye
Scallops
Crispy Potato

Corn Creme Brulé

No night is complete without second dessert.  Hershey Times Square occupies the ground floor of the hotel building, and they serve made to order giant S'mores.  Yes, please.

Monday, April 8th

New York, New York

From the South American Andes, through the Central American Canal, to the North American Metropolis, that's the Americas Connection.  Machu Picchu was the HIGHlight, but many more sights along the way.

JFK - SEA

Alaska Flight 349

Departing 9:00 AM

Arriving 12:25 PM

Next Up:  ???

Outbreak

Wednesday, April 3rd
M/S Marina
At Sea
Americas Connection
Day 16

All the years, all the cruises, all the lines and all the ships, all the days at sea, we have never been onboard a ship suffering an outbreak.  Until now.

We are OK, but Marina has been under Level 3 Sanitation Procedures for nearly two weeks.  Information has been in short supply.  Nothing in writing from the cruise line until April 1st, random announcements only broadcast in the public areas, evasive answers to questions at the reception desk.  We knew people were sick.  We knew it was a GI illness of some sort.  Norovirus?  That can run rampant in the close quarters of a cruise ship, and it's always a concern.

What are Level 3 Sanitation Procedures?  Crew have been stationed at the entrances to all public venues to require the use of hand sanitizer for admittance.  Some facilities have been closed entirely, like the public launderettes.  In other areas, doors have been blocked open to reduce touches, like the public restrooms.  All self-serve food and beverage counters have been wrapped in plastic, with servers to assist.  Servers wearing rubber gloves handled plates with paper napkins.  Tables that are typically set with linens, plates, silver, and glasses have been left bare, sanitized between uses, and only set when assigned.  No salt and pepper.  Crew with buckets of cleaner have been roaming the ship cleaning touchable surfaces, which are left slimy and dripping in their wake.

The crew response has been extraordinary, tirelessly trying to keep everyone healthy in addition to their regular duties, yet the outbreak has persisted.  The threat was finally lifted at noon yesterday.   We have been checking the CDC website for updates since Oceania has not been forthcoming.  Here is their report:

Next Stop:  New York (or the infirmary)

Not Norfolk

Tuesday, April 2nd
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 16
Norfolk, Virginia
Port Canaveral, Florida
Arriving: 7:00 AM
Departing: 7:00 PM
Scattered Showers - 77 Degrees

Historically bad weather prevented our tour of American history in and around Norfolk today.

Instead, Marina took a trip to the future.  We are docked at the home of America's space program, Cape Canaveral.  This is a supercool substitution, but we have been here before.  We had a great visit to the Kennedy Space Center on the Southern Sojourn tour of 2013.  Here is a link if you would like to revisit the visit.

Kennedy Space Center 2013

Next stop:  New York

Miami

Monday, April 1st
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 15
Miami, Florida
Arriving: 7:00 AM
Departing: 6:00 PM
Partly Cloudy - 82 Degrees

Miami / Fort Lauderdale is usually our homeport for Caribbean cruising adventures, so it has been fun to play tourist on this port stop today, which began with docking in the dark.

We took the Miami Highlights & Villa Vizcaya tour to see some familiar sites, and visit a villa nueva to us, the fabulous Vizcaya Museum & Gardens.

"Built in the early 1900s as the winter home of industrialist James Deering, Vizcaya was designed to look like a centuries-old Italian estate. It's a magnificent representation, and little expense was spared in the construction of the home and its Italian Renaissance and French-designed gardens. This National Historic Landmark features 15th through 19th century furnishings and exquisite artwork that reflect the lavish lifestyle Deering enjoyed here until his death in 1925."

Next Stop:  Norfolk 

Costa Maya

Saturday, March 30th
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 13
Costa Maya, Mexico
Arriving: 8:00 AM
Departing: 6:00 PM
Partly Cloudy - 84 Degrees

Costa Maya is the cruise gateway to ancient Mayan Mexico.

"The ruins at Chacchoben date back to 200 BC.  It was a place of pilgrimage known as “The Place of Red Corn.”  The site had been engulfed by dense jungle for centuries, and wasn’t rediscovered until the 1940s. More than 50 years passed before excavation was begun."

This is an active and important archeological site.  The jungle has been beaten back, but you can still imagine that Land Before Time look.

"Temple 24, also known as the Temple of the Offering, is the primary, excavated, and most recognizable pyramid at the Chacchoben Mayan ruins in Mexico. Located in Plaza B, this Early Classic (200-600 CE) structure stands approximately 36 feet tall, featuring five tiers, a restored base, and an unexcavated top, with stairways on all four sides."

"Temple I (The Sun Temple) is the tallest and most prominent structure at the Chacchoben Mayan ruins, rising approximately 42 feet above the jungle canopy. It is situated atop the Gran Basamento, a massive artificial platform that served as the regional ceremonial and ritual heart of the city."

"The Temple of the Vessels dates to approximately 700 CE. Situated on the sacred Gran Basamento (Great Base) plateau, this temple functioned as a repository for ceremonial goods, vessels, and offerings utilized in rituals at the nearby Temple 1."

After looking back through history exploring Mayan Ruins, we looked back from the ship at present day Costa Maya.

Next Stop:  Miami

Harvest Caye

Friday, March 29th
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 12
Harvest Caye, Belize
Arriving: 8:00 AM
Departing: 5:00 PM
Sunny - 83 Degrees

Harvest Caye is a little bit of Norway in Belize. Norwegian Cruse Line bought the island in 2013 to create a private getaway for their guests, in Belize, but not of Belize.  Oceania is a member of the Norwegian family, so we get to enjoy this oasis of family fun, 75 acres including a 15,000 square foot pool, a sandy beach, a salt-water lagoon, a zipline, and a wildlife center.

We booked a ride on the Black Swan Electric Boat Cruise for a water tour, and then took a walk through the village and major attractions.  It is neither authentically Norwegian nor Belizean, but Harvest Caye is clean, safe, and fun.

 

Next Stop:  Costa Maya, Mexico

Roatan

Thursday, March 28th
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 11
Roatan, Honduras
Arriving: 8:00 AM
Departing: 6:00 PM
Mostly Sunny - 77 Degrees

It's a beautiful day in Roatan today, so we are taking the Ultimate Resort Getaway to the Pristine Bay Resort.

"Luxuriate at a private oceanfront resort, enjoying bountiful amenities that include infinity-edge swimming pools, a wide private beach and a relaxed tropical ambiance. The exclusive Pristine Bay Resort sprawls over 400 lush tropical acres so there is plenty to occupy your time. The ocean views from the elevated pool are wonderfully panoramic and stretch as far as you can see. You will also have plenty of options to dine on your own. You might enjoy a meal poolside, at the beach club or in the restaurant with a Mediterranean-inspired menu. Seafood is a specialty as the coral reef surrounding Roatan is teeming with fish."

While the pools and the views were infinite, the service was non-existent. The resort was clean and pristine, lush and lovely, and utterly deserted. So, for better, and for worse, we had the place to ourselves. Peaceful, tranquil, but somewhat unfulfilling.

Next Stop:  Harvest Caye, Belize

    

Santo Tomas

Wednesday, March 27th
M/S Marina
Americas Connection
Day 10
Santo Tomas, Guatemala
Arriving: 9:00 AM
Departing: 7:00 PM
Chance of Rain - 84 Degrees

Puerto Santo Tomas de Castilla is the largest industrial port in Atlantic Guatemala.  What it lacks in charm, it makes up for in containerized shipping

In search of charm by land and lake, a drive through the Motagua Valley delivered us to Lake Izabal and the Rio Dulce National Park, a protected area and one of the most important ecological reserves in the country.  From a dock much more colorful than the pier, we boarded speed boats and set out on the lake.  It was the perfect setting for deep thoughts and a graceful pose while appreciating the view.

The 17th-century Castillo de San Felipe, dedicated to King Felipe II of Spain, stands sentinel at the entrance to Lake Izabal to protect the Rio Dulce from invading pirates pillaging shipments to and from Spain and Cuba.

In 1686, a pirate assault burned the fort to the ground, and subsequent treaties between Spain and England made peace of the piracy.  It was repurposed as a prison, and eventually abandoned and left in ruins.   Architect Francisco Ferrus led the restoration of the castle based on the original plans in 1955.  It still retains two cannons dating back to the 1790s, and a pair of 400-year-old towers.

And, finally, three for the birds, and a stop for refreshments.

Next Stop:  Roatan, Honduras