As restrictions are lifted and the sense of danger diminishes, it becomes easier and easier feel again . From the limited and distressing emotions of the pandemic, we move on to a timid freedom to live happiest moments , more exciting. It is even nice to feel a little fear again, but not the panic of worrying about the health of loved ones, but that adrenaline-filled fear of being fifteen meters from the ground , hanging from a rope with a waist harness.
Come back to canyoning It is, of course, a great way to reconnect with emotions. hours of rappel down different cliffs , each one more spectacular than the previous one, vertiginous jumps from waterfalls to lakes much deeper than they seem, always with the peace of mind provided by the life jacket and the moment of reflective calm where you look back at the mossy walls and realize that you just jumped from up there. And all this in the context of the long-awaited experience of a caribbean cruise.
Dominica It has landscapes that seem to be taken from some sequel to Jurassic Park or Avatar. The capital, Roseau , is the second stop of the Seabourn Odyssey cruise ship on one of its seven-day West Indies routes, which also passes through Saint Lucia and Saint Kitts and Nevis.
Pebbles Beach, Barbados.
Fresh market in Barbados.
The mid-September trip had just over 100 passengers of all ages, who were traveling for all kinds of reasons, from honeymoons to family outings. For almost everyone, it was the first long trip since the start of the pandemic , and even the ship itself had returned to activity only a few weeks before, after the 17 month hiatus that the entire sector has experienced. Between the number of people who lost their jobs, the uncertain conditions and the difficulty anticipating the future , was in doubt whether cruise companies would have the opportunity to continue to exist.
The relief of seeing that yes you can travel this way again it was palpable, both from the passengers and the ship's staff. Just six months ago, the simple idea of falling asleep to the lapping of the waves or listening to live music at sunset after a day of walking along white sands along with crystal-clear waters was unthinkable. But the fact that the first trips have gone so well is a good omen . This is largely due to the strict security measures and vaccination requirements that each country on the route imposes, both on passengers and ship personnel, but also on the cruise ship restrictions.
The boats carry a quarter of its capacity although, as they continue to count on their full staff , the ratio between employees and travelers is very different from usual. And this has its advantages, especially in a company well known for its luxurious services. There are unrepeatable opportunities on a Caribbean cruise with so few passengers, such as being able to order the most long-awaited dinners during quarantine from kitchens with much more capacity to customize each menu, or making last-minute reservations at the much-requested The Grill, the restaurant on board that takes the chef Thomas Keller.
Hunte Gardens, Barbados.
Dominated in Barbados.
Nor did the demands of the security protocols prevent us from enjoying the part of the trip outside the ship . Seabourn had some freedom to continue organizing some of its events, and there were fantastic moments like enjoying the Carambola Beach Club only among cruise passengers. With the mountains in the background and in front of some deep turquoise waters , we savor the cocktails , the caviar and the Locust as if it were the first time we tried them. And after an incredible afternoon of warm sand underfoot, sea breeze and waves, sunbathing on the extremely comfortable loungers, comes the perfect ending: a relaxing bath in the cabin.
After so many months without being able to go out to sea, so many flights canceled and so many changes in regulations and restrictions, a trip like this is like get out of reality for a moment , and it's no wonder so many people are itching to stay longer as the end of the scheduled route nears.