Cruise Talk: LOUIS CRISTAL

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Topic: LOUIS CRISTAL

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 01-27-2014 06:21 AM

Ah.. no hawkers, no Diamonds International, no gold by the inch - wonderful...

Get a large cappuccino, sit down and read Aaron Saunders' "Live from the Deck Chair" - Start here or see all the pages and go though the week long cruise circumnavigating Cuba embarking from Montego Bay. Fantastic!!

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

DEIx15x8
First Class Passenger
Member # 14958

posted 01-27-2014 07:45 AM

Thanks for sharing, I'll have to read through that this afternoon. It's funny you would post this sailing since I haven't heard this ship mentioned on here at all lately but just happened to see her sailing into Montego Bay while on the Grandeur of the Seas sailing into Falmouth Jamaica on the 17th. She was a bit distant though and it was dark so the best photo I could do was some blurry lights.

Posts: 521 | From: Kutztown, PA | Registered: Apr 2008 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 01-27-2014 05:24 PM

Now that would have made a great 'Name the Ship' quiz

I can just about make out the flowers knowing who it is, but not sure I would have realised otherwise.
Another page with a lot of super photos of this trip a couple of weeks before the above, is Landgangen

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 02-15-2014 11:07 AM

We have just returned from having had 4 nights in Havana followed by a week on LOUIS CRISTAL around Cuba. One word - Fantastic! Would love to do it again and should have had another 7 nights aboard.

'000s of photos which will take some time to sort out, but I have managed to load LOUIS CRISTAL's interior photos and those from the Bridge visit for anyone interested.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2014 06:23 PM

All my pictures are now online.

Havana has much to offer with plenty of interesting things to see and do. The old, new, dilapidated, sparkling and everything in-between buildings. Castles, Colonials, Art Deco and more. Much has been renovated, much under renovation. 4 nights was by no means long enough.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2014 06:36 PM

Havana Cruise Terminal was smart and quick check-in. On return we were warned that before passengers could disembark all luggage had to be sniffed by the dogs - who would arrive when they arrived

still it was well before 09:00, maybe breakfast and 'walkies' are later on other days.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2014 06:54 PM

LOUIS CRISTAL has a lot more Outside Deck areas than I was expecting. She does have a wrap around promenade, mostly teak decking, but the forward section up to the foredeck is metal and not open when underway.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2014 07:16 PM

Everything aboard is Cuba Cruise'ized

Flowers stuck everywhere inside, walls, windows and furniture too, asides from those on her exterior. When the livery was initally aplied in Piraeus I thought it a bit OTT, but these are the flowers you see everywhere along the roads in Cuba, so rather apt.

a little bit has rubbed off

Pam

[ 03-06-2014: Message edited by: PamM ]

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2014 07:39 PM

I am sure a number of CT'ers remember her well as LEEWARD. Most of the interior layout is the same apart from the midships casino/lounge area. The now 'Time Out Sports Bar' has been various others bars and casino areas over the years. I am still not sure if this area is a bar aboard under Louis Cruises in Greece or if it is a casino area there, with the bar installed for Cuba Cruise - I was reminded that some of the chairs and tables in there are from ORIENT QUEEN now LOUIS AURA. [Louis' online deckplans are ancient and show incorrect names for all lounges and restaurants].

The interiors are all in good order and it's nice to have something a bit different to the norm of today's newbuilds.

My favourite spot

Tables & chairs from LOUIS AURA

Flowers, flowers everywhere

Pam

[ 03-06-2014: Message edited by: PamM ]

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

PamM
First Class Passenger
Member # 2127

posted 03-06-2014 08:18 PM

So a brief round-up - a brilliant cruise with a fascinating insight to life in Cuba. Not at all how I imagined from the 'stories'. LOUIS CRISTAL is just right for the ports of call, anything larger would not make it. The 3 main ports in Cuba, Antilla [Holguin], Santiago de Cuba and Cienfuegos are all within large bays accessed through narrow entrances. The bays are shallow, no deviating from the marked channels with much twisting and turning. Only 5ft under the keel at times. Mud churning. Passing through the bays was as interesting as the cities.

Many Cuban crew aboard, mainly in housekeeping. Brazilians too, who were contracted for LOUIS AURA's season in Brazil which was cancelled.

Cuba Cruise/Louis Cruises have already announced they will be doing these cruises next season too. The passengers were mainly Canadian, around 12 I knew of from the UK, but others from all over the world, Chinese, Polish, Swedes, Japanese and a few Jamaicans. Americans too.

Pam

Posts: 12176 | From: Cambridge, UK | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

Malcolm @ cruisepage
Cruise Director
Member # 301

posted 03-20-2014 10:29 AM

Well done Pam.

I want to go! How did you book?

[ 03-20-2014: Message edited by: Malcolm @ cruisepage ]

Posts: 19210 | From: Essex (Just Outside London) | Registered: A Long Time Ago! | IP: Logged

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