A complete list of every cruise review on CruiseReport.com.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 11/14/18 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 11/14/18

Jamaica – Hedonism II. “Be Wicked for a Week”.

The motto of Hedonism II is “Be Wicked for a Week” and, judging by...

By John and Sandra Nowlan

There was a Prude Side and a Nude Side. But during our afternoon and evening visit to the Hedonism II Resort, just a few hundred yards from the Riu Palace, very few guests stayed by the white sand beach on the quiet Prude Side. Those who did quickly disrobed.

But the Nude Side, especially the pool, was crowded and noisy with everyone required to disrobe. Only newbies had sun tan lines. The popular 280 room resort at the extreme west end of Jamaica's famous Seven Mile Beach is obviously adults-only but we were surprised by the lack of young people. Very few were in their 20s and early 30s. The majority were older, mostly in their 40s and 50s but some well into their 60s and 70s. The couples were mostly heterosexual but the resort also welcomes singles and gay couples. The scene was definitely not from Playboy as all body shapes and sizes were on display without embarrassment. No one was shocked by the gentleman with a Prince Albert piercing (look it up!). The resort prides itself as being non-judgmental. As one recent guest posted, “Nearly everyone here is decidedly imperfect…and nobody cares.”

*Sandra on the Prude Side. Quiet. Great beach.*

The motto of Hedonism II is “Be Wicked for a Week” and, judging by the pool activity, guests from around the world come here to shed inhibitions (as well as clothing) and to live out their fantasies. We stayed mostly on the Prude side (but greatly enjoyed the freedom and relaxation of swimming in soothing warm water in the altogether) but heard guests talking about the erotic pool games on the Nude side. One was called “Car Wash” which involved plenty of soap bubbles. We can only imagine!

We quickly got used to nude couples walking back and forth between the two areas of the resort, saying hello and chatting to strangers. Nakedness is also allowed in many other areas of the property but not in the dining rooms.

We were invited to stay for the Friday night gala buffet and, with everyone clothed, it was much like buffets at other Jamaica resorts. The Executive Chef at Hedonism II is Anthony Miller, a displaced Texan who seamlessly moved from Bar BQ to jerk chicken and ackee & salt fish. He told us that Jerk is extremely complex and takes his Texas skills to another level. The food at the buffet was indeed excellent, especially since it included unlimited lobster tails, roasted over coals.

*Anthony Miller, the Texas Chef at Hedonism II*

*Unlimited Lobster Tails at Hedonism II Buffet.*

Being curious about these things we were very happy with our short visit to Hedonism II and consider it to be among our travel adventure highlights. And, since we were asked many times, there was never a Hedonism I. No one knows why.

John and Sandra Nowlan are food and travel writers based in Halifax.

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/14/18 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 8/14/18

Jamaica. Lots of sun, sand and music.

It was a 90 minute transfer from MoBay to our resort, the Riu Palace Tropical Bay in Negril.

By John and Sandra Nowlan

We could see the cruise ships in Montego Bay but this time we were going farther afield.

We had just arrived in Jamaica after a comfortable non-stop Sunwing flight from Canada and were ready for a full week of sun, sand and fine Jamaican food. The music was a bonus.

It was a 90 minute transfer from MoBay to our resort, the Riu Palace Tropical Bay in Negril but the seaside route, filled with colorful houses and bustling villages, was fascinating.

The white sand beach in front of the low rise, three story buildings of the Riu Resort was surprisingly wide with lots of palm trees for shade and more than 900 loungers, enough for every guest. Unlike many resorts, the beach was never overcrowded. Non-intrusive peddlers roamed the beach – all are public – but the roving musical entertainers were especially good. Most carried guitars and drums but one energetic soul pulled along a large double bass.

*Great beach. Plenty of beach loungers at Riu Palace.*

There’s no seaweed in the warm, crystal clear Caribbean water and it was totally free of rocks or coral. The water remains shallow out to the buoy barrier, no more than chest or neck high. Some like that but we had wished the water was a bit deeper for better swimming.

Riu has six resorts in Jamaica and, as first timers to the brand, we were impressed with the overall quality of our Negril property.

*Beach Sunset at Riu Palace Tropical Bay.*

Thanks to an extensive $35 million renovation in 2018 most of the public rooms and all of the 452 suites looked and felt brand new. Our large, comfortable room, decorated in tasteful colors of cream and beige with turquoise accents, had a partial ocean view but was still very close the beach. The super king size bed had great reading lights and the television included a wide variety of international channels. Closet and drawer space was generous and the large bathroom included a shower with both a traditional and rain shower head. The mini-fridge was stocked daily with complimentary sodas and beer (Jamaica’s Red Stripe, of course) and there was a bar-style liquor dispenser for rum, gin, vodka and low-end Scotch.

*All rooms at Riu Palace were renovated in 2018.*

Excellent cuisine is vital for a top quality all-inclusive resort and The Riu Palace Tropical Bay was outstanding. Buffets can often be boring but we were impressed with the wide variety in the main dining room, particularly the Caribbean and traditional Jamaican fare available at breakfast, lunch and dinner. Many guests stuck with North American dishes but we relished the chance to try ackee & salt fish, Jamaican patties, curried goat, braised oxtail, plantain and rice with red beans.

*The chef with Jamacian dishes at the excellent buffet.*

Wonderful jerk chicken is available at the buffet but there’s also a jerk shack on the beach with a superb chef, Jolly, who prides himself on his spicy and tasty product.

Employing 74 chefs and cooks, the Riu also has four specialty restaurants, no extra charge, that do not require reservations. Just come when you want. If it’s full, they’ll give you a remote buzzer.

We enjoyed the Japanese, Italian and Steak House restaurants but especially loved Krystal, the fusion restaurant with an extra level of presentation and service. We enjoyed braised sea bass with miso, lamb with yellow curry and cannelloni with braised ossobuco. The steak house is the most informal specialty restaurant (shorts and T shirts allowed). Our first New York strip loin was tough but it was happily replaced by an excellent fillet. The Caribbean lobster was especially good.

In addition to the beach musicians, the Riu has nightly on-stage entertainment. Most shows have a Caribbean focus (the Jamaican theme was especially interesting) but touring specialty acts, like the Michael Jackson show, are very popular.

The airlines have full time reps at the resort to solve problems and sell tours. We chose a delightful rafting adventure on the Grand River. In earlier days, 30 foot long bamboo rafts were used to transport bananas downriver. Now these sturdy rafts have been fitted with comfortable, elevated chairs for two and an experienced guide poles his way downriver, navigating mild rapids and pointing out the remarkable flora and fauna. The relaxing 45 minute mini-cruise was followed by a visit to a banana plantation, a Jamaican lunch (jerk chicken) and samples of unique Jamaican liquors.

After our week in the sun we asked a few winter-weary Americans and Canadians about their Jamaica experience. All seemed to be delighted. The popular response? “We’ll be coming back for sure.”

Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 3/16/18 Chris Dikmen & Rickee Richardson 3/16/18

Beautiful Barbados. Sun, Sand and Seafood.

Barbados is a "must stop" for almost all cruises to the southern Caribbean.

By John and Sandra Nowlan

Barbados is a "must stop" for almost all cruises to the southern Caribbean. In fact, eighteen cruise lines use the excellent port facilities near the capital, Bridgetown, and several find the friendly and relatively safe country to be an ideal island for embarkation and disembarkation. This English speaking, former British colony is just 21 miles long and 14 miles wide but packs a lot of attractions and great food for those who stay more than a few hours.

*The rugged east coast, the Atlantic side, of Barbados*

Food, especially seafood, was a key goal of ours when we spent several days in this delightful winter get-away. And it delivered. Two fins up for Barbados Barracuda, Red Snapper, Flying Fish, King Fish, Mahi Mahi and Sea Cat (Octopus).

Of course we had other goals as well – a sunny, warm climate, friendly people and excellent accommodation along a soft sand beach. With a population of less than 300,000, Barbados has become a favorite southern destination for cruisers as well as longer-term travelers from the US, Britain and Canada.

*The wide beach at Fairmont Royal Pavilion.*

We stayed at the Fairmont Royal Pavilion, one of 75 Canadian-owned luxury properties in 24 countries. This beachfront location with lush landscaping, a former sugar plantation, must be one of its most spectacular. With just 72 spacious rooms in pink-clad, three story buildings the Fairmont is the oldest resort on the west coast of Barbados. A multi-million dollar restoration and modernization in 2017 has made a fine resort even better. Every morning it was a treat to slide open the patio doors and be swimming in clear, warm Caribbean waters within 30 seconds.

*Beachside. The view from the Nowlan's porch.*

It was also a special treat to visit a few of the best restaurants in Barbados. Just a short drive (or twenty minute walk) from the Fairmont, the Fusion Rooftop restaurants is a key tenant of an upscale shopping complex. With a retractable roof and an innovative interior design featuring a “live wall” and fire pit, the menu is equally imaginative. Our starters were tasty Piri Piri shrimp and Mushroom Baklava followed by the Catch of the Day – perfectly cooked red snapper with yoghurt sauce. Dessert was a decadent Champagne White Chocolate Cheesecake.

Good food and good rum are intertwined in Barbados because the Caribbean country is the birthplace of this versatile spirit. Dating back to 1642, sugar cane and rum production has become a major economic driver. Annual rum exports, from four major island producers and ten well-known brands, total about $US 40 million. The best known distillery, Mount Gay, is also the oldest continuing rum producer in the world, tracing its roots to 1703. Visitors are welcomed at the distillery for a variety of tours. We chose the Lunch Experience including a guided tour with a film about the history of Mount Gay, a tasting of its various products followed by a traditional buffet lunch with unlimited rum punch.

After driving past fields of sugar cane and some of the more than 1500 small “rum shops” on the island we visited another producer with a long history in Barbados. St. Nicholas Abbey, one of only three Jacobean mansions in the Western Hemisphere, dates back to 1660. Set among 225 acres of sugar cane fields, the residence, syrup factory, steam mill and recently installed distillery are all open to the public. Tastings of its unique Sugar, Molasses and Single Cask rums are always a treat.

Many restaurants on the island feature rum cocktails and none does it better than the Cocktail Kitchen in St. Lawrence Gap on the south coast. The 2018 Barbados Chef of the Year, Ottawa-trained Damian Leach, offers a wide variety of unique cocktails and some fine cuisine including remarkably good smoked octopus, pickled bread fruit and Parmesan crusted barracuda.

*Smoked Octopus at Cocktail Kitchen. Tender and delicious.*

Several good restaurants in Barbados are built right over the water so diners can enjoy the gentle sounds of surf while enjoying their seafood. Hugo’s, on the beachfront in Speightstown, serves wonderful barracuda and sea bass while the Top Deck, just a short walk north of the Fairmont offered fresh red snapper and exceptional desserts (outstanding bread pudding infused with rum). The Atlantis Restaurant, on the open Atlantic side with heavier surf, served excellent flying fish sandwiches and flying fish, three ways. This national dish of Barbados is usually fried with Bajan seasoning and served on a bed of cou cou (corn meal, okra and butter).

*Top Deck. Fresh and simple red snapper.*

On our last evening in Barbados we enjoyed an upscale seaside restaurant, this one built on a south shore coral cliff with heavier surf thundering just beneath us. As expected, seafood dominated the creative menu at Champers. To begin we enjoyed an excellent shrimp and mango salad followed by coconut shrimp and a Medley of Seafood – Caribbean lobster, shrimp and king fish.

Besides eating great seafood, there are plenty of fascinating activities in and around Barbados. One day we joined a Cool Runnings Catamaran for an invigorating sail along the west coast followed by a chance to snorkel among giant sea turtles and over a couple of wrecked ships.

*Friendly Sea Turtles from Cool Runnings catamaran.*

For a total change of pace we visited the remarkable Hunte’s Gardens, built in and around an ancient sinkhole by horticulturalist Anthony Hunte. To add to his rain forest masterpiece, Mr. Hunte brought tropical plants from around the world to join 200 year old trees, Asian Buddas and plenty of benches to sit and enjoy the atmosphere and the quiet classical music. Now in his mid-70s, Mr. Hunte welcomes visitors personally and invites them to his home for lemonade and a chat.

Before leaving Barbados we’d recommend some extra time at the International Airport to view the only Concorde that had regular service between Britain and the Caribbean. A British Airways supersonic jet known as Alpha Echo is stored in a hanger adjacent to the airport. Visitors can learn about the technology that made this aircraft unique and stroll through the narrow-bodied plane to see the creature comforts that made the high cost experience so popular.

*John and Sandra Nowlan are travel and food writers based in Halifax*