Explore More - 2018

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76 EXPLORE MORE 2018 RUSSIA'

CARIBBEAN CRUISE ARCHITECTURAL GEMS St. Basil’s Cathedral on Moscow’s Red Square was completed in 1561 EVERYTHING ABOUT OUR VIKING CARIBBEAN EXPERIENCE FEELS AUTHENTIC BUT ALSO GLAMOROUS Clockwise, from above: Long-finned pilot whales; spot pelicans along the beach; Viking Sea sailing in the Caribbean; Tortola’s charming waterside houses; Cane Garden Bay, Tortola same—they each have their own identity and culture), I am delighted to discover that the itinerary features my favorites, Antigua and St. Lucia, as well as islands I have not visited before, such as the Virgin Islands (both British and American). A definite highlight proves to be the main island of the British Virgin Islands, Tortola, where we take a sailing trip to Cane Garden Bay and zone out on the beach for the day, watching the pelicans, enjoying the beauty of the emerald mountains, basking in the sun, visiting the sand bars and, every so often, wading into the azure water for a swim. When we arrive back on board Viking Sea, everyone is chilled and smiling, full of Caribbean spirit. All the excursions are provided local with welcoming, knowledgeable guides. During our catamaran cruise in Antigua, we are taken to a few of its 365 beaches—a brilliant day out and everything about our experience feels authentic, but also glamorous and sophisticated. Perhaps my favorite excursion, though, is whale watching in St. Lucia. We set sail on a small boat and everyone on board scoured the waves enthusiastically for signs of life. After just 20 minutes we are rewarded with a sighting. At first all we glimpse are fins and ripples under the water. And then suddenly they appear, three pilot whales performing an aquatic ballet right in front of us as they leap across the ocean. They are wonderful, and it is a joy to watch them. It turns out we peaked slightly too soon, because that is our only whale sighting for the next three hours. The skies turn indigo, the heavens open up and we are all soaked to the skin, but as the rum flows freely and reggae fills the air, nothing can dampen our spirits. Viking may not be able to control the weather in the Caribbean, or predict the appearance of mammals, but everything else about our cruise is definitely delightful. Go online: Watch a video of the West Indies Explorer cruise sailing roundtrip from San Juan in Puerto Rico at voc.com/videos EXPLORE MORE 2018 77