I really don't deserve the moniker CAPTAIN Badger as I'm about to embark on only my third cruise in December (PG - 12/4), but it sounded better than "Swabbie Badger". My two previous cruises were a 4-day Bahamas cruise on the old/original Big Red Boat out of Ft. Lauderdale (which partially explains the paucity of cruises in my resume) and Alaska on the Navigator it's 1st year there (which partially explains why I'm doing another Radisson cruise). I've been a Caribbean tiny resort person since 1990 and we've been to a number of pretty neat places, most recently our 1st trip to St. Barth. As a result, even a ship as small as the PG seems like an enormous number of people to join on a beach someplace. All that said, I couldn't be more excited about the December trip and we're combining it with Le Taha's Private Island before and Hotel Bora Bora after.

We live just east of Columbus, OH (where the recent lion sightings have occurred). I'm retiring in 18 days at 55 and have all sorts of plans for future travel.

Welcome Capt. Badger, I think you will enjoy this board. Lots of people with lots of cruise knowledge they are good to share.

Betty

Captain,
Welcome! Lion sightings?

Okay, Karen, you have to add those cool smileys to the "instant graemlin" list. Where DO you find all that neat stuff?

Welcome Capt Badger! Retirement in 18 days??? I am jealous! Congratulations!!! :app:

I saw a brief clip about your lion sightings...there was some confusion as to whether there were REALLY sightings...so, were there? :hyper:

Since my cable has been out since yesterday I have not heard this story yet!

Welcome! You'll "meet" some wonderful new friends here and lots of helpful info as well!!

Go to Google, choose News, and put in Gahanna lion. The latest was the discovery of tracks at the golf course I play at, about a 1/2 mile away. They believe it is an African lion, but they're not at all sure and there have not been a lot of confirmed sightings, although they seem to think that a number of the sightings are indeed reliable. The first night, I was afraid to let my dogs out, but we've relaxed since then. It's been about a week now.

Capt. Badger, welcome aboard! You have picked great pre- and post-cruise spots for your PG cruise! I will be in your neck of the woods in a couple of weeks. Fly into Columbus to drive to Gambier for my daughter's graduation from Kenyon. She has loved being in Ohio because everyone is so nice!

If she loves Ohio, imagine how she'd feel about Wisconsin!!!

Oh, is that where you're REALLY from?

Welcome Captain! :)

Masaki

Welcome, Captain.

Congrats on your soon to be retirement!

jhp:

Born and raised in Milwaukee.

Moved to Ohio 21 years ago (with a few stops in-between). Still support all the Milwaukee teams and the Badgers and Packers. I am, however, a Columbus Blue Jackets fan.

Welcome Captain! Congratulations on your upcoming retirement! More time for the Caribbean and cruising!

Welcome to the boards we are glad to have you here.

Welcome Captain Badger from another Wisconsin-born Packer fan. I wondered if maybe you were from the Badger State.

I have been down here in Dallas for 14 years now. But still get home quite often eventhough I now consider Texas my real home.

Watch out for that lion!

Ginny

Capt. Badger,

Like you, we have have been tiny Caribbean resort people from the 70's through the 90's. But in June, 2001, we cruised Alaska on the Mariner and now we are excited about our upcoming back to back on the PG. Yes, compared to resorts with only 30 guests total capacity it may take some getting used to; but we've read so much about it and think we are going to love it. We are doing 3 days post-cruise on Manihi to get our taste of remoteness in French Polynesia.

Did you ever go to Drake's Anchorage in the North Sound area of the BVI before they shut down? That was our idea of heaven in 1990. Do you snorkel? We are always looking for the best snorkeling locations.

BTW, we live in a township adjacent to Ann Arbor but are friendly to folks from Columbus.

I'm friendly to folks from Columbus too!

I've lived here for 21 years though.

Never got to Drake's Anchorage, but was curious. Also haven't been to Guana and I'm curious about that too. Been to PSV, Young Island and Peter Island, as well as Cap Juluca, Biras Creek and others. Most recently, stayed in a villa on St. Barth and really loved it.

I LOVE snorkeling and I've been to some really nice places, although I swear I could enjoy snorkeling with nothing to see. I also dive, but not as much as I snorkel.

Do you have a villa you would recommend? We have always stayed at Emeraude plage on St jean bch since 83 - but rates have gone sky high - thinking about a villa??? Joanna

We stayed on Guana Island and loved it. We've considered returning there.

Biras Creek was not quite our cup of tea, but that is where we had an exciting windsurfing lesson. (I was afraid I might sail right out to sea but the kind instructor came to my rescue!) Also, from Biras we were able to snorkel just off Necker Island which was certainly the closest we'd ever be able to get to that playground of the "Rich and Famous".

Although Young Island did not have such excellent snorkeling we loved our hillside room with a view; and after the occasion when a peacock came strolling into our bedroom suite I learned to keep the sliding screen door closed. We did three nights on a crewed sailboat to the Grenadines from Young Island - loved the snorkeling but my queezy stomach hated the sailing. The swells were 8 to 10 feet, sea bands did me no good. Since that experience I've learned to rely on Bonine tablets.

Have you been to Palm Island? We were considering that at one time. PSV is also quite tempting, but like Guana it is at the very top of what we could afford. (All those trips were prior to my husband taking an early retirement - now our trips are really a splurge for us.)

Joanna:

Although we've only been the one time, I can say that our villa was absolutely perfect and I would very highly recommend it if you are looking for a really private, romantic 1-bedroom with an amazing view. It was La Mouina in Vitet. High season is about $4000 for the week (you should verify that). It is available from more than one agent; we used French Caribbean (Sharon) and could not have been more satisfied. If you want more details, I can refer you to a post I made at sbhonline.

Kathy:

Biras was the first place we went to in the Caribbean (1990). It was really great then. I heard it slid a little and that the last few years it has become as good or better than ever. When we did Young Island, we did it with our kids. They had a cottage on one end of the resort and we had one on the other end. Perfect! Very charming place. We considered Palm Island, but everything I'd read made PSV sound so much nicer. We've been to PSV a couple times and it is really a favorite of ours. I've also been trying to discover a cheaper place that we'd like just as much. It takes guts to try a nearly unknown spot though. I'm thinking about checking out Cape Santa Maria in the Bahamas. It's very reasonable and sounds pretty neat, if not plush. Actually, in a rather odd way, St. Barth (often referred to as the world's most expensive destination) was sort of a bargain. It was less expensive than a week at PSV and, although competely different, equally wonderful. I'm working on getting my wife to agree to a crewed sailboat in the BVI sometime too.

Capt. Badger, if my math gene is working, today is the day you celebrate your retirement. Congratulations! You are so young to be retired and lucky you planned everything just right!

I have enjoyed reading your and others adventures in small Caribbean places. We anchored once at Biras Creek in the 80's, as well as many others mentioned. As I remember Biras Creek, there was either nothing there, or an abandoned property. I highly recommend to you and your wife a crewed charter some day. I really don't enjoy the areas as much any more where the large cruise ships go. I have done these charters four times during the 80's, and loved every one, twice with adults, and twice with 2 families, and once bareboat (not for me). On a crewed charter, you do nothing more than you want as far as helping with the sailing. They have all the toys onboard, you call the shots about where you want to go, you send your food preferences ahead, it is full bar included (at least it used to be), the food is fantastic, and there is no dress code. The only drawback is the cabins...they are usually tiny unless you get one with a master stateroom. But really no need for a "balcony" cabin, because when it is a private charter, the entire deck is yours.

Thanks JHP. You hit the date right on the button. I've been busier than ever since I retired, so I hadn't checked the forum for several days.

No need to convince me of a crewed sail! My wife isn't quite as enamored of sailboats as I am. Sooner or later, I think she'll be willing, maybe for just a few days, but that would be a start.

We went to Biras in 1990 and I'm not sure how old it was then, but the thought of it empty or abandoned is really a weird thought. Was Bitter End there?

Just visiting this section of the board for the first time in awhile. Capt. Badger, I started going to Bitter End Yacht Club in the first couple of years it was built, for land vacations. I can't remember whether I saw Biras creek when we were on a land trip staying at BEYC, or on one of the crewed charters and anchored there. All those trips were back in the late 70's through 1990, so I guess it was when we were staying next door at the Bitter End.