Estimated reading time: 6 minutes
We met a new friend!!
St. Croix trivia includes its status as the location of the easternmost point in the United States, Point Udall, its status as the only U.S. territory where people drive on the left, and the location of the deepest point in the Atlantic Ocean, the Puerto Rico Trench, just off its coast. The island, with a rich history under multiple colonial powers, including Denmark and Spain, is also renowned for its stunning bioluminescent bay and its legacy of rum production, exemplified by Cruzan Rum.
The inlet was magnificent with rolling hills of greenery!
The bay was quiet except for the turtles sloshing around.
At 7:30 am, we headed to the VIP Lounge and had a good BM and some rolls. BTW, “BM” means Bloody Mary! We talked to the Lounge manager for quite a while and got the rundown on this to see.
We had breakfast in the VIP Lounge!
Mary received several comments on her purse, which Robin had given her on our last voyage together.
Mary loves the purse that Robin gave her!
We went to the Cruzan Rum factory, where we received many “tastes” of various flavors after the tour.
Rum is the oldest liquor in the world, first produced for enjoyment in the West Indies in 1650, the year before Paul was born!
Cruzan has a large facility just a few miles from the terminal.
The distillery has a long history of rum production, with roots dating back to 1760, and is recognized for its dedication to capturing the essence of St. Croix in its rum-making process.
BTW, if I ever go missing, please put my photo on a Rum bottle, not a milk carton.
At the Rum Distillery
Cruzan is owned by Suntory Global Spirits, a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings, based in Osaka, Japan.
We walked for about 45 minutes and saw the various vats used to make this delightful drink. Below is one of their many 30,000-gallon containers where the yeast goes to work to make a run.
I wanted to swim, but alas, I was higher in alcohol content than the vat!
Alcohol may be man’s worst enemy, but the bible says love your enemy.
Frank Sinatra
After the tour, we stopped for a “tasting”. We got into trouble with the girls, for what, we do NOT know!
Oh oh! What did the boys do???
How much rum does it take to make a pirate drunk? A Galleon.
Hireturnedn!
Mark was proud of the number on the bottle… it was 007!
Gotcha!
We returned to the ship, and the kids went looking for Caribbean Back. We went to the trough and enjoyed a leisurely meal of Caribbean delights.
Back to the boat!
Back to the ship we went, while the kids went in search of some “island food.” We went to the trough and I plunged into several Indian dishes and Caribbean delicacies.
Around 4:00 pm, we took a nap to get ready for tonight, which is Chef’s Table night. On Royal Caribbean, the Chef’s Table is an exclusive, intimate, and upscale dining experience hosted by the ship’s Chef de Cuisine for a small group of up to 8 to 12 guests. The experience features a multi-course gourmet meal with carefully paired wines, where the chef personally explains each dish and answers questions. It’s a unique opportunity to get a behind-the-scenes look at the kitchen’s artistry in an elegant, private setting, with a dedicated sommelier guiding the wine pairings throughout the evening.
As we moved out of port, the Sun and clouds put on a fantastic display!
The Sun was playing hide and seek!
We searched for the R-Bar, our meeting place before the Chef’s Table.
Oh my, elevators from floor one to floor eleven.
The Chef’s Dining Room was quiet, with no noise and pleasant background music.
The sound of silence was excellent!!
The menu was a six-course dinner. The first course was a tomato soup; the best we have ever had. The chef came out between courses to explain what he had done to make it special. He was Indian, and we only got about 50% of what he said.
Simply amazing!!!
Now we know where the excess silverware is stashed!
Someone was quite clever!
Colleen proceeded to get a bit toasted as she tried all five glasses of wine. She was pretty funny. Her brother, Jon, had never seen her this way; neither have we.
She proceeded to tell us a load of sea stories!
The last thing she remembered eating was the caramel popcorn, which came with the steak!
“Hey, pops!”
Oh No! Course #6 was dessert. The chef worked some magic.
The dessert was also excellent. The chef put chocolate cake inside a dome of chocolate, and when we poured the hot topping on, the outer shell melted, revealing the chocolate cake inside.
Three generations; we only get better with time!
Oh my!!
The maitre’d took several group photos and had a few giggles along the way!
What a happy family
After dinner, Mark carried Colleen home! Mary and I went to our room to put away the uneaten steak. Jon and Sarah went to purchase tickets for tomorrow’s beach excursion.
The four of us met in the Schooner Lounge and downed wine until close to midnight. I was exhausted, and I found out why using the trusty iPhone step counter!
Now, you know why we were tired!
We had a great day!
