An Easy Day in Tobago Following Great Brazilian Visa News

Day 5, 2024 Grand World Voyage

Sunday, Jan. 7, 2024; Scarborough, Trinidad and Tobago

Three sea days seem to be a perfect beginning to a long cruise, and that’s how we started this 128-day voyage. During our three days of sailing southeast from Fort Lauderdale we had time to fully unpack, adjust to the time change (for some), fill our days with activities or just nothing and get into the rhythm of being at sea.

I’ll write more about our sea days another time (we will have lots of them later this month as we sail west across the Pacific Ocean). For now, I’ll just say you would have to work hard to be bored.

My highlight during the sea days was two-fold. On Friday, we got confirmation from Holland America that Brazil is delaying for three months the requirement that U.S, tourists obtain visas before visiting. So after all that work and angst, we won’t need visas. A few hours later, I received my approved Brazilian visa. Ironic, I know. But at least it is good for 10 years, so I hope I’ll use it again sometime.

Today I took off on my own in Scarborough, Tobago, just as I did three weeks ago when the Zaandam called into this port. That time I had barely escaped the barrage of tour guides and taxi drivers offering their services when the rain started, so I headed back to the ship.

Today I waited until a brief shower had passed before going ashore, with my goal being the small botanical garden near the pier. I might call it a botanical park, as it had paths along and up the hill, the occasional bench and a number of plants and trees. Sadly, there are no signs identifying the flora and fauna, and many of the benches are in need of repairs.

When a local woman asked me to sign the visitor register, and then asked me to make a donation, I didn’t mind doing it because I’d like to see improvements at this destination near the pier. I just hope the money I gave goes to the garden.

I bet it looked much livelier at night during the holiday season. The remnants of Christmas decorations and lighted arches remain, as the seasonal display closed yesterday.

I hear this is a beautiful island to tour, as my sisters did on an excursion today. Other friends raved about the snorkeling and the beaches. I’m trying to pace myself and my pocketbook, so passed on touring this island to focus on future new-to-me ports.

I’m sure many of the crew were happy to see a KFC right across from the cruise pier. It’s a favorite of those looking for something different after months of ship food. Of course, there were the “pier boutique” stalls and locals selling on the side of the roadway.

Cruise and Port Director Kimberly prepared us with a good presentation on Scarborough, and I’m glad to see that these presentations also are aired on our televisions. I tend to watch them while getting ready for dinner. Jeremy, the cruise and port director on the Grand South America this fall, did the same thing. It takes a lot of preparation, as the presentations must be approved and can’t include copyrighted images.

We also will receive a handout for each port that includes a map of points of interest as well as port details – currency conversion, language and directions for reaching the port agent and the U.S. embassy in case of emergency. I take a photo of each side to carry off with me.

On my return to the Zuiderdam, I saw the world cruise logo painted on the front of the ship. There was much more room for a larger image on the Amsterdam, the ship used pre-pandemic for world cruises and since sold to another cruise line. But we still have the Welcome Home banner near the gangway. This truly does become a home for us for these months we are at sea, and it is nice to be welcomed back.