I want to go back to San Juan to see this port by day. We arrived in the early evening and by time we got back from our Bacardi Evening Experience, all the shops in Old San Juan were closed! But what I could see by evening was beautiful and enchanting. I would give this port a 5+ but I was unable to get a full sense of the place based on 3/4 walking around trying to find an open store! We did find a couple souvenir shops. 
We had booked the Bacardi evening experience at the Bacardi factory for $79.00 through Carnival and it did not allow enough time to explore old San Juan before or after the excursion. Was it worth it? Kind of...good historical information at the museum at the factory and during the coach ride back to the pier. Bacardi provides two rum drinks per person, after the tour and after you visit their gift shop. 
To be honest, it is worth going on this excursion. The cost, I believe should have been around the fifty dollar mark. But then again the cost of the coach bus, a rum party boat took us across the bay to the waiting buses and we did tour the museum after hours and the museum staff were excellent presenters and the displays top notch. 
If you love Rum, go...dam the $79.00, your on your own time!While you are there you can purchase a $89 bottle of aged 12 year old rum reportedly so good that you won't share it with anyone! 
By the way you will learn why Bacardi has the Bat on their labels. 



San Juan

This is a beautiful place and somewhere I would consider living! A total shoppers Mecca especially if you love Diamonds, Tazanite and other jewelry. There is money to be made here and that is why you will see like three Diamond International stores other countless other stores replicating themselves over and over throughout the narrow cobbled streets.

The history is thick here, and again, we didn't have time to seek out the history of the place which you can almost feel.

Megans Bay is beautiful and a great place to tan and swim. The water wasn't as clear as I had hoped and not sure why it wasn't. Perhaps it was becuase of the hundreds of people in the water and the beach stirring up the sand, I suspect. Not be afraid if you feel something touching your feet in the water, little "yellow fin" fish love to "kiss" your feet.

One word caution....if you are hungry the bar and cafe will fill you full with food and liquor but be ready to shell out for it. It cost me $32.00 for two to eat two cheeseburgers, onion rings and two cokes!

St. Thomas

Unfortunately St. Maarten didn't do it for me. This is one place where behind the wealth, it was very evident the divide between rich and poor. This is not the reason I don't get too excited about St. Maarten - the truth is that the history that was here or is here, is not embraced. The dutch heritage is hidden behind casinos, marinas, and more shopping stores like Diamond's International. The French side to seems to be missing that flavor. 
I was so disappointed with our three hour tour of the country side which included comments from the driver like this..."on your right side, you will see our local car wash", on your left side is our electric plant. A traffic accident detoured us around to the Princess Juliana Airport, which is famous for the beach landing strip where tourists stand near the runway and take pictures. 
I found Phillipsburg, the capital of the dutch side to be interesting in the shopping district beyond that, the casinos and the resorts did not appeal to me at all. 
If you are a Star Trek fan go to St. Maarten one highlight for me was meeting Nick Maley, who was the makeup artist for Star Trek. There you can buy collectibles from him and he will personalize them for you. To me a map that the Liberty took on our Cruise with our family name, date and signed by him was a highlight of St. Maarten...oh not to forget about the Guavaberry liqueur they sell on the island - which makes one hell of a Pina Colada! 



St. Maarten

Stateroom 6347 - Balcony on the Upper deck Starboard. Clean and well maintained. Only downside is that you can hear the music from Promenade deck, just below you. They set up a one person set across and kitty corner from Czar's Casino and will play from late in the evening until about midnight. It's not so loud that you can't sleep, but loud enough that you can tell which song they are playing. If this bothers you, I suggest ear plugs. It didn't bother my wife and I and we would drift off with the music and the light rolling of the ship.

Our first contact with Carnival staff was at Miami International where we were met by happy staff at arrivals and directed to our Coach Buses that took departing passengers who were leaving that day on the Sensation to the Port of Miami, and then the rest of us to the hotel.Saturday we were met in the lobby of the hotel by one of the Carnival Officers and directed again to our coach bus and off to the port.

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Carnival Liberty - Beautry and the Beast!

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