I disembarked more than 48 hours ago, but it’s still difficult to stand still without having the strange sensation that the ground is moving. After seven days on the high seas, enjoying all the perks of a cruise, my body is now unaccustomed and refuses to accept that we are on dry land.
This was my first time on board a ship, and the opportunity came to marry an old desire: to explore the Colombian Caribbean and the Netherlands Antilles. After all, Cartagena de Indias, our port of embarkation, had been at the top of my list for some time. bucket list. From there, we headed to Aruba; La Guaira, in Venezuela; Curaçao and Colón, in Panama, from where we found our way home.
The itinerary through the Antilles and the Southern Caribbean, offered by Pullmantur, is one of the most sought after by Brazilians in the region and also one of the most accessible. It is possible to book an internal cabin for the seven days for around R$1,000 per person, plus R$66 per day to be entitled to the drinks package all inclusive – that’s less than a bar bill, come on. But it’s good to remember that prices vary according to the season and the famous law of supply and demand (you can check it here).
When booking or already on the ship, it is possible to purchase tourist tours for the days you arrive at a port, but this is optional. However, if you choose to tour on your own, pay attention to the time: the ship will not wait for you to leave. Follow our schedule so you have an idea of the activities available.
Cartagena: We arrived on April 10th, early in the afternoon. We took the opportunity to visit the port and take the traditional carriage ride through the historic center. The next day, before boarding, we took a city tour that included Castillo San Felipe de Barajas, Cerro de la Popa and the historic center. After getting settled on the ship, we went back down for a tour with the Chiva Bus bus/clubbing/tourist tour.
Aruba: We took an unusual trip to the island famous for its beaches: a 4×4 tour through the desert, stopping at incredible natural bridges, ruins of an old gold mine, a little chapel and a lighthouse. Afterwards, we spent time at Palm Beach and Eagle Beach.
La Guaira: El Ávila National Park, a mountain range that separates Caracas from the Central Coast of Venezuela. After a dizzying climb by car, which took us from sea level to 2,000 meters in just a few hours, we took the cable car down to the country’s capital.
Curaçao: City tour and visit to the Sea Aquarium of Curaçao, with a quick stop at Mambo Beach.
Colón: Disembarkation day. We visited the Gatún Locks and saw the Panama Canal work up close. Afterwards, we stopped by the Multiplaza shopping mall, one of the best places to go shopping in the country.
Navigation: The second and sixth days were spent at sea. This is your chance to enjoy everything the ship has to offer.
Discoverer of the seven seas
This is Monarch, nice to meet you. A 14-story sea monster, which has bars, restaurants, dance halls, a nightclub, a casino, suites for all budgets, swimming pools, jacuzzis, shops, spaces for children and teenagers and a gym.
My favorite area, however, was The Waves Yatch Club, an area restricted to suite guests which, in addition to delicious snacks and an exclusive bar, also has the ship’s greatest treasure: free Wi-Fi.
Anyone staying in one of the 14 master-blaster-plus suites already has guaranteed access to The Waves. If this is not the case, you will need to pay 60 dollars to purchase your pass for the entire duration of the cruise. But this option is only available to guests in a certain cabin class.
With capacity for up to 2,800 people, the Monarch will soon explore other seas. In December, it passes the route to Zenith, a smaller brother that carries up to 1,800 passengers at a time. Instead, the Monarch will follow a very similar route, but it also looks cooler: it leaves La Guaira and enters Bonaire, the third representative of the Antilles that will add another day of turquoise sea to its trip.
*The blogger traveled at the invitation of Pullmantur Cruzeiros
