Making the best of a canceled cruise

We received a letter today, April 15, from the American Canadian Caribbean Line (461 Water St., Warren, RI 02885; phone 800/556-7450). Inside we found a voucher along with a visa refund slip for a cruise we had planned to take from Belize City. This cruise, on their ship Grande Mariner, was to begin on March 25, ’04.

That day, 48 passengers were looking forward to 12 days in the sun, snorkeling and relaxing on a small ship. We had just come back from a company-planned pre-cruise trip into the Belize interior.

Our captain, Mike, called a meeting of all on board. The news was devastating. Our cruise was canceled. Engine components had failed, and even though heroic efforts had been made (air charter of a mechanic plus air freight of parts and much overtime), the critical part had to come by air from Germany and couldn’t be delivered for another 96 hours. That precluded any chance of even starting the cruise.

We all were given a sheet on which options were listed: use the ship as a hotel with all meals provided and take the next cruise; go home immediately, or visit outlying islands at our own expense and return home on the original schedule.

The ship’s crew and the home office in Rhode Island obtained airline information on all passengers and proceeded posthaste to reschedule return flights according to individual wishes. ACCL assumed the cost of changes to our reservations.

To give us time to rethink our plans, ACCL kept us busy for several days on planned activities at no charge. We agreed that it was a different vacation than the one we had started, but we found it interesting and informative, let alone exciting.

So what did we do instead of cruising?

After 11 years as a captain with ACCL, Mike had never taken the trip to the river running through the caves in the interior of Belize; he had always sent some of the crew. Since the ship wasn’t going anywhere, he elected to go along this time.

Thirty-six passengers plus our captain took a 2-hour bus trip into the Belize. We were met by guides who supplied each of us with a truck-size inner tube. At the river, we each grabbed the rope that was strung over it and waded across, then proceeded to hike up the river trail. After about an hour we arrived at the point of departure. Everyone got in their inner tubes and started down the river.

A short while later we approached the first cave. I should mention that we all had been supplied with miners’ headlamps. “Now is the time to turn them on,” the head guide shouted.

We entered a pitch-black space with not a thing visible. Eventually, our eyes adjusted to the total darkness as we floated along. Overhead there were many pail-size holes caused by eons of bats clinging to the limestone. We floated along in total silence, captivated by the eerie formations of stalactites and stalagmites. Occasionally, glints of light could be seen as we passed under small openings to the surface.

At the end of the trip we grabbed the same rope to wade ashore and marvel at this experience.

Another day, many were taken to one of the nearby cayes to sun and snorkel. ACCL rented a boat to transport everyone there.

A day also was spent at Ambergris Caye, where we arranged (along with two other couples) to stay a couple nights at a motel before spending one more night on the ship and then flying home. We paid for the flights from Belize to Ambergris Caye and back ourselves, though the ship took care of our taxis to the airport.

I can’t say enough about Captain Mike. And no one on board had any criticism for ACCL; we felt the line went above and beyond.

The voucher previously mentioned was for a complimentary ACCL cruise during the 2005 Caribbean season, including a cabin for two among the 80s-numbered suites (a $6,400 value). We both are looking forward to a return to Belize and the Barrier Reef in 2005.

CHARLES & VIRGINIA
WOLLBORG, Chelan, WA