28 November 2008, Costa Maya.

We were indeed alone and it turned out to be a very beautiful day. There was a small frontal system looming north of the Yucatan but it only made it down to Costa Maya by 15.30. Then it caused a bit of rain but as the ship sailed at 1600 hrs. it only caught those who came back to the ship at the last minute. I am already keeping my eye on Tampa, where another cold front is approaching and at the moment it looks like it that it is going to hit us right when we are at the pilot station.

Costa Maya has now been fully restored but the ships are only slowly coming back. Capacity is still 50% down compared with before the hurricane and it will take a year or so before it comes up again to what is was. This is understandable as the cruise companies all changed their schedules and it takes on average two years before the change back is reflected in the cruise schedules. For Holland America it is slightly different because the company decided to keep the Costa Maya schedule and advised the guests that until the repairs had been made they would substitute it with Cozumel. Thus the moment the resort reopened, the HAL ships were back. Hence the official opening we had last cruise with both Veendam and Westerdam in attendance.

The port is now looking at further development as the new piers are now long enough for the Voyager class of RCL to dock but not yet ready for the Genesis class. (Oasis of the Seas) So discussions are going on whether to extend the North East pier even more or whether to add a large mooring buoy, strong enough to hold the headlines of those big ships. No doubt this also will involve expanding the resort. If two mega ships would dock there it would be 11000 guests going ashore from two ships and with a 3rd one there, it would get rather tight I think. So they are working on that as they realize that the attraction of Costa Maya is the experience that is now being offered with ample space and not a high density holiday camp.

However we had the whole place to ourselves and that is the best thing there is for the guests. No lines, always room to sit somewhere, no fighting over a place at the pool and ample room on all the tours. Unless more bookings are coming in, we will be by ourselves most of the time in Costa Maya. We will meet the Westerdam later in December one more time but that should be it.

For me it is great as well because I can pick the best dock in relation to the weather. So today I docked at nbr 3., which is the main pier which points in the SE direction. The wind and a (very low) swell were coming from that direction and by pointing the bow that the way the ship only moved marginally along the dock. Getting the ship in this morning was another matter. With little wind and current it should have been very easy but, maybe because of that little wind and current, the conditions near the dock were very peculiar. When I swung around to go stern in, I had to give much more power to get sternway than normal and then it was difficult to maintain sternway as well as the ship wanted to come to a standstill each time I showed down. Although not noticeable, the current must have curved somehow to the East and tried to push the ship back to open waters.

The pilot, who normally only directs the linesmen ashore, observed this and then started telling that several (?) ships this week had bumped into the piers due to the strange currents and winds. Always nice to hear when you already have committed yourself to a maneuver.
However, I know Costa Maya, and I keep my margins wide enough to ensure that I do not bump into piers. Thus we settled alongside the dock without any mishap.

With the rain just starting to come down we left the port and headed northwards for Tampa. Tomorrow should be a sunny day and not too cold as the wind is turning to the South East and thus blow over the relative warm Caribbean waters. By Monday evening that should change again when the cold front comes down from the Gulf of Mexico.