Travel
Ship Shape The Independence of the Seas
NOW YOU SEA US Cruising just returned to Galveston, and ‘CityBook’ was onboard. By Ed Nawotka “WE’RE BACK!” shouted the cruise director of the Independence of the Seas, the Covid-cautious Royal Caribbean cruise ship that started sailing out of Galveston again in August for first time in 16 months, his fist raised and festooned in his black tuxedo jacket, following a set by comedian Paul Ogata on the first day of a four-day sail from Galveston and Cozumel. The Australian-born entertainment coordinator, in her skin-tight denim bodysuit, on the penultimate night of the cruise, at the ship’s ’70s “Disco Inferno” dance party, said the same thing. Other events included a glittery ice-skating show — there’s an ice rink on board! — a performance by El Gaucho, a Uruguayan who does dangerous stunts with a pair of swinging bolas, and the crooning tenor Darryl Williams. There are also nightly karaoke sessions, piano-driven singalongs and name-thattune contests. Other attractions on board include a rock-climbing wall, basketball court, a wave pool where you can simulate surfing and boogie boarding, the threestories-high “Perfect Storm” duo waterslide, where you can race a friend. There’s a casino, complete with roulette, card tables and slots. And shopping, were you can buy a new Breitling Navitimer Cosmos, or a handbag from Michael Kors, or candy-colored Lacoste polo. And then there’s the food. Consider multi-course chef’s tasting menus in the multi-story main dining room — or high-end Italian, a steakhouse, a damn fine English-style fish-and-chips shop, a branch of Johnny Rockets, a sports bar, a pub, a wine bar, a Champagne lounge and a Japanese sushi spot complete with several food-flipping teppanyaki tables for family-style entertainment dining. Multiple cruise dates are set for fall and winter.
88 | houstoncitybook.com
P.V. Made Easy Thanks to these sensational sister resorts, a quick getaway to Puerto Vallarta is a no-brainer. By Jeff Gremillion PUERTO VALLARTA, THE beautiful Mexican resort town on the Pacific, flanked by the Sierra Madre mountains, is an increasingly popular destination for Houstonians, and for good reason. Direct flights are quicker and easier than most domestic destinations. And now a pair of sprawling resorts under the same management firm, both literally just minutes from the P.V. airport, near Marina Vallarta on Bandera Bay, make the idea of a quick trip all the more appealing. With a bit of luck, you can literally be sipping fruity drinks from a coconut at the swim-up bar less than three hours after boarding your plane in H-Town. The Marriott Resort Puerto Vallarta, with an all-inclusive option, is noted for its slick recent contemporary-minded remodel, sexy open-air vibe and onsite seaturtle rescue operation. A footballfield-sized infinity-style pool takes up most of the seaside grounds.
Teeming with pretty people, many of them Texans, the pool has a unique, partly in-the-water, two-tiered outdoor lounge in the corner. Even a rainy evening, which can happen in these parts, is lovely, as songs like Elton John’s “Tiny Dancer” echo through the downpour, a sweet soundtrack for watching a storm roll in from a bougainvilleabedecked balcony. Other memorable moments may be had at the Ohtli spa, which touts couples treatments, or sunrise yoga on the beach. Meal options at the Marriott are immense and wonderful. There’s an ice cream parlor off the lobby, and, at the big breakfast bar, a chilaquiles station. Las Casitas by the sea has a burrito stuffed with shrimp, peppers, caramelized onions and serrano ailoi, with a gratin of cheddar cheese seared onto the outside; it’s a wow. For more upscale meals, there’s Mikado, with pretty sushi and Japanese teppanyaki performance cooking. Or you can book a private
