Tropical Quilting Retreat at Sea

Dear Quilters and Friends,

2024 brings us back to the fabulous Caribbean with a 9-day exploration! We’ll sail on Holland America Line’s beautiful Rotterdam, round trip out of Fort Lauderdale, Florida! Our classes are held during our “at sea” days. As usual, we bring you a wide variety of classes from which to choose, taught by three award-winning, renowned instructors in the world of quilting:

Gyleen Fitzgerald, Geraldine Wilkins and Latifah Saafir!

There’s something wonderful awaiting you in every port of call! You can play tourist, choosing your pleasure whether it be walking, touring or shopping! Onboard ship you will have the opportunity to perfect your quilting skills with our class choices from two fabulous teachers, as well as myriad opportunities for “SEWCIALIZING” with other people who all share your love of quilting!

We will visit some of the Caribbean’s most beautiful ports; St. Thomas, St. John’s, Tortola, San Juan and Turks & Caicos! What a great way to beat the winter blues and take a short break from everyday life while enjoying 5-star service and the company of fellow quilters!

Fort Lauderdale – Before you set out on your cruise from Fort Lauderdale, take in the city’s many attractions. Popular with tourists and lined with beaches and boating canals, Fort Lauderdale has a truly pleasant year-round temperature of 75.5 °F on average. Restaurants, marinas, shopping malls and over 60 golf courses are just a few of the things that make this city in the Miami Metropolitan area a huge draw for visitors. Some of Fort Lauderdale’s key attractions include the tropical Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, the shopping district East Las Olas Boulevard, and the all-ages Museum of Discovery and Science.

St. Thomas – The capital island of the U.S. Virgin Islands is often the first stop for travelers on a Caribbean cruise. Its easy access, use of American currency and cultural cues, as well as its reputation for safety, make St. Thomas the easy first choice. But just because it appeals to the comfortable side of travel doesn’t mean that St. Thomas is basic. Just the opposite—the 80-square-kilometer (31-square-mile) island is full of superlatives. It’s home to some of the Caribbean’s highest viewpoints, spectacularly positioned among verdant tropical foliage. It offers some of the best snorkeling around. And the island has got the hands-down coolest attraction in the region—an ice museum. Cruise to St. Thomas and surround yourself with pristine beaches, excellent shopping and dining. Charlotte Amalie, the main town in St. Thomas, buzzes with activity. It’s one of the busiest cruise ports in the Caribbean. Founded in 1666 and renamed in 1691 to honor the Danish queen, Charlotte Amalie contains excellent of all Danish-colonial architecture. In fact, a number of sites in Charlotte Amalie are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

St. John’s – The former British colony of Antigua is something special. Just ask Richard Branson, Eric Clapton, Giorgio Armani and Oprah—they all have homes here. Known for its beaches—there are 365 of them, all white sand lined with palm trees—Antigua also boasts charming harbors and a countryside dotted with old sugar mills. At one time the island was a juggernaut in the sugar trade, and also produced tobacco and cotton. Today, agriculture is still important, with Antiguan sweet potatoes, black pineapples and guavas being among the major crops. Book a Caribbean Cruise and explore the port of St. Johns. On an Antigua cruise, visit St. Johns, the capital city of the dual-island nation of Antigua and Barbuda. This city is the center of commerce, with international banks and boutiques as well as a lone rum distillery. St. Johns is located in the Caribbean Sea and is one of the hottest vacation spots. Immerse yourself in the colonial history of Antigua. Explore the best of Antigua on one of many Holland America shore excursions and visit English Harbour, known for its maritime heritage, historic sites and excellent restaurants. Plus, get a glimpse of some impressive yachts as they sail in and out of the bay. Discover Nelson’s Dockyard, which features gorgeous 18th- and 19th-century architecture but also buzzes with modern eateries and shops.

Tortola – Road Town, on the island of Tortola, sits at both the literal and figurative center of the British Virgin Islands. As the BVI’s capital, it serves as the administrative hub for the islands. Its central location also makes it an ideal jumping-off point for cruising the islands of the Sir Francis Drake Channel and for visiting spots like the Baths on Virgin Gorda and the legendary Soggy Dollar Bar on Jost Van Dyke’s White Bay Beach. Most visitors to Road Town make a beeline for the water. Sailors have long loved the BVI for its idyllic island-hopping. Excellent scuba diving and snorkeling can be found at spots like the Norman Island Caves and the RMS Rhone shipwreck. For those who prefer to explore on dry land, the beach at Cane Garden Bay is only a 20-minute drive from Road Town, and a great spot to enjoy the Caribbean sun and sea while sipping a rum cocktail. While you’re at Cane Garden Bay, save time to visit the historic Callwood Rum Distillery. Sage Mountain National Park, home to the tallest peak in the Virgin Islands, is also nearby. Hikers can explore the park’s shady tropical forest and take in breathtaking island views.

San Juan – Explore the vibrant city of San Juan on a cruise to Puerto Rico with Holland America Line. Take a stroll along and then past the old city walls and explore the colorful cobblestone streets of old San Juan – a UNESCO World Heritage Site and National Historic Site within the U.S. National Park Service. Taste your way through the city’s extraordinary culinary scene, immerse yourself in its colorful history, or just pull up at a beach and grab a local rum cocktail. On a cruise to San Juan, Puerto Rico explore one of many cruise excursions like El Yungue National Rainforest. Or a drive to Old San Juan whereyou can enjoy the architecture, historic buildings, and shopping.

Turks & Caicos – Cruise to Turks and Caicos and experience the sugar-white sand, brilliant blue waters, and the kaleidoscopic sea life that is plentiful in the Caribbean paradise. Without hyperbole, this is one of the world’s most photogenic spots. T&C, as it is sometimes called, is the ultimate fantasy-island destination—the screen saver in all its glorious reality. Grand Turk, a jewel of an isle that measures just 18 square kilometers (seven square miles), is awesomely rich in natural wonders. Ringed by translucent warm waters teeming with coral and fish, this Turks and Caicos cruise is a bonanza for divers, snorkelers and anglers. Of course you can always simply kick back and just enjoy the view from under a palm tree. Or explore the fascinating history of Turks & Caicos in its capital, Cockburn Town, lined with Bermudan-style buildings from the 18th and 19th centuries.

From turtles to stingrays, submarines to snorkeling, there’s something wonderful awaiting you in every port of call! Onboard ship you will have the opportunity to perfect your quilting skills with many class choices from our fabulous teachers, as well as myriad opportunities for “SEWCIALIZING” with other people who all share your love of quilting! Bring a friend, your spouse, or your family – non-quilters are always welcome to join us! There are many activities to pursue while you are in class! We can’t wait to see you on board!

Sincerely,
Gyleen Fitzgerald, Geraldine Wilkins and Latifah Saafir

Alisa VandenBosch
Amy Ross
Quilt Seminars at Sea