The Republic of Trinidad and Tobago is an island nation I’ve long known of since learning about the West Indies. I learned a bit more because our ship’s Chief Purser, Alex, grew up there, and still lives there.
The ship’s crew, from cleaners to the captain, rotate in and out each several months, on staggering schedules so not everyone arrives or leaves at once. As we were approaching the Caribbean, I learned that Alex would be ending his current tour when we arrived on Tobago.
As a Residential Cruising ship, we get to know our crew (and vice versa) much more than on a regular cruise ship, so we were quite aware that Alex was very much looking forward to going home. He wanted it to be much more than a homecoming: he wanted to share his home with a few of us. Around 20 were invited to a private tour and what I like to call “dunch” — something between dinner and lunch — at his home.
Our Guides
Alex left first thing in the morning to greet his family and help them prepare for our arrival. In the late morning he returned with two “minibus” taxi vans to drive us around. One of the drivers was a big man, and I mean really big: his nickname is Giant. I came up to his armpit …maybe.
When we met, we shook hands as Alex introduced us. My response to Giant, as my hand disappeared into his gentle grip, was “I’m Tiny”. And that’s what we called each other the rest of the day.
The drivers took us to see the various vantage points for scenic views, to explore forts and gardens, and to see Alex’s old haunts. We even spent a few hours hanging out as his favorite beach spot, which featured a great bar where we could all enjoy the shade with drinks, swimming, wading, and walking the shoreline. Magical!
What struck me most was experiencing Alex’s passion for the island and love for his community and family. What brought it home for me was when he pointed out the building he would go to pay his electric bill! That’s the kind of highlight you share when you love a place, have been gone for some time, and are home again. That, to me, is a sign of a deep connection and love.
About Tobago
We can’t really talk about Tobago without mention of Trinidad, but let’s start with Tobago, the much smaller of the two islands: 300 sq km (120 sq mi) and a population a bit shy of 70,000 people. Trinidad, 35 km (22 mi) to the southwest, is 4,768 sq km (1,841 sq mi), with a population of around 1.4 million.
The islands were “discovered” by Christopher Columbus and colonized by Spain, but Trinidad was first inhabited in around 5000 BCE, making it the oldest pre-Columbian archaeological site in the Caribbean. Spain neglected the islands, and invited French citizens fleeing the Revolution to move there; they brought slaves.
At the end of the 1700s, Britain captured Trinidad and, almost 100 years later, brought Tobago into the fold. Slavery was abolished in 1833. The duo won independence from Britain in 1962, and became a republic in 1976 as part of the British Commonwealth.
The Main Event: Dunch
The first half of the day was our “tourist” day. The second half of the day was our “cultural” day. Alex and his family prepared a Tobagonian feast for us! Homemade spongebread, yellow rice, various shellfish, BBQ chicken, and a lot more, including a local delicacy: iguana! The family had arranged picnic tables and lawn chairs around the yard in the shade of the sprawling trees.
Another group arrived in time for the food: several others from the crew — the people he worked with closely, to give them a taste of his home life too.
I had a little of everything — and it was too much. But it was so delicious that I went back for one or two other items.
Giant had a second job that day: as D.J. As the eating slowed down, he spun up some tunes, which gave me an idea.
As my Crew-family arrived I sidled up to “my sister” to whisper it was Randy’s birthday and asked for help in getting a birthday song playing — Randy was sitting nearby and I didn’t want him to see me conspiring. Alyssa was brilliant at approaching Giant to make the request.
He surprisingly quickly found a great birthday song (Stevie Wonder’s “Happy Birthday”), started it, and cranked the volume. Everyone but Randy understood it was someone’s birthday and started dancing and clapping to the song. I danced over to Randy and pointed to him as I danced.
Randy was a little perplexed as to what was going on, given the volume of the music and that he had kept it quiet that it was his birthday. But my gesturing him to come to the middle of the group made it obvious to him, especially as the “Hap-py Birth-DAY To Ya!” chorus hit.
Randy gamely stepped forward, rolling his eyes a bit, but he took a bow to the crowd, bringing a round of applause.
The Family Compound
Alex’s extended family is clustered on a few streets, making a family compound of sorts. You can tell they are there for each other through thick and thin. They ware all there to greet us and serve us.
We felt a bit uncomfortable being served like that because we had hoped to interact with them as a way of getting to know Alex and his family. I guess watching them work together was one way of getting to know them all, and better understand Alex’s work ethic and desire to help the residents of the Odyssey as purser.
The special day came to an end too soon, as it was getting close to Final Boarding time for departure to our next stop: Trinidad. Hugging Alex goodbye — or really, “see you again soon” — had a different feel than other goodbyes have had. When you know someone at a different level, as I had with Alex, the hug has a different sense.
I don’t know Trinidad as a tourist. I know Trinidad as a distant family member. I have sweet memories and images of the day.
(And great birthday memories for me too! -rc)
Originally Published May 17, 2025 — Last Updated May 18, 2025- About the Author
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A wonderful surprise indeed. I envy you both.
What a great opportunity!
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It was indeed. -rc
Thanks for the fine little story. Clearly something that just doesn’t happen on ordinary cruise ships.
When will Alex be back on board the Odyssey as purser??
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Indeed a big difference. I don’t know exactly, but likely late summer or early fall. -rc
Well done Kit, and happy belated birthday Randy!
When I went to Barbados a few years ago, I didn’t go as a “tourist”. I stayed in a local bed and breakfast, went to the local coffee shops, went to a local meeting of an international organisation I work with, and pretty much “went native”.
It is a completely different feel, and gives you an unmatched perspective. I am glad you got to experience this level of hospitality, and the unique friendship that comes from this. I only wish everyone could experience this at some point.
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We only got a small taste of it, but we got a small taste of it! -rc
What a wonderful experience and how lovely that Alex opened his home to you and the others to experience the culture and kindness of his family!
what a wonderful trip. and you look smashing in your picture. you go, girl — and guy (randy).
I am SOOO jealous! Kit certainly brings the tales to life, never a boring line, everything she writes is important to the narrative, I love it! (maybe take up editing manuscripts, me thinks?)
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Well, I’m her editor, and am particularly good at working with her because I know her so well. But my work pile is high enough already. 🙂
While I’m good at the factual, explanatory stuff, she is queen of the “What it makes you feel” parts of the journey. It’s good teamwork, IMO. -rc
That’s so awesome, thank you for sharing! 🙂
You’re leaning a little bit in our direction, Kit and Randy. We grow so tired of flying into a place, looking at the tourist highlights a couple of days, and flying out. That’s NOT “seeing a place”!
Perhaps planted by our travels in the Navy we’re the sort to try to live in and experience a place, a country, the culture. Naturally, this is expensive, but God blessed us with “portable jobs” that made it possible to explore at a much slower pace. We both taught (post-secondary) in Papua New Guinea for two years, and then in México for a year. That’s how you get a deep feeling for a place.
Later we lived in Saipan for two years while my wife taught at the high school level there and I did some at the community college. Saipan, though a part of the U.S.A., is a territory and unless you’ve lived in a territory you cannot know how different it is from living in one of the states.