Some time later at the plantation, the tour guide beckoned us to cross a small ditch for better viewing of a particular tree. The doctor simply hopped across the ditch, which encouraged others to do so. Some people did not cross the ditch, or took the long way around. I decided, like the doctor, to leap across. I did not make it. I fell, and found myself in great pain, unable to stand. And where was the doctor? Hiding. Walking away. The Invisible Man. Some natives from the plantation helped me up and treated me as best they could, with my wife beside me, while the others continued the tour.

Later, when we re-boarded the bus, the doctor did not even ask me how I was doing. When we got back to the terminal, he was one of the first off the bus, and he disappeared.

I should note that we could not help but notice the next day that the doctor's picture, and his name, had been removed from the photos of ship's officers prominently on display. I wonder who thought that would fool anybody.

At the cruise ship terminal after we returned from the plantation, some kind strangers from the tour went ahead and arranged for me to have a wheelchair. A young woman from Destiny (who must weigh all of 115 pounds to my 205) attempted to push me up the gangway onto the ship. When it became obvious that was not going to work, I walked slowly and painfully up the gangway and she pushed me the rest of the way to my cabin. Later my wife went to the Purser's desk to have someone send an Ace bandage to our cabin for my badly swollen leg. The Purser's desk personnel told her to try the Infirmary. The way my wife describes the looks on their faces as she told them what happened, it is something I wish I could have seen for myself. Then down in the infirmary the nurse wanted to charge her for the Ace bandage. Again, my wife explained what happened. She got the bandage, no charge. The nurse also said she was going to escalate the situation to the Captain. A short time later I received a phone call from the doctor. He first admitted that he should not have been the first one to leap across the ditch because it encouraged others to do so. He then said he was not licensed to practice medicine, except on the ship. Besides, he said, it looked like I was in good hands. He was also familiar with the details of the treatment I received from the natives. Since he was not around to observe this personally, he or someone else from Destiny obviously contacted the tour guide for information, since she had entered a detailed record of the incident in her notes.

On Memorial Day I finally got to a real hospital to have my leg checked out. I have a ruptured Achilles tendon. I must wear a heavy boot on my leg just to walk. I have to go to physical therapy to rehabilitate the leg as it heals. This will be a long agonizing process. I may need surgery if the boot and physical therapy don't get the job done.

On board ship the only compensation I received was $100 credit for the skipped Aruba visit, and a refund of my shore excursion ticket with accompanying letter of apology (not my wife's ticket, just mine). My travel agent faired little better with Carnival's "Guest Relations" personnel, receiving an offer of 15% off our next Carnival Cruise plus $50 on-board credit. The person my travel agent talked to claimed that there was no record of the doctor going on that shore excursion! Either they are miserable record keepers or boldfaced liars.

I feel I owe it to the human race in general to reveal this information, and encourage people to seek alternatives to Carnival. You have never felt so thoroughly cheated in your life as you will when your return from a "vacation" that cost you a few thousand bucks, where you were treated as one of a herd of cattle, and where you lived in a tiny room surrounded by mediocrity for seven days. If you must cruise, please choose an alternative. Pick a different itinerary so you have more options. Better yet, don't cruise! If you comparison shop flying to your favorite destination (Virgin Islands, Aruba, St. Marten), staying at a really nice hotel, and dining on the local food, you won't believe how much better you can live for a lot less money! My wife and I went by plane to both the Virgin Islands (U.S. and British) and Aruba, and they were two of the greatest vacations we have ever had! If enough people come to their senses and stop throwing money away on Carnival maybe we can chase their demons away. Maybe if enough people come to their senses and don't book Carnival, someday they will find a good use for Destiny. Personally, I think it would make a fine homeless shelter for about 4000 people in Puerto Rico or south Florida. The way top-heavy Destiny waddles with a 13-knot crosswind, and breaks down every few months, not going anywhere is probably the best thing that can happen to it and those poor souls who would call it home.