Devil's Island - Cruise Line Fans: Cruise Reviews and Chat From Real Cruisers

Krazy Kruizers · 02-09-2007, 01:42 PM

We were fortunate a few years ago to be able to visit Devil's Island (Iles du Diable) as part of our South American cruise. This is a tendering port and there are no formal tours. Everyone from the ship (Nieuw Amsterdam) was given a map of the island. You were able to walk the island at your own pace. Keep in mind that much of it is a jungle and we did wear DEET and it is very, very hot!!! We took plenty of water with us.

The Devil's Islands consist of 3 small islands off the coast of Guiana. The largest of the islands was named "Royal Island" after King Louis XV, the second one "St-Joseph" because an expedition was placed under his patronage and the third one kept the original name "Devil's Island". Royal Island is the one we visisted. Royal Island covers 21 hectacres and reaches a height of about 150 feet. This is where the majority of the buildings, including the central headquarters for all 3 islands, were erected. To make it suitable for it's new functions major works had to be carried out, their purpose often being to occupy the prisoners: staircases, cut stone walls, brick walls with cross shaped openings, a swimming pool cut in the rocks, a large reservoir cut in the rock in the middle of the island to collect rainwater. The buildings comprised the camp itself, where the convicts were grouped together in "squads" or rooms and the cells buildings.

Prisoners were classified into different departments of the colony based on their crime and length of sentence. The basic classification: habitual criminals who were permitted to work; political prisoners and criminals who were permitted limited liberty; and criminals serving hard labor. If a prisoner was sentenced to a term of less than 8 years, an equal amount of time was spent in French Guiana. If a prisoner was sentenced to more than 8 years, he had to remain in French Guiana permanently. From 1885 until 1938, only those criminals serving 8 years or more were put on Devil's Island itself. It was in 1852 that France began to use Guiana as a depository for its criminals. From 1852 to 1938, over 70,000 criminals, transported from France were imprisoned on one of the 3 islands.

Effects from the tropical climate, unsanitary conditions and punishing discipline from the guards and brutality of fellow prisoners led to the notorious reputation of Devil's Island. Although the prison was officially abolished in 1938, the last prisoner did not leave until 1953. Most of the island is deserted except on weekends when people from the mainland of French Guiana come over to explore the unspoiled enviroment.

Krazy Kruizers · 02-09-2007, 01:59 PM

After you get off the tender you have two choices to get to the top. One you can go to the left and use the road. Or, two, you can climb a very steep set of stairs. The stairs were very narrow, so anyone with big feet would have a hard time negotiating them. We chose to go via the road. We passed a couple of cemetaries. Prisoners were buried in one cemetary while officers and their families had their own cemetary. It is very long way to the top. Once at the top you can see the ruins of many of the buildings: condemned prisoners quarters, warders quarters, hospital, nun's quarters, chapel, lighthouse keeper's house, infimary, convicts settlement quarters, children's cemetary, warders mess, superintendents quarters, police station and warehouses, 2 lunatic asylums, convicts swimming pool, metal workshops, electric power station, stocking of motor fuel, weather center, mortuary, baker's shop, doctor's house, water resevoir, semaphore, butchery.

There was a small private hotel which welcomes the weekend guests. They had a bar there where we were able to get cold cokes - a welcome relief after walking around for a couple of hours in the heat. The only place that was air conditioned was a tiny gift shop where we purchased post cards and they would even send them for you. Also in this tiny gift shop was a man whom you able to buy offical certificates from indicating that you had been on Devils Island. He even put your name on it. It costs around $5 per person.

After a few minutes of cooling down and writing out our couple of postcards we walked around some more and then started the long walk back down the hill to get a tender back to the ship. We spent about 3 to 4 hours walking around and taking pictures. Well worth the stop. Wild animals freely roamed the island. We saw lots of monkeys, pigs, small mammals and birds.

Hope we get back there someday.

LuLu · 02-10-2007, 02:22 AM

Gosh, KK, this is a fantastic review!

Certainly sounds like an extremely interesting place to visit! So... it's like when you arrive, you're ALREADY at everything so shore excrusions aren't offered because they aren't needed.

Did you talk to others on the ship who took the stairs instead of the road ... wonder what they thought??? Think, I'd pick the road ....

Thanks again for your time to tell us about this! Mean it -- GREAT REVIEW!

canarymoon · 02-10-2007, 08:44 AM

Yes, I'd be on the road, too... but think DH would be on the ship. (He's like that)

What a fascinating review - Great job, KK!

(frus to you)

Too bad - I just did a little checking, and this doesn't seem to be a port that is visited often by any of the majors. Do you know if any ships at all are currently calling there?

Krazy Kruizers · 02-10-2007, 12:55 PM

I am glad you liked my report. Thank you.

It seems that only the smaller ships seem to want to drop anchor there. I am not certain if the Veendam stopped there in 2006 on her 34 day Amazon cruise. I just threw out my 2006 HAL schedule. The Prinsendam was to stop there in 2007 but her schedule was changed as she is going to go into an unscheduled dry dock some time in Nov or Dec. We tried to book that cruise. But we have booked the Amazon Explorer for 2008 on the Prinsendam which is scheduled to stop there. Hope HAL doesn't cancel that cruise.

Krazy Kruizers · 02-10-2007, 12:58 PM

LuLu

We noticed a few people trying to get down the stairs -- they were really struggling. To me, it was much interesting walking the road -- got too see a lot more wildlife and a couple of the cemetaries.

canarymoon · 02-10-2007, 01:13 PM

Was walking the ONLY option?

(I am thinking about DH here . . . he has a bad knee and not a lot of stamina)

Krazy Kruizers · 02-11-2007, 08:01 AM

Walking is the only option -- at least it was then. I doubt if things have changed as the road is very rutted.

I also have 2 bad knees and just finished getting my series of synvisc shots. I am trying to avoid knee replacements as long as possible.

We did have one passenger fall shortly after getting off the tender. She foot went wrong in one of the ruts and you broke her angle. We saw her as the ship's doctor and nurses were preparing to get her back to the ship.

canarymoon · 02-12-2007, 01:32 PM

Oh. my
I think DH would have to opt out on the whole port, then.
Too bad sounds like something he would really enjoy seeing.