Hey, that's the one I'm listening to! Happy that my library had it available as a digital loan. Anybody who has access to a library, I can't recommend enough that you look into whether they support Overdrive/Libby or Hoopla, because there's so much content available to library card holders.
For a few moments I was worried that his narration was too dry, but you're right that it does really come to life once the characters begin interacting. I just got through the prologue, so I suppose I need to get caught up.
I'm certain at one point I bought an iOS app that served as a standalone ebook/audiobook for On Stranger Tides. It was neat, but as is the way with old iOS apps, I can't find a single reference to it ever having existed.