Caribbean Cruise
We spent a couple of nights in South Beach Miami before our cruise.
We took a one hour taxi from Miami to Fort Lauderdale Cruise Terminal. Check in at the cruise terminal was very quick and soon we were on board enjoying cocktails by the pool. Soon after 1pm our cabin was ready and at 4.30pm we set sail from Port Everglades Fort Lauderdale.
Setting sail was one of the highlights, it really is an experience sailing from Fort Lauderdale out to sea, the set sail party kicks off a week of entertainment. Our first night was so enjoyable, we dined at Chops Grille one of their specialty restaurants and it was so amazing that we returned here 4 out of the 7 nights. We paid extra for their speciality dining package and it was well worth it, the food was excellent.
Our first port of call was Nassau in the Bahamas, our ship was first into the Port, so it meant we got ahead of the rest of the cruise crowds. Atlantis is the main attraction in Nassau, but it is a lovely port to just wander around the town itself and do some shopping. The sail away from Nassau was a sight to behold overlooking Atlantis and the turquoise water of the bay was amazing.
A big highlight for me was watching the sunsets from my balcony. We booked an ocean view balcony cabin and it really is worth the extra cost, it was lovely to sit on the balcony throughout the day and watch the ship leaving the ports and the sunsets were just stunning.
St Thomas was our second port of call and we spent the day in Megans Bay a beach on the far side of the island, a taxi from town cost $16 return and it was $5 to enter the beach. I loved it here, Megans Bay had a fabulous white sandy beach and turquoise water, we were blessed with the weather and it was amazing to swim in the water here. I would return to this beach in a heartbeat.
St Thomas and St Marteen are fantastic places to buy jewellery, on board the ship they host seminars about the various gemstones you can purchase and the islands are duty free so you can pick up some real bargains… perfect to combine a cruise with the search for the perfect engagement ring.. hint hint!!
St Marteen was our final port of call, I was most excited to see this island particularly for the famous airport beach, Maho Bay. The planes land across from the beach here and they fly right over your head as you are standing on the beach. Maho Beach is amazing, another white sandy beach with turquoise water, I loved swimming in here and getting to see the planes land over our head was a bucket list item for me, it was very cool. I really liked this beach it has a great bar and restaurant at the entrance and they had local musicians play music outdoors, it had a lovely atmosphere.
This island was directly in the path of Hurricane Irma which hit the island in 2017, apart from the port area which is perfectly rebuilt, the rest of the island is devastated. It was quite shocking for me to see the scale of devastation; the island and people here are rebuilding their lives and I commend Royal Caribbean for visiting and supporting the island.
Every crew member I spoke with throughout the week said that they loved St Marteen the most and I really hope the island and locals get back to their best soon.
The entertainment throughout the week was fantastic, there was so much to choose. Everything from acrobatic shows, bingo, ice skating and family game shows and even a Broadway musical, every minute of the day is filled with something to keep you entertained.
While there is non stop entertainment, the ship is so big with areas of pure relaxation if you want to chill and read a book with a nice glass of wine. I visited the spa during on the sea days, every day they had a special offer on and it was a lovely treat. Another favourite of mine was the Solarium, this is an adult only area at the front of the ships with floor to ceiling views of the ocean, pools and hot tubes and a bar for you to enjoy.
Most people here spent the day reading and enjoying the pool and hot tub. I loved the ocean views and the peace from this area.
Since coming home from this cruise I feel like it is the ultimate holiday, a cruise is perfect for all ages. I cannot recommend a cruise holiday highly enough and I would love to help you with your cruise holiday. If you have any questions please feel free to get in touch anytime.
Warm Regards,
Lorraine