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Posts tagged ‘caribbean’

Florida 2026, Day 07

Day 7, Porto Plata, Dominican Republic

At breakfast in the main restaurant this morning, we meet Amanda and Chelsea and have fun travel conversations. Amanda is a Consultant and Chelsea is an RN. Walking back to our stateroom, I come across the marker in Central Park that marks the center of the ship!

The gangplank opens at 10 AM. We get off and walk the mile of docks and shops to get into the city of Porto Plata, Dominican Republic. Walking around the city reveals interesting sights and streets. It doesn’t appear safe to wander far from the tourist attractions. We have been told the same from people who know this area.

About a mile of walking brings us to the “Umbrella Street”, with a canopy of colorful umbrellas.

Next we find the “Pink Street”, ‘Paseo de Dona Blanca’ where every wall and doorway is pink.

We walk around a large plaza, inquiring about restaurants that serve Conch, having never tried this. All kinds of tourist activities are happening. A ‘cool’ ice cream store grabs my camera’s eye! Caribbean music plays from a small band in the square.

We come across a Cathedral and my camera drags me over for a couple shots. There is no tourist fee to enter this one.

We are told of a restaurant that serves Conch. After much searching, we find it and get seated. Then we are informed that they don’t have conch today. Bummer. So we search some more to no avail.

Back to the ship it is, but not before stopping for a couple of rum drinks to cool the body and soul! A fun pair of bartenders helps keep us entertained! We even find a shuttle that takes us the last mile of docks to our ship!

Back on the ship, we don swim suits and relax in a hot tub. With muscles relaxed, I dry off and walk to the back of the ship to watch us leave port. I find some empty chairs at the back of the ship and sit back. Not knowing what time we will depart, I actually fall asleep for an hour or so. The ship horns wake me as they announce our departure. I wait for the ship to turn around but it never does. The ship is too big to turn around in the harbor! This is the first time I have witnessed a ship back all the way out the channel into the open ocean before it turns around and gets underway.

Back in our cabin, we prepare for dinner in the main dining room.

Florida 2026, Day 06

San Juan, Puerto Rico (Day 4 on the ship)

We get up and actually have a leisurely breakfast in the buffet (the main restaurant was packed). The gangplank opens a few minutes before 10 AM. We manage to make it off the ship around 10:15.

It’s already quite warm but not unbearable. We’re in the port of San Juan, Puerto Rico. We head through the streets of Old Town and work our way up the hill to the Old Fort. The buildings are colorful as we walk. The Fort as we approach, reminds us of the Old Fort in Cartagena, Columbia. Stone and mortar with similar design elements. We even poke our heads into a church on the way up!

Great views from the top of San Juan. The Fort is similar to many South American Forts. Stone, brick and mortar.

We continue through the quaint streets and come across a couple churches which even the local police don’t know the names of! We look inside but don’t opt to actually go in and pay the tithe.

We bump into Austin and Olivia from our ship (lovers in the Pub!) at Las Palomas Park (Pigeon Park) where a pigeon lands on my shoulder and it takes quite a bit of shaking to convince it to fly away!

It is very warm today so, on the way back to the ship, we stop at a local restaurant and imbibe in a cold margarita. Back on the ship, we change and head for a cool water pool. The ships horn informs us that we are departing and I grab my cell phone (the only camera I am traveling with) and get some shots of San Juan as we depart. Back to our cabin to relax before dinner. A new folded towel animal greets us!

Dinner in the main restaurant tonight is very good. After dinner we go to a “Name that Lyric” game show, lots of laughs. Then to an Elton John tribute. We watch the “Rising Tide Bar descend and later rise.

Heading back to our cabin, I take a stroll through Central Park. I come across the Rising Tide Bar ready to descend and I ride it down.

Goodnight All! See you tomorrow!

Florida 2026, Day 04

Nassau, The Bahamas

Day 4 (day 2 on the ship). We need to meet our tour in the ‘terminal’ by 9 AM. We have breakfast at a Cafe on the ship, it turns out to be Starbucks! (yuk!) Then it’s off the ship and the usual walk into the terminal.

We take some fun shots in and around the terminal area while we look for where to meet our tour guide. It turns out the meeting place is back near the ship!

Our guide walks us to a ferry boat and it’s a 30 minutes boat ride to Rose Island. We ride by what appears to be mansions (probably only summer homes of the rich and famous!) Mega yachts everywhere we look! The water is a fantastic aqua blue-green and there are tourist boats galore! Today we are going to swim with pigs!

The island is tropical and scenic. We are pointed towards a lookout tower on top of the island and we walk the short 50 yards and up about 30 steps to the top of this narrow strip of land. We are told the Pig Adventure will start soon so we head down to the beach, a short 3 minute walk from the top! We are told to walk out into the surf and are each given a plastic cup full of sliced carrots. “Release The Pigs!” We hear a guide shout and sure enough, about 50 pigs come running towards us in the water. We have been given a skewer along with the carrots and told to feed them using the skewer as the pigs have teeth! The Pig Adventure lasts about 15-20 minutes, LOL, after which everyone gets to hold a baby pig. Elee gets in line to hold a pig whereas I, having grown up in farm country, don’t see the alure of holding a pig! A pretty island guide, Lauren, spots us and comes over to chat. She offers to get us some rum drinks but Elee misinterprets her offer and tells her we are heading to lunch.

The beaches are beautiful and the people are friendly. Lots of American, UK and Caribbean music play over not too loud speakers. The day is very pleasant and not hot. The ocean is warm and comfortable. Lunch is rice, fried plantains, fish fingers and Mac & cheese. Throw in a couple Bahama Mama’s to sip on and we are on Island Time as birds and chickens visit us hoping for a dropped morsel or three!

Looking out over the ocean, a sandbar off the beach glows in the sun!

I bump into Lauren and she tells me to wait here and she snags me a strong rum punch! She is probably hoping for a nice cash tip but, alas, I have no cash on me to give! A service lady from the restaurant stops by and chats, Samara. Probably hoping for the same thing as Lauren. I take note to have a little cash on me from now on! Back to the dock and onto the ferry for the ride back.

On the boat ride back I found my first pair of lovers. Those of you who read my blog might know that I always look for lovers all over the world!

We arrive back at 2:30 PM. We know we need to be back on the ship by 3:30. John’s Rum Distillery is a 10-12 minute walk. I researched this place at home and you can bottle your own rum for $20 per bottle. So we walk there, wearing Elee out. But we each fill and seal a bottle. We ask for a taxi ride to the ship. A taxi picks us up in 5 minutes. He only takes cash which we don’t have. He takes me to an ATM and I manage to get money. We get to the Port with 12 minutes to spare. But ours is the furthest ship. Luckily for us, several other passengers are walking with us to the ship. We get there just in time and all is good. We are not the only Mega Ship in port today!

Back on the ship we soak our feet in a pool. The ship’s horn makes us jump as it begins to leave port. I climb out and get some photos of the port as we leave. As the ship leaves port, we see a peninsula island that is one that Royal Caribbean owns and their own resort! We chose not to go there as RC charges in the vicinity of $175 per person to spend the day on their private resort!

Then it is back to our cabin to nap and shower and get ready for dinner. We find our first folded ‘animal’ towel that our Room Steward left for us!

We eat in the Solarium Bistro where we made reservations. It’s served buffet style. Some of the food is fabulous but some falls short. For some reason we don’t understand, the manager approaches us and asks us how everything is. We had not even said much except between ourselves. So we gave him an honest critique of the food, both good and bad. The manager sends the chef out to talk with us. We are mildly surprised but we give the chef the same critique we gave the manager. The chef claims to take our suggestions. Also, the chef insists we return for dinner tomorrow and promises to cook us a premium meal! I think I know where we’ll eat tomorrow!

We order wine to take to the show in the big theater and they give it to us in theater ready glasses (acrylic). We readily find seats in the theater and settle in for a great song and dance performance. We are extremely impressed with the caliber of the show and especially with the stage animatronics. Best we’ve seen on a cruise ship. I am uncertain of the ship’s policy on taking photos during the show, so I hold off for now.

We retire to our cabin but the night is not over. There is a Caribbean Party in the Royal Promenade which is like a city street in the middle of this huge ship! Here I find my second pair of lovers, Austin and Olivia, lovers in the pub! Austin from Minnesota and Olivia from North Dakota. They met in Ashley, ND in college!

I go down and find a great spot in the Globe and Atlas Pub, an Irish Pub in the middle of the party! The atmosphere is electric and not one person is unhappy. Considering there are at least 1000 people in the vicinity, I cannot see an unhappy face.

This Pub has its own entertainment with a guitar player starting soon so I relax and have a glass of wine as I listen to the show all around me. Then it’s back to the cabin for the night!