Caribbean Cruise
Cruising the Caribbean
If you have never been on a ocean cruise, the Caribbean is a great place to start.
First of all, it's stunningly beautiful. And there are so many islands to visit and experience.
Also, the Caribbean sea is generally pretty calm - so it's great for people who get seasick or are nervous about taking their first cruise.
If you do get seasick, opt for a larger ship. They are more stable due to their size and advanced stabilizer systems. This reduces the motion felt by passengers.
You can also select a cabin that is mid-ship and lower deck, since these areas are less affected by the ship's movement.
In this blog we will share our experience on a 7 night cruise in the Caribbean.
Which Cruise Line?
There are many to choose from... if you have kids to entertain, you might opt for a Disney Cruise (which is also super entertaining for the big kids). Or you could opt for Virgin Voyages, which is an adults only cruise line.
We have tried several different cruise lines, and we keep coming back to Royal Caribbean.
They're a great allrounder. There's plenty of entertainment for the kids. Lots to do for the adults. Great dining experiences.
On this trip we were on the Royal Caribbean Harmony of the Seas, an Oasis class cruise ship.
There was so much to do. When you board the ship the crew will let you know what's going on.
There are some activities that you need to book yourself into - like shows, as there is limited seating.
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| Getting ready to see the ships comedy - Columbus |
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| The set was elaborate, and the actors were good |
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| We enjoyed getting dressed up for dinner and shows |
There are also a range of dining experiences - from a quick buffet, to dining room with full service, to cafe style in Central Park
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| cafe breakfast on a day at sea |
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| Walking through Central Park |
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| The plants are real! One detail that we really appreciated was that there were bird sounds that were being played in Central Park during the day. And at night they played cricket sounds. It was subtle, but noticeable. Such a nice detail. The crew organize trivia nights, and games. There's a carnival area for children.
Theres a casino and areas that are for adults only. You'll find that each ship will have its unique thing going on. The only time we have been slightly disappointed with a cruise was on our honeymoon. We did a cruise around the Hawaiian islands and back to Canada. The stops were all fantastic, no complaints there. And the ship itself was gorgeous. But the entertainment on the cruise line that we had chosen just wasn't our taste. If you do your research in advance you can avoid that mistake. |
Whatever line you choose, you can find really great cruise deals online. We often book with vacationstogo.
Itinerary:
We did a 7 night cruise leaving from Port Canaveral.
We visited 3 places: Coco Cay, St Thomas, and St Kitts.
Coco Cay
Tropical island with crystal clear water. Um, yes please.
We had read reviews that you have to pay for everything on Coco Cay, including beach chairs and umbrellas, and it isn't worth it...
That's not the case. The chairs and umbrellas are all free. And there are lots of them. The kids park was free. The lagoon was free.
We mostly just wanted to be at the beach - and it seemed that most people wanted the same.
There is a buffet lunch provided - very similar to the buffet on the ship.
There is also a free tram that takes you between the different beaches on the island. Though, it's really not a long walk.
You will have to pay for the Thrill Waterpark , the Zipline and the balloon ride.
There are markets set up, so you could do a little shopping too if that's your thing.
When we got off the ship we took the tram to South Beach - the furthest stop.
The water was so calm it was hard to believe it was the ocean!
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| South Beach at Coco Cay |
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| South Beach at Coco Cay |
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| South Beach at Coco Cay |
We didn't stay very long though, because there was a strong smell of decomposing seaweed. The Caribbean has had some issues with Sargassum for the last few years. Most places we have travelled to have been totally fine... but this beach must have just had a bunch wash up. Shame.
The beach had been cleaned off and it looked very pretty - but there must have been a pile somewhere close by.
Don't let that affect your decision to go see that beach though. It's so beautiful - and maybe you won't be there on a day when there's sargassum.
Instead of taking the tram back, we decided to walk and see the island a bit. Royal Caribbean have really put a lot into making the island like a resort. Everything is manicured and pretty and the infrastructure fits the environment. (it has a natural/local feel).
After meandering our way back towards the cruise ship, we settled on Chill Island Beach to spend the day.
By the time we arrived to Chill Island Beach the only beach chairs available were a bit further back from the waters edge.
But that was ok, because we spent most of the time in the water anyway.
You can pay to rent snorkels. Or you can just bring your own... The snorkelling around this beach was decent.
St Thomas
The ship docked at Charlotte Amelie. There is a lot to see and do, and we chose to travel to Magens Bay.
We didn't take a tour offered by the ship (though there are many available).
Instead we walked into town and took a taxi from there. It's considerably cheaper if you don't take a cab from the port.
Is it safe? In our opinion, yes. A lot of people are nervous in new countries. But we have never had a bad experience. Generally speaking, if you're nice to others, then they will be kind and helpful.
We never felt scared or worried that we would be robbed or anything like that.
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View over Charlotte Amelie
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Getting onto Magens Bay is $5 USD per person - and we needed to pay cash.
Totally worth it though. We have been to many beaches around the world - and Magens Bay is in the top 5.
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| The water is absolute perfection |
The water in Magens Bay is just so amazing... it's hard to describe.
First of all, the temperature is warm but still refreshing. We just spent hours in there.
It seemed like the water had a different viscosity to what we are used to. It felt like silk. Normally in salt water you get the salty (dare we say "icky") feel. But this beach didn't give us that feeling. Obviously it was salt water - it is the ocean, after all. But somehow it felt different.
The water is calm. Don't get us wrong, we love frolicking in waves - but sometimes having a perfectly calm beach is nice too. We didn't bring floaties - but this would be the perfect place for it. Next time....
There is also decent snorkelling along the edges of the bay. Dean's sister saw some turtles, and lots of beautiful fish.
Saint Kitts
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| Arriving at the Port in St Kitts |
There was a lot of activity getting off the ship at Basseterre. Performers and salespeople created a buzz of activity leading to the main mall/shopping area. Which itself is very nice.
But we had plans that did not involve shopping...
As usual, we did not do one of the cruise ship's activities. They are probably fun, but we wanted to get away from the crowds and do our own thing.
Again, we walked away from the port as far as we could and got ourselves a taxi to Cockleshell Beach.
It was an excellent choice. There were other tourists, but very few.
And the vistas were on point.
There were beautiful seashells to be found all along the beach.
There were a bunch of restaurants along the end of the beach. Just little local shacks. One of them had some cocktails made with homemade juice. They were so good we went back for seconds.
Conclusion
Cruising can be affordable, and a ton of fun.
It allows you to see multiple destinations without the hassle and frustration of flying, finding transport and accommodations.
There's a lot to experience onboard as well.
If you haven't tried it - you should. At least once.
We hope that our travel pics inspire you to go exploring.
Dean & Kay
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