It was awesome. The ship was beautiful and huge. It's not one of the biggest cruise ships, but it is quite large - 2000 passengers. But I didn't feel crowded at all. There is so much to do and see on the ship, everyone is spread everywhere. The food was superb and plentiful. Norwegian Cruise Lines has a FreeStyle program where there are no set dinner times. It's more like a restaurant -- first come first served. If you want to be seated with others, that's fine, and if you prefer to be alone, that's fine too.
Islands I visited:
The islands were all pretty. For each port we took one of the shore excursions the ship offered. At St Thomas is had just rained heavily, so our trip was canceled. But our cab driver was the resourceful one and gave us a 2 hour tour for a nominal charge. I liked Dominica the most but it might have been because it was the only island that I took a land tour. We traveled into the rainforest and saw so many plants and trees in bloom. There were also waterfalls too. Just gorgeous. In St Kitts I canceled my train trip in favor of a snorkeling tour. I have never snorkeled before, so I was a bit apprehensive. But I loved it and so canceled the next days excursion for another snorkel trip! Both were nice, but the first site was so clear and beautiful. I saw different fish each time. I took a bunch of pictures with my digital camera and some with an underwater camera too. I haven't gotten the underwater pics developed yet, but when I do they will be loaded with the others.
Purchases: I bought a bunch of stuff. Hey it's a cruise and Christmas is coming up.
- Tanzanite ring and earrings
- The islands have jewelry shops everywhere. I found a pretty tanzanite ring set in white gold tha I liked and wasn't too expensive. It's a beautiful blue that reminds me of the ocean surrounding the islands. I also found a pair of tanzanite earrings to match.
- Diamond stud earrings
- I picked up a few freebie sets of diamond stud earrings; the diamond is so small but they are set in gold and look good. I wear them every now and then and I gave the other pair to Grace.
- Binoculars
- The set I bought online and brought with me were just too big. This new one has a good range and they are so small I can carry them anywhere. Plus they were only $25.
- Del Sol: Tshirts, nail polish, tote bags
- A company by the name of Del Sol produces items that change color when they are under sunlight. The designs are pretty and I'm sure the kids will get a kick out of the shirts. I also picked up a few bottles of nail polish for Grace. I thought she'd like having color change polish. They also gave every cabin a free tote bag. It is fun to watch the colors change so vibrantly.
- soap and eggs
- I bought a few bars of olive oil soap, Castille soap, and one other moisturizing soap in Dominica. They smell lovely and I've wanted to buy some before but never did. One of the vendors at the rainforest waterfall had a basket full of tiny rock eggs. I instantly thought of my long haired online friends and bought a few.
I think cruising is the best way to vacation. It's relaxing and everything is within reach.