NYC - San Juan - St. Thomas - St. Maarten - Tortola - NYC
May 2011
That's right, we have become "cruise addicts" and we're loving every minute of it! We simply enjoy the cruise ship lifestyle, you know, having someone take care of everything. Everyone of these cruises have given us a new experience and introduced us to some wonderful people.
Unlike other cruses, this one was booked months ahead of time. Recently retired friends of ours, Gene and Rita, wanted to go on their first cruise and asked if we would be interested in going along. They only made the suggestion ONCE and we signed on. We've met a lot of wonderful people once aboard but showing up with friends was a first for us.
This cruise began and ended in New York City at the passenger terminal located along Manhattan's west side. Per usual, we took the Bieber Bus from Kutztown PA to the Port Authority in New York and took a short cab ride from there to the terminal. Everything went without a hitch. NCL does a great job with the embarkation process and in short order we were aboard having lunch in the main dining room, "Tsar's Palace".
Click on the images below to see a larger view, access some additional comments, look at camera information, and a satellite image of where the picture was taken....
This was our 4th NCL cruise, our second on Jewel. Last time we booked an inside cabin but decided to spring for the extra $$$ and go back to a balcony. An inside was OK especially during the winter months but this cruise being in May would bring nice balcony sitting weather with it. Be sure and click on these images for some notes about cabin amenities ....
We departed New York on a beautiful sunny day and enjoyed the sights as we sailed out of the harbor. Once in the ocean there was some "bumpiness" but that was short lived and all was smooth again by morning.
Cruising is mostly about the ship for us so there was plenty to photograph......
San Juan Puerto Rico....
San Juan was a late arrival for us so we worked our way over to one of the forts before they closed for the night. We found the fort to be VERY interesting and it would have been a great wedding picture location. There wasn't enough time to tour the cemetery or the other fort so those will have to wait until we return at another time. Following the fort, we wandered our way back through Old San Juan's narrow cobbled stoned streets to the cruise pier. We were amazed at the number of cats wandering the neighborhoods....
St. Thomas USVI....
Or goal for St. Thomas was to make it a beach day so we headed off to Megans Bay. We didn't make arrangements to book a shore excursion through NCL but instead decided to secure a ride at the pier. The tour operator we signed on with took us around the island for some scenic views then dropped us off at the beach for a couple hours. There were only two ships in port so the beach was not overly crowded. While there, I completed one geocache...
St. Maarten in the Netherlands Antilles....
As a rule, we prefer to get out and see the countryside so we booked a "Scenic Coastal Hike" excursion through NCL. Much to our surprise, there were only four of us on this hike. We started the hike in a light shower which thankfully stopped shortly after we started. The hike took us literally along goat trails along cliffs overlooking the ocean. The final leg of the hike was along a deserted beach. All in all it was what we were hoping for and may we be physically able to do this sort of thing for years to come. The van that took us to the trailhead dropped us off in town where I went looking for a camera shop I had heard about. We found it and prices were good but there simply wasn't anything I needed. Transportation back to the ship pier was by water taxi....
Tortola in the BVI....
Tortola was a short day so the featured thing to do was take the ship sponsored excursion to The Baths on Virgin Gorda. Timing was tight for this one so going with the cruise line was how you made sure the ship didn't leave without you. There are two trails down to the water so we took the more difficult "left" trail, worked our way through the boulders to the gift shop area, then up the easier "right" trail. Navigating the trail among the boulders was tight in spots but doable for our bodies. Once at the gift shop area we were able to relax and take in the view. I had been to The Baths years ago while on a sailboat charter in the BVI so seeing the anchored boats brought back memories.....
I should also mention that we participated in a Cruise Critic Roll Call which really enhanced getting to meet fellow cruisers. For those unfamiliar, the "Roll Call" is an online message board focused on a specific cruise. The exchange of pre-cruise information is very beneficial and I was always amazed at how much people know about the cruise lines, ships, the officers, and the ports of call. There was always someone who could answer questions. In addition, some onboard activities were organized starting with a Meet & Greet during which we got to meet each other and some of the ship's officers.
For the photographers among you: I only took my Nikon Coolpix P7000 P&S camera to save weight and space. Kathy brought out her Canon P&S. I brought along a Zip Shot Tripod for those times when a camera support comes in handy. The Zip Shot is VERY portable and was just the ticket with a P&S camera. In addition, we also geotagged our images with a Sony GPS-CS3KA.
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