Cruising the Caribbean

I’ve been on exactly two cruises (known as a ‘sailings’) to the Caribbean, both of which have been with Royal Caribbean. Having just returned from my second sailing with the cruise-line (a friend of mine had been invited to RCL’s Investor Day and was allowed to bring three guests for a free four day/three night sailing to the Bahamas - score!), I have to say that my experiences with Royal Caribbean have been consistently great across the board.

First Sailing in 2015 - 7 day/6 night Eastern Passage with Royal Caribbean

My very first sailing into the Caribbean was on their Eastern Caribbean itinerary, lasting approximately a week. Ports of call included St. Marteen, British Virgin Islands, & the Bahamas. Idyllic doesn't begin to describe it, though sadly, this was before I started documenting my travels in depth, and as such photos from this journey are somewhat limited, sadly.

I do recall, however, that my favorite island was St. Martin/St. Marteen. The island is half French and half Dutch, so there's excellent food on the beaches, particularly on the French half (see last photo).

Ship: royal caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas

Back then the largest ship in Royal Caribbean's fleet - now, it’s Quantum of the Seas. So large that its akin to a floating city. The ship had close to 20 floors, if I recall correctly, and different sections/zones to make it easier for guests to navigate.

Second Sailing in 2019: 4 day/3 night Bahamas & Perfect Day at Coco Cay

Unlike my first cruise with RCL, my second sailing departed and returned to the Port of Miami. And so, for those sailing out of here, a couple of not to be missed eats and sites below:

where to eat

“The Wynwood Walls was conceived by the late Tony Goldman in 2009. He was looking for something big to transform the warehouse district of Wynwood, and he arrived at a simple idea: “Wynwood’s large stock of warehouse buildings, all with no windows, would be my giant canvases to bring to them the greatest street art ever seen in one place.”

“The Wynwood Walls became a major art statement with Tony’s commitment to graffiti and street art, a genre that he believed was under appreciated and not respected historically. He wanted to give the movement more attention and more respect: “By presenting it in a way that has not been done before, I was able to expose the public to something they had only seen peripherally.” Since then, the Walls has brought the world’s greatest artists working in the graffiti and street art genre to Miami.”

“Since its inception, the Wynwood Walls program has seen over 50 artists representing 16 countries and have covered over 80,000 square feet of walls.”

Perhaps one of the most popular ports during Caribbean sailings, Nassau, Bahamas is an exotic blend of old world charm and sandy paradise. Though it ranks high on the tourist-y vibe, salesmen swarming fresh off-the-boaters to rent a scooter, 4x4, or even go for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage (!)

To See:

ANYWAYS, we somehow made it to a couple of the key landmarks on New Providence (the Bahamas’ 11 largest island, where Nassau, its capital, is located). This includes, of course, the famed Atlantis Hotel.

To Eat: fish fry

If you ask anyone where & what to eat on the island, chances are ‘fish fry’ will come up. And there’s no better area to indulge in that than Arawak Cay. A small offshoot area of the main island by the water, the area is home to a number of eateries that serve up fish fry - which typically consists of much more than fish, including conch, a Bahamian favorite.

One of the newest additions to the Royal Caribbean lineup of private islands accessible only to the guests of their ships - Coco Cay, marketed as ‘Perfect Day at Coco Cay’ lies in the Bahamian region. And so after a night of sailing, we were greeted arrived in the tropical oasis that is Coco Cay. I should note here that parts of the island, including cabanas and certain beaches, remained in construction during our visit in November of 2019. And with two RCL cruises docked at the island that day, it was incredibly crowded, with many lines for individual water slides at the Thrill Water Park, for example, stretching into the half hour/slide for normal visitors.

Overall, however, the island itself, with all of the infrastructure being newly built, was well appointed (although could’ve used more directions & signs). The water was crystal clear and beautiful, the sand pale and fine, and the sun shining (maybe a bit too much -remember that sunscreen is a must in the Caribbean!)

As a bonus, we even saw some lemon sharks (a pretty benign species of shark commonly found in shallow waters of the Bahamas) swimming right outside the enclosure!

Taken on our way back down in the hot air balloon, one sees both Coco Cay’s completed and still-being-built attractions and amenities laid out, with the two cruises docked at island in the distance. Home to no less than three distinct beach areas, outdoor pools and lagoons, two separate sets of water slides, and endless chairs to lounge on in the sand, the ‘Perfect Day’ promised in the Cay’s name isn’t far from reach. It is worth noting however, that while many things on the island (including the food and drink, which you’re entitled to the same as if you’re on the cruise) are included with your sailing, many activities will cost you extra. These include but aren’t limited to: tickets to the Thrill Waterpark, cabana rentals, the Up, up, & away hot air balloon ride, the zip-line over the island, and all the shore excursions that depart from Coco Cay.

Seen here the second cluster of slides offered at Thrill Waterpark, the largest one of which is raft based and multi-rider, with a steep drop at the end of the ride.

Offered as a shore excursion (though bookable once you get on Coco Cay as well), Sea Doo trips are only offered in tours with two official guides accompanying each group on the island. About an hour and a half in duration, skimming over the clear waters of the Caribbean at high speed made this one of the most exhilarating experiences of the trip.

Evidently, an overall fantastic few days spent in the Caribbean, especially the second time around. A proximate tropical trip for most on the Eastern Coast of North America, highly recommend (via cruise or otherwise!) as a getaway to paradise.