We started in New York. It was a beautiful day, forecasting a gorgeous vacation.
We could see Manhattan from the balcony of our room.
We could see Manhattan from the balcony of our room.
As usual with cruises, it was a big party on the 10th floor at departure.
The inside cabins were cheap. A few days before departure, they were sold for less than $700 per person. But most passengers had a day spot to stay, with many nice places around the pool or those half-tents where guests could enjoy the music and outside weather. Most woke up early to occupy the place for the whole day, leaving some personal items there when going for food or other necessities.
The cruise was Carnival Venezia (Venice), because many places tried to simulate the city, like the central plaza on the boat, inspired by the San Marco plaza where musicians played all time.
Evening time was entertainment; we liked the rock-and-roll band and another band with two Colombians playing Latino music.
This cruise we opted to enjoy beaches on all stops. The first was St. Thomas
Resting on my chair, I felt something wet fall on my right foot. I had my cell in my hand and quickly took a shot up. Do you see the dragon (well, iguana) responsible for it?
The next stop was San Juan, Puerto Rico. The beach was near downtown, with lots of fish to see since the locals fed them.
Vegetation was all around us. I liked the Ficus tree. They were huge and competed with other plants, all shades of green.
The next stop was the Dominican Republic. The line cruise owned the place where the boat docked and built a small village there, where locals were not allowed, only musicians, who welcomed us.
In that village there were many shops, flowers and all kinds of trees. My wife loved those flowers, and just behind her was a huge Amber rock, maybe weighing tons.
There were pools in the village, but we wanted a real beach, and we took a bus. It was considered a trip, paid on the boat, $80 (plus tax) for 2, two ways. The sun can burn you even when swimming, and I already had too much exposure, so I wore protection.
The next stop was Grand Turk, where the cruise line owned the place and had chairs included.
The beach was rocky, so, I had to wear special shoes. The marine life was very nice and rich. We enjoyed it.
One of the lunar missions had the module landed near Grand Turk, and the village’s central plaza had a replica. I could not believe it was so small! If I understood correctly, there were 7 astronauts crowded there!
The last stop was a small Bahamas Island - the cruise line property.
