If you enjoy travelling and visiting new places, I recommend a cruise. I have cruised the Mediterranean and the Baltic and my next cruise will be a Caribbean cruise. I am really looking forward to it. If you have never been on a cruise, start saving up now, because it is opulence like you have never imagined before.

There are lots of destinations for people interested in sailing and if you are tired of the Virgin Islands then try the rest of the Caribbean.

Vacationing on a cruise liner is rightly considered to be elite and luxurious. It is certainly the best kind of vacation that I have ever had. The luxury far surpasses staying in a five star hotel. On the other hand, it is like an elite all inclusive holiday, because once on board, all the entertainment and all your meals are free. Alcoholic drinks must be paid for, but then they are duty free.

Pictured is one of the newest ships in the Carnival fleet, “Dream”.  Her home port is located in Port Canaveral, Florida and visits Western Caribbean Ports of Call in Mexico and Honduras such as Cozumel, Costa Maya, Isla Roatan, and Belize.

Departing February 20th, my cruise was full capacity with a total of 3,994 passengers.

The weather was unseasonably cold in Florida and the Caribbean.  Mornings were cool enough to wear jackets but mid-day yielded enough sunshine to get a sunburn without sunscreen.

As usual, the food was plentiful and choices many. I can’t put my finger on it, but I was disappointed in the overall food service on this trip.  Improvements were seen as the week progressed and it appeared to me that by weeks end it all came together.

As for anytime dining,  didn’t like it. I was given the option to change it.  The problem with anytime dining is that your waiter and serving staff don’t get the chance to know your likes/dislikes.

Past cruisers know that by your second dining evening, your wait staff know what you drink, how much and what kind of bread you like, etc.   Although you can request your same table and staff for your anytime dining, there are no guarantees.  Formal night seemed less special, we did not meet or see the captain in our anytime dining room during our dinner. 

Early in the trip, only two coffee makers were working for a shipload of coffee drinking morning guests. 

Lines were extremely long and slow during fun days at sea. The passengers were at fault too, in my opinion due to lack of communication as to where to get what in the lines.

 The yogurt/ice cream stations were in the path of main traffic and many spilled trays happened there.

My kudos to  the staff,  can’t blame them for rude passengers. Tempers seemed shorter than normal, maybe it was the cold weather. While in the gift shop a short time, I couldn’t believe the abuse the staff received just because the ship store did not have certain products passengers wanted. 

My cabin Steward, Josep, was absolutely wonderful.  Seemed like everytime we made a mess in the cabin, he knew it and cleaned up immediately when we left. I still think his cabin was across from ours and every time we left he could hear us.  He was the highlight of our stay and I cannot say enough about his attention to detail.

The seas were not friendly during the night, most of shows experienced a rocking ship. One night, we had 60 knot winds over the bow accompanied with rain. I could not open my balcony door the rain and winds were so strong.  Most evenings it was a light on/off rain. 

Our days were beautiful and dry. 

Will I go again? Not necessarily on the newest ship, largest ship, to Mexican ports of call, or during February..but I  will be cruising the caribbean again for sure. 

 I still have lots of stories to tell about this one.

Jamaica is the third largest island in the Caribbean with Kingston as the capital city, and is located on the south shore of the island.

Since gaining it’s independence in1962 from the UK, it has become one of the largest tourists destinations in the Caribbean. Jamaica is a common stop with cruise ships stopping at different ends of the Island. My trips included  Royal Caribbean to Ocho Rios and Carnival stopped  in Montego Bay

Both offer an abundance of natural resources to visit as well as local fare of Museums and landmarks.

When planning your offshore excursion, be sure that you don’t try to go it alone.  Recent activity with Canadian tourists getting caught in gunfire in inner city Kingston, confirm that there are some places you need a guide.

If your port of call visits Ocho Rios, you can tour Mystic Mountain for a breathtaking view of natures bounty.  There are several different options to visit the jungle.. from aerial lifts, slides, and rides.  Very family friendly and adventurous.

My trip to Dunn’s River Falls and Park was a blast, we chose the “party boat” tour.  Rum punch is served as soon as you board.  Fair warning, if you don’t like the famous  Jamaican tunes played very loud and a rough boat ride along the coast, this may not be for you.  In November, the scenic boat ride was rather rough but views were breathtaking.

On the party boat, you arrive at the bottom of the 600 foot falls. Unless you are planning on climbing the falls or getting to the top by stairs, your best bet would be a land tour.  During our visit, there wasn’t  much to do at the bottom of the falls except people watch, take photos, and soak in the sun. However, renovations were underway rebuilding damage from hurricanes.

I witnessed minor first aid administered at least three times in a couple hours from slips and falls on the rocks.  One was serious and the response and care given was impressive.

Climbing the stairs to the top, you will find many souvenir shops lined along the road.  As an alternative to climbing the falls, there are tours and taxis that provide stops to the top of Dunn’s River Falls.

With so many many beautiful and fun places to visit in Jamaica, such as dolphin encounter, white river tubing, horseback riding, beach, river, and jungle adventures, and tours to the famous Appleton Rum Factory and Blue Mountain Coffee factory, you definitely will want you to go back again.