Now We're Cruisin' - Days 1 & 2: Jan 11-12, 2015

Taking a Caribbean Cruise while I was in Florida seemed like a good idea because a) the only part of the Caribbean I'd seen before was Bermuda, b) I was close to all the embarkation ports, and c) I was just biding my time until the weather warmed up enough for me to head north. Since I wasn’t picky, I chose whatever was available at the last minute and got a great deal. I had a fantastic time, saw incredible sights, and made new friends. As part of my ongoing effort to catch up posts close to real time, this entry will be heavy on photos and sparse on words.

I’d heard that great deals on cruises could be had by waiting until the last minute, and that turned out to be true. I made my reservation on Jan. 5th for a 7-day cruise departing Jan. 11th and ended up paying less per day than a typical stay in a Holiday Inn. After considerable research, I went with Norwegian Cruise Lines because they seem to cater to solo travelers. I got a queen bed cabin with a window all to myself, plus they threw in the Premium Beverage Package which let me drink as much as I wanted of whatever I wanted for the entire cruise. I spent an extra $100 on the Premium Dining Package which let me eat in the specialty restaurants every night; that was the best money I’ve ever spent. I’d expected to embark in Miami, or maybe Port Canaveral, but to my surprise, the port was Tampa, just north of Sarasota where I had relatives and I’d already spent a week. Rather than pay the $30 to $40 per day for a standard RV park, I found a place that would let me plug in my unoccupied RV (to keep the refrigerator running) for $35 for the entire week. (Camp Nebraska in Tampa, if any fellow RVers need a spot.) So… on with the cruise.

Here’s the ship, the Norwegian Sun:

Photos of the top deck:

My cabin:

Some of the towel animals the steward left in my room throughout the cruise:

The Tampa skyline as we pulled out of port:

A Carnival cruise ship that turned and followed us out to sea:

Taking advantage of my dining package, I ate at the French Bistro the first night and had a superb Fruits de Mer. The next day was all at sea and I spent it exploring the ship and getting some sun. That night I dined at a yakatori-style restaurant:

That meal was significant, not only because the food was was wonderful, but also because I made some new friends that would last throughout the cruise and beyond. I’ll wait to introduce them until the next post, Day 3 of the cruise, when I have some photos of them.