The Best of Times

We had a fabulous time on our 7 day cruise on the Norwegian Spirit that sailed on January 30, 2016. The ship is not one of the mega ships and lacks some of the features of those newer and larger ships but it was just what we needed. We ate at the Windows restaurant every evening but one and had some of the best dining experiences we have ever had. The staff was so wonderful and friendly it reminded me of the old cruise days when you had your wait staff for the whole week and you really got to know them.

In Nassua, we went to the Straw Market and thankfully it was Sunday and only about 1/3 of the vendors were open .....which means we got out of there in record time. We then walked to Junkanoo beach and sat at the Tiki hut there where you get 4 beers and 4 shots for $10. We also met the owner of the place who was also lead vocal on the hit song...Who Let the Dogs Out. We were going to take a taxi back to the ship but the locals told us to take the bus for $1.25. We did and it worked perfectly.

St Thomas, where we honeymooned 35 years ago, was amazing as always. We took a taxi right from the dock to Magens Bay for $8/person.....rented chairs and had just a great time. It is as beautiful as it was 35 years ago but a lot more people than back in the day. Taxied back to Charlotte Amolie for some brief shopping $8/person. Great day.

 Tortola, which is just starting to figure out the cruise industry, has a lot of construction in the dock area. It will take some time but it will be great. That being said it was our favorite port. We decide to do a ship excursion to transport us to and from the ship to Cane Garden Bay Beach. We did this because we didn't know what the taxi situation would be......glad we did it and it was only $39. The ride over the mountain is  a mixture of very steep grades and hairpin turns that was fun and exhilarating and provided tremendous vistas for picture taking.. The beach was one of the best I have ever been on.....beautiful white sand, crystal clear water and a panoramic view that is second to none. There I was laying in the lounge chair on the edge of the water looking out on the most beautiful scenery imaginable, drinking a Corona that is so cold it's almost turned to ice and I thought " Lord, you can take me now".

Please sign me up again