Christmas in the Caribbean has generally been higher on my holiday getaway would like listing, but as initial-time cruisers, my wife Kay and I had been hesitant about expending five nights on board a liner, specifically due to the fact two nights had been at sea. But a voyage all around the Caribbean on the Azamara Journey opened our eyes.
Not only were there passengers of all ages, but the advantage quickly grew to become obvious – we visited 4 nations around the world in a single week, with out reserving individual flights and inns – or lugging suitcases all-around.
And it can be certainly relaxed: the ship is described as ‘a boutique hotel at sea’.
The Mail on Sunday’s Stability Correspondent Abul Taher went on a Caribbean cruise with his spouse, Kay, over Xmas. Through the voyage they stopped at Tortola, the funds of the British Virgin Islands. Pictured, Tortola’s Cane Backyard garden Bay
The to start with-time cruisers put in 5 evenings on the Azamara Journey, pictured, together with 690 other passengers
A single of the ship highlights was ‘the White Night party’ at the poolside bar, which saw all travellers and crew carrying white as they dined on a buffet laden with food stuff from around the planet
Abul writes: ‘Across the ship’s 11 decks we found dozens of bars and dining establishments, offering anything from buffet dinners to gourmand steaks, lobster and caviar with fantastic wines’
We and 690 other passengers started off our five-working day cruise in San Juan, the capital of Puerto Rico. The town experienced a carnival atmosphere, with dancers gyrating to salsa tunes in the colourful streets that led to La Fortaleza, the palace of the island’s governor.
La Fortaleza is a 5-minute wander from Castillo San Cristobal, the city’s old fortress, created by the Spanish to protect San Juan from attacks (typically by the English). On board we ended up greeted in our stateroom with a bottle of champagne and candies. A balcony gave us spectacular sights around the future five times.
Across the ship’s 11 decks we identified dozens of bars and dining places, providing every thing from buffet dinners to connoisseur steaks, lobster and caviar with fantastic wines. Then it was on to the reside Broadway-design theatre enjoyment, the on line casino and disco.
The next morning we docked at Gustavia, the funds of St Barts, the stylish French island that is a haven for celebs. With its luxury yachts and designer retailers, St Barts felt like the South of France. French was spoken everywhere you go and the euro is the major currency.
Dancing in the streets: The cruise set sail from San Juan, the funds of Puerto Rico, and the city experienced a ‘carnival atmosphere’. Pictured, Puerto Rican dancers in regular dress
While in Miami, Abul and his wife went on an excursion to the Everglades by airboat. He writes: ‘Thrillingly, we caught sight of two alligators just ft away’
Back again on board that night, the White Evening get together at the poolside bar observed all passengers and crew sporting white as we dined on a buffet laden with food stuff from about the entire world.
Tortola was subsequent, the capital of the British Virgin Islands. When not as chic as Gustavia, it felt like a Caribbean carnival the minute we arrived, with musicians and dancers actively playing reggae new music at the port’s promenade.
We toured the city on an ‘open-air safari bus’ whilst Bob Marley’s audio blared out of the stereo.
The following two times and evenings ended up put in at sea as we headed to Miami.
Most travellers invested time at the cost-free poolside bar during the working day – and we had impressive sights of Haiti and Cuba as we sailed previous.
Ocean Drive in Miami was a single of the liveliest streets Abul said he’d ‘ever visited’
In the course of the working day, the Sanctum wellbeing spa provided massages, facials and hair styling, as effectively as acupuncture and even teeth whitening.
There ended up also lectures, as perfectly as excursions of the captain’s bridge and even the Azamara’s massive kitchen.
On the morning of the sixth day, we arrived in Miami, acquiring travelled 1,353 nautical miles all around the Caribbean. We could not pass up an tour to the Everglades by airboat – and, thrillingly, we caught sight of two alligators just feet away.
We used two much more times in Miami, checking into a hotel on South Beach, famous for its miles of golden sand and Art Deco structures.
South Beach’s promenade, Ocean Generate, is just one of the most lively streets I have frequented. The bars and dining places there were being alive with blaring music and dancers at their entrance doors cavorted all-around seeking to appeal to custom.
As we flew back to England, we realised our very first cruise experienced been nothing at all like we’d imagined – it was even superior.