For the fourth year in a row, I’ve been on a cruise in the Caribbean during the January-February timeframe, each time on a Norwegian Cruise Line ship. For 2025, I continued to test myself for longer voyages, this time booking a “back-to-back” (or B2B) aboard the Jade, a relatively smaller cruise ship. My NCL agent booked me into inside cabins, single, with most of the bells and whistles. NCL was awarding double points for both cruises, which would mean my “status” with them would change from Platinum to Sapphire. [There are not many differences in benefits. I’ll need 200 more nights aboard their ships to boost to Diamond, which I doubt will happen.]
There was a bus service bringing folks from the western coast of Florida (Tampa south to Naples) to the ports of Fort Lauderdale and Miami, but it didn’t survive Covid. I found an alternative, however, it picks up in Sarasota and not locally (Cruise Express/Yankee Trails). A postal mailing came after my booking from Cruise Port Connections / Blue Charter which offered a pickup in Venice, 10-15 minutes away, so I changed my booking. (Yankee Trails was difficult, sending a check rather than refunding. A subsequent cancelation resulted in no refund as I hadn’t insured the booking. Given their inflexibility and poor “on time” record, I won’t be using them again.)
Saturday morning, before the crack of dawn, neighbor Betty Souci (who, with her husband Dave, operate a driver service to local airports and the cruise port in Tampa) picked me up with my luggage and took me to the McDonalds at Jacaranda and I75. There I witnessed the sunrise, got a quick bite, and awaited the Cruise Port Connections bus which arrived 10 minutes late. The driver apologized, explaining he had to return home for the bus keys. In any case, we left Venice on time, and picked up two women in Ft Myers. We were the passenger manifest, although we did stop in Naples for a rest break, hearing that the other bus service was already 90 minutes behind.
The trip across Alligator Alley went smoothly, with traffic only backing up about 20 minutes from the port. I was sitting in the passenger lounge and waiting by 11:15, having cleared registration. I joined a large crowd in the secondary room – the ship had yet completed sanitization, and it took another 90 minutes before the higher Latitude members were called to board. Multiple other passengers, tired and irritated by the delay, pushed into the queue – not boding well to my mind.
The cabins were still off limits, so I headed to O’Sheehan’s bar and grill, a usual first meal for me (rather than heading to the buffet and pool deck.) My order of fish and chips needed the fries to be further crisped, and I asked for an additional piece of fish, hungry from the very early breakfast.
An announcement came through at 3 and I gained access to cabin 5107 where I unpacked my roll-on bag and grabbed my camera. Up to the pool deck and the two levels above, I got shots of the Miami Beach skyline, aspects of the ship, and joined folks as the ship got underway. There were at least five other ships in port, so the Jade queued up behind the Carnival Horizon and NCL Bliss, leaving the Icon of the Sea (yes, really big!) and an MSC ship.
As I usually travel solo, I like to participate in activities with other solos. NCL has an excellent program, and I joined a very large group of solos, probably more than 80, that first evening in the Spinnaker Lounge (Forward, Deck13), as Qwenna, the Entertainment staff person assigned to us for the first 15-days, passed around a roster sheet to sign our names.
At 7, we then moved as a group across the ship to the Grand Pacific main dining room (Aft, Deck 6). No tables reserved for us, and a huge queue awaiting tables, a group of 7 of us opted to climb to deck 8 and return to O’Sheehan’s (Betty, Michael, Frank, a Dutch woman and two more women at the far end of the table.) I had wings and a blue cheese burger. After making a pass through the shops, I grabbed another scotch and then headed to my cabin to unpack.
Day 2 – first day at sea
Up and to breakfast at “Pacific” where I had a bowl of oatmeal and a banana. Traversing the ship, I went to the library (Deck12) to get the daily crossword puzzle, stopped in Spinnaker which was empty, and took pictures of a very empty pool deck at 8:30am. Intent of keeping moving, I headed to Deck 7 and did 3 loops (a bit more than a mile). Just for grins, I walked into the Stardust Theater (Forward, Decks 6-7) for the Excursions talk, not finding anything of interest to add to the few excursions I’d already prebooked.
Frequent cruisers have online forums that are used to share information and schedule events before boarding. The two I’ve used are CruiseCritic.com and Facebook. (Facebook permits easily sharing multiple photos.) There is some cross-over between groups, and the scuttlebutt I hear is Facebook is used by younger people. In any case, several passenger-led events were set for the day at sea.
The first was the Meet and Greet, where ships officers were introduced. We met in Le Bistro, (midship, deck 6) which is an evenings specialty dining venue. In addition, the roughly 60 or so enjoyed juice, coffee and small pastries. A Gift Exchange and a Shot Glass Swap were held. I participated in the former, trading a bag filled with “stocking-like” items for a small wood cutting board.
After joining a shared table for 4 in the Pacific for lunch of Italian wedding soup, bay scallop gratin and queso frito tortilla bowl, I headed back up and forward to the Spinnaker Lounge. There, with almost 50 others, I joined the pub crawl where we “earned” a playing card with each colorful, fruity drink. The group, growing more rowdy as we crawled through the ship, was challenged to build the best or worst 7-card poker hand. We continued until 4, and my trash hand didn’t win.
At five, I returned to the Bliss Lounge for the solo meet up. Qwenna was a little less frazzled, the group was a tad smaller and relaxed.
Heading aft to the dining room, we had multiple tables of 6 designated for the solo group, a process repeated for the extent of the trip. Knowing that I didn’t like the conventional red wines offered, I asked for a glass each of sangiovese (Chianti) and tempranillo (Rioja) to accompany my meal. Clam chowder and a Caesar salad to start, followed by bacon and bourbon-glazed chicken breast. My tablemates included Gunther from Berlin, Brenda from Halifax, Mary Lou from Port Huron and Perry from Newfoundland. It looks like I had something apple with ice cream for dessert.
Following dinner, I headed to Tankards for a double shot of the top shelf scotch. Carrying it forward into the theater, I thoroughly enjoyed the performance of Boots, featuring the onboard singers and dancers. However, I spilled about 60% of my drink while leaving (I hadn’t touched it) so I took myself off to my cabin for the night.
Day 3 – Puerta Plata, Dominican Republic
While building my personal itinerary around the ship’s itinerary, adjusting when NCL changed a port and dropped 2, I layered in the cathedrals in the ports, including those I’ve visited and photographed. Our first port was Puerta Plata in the Dominican Republic, where I’d used a Tours By Locals driver on a previous visit to take me inland. Again, I contacted Milton, proposing two more inland cathedrals. He agreed, and we scheduled an early morning pickup.
My phone’s alarm rang true and I was up at 6:30 and out within 15 minutes on the pier. As a private driver, Milton wasn’t allowed to enter the port proper, so I had a 10-15 minute walk to exit the gates. No Milton in sight, but a young man said he’d call him to determine his status. The caller turned out to be Milton’s son, and I was told to get into a taxi to head inland to meet Milton in Lima. The driver asked me to pay his fare, but Milton told him that he’d handle it, and I transferred cars.
Once in Milton’s car, we set off towards Santiago de los Caballeros, using the peripheral highway to bypass going into the city and then heading south to the city of La Vega. By 9:30 we exited the highway and rode a major boulevard to the Park Duarte. There, a carnival celebrating the Epiphany shared the park with the Catedral de la Inmaculada Concepción.
Consecrated in 1992, its exterior appears to be large unfinished poured concrete blocks forming a castle-like structure. The main entrance faces north, and a separate cross-bearing bell tower soars to its right. As it was the Feast of the Three Kings, it was not unexpected that a service was underway – it appeared to be a Children’s Mass, with the front pews filled with kids thronging around the celebrant. Parents sat in pews behind.
The Cathedral of the Immaculate Conception is a pilgrimage site for the Dominican Republic, a near circular nave with a high flat vault covered in wood panels with seemingly random hanging lights. It is a very large space, with tall doors opening along the concrete walls allow for air flow. Walking quietly, I moved to the Eucharistic chapel where the Presence was in Exposition. Due to the active service, I didn’t get all the shots I’d like – no cathedra, station XIII, baptismal font, view back up the center aisle.
Returning outside, I was frustrated in my goal of a clear shot of the cathedral. Situated at the south end of the park, its placement to the bordering streets had me taking pictures with parallax. The view of the front, for which there would be a clear line, was blocked by carnival equipment – the city was still celebrating Christmas and the year-end holidays.
Exiting La Vega, I got to see a bit of city life as we headed northeast towards our next destination. About 45 minutes later we were moving through the streets of San Francisco de Macoris. The footprint of this city is like the letter “T”, with the road from La Vega traversing the lower stem so we could arrive near the juncture and the Catedral Santa Ana. [To the northeast of the city is Reserva Cientifica Loma Quita Espuela, keeping urban growth from moving towards the ocean.] A long, layered, cream-colored exterior with flanking twin towers sits on a corner behind a wrought-iron fence. A statue of St Francis of Assisi stands over the main door.
The front gate was locked, but Milton spied access to the reception hall, and we entered. He enquired if I would be allowed into the building, and I was pointed to a door on the northwest side. (The axis of the church is southwest to northeast.) Immediately, I was at the side altar dedicated to St Anne, mother of Mary and thus grandmother of Christ. Looking to the entrance, the central nave has a smooth unadorned vault, with umber-colored columns supporting widely-spaced shallow arches. Turning around, the sanctuary backs onto a wall with a gold crucifix placed over the cathedra, and eleven large icon-like panels depicting scenes from Christ’s life. Without excessive ornamentation, I found it to be a large parish church, elevated in 1978 to cathedral status. Simple by spiritual.
Returning to the car at 11, we began the drive back. We stopped after 40 minutes at a roadside open-air café, were Milton selected a cut of fried pork hanging out front, which the server hacked with a machete. With water and a side of potatoes, we had a quick lunch, the leftovers going home with Milton.
After reaching Santiago and beginning the descent towards Puerto Plata, Milton proposed a stop at a cultural center as we’d made good time. Near his home, the center is open-air, under a corrugated metal roof. Tables filled with native crafts – carvings, pottery, souvenirs, as well as jewelry and clothing – were available. I surveyed and grabbed a few gifts. Then I was treated to a brief talk on the production of coffee (very similar to most Caribbean islands) and was prompted to grind (pound) the roasted beans to earn a cup of coffee. I was directed to the upper buildings to survey the art, mostly large photo-realistic acrylic paintings of native scenes.
Reaching the port city, Milton dropped me at the entrance of Taino Bay, where I left him to work out my trip with the taxi driver. With 45 minutes until “all aboard”, I strolled through the pathways between the numerous duty-free shops before making my way to the gangway. Entering the ship on the fourth deck, it was easy for me to drop my gear in my room one flight of stairs up, and then I climbed to the Spinnaker Lounge on deck 13, hoping to get mobile phone service so I could look at my emails. While I made no further notes after my two-thirds page of scribbles, I suspect I enjoyed the sail-away, joined the solos without our hostess in attendance, and went to dinner with the group. A hypnotist was entertaining in the theater, but I know I skipped.
Day 4 – San Juan, Puerto Rico
With a ship excursion booked, I was able to get to the Grand Pacific for oatmeal, eat it, and be climbing the stairs when the captain announced the ship had received clearance. I was supposed to be on the dock to meet my group, so I collected my camera, bug spray and hat and headed down to check out off the ship. We were a group of 10: couples from Nottingham, England, Miami/London, Asia and a couple from Arizona who were joined by their daughter who was a dancer aboard. As I’ve been on multiple zipline adventures, this was fairly mild to me – 5 suspension bridges and 5 rides. We were a very compatible group, albeit I was much the senior and usually lagged behind, usually taking more pictures.
After a half hour jitney ride, we arrived at the multi-functional Hacienda Campo Rios. Up a slight hill to the canteen, where we were fitted into our seat harness, given helmets and gloves, and a brief explanation of zipping. We climbed a hill, crossed a bridge, and climbed some more before the first ride. A couple more bridges, a few more hills, rides. Original Taino artifacts were pointed out, some local fauna (including a reclusive spider) and we proceeded through the course. Back at the canteen, we shed our gear, perused the souvenirs and boarded the transportation back to the port. I was back by noon!
The Jade had docked where I’d originally boarded the Epic in 2022, so I knew we were well away from Old San Juan. Most of the group caught the free shuttle buses into town, and I climbed to the Garden Café. After taking a few pictures, and filling a plate with lettuce and salad fixings, I grabbed a glass of water and found a seat, soon joined by Ron for a healthy lunch. We compared notes, and then I returned to my cabin for a shower and change of clothing, relieved to take off the long-sleeved rash-guard shirt.
Then, following a pattern, I was up again in Spinnaker to work the phone to read emails and catch up. Sail-away was at 4, and I still had my camera, so I got some great shots of the Old San Juan skyline, including the Catedral Basílica Metropolitana de San Juan Bautista, which I’d visited and photographed in 2022 during my stay on the island.
Qwenna was back to host the solos, and I was part of the group at dinner. My choices were pasta e fagioli, pot stickers and chicken cordon bleu, with a cheese plate as dessert.
Day 5 – Sint Maarten/St Martin
St Martin is one of my favorite Caribbean ports – I love that I can return to France, even if it’s just for an hour or two. Anticipating our arrival, I was awake and up ahead of my alarm, waiting at the stairs at 7 although clearance wasn’t announced until 7:15. While we were to gather at 7:30, we didn’t begin to move until 7:45.
Our jitney took us around the island, with the driver pointing out communities, schools, shops and beaches. We reached Marigot, the capital of the French side, at 8:40 and had 90 minutes to wander. Very poor timing, to my mind, as many “better” shops wouldn’t be open until 10 and we were to return just after that. My objectives were the fromagerie (to get some decent French cheese), boulangerie (for a baguette) and the wine shop (for a nice bottle of Chateauneuf de Pape). The cheese shop I “usually” visited was closed until 10. I wandered in town a bit, getting body lotion and hair conditioner (the ship-provided soap and water weren’t kind to my skin or hair), a shirt, and checked out street art. Near rendezvous time, I found a wine shop open which had cheese and foie gras, and got directions to get my baked goods. On my way back to the jitney I picked up another rash guard shirt.
During several of the previous evenings I’d wandered into the jewelry and gift shops on board. I’d seen a ring at Effy which I liked, but wasn’t ready to part with the kind of money they proposed. In the port of Phillipsburg I checked the Effy there, and they had the same ring, offered at $1000 less. Still over my ceiling, I passed and returned to the ship. On deck 12, a stop at the library for the daily crossword puzzle. Another loaded salad at the Garden Café, this time I secured a virgin bloody Mary to drink. Afterwards, I found a chaise in the shade where I spent the rest of the afternoon, reading on my reader after polishing off the email queue.
The solos gathered at 5:30, leaving for dinner at 6, but I had a dining reservation at Le Bistro, a specialty dining venue. A favorite, I’ve dined there almost every NCL cruise I’ve been on. Unfortunately, corporate headquarters has removed the duck entrée, a great disappointment to me (and many others, to hear it.) So after my order of escargot and the (beet and) chevre cheese salad, I opted for lamb chops, which were wonderful. I asked for separate glasses of wine – the tempranillo and CdP. Sheila, from Miami, and Susi from Windsor (near London) were dining at the next table, so we were able to chat before I ordered my Marquise au chocolat, which has acquired an interesting NSFW nickname due to its appearance. A glass of port as a digestif ended my dining evening.
I joined 3 women going to the Bliss Lounge for a scotch. At 9, the theater production was Broadway numbers, where I unfortunately didn’t recognize more than a song or two, but the house was pretty full and everyone seemed to have enjoyed. I headed to my cabin to relax and read a bit.
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