Cruise out of Port Canaveral on the Norwegian Escape and visit Caribbean Islands and onboard activities like a ropes course, mini-golf, and water park.
(I am first sharing our cruise experience then posts on our island destinations– Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic, U.S. Virgin Islands, and British Virgin Islands. Our experience at Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas, which is Norwegian’s Cruise Line’s private island is below.)
Our son enjoyed his time at Splash Academy while we were on the boat. This allowed us to have some time for ourselves.
First Day
We arrived earlier than the two hours recommended before our boarding time.
They allowed us to go onboard earlier which was great since we could have lunch in the Garden Café, the main dining hall on the ship.
We did have to wait for some before our room was ready, but that was fine since we could swim and eat beforehand. It almost felt like we had an extra day on the cruise ship.
NOTE: The main dining hall can become busy so you might go a bit early or late to avoid the crowds.
First Sea Day
The next day was a sea day and we spent most of it at the pool area. They have four waterslides which I and my son enjoyed.
One waterslide is for older kids and adults based on height.
Yet my son was happy with the others and the splash pad area they have so it was not a problem.
Note: Also, you cannot wear a ring on your hand on the turbo shoot slide, I couldn’t get mine off so I couldn’t do it either.
Lunch was the main dining hall and included a Christmas theme since we were on a holiday cruise.
Dinner was at O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill where my son could watch sports on one of the many TVs. The food was pub grub.
My only complaint it is too near the atrium area where they have some loud activities and took away from hearing each other at times.
Second Day
That evening we went to see the Malevo while Andrew enjoyed Splash Academy.
Malevo consists of a group of eight men from Argentina. They like to consider themselves the “Magic Mikes” of Argentina. There are also women who perform in the group. They performed on “America’s Got Talent.”
It was a high-energy show and we enjoyed it.
They do reserve seating and we didn’t reserve it in time. We then had to wait in the waitlist line. If you really want to guarantee a good seat reserve beforehand.
Although, there seemed to be plenty of seats, know you have to wait in line if you don’t have a reservation.
NOTE: This was a port day at Amber Cove in the Dominican Republic.
Third-Day
That evening we went to the Choir Of Man which was our favorite performance on the ship. They had it set up just like a pub and played into it the whole time. At the start, they had a working keg and you could go up for a beer.
It was fast pace, entertaining and I enjoyed the pub stories they shared along with the musical numbers.
Again, we did this as a waitlist.
NOTE: This was a port day in the U.S. Virgin Islands.
Fourth Day
On this day we went to a performance of a cover band of Fleetwood Mac doing the Rumours Album.
They were on point with their rendition since they sang well along with sharing stories about how the band came together.
It was only advertised on the ship sheet, so we were lucky to come across it. If you go to a performance in a smaller venue come early so you can grab a seat. We almost didn’t have one.
Fifth Day
This was a sea day so we spent it swimming. Andrew and I did miniature golf and the ropes and zipline course.
The ropes and zipline are high on top of the ship so if you are afraid of heights, I would not do it. There are planks that go out from the ship, which is pretty cool. Even for me, it was bit much, but you’re strapped in well.
That evening we took in a blues and jazz show in the Supper Club where you can have dinner served while you watch the entertainment. The show was later, so we did dinner first. They still allowed us to come in and do only drinks since we had eaten earlier with our son.
She could sing and had a varied playlist.
Sixth Day
This was a swim day on Great Stirrup Cay in the Bahamas, the Norwegian line’s private island.
You can see the coral reefs close to the beach area, so Andrew and I swam together looking for tropical fish using our snorkels.
Served on the island is a buffet along with drinks all complimentary of the cruise line.
They have water sports and ziplines along with cabanas for a fee.
A line of shops is close to the port if you want to purchase a memento.
I took a short hike where I saw a lizard, iguana, and birds.
This walk went to where they do water sports.
Seventh Day
This was our last day and we did the breakfast buffet before heading out.
Final Thoughts
I like the all-inclusive drinks package which gave us the chance not to have to worry about the cost of drinks.
We did not figure out the 115 minutes free of the internet that was part of the deal.
On the plus side going to the U.S. Virgin Islands we had cell coverage.
In the room, we had a bunk bed that came down from the top, which was great for our son and allowed us to still use the couch.
Also, the deal included two specialty dining nights was nice since we could try two restaurants on the ship. It broke up the dining experience from always having to be in the dining hall or at the buffet.
We did Global Fusion, which had lots of windows and gave us a very different experience with lots of food choices.
The Argentine steak house allowed us to try a lot of different meats.
I like these perks for the most part. We plan to do another cruise on Norwegian in the future.
MORE CRUISING
Cruising With Kids
On our Caribbean cruise, we were able to take advantage of using the kid’s club since Andrew was way beyond needing diapers.
Seeing Stingrays at Half Moon Cay
Half Moon Cay, Holland America’s private oasis, was our first port. It is filled with a variety of island activities including stingray encounters, glass-bottom boat viewing, snorkeling or just hanging out on the beach and swimming in the pristine Caribbean Sea.
Exploring Aruba
Aruba, a land of crystal white beaches, Flintstones cartoon-sized rocks to climb and a ruby red streetcar to see the town, was our last port of call. The cruise stopped on the edge of the main city of Oranjestad.
Diving Into Bonaire
A land of pink flamingos, mountains of bright white salt and aquarium clear water, was Bonaire to us.
