Bahamas Cruise Vacation

Each year following our vacation, I almost immediately start scouting/planning/anticipating the next one.  Planning a vacation is one of my most favorite things to do.  I love to travel!  There has been one particular vacation that I've had on the horizon for the last several years, a Bahamas cruise.  I've cruised the Bahamas before, as a kid, but its was years ago and long before Atlantis was built.  Since Jacob and I have been married I've always wanted to go back, especially to see Atlantis.  But for one reason or another, that particular trip always lost out to others through the years.

Last year our last-minute whirl-wind cruise to Bermuda was the first time we had ever departed from New York.  After getting back I immediately began scouting itineraries and started to consider the possibility of a Bahamas cruise from New York.  The idea was quickly dismissed after bringing it up to Jacob and he adamantly said he did not want to repeat another weary travel day to New York.  The journey to New York was cumbersome to say the least.  It was probably one of the worst travel days we've experienced as a family.  The day went something like this.  Get up at the crack of dawn, drive to the airport.  Park offsite and wait for a shuttle bus to drive you to the terminal.  Then face the usual joys of check-in and security and wait to board the plane for the nearly 4-hour flight from Houston to New York.  After arriving in New York we had to catch a air train to baggage claim to wait for our luggage, then catch another air train to the transportation hub where we had to wait for our hotel's shuttle bus.  Once the shuttled arrived, we had to wait for it to fill before it departed.  A half hour later the shuttle bus dumped us off at the hotel.  By the time we made it to our room (nearly 10 hours after we started our journey) we were tired, dirty, and not in a "vacation" kinda mood!  The next morning we where up early to pack up again and wait for the car service I had arranged to take of to the cruise terminal.  Just to recap….catch a bus, to catch a plane, to catch a train, to catch a bus, to catch a car, to catch a boat!  Even I had to admit it wasn't something I wanted to do again and despite the best of plans there was no way to improve the journey.  So we scrapped the idea.

Fast-forward six months later and we got the word that a move was in our future, so we put a pin in vacation planning.  Fast forward three more months and we were on our way to Canada……very, very cold Canada!  After only a week in Canada I thought it was necessary to know positively that warmth and sunshine was waiting for me somewhere, so we again began to plan our summer vacation.  And suddenly, guess what the closest cruise port to us was now!  New York!  Bahamas, here we come!  We booked a 7-day cruise to the Bahamas on the Norwegian Gem.

With last years weary journey still on my mind, we made the decision to fly into NY the day of our cruise departure rather than a day early, like we usually do.  This is always a risk, since so many things can go wrong when you think about border crossings, air travel, and NY traffic.  In an effort to try and build in a back-up plan, we booked an early morning flight out of Detroit to NY with the hopes that if we were delayed there were a number of other flight departures that would still get us there in time.  As the vacation approached I decided rather than another early morning wake-up to leave for the airport (which is only about an hour away, not much different than our drive across Houston to get to Bush), we would start the vacation a day early and travel to Detroit to spend the night at the Westin located in the Detroit Metropolitan Airport.  This turned out to be a fantastic idea for a number of reasons.  1.  This eliminated the pressure and rush of early morning travel that first day.  Last years experience told me not to start my vacation off tired and stressed out.  2.  That Friday was July 4th!  While I am enjoying living in Canada, at times I also feel very aware of the fact that I am an immigrant in a foreign land.  Something about the idea of being in the United States for Independence Day made me happy!  3.  The hotel was fantastic, beautiful, and convenient.  This is not our first stay at an airport hotel, but it is the first hotel that was actually inside the airport.  I had my concerns initially, but being a Westin Hotel, it lived up to its name.

When we moved, one perk was the idea that I wouldn't have to worry about hurricanes in Ontario, Canada.  How wrong I was when Hurricane Arthur made an early season appearance the week ahead of vacation, traveling up the east coast and ruining the cruise ahead of ours.  The ship was forced to skip a port and leave the Bahamas a day early in an attempt to out run the storm.  We tracked the storm closely with concerns that it could possibly cause a change in travel plans or at the least some rough seas for departure.  This all made for a tense week, but fortunate for us, he moved quickly up the coast and through northeast Canada before we ever left for Detroit.

So, Jacob took a half day of vacation that Friday and by the time he got home, Brenna and I had everything packed up and ready to go!  It was a quick and easy drive to Detroit without any issues at the border.  After picking up some much desired Popeyes for Brenna we pulled up to the curbside hotel valet who quickly unloaded all our luggage.  The hotel offers a special to Canadian residents that allows valet airport parking for the duration of your travel.  So no worries of parking spaces or shuttle buses!  We walked into the beautiful atrium and Jacob checked us in as Brenna and I admired the fountains and 30 foot bamboo garden.

We had a wonderful time during our short stay at the hotel.  Brenna chatted with the lady at the front desk and she assured Brenna that she a had special room for her.  We were on the top floor and center of the building.  Upon entering the room, I understood what the desk woman had meant.  While the room was nice and clean, the stunning thing was the view.  We had panoramic view of the McNamara Terminal.  I'm not much of a plane enthusiastic, other than the desire the fly verses car travel for anything more than a 3 hour drive, but even I found it very interesting to have a birds eye view of the workings of the airport.  When the closest 757 backed out for departure we were so close that we could see the pilot and co-pilot inside the cockpit.

After the interest in the planes began to fade, we changed into our swimsuits for a dip in the pool.  We had the place to ourselves for a while.  But eventually we were joined by another family with two girls about Brenna's age.  While chatting we discovered they were from Georgia and staying at the hotel as a result of a flight delay on their trip to China.  I couldn't help but laugh and feel some comforts of the South as one girl turned to Brenna and said "Let's baptize each other!" It was kind of like a Jeff Foxworthy joke.  You know you're from the Bible Belt if strangers baptize your children in the hotel swimming pool and you're ok with it!

After a couple of hours of swimming we headed back to the room with the intention of eating dinner at the hotel restaurant or possibly stepping into the terminal to check out the fast food options (terminal access was a perk of the hotel).  But after baths, no one felt like getting dressed again, so we ordered room service and settled in for the night.

The next morning was easy and simple.  We woke up at a reasonable hour, walked out to the terminal, and checked in for our flight.  Thanks to our Nexus cards we were TSA pre-approved so we got to skip the security lines and go straight to the check-point.  The flight was barely an hour and then we were in New York.  I had arranged for a car service to take us to the cruise terminal.  Within 5 minutes of picking up our luggage we were on way!  After a drive through Central Park and Park Avenue we arrived at the cruise terminal where we were quickly whisked through the lines to check-in and then escorted to the Suite Lounge just in time for boarding.  We were the first escorted onto the ship via a special gangway and the concierge guided us straight to Cagney's Steakhouse, where we had our first lunch in a booth reserved especially for our suite for the entire week.  Overall, this was by far the easiest travel/embarkation we've ever experienced and it was a fantastic way to kick off vacation.

After lunch we headed to our room to check out the suite.  I was especially excited because I had chosen an Owner's Suite located on deck 10 at the forward of the ship.  We usually prefer mid-ship locations, but this suite offered some very unique advantages.  The suite did not disappoint!  We were in the Pink Diamond Suite, which Brenna thought was especially because her favorite color is pink.  The room was decorated in a festive tropical theme of pink and purple tones and was very comfortable with a living area, dining area, bedroom, two bathrooms, and two balconies.  The bathroom was spacious and equipped with a TV above the bathtub and large walk-in closet with vanity.  The two balconies were my favorite part of the whole room.  Being located at the forward, we had a panoramic view from our large front balcony, but also port side views from our side balcony!

Living Area

Dinning Area

Bedroom

Master Bath

Walkin Closet and Second Bathroom

Port Side Balcony

Forward Balcony

Panoramic View from Front Balcony

It was an amazing day for a sail away!  The weather was perfect!  Our usual routine is to skip the sail away party in leu of enjoying a quiet departure from our own private balcony.  This year made for a gorgeous departure as the New York City sky line stretch out ahead of us from our balcony at the forward of the ship.  We literally had a front row seat as we floated by Memorial Tower and the Statue of Liberty!  Brenna especially enjoyed passing under the Verrazano-Narrows Bridge on our way out to the Atlantic.  We spent the rest of the day settling in, unpacking, and enjoying the feeling of knowing warmth, ocean, and no stress lay ahead!

Our first sea day was just as I had hoped it would be, beautiful clear skies and a wide blue ocean.  After breakfast we headed to Dora's Dance Party to enjoy some of the Nickelodeon activities that the cruise offered.  Brenna had a great time and it was the first of many kid-friendly events that we would take part in.

Next, Brenna was determined to get in some pool time.  Being the 1st day of the cruise and such beautiful weather, the main pool deck with packed with people and there was no hope of gaining a deck chair near enough to the pool to keep an eye on her.  So, we decided to take advantage of another perk Norwegian offers and spend the afternoon at The Haven.  The Haven is a private deck accessible only to suite guests which offers a beautiful courtyard with retractable roof (for swimming even when the weather is bad!), pool, hot tub, buffet that always offered an assortment of snacks (including M&Ms which are Brenna's favorite), and then an upper level at the top of the ship with hammocks, loungers, and wicker cabanas.  The Haven is considered a "ship within a ship" and provides all the amenities that the pool deck would offer without the crowds and craziness.  It was a relaxing place!  I camped out by the pool in one of the comfy lounger and read my book while Brenna played in the pool with some new friends.

One of the things I enjoyed was all the family activities that Norwegian offered.  Brenna, of course, enjoyed the kids club and visited every night after dinner, but it was nice to have so many options that we could participate in together through out the day.  They had Nickelodeon activities and crafts, Circus Workshops, and also a number of special activities.  So, after we were done at the pool we made a quick change and then headed down to one of the restaurants for cupcake decorating!  After loading up her plate with a rainbow of icing, sprinkles, marshmallows, and chocolates, we spent the next hour creating our cupcake masterpieces!

We brought our creations back to the room for Daddy to taste and then it was time to get ready for dinner.  Brenna didn't complain much about this daily event, since she enjoyed watching cartoons in the bathtub!

The first sea day is traditionally considered formal night.  The benefit of Norwegian is that they are a freestyle cruise line which is slightly different from traditional cruising in a few ways.  One of the ways is that formal night isn't strictly formal.  So this year I left behind my cocktail dress and Jacob ditched his tie.  However, I didn't opt to go completely casual.  Its very seldom that our family is all dressed up and coordinated and I didn't want to miss an opportunity for a family picture, even if it was a corny cruise photo.

The next day was our first port of call.  Port Canaveral would appear to be one of the most perfect US ports for a cruise ship to visit.  There was a line-up of very attractive excursions that included Disney World, Universal Studios, Sea World, and Kennedy Space Station.  Unfortunately, none of these interested us.  It was more of a "been there, done that" kind of thing.  We've visited Disney, Universal, Sea World, and the Houston Space Center.  The idea of visiting Universal's Harry Potter World was appealing, but given that we didn't arrive in Port Canaveral until noon, the bus ride to Orlando was an hour, and the week we were there coincided with the opening week of the new Diagon Alley, it was guaranteed to be a hot crowded day with little time to accomplish all the things I would have hoped to see.  So we decided to save that outing for another time.  All that being said, other than the beach itself that left little to do in Port Canaveral.  So we opted to remain on the ship and enjoy the pool deck while all the crowds were away at the theme parks.  We were able to grab poolside loungers and enjoy the sunny day!

Later that day we attended one of many Circus Workshops that allowed to the kids to practice their Big Top skills.  They learned juggling, plate spinning, the Chinese yoyo, the lasso, and the devil sticks.  It was a fun activity and we attended several times through out the cruise.

The workshop was alway held in the ships main Atrium.  The Atrium was decorated in theme with the ship's name, Norwegian Gem, with Amethyst covering the entire ceiling.  It was very pretty in an over-the-top sort of way.

The next day was our second port of call, Great Stirrup Cay, which is Norwegian's private island.  In all the cruises we've been on, this is our first time to visit a cruise line's private island.  It was beautiful and made a for the picture perfect beach day.  We woke that morning and had breakfast in the room.  Roberto our butler was there, right at the stroke of 8 AM with waffles, omelets, bacon, and toast.  Roberto spoiled us throughout the week by taking care of everything for us.  After packing everything up for a day at the beach, we headed to the Concierge's Lounge where he escorted us down to the gang plank to board the tender.  This was another suite perk which allowed us the benefit of skipping the long tender lines and be the first on the island.  We quickly moved down the beach to a nice spot where we purchased a clam shell cabana and enjoyed the views and water before the the crowds arrived.

Just as the crowds started to accumulate, we headed over to the tour center to meet-up for our Sting Ray Excursion.  Jacob and I visited Sting Ray City in Caymans Islands years ago and it was a fantastic experience.  I've always wanted to do it again with Brenna and I was excited to hear that Great Stirrup Cay had a similar excursion available.  We walked to the north side of the island, where we boarded a speed boat that carried us out into the open water.  Just around the east tip of the island was a shallow sandbar that had roughly three acres fenced in.  Inside the encasement were more than a hundred string rays.  The water was only about 4.5 feet deep even at its deepest point.  Brenna was able to move easily through water.  As we moved out into the center of the area, the sting rays swarmed around, rubbing against your side and legs in hope of a fistful of squid.  Brenna was hesitant at first, but after a short time she got very adventuresome.  We where in the water with the rays for nearly an hour and were able to hold and feed them.  Jacob and Brenna snorkeled a bit on the outer edges of the encasement and were able to see some fish.  We also got a hold a sea slug, which felt just like it sounds.  Gross!  As we made our way back to the boat one of the wranglers said we were fortunate to enjoy a special treat.  He held a one-day old baby sting ray in his hands.

After the excursion we stopped off for lunch at the outdoor grill and then made our way back to our clam shell cabana to enjoy the rest of the day playing in the warm Bahama water.

We returned to the room that afternoon to find Roberto had left us an assortment of sandwiches as a snack to hold us over until dinner.  They were working on their circus act that night in the kids club, so Brenna was excited to go early.  Jacob took her down for dinner at the buffet and then to the kids club as I got dressed. When he returned, we were able to enjoy a nice quiet dinner together at Le Bistro, the French speciality restaurant.  It was a nice finish to a beautiful day.

The next morning was our final port of call, Nassau, Bahamas.  We got up early and had breakfast in the room again so we could do a little shopping at the markets along the pier before our excursion.  Then we met up with our tour group and boarded a bus for the short drive to Paradise Islands where we spent the day at Atlantis.  Atlantis really was incredible to see.  The towers are massive and the detail of the architecture made you believe that the underwater magically city had come to life.  We spent the morning on the beach enjoying the waves.  As we played in the turquoise water, a school of fish circled around us and leaped out of the water just inches from me!  After a couple of hours we headed back to the towers for some sight-seeing.  We saw the shark lagoon and toured the fathoms and the dig located underground.  The aquariums were extensive and they had exhibits to touch sting rays and star fish.  We returned to the ship exhausted and opted for dinner in the room that night.  Roberto handled everything for us and after three straight days in the sun, it was nice to have a wonderful meal and enjoy some relaxed downtime in the room.  Brenna, however, only needed a short recharge and then she was off to the kids club for another night of fun.

Our last two days were sea days.  We enjoyed all the activities that the ship had to offer; bowling, air hockey, the kids club, and lots of shows and entertainment.  Brenna especially enjoyed the magic shows.  I spent a large portion of my time on the front balcony watching the waves float by and reading.  The view was fantastic and all that ocean and sky is always one of my favorite parts of vacation.

Brenna and Jacob enjoying the Bliss Lounge while watching TV on the ceiling.

The morning of our last sea day was overcast and a bit rainy.  After breakfast, Brenna wanted to head off to Kids Club for they're final rehearsal for their big circus show scheduled for that afternoon.  Jacob was interested in sitting in on the Q&A session with the ships officers.  Since I couldn't enjoying reading on my balcony because of the rain, I went back to the room and grabbed my iPad and headed up to the next best place, The Haven.  I fixed myself a mug of Hot Chocolate and settled into one of the comfy loungers by the pool.  The roof was closed and the courtyard was warm.  After reading a chapter or two I laid back and just enjoyed the sound of the rain on the glass roof.  It really was a beautiful and serene area.

That afternoon Brenna was excited to be a part of the Big Top At Sea Circus that was performed on the big stage in the theater.  By showtime, the theater was packed full and I worried that Brenna may get stage freight when she came out to see all those people.  The kids each got to pick a talent that they had learned throughout the week.  Brenna chose the devil sticks, which she had gotten very good at.  After a group trick the kids got to do a solo finale trick of their choice.  Brenna's finale trick was to twirl her devil stick into the air and catch it with her eyes closed.  It was a risk, but she pulled it off!  The circus was fun and she had a great time participating in it throughout the week.  It was one of the highlights of the vacation for Brenna.

She wanted to be sure and get a picture of her Devil Sticks paint before we washed it away.

After the show we headed back to the room to get ready for dinner.  The day had cleared up and the setting sun was beautiful from our port side balcony.  It marked the end of another great McAlister family adventure. 

The next morning Jacob and I were up early to prepare for debarkation and our trip back home.  We were lucky enough to catch the Statue of Liberty in the morning fog as the sun came up.  It was beautiful!

It was a smooth trip back home.  We debarked quickly and the flight was uneventful.  Thanks to the hotel valet, our car was waiting for us curbside after we retrieved our luggage, and we breezed through the border back into Canada.  Brenna says it was her best vacation yet, though she says that after each one we take.  I hope that streak continues!  It was a long wait, but the trip was well worth it!

Now to start working on next years adventure!