I started planning a girlfriends’ getaway with Casey Vanderburg and Caroline Knight and was pleasantly surprised to find that cruising was well within our budget. To be honest, we found that a longer cruise would have fit into our budget as well, but our time was limited, so we took a four-day cruise out of Miami.
We cruised on the Norwegian Sky, one of the many ships in Norwegian Cruise Lines’ fleet. The Sky traveled to Nassau, Bahamas, and NCL’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay, on our ocean adventure.
We arrived at the airport in Miami and it was just a quick cab ride to the life of luxury we would enjoy over the next several days. Aboard the Sky, we were not disappointed. We found a delicious dining experience at every single meal, top-notch entertainment, a wide variety of shore excisions and scenery that beats therapy any day.
I had not traveled on NCL since they started what I call a revolution in cruising: Freestyle Cruising. Basically, we dined when we wanted, where we wanted and with whom we wanted every single day.
Generally, we dined in the Palace Main Dining room and found every single meal to be an adventure from start to finish. For breakfast, we had fresh fruit, yogurt, eggs benedict, omelets, French toast, and the list goes on.
At lunch, we chose to eat at The Garden Café. They offer plenty of freshly prepared dishes buffet style, with a choice of indoor or outdoor dining options. I can still visualize the glassy azure waters in the Bahamas as I enjoyed my lunch at the café. The scenery made this an unforgettable dining experience.
Dinner was a feast each evening. The Palace Main Dining Room offered a variety of menu options for every palate. Since I am a seafood lover, it was seafood from start to finish for me. One evening, I started with a shrimp cocktail, moved to the lobster bisque, and I finished my seafood fare with fresh lobster tails. It didn’t end there. We couldn’t turn down dessert, especially the fresh apple pie, chocolate mocha fudge cake and ice cream. Yum!
We splurged one night and had dinner at Cagney’s Steakhouse. Today, cruise lines offer certain dining options for an upgrade fee. The charge was nominal for the food, service and overall ambiance at the restaurant. Of course, we had a mouthwatering appetizer, a top grade steak with all the trimmings and a delectable dessert at Cagney’s.
In my opinion, you can’t go wrong sticking with the main dining room, but it you have a special occasion or just want to splurge a little, try one of the upscale dining options available on the ship. Either way, you will not go away disappointed.
That brings up another advantage of cruising. The service on NCL was fit for a queen or king. Whatever we needed in the dining room, in our stateroom, on the deck, or in the theatre, there was always a NCL employee greeting us with a smile. Our wish was his command.
NCL does entertainment with a capital E. After dinner, we were mesmerized with “Soul Rockin Nights” one night and “Broadway” the next. All I can say is Wow!!! Those men and women can dance and sing. I would bet some of the performers have been on Broadway or mark my word, they'll be there in the future.
That’s just the tip of the iceberg as far as entertainment. From early morning to late night, just walk through the ship. You will find music, dancing and games for all ages. While onboard, we enjoyed a family show by comedian Tim Kaminski, which left us in stitches. We also chuckled as couples participated in the Newlywed/No So Newlywed Game Show.
There is something on this ship for every member of the family. The Sky also offers a state of the art fitness center, sports courts, pools, hot tubs, a kid’s center, teen disco, which are included in the price as well.
The Sky also offers a variety of shore excursions which are available for a fee. Take a tour on a glass bottom boat, ride a semi-submarine, tour the city of Nassau, or interact with the dolphins. These are just a sampling of what’s available.
One day, we chose to meander through Nassau’s Straw Market on a quest for purses and souvenirs, and that’s exactly what we found.
Imagine soaking up the sun on an uninhabited tropical island. That’s exactly what we did at NCL’s private island, Great Stirrup Cay. It’s an unspoiled paradise of white sand beaches and calm pristine waters where an abundance of colorful marine life inhabits the surrounding coral reefs. They offer a ton of activities, but my friends and I lounged in a hammock, reclined in a beach chair, or splashed around in the water for an entire day. Yes, it was paradise.
We walked away the NCL Sky with a few questions. Where are we going next? When are we going again? We are ready to start planning our next cruising adventure.
NCL offers a variety of sailing options whether you are looking for a quick getaway within driving distance of home or a dream trip to Alaska or Europe. Log onto www.ncl.com or call 866-234-7350 and start planning you cruise today.
