AHA moments from our Caribbean cruise

Veröffentlicht:

Aktualisiert:

Von:

After a busy year of hiking and writing, we decided to treat ourselves to something spoiled

I will not lie: I was shared of our Caribbean cruise. We had originally planned a cruise in Alaska, but it collided with commitments related to my book. We moved our dates to December and remained with an obvious goal: the Caribbean.

"But it's hardly adventurous, isn't it?" I said to Peter. After all, the Caribbean is the largest cruise destination in the world with 29 million passenger arrivals annually.

he twitched his shoulders. "I agree."

I considered this. After traveling to the Faroe Islands, to Nepal, Greenland and Pakistan, in which he climbed the base camps of Everest and K2, he might deserve a break.

As for me, I had spent the year working on the publication of my book almost continuously and to write his follow-up for a deadline in mid-November. Maybe a Caribbean cruise would be good for me.

The decision had been made and we booked an 11-day carnival cruise from Charleston with stopover in St. Thomas on the American Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk on the Turks and Caicosinseln and Princess Cays on the Bahamas

It was worlds away from Alaska, but there was still adventure. Here are the things that we liked best.

dive with the Sonesta aircraft on Aruba

This was one of the most breathtaking dives we have ever done. The "Sonesta aircraft" is the collective term for two aircraft wrecks off the coast of Aruba: a convarian 240 (or a DC-3; it can be argued) and a YS-11, both of which were deliberately sunk to create an artificial reef for divers.

The convair is divided into two parts, with several smaller wreckage being scattered on the sandy background of the Sonesta reef. This is an impressive side in itself, but it is the YS-11 that really stolen us. This old passenger plane still has an intact fuselage through which we were allowed to dive. Swimming through the chamber with its sharp carpet made of seapox and the eerie underwater light may have been the best moment of our entire Caribbean cruise.

Read more in diving on the Sonesta aircraft wrecks in Aruba

Discover a baby sea turtle on Bonaire

In Bonaire we got a little hot and annoying. We drove in the wrong direction in the north of the island (against clockwise instead of clockwise), which meant that when we met a section of the street that only had to go back in one direction, to reach the famous snorkeling area of ​​1,000 steps.

  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
Atlas & Boots

When we arrived there, we were tired and overheated. Fortunately, there are not really 1,000 steps with which you have to finish. It was named by divers who had to climb up with their bottles, which made the 67 steps more like 1,000.

The beach here is not a sandy beach (bring flip-flops with you), but the water is warm and clear. We discovered a sea turtle while snorkeling and were able to watch them for a few minutes. When diving, we usually only get fleeting looks of turtles, so it was nice to watch her for a while.

More highlights on Bonaire are the salt pans, the pink lake and the flamingor reserve.

Read more under activities on Bonaire: Our 12 best tips

Eat fried green tomatoes for the first time

On our first day in Charleston we went to one of the many high -quality fish restaurants to try the famous kitchen.

I really wanted to try fried green tomatoes since I saw the film Fried Green tomatoes in whistle Stop Cafe as a child.

alt = “Kia is fulfilled by a childhood request to try roasted green tomatoes on its Caribbean cruise”> Atlas & Boots kia tried fried green tomatoes

To my surprise, the tomatoes were not only fried, but fried. (I can't remember whether you actually see her on the screen in the film.)

The dish is a acquired taste and I don't know if I would eat it all the time, but I'm glad that I have ticked off this childhood wish!

dive in the Turks & Caicos

At this dive there is a moment when your heart begins to grass because you can see exactly what you see: a literal abyss.

The famous wall of Grand Turk begins at around 7 m (25-30 feet) and drops like a steep cliff down to a depth of over 2,000 m (7,000 feet). While they float over the abyss, they cannot avoid asking what would happen if they would start to sink.

At some point I removed myself from the wall and turned my back to the other divers to stream into the void. Unnecessary to mention that the thought of being out there was quite scary. Fortunately, there were many friendly Zackenbarsche who made us all society.

Read more in wall diving on the Turks and Caicos Islands: A look at the abyss

visit to the ship's kitchen

Peter and I were invited to take part in a special experience on board, in which the passengers are brought into the belly of the ship - the kitchen - to tasting with a chef and can observe some of the preparations before dinner.

We tentatively accepted the invitation. We are not a big gourmet and were not sure whether we would take a lot from the experience

Well, we were wrong. Gusti, the chef of the steakhouse restaurant, led us through the evening menu, completely with samples to try (delicious). Later we met the chef Vivek Menon, who taught us the "hello of the chef" (elbows instead of shaking hands for hygienic reasons) and spoiled us with the challenges of the ship feeding.

The evening rush started and the kitchen filled with astonishing efficiency. It was really a miracle to watch these professionals at work.

lazing on Caribbean beaches

The Caribbean has no lack of soft sandy beaches. Our favorites were Lindqvist Beach in St. Thomas on the American Virgin Islands and Princess Cays on Eleuthera on the Bahamas.

  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
Atlas & Boots

The first was practically deserted. The second is next to a cruise port, but if you are only 10 minutes away, you will most likely find some peace. If you want to snorkel, you should pack a full face snorkel mask. We use and recommend Aria QR+ from Ocean Reef.

in the evening in the piano bar

With Carnival Cruises, it's all about having fun. The passengers are encouraged to participate, be it in singing, dancing or in the various games and quiz questions.

If you are shy away from participating the audience (we can't do anything about it, we are British), there are places that you can go to that are more reserved. Our favorite was the piano bar 88, where the talented Hungarian pianist and singer Giovanni entertained the audience with a wide range of songs, from exuberant hymns (his Stairway to Heaven was spectacular) to goosebumps ballads.

The nice thing about the pianobar is that she attracts the same people every evening, so you have the opportunity to build a real camaraderie with both travelers and Giovanni. (Just ask him to play Sweet Home Alabama.)

be outside at sea

that seems obvious, but I think it deserves its own place on our list. Being at sea has something that makes you think about life. There were evenings on which I put my Kindle aside and simply looked at the water from the balcony of our cabin.

  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
Atlas & Boots

These moments can be painful (memories of my deceased father) or be happy (hold my novel in my hand for the first time), but they are always from a feeling of nostalgia for all the life that has passed past them, mixed with a feeling of tumult for everything that will come. There is no exaggeration to say that life at sea has something that makes you happy to be alive.

Caribbean cruise: The most important

Was: An 11-day carnival cruise from Charleston with stops in St. Thomas on the American Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk on the Turks and Caicosinseln and Princess Cays on the Bahamas.

Where: We stayed in a balcony cabin on board the Carnival Sunshine. The room was spacious and comfortable, and the balcony was worth a visit. Our cabin companion Aris was fantastic, just like the rest of the staff.

  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
  • Alt = "">
Atlas & Boots

The ship itself is equipped with countless food and entertainment options. For daily food we liked Blueiguana Cantina and Pizzeria del Capitano. For dinner we recommend paying the small surcharge to dine at least once in each of the specialty restaurants (Steakhouse, Jiji Asian Kitchen and Cucina del Capitano).

For lazing, go to Serenity Retreat (however, note that you can still hear the fun and games from the main pool area). In the evening it goes into the piano bar.

When: The best travel time for a Caribbean cruise is December to April. The weather is hot, sunny and dry with low humidity and mild nights.

like: We booked directly at Carnival. The prices start at $ 1,579 per person for a balcony cabin and include accommodation, all meals, a selection of non -alcoholic drinks and entertainment.

land excursions cost extra, as well as WLAN on board. The WLAN is surprisingly fast, but note that it only connects one device. We packed our Keepgo International WiFi Hotspot to supplement the WLAN on board. The device generates a secure WLAN connection via local 4G mobile radio networks in over 120 countries. Via this recommendation link you can get a 10% discount on any Keepgo product.

We flew to Charleston via New York, but from January 2020 there will be direct flights from Great Britain. Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

Mission statement: Atlas & Boots 
 .