Aha moments from our Caribbean cruise

Aha moments from our Caribbean cruise

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

I'm not going to lie: I had mixed opinions about our Caribbean cruise. We had originally planned a cruise in Alaska, but it clashed with commitments surrounding my book. We rescheduled for December and were left with one obvious destination: the Caribbean.

“But it’s hardly adventurous, is it?” I said to Peter. After all, the Caribbean is the largest cruise destination in the world with 29 million passenger arrivals annually.

He shrugged. "I agree."

I have considered this. After trips to the Faroe Islands, Nepal, Greenland and Pakistan, during which he climbed the base camps of Everest and K2, he perhaps deserved a break.

As for me, I had spent the year working almost non-stop on publishing my book and writing its follow-up for a mid-November deadline. Maybe a Caribbean cruise would do me good.

The decision was made and we booked an 11-day Carnival cruise from Charleston with stops in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands and Princess Cays in the Bahamas.

It was a world away from Alaska, but there was still adventure. Here are the things we liked the most.

Diving with the Sonesta aircraft in Aruba

This was one of the most breathtaking dives we have ever done. The "Sonesta Planes" is the collective name for two plane wrecks off the coast of Aruba: a Convair 240 (or a DC-3; that's debatable) and a YS-11, both of which were intentionally sunk to create an artificial reef for divers.

The Convair is split in two, with several smaller pieces of wreckage scattered across the sandy bottom of Sonesta Reef. That's an impressive site in itself, but it's the YS-11 that really took our breath away. This old passenger plane still has an intact fuselage, which we were allowed to dive through. Swimming through the chamber, with its sharp carpet of barnacles and eerie underwater light, was possibly the best moment of our entire Caribbean cruise.

Read more in Diving the Sonesta Plane Wrecks in Aruba

Spotting a baby sea turtle on Bonaire

We got a little hot and bothered in Bonaire. We drove the wrong way in the north of the island (counterclockwise instead of clockwise), which meant that when we hit a stretch of road that only went one way, we had to drive all the way back to reach the famous 1,000 Steps snorkeling spot.

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When we got there we were tired and overheated. Luckily, there aren't really 1,000 steps to contend with. It was so named by divers who had to climb up with their tanks, making the 67 steps feel more like 1,000.

The beach here is not sandy (bring flip flops), but the water is warm and clear. We spotted a sea turtle while snorkeling and were able to watch it for a few minutes. We usually only get glimpses of turtles on dives, so it was nice to watch her for a while.

Other highlights on Bonaire include the salt pans, the pink lake and the flamingo reserve.

Read more under Things to do on Bonaire: our 12 best tips

Eating fried green tomatoes for the first time

On our first day in Charleston, we went to one of the many high-quality seafood restaurants to sample their famous cuisine.

I've been dying to try fried green tomatoes ever since I saw the movie Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe as a kid.

alt=“Kia fulfills a childhood wish to try roasted green tomatoes on her Caribbean cruise”>Atlas & BootsKia tries fried green tomatoes in Charleston

To my surprise, the tomatoes weren't just fried, but deep fried. (I can't remember if you actually see her on screen in the movie.)

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

Diving in the Turks & Caicos

There is a moment on this dive when your heart begins to race because you realize exactly what you are seeing: a literal abyss.

Grand Turk's famous wall starts at about 7 m (25-30 feet) and drops like a sheer cliff to a depth of over 2,000 m (7,000 feet). As you hover over the abyss, you can't help but wonder what would happen if you somehow started sinking.

At some point I moved away from the wall and turned my back to the other divers to peer into the void. Needless to say, the thought of being out there alone was pretty scary. Luckily there were lots of friendly groupers to keep us all company.

Read more in Wall Diving in the Turks and Caicos Islands: a Peek into the Abyss

Visit to the ship's kitchen

Peter and I were invited to take part in a special onboard experience where passengers are taken into the belly of the ship - the kitchen - for a tasting with a chef and watch some of the preparation before dinner.

We hesitantly accepted the invitation. We're not big foodies and weren't sure we'd get much out of the experience

Well, we were wrong. Gusti, the chef at the steakhouse restaurant, walked us through the evening menu, complete with samples to try (yum). Later, we met chef Vivek Menon, who taught us the “chef’s hello” (elbow bumps instead of handshakes for hygiene reasons) and regaled us with the challenges of feeding the ship.

The evening rush began and the kitchen filled with startling efficiency. It was truly a miracle to watch these professionals at work.

Lounging on Caribbean beaches

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

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The first was practically deserted. The second is next to a cruise port, but if you're only 10 minutes away you'll most likely find some peace and quiet. If you plan 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

Carnival Cruises is all about having fun. Passengers are encouraged to get involved, be it singing, dancing or taking part in the various games and quizzes.

If, like us, you shy away from audience participation (we can't help it, we're British), there are places you can go that are more reserved. Our favorite was Piano Bar 88, where the talented Hungarian pianist and singer Giovanni entertained the audience with a wide range of songs, from rollicking hymns (his Stairway to Heaven was spectacular) to goosebump-inducing ballads.

The beauty of the piano bar is that it attracts the same people every night, giving you the opportunity to build real camaraderie with both fellow travelers and Giovanni. (Just for fun, ask him to play Sweet Home Alabama.)

Being out at sea

This seems obvious, but I think it deserves its own spot on our list. There's something about being at sea that makes you think about life. There were evenings when I put down my Kindle and just looked at the water from the balcony of our cabin.

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These moments can be painful (memories of my late father) or joyful (holding my novel for the first time), but they are always tinged with a sense of nostalgia for all the life that has passed you by, mixed with a sense of tumult for all the life yet to come. It's no exaggeration to say that there's something about life at sea that makes you glad to be alive.

Caribbean cruise: the most important thing

What: An 11-day Carnival cruise from Charleston with stops in St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands, Aruba, Bonaire, Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos Islands, and Princess Cays in the Bahamas.

Where: We stayed in a balcony stateroom on board the Carnival Sunshine. The room was spacious and comfortable, and the balcony was worth checking out. Our cabin attendant Aris was fantastic, as were the rest of the staff.

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The ship itself is equipped with countless dining and entertainment options. For daytime dining we liked BlueIguana Cantina and Pizzeria del Capitano. For dinner, we recommend paying the small extra charge to dine at least once at each of the specialty restaurants (Steakhouse, JiJi Asian Kitchen and Cucina del Capitano).

For lounging, head to Serenity Retreat (though note that you can still hear the fun and games from the main pool area). In the evening we go to the Piano Bar.

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

How: We booked directly with Carnival. Prices start at $1,579 per person for a balcony stateroom and include accommodation, all meals, a selection of non-alcoholic beverages and entertainment.

Shore excursions cost extra, as does onboard WiFi. The WiFi is surprisingly fast, but note that it only connects one device at a time. We packed our Keepgo International Wifi Hotspot to complement the onboard WiFi. The device generates a secure WiFi connection over local 4G mobile networks in over 120 countries. Use this referral link to get 10% off any Keepgo product.

We flew to Charleston via New York, but as of January 2020 there are direct flights from the UK. Book via Skyscanner for the best prices.

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