Monday, March 24, 2008
After a long day at the beach the day before, we arrived in Tortola, British Virgin Islands at about 10a. According to the Freestyle Daily, "approximately 60 miles east of Puerto Rico, this archipelago of some 40 islands is a majestic cluster of distinct beauty. It's serene harbors, rugged mountains, groves of bananas and fringed palm trees are delightful treasures that remain untouched by industrial development."
For our excursion, a group of us decided to take a brief tour around the city, but our main excursion was swimming with the dolphins at the Dolphin Discovery Center. None of us have done it before and the kids were excited to get in there and ride/play with the dolphins. Each of us took a turn to be hoisted in the air by two dolphins (one nose under each foot) to be glided almost above the water, flying. Some of us were able to do it easier than others, but they took their time to ensure everyone had at least one good run. We spent about an hour in the water with the dolphins while they did different tricks and spending some quality time with each. My daughter got a little scared, but she held tight and was able to stay in the water the whole time. She was four at the time and it may have been a little too soon for her. I think she would enjoy it now much better and I recommend to wait until about 7-years-old.
As for the facilities, they were clean, well organized, and on time. One complaint is that someone in our party bought the video, but the video was not able to be played on American DVD players or the DVD was faulty. She was never able to get a good copy. Other than that, the experience was unforgettable.
Showing posts with label Dominican Republic. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Dominican Republic. Show all posts
Onboard Egg Hunt and Easter in the D.R. - Sunday, March 23, 2008
Sunday, March 23, 2008
Happy Easter! All the kids were excited as they waited outside of a ship lounge to run amok hunting for eggs. Set up by all the Mom's, this was a perfect setting to keep the tradition alive, but this time at sea. After the egg hunt and tons of pictures, it was time to hit the beach in Samana, Dominican Republic. Unlike the more popular D.R. destinations like Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, or Casa Campo, Samana is more remote and less developed.
Taken right from the Freestyle Daily, "Samana is a destination for nature lovers and adventurers. Green mountains, long beaches, solitude, lively little towns in between turquoise waters. Samana is also a romantic destination and several of its small hotels are perfect for honeymooners. It is possible to just spend the day vegging out at the beach in front of the main hotel, but Samana is truly for explorers. It also has a distinct European flavor."
We all opted to spend a relaxed-vegged-out day at Cayo Levantado where we laid out, went in the water, and did some exploring along the coast. You had to take the tender from the ship to reach the shore, but it was a beautiful, sunny day. We enjoyed it thoroughly and headed back to the ship around 5p.
Happy Easter! All the kids were excited as they waited outside of a ship lounge to run amok hunting for eggs. Set up by all the Mom's, this was a perfect setting to keep the tradition alive, but this time at sea. After the egg hunt and tons of pictures, it was time to hit the beach in Samana, Dominican Republic. Unlike the more popular D.R. destinations like Santo Domingo, Puerto Plata, or Casa Campo, Samana is more remote and less developed.
Taken right from the Freestyle Daily, "Samana is a destination for nature lovers and adventurers. Green mountains, long beaches, solitude, lively little towns in between turquoise waters. Samana is also a romantic destination and several of its small hotels are perfect for honeymooners. It is possible to just spend the day vegging out at the beach in front of the main hotel, but Samana is truly for explorers. It also has a distinct European flavor."
We all opted to spend a relaxed-vegged-out day at Cayo Levantado where we laid out, went in the water, and did some exploring along the coast. You had to take the tender from the ship to reach the shore, but it was a beautiful, sunny day. We enjoyed it thoroughly and headed back to the ship around 5p.
Norweigan Pearl for Spring Break 2008 - Friday, March 21, 2008
Friday, March 21, 2008
As we prepared to set off for our Spring Break 2008 trip, we settled on a cruise with a large group of friends. About 30 in total, this was a group of people from our kid's school and we were going on a 9-day cruise through the Southern Caribbean right from Miami on NCL's Pearl. No airplane ride and just a 30-minute ride to the Port of Miami. The itinerary was a little off the beaten path with some places I have never heard of before:
Day 1 (Fri, 21-Mar @ 5p) - Ship Departs Miami, Florida
Day 2 (Sat, 22-Mar) - At Sea
Day 3 (Sun, 23-Mar 10a-6p) - Samana, Dominican Republic (Easter Sunday)
Day 4 (Mon, 24-Mar 10a-630p) - Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Day 5 (Tues, 25-Mar 8a-5p) - St. John's, Antigua
Day 6 (Wed, 26-Mar 9a-6p) - Bridgetown, Barbados
Day 7 (Thurs, 27-Mar 8a-6p) - St. Lucia, Saint Lucia
Day 8 (Fri, 28-Mar) - At Sea
Day 9 (Sat, 29-Mar) - At Sea
Day 10 (Sun, 30-Mar @ 7a) - Shop Arrives in Miami, Florida
With that itinerary ahead of us, we are in for alot of cool excursions, shows on board, and meals galore. It's going to be a fun ride.
As we prepared to set off for our Spring Break 2008 trip, we settled on a cruise with a large group of friends. About 30 in total, this was a group of people from our kid's school and we were going on a 9-day cruise through the Southern Caribbean right from Miami on NCL's Pearl. No airplane ride and just a 30-minute ride to the Port of Miami. The itinerary was a little off the beaten path with some places I have never heard of before:
Day 1 (Fri, 21-Mar @ 5p) - Ship Departs Miami, Florida
Day 2 (Sat, 22-Mar) - At Sea
Day 3 (Sun, 23-Mar 10a-6p) - Samana, Dominican Republic (Easter Sunday)
Day 4 (Mon, 24-Mar 10a-630p) - Tortola, British Virgin Islands
Day 5 (Tues, 25-Mar 8a-5p) - St. John's, Antigua
Day 6 (Wed, 26-Mar 9a-6p) - Bridgetown, Barbados
Day 7 (Thurs, 27-Mar 8a-6p) - St. Lucia, Saint Lucia
Day 8 (Fri, 28-Mar) - At Sea
Day 9 (Sat, 29-Mar) - At Sea
Day 10 (Sun, 30-Mar @ 7a) - Shop Arrives in Miami, Florida
With that itinerary ahead of us, we are in for alot of cool excursions, shows on board, and meals galore. It's going to be a fun ride.
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