Norwegian Sky Southern Caribean Follow-up:

Hi as promised a follow up of our Norwegian Sky Southern Caribbean
Cruise March 7-14, 2004 from San Juan, PR.

We booked the cruise on Cruise.com/Sidestep guaranteed category
Deck 9 Fiord deck. When the docs arrived some three weeks later, we
were upgraded to deck 10, Norway deck cabin 0252 just steps from well
the stairs and the elevators. Now to get to San Juan:

We live in Cape Cod, MA so flights for us are limited to either BOS,
or PVD. After booking the cruise and checking all of the usual
suspects, I went to AA.com where a sale was ending that day
(Jan 16) RT nonstop BOS-SJU $298. Two seats please! Great deal
Emergency exit row B757, AB6 exit row on the return. Lovely lunches
and drinks, on time, perfect.

Day one arrived SJU 5.30 on time easy navigation to the taxi stand
where they give you a fixed rate to the ship pier (Pan American) pier
in this case $17.00 for the two of us, all of our baggage.

Dime tour of Old San Juan dropped at pier let me help you with those
please got an extra fin (honestly have a roll of fives handy). Station
man for Norwegian "Good Day Sir" please make sure our baggage is safe,
no problem with a fin blows by the x-ray on the cart is goes with a
73# Bar (American weighed it). As for the reports of "small fortunes
of liquor" being confiscated we did not see this, nor hear any reports
of such activity. We brought on Rum and Vodka, plus good beer
(good beer is any beer that isn't made in a large domestic brewary).
Walk into the terminal free rum drinks eleven NCL reps at the counter
walk up, tickets, plastic for the sign and sail in the cabin at 6.30.

Cabin Steward and Stewardess stop in and introduce themselves, Erik
and Yolanda both from Hawaii
(all US crew, btw) need anything you guys just ask, we did, they gave,
nuf said.

Lovely Prime rib dinner great show, (Richie Mennervino) and of course
JAR Company, which we took in every performance, just great!

Day two sailed into St. Thomas I happened to be out on the balcony
Starboard side, attempting to get over work lag lovely site I made
this balcony my workspace for the next seven days bar none.
We ate breakfast (twice I believe) and sacheed down to the dock where
there is a minimum of 250 taxi's competing for your business, rotating
around the pier, strictly regulated for a chance at grossing
big American bucks where we met Roger. Well for $6.00 Roger
took us to Meagan's Bay (lovely) and actually waited there since
we gave him a 1.00 PM pickup time (three hours) and we would be toast
by then, which we were from that lovely warm Caribbean Sun!

Sure enough Roger was there in the parking area playing cards with his
other taxi pals when the family of four we had rode down to the beach
with disappeared. No worries Roger we go to town, wait we go to the
ship. No kidding this fellow took us to the linen store, liquor store
(I purchased a case of local stock from Carib market) across the
street, then back to the ship. Shower, lots of Aloe, drinks and
Dinner, Seven Seas Restaurant, top notch.

Next day Dominica what a beautiful tropical island you know Trafalgar
Falls wasn't discovered until a hurricane (or was it hisicane) cleared
enough growth for it to be seen!
We went down to the dock after breakfast at the (Omelets table I
ordered two eggs over easy couple behind us, "you can do that?", you
can have anything you desire) where we met Pete Petersen, a local who
offered us a dime tour of Dominica for $30.00. Off we went with a
family from Italia and a well traveled couple from Great Britain.

Dropped at the pier some six and one half hours later, we had seen the
complete history of this wonderful island including two waterfalls and
rainforests. Incidentally many of the tourists did find out why we
were wearing West Marine rain jackets, it poured!

Dinner and a show and off to bed in order to wake up going into
Barbados at 0630. Another nice day, brief shower as we worked our way
over to the Nautilus Sub dock (The van is free) where we purchased two
tickets 82.00 I think, the ship is just 89.00.
The sub adventure is great, highly recommended! The Mount Gay Rum
factory is just across from the pier, a worthwhile trip, and the gift
shop is quite rewarding.

Off to St. Lucia I went sport fishing while my young wife went
horseback riding. I met some great folks on the fishing boat, and
eventually hooked up with a couple of (Cops) from Minneapolis, in fact
there were quite a few people from Minnesota On the ship, eh?

We caught several fish, including a 200# blue marlin, which had to be
released since the minimum size is 250# if you can believe it! Anyway
we both met In our cabin for drinks, and later grabbed a table at the
Seven Seas dining room by the window in order to see the sunset.
Sunrise and sunset near the Equator is like a cartoon, up, then down,
Looney Tunes is it?

Motoring into St. Kitts I thought, "what a neat little island"!
Vibrant colors and not overdeveloped, we hooked up on a dive tour and
got a hands on view of the landscape, both above and beneath the
surface. If you have never been snorkeling or scuba diving, this is
your chance since you don't need all of the wet or dry suit gear, and
the dive instructors are at hand to answer any questions.

Day six was great as we hung out by the pool, deck, bar, etc. A couple
of Chef's came out on deck to carve their Ice sculptures right by the
pool. We did have a poolside seat being in it. Another great meal at
the Seven Seas, (I highly recommend the Beef Wellington) and off to
"Cirque" performed by JAR company, great finale I must say.

We arrived in San Juan on schedule Sunday, disembarkation was smooth
as was our flight on American, totally enjoyable. I highly recommend
Norwegian and this particular cruise, and would take this exact same
cruise again.

Have a great one!

Bush