New York

This trip to the Caribbean was supposed to start from New York and so we had the perfect opportunity to visit this iconic city. Five days were just enough to visit the most important sights and absorb the special flair of the city. After walking almost 20km for almost a week, we were very happy to be able to take the subway to the Manhattan Cruise Terminal . The Norwegian Getaway is already waiting for us and we were able to board after a short wait. The terminal is right next to the “Intrepid” aircraft carrier museum and so you had a great view from the balcony before you left. In the late afternoon the time had come and we drove along the Hudson River, past Manhattan, heading south. It was a truly impressive experience to be able to marvel at the Statue of Liberty and countless skyscrapers from the water. This has been by far the best port to start a cruise .

Two days at sea

On the first day at sea it was still a bit cool in the morning, but in the afternoon you could lie comfortably on the deck and enjoy the sun. The pool deck offers various activities and bars. Six whirlpools and two main pools provide the necessary cooling. You'll never get bored on the Getaway. The huge high ropes course including several flying foxes and even a plank on which you stand on deck 18 directly above the sea on the side of the ship. Two free-fall water slides and two more complete the offering for adventure seekers. If you want to take things a little quieter, you are also in good hands on this ship in the Vibe Beach Club. The free version on most NCL ships is Spice H2O . A 16+ area at the stern of the ship with hot tubs, a bar, great views and other features.

Puerto Rico

Already at the beautiful harbor entrance, past the old fort, a Caribbean atmosphere arises and you are excited to see what awaits you in the capital of the US territory of the same name. After this stop lasted from afternoon to night, we didn't plan anything special but let ourselves be surprised. From the harbor, which is located directly in the old town, we walked past the government building to a beach. This was a little further away than expected and so the walk turned into a short hike. We were rewarded with a beautiful sunset on the beach . When it got dark and cooler, we took a taxi back to the old town and soaked up the Caribbean flair with a mojito in a local bar. Cuban music plays from the speakers in the bar, cigar smoke is in the air, the cane sugar from the mojito melts on the tongue and it is still a pleasant 24°C late in the evening. With a feeling of complete satisfaction we return to the ship and enjoy the exit from the port.

St. Kitts

In St. Kitts we had previously organized a local guide online and planned a tour with him exactly according to our ideas. The guide picked us up directly at the port exit and we started an island tour . On the way to a former plantation there was sugar cane to taste. There were some exhibits in the plantation building and you could learn something about times gone by. A small botanical garden is also part of the exhibition, where you can learn a lot about the island's flora. After another drive with lots of tips and information from our driver Christopher, we were dropped off on a beautiful beach . If you looked closely, you could even see monkeys and mongooses in the forest near the beach. After a few relaxing hours without much stress and other tourists, we started the journey back to the ship. After a short stop for a panoramic photo, we reached the Getaway and got ready for the evening. A visit to Cagneys with fillet steak, the famous truffle fries and pepper sauce accompanied by a bottle of Chardonnay was on the agenda that evening.

St. Lucia

In St. Lucia we had booked an excursion from the ship . A tour of the island and a visit to a botanical garden around an impressive waterfall were planned. Due to the island's narrow and steep streets, all tours are very personal and take place in small mini-buses with around 10-15 people. Our guide was extremely close to nature and was able to tell us something interesting about every plant and animal we passed. From the use of fruits as vessels to seeds to cure illnesses to decoration at home, we learned about the diverse uses of the local flora. In the botanical garden we could see butterflies, hummingbirds, tropical birds, cocoa trees, pepper, mango trees and much more. After a few minutes, as usual in the rainforest, it began to drizzle very lightly, almost like drizzle, and the sunlight that fell through the canopy illuminated the few raindrops, as if you were in the middle of a nature documentary. The waterfall was beautiful and an impressive photo opportunity. The bathing experience “at the waterfall”, which took place in two concrete pools about 200 meters from the waterfall next to souvenir shops, was more of a disappointment. We politely declined this offer. On the way back we passed a smoking volcanic crater and stopped at a viewing platform to look at the island's landmark, the Pitons , a massive formation made up of two cooled volcanic cores, with an included drink. After a short drive we stopped in a fishing village and tasted the local “Piton beer”. Exhausted but satisfied, we returned to our cabin and started the evening with a good shower and a cool drink on the balcony.

Barbados

In Barbados we took it a little easier and asked the taxi driver to take us to a local beach with a bar . He did that and took us to an absolute insider tip. We found a nice little bar surrounded by palm trees, a beautiful dream beach and only a handful of locals. Perfect. We scheduled a pickup time and looked for a nice shady spot. For refreshment, a fresh coconut and a jump into the sea. After the obligatory short shower, as so often happens in the Caribbean, the sun came out again and we were able to continue enjoying the day with a small snack from the bar. At the appointed time we were picked up by the driver and brought back to the ship completely relaxed.

Antigua

Another highlight of this vacation, which we booked on the ship, was swimming with stingrays. To do this we went to a small jetty where, after a short briefing, we boarded small speedboats. In about 15 minutes these led us to a sandbank in the sea and after just a few minutes the spectacle began and we were surrounded by countless stingrays. A little hesitant at first, most people quickly began to get used to the unusual situation and their initial reluctance turned into joy and enthusiasm. The really beautiful animals could be fed, petted, picked up or swimming with them. All of this in the wild without nets or other barriers that would restrict the animals' lives. The feel of such a ray is particularly interesting. Soft on the bottom like foam rubber, rough like sandpaper on the top. Truly a unique experience that I can only warmly recommend to everyone. On the way back we passed a kilometer-long car convoy that was organized because of a local election.

U.S. Virgin Islands

The last stop on this cruise was the US Virgin Islands, since the actual last port, Puerto Plata, was unfortunately cancelled. We had planned a relaxing day here and booked a local island tour in the harbor. After a few steep and narrow roads uphill, we stopped at a lookout point that offers a wonderful view of Megans Bay , a dream beach. After another short stop at a souvenir shop, we continued up and down the serpentines. We were able to hear funny anecdotes and interesting information from our driver over loudspeakers throughout the journey. After about an hour, the guests who wanted to make themselves comfortable on the beach were able to get out and the rest, including us, were able to drive back to the harbor. Once there, we took the cable car up to a viewing point from which we had an excellent view of the city of St. Thomas, the harbor and our ship.

Three days at sea

The return trip was a little longer due to the lack of a port, so we had three days to review the various stops and start thinking about our next trip with NCL. The climbing park and the free fall water slides were really a highlight on board. You never really had to wait in line for long here. We were also able to really enjoy the bars, specialty restaurants and nightlife on board, as there are usually few or no appointments, i.e. excursions, to attend on the days at sea. It gradually got cooler and cooler until we arrived back in wintry New York and started our journey home. This started from New Ark Airport where there is a shuttle bus from the New York Bus Terminal. Unfortunately we cannot recommend this. An Uber or taxi is more expensive but a lot less stressful.