Our family joined two other families for a Christmas week cruise in the Caribbean on the Dawn Princess. It was a great way to spend the holiday week. Cruising with several families with children in the same age range made the trip more enjoyable for everyone (especially the parents!).
We took an overnight flight to San Juan, Puerto Rico, our port of embarkation. Arriving early for the late night sailing gave us time to explore old San Juan and its historic sites, parks, and marketplace before boarding for departure.
Our first port was the former British colony of Barbados. Several of us took a tour of Harrison’s Cave, an interesting set of relatively young limestone caverns. The tour plus commentary from our driver gave us an excellent overview of the island and its culture. The highlight for the kids may have been playing with a young green monkey, which is a common sight. Others on our sailing enjoyed Barbados’ beaches and water sports. We had a delightful lunch on the oceanside patio at the island’s lovely Sandy Lane Resort, one of the finest in the Caribbean. The refurbished and exclusive Sandy Lane offers luxurious accommodations, a deluxe spa, attentive staff, and an excellent beachfront. It’s a wonderful place to spend a relaxing week or weekend.
St. Lucia, a small French island, gave us the chance to experience the gorgeous Caribbean waters first hand. We took an afternoon sail on a catamaran down the coast to the Pitons, large peaks presenting a beautiful view from the water. Along the way we stopped in a private cove for a swim off the boat in warm clear water. Our cat also sailed into Marigot Bay, the premiere local yacht harbor, on our return. St. Lucia offers attractive beaches and the interesting geothermal features at La Soufiere.
St. Martin/St. Maarten has a split personality. The island is half Dutch, half French, and each side has a distinctive feel. Beaches are plentiful and several spots on the island offer scenic views. The island’s La Samanna Resort is one of the world’s finest getaway locations. I enjoyed lunch there with an outstanding ocean view from a cliffside terrace restaurant. La Samanna’s beachfront is excellent.
Our stop in the U.S. Virgin Islands brought us back to American territory. Charlotte Amalie on St. Thomas offered excellent duty free shopping on a number of name brand items. A short ferry ride took us to St. John, where we enjoyed a beachfront lunch at the famous Caneel Bay Resort, which has an excellent waterfront and beach access. Several of our group enjoyed snorkeling and swimming at Trunk Bay Sapphire Beach.
After docking at Tortola, we took the ferry to Virgin Gorda. Virgin Gorda features spectacular and unusual rock formations, the Baths, which draw numerous visitors. It’s a brisk hike down to the beach but the sights are worth it, and there are casual bars in which to relax and refresh after the hike back. Virgin Gorda also features the Little Dix Bay Resort, another exclusive but great resort for relaxing along the beach. The resort has excellent beachfront and water activities and is located in a quiet cove jus a few minutes from the Spanishtown ferry dock. The spa is fabulous, the cottages are roomy and pleasant, and the resort offers numerous activities for couples and families.
For more information on cruising, the Caribbean, or other vacation options, contact Karen Berry at karen@executours.com
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