Nathan's Insights

So after much discussion and thought I decided that at the end of my Ecuador December 2024 tour with my neice that I would stay on for my first leisure cruise 🙂

While technically I have done a cruise with my 12 day Antarctica Classic in Depth back in November 2012 that cruise is a bit different from a leisure cruise with on board pools, spas, and shows. So given I’ll be around Maimi next year I had a lot an found that their is a 10 Night Southern Caribbean Holiday leaving Boxing Day (26th December 2024).

This is a Royal Caribbean cruise on the Explorer of the Seas visiting six different countries; Haiti, Puerto Rico, St Maarten, Antigua, St Lucia and finally St Kitts & Nevis.

So this means I’ll be on a cruise beginnng in the new year. I should be celebrating New Year’s Eve 2024 in Antigua. Celebating New Year’s Eve on a cruise should be an interesting experience!!

There is a lot of learn about cruising. I’ve already selected a Balcony Cabin ensuring the floor below and above is only passenger cabins and being midship with the room slightly protruding out so I should have better views of the ocean.

As I’ve now booked I had access to Royal Caribbean app which let me review the available excursion in each port. While you can book outside of cruise company this time I’ll play it safe. I will still have free time to explore the port after the excursion. These are the excurisons I have come up with so far.

The catamaran sail and snorkel 2.5 hour excursion at St Maarten looks like the best one so far although they are all good.

Given next year I’m 50 I think this is a great gift to myself visiting the remote Caribbean. Bring on 2024!