Just finished up a summer adventure with my sister and my nephew on the Norwegian Cruise Lines’ Prima. It was a weeklong journey which included the Bahamas, Jamaica, Grand Cayman and Cozumel, Mexico. Here’s a catchup:

Saturday Aug 1 and Sunday Aug 2: Arrival and Embarkation

Suz and MQ arrived a little later than expected on Saturday after some flight cancellation issues in New York, but they arrived in time for a quick dinner and a night at my home in South Florida. 

Sunday was a 2.5 hour drive to Port Canaveral near Orlando from where the NCL Prima was departing.  We checked in, boarded, and MQ made good use of the virtual reality arcade. 

Monday Aug 3:  Great Stirrup Cay, Bahamas 🇧🇸 

Our first port of call was Norwegian’s private island in the Bahamas. They’ve done a great job updating the island from my previous visits with a resort-style lagoon pool area. A new waterpark is almost finished but unfortunately wasn’t ready in time for our visit. A fun day on the island. 

Tuesday Aug 4: Sea Day 🌊

Our sea day to make way from the Bahamas to Jamaica was restful, although the ship can be a bit crowded with everyone on board. 

In the evening, we attended a Price is Right game show in the theater…probably the best show I’ve seen on a ship since Cirque de Soleil ten years ago!  It felt like a real Price is Right taping with all the games, the big wheel and the showcase showdown. We didn’t get picked to “come on down,” but still had a lot of fun!

Wednesday Aug 5: Adventures in Jamaica 🇯🇲 

After our sea day around the corner of Cuba, we arrived at Falmouth, Jamaica Wednesday morning. I was excited to visit for the first time; adding a 49th country to my list of those visited. A full day of adventure was booked. 

After an hour-long van ride, we arrived at Mystic Mountain, near Ocho Rios. The mountain has a number of attractions, including the sky ride and the bobsled mountain coaster at the top. A fun ride up and down!  

Very close by is the legendary Dunn’s River Falls, where we stopped next. The falls are made of travertine, built up from the cold springs which feed the river on its short trip to the sea. 

Our tour group had a guide assigned to help us navigate the 180-foot climb up the rocks. There was also a photographer to take pictures – it’s a very tourist-oriented attraction. Some parts were a challenge, and there are opportunities to exit, but we made it to the top! A vacation achievement. 

Thursday Aug 6: A Quick Stop in Grand Cayman 

After a full day of activity in Jamaica, we took our Grand Cayman stop as an opportunity to rest, walking around the port area of George Town for a little while before beating the afternoon rains back to our ship.

Friday Aug 7: Swimming with Dolphins in Cozumel, Mexico 

Our final port stop included a first-time experience: swimming with dolphins! We took a short taxi ride to Dolphinaris, a dolphin sanctuary and resort, getting our first look at the beautiful mammals and a couple of pre-swim maragaritas.

After donning our life jackets, we were introduced to the three young dolphins we would meet. Each of us had an opportunity to interact with a dolphin doing tricks such as shaking fins, kissing or splashing. We also were able to “hold” the dolphins, rubbing their backs and their bellies. An amazing experience with these brilliant animals!

After our excursion, we swam around the lagoon a bit and had lunch before heading back to the port.

While Suz and MQ headed back to the ship, I walked around the port area a bit.

Saturday Aug 8: Sea Day 🌊

One more cruise day to sail from Mexico back to Port Canaveral meant a day for relaxing and exploring the ship. Suz and I had a great dinner at the ship’s Mexican specialty restaurant including tableside guacamole.

After dinner, we did an escape room with MQ which was a lot of fun!

Sunday Aug 9: Disembarkation and Departure

In keeping with the air travel issues on this journey, Suz received an email from JetBlue on Saturday night that their flight home from Vero Beach on Sunday had been canceled. After disembarking, we were able to arrange a later flight leaving from Fort Lauderdale. On the plus side, this gave us the opportunity to stop by Pop-Pop and Nana’s house for a visit!

The trips I take with family are the ones I treasure the most and this terrific week in the Caribbean was no exception. Until the next journey…