I would like to start this post with a great big thank you to Norwegian Cruise Line.  Due to an unforeseen circumstance the original cruise I should have been on had to been rescheduled and NCL truly went above and beyond!

We started this adventure with a road trip from Orlando to Miami.  We decided to make it fun and do our own version of carpool karaoke to various Broadway musicals for our journey!  It was truly the gayest road trip EVER!  My friends Tammy and Sarah later said next time a live dash-cam was must!

We spent the night in Miami at the lovely Hampton Inn Miami Downtown Brickell.  The location was perfect.  It was right next to downtown in an areas surrounded by very modern buildings, shopping, a Starbucks less than a block away, and some great eats!

 

We took an Uber over to South Beach, as Johnny suggested we have dinner at Nexxt Cafe. Nexxt is located right on Lincoln Road, which is a pedestrian street lined with shopping and restaurants.  Instead of ordering full meals, we sampled about five of their appetizers and small plates.  The food was great!  Afterwards we walked down Lincoln Road to Ocean Drive, which is where you will find the Art Deco buildings South Beach is famous for.

The next morning we enjoyed the complimentary breakfast at the hotel and then made our way to the ship.  I chose Safe Cruise Parking as they had a good location near the port and close to the hotel.  The price was right and they had prompt shuttle service to and from the port.

The Port of Miami is situated between downtown and Miami Beach.  Once on-board you are treated to stunning views of the surrounding area.

Norwegian Sky was put into service in 1999.  She served four years as the Pride of Aloha (2004-2008) sailing the Hawaiian Islands for NCL America.  In 2008 she once again became Sky, and now sails out of Miami on Bahamas and Cuba itineraries.  It appeared all of the Hawaiian decor was still in place.  It was subtle and tasteful.  She has 3 specialty restaurants, sushi bar, spa, showroom, various bars and lounges, and one main pool.  The amenities offered are perfect for a three or four night cruise!  Oh yes, and for those of you who like to drink this ship is All Inclusive!  Yes, you heard that right.  Soda, beer, juices, well, and some call level cocktails are included!  If you want a top shelf liquor or specialty coffee you will have to pay.  You don’t have to hand over your Sign & Sail card every time you want a beverage or libation!  This also applies to drinks on Norwegians private island!

After the life boat drill I couldn’t resist performing a little public service announcement for my friends on Facebook.  Contrary to how the news agencies report it, note that one would indeed have to climb the railings on a cruise ship to “fall over”.  Don’t climb the railings people and you won’t “fall over”!

Now lets talk stateroom!  This was my 19th cruise, and I believe this was the smallest stateroom I have every had!  It was fine for two people and I actually really liked the layout of the bathroom, it felt roomy for it’s compact size.  We booked a category OF Mid-Ship Ocean-view Porthole Window Stateroom on deck 8, so this was not a deck 2 inside stateroom.

** Cruise Tip – Bring an extension cord!  Almost all staterooms I have stayed in only have one electrical outlet.  With all the devices and battery packs with travel with today this will come in very hand!

Prior to our sailing NCL sent an email offering a Three Specialty Restaurant dining package for $80 per person, which included tax and tip.  We jumped at the opportunity!

Our first night we chose Il Adagio the Italian restaurant.  The food was fine but nothing stood out as exceptional.  We had the calamari, minestrone with sausage, spaghetti carbonara, and shrimp risotto.

Our first port of call was Grand Bahama.  It was an overcast and rainy day so we decided to enjoy some of the activities on-board, and then walk down to the little cruise village for a bite to eat. We were joined in port by the Carnival Ecstasy and Grand Celebration.  I noticed that the Celebration looked like a converted Carnival ship, you can’t hide that funnel, and sure enough she is the former Carnival Celebration (1987 – 2015).

In January of 2017 I was on-board a ship that also made a stop in Grand Bahama.  While we were there we found a little food shack called Robinson’s Seafood Delight.  The food was so good I had to stop by again.  We had the whole fried grey snapper and the fried shrimp.  Once again Robinson’s did not disappoint!  I realize the photo of the fish below may not look appetizing to some, but let me assure it’s a party in your mouth!

The sunset on our way out of Grand Bahama was spectacular!  Truly splendid sunsets are a reminder to me that there is indeed a power greater than myself in this universe!

 

Our dinner that evening was had in one of the two main dining  rooms.  Both are very nicely appointed and we enjoyed our meal very much.

Our second stop was Nassau, Bahamas.  It’s quite a large port and you will normally find 4-6 large cruise ships docked at one time.  On our visit it was just us and Royal Caribbean’s Majesty of the Seas.  Nassau is full of jewelry and liquor stores as it is duty free.  It is also home to the Atlantis Resort, which I will highlight in my next post.

*** Cruise Tip – Go have an appetizer and a drink at The Hard Rock Cafe and they will give you free access to a good WiFi signal.

After wandering around Nassau we enjoyed dinner that evening at Cagney’s Steakhouse on-board.  The food was very good and the service was great!  We had the crab & arugula salad, T-bone steak, grilled beets, sauteed spinach, orzo, and truffle fries.  For dessert I went for the ice cream sandwich.

Our last stop of our adventure was at Norwegians private island Great Stirrup Cay!  I have to admit being someone who is not a fan of the going to the beach it’s quite a lovely place.  The beaches and water are beautiful.  If you love to sun bathe there are tons of sun loungers with great views.  The island is home to a taco bar, BBQ buffet, multiple dessert bars, and hot dog stands.  As I stated earlier if you are on Sky all the drinks are included.

There are lots of water based activities to do on the island.  You will find snorkeling, wave runners, kayaking, and all are for a nominal fee.  You can rent clam-shell loungers or if you really want to drop some serious cash they offer private cabanas.  If had been warmer out and the water itself was warmer I would have definitely gotten in and participated.  I need to stop cruising in January!

To get to the island you tender from the ship to shore.  NCL has there own tender fleet based on the island, they are double-decker and hold quite a few guests.  The views of the ship sitting off the coast as you make your way to shore are stunning!

*** NCL Escape joined us at Great Stirrup Cay and I will be sailing on her in October

On our last evening on-board we dined at Le Bistro, the specialty restaurant that serves French cuisine.  The service and food were impeccable, definitely our favorite!   We savored salmon mousse, seared scallops, escargot, cream of five mushroom soup,  shrimp with endive, Dover sole, and some delectable desserts!

We really enjoyed our cruise and the ship.  As I stated earlier this is a good ship for a short itinerary and first time cruisers.  Having sailed on NCL before, on a newer ship, I would not use this ship to judge NCL as a whole.  Their other ships have so much more to offer.

My only criticisms would be that many of the crew seemed to be new and uniformed.  Also they were not as friendly as I am used to.  I don’t know if this is because there is no tipping for every drink, but all around this crew was just not up to NCL’s or industry standards on friendliness.

I look forward to my cruise with them in October to visit New England and Canada on-board NCL Escape!

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Being the Disney geek that I am we got off the ship, drove back to Orlando, and went to Epcot for dinner and fireworks!  Always a great way to end a great vacation!