I love variety! The thing I love most about cruising is stopping at the different ports. In the past, when we have stayed at resorts, we seem to get restless. That seems funny, considering I am such a home-body. I love waking up in a different place every single morning without having to pack and repack. Here are some highlights of our port stops….
Jamaica
Although we were here for a day, we opted not to get off of the boat. You can read why in this post. After working out, we did take a few pictures as we were pulling into the dock. Usually, I’m sleeping when we arrive at a port. We found a place to stand, directly below the captain’s bridge. At times, it looked as if we were actually hanging over the land as the captain pulled the boat into the dock. Geesh! I can’t even parallel park my smallish car! I’ve never actually watched the guys dock the boat until that day. Too cool!
We spent the day lounging by the pool. The boat was practically empty.
Grand Cayman
We headed into town as soon as we docked. Our first mission was to find a late birthday gift for myself, from Ashton. (Good things come to those who wait!) I knew I wanted a Lauren G. Adams piece to add to my collection. We love shopping on the islands because we can negotiate the prices. Also, there’s no tax on the islands. While we were exploring, we saw a chicken with her babies. If it had been possible, one of those furry babies would have come home with me! There were chickens all over the island. I was completely in love. The chickens roamed the island freely to help control the insects. There was even a rooster in front of Burger King. You don’t see that in the U.S.!
We stumbled upon a pirate. Never miss the opportunity for a pirate photo!
We found the perfect birthday gift to purchase. When they offered us a drink while I was trying on items, I felt like a queen! I deemed that it was too early for wine, so I settled for a Diet Coke. I love island jewelry shopping! We decided on a necklace. Unfortunately, I’m going to have to have the ring that matches. Later, of course.
After shopping, we took a cab to the Cayman Spirits rum distillery. The Cayman Spirits Company website can be found here. I chose it pre-trip because it had amazing reviews on TripAdvisor. The cab ride was about $12 dollars for both of us. It was an adventure in itself, as it was un-air-conditioned and we had to ride though a very shady part of town. We probably should have feared for our lives, but we had rum tasting on the brain. When we first entered the building, we didn’t see anyone. The rum was displayed on the bar with a sign stating that it was an honor bar. We felt badly about helping ourselves to the rum. However, we didn’t feel badly enough to not sample. The banana rum was my favorite. I don’t even typically like bananas!
Then, we met Jordan. He gave us the best private tour. He was lively…the best tour guide ever! We learned that they bury their rum barrels under the ocean for five years. The constant movement from the ocean ensures that the rum is extra tasty.
After the tour, Jordan made a tasty cocktail for me. After visiting for a while, Jordan signed our bottles. Within the next year or so, they will open a distillery in Hilton Head. I’m sure we will be the first customers!
Satisfied with our plentiful purchases, we headed back to the ship. I am sure we will find the opportunity to go back to Grand Cayman. In hindsight, we regretted not exploring Jamaica. We realized that we can hang out by the pool at home, anytime. Always take the opportunity to explore!
Our day ended with a trip to the Captains Table. Stay tuned for that post, soon!
