San Juan and Southern Caribbean Cruise 2023

 

March 2023 Mary, a friend and our daughters boarded the Norwegian Epic in San Juan and sailed to Aruba, Curacao, Grenada, St Lucia, and St Kitts
 

 

San Juan

We booked a charming historic boutique hotel in Old San Juan.  La Terraza de San Juan. What a find!

 

The blue cobbles of San Juan

The Norwegian  Epic 

After a 20min uber ride from Old San Juan to the Pan American pier, we arrived at the cruise terminal at 10 am.  We were ushered inside to some chairs (about the first 200 people to arrive got seats inside the terminal).  We started boarding shortly after 11am.  A very smooth morning.

Beautiful Eagle Beach,  Aruba 

- TripAdvisor's 2nd best beach in the world 

Watching the Emerald Princess departing in the beautiful blue waters of Aruba

Our Aruba sail away. 

 This huge ship had limited viewing space on deck.  All viewing areas were filled with lounge chairs,  so there was  a lot of straddling and shuffling to find some deck railing.

Willemstad  Curacao

             A UNESCO World Heritage Site that is full of eye candy with its colourful Dutch colonial architecture and art installations and galleries. A fantastic day!

The colourful Dutch colonial buildings of the  Punta District  of Willemstad.  Punda is the location of the world famous Handelskade: the waterfront collection of multi-colored buildings that has become Curaçao’s most characteristic image

Queen Emma Bridge,

a large floating bridge that swings open for large ships

The Punda neighbourhood in Willemstad  has streets that are full of eye candy; fantastic murals and colourful buildings all over the town.

The Mikvé Israel-Emanuel Synagogue, in Willemstad, Curaçao, is the oldest surviving synagogue in the Americas and an historic landmark in Willemstad.

Heart sculptures full of love locks

CHICHI - this sculpture is called Chichi.  Chichi is a name for the eldest sister in the traditional Curaçao family structure. Chichi is an expression of big love and big care.  Artist Serena Israel and her team give homage to these soulful eldest sisters in Curacao's culture.   These sculptures are seen throughout the city

 The Rif fort - an historic fort now a high end shopping mall

 

   

An evening in the Martini Bar and then The Cavern Club

Grenada  

- We had a wild drive through the hilly countryside and ended up at Morne Rouge Beach, a beautiful spot.  Then headed back to the port to buy our spices.  Grenada is known as the spice island, so we did get stocked up on whole nutmegs, cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, and some fragrant island mixes for soups and baking.

Morne Rouge Beach

Frangipani or plumeria Blossoms 

St Lucia

Castries, St  Lucia

In St Lucia we booked a catamaran ride to a local black sand beach,  and then off to see the famous Pitons.

We stopped at Anse Cochon black sand beach for a swim and snorkel

Petite Piton and Gross Piton

Beautiful Marigot Bay, St Lucia

   

Traditional fishing in Marigot Bay

 

Closeup of the Pitons - photography was a challenge as we were looking into the sun and the hills had a lot of haze.

St Kitts

Our Last stop was the island of St Kitts.  We booked a rainforest hike and we were fortunately the only 4 people on the hike and tour. We travelled by open air bus up to the old Wingfield Estate and sugar plantation, toured  Caribelle Batik and the beautiful gardens of Romney Manor.  Then off on our hike through the rainforest for the full morning.

Tarzan Vines everywhere

Ruins form old sugar cane refineries

The beautiful tropical gardens at Romney Manor (Caribelle Batik)

      Views of Brimstone Hill and Fortress as we sail away from St Kitts

Toasting a fabulous cruise 

with a glass of Veuve Clicquot on our final night.