9-Night E. Caribbean Cruise from Norfolk Port Highlights - Labadee, Haiti

Labadee is Royal Caribbean's private island, although it is actually contiguous with the rest of Haiti and is a private resort leased to Royal Caribbean. As such, it is fenced off from the surrounding area. However, when you get to Labadee, you don't really notice that.

Great beaches, charming shops, lots of water activities - this is what you will see. There is even a new Aqua Park for kids. Among available activites are kayaking, snorkeling, parasailing, and jet skiing, all available as shore excursions.

Or, simply relax in a hammock or on the beach. It's a great, stress-free retreat, especially if you have been busy exploring the other ports of call on this cruise, you should definitely take advantage of the time at Labadee.

Haiti itself has an interesting history. I pulled this from Wikipedia:

"It was the first independent nation in Latin America, the first post-colonial independent black-led nation in the world, and the only nation whose independence was gained as part of a successful slave rebellion. Haiti is the only predominantly Francophone independent nation in the Americas, and one of only two (along with Canada) which designate French as an official language..." For more, click here.

Welcome Back - and Bon Voyage!

Welcome back to passengers on the May 21st Royal Caribbean cruise from Norfolk to the Eastern Caribbean! And Bon Voyage to those on the May 30th Royal Caribbean sailing to Bermuda AND the May 31st Carnival sailing to the Bahamas!

I always love to see the ships when they are in port and this weekend we get treated to both ships coming and going! There's just something about driving down Waterside Drive, coming around off the highway and around the bend, when the ship appears in your sights. Maybe it is just living vicariously and thinking it would be great if I was going on the cruise that day (note that i am never thinking, ahh if only i could be getting OFF the ship today -ha ha). Or maybe it is just seeing a cruise ship, and thinking about my past and future vacations just never gets old. Whatever the reason, I plan to find a reason to drive down there this weekend just to see them...

9-Night E. Caribbean Cruise from Norfolk Port Highlights - Samana, Dominican Republic

Columbus sighted its coral-edged Caribbean coastline on his first voyage to the New World and pronounced: "There is no more beautiful island in the world." The first permanent European settlement in the New World was on November 7, 1493, and its ruins still remain near Montecristi in the northeast part of the island.

Much of what Columbus first sighted still remains in a natural, unspoiled condition. One-third of the Dominican Republic's 869 mile coastline is devoted to beaches. The best are in Puerto Plata and La Romana, although Puerto Plata and other beaches on the Atlantic side of the island
have dangerously strong currents at times.

The people of the Dominican Republic are among the friendliest in the Caribbean, and the hospitality here seems more genuine than in more commercialized Puerto Rico. The weather is nearly perfect year-round. And the Dominican Republic's white-sand beaches are among the finest in the Caribbean. Punta Cana/Bávaro, for example, is the longest strip of white sand in the entire region.

The Dominican Republic has its own distinct cuisine and cultural heritage. Its Latin flavor is a sharp contrast to the character of many nearby islands, especially the British- and French-influenced ones.

The verdant peninsula of Samana is paradise found for nature enthusiasts. Somewhat remote and removed from the tourist trail, this patch of paradise is home to one of the most important rain forests and mangrove reserves in the Caribbean. And its crystal-clear coast features some of the best diving on the northern side of the Dominican Republic. So pop on your flippers. In some spots you can see up to 150 feet!