Miami Cruise 5

This is part of a series regarding a cruise on the Norwegian Epic to 3 different countries. 

Other posts are: ONE / TWO / THREE / FOUR.

After visiting Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, our ship moved to the final port -- Cozumel in Mexico. My friend and I love history, so we booked a full day tour to view some ruins in Tulum -- approximately 3 hours by bus and boat from Cozumel.

The boat crossing from Cozumel to Playa del Carmen would take about 40 minutes and we were warned numerous times that the crossing would be rough; regardless, many staff on the ship offered margaritas to passengers at 9am! 

Tulum was a pre-Mayan port town; now, it is a park showcasing the ruins of this once, thriving community. On the bus, our guide explained the writing system (similar to Egyptian hieroglyphics) and black stone carvings. 

Scenes from Tulum and Playa del Carmen:

Bottom row -- the very famous beach at Tulum, with cliff views of the ruins

My friend was a bit disappointed, as she had wanted to see large, fully restored pyramids. Tulum offered only ruins and remains of these former structures. Regardless, the grounds of the park were beautiful. Upon our 6pm return to Playa del Carmen, we were rewarded with a blue sunset. 

 Tulum sign / the beach at Playa del Carmen

Bottom rows: ruins at Tulum, writing system and a stone tunnel

Returning to the ship, my friend and I quickly ate dinner and headed to the comedy club for a special "meet-and-greet" featuring the cast of Blue Man -- the show which was featured on the ship. I learned one of the cast was Canadian (yay!) and listened to the cast explain how they were selected, trained for the show, etc. It was really great to meet the men "behind the blue face paint". 

 Blue Man musicians and cast members / carved watermelons:

Following the stop in Mexico, the Epic spent another full day at sea, before finally returning to Miami Port. My dad, who was not too keen on going on the cruise at first, changed his mind completely after this experience. While cruising is not for everyone, if you prefer a laid-back holiday, with no fancy dress, or strict dining rules, then Norwegian Cruise Line is the right choice for you. ^_^

Happy cruising! 

Information

Tulum, Mexico -- Wiki page is HERE. Trip Advisor site is HERE. 

If historical ruins aren't your thing, head to the beach there -- it's beautiful! PHOTOS of the beach. (via Google image search)

Location

Map HERE. 2 ~ 3 hours drive from Cancun, Mexico. 

Guided tours from Cancun are approximately $65 ~ 80 USD per person.

Best time to visit

Between October & December -- post-hurricane season and low hotel prices. 

Miami Cruise 4

This is a series about a cruise from Miami port to 3 different countries. 

Part one is HERE. Part TWO. Part THREE. 

In the last post, we were finishing up a plantation tour in Ochos Rios, Jamaica. After that, we headed to our final, and most famous destination, Dunn's River Falls. In Jamaica, climbing waterfalls is a popular tourist activity and my friend wanted to try it. Unfortunately, the weather did not cooperate, and we ended up walking along the river in a downpour. Instead, I snapped photos of those brave souls marching up the river in the rain....


A note about Dunn's River Falls:
It's a tourist trap. They (guides) will say you must have special water shoes, which you have to buy for $10 ~ 15. We didn't buy anything and noticed once we got to the falls, you don't need shoes at all. The "must have water shoes" is a scam; don't fall for it.








Once returning to port, our ship, the Norwegian Epic, sailed on to Georgetown, Grand Cayman Islands. The Caymans were first settled by the British back in the 1700s. Now, Georgetown is most famous for its international banking and lovely beaches.

My friend booked a full day snorkeling tour of Stingray City -- a popular place to see these creatures up close. I was excited to be on a ship again...

Our tour boat, a welcome sign, the Epic and Cutenekko:

After approximately 30 minutes, our boat arrived at the sand bar which featured numerous stingrays. Now, I know that the great Aussie, Steve Irwin died from an attack from one of these, so I was cautious and a bit frightened of these creatures, even if the guide was hugging one! 

Fish, guide with a guest, overview of the sandbar, my friend:

The tour included a professional photographer and a guide, who would put a stingray on your back, let you hold one and if you wished; guests were also welcome to feed and kiss the sea creatures! Of course, souvenir photos were later sold at the end of the tour. 

By 4pm or so, we headed back to our cruise ship. I enjoyed the local sights of the island from our mini-bus -- strip malls, condos and the like. All cruise passengers were pleasantly surprised at the dock, where Norwegian staff greeted our return with cool drinks (free!). 

When I spoke with my parents later, we all agreed we needed to come back for a longer holiday on this island. The Caymans were beautiful! 

Information

The Cayman Islands are located a stone's throw off the coast of Cuba. Wiki page is HERE. 

When to go

May to July, when hotel rates are low. 

Rainy season is May ~ October. (US Travel News)

What to do

Snorkeling, scuba diving. The water visibility is really good with lots of tropical fish and rays.

This stop was part of a 7-day cruise aboard the Norwegian Epic. Cost: $345 USD for an inside room. $100 onboard spending credit included (which I used to buy an underwater camera!). 

Norwegian Cruise Line site is HERE. 

Miami Cruise 3

This is part of a series. Parts one and two are HERE and HERE. 

By the third day of our cruise, we had finally reached our first port-of-call -- Ochos Rios, Jamaica. My high school band teacher raved about Jamaica, but I wasn't sure what to expect. I don't drink rum, I'm not into ganja, so I wondered, "Just what in the heck is there to see?" Well, it turned out my travel partner solved that problem for me -- she wanted to visit a plantation and learn more about slave culture. She booked a full day tour exploring two sites on the island.

The plantation welcomed us with free samples of Blue Mountain coffee. Soon, the tour guide greeted us and escorted us to our tour "bus" -- a hard-workin' Ford tractor hitched to a series of wooden benches attached to a flatbed. I felt like I had become a member of the Ingall family, a la Little House on the Prairie.

Various scenes from the plantation tour:

The tour snaked its way through the grounds, passing fields of sugarcane, pineapple, and various other fruits. At the halfway point, we stopped to enjoy a coconut husking demonstration, as well as sample raw coconut slices and juice. 

Our tour continued to the plantation's main house -- a sprawling white home tucked at the top of the hill, amidst a sea of mahogany, and other trees.  

Scenes from the plantation's main house: 

I was surprised to hear the plantation owner welcomed many famous guests over the years -- Winston Churchill, former Canadian Prime Minister, Pierre Trudeau, and more. The inside rooms of the home were preserved well.

We had to wrap up our tour, as the late afternoon would be spent at a second location. More on that soon!

Happy travels!

Information: 

I cannot remember the name of this plantation; however, the Sun Valley Plantation Tour is quite famous in Ochos Rios. Trip Advisor site is HERE. 

Tour includes: free coffee, some fruit & juice tasting, guided tour of the plantation. 
Optional tour: camel rides, ATV & mini jeep rides. 

What to wear:
Bug spray, rubber boots/ rubber flip flops (if it's raining, as the pathways are very muddy)

Other:
Souvenir shop is very limited; packets of Blue Mountain coffee are cheap to buy. About $5. (USD)