Cruise 10...Adventure of The Seas

January 30th, 2016...Southern Caribbean

First time sailing out of Puerto Rico!

San Juan, Puerto Rico

Frederiksted, St. Croix, U.S.V.I.

Basseterre, St. Kitts Island

Philipsburg, St. Maarten Island

Roseau, Dominica Island

Bridgetown, Barbados Island

Adventure of The Seas looks and feels very much like Independence of The Seas. It is slightly smaller, though, and is part of the Voyager class of ships. To many, the Freedom Class of Royal ships, the class of ships with Independence of The Seas, is little more than a stretched version of the Voyager Class. That being said, The Pirate likes them both. This sailing was another CME for Lady Michelle and they enjoyed dining with some of the other doctors on the ship. Steve, on particular doctor, was a ton of fun and made dinners exciting!

Puerto Rico is a great place to visit and Lady and The Pirate also enjoy sailing away from there. This was the first of a few times they'd visit the island. Leaving San Juan means you get to sail right by the Old San Juan fort on the way out. It's fabulous.

St. Croix belongs to The United States and known as the largest U.S. Virgin Island, islands that also include other popular cruise destinations like St. Thomas and St. John. The beaches are beautiful and the weather incredible, unless, of course, a hurricane blows through. The U.S.V.I. were sold to the United States by Denmark in 1917 for $25 million. Christopher Columbus is thought to have been the first European to see the islands on his second voyage. In the Pirate's opinion, $25 million was well worth it.

One of The Pirate's favorite pictures he ever took of Lady Michelle was the monkey picture below in St. Kitts. St. Kitts actually is referred as St. Kitts and Nevis, two islands forming one nation in the Lesser Antilles islands. As of this writing, Lady and The Pirate have never seen Nevis, but they plan a trip there during their 36th cruise.

Lady and The Pirate visited the Emerald Pool in Dominica and The Pirate went in. He will now live forever...Just Kidding! It is rumored though that the Emerald Pool is the actual fountain of youth.

It's a bit of trivia, but Barbados is not in The Caribbean. It actually sits outside the Caribbean Sea. The island is the most Eastern of all the islands aligned with the Caribbean and is in the Atlantic Ocean. Barbados has a beautiful cave system that Lady and The Pirate visited while there.

Notes on this cruise:

1. The United States owns Puerto Rico and the only tropical rainforest in the United States is located there...El Yunque National Forest. Lady and The Pirate love Puerto Rico and the Puerto Rican people and culture. The food is unbelievable and the weather the same. If planning a cruise from their, Lady and The Pirate recommend flying in a few days early and taking in as much Puerto Rico as possible.

2. Lady Michelle did not feel safe walking around Roseau in Dominica. They ventured off the ship to explore a little on their own but quickly made their way back. The excursions were very nice, though.

3. There are a few cruises now leaving out of Barbados and spend a lot more time in the Southern Caribbean. Perhaps Lady and The Pirate will sail out of there one day.

Big Rock at Bathsheba Beach in Barbados