5 go on a Caribbean Christmas adventure 2022 Part 2

Day 6...Boxing Day Our next itinerary stop is the island of Sint Maarten. Famous for being an island of two halves...Sint Maarten, part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, is a country on the southern part of a Caribbean island shared with Saint Martin, a French overseas collectivity. Its natural features span lagoons, beaches and salt pans. The capital, Philipsburg, has cobblestone streets and colorful, colonial-style buildings. This part of the Caribbean was hit by Hurricane Irma in 2017, the results of which are still sadly very obvious. The beach we visited had soft golden sand, turquoise sea & perfect temperature sea for swimming. Also great for little people to jump the waves. Joshua fulfilled a dream to jetski, so for 30 minutes my heart was in my mouth as he whizzed around. Darren also fulfilled a dream as he got to crew on an America's cup yacht. Happy boys! Day 7...The British Virgin Island of Tortola Today we took a stroll into Road Town & then bus/taxi on a hairy journey to the beach on the other side of the island. We drove up & down the steep mountains, with lots of tooting & bumps! The beach was stunning with turquoise sea, golden sand & a lovely breeze, surrounded by lush mountains. Our guide Vincent told us that 90% of the island was destroyed by Irma There are always excursions that can be booked with the cruise line, or you can organise it yourself but always make sure you leave plenty of time to get back onboard before departure as they will go without you Lovely evening of sundowner cocktails & dinner. In the evenings on board there is plenty of entertainment to choose from... shows in the theatre, bars, live music & dancing. Something for everyone

Day 7...US Virgin Island St Thomas Today was sightseeing day so the 3 Musketeers (the boys stayed on board to chill) went to the Paradise point cable car for a fantastic view. Here we enjoyed a Bailey's frappe called a Bushwhacker... unexpected but very enjoyable The Pirate museum was entertaining and who knew there were so many famous pirates including some cool girls!!? Magen beach on the island is in the top 10 of beaches in the world, so not to be missed. Downtown is worth exploring with shopping and 99 steps to explore. We felt more of an American than Caribbean vibe on the island. It was a great day and a really enjoyable port stop.

Day 8...Day at Sea Fantastic, relaxing day at sea. Fun to watch Cool Runnings on the lawn at the outdoor cinema. Ice cream & cocktails on tap all day

Day 9... Nassau, Bahamas Final stop! Great for last minute shopping, colonial buildings and a final swim in the turquoise sea. We snorkelled & chilled on the beach, catching the final rays before it all came to an end Worth getting a taxi to a quieter part of the island, away from the port.

Day 10... Miami & homeward bound There are various excursions you can do on the last day including a tour of Miami, so you don’t need to worry about your luggage or getting to the airport as it’s all included. We spent our few hours in Bayside where you can take a boat trip to see the houses of the rich & famous on the islands, shop, eat and chill before the journey home !

A great holiday for everyone, although we agreed it was a weird being in the heat on Christmas day! We love the freedom on a cruise ship we can give the teenagers without worrying, plenty for little one to do on board and our every need is taken care of for us, so everyone is a winner!!