New York to the Bahamas

Charlene Ross on 10 May 2004
The “Big Apple”. What more can I say? This was a dream come true for me. Manhattan with its many tall buildings is quite overwhelming. You can’t help to stop and stare at the buildings. It almost feels as if the buildings are closing in on you. It is such a busy and vibrant city, with yellow cabs everywhere, people rushing from one place to another, street performers, limousines, busy street side café’s, and at night lots of lights everywhere with the faded sound of Jazz and Blues in the air. Unfortunately I was only there for 1 day and 1 night. I tried to see as much as possible visiting Ground Zero, Wall Street, strolling the “oh so” expensive 5th Avenue, Broadway, and of course Central Park. You cannot believe that you are in one of the busiest cities of the world. It is so peaceful and beautiful in Central Park. I also went to see where John Lennon was shot. Broadway comes to life at night with theatres everywhere and restaurants. Meals are quite expensive, but the portions are so huge, you might as well share. Manhattan has got so much to offer, it’s not called the “City that never sleeps” for nothing. The next day we boarded the Norwegian Dawn of NCL cruise lines. Another amazing experience was leaving the harbour of New York, passing the Statue of Liberty with the sun setting in the distance. Absolutely breathtaking! We had 7 nights of absolute bliss ahead of us. Cruising in itself is such a great experience. You pack and unpack once and then you can just sit back and relax and see a different port of call almost every day. There are many different shows and activities onboard and so much to eat. The food is never ending, breakfast, late morning barbeque, then lunch, late afternoon snacks, dinner and finally midnight buffet!! Luckily there was a gym and running track onboard the ship to burn off some of those extra kilos. Our first port of call was Orlando. We docked at Port Canaveral and were transferred to Orlando. Again we were just there for 1 day, so for me it wasn’t worth going to Disney, as there was too much to see and do to make it worthwhile. I instead, visited Universal Studios. Our next stop was Miami. To me Miami is such a beautiful and clean city. On the way from the port to Miami beachfront you pass canals with huge houses and yachts parked in front of the houses, which leaves you wondering which celebrity owns which mansions. South Beach is definitely an Art Deco! As we set sail from Miami, we were entering the Caribbean. Sunshine, lots of it and at night warm breezes with Caribbean bands bringing the night to life under the stars. We visited NCL’s private island in the Bahamas, Great Stirrup Cay. This island is an unspoiled paradise of white sand beaches, majestic coconut palms and calm pristine waters where an abundance of colourful marine life inhabits the surrounding coral reefs. It is home to lizards, seagulls, and neon-collared fish and... A few very fortunate guests of NCL. Here you can snooze in a hammock under a shady palm tree or learn to snorkel in a peaceful cove where tropical fish weave around equally colourful coral and sea fans. You can dance the limbo and enjoy a beachside barbecue, or circle the island in a kayak or sailboat. This is the life on NCL's Great Stirrup Cay. Our last stop was Nassau, the capital of the Bahamas. Lots of cruise ships dock here daily and sea planes taking off and landing throughout the day. I visited Sol Kerzner’s Atlantis Resort & Casino. It is absolutely amazing! Thereafter I took a tour of Nassau with a local guide. Nassau made history which has been preserved nicely in Victorian mansions displaying elegant noble architecture, cathedrals, weather-beaten 18th-century forts and a hand-carved Queen's Staircase, whose 66 steps lead to a view of the island not to be missed. You have to visit one of their local shops and try their Bahamas Goombay Punch. Vacationers know Nassau as a vacation playground of fine white-sandy beaches and exciting nightlife. Natives know their city as a friendly little place where you pretty much know everyone, where the local spelling bee winner still makes the Nassau Bahamas newspaper front page. Leaving the Caribbean behind us returned to New York City for our flight home.