This was a port intensive 7
-day cruise stopping at 7 ports in the Southern Caribbean. There was no Sea Day. The cruise sailed from Puerto Rico, visiting St. Thomas, Dominica, Barbados, Saint Lucia, St. Kitts and Antigua.Every day, the Nguyens first stuffed themselves with their load of breakfast, then either explored the culture or relaxed on the beach. This journal documents the Nguyen’s adventures as they eat, do nothing, lie on the beach, socialize with 3000 new friends, and eat again.
Dec 20, 2009: Toronto, Charlotte, and Puerto Rico
Our trip began early in the morning as we prepared to leave for Terminal 1. As usual we panicked over possible forgotten possessions and soon we headed off to Toronto Pearson Airport.
The day before, the US was hit with a big snow storm and unfortunately, our flig
ht to Philadelphia was cancelled, so we were transferred to another flight through Charlotte, North Carolina. We checked into our 1 hour flight on Air Canada and soon we were off. The flight was a piece of cake; however, we could not foresee the upcoming nightmare.Once we arrived in Charlotte, we had to pick up our luggage and recheck them in with US Airways. When we got to the check in counter, the crowd was vicious. There were people everywhere and lines leading nowhere. Like headless chickens we ran around looking for a proper desk and managed to check in within minutes of boarding time.
The flight was not too bad, taking only 3 hours and in no time we arrived in the warm city of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Anxious
to get to the Carnival Victory, we quickly grabbed our luggage and took a taxi straight to the docks and immediately saw our giant home for the next few days. The red chimney signalled us of our descent into a great vacation. Our luggage was taken care of by a porter (Alex thought he stole them) and we entered the ship receiving our personal key cards very quickly as there was no line.
The flight was not too bad, taking only 3 hours and in no time we arrived in the warm city of San Juan, Puerto Rico.
Anxious
to get to the Carnival Victory, we quickly grabbed our luggage and took a taxi straight to the docks and immediately saw our giant home for the next few days. The red chimney signalled us of our descent into a great vacation. Our luggage was taken care of by a porter (Alex thought he stole them) and we entered the ship receiving our personal key cards very quickly as there was no line.The ship was massive like the other cruise ships, decorated with a cheesy Atlantis theme, with mermaids and Poseidon covering the walls. Unlike on our other cruises though, we decided to take a risk and buy a balcony room instead of an interior room. The room was on the 8th floor and near the aft (right below the buffet). There were only a double bed and a bunk bed.
We lounged around the small room for a while, meeting our friendly steward Keno, from Trinidad, and inquired about the three beds until he explained that he would make a pull out bed.
Mom was already hungry, so we chose to do the highlights of a cruise, eating. We headed to the Pacific Dining Room on the third floor for dinner where it was open seating. The food was decent and was obviously not as its best since it was the first day.
We lounged around the small room for a while, meeting our friendly steward Keno, from Trinidad, and inquired about the three beds until he explained that he would make a pull out bed.
Mom was already hungry, so we chose to do the highlights of a cruise, eating. We headed to the Pacific Dining Room on the third floor for dinner where it was open seating. The food was decent and was obviously not as its best since it was the first day.
We were exhausted by then so we skipped the ship orientation and followed up by going back upstairs to the buffet. .We only had a few minutes to relax until the infamous safety drill commenced. We spent a good 20 minutes stuffed on the deck with thousands of other vacationers listening to our cruise director, Karl with a K, until given the sign to leave.
We didn’t spend much time exploring and within minutes we returned to the room and were surprised to see a tiny bed on the floor. After a dispute between Alex and me about who would be taking the roll away bed, Mom bravely stepped up to the plate and slept on the bed for the night while I also bravely slept with Dad. We slept, ready for a relaxing day in our first port, St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands tomorrow.
December 21, 2009: - St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie)
Waking up, we immediately heard Mom impatiently complaining to guest services about the tiny little bed that wa
s meant for a child. After that futile attempt, Mom complained to Keno who offered the solution of a small extension to the bed that he would make. Once the problem was solved, we motioned to eat breakfast.
December 21, 2009: - St. Thomas (Charlotte Amalie)
Waking up, we immediately heard Mom impatiently complaining to guest services about the tiny little bed that wa
s meant for a child. After that futile attempt, Mom complained to Keno who offered the solution of a small extension to the bed that he would make. Once the problem was solved, we motioned to eat breakfast.We travelled swiftly up the stairs to the giant buffet waiting for us on the Lido deck. However, we were met with approximately all the guests on the boat waiting in line. We patiently waited by the most plentiful buffet which was typical American buffet breakfast and would have sustained us for the next few hours.
Anxious to leave the boat, we refreshed ourselves and left the boat onto the tropical island, the US Virgin Islands (Population: 108,000). The US Virgin Islands is a territory of the United States, which was purchased from Denmark at a price of $25 million in 1917.
As
we felt the warm tropical air absorb into our skin, we looked around to see the beautiful Caribbean ocean with the waves pounding onto the shore. Alex had forgotten her sunglasses at home so we had to stop and shop to find her some new ones. To our surprise, we saw our Indian friend in a small convenience store. We found a good pair of sunglasses for Alex and couple magnets for Mom. Unfortunately, Mom forgot to notify the bank that she was visiting the Caribbean, so her card was rejected and blocked. We paid in cash and walked to the K-Mart to find the public bus to the beach.
As
we felt the warm tropical air absorb into our skin, we looked around to see the beautiful Caribbean ocean with the waves pounding onto the shore. Alex had forgotten her sunglasses at home so we had to stop and shop to find her some new ones. To our surprise, we saw our Indian friend in a small convenience store. We found a good pair of sunglasses for Alex and couple magnets for Mom. Unfortunately, Mom forgot to notify the bank that she was visiting the Caribbean, so her card was rejected and blocked. We paid in cash and walked to the K-Mart to find the public bus to the beach.With the majority not wanting to explore the town, we found a taxi and we drove to Sapphire beach and resort ($7/person).
The beach was breathtaking as the sun reflected off the clear blue ocean and the islands in the distance. Trespassing on the resort we walked far from the populated area and settled at a shady area. We spent a good three hours at the beach swimming in the ocean, burying me in the sand, snorkelling and sitting on the beach.
When we finished our taxi was waiting for us and he offered to take us to a very high view point named Paradise Point. The ride up was scary and bumpy because of the one lane road and the cars speeding downhill. Regardless of the drive, the view was worth it as we saw the mountainous terrain and the gleaming Caribbean ocean with the beloved Carnival Victory. He eventually drove us to the ship area.
The beach was breathtaking as the sun reflected off the clear blue ocean and the islands in the distance. Trespassing on the resort we walked far from the populated area and settled at a shady area. We spent a good three hours at the beach swimming in the ocean, burying me in the sand, snorkelling and sitting on the beach.
When we finished our taxi was waiting for us and he offered to take us to a very high view point named Paradise Point. The ride up was scary and bumpy because of the one lane road and the cars speeding downhill. Regardless of the drive, the view was worth it as we saw the mountainous terrain and the gleaming Caribbean ocean with the beloved Carnival Victory. He eventually drove us to the ship area.
Alex and I left Mom and Dad to go shopping and went back to the ship to snack on delicious nachos. When we were done Mom and Dad already returned and we pre
pared for dinner.
We went to the dining room and we met our waiter for the cruise, Delvin from Dominica and his Indonesian assistant (Name: N/A). He was quite polite and the food was what we expected from a cruise (delicious!).
We were exhausted that day so we retired to the room, but Alex and I decided to go to the first show. The show was entertaining with a brief introduction to the Victory Dancers and a fairly funny Cuban comedian. By the end of the show, Alex and I were even more tired, and I was ready to sleep on my extended pull out bed.
December 22, 2009 - Dominica (Roseau)
This morning, I
woke up, rolled to the side and almost fell on the floor that was 1 foot away. As always, Mom was already up taking in the sights of the island of Dominica from her balcony.
We were anxious to leave the ship, so we ate breakfast again at the Pacific dining room instead of the buffet today. We were surprised at the calm feel of the dining as opposed to the crowded nature of the buffet. We ate a thorough breakfast and quickly returned to the room to freshen up. When we were ready, we exited the ship and felt the tropical heat once again with cultural calypso music playing.
Dominica is a largely forested island with its beaches lined with black sand (Population: 72,000).
Today we went on a river tubing tour with Antours ($45/person). O
ur first stop on this scenic tour was the Emerald Pool, a waterfall with
too many tourists. We decided to hike to the pool which was long and tiring (especially in slippers). When we reached the pool it was way too crowded. Dad and Alex decided to take a dip and quickly got out. We regretfully returned to the bus where we moved on.
Our next stop was Mr. Nice a fruit stand who would offer samples of the local fruit to cruisers. There were too many people again and we couldn’t enjoy Mr. Nice’s commentary and fruit.
We finally headed to the highlight of our tour, river tubing down the Layou River. We were excited to do this activity and left our possession in the van. Once we were geared up we were pushed down the river with the local lifeguards guiding the tubers. The scenery was quite beautiful as we cruised down the river. However, I thought that the tubing was not as thrilling as I expected with few mild rapids and a tendency to get stuck on rocks though everyone else enjoyed it. When the tour was over it was already time to go back to the ship, so the tour bus took us back.
We all retre
ated to our cabin to relax and prepare for the Elegant dining tonight. When it was time, we dressed our best. The dinner was delicious with many orders of lobster tails, a steak for the centre and fettuccini for me. After the dinner we roamed the ship taking professional pictures, looking at port photos while waiting for the featured dancing show, Vroom. The show passed time with decent singing and choreogra
phy.
After that we enjoyed the music around the ship before within minutes we decided to eat again on the Lido deck. Alex had pizza and ice cream while Dad had fruit. Now being twice as full, we finally retired to our rooms. This night, Dad gave up his double bed for Alex and slept on the pull out bed and I slept in the bunk bed. We dozed off, resting ourselves for the rest-full day tomorrow in Barbados.
December 23, 2009 - Barbados (Bridgetown)
Ready for another restful day, we ate a delicious breakfast at the Pacific dining room. Quickly we freshened up and were soon outside on the island of Barbados (Population: 280,000). Barbados is a constitutional monarchy of Britain and has been an independent country since 1966.
Today was not
going to be an exploration day; instead it would be a perfect day relaxing on the beach with the sun shining down. We found a small taxi to take us to a renowned beach called Rockley Beach ($7.50/person).
pared for dinner.We went to the dining room and we met our waiter for the cruise, Delvin from Dominica and his Indonesian assistant (Name: N/A). He was quite polite and the food was what we expected from a cruise (delicious!).
We were exhausted that day so we retired to the room, but Alex and I decided to go to the first show. The show was entertaining with a brief introduction to the Victory Dancers and a fairly funny Cuban comedian. By the end of the show, Alex and I were even more tired, and I was ready to sleep on my extended pull out bed.
December 22, 2009 - Dominica (Roseau)
This morning, I
woke up, rolled to the side and almost fell on the floor that was 1 foot away. As always, Mom was already up taking in the sights of the island of Dominica from her balcony.We were anxious to leave the ship, so we ate breakfast again at the Pacific dining room instead of the buffet today. We were surprised at the calm feel of the dining as opposed to the crowded nature of the buffet. We ate a thorough breakfast and quickly returned to the room to freshen up. When we were ready, we exited the ship and felt the tropical heat once again with cultural calypso music playing.
Dominica is a largely forested island with its beaches lined with black sand (Population: 72,000).
Today we went on a river tubing tour with Antours ($45/person). O
ur first stop on this scenic tour was the Emerald Pool, a waterfall with
too many tourists. We decided to hike to the pool which was long and tiring (especially in slippers). When we reached the pool it was way too crowded. Dad and Alex decided to take a dip and quickly got out. We regretfully returned to the bus where we moved on.Our next stop was Mr. Nice a fruit stand who would offer samples of the local fruit to cruisers. There were too many people again and we couldn’t enjoy Mr. Nice’s commentary and fruit.
We finally headed to the highlight of our tour, river tubing down the Layou River. We were excited to do this activity and left our possession in the van. Once we were geared up we were pushed down the river with the local lifeguards guiding the tubers. The scenery was quite beautiful as we cruised down the river. However, I thought that the tubing was not as thrilling as I expected with few mild rapids and a tendency to get stuck on rocks though everyone else enjoyed it. When the tour was over it was already time to go back to the ship, so the tour bus took us back.
We all retre
ated to our cabin to relax and prepare for the Elegant dining tonight. When it was time, we dressed our best. The dinner was delicious with many orders of lobster tails, a steak for the centre and fettuccini for me. After the dinner we roamed the ship taking professional pictures, looking at port photos while waiting for the featured dancing show, Vroom. The show passed time with decent singing and choreogra
phy.After that we enjoyed the music around the ship before within minutes we decided to eat again on the Lido deck. Alex had pizza and ice cream while Dad had fruit. Now being twice as full, we finally retired to our rooms. This night, Dad gave up his double bed for Alex and slept on the pull out bed and I slept in the bunk bed. We dozed off, resting ourselves for the rest-full day tomorrow in Barbados.
December 23, 2009 - Barbados (Bridgetown)
Ready for another restful day, we ate a delicious breakfast at the Pacific dining room. Quickly we freshened up and were soon outside on the island of Barbados (Population: 280,000). Barbados is a constitutional monarchy of Britain and has been an independent country since 1966.
Today was not
going to be an exploration day; instead it would be a perfect day relaxing on the beach with the sun shining down. We found a small taxi to take us to a renowned beach called Rockley Beach ($7.50/person).When we got there we rented two beach chairs from a Rastafarian man and were ready to spend 3 hours doing nothing. Our nothing included wading in the water, soaking up rays and sleeping. Once our time was up, we took a van back to the ship to prepare to eat some more. We had our pre-dinner snack of nachos and changed casually for dinner.
Dinner was exceptional once again. We browsed our photos and bought a couple and tried to waste time until the sh
ow. The show was a Me
xican juggler and an acappella comedian. The juggler was quite entertaining with funny commentary and skilful juggling (though I believe we’ve seen him before on another cruise). However, the comedian was mediocre and many of the jokes were based off songs that we did not know. After this underwhelming show, we were completely ready to go to sleep (Dad on the pull-out, me on the bunk bed) since tomorrow would be an action packed island tour of St. Lucia.
December 24, 2009: - Saint Lucia (Castries)
This time we had to get up early because we booked a private tour of St. Lucia ($40/person). So instead of the restaurant, we ate at the buffet. After the quick meal we freshened up and exited the ship onto the tropical island of Saint Luicia (Population: 161,000). St. Lucia is a constitutional monarchy that identifies Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state.
When we got out of the port we quickly found our tour guide for the day André Joseph. We had our own private van that would be driven by André himself as he provided information on the island and its cultu
re in a clear and confident voice.
Our first stop was a lookout of the capital city of St. Lucia, Castries. It was quite scenic with many vendors; one even knew that Dad was Vietnamese. We continued to view other highlights of the island including the banana plantation,
cassava bread store, Marigot Bay, the Governor General’s mansion, the fishing village Anse La Raye, view of the Pitons and a botanical garden with the Diamond Falls. The tour was really informative with André continuously providing interesting facts of the is
land.
Dinner was exceptional once again. We browsed our photos and bought a couple and tried to waste time until the sh
ow. The show was a Me
xican juggler and an acappella comedian. The juggler was quite entertaining with funny commentary and skilful juggling (though I believe we’ve seen him before on another cruise). However, the comedian was mediocre and many of the jokes were based off songs that we did not know. After this underwhelming show, we were completely ready to go to sleep (Dad on the pull-out, me on the bunk bed) since tomorrow would be an action packed island tour of St. Lucia.December 24, 2009: - Saint Lucia (Castries)
This time we had to get up early because we booked a private tour of St. Lucia ($40/person). So instead of the restaurant, we ate at the buffet. After the quick meal we freshened up and exited the ship onto the tropical island of Saint Luicia (Population: 161,000). St. Lucia is a constitutional monarchy that identifies Queen Elizabeth II as the head of state.
When we got out of the port we quickly found our tour guide for the day André Joseph. We had our own private van that would be driven by André himself as he provided information on the island and its cultu
re in a clear and confident voice.Our first stop was a lookout of the capital city of St. Lucia, Castries. It was quite scenic with many vendors; one even knew that Dad was Vietnamese. We continued to view other highlights of the island including the banana plantation,
cassava bread store, Marigot Bay, the Governor General’s mansion, the fishing village Anse La Raye, view of the Pitons and a botanical garden with the Diamond Falls. The tour was really informative with André continuously providing interesting facts of the is
land.However, the drive was rather uncomfortable as the roads were built on mountains and the roads were curvy. As a special part of the tour, André sang for us three calypso songs, two by the famous singer, Harry Belafonte (Banana Boat Song and Jamaican Farewell) and a local St. Lucian artist (Helen of the West Indies).
The last part of our tour was to snorkel on Anse Chastanet, a black sand beach, renowned for its marine life. We had
burgers from the nearby rest
aurant and it was very delicious. The snorkelling was decent but could not compare to such places as the Red Sea or Hanauma Bay. On the beach Dad met a few fellow cruisers who played ball with him. After a couple hours of relaxing it was time to return to the ship. André drove us back to the ship where we paid him for the tour .
Since tonight was Christmas Eve, it was another elegant formal night. We soon got dressed up and headed down for a delicious Christmas dinner.
After we stuffed ourselves we stopped by the photo centre and then eventually took our seats in the theatre. Alex and I separated from the parents to listen to the Christmas carols and talked about ourselves until the show. The show was another musical production mixing many different music eras and genres.
The last part of our tour was to snorkel on Anse Chastanet, a black sand beach, renowned for its marine life. We had
burgers from the nearby rest
aurant and it was very delicious. The snorkelling was decent but could not compare to such places as the Red Sea or Hanauma Bay. On the beach Dad met a few fellow cruisers who played ball with him. After a couple hours of relaxing it was time to return to the ship. André drove us back to the ship where we paid him for the tour .Since tonight was Christmas Eve, it was another elegant formal night. We soon got dressed up and headed down for a delicious Christmas dinner.
After we stuffed ourselves we stopped by the photo centre and then eventually took our seats in the theatre. Alex and I separated from the parents to listen to the Christmas carols and talked about ourselves until the show. The show was another musical production mixing many different music eras and genres.
After that, Dad returned to the room when the show was over while Alex, Mom and I went to get me a Christmas gift, a Kenneth Cole watch. Thanks a million Mom for the great watch that goes nicely with my cruise clothes. I stayed with Alex for a bit while Mom also retired to the room.
As Alex and I listened to music a teenager approached us named Joseph. He was apparently on the beach in St. Lucia and saw us also in Dominica at Emerald Pool. After talking for about a half hour, Alex finally closed the conversation and we got to return to the room. We were exhausted and within an hour we were all sleeping soundly.
December 25, 2009: Saint Kitts (Basseterre)
It was Christmas morning so to celebrate we slept in. By the time we woke up, breakfast was almost finished and we were torn between staying on the ship or go to the beach since the weather was rather gl
oomy. Out of love for the beach, we quickly ate a Christmas breakfast and exited the ship to hopefully enjoy another great beach day.
Saint Kitts (Population: 35,000), like Canada is a constitutional monarchy to Britain. They have a Governor General, a Prime Minister and swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II.
Excited to go to the beach, we quickly found a taxi van which we had to share with other tourists in order to go to the Cockleshell Beach ($6 pp). By the time we got there it was cloudy and windy. We found a spot to place ourselves and I got ready to enter the water. Unfortunately, Alex refused to join me as she was afraid of getting sick. I sadly swam in the ocean which was rather disappointing after the great beaches in St. Thomas and Barbados. T
he sea floor was rocky, the water was murky and filled with slimy seaweed. After a while I returned to the shore and attempted to relax.
Soon, Mom and I became bored so we took a walk on the shore to explore the beach. We came across an attraction, a petting zoo with Billy the Goat, a monkey, a pig and Wilbur the Boar. Burning an hour or so there, we finally returned to fetch Alex. Alex got bored quickly and surprisingly we ran into Joseph again. He offered Alex a jet ski which she refused.
Finally it was time to take the van back and we happily returned to the ship. The only consolation of the island was the scenic drive, with towering mountains and deep blue oceans similar to Hawaii.
Tonight was a special Christmas menu so we excitingly went down for dinner. The meal was delicious in which I ate a Christmas turkey. Not surprisingly, we ran into Joseph again at the photo area. We talked for a bit while looking at pho
tos. Mom and Dad did not want to see the show so they w
ent to bed.
We played chess on an oversized board. It was intense with each person closely observing every move and soon crowds of people were watching. Unfortunately for me, the game ended with my spirited defeat. It was time for the show where we met up with Joseph once again to watch a magician. The act was quite impressive and the illusions noteworthy. By the end of it we were exhausted and we all split up to sleep.
December 26, 2009 : Antigua (Saint John)
Today our port was the island of Antigua (Population: 69,000). Like usual, we grabbed our breakfast from the main dining room and in an hour we were off on the island. Antigua was once a British colony but, it has gained independence since 1981.
The soothing tropical breeze and the rich turquoise ocean surrounded us as we left the ship. Immediately, we got hounded for a taxi and we hired a driver named Spencer who charged $6.00 per person to go t
o Jolly Beach. When we got there, we were met with a welcoming beach service. We got two beach chairs and an umbrella and prepared to sp
end a good deal of time doing nothing. The beach was absolutely gorgeous like the kind you see in beer commercials, with turquoise clear water and soft white sand. Alex and I anxiously entered the water and were cooled off from the blazing sun.
As Alex and I listened to music a teenager approached us named Joseph. He was apparently on the beach in St. Lucia and saw us also in Dominica at Emerald Pool. After talking for about a half hour, Alex finally closed the conversation and we got to return to the room. We were exhausted and within an hour we were all sleeping soundly.
December 25, 2009: Saint Kitts (Basseterre)
It was Christmas morning so to celebrate we slept in. By the time we woke up, breakfast was almost finished and we were torn between staying on the ship or go to the beach since the weather was rather gl
oomy. Out of love for the beach, we quickly ate a Christmas breakfast and exited the ship to hopefully enjoy another great beach day.Saint Kitts (Population: 35,000), like Canada is a constitutional monarchy to Britain. They have a Governor General, a Prime Minister and swear allegiance to Queen Elizabeth II.
Excited to go to the beach, we quickly found a taxi van which we had to share with other tourists in order to go to the Cockleshell Beach ($6 pp). By the time we got there it was cloudy and windy. We found a spot to place ourselves and I got ready to enter the water. Unfortunately, Alex refused to join me as she was afraid of getting sick. I sadly swam in the ocean which was rather disappointing after the great beaches in St. Thomas and Barbados. T
he sea floor was rocky, the water was murky and filled with slimy seaweed. After a while I returned to the shore and attempted to relax.Soon, Mom and I became bored so we took a walk on the shore to explore the beach. We came across an attraction, a petting zoo with Billy the Goat, a monkey, a pig and Wilbur the Boar. Burning an hour or so there, we finally returned to fetch Alex. Alex got bored quickly and surprisingly we ran into Joseph again. He offered Alex a jet ski which she refused.
Finally it was time to take the van back and we happily returned to the ship. The only consolation of the island was the scenic drive, with towering mountains and deep blue oceans similar to Hawaii.
Tonight was a special Christmas menu so we excitingly went down for dinner. The meal was delicious in which I ate a Christmas turkey. Not surprisingly, we ran into Joseph again at the photo area. We talked for a bit while looking at pho
tos. Mom and Dad did not want to see the show so they w
ent to bed.We played chess on an oversized board. It was intense with each person closely observing every move and soon crowds of people were watching. Unfortunately for me, the game ended with my spirited defeat. It was time for the show where we met up with Joseph once again to watch a magician. The act was quite impressive and the illusions noteworthy. By the end of it we were exhausted and we all split up to sleep.
December 26, 2009 : Antigua (Saint John)
Today our port was the island of Antigua (Population: 69,000). Like usual, we grabbed our breakfast from the main dining room and in an hour we were off on the island. Antigua was once a British colony but, it has gained independence since 1981.
The soothing tropical breeze and the rich turquoise ocean surrounded us as we left the ship. Immediately, we got hounded for a taxi and we hired a driver named Spencer who charged $6.00 per person to go t
o Jolly Beach. When we got there, we were met with a welcoming beach service. We got two beach chairs and an umbrella and prepared to sp
end a good deal of time doing nothing. The beach was absolutely gorgeous like the kind you see in beer commercials, with turquoise clear water and soft white sand. Alex and I anxiously entered the water and were cooled off from the blazing sun.After hours of relaxing and swimming, we went on a jet-ski ride. Alex and I took turn speeding on the jet-ski across the vast shore and thoroughly enjoyed the thrill, the excitement and the sce
nery. It was soon time to go and Spencer delivered right back to the ship.
Since it was the last day of the cruise, we had to fill in comment cards, give tips and pack our luggage. We rushed to make it to dinner and said our goodbyes to Delvin and Bali man. I ate my warm chocolate melting cake with milk for the last time. Sad about the end of the cruise, we slowly drifted to sleep.
December 27, 2009 : Puerto Rico, Old San Juan
Sadly, this was the day we would leave the cruise. We grabbed our last breakfast from the dining room and realized that there wasn’t going to be anymore food served to us after this meal. Our luggage was already picked up since last night so all we had to do was to disembark from the boat.
When we got outside we were met once again by the territory of Puerto Rico
. Puerto Rico is home to approximately 4 million people wh
ose first language is Spanish. Currently, Puerto Rico is a territory of the US after previously being a colony of Spain.
We took a taxi to the Avis rental office in order to get a rental car. However, there were no cars available as they could not “hold” the reservation. Luckily after a half hour we managed to get a small Yaris Toyota which someone returned. We drove all the way to our hotel, Four Points by Sheraton in Cagu
as. The highway was scenic with rolling mountains surrounding us. We checked into the nice hotel / casino and were happily greeted with a spacious room in contrast to the broom closet we called home on the cruise.
Anxious not to waste time, Mom forced us to get back in the car quickly and soon we were driving to Guavate for a roast pork lunch, a specialty of Puerto Rico. These restaurants are open only on the weekends and the locals love to go there for the roast pork and the live m
usic. Up the winding roads, also called "La ruta del Lechon" (Pork's route) , traffic was backing up as we found a nice lively restaurant called Le Nuevo Rancho. The food was excellent with the best juicy roast pork we ever tasted and delicious fried plantain.
nery. It was soon time to go and Spencer delivered right back to the ship.Since it was the last day of the cruise, we had to fill in comment cards, give tips and pack our luggage. We rushed to make it to dinner and said our goodbyes to Delvin and Bali man. I ate my warm chocolate melting cake with milk for the last time. Sad about the end of the cruise, we slowly drifted to sleep.
December 27, 2009 : Puerto Rico, Old San Juan
Sadly, this was the day we would leave the cruise. We grabbed our last breakfast from the dining room and realized that there wasn’t going to be anymore food served to us after this meal. Our luggage was already picked up since last night so all we had to do was to disembark from the boat.
When we got outside we were met once again by the territory of Puerto Rico
. Puerto Rico is home to approximately 4 million people wh
ose first language is Spanish. Currently, Puerto Rico is a territory of the US after previously being a colony of Spain.We took a taxi to the Avis rental office in order to get a rental car. However, there were no cars available as they could not “hold” the reservation. Luckily after a half hour we managed to get a small Yaris Toyota which someone returned. We drove all the way to our hotel, Four Points by Sheraton in Cagu
as. The highway was scenic with rolling mountains surrounding us. We checked into the nice hotel / casino and were happily greeted with a spacious room in contrast to the broom closet we called home on the cruise.Anxious not to waste time, Mom forced us to get back in the car quickly and soon we were driving to Guavate for a roast pork lunch, a specialty of Puerto Rico. These restaurants are open only on the weekends and the locals love to go there for the roast pork and the live m
usic. Up the winding roads, also called "La ruta del Lechon" (Pork's route) , traffic was backing up as we found a nice lively restaurant called Le Nuevo Rancho. The food was excellent with the best juicy roast pork we ever tasted and delicious fried plantain.When we were leaving, we passed by at least a kilometre of cars stuck in traffic waiting to get their fill of roast pork. It was a great experience to try out a traditional Puerto Rican food and and have a chance to observe the culture. The local people at the restaurant looked very happy and danced spontaneously to the music.
Next on our itinerary was Old San Juan, a district notable for being a historic reli
c of Spanish colonization. We stoppe
d and went to Fort San Cristóbal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was historic and provided a very scenic view point. We explored the fort thoroughly even checked out the view of the pier with the Carnival Victory - our home for the past week .
After we finished our tour, we decided to walk along the old city walls overlooking the pounding blue Atlantic Ocean to Fort San Feli
pe Del Morro. This fort is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
There was a free trolley but it was stuck in traffic and we could walk faster than being in the trolley and being subject to the car fumes. By then we were exhausted and could not muster the energy to thoroughly explore. So in no time, we were out of fort Morro.
To continue, we walked deeper into Old San Juan to see the historic atmosphere
su
ch as the Spanish architecture and cobblestone streets. The traffic was horrendous and moved incredibly slow because of the Christmas holiday. The streets were very lively with tourists and festive looking with beautiful Christmas lights and decoration.
Next on our itinerary was Old San Juan, a district notable for being a historic reli
c of Spanish colonization. We stoppe
d and went to Fort San Cristóbal, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The fort was historic and provided a very scenic view point. We explored the fort thoroughly even checked out the view of the pier with the Carnival Victory - our home for the past week .After we finished our tour, we decided to walk along the old city walls overlooking the pounding blue Atlantic Ocean to Fort San Feli
pe Del Morro. This fort is also a UNESCO World Heritage Site. 
There was a free trolley but it was stuck in traffic and we could walk faster than being in the trolley and being subject to the car fumes. By then we were exhausted and could not muster the energy to thoroughly explore. So in no time, we were out of fort Morro.To continue, we walked deeper into Old San Juan to see the historic atmosphere
su
ch as the Spanish architecture and cobblestone streets. The traffic was horrendous and moved incredibly slow because of the Christmas holiday. The streets were very lively with tourists and festive looking with beautiful Christmas lights and decoration.We stopped for dinner at this si
dewalk restaurant. The food took long to arrive, but it was delicious in the end with fresh caught fish.
dewalk restaurant. The food took long to arrive, but it was delicious in the end with fresh caught fish.It was late when we were done dinner, so we returned to our car and struggled to get out of the very slow moving traffic in Old San Juan for the 30 minute drive back to Caguas where our heavenly beds were waiting.
December 28, 2009 : El Yunque.
Our main destination for the day was the famous El Yunque National Forest, a tropical rainforest, the only in the United States. The drive to the forest was an hour and a half and was very scenic with mountain views.
Before entering the pa
rk, we stopped by Luquillo Beach kiosks to sample the local Puerto Rican food. The most promi
nently displayed food in the rows of restaurants was an assortment of deep fried goods. Unfortunately, the counter staff spoke little English, however we were lucky enough to meet a local who help translate our requests. We ordered a variety of deep fried meats and seafood and the food was quite tasty and cheap. We checked out the beach behind the kiosks and the beach was not very appealing .
After refuelling, we drov
e
into the National Forest. The forest had winding roads with t
owering trees surrounding us. We stopped to walk a trail called the Big Trees Trail to La Minna falls. The trail was long (about 45 minutes each way) but satisfying, however, there were too many tourists around making it uncomfortable. When we reached the falls, Alex and I swam in the refreshingly cold water. We returned to the car hungry for a snack. We dropped by a grill restaurant in the forest, however, we ended up not eating there because of the crowd.
Our next stop was Seven Seas beach in Fajardo. Unimpressed by the lifeless beach, we drove off again to look for dinner. We found an Ocean View Restaurant and ordered food. The food took too long because of the crowd of tourists waiting for the kayaking tour. It wa
s getting late so we decided to cancel our order to drive home.
December 28, 2009 : El Yunque.
Our main destination for the day was the famous El Yunque National Forest, a tropical rainforest, the only in the United States. The drive to the forest was an hour and a half and was very scenic with mountain views.
Before entering the pa
rk, we stopped by Luquillo Beach kiosks to sample the local Puerto Rican food. The most promi
nently displayed food in the rows of restaurants was an assortment of deep fried goods. Unfortunately, the counter staff spoke little English, however we were lucky enough to meet a local who help translate our requests. We ordered a variety of deep fried meats and seafood and the food was quite tasty and cheap. We checked out the beach behind the kiosks and the beach was not very appealing .After refuelling, we drov
e
into the National Forest. The forest had winding roads with t
owering trees surrounding us. We stopped to walk a trail called the Big Trees Trail to La Minna falls. The trail was long (about 45 minutes each way) but satisfying, however, there were too many tourists around making it uncomfortable. When we reached the falls, Alex and I swam in the refreshingly cold water. We returned to the car hungry for a snack. We dropped by a grill restaurant in the forest, however, we ended up not eating there because of the crowd.
Our next stop was Seven Seas beach in Fajardo. Unimpressed by the lifeless beach, we drove off again to look for dinner. We found an Ocean View Restaurant and ordered food. The food took too long because of the crowd of tourists waiting for the kayaking tour. It wa
s getting late so we decided to cancel our order to drive home.It was another long drive and on
the way we remembered a restaurant we saw earlier near the hotel called China Sun. Unusual of Mom, she agreed and we stopped by. Dad did not want to eat Chinese food so he went to buy a subway from Subway next door. The Chinese food was surprisingly good or may be because we were deprived of rice for over a week. Dad didn’t like his subway and in no time he was eating our food. Satisfied with our meal, we returned to the hotel ready for a good night sleep.
December 28, 2009 : Ponce
Today was our official last night on vacation. Instead of enjoying a top ten beach around the world on Culebra island, we chose to go to Ponce. We skipped breakfast and drove for 45 minutes until we reached the city. Starving for breakfast, we stopped at a Kentucky Fried Chicken for breakfast. While not typical of Mom to approve, the food was typical fast food and sat
isfied our hunger.
In Ponce, our first sto
p was the Plaza Las Delicias. The plaza contained many attractions such as the Ponce Cathedral and the Parque de Bombas, a 
his toric fire station. Having seen everything of interest within a half hour, we stopped at an ice cream shop across from the square for delicious scoops
of ice cream. We roamed around looking for a good place for souvenirs where we eventually found one and spent a good hour buying all the souvenirs we will ever need at great prices. Once we were finished, we drove to the shore to take in the scenery.
However, we got
bored quickly and soon drove back to the ho
tel to get directions to a famous local restaurant serving Puerto Rican cuisine. We drove to the restaurant which was called Raices. The food was different, but ultimately not to our l
iking. Nevertheless, lines of the locals poured into the restaurant looking for a good old favourite. Sad at our final meal, Dad decided to pick up a box of China Sun before going home.
Since it was our last night on vacation, Mom let us watch a movie in the hotel. We chose the comedy, The Hangover, which while Mom thought the movie was atrocious; Alex and I thought it was very entertaining. Eventually we were ready for bed, and ready to head home the next day.
December 30, 2009 Toronto
Finally, it was the end of our vacation. My 15th birthday marked the end of our fabulous trip around the Caribbean. We slept in as we had a late flight at 3 pm and soon we were ready and packed. Before going to the airport we stopped yet again at China Sun for another lunch. It was the best meal in Puerto Rico and soon we were at the airport. We returned our car at Avis and in no time we were checked in and entering the plane. Our only stop was in Philadelphia and we enjoyed a nice pizza for dinner. In a couple hours we were finally home in Toronto. We took a nice limousine and excitingly we finally reached the best destination of all, HOME.
Conclusion
Thus marks another glorious trip by the Nguyen family. It wasn’t like the last few trips where they waded through snow, sand and spit. The trip was instead a relaxing family time. The Nguyen family spent a good deal of time doing nothing adventurous, just lying on the beach enjoying their vacation. This was a nice change of pace and good break from the usual adventure in exotic locales. The sun soaked islands provided us with a glimpse at a new world that can easily be the destination of any upcoming trip.
the way we remembered a restaurant we saw earlier near the hotel called China Sun. Unusual of Mom, she agreed and we stopped by. Dad did not want to eat Chinese food so he went to buy a subway from Subway next door. The Chinese food was surprisingly good or may be because we were deprived of rice for over a week. Dad didn’t like his subway and in no time he was eating our food. Satisfied with our meal, we returned to the hotel ready for a good night sleep.December 28, 2009 : Ponce
Today was our official last night on vacation. Instead of enjoying a top ten beach around the world on Culebra island, we chose to go to Ponce. We skipped breakfast and drove for 45 minutes until we reached the city. Starving for breakfast, we stopped at a Kentucky Fried Chicken for breakfast. While not typical of Mom to approve, the food was typical fast food and sat
isfied our hunger.In Ponce, our first sto
p was the Plaza Las Delicias. The plaza contained many attractions such as the Ponce Cathedral and the Parque de Bombas, a 
his toric fire station. Having seen everything of interest within a half hour, we stopped at an ice cream shop across from the square for delicious scoops
of ice cream. We roamed around looking for a good place for souvenirs where we eventually found one and spent a good hour buying all the souvenirs we will ever need at great prices. Once we were finished, we drove to the shore to take in the scenery.However, we got
bored quickly and soon drove back to the ho
tel to get directions to a famous local restaurant serving Puerto Rican cuisine. We drove to the restaurant which was called Raices. The food was different, but ultimately not to our l
iking. Nevertheless, lines of the locals poured into the restaurant looking for a good old favourite. Sad at our final meal, Dad decided to pick up a box of China Sun before going home.Since it was our last night on vacation, Mom let us watch a movie in the hotel. We chose the comedy, The Hangover, which while Mom thought the movie was atrocious; Alex and I thought it was very entertaining. Eventually we were ready for bed, and ready to head home the next day.
December 30, 2009 Toronto
Finally, it was the end of our vacation. My 15th birthday marked the end of our fabulous trip around the Caribbean. We slept in as we had a late flight at 3 pm and soon we were ready and packed. Before going to the airport we stopped yet again at China Sun for another lunch. It was the best meal in Puerto Rico and soon we were at the airport. We returned our car at Avis and in no time we were checked in and entering the plane. Our only stop was in Philadelphia and we enjoyed a nice pizza for dinner. In a couple hours we were finally home in Toronto. We took a nice limousine and excitingly we finally reached the best destination of all, HOME.
Conclusion
Thus marks another glorious trip by the Nguyen family. It wasn’t like the last few trips where they waded through snow, sand and spit. The trip was instead a relaxing family time. The Nguyen family spent a good deal of time doing nothing adventurous, just lying on the beach enjoying their vacation. This was a nice change of pace and good break from the usual adventure in exotic locales. The sun soaked islands provided us with a glimpse at a new world that can easily be the destination of any upcoming trip.
