Seven Days in the Eastern Caribbean
Related: Meet Cruise Director Gage Griffin
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By GERRY BARKER
North Palm Beach Life February 14, 2023 As our Uber arrived at Port Everglades’ Terminal 26, Pam and I felt an air of both excitement and anticipation — that feeling you get when you experience a new cruise line for the first time. In front of us was Holland America’s Nieuw Statendam, the second of their Pinnacle-class ships launched in December 2018, with Oprah Winfrey named as the ship’s godmother. We learned it’s actually the sixth iteration of that name, which isn’t that unusual when you consider Holland America is celebrating their 150th anniversary this year. There was already a long line of guests waiting to check-in, no doubt because we learned later this cruise was totally sold out (capacity is almost 2,700). Over the next seven days, we are scheduled to visit Grand Turk, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and Holland’s private island, Half Moon Cay. With the weather turning cold and windy in Florida, we were happy to be heading to warmer climes. READ MORE AT ALL THINHS CRUISE |
Photos/Video by Gerry Barker
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Take a Tour of Nieuw Statendam
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Port of Call: Grand Turk Island
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Port of Call: Puerto Rico -- the El Yunque Rainforest
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Port of Call: St. Thomas in the U.S.V.I.
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Port Of Call: Half Moon Cay
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This is Holland America’s private island in the Bahamas, also known as Little San Salvador Island, and it’s gorgeous. After a 10-minute ride on a tender, you are free to explore on your own or take one of their shore excursions, which included horseback riding in the surf. We headed for the crescent-shaped beach that is its namesake, found a chair in a thatched-roof bar and had as drink while admiring the pure white sandy beach and striking blue waters. There were plenty of loungers on the beach, but no umbrellas (there are cabanas that go quickly), so the bar is an ideal place to chill. Later, the ship hosted an Island BBQ with all the fixings. Have your camera at the ready for those selfies — your friends back home will be drooling.
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