Day 3 of this 21-day cruise on Holland America's Rotterdam and we're sailing the first of two back-t0-back sea days as we make our way to Aruba, our second port-of-call and always a fun stop in the Caribbean.  So far the weather has been cooperating, the sea has been flat…

One day into this 21-day Holland America Line cruise to the Panama Canal and the Southern Caribbean we're at our first port-of-call, Half Moon Cay.  East of Miami in the turquoise waters of the Bahamas, Half Moon Cay (also known as Little San Salvador Island) is a 2,400-acre private island,…

It's been a while since I've been on a Holland America ship and there's no better way to get reacquainted with the line than with a 21-day cruise on the newest ship in the fleet and the line's flagship, Rotterdam!  Actually, this cruise was sold two different ways - as…

The final day onboard the Carnival Horizon was a day spent at sea as we made our way back to PortMiami.  In terms of weather, there was a lot of talk onboard about Hurricane Lee and whether or not it would impact cruises leaving after us, but the weather for…

Day 7 onboard the Carnival Horizon and one day closer to the end of this 8-Day Southern Caribbean cruise where today we are spending a second day in the Dominican Republic, this time at the Carnival-owned and created destination - Amber Cove.  Near the resort city of Puerto Plata on…

Our next port of call for this 8-day Southern Caribbean cruise on the Carnival Horizon is La Romana in the Dominican Republic.  The Sugar Breeze Cruise Terminal gets its name from the history of the city which was once known for its sugar manufacturing industry.  A quick Google search will…

As the sun began to rise on the 5th day of this 8-day Southern Caribbean cruise, the Carnival Horizon sailed into the beautiful harbor of Curacao, docking around at 7:00 am. A picturesque Dutch Caribbean island, Curaçao is famed for its pastel-colored colonial architecture, coral reefs, and vibrant art scenes. …

The first port stop of this 8-day Southern Caribbean Cruise has us docked in "One Happy Island" - Aruba where the trade winds are blowing and the sun is hot, hot, hot!  The Carnival Horizon arrived in the port city of Oranjestad, which is also the island's capital, around 9:00…

Another packed (ship) day on Carnival Horizon as we spend our third day at sea as we continue on to our first port of call, Aruba.  Like yesterday, many were up at the crack of dawn to make sure they secured their deck chair for the day since most would…

Day two on the Carnival Horizon and it's the first of two back-to-back sea days as we head to our first port of call, Aruba.  I look at sea days as a stress test for the ship and the passengers.  With everyone "stuck" with nowhere to go, lines get long…