Another day, another Caribbean island checked off the list. One of the things we enjoy most about cruising is getting to visit so many different islands and explore their unique cultures and beautiful landscapes. Today brought us, for the first time, to Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic, as we pulled into port next to the Norwegian Aqua.
When researching points of interest for this stop, there were plenty to choose from. The Taino Bay port area itself features a variety of restaurants, bars, shops, and even a complimentary pool and lazy river. Since we had an excursion booked, we didn’t spend much time there—just a quick walk-through on the way out—but luckily, I know a guy who did a thorough tour of this impressive port complex.
Taino Bay Cruise Port, Puerto Plata
But First We Eat! Breakfast in the Yacht Club Restaurant
We chose to have a quick breakfast in the Yacht Club dining room before heading out for the day. We had a nice meal there yesterday morning, and it definitely beats the chaos of the buffet.
This is worth noting for one reason…
Angie, my wife, ordered waffles to go along with her scrambled eggs. All good—until they arrived.
I have to say, I was shocked when she was presented with… EGGO WAFFLES.
Yacht. Club. Dining. Room.
Now, I wasn’t exactly expecting Mickey waffles, but frozen waffles thrown through a toaster? On a luxury-level ship, in the exclusive Yacht Club dining room?
If this were a Captcha, it would be under the heading: “Which two things don’t belong together.”
Major MSC fail.
Tour of Puerto Plata, Dominican Republic
We were escorted from the Yacht Club’s Top Sail Lounge by our butler down to priority debarkation, then loaded into a rickshaw (or “tuk tuk”), saving us the long walk down the pier to where we met our tour guide.
The excursion we chose took us through the countryside up to Mount Isabel de Torres, home of the Christ the Redeemer statue.
We enjoyed a quiet ride in our open-air vehicle as we traversed lush, green landscapes, climbing nearly 2,500 feet in elevation. Fruit trees dotted the scenery everywhere you looked—banana, papaya, breadfruit, avocado, and mango were all easily spotted.
Once we reached the summit, we arrived at a parking and observation area just below the statue. Built atop a retired Air Force lookout station, this half-sized replica of the famous monument in Rio de Janeiro keeps watch over the island below.
From here, we had breathtaking bird’s-eye views of the port and city, followed by a walking tour through the botanical gardens located at the base of the statue.
After completing our time there, it was back into Puerto Plata’s downtown area for shopping and a chocolate making demonstration. Along the way we stopped at Umbrella Street boasting colorful umbrellas forming a canopy over the alleyway with some shops and restaurants lining each side.
A few souvenirs were secured including some chocolate tea that I’m highly anticipating once we return home.
Once the tour concluded it was time for lunch so it was decided just to head back onboard.
We thought we’d mingle with gen pop and try out the buffet selections. It was decidedly meh.
While there was plenty to choose from, the food quality was what you’d expect at Golden Corral, at best. Easily the top shelf was the pizza, which can be found at a number of locations around the ship. We can safely say we tried it, but with all the other options on aboard I think we’ll leave that as a one and done.
Yacht Club Sun Deck and Thermal Spa
With a few hours before dinner, we wanted some leisure time. We started out on the sun deck for a short while until we remembered that we get complimentary use of the thermal spa each day. What better time than the present to give it a shot?
An attendant gave us a tour of the spa and explained the various offerings of a hot tub complete with rain shower and roller beds, heated stone beds, salt relaxation room, cold/hot treatment stepping pools, and saunas. By the way—I can see Scott getting squeamish even thinking about this area!
Starting out immersing in the hot tub, it was immediately a letdown. The use of the word “hot” was a misnomer. It was lukewarm at best. We sat under the rain curtain for a minute, allowing the water to cascade on the back of our necks and shoulders. While it did give a slight massaging effect, I felt like Forrest Gump with “the rain came straight up” as it splashed back into your face. Generally, hot tubs include air jets to lay against. This one, while having seating for at least two dozen people, offered four seats that had jets. Needless to say, there were a few guests waiting their turn to enjoy those. I gave up on that quickly, but Angie had a chance to get one. She didn’t last long either, as there was zero pressure to the jets, and she equated it more to bubbles. I found an open stone bed in the salt room and gave that a try next. In theory, these are nice, as the heated bed relaxes you within the quiet zen with a humidity stone expelling sea salt vapors. The lady across from me was definitely feeling the relaxation, as she was snoring very loudly.
Within around a half hour, the spa experience lost its luster, and we headed out. The area was great in theory—just not our thing. Another one we’ll check off the list.
Hola! Mi Amigos!
One of the specialty dining options we’ve been looking forward to is Hola! Offering both à la carte or an all-you-can-eat option for $25, there was a solid menu. We decided on à la carte, as neither of the girls were very hungry, and to be honest, the prices were so reasonable I wasn’t opposed to just keep ordering more as needed.
I went with a selection of tacos that were served just the way I like them—overflowing the shell! Carne asada, ground beef, and ancho tinga were full of flavor. And yes, I ordered a second round. The guacamole was a letdown, as it clearly wasn’t made fresh and didn’t have much flavor. Still, it was well worth the price, as it cost less à la carte than if we had gone to any of the hundred Mexican restaurants around home.
Evening Entertainment: Odyssey
Odyssey has been one of the shows we’ve heard is a can’t-miss. I’m a fan of musical theater, and this is billed as a Cirque du Soleil-style operetta.
I almost didn’t make it through the opening number. The audio system was so overbearing, I think even if I had noise-canceling headphones on, it would’ve still been loud. It got a little better with the next song, so I stuck it out.
The storyline essentially rotated between the male, Odysseus, and female, Penelope, vocalists narrating his journey following the Trojan War.
The portrayal of Odysseus was less than stellar—the actor seemed more interested in strutting around the stage and flexing than focusing on his vocals. His delivery was stiff, more of a talk-singer than a vocalist. There was absolutely no fluidity to his performance.
Penelope, on the other hand, is what kept me in my seat. She had a charismatic and graceful stage presence paired with stunning range and incredible crescendo control. Truly a siren of the sea. The energy she conveyed—through both voice and body language—showed how much she loves what she’s doing.
To be completely honest, he didn’t belong on the same stage with her.
The choreography was high school level, but there were a few decent acrobatics and rope dancers.
If you don’t want the Disney Cruise Line comparison, you can stop reading now (but don’t forget to check back for tomorrow’s update!).
Okay. This is borderline unfair—to try to compare this to Disney entertainment. It’s simply what they do. Whether it’s animation, stage, or theatrical productions, Disney has the market cornered.
I didn’t see anything in this production that would even be on par with the acrobatics in Festival of the Lion King at Animal Kingdom Park—let alone Disney Cruise Line productions. Don’t even get me started on the choreography.
If it weren’t for Penelope, this show would have been a complete bust.
I’m holding out hope for a few of the other shows later this week, but so far… I’m underwhelmed.
We’re sailing from one Puerto to another, as tomorrow we visit San Juan, Puerto Rico. This will mark our second visit, following our sailing over New Year’s. It quickly became one of our favorite ports of call, and we’ve been highly anticipating our return. Last time, we simply strolled around Old San Juan and visited the Castillos; however, with a long day docked, we booked a trip to the rainforest this time.
Thanks for checking in. Check back tomorrow to see if we made it out of the jungle!
Daily Planner for Day 3
