Unless you are one of the lucky few that live on the coast where the sun shines at a balmy 72 degrees on the coldest of winter days, you're probably thinking, "HAS TL GONE MAD?!" Yes, I live for the beach and warm days where it doesn't get dark until 8 o'clock. This January madness has me on edge. I am okay with this week though, it's unseasonably warm with highs near 70! But January isn't always this great. I remember several years back, on a whim, my husband and I booked a cruise in January. It was spitting snow as we packed our bags and headed to the New Orleans port to set sail for the western Caribbean. Going on a cruise in January was one of the best decisions I've ever made. I packed a swimsuit for each day and the rest is history. Historically, I've been on several cruises. I have compiled a list of my favorite stops and beaches that spoke to my mermaid soul:
5) Grand Turk
This has to be one of the most leisurely and relaxing stops. The ships pulled into port and you could immediately get off and dip your toes in the sand and splash in the crystal clear turquoise waters. I thought to bring my snorkel gear, and like the mermaid that I am, I swam, explored, and added some beautiful seashells to my growing collection. The beach itself was GORGEOUS. The views were spectacular and a tropical girly drink was only a few steps away.
4) Roatan Bay
When we arrived at Roatan Bay, Honduras, we decided to go on an adventure. We booked an excursion to go snuba-diving. Snuba is a combination of snorkeling and scuba diving, except you don't go as deep and you don't need a certification to participate. The beaches were golden and glittery and draped with lush greenery, almost jungle-like.
3) Grand Cayman
The name pretty much speaks for itself. We snuba dived and saw a beautiful untouched sunken ship. I thought to myself, "I could do this ALL day!" The waters were warm, the skies blue, and there was even a vendor selling fresh coconuts! He simply hacked open the fruit and stuck a straw in it. It wasn't cold, but I didn't care. The sand had bits of sea glass that tickled me pink. It was a for real, TREASURE.
2) St Thomas
The Eastern Caribbean has this little jewel that they get to keep all to themselves. It's made up of three islands and BOY, is it spectacular. Celebrity homes dotted the coastline leading up to our destination. The views were nearly perfect. If I could, I wouldn't mind moving there one day.
1) Haiti
There are several reasons, maybe biased, as to why Haiti ended up being my favorite cruise stop so far. For one thing, it was on my honeymoon. Secondly, maybe it was because it was my very first stop on a cruise. Whatever it may be, I have to say it was breath-taking and beautiful. It was basically untouched by man, and had the brightest, prettiest waters surrounding it. Plus they had super cheap alcohol for sale on our tiny excursion boat accompanied by floats with cup holders for said alcohol. No complaints and essentially the "best Tuesday EVER."
