Our Kind of Cruise

My husband and I took our third cruise with Norwegian Cruise Lines (NCL) in December 2014, and in many ways, it was my favorite cruise. 

We had learned how to sort through the many choices of land excursions and pick those that would be most satisfying to us (including the option of not taking an excursion, but exploring the area by ourselves).

This cart is waiting to give someone a ride through 
the streets of Cabo San Lucas. Photo by Amy Gaiennie.

One land excursion included snorkeling off a beach 
along the coast near Puerto Villarta. Photo by Ken Kingsley.

We understood the limitations of a cruise (you only stay one day in a port, so your view of the place will necessarily be superficial).

We also better understood and thoroughly enjoyed what makes a cruise so satisfying: having three full days at sea on a 7-day cruise.

The ocean and the clouds are constantly changing during
full days at sea. Photo by Amy Gaiennie.

We walked the promenade for exercise. We settled back in lounge chairs and read good books. Or, most delightfully, we listened to the sound of the waves against the ship and watched the shifting seas and sky.

The sound  of the waves is similar to the sound of the surf on a beach.  Soothing. Relaxing. Restful. But you can also party until late at night.

Free Style Cruising

Norwegian Cruise Lines has a style called “Free Style” cruising which we find very satisfying. That means, there’s no schedule you have to adhere to. You can wake up, go to sleep, and eat meals on your own schedule. You don’t have to dress up unless you want to.

Activities of all kinds are provided day and night, including terrific shows in the ship’s theater. You can choose to be as active or as inactive as you like, to be sociable or unsociable.

My husband went to all the shows. On a couple of nights, I chose to do other things, such as listening to live music in the Atrium and watching elegantly dressed couples who clearly loved to dance with each other.

Even the ship’s décor is part of the pleasure. If you’re looking for elegance, observe the Atrium with its sweeping staircases, grand piano, and glass elevators whisking passengers from floor to floor.

A view of the Atrium decorated for the holidays.
Photo by Amy Gaiennie.

If you’re looking for cheerful and upbeat, observe the painted decks. When we compared the sedate exteriors of other cruise lines with NCL's, Norwegian Cruise Line clearly rang our bells.

Colorful paintings on deck lends a festive atmosphere to a cruise.
Photo by Amy Gaiennie.

Crew members do a touch-up during a cruise. Photo by Amy Gaiennie.

And so did the sunsets!

Photo by Amy Gaiennie.