11 That's All for Now, Folks!

So ends our Easter cruise adventure for another year. I keep pinching myself to see if it really is just a dream. The annual getaways with NCL have become so much a part of our lives for such a long time that I can hardly express in words what they mean to me. The chance to be a minister in such exotic settings has been an unbelievable personal blessing to me and a wonderful and relaxing getaway for us both. We can only hope the tradition continues for a long time to come. Stay tuned, as we look forward to inviting you back once again to share our next adventure. Till then, to each of you, we wish "fair winds and following seas." Currently, we are planning to visit Israel and Egypt in the Fall. The Norwegian Jade wil move back to the Port of Rome in October, and offer itineraries that include two new Mediterranean ports (Alanya, Turkey, and the island of Cyprus) in addition to two days in Israel, followed by two days in Egypt. This trip will fulfill my lifelong desire to visit the Bible lands of the Sea of Galilee, the Jordan River and the Old City of Jerusalem. Come follow along with us on yet another travel adventure.

10 NCL Private Island

In the 1970s, NCL was the first of the cruise lines to purchase an island in the Bahamian island chain to use for a "beach day" for passengers of its cruise ships. Since then, several other cruise lines have followed suit and now offer a similar experience on many of their itineraries. The day includes a full meal service, with bars and a food pavilion, restrooms, beach games, snorkeling to the offshore reef with brightly colored tropical fish, water sports such as jet skiis, parasailing, etc. In short, it is an entirely different experience to accent the shipbboard time on the cruise. Our beach day began with a downpour of rain that kept many passengers on the ship all day. Since the ship was anchored just off the island, with transport boats called "tenders" running back and forth all day, and since the rain stopped by mid-day, Cynthia and I went over to the island and enjoyed our lunch of hamburgers, hot dogs, ribs, and pizza under the picnic shelter. Then we spent some time with our snorkel gear swimming out to the reef to view the colorful fish that gather around the offshore reef. Because of the cloudy skies, the colors of the fish were not as bright as they would be on a bright and sunny day, but the experience was delightful nonetheless. We finished the day with a nap for me, and reading for Cynthia, on the beach loungers before heading back to the ship for our last night of the cruise.

9 Sea Day

While visiting the various ports of call is one type of highlight that makes cruising so enjoyable, the "Sea Days" have become a welcome part of any cruise itinerary. The relaxed schedule, with no concern about going ashore, or making it back onboard before the gangway is lifted, makes for one of the best parts of an ocean cruise. The daily newspaper, known on NCL ships as the "Freestyle Daily," gives an hour-by-hour breakdown of all the various activities that are available. And there are many: bingo, craft demonstrations, art auctions, lectures on a variety of topics, spa features and treatments, aerobics, fitness center, classes on napkin folding (there really is an art to it!), current-run movies, etc. These are all in addition to the always available swimming, hot tubs, walking, jogging, shopping, lounging or reading by the pool, and the list goes on. While NCL's invitation is to "do it all or nothing at all," it really is impossible to do it all! So you decide, and you enjoy! We enjoyed a dellightful Sea Day on Thursday on our way back toward the Bahamas and the beach day planned for Friday, the last day of the cruise on NCL's private island known as Great Stirrup Cay.

8 Sailing Away from San Juan

As we returned to the ship for our sailaway, we realized that the Holland America ship Westerdam had arrived after we had gone ashore. As we sailed away from the pier, we had a great view of their ship as well as the tall ship HMS Bounty. Our early departure allowed time for some relaxation by the pool as we also enjoyed the scenery of the Puerto Rico coastline as it faded away. Later that evening, after dinner, we enjoyed the NCL signature event, the "Chocoholic Extravaganza." More chocolate is displayed than any one person can sample, but the view of the buffet is worth the time just to look. And this year, we saw an area for the first time that was designated "No Sugar Added." They might have called the event "Chocolate Decadence." It was awesome, and it was also very good! The food and the service are some of the most memorable aspects of the cruise experience, and this year was no exception. Lobster tails on the first night at sea gave a hint that we were in for a wonderful week of dining. Several restaurants are available to select from throughout the ship, but we loved the panarama views of the ocean in the Seven Seas Dining room, located at the very back of the ship with windows on three sides. It seems we almost always had a "table with a view." It became our favorite, as we ate all of the evening meals in this grand dining room.

7 Return to San Juan

After an overnight sail, which we believe to be "just floating around," we were tied up at the San Juan pier when we awoke. Puerto Rico is only a few miles distant from St. Thomas, so there was not much distance to travel between the two islands. We awoke to a scorching sun, and temperatures in the 90s. So we know we have made it to the tropics! We walked ashore and made our way up into the Old City, which is surrounded by two different old forts, which guarded the peninsula city back in the days of the real "Pirates of the Caribbean". There was no hurry to go ashore, since we have been here several times over the years. So we enjoyed a leisurely breakfast on the ship before going ashore. It was interesting to see some of the same shops and shop-owners we remembered from past visits. The streets are narrow, and some of the buildings are several stories tall, so some of the Old Town area feels rather crowded, especially when there are 2 or 3 cruise ships docked just a few blocks away. The bright colors on the faces of some of the buildings gives the impression of a lively and festive business climate. An unexpected treat was finding a replica sailing ship tied up adjacent to the Norwegian Sun when we left our ship. It bore the name HMS Bounty, and appeared to be an exact replica of the famous sailing vessel of the past. We learned later that it was in fact the exact replica ship constructed for the 1962 Marlon Brando film, "Mutiny on the Bounty." It sails around the world as a tourist attraction participating in various events. It was also used in the recent Johnny Depp "Pirates of the Caribbean" movie. I would love to have been able to board the vessel, but no visitors were allowed at that time, and it was nearing our departure time as well. Maybe some time in the future! Our sailaway took us past the beautiful El Morro fortress that guards the harbor, and provides a beautiful backdrop for pictures as the ship sails away from San Juan.

6 Sailing on the Norwegian SUN

We're having a great time so far on the Norwegian SUN. We sailed Saturday evening from Port Canaveral, heading south to warm waters. By the next morning, we were tied up at the dock in Nassau, in the Bahamas. Since it was a port day, with people leaving the ship to go ashore at 8 am, I had wondered if anyone would be present for the Easter Service that was scheduled at 9 am.
But when the service began, upwards of 100 persons were in their seats in a bright, sunny lounge near the front of the ship on an upper deck. It was a great service, with persons from many different denominations present. There was even a family from England who were present also.
Later in the day, Cynthia and I went ashore in Nassau and walked around the city near the cruise ship pier area. Then Monday was a sea day as we made our way south to the US Virgin Islands. Today we are in St. Thomas, so we have been ashore to walk around the crowded streets and alley-ways that are a hallmark of this bustling tourist center. I have found an internet cafe at the Senior Frog's hangout near the ship. You can certainly tell it is Spring Break, since there seem to be 500 college age young people hanging out here next to the ship. It is almost sailing time, so I'll wrap up for this time. Tomorrow is San Juan, then another sea day as we sail back toward the Bahamas. Stay tuned!

5 On the go again! Charleston and Port Canaveral

We are looking forward to another Easter cruise week on NCL. This year, we will sail on the Norwegian Sun, the same ship we sailed around the southern coast of South America in 2009. On our way to Florida, we stopped by Charleston, SC for a visit with Ruth. She had arranged for me to get in to visit the First Baptist Church of Charleston, known as the oldest Baptist Church in the South. It was founded by William Screven in 1696, after he and a group of "Baptist dissenters" had been hounded out of the Puritan-dominated village of Kittery, Maine. His group traveled to Charleston, found a group of Baptists and formed the First Baptist Church of Charleston. Since I am currently teaching a Leland Seminary course on Baptist Belief and History, the visit has been most timely. I'll share pictures of the church with my class when we return to Virginia. It has a beautiful sanctuary, with a similar interior architecture to that used in the FBC of Providence, Rhode Island. The Providence church has the distinction of being the oldest Baptist church in America, founded by Roger Williams. After the Charleston visit, we drove south toward Florida, stopping for an overnight just outside Savannah, GA. The next day, we continued our drive to Orlando, where we stayed for a few days in the resort area around Disney. We enjoyed some time in the Disney Village, but stayed away from the amusement parks this time. What a nice recollection it was to remember last summer's visit with all the family to enjoy Walt Disney World and see the grandchildren beginning their Disney tradition. Following the Orlando stay, we drove over to the Cocoa Beach area for our last night before the NCL cruise. We had booked the Port Canaveral package at the hotel, that included parking for the week and transportation to and from the ship at the cruise terminal. We checked into the hotel early enough to go onto the beach and enjoy some beach time before returning to the hotel for dinner. The beach was very crowded, as the Ron Jon Surfing Festival was underway. After all, it is Spring Break time in Florida. Next stop, Norwegian Sun tomorrow morning!