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.