Island Hopping with Celebrity Cruises
Returning after a week long trip and missing every bit of it. From fine dining to explorations galore, and making new friends that I totally adore - this trip is, by far, the best trip I have taken!
Tommy and I boarded Celebrity Silhouette on the 13th of March, after a flight from LA to NC to FL. We did not know what to expect from the cruise and my main concern was getting motion sickness. What we ended up experiencing was beyond anything we could've imagined and the bond created between us all is certainly unbreakable. Plus, I didn't get sick because the sailing was pretty smooth the entire trip!
So where did we go for the week? Find out below!
San Juan, Puerto Rico
Our first stop was Puerto Rico! It was definitely humid and while we only had an hour to explore Old San Juan, Tommy and I made it worth it with a few snaps and quick trips to the local stores. I loved the colors of the buildings; super cute! Unfortunately, we didn't get a chance to check out the San Juan National Historic Site - but I grabbed a shot of it from afar.
After the hour, we regrouped and headed off in a private car to the Barcardi Rum Factory, otherwise known as Casa Barcardi. We received a historical tour of Barcardi, learning about the founder and the making of Barcardi. We ended the day with a special curated dinner of unique dishes paired with a variety of Barcardi rums. My favorite dishes included the shark soup (yes, shark!), monk fish, and the cheese and honey plate for dessert.
St. Kitts
Second stop, St. Kitts! We spent the majority of our day on the waters of St. Kitts, on a catamaran snorkeling tour. While I'm not a strong swimmer, I took the dive anyways - with a life vest and pool noodle. The water was enjoyable and perfect for the heat, not to mention I can now say that I swam in St. Kitts ;)
St. Maarten
Our final destination was the gorgeous island of St. Maarten, where you'll find Dutch and French influences depending on what side of the island you're on. We went on a market discovery tour with Chef Aaron and Chef Victor, our favorite Celebrity Cruise chefs, and had a fresh ceviche made for us by Chef Dwayne of Butter Fish. His "Johnny cakes" are to die for and I wish he could ship them over to us! Also, homemade hot sauce is certainly one of the best I've had in awhile.
We shopped alongside Chef Aaron and Chef Victor at the fish market, watched how they selected fish and fresh fruits, veggies, and spices from a local market. Lunch was the best part, of course, as it had a stunning ocean view. We were literally on the sand, enjoying fresh seafood and homemade rum shots. It was the best afternoon and a great way to top off our trip.
From the staff to the chefs, to the team who coordinated this for us, I just want to thank you all for making this a much needed break from reality. I cannot wait to sail again with Celebrity Cruises, it truly is my favorite cruise line now!
Follow the other bloggers from this trip on Instagram: Krystal, Christine, Tommy, Stuart
Special thanks to Ali, Stephanie, and Judith for taking the best care of us<3
