Utopia of the Seas 2024 Nassau

On Day Two of our 3-night voyage on Utopia of the Seas, we visited the Port of Nassau. Nassau is the capital of the Bahamas. Once a pirate haven, today the islands are a popular tourist destination. The tropical weather and natural wonders bring in many visitors. Since I’d been here before, I didn’t need to take a tour to see the forts, the government buildings, or other attractions.

But first, I indulged in a hearty breakfast on the ship. Ms. Washy Washy greeted us and steered us to the row of sinks in front of the Windjammer Café. Breakfast is my favorite meal on a cruise. Look at all these delights! They had every one of my favorite dishes. You could have fresh omelets made, too, although I opted for either a ready-made omelet slice or a prepared fried egg.

We exited the ship to walk down a long concrete pier straight into downtown. There are some shops right outside the port and more on Bay Street. We crossed over to the Straw Market and jostled our way through the crowded stalls. As I learned later, you can buy much the same goods on Coco Cay at their native market.

We stopped at Senor Frog’s for lunch. Here I couldn’t resist ordering a Bahama Mama. We shared a platter of nachos with cheese. The appetizer portion was enough for all four of us. This venue is very noisy but upbeat and cheerful. If you want a quieter location, go outside to the bar in the back that extends over the water.

I love the color of the sea in the Bahamas. Its turquoise clarity lets you see clear to the bottom.

Coming Next: Day Two Afternoon

Utopia of the Seas 2024 – AquaTheater

We ate in the Main Dining Room early seating on Utopia of the Seas for dinner each night. Our server was excellent, being prompt with the menus and the food and making paper origami designs for my grandson.

For this first night, I chose a crab cake appetizer, prime ribs and this yummy chocolate dessert.

After dinner, we strolled along the Promenade on Deck 5, noting the bars and shops and the band playing. My favorite lounge here was the Pesky Parrot. I tried their version of the Painkiller. I’m not a fan of frozen drinks in general and this one did nothing to change my opinion.

The AquaTheater show was amazing. High dives from way above into a small pool below astounded us. Diving, acrobatics, loud music, and colored lighting all came together into a spectacular show.

Coming Next: Nassau, Bahamas

Utopia of the Seas 2024 – Sailaway

The pool deck on Day One of our 3-night cruise on Utopia of the Seas was lively, with bodies crowding the lounge chairs and music thumping at the two pool areas. We saw a food truck that offered wrapped snacks later in the voyage and free soft ice cream at a dispensary called Sprinkles.

At the far end Forward was the Solarium, a quiet area with a clear roof for adults only. This has its own bistro as well. I didn’t have any difficulty finding a chair in the Solarium during the cruise.

Up on Deck 16 were the basketball court, miniature golf, slides, wave rider, and zipline. Also, there’s a Mexican eatery here to quench your appetite. This food is complimentary.

Then we went to watch the sailaway at a good vantage point on Deck 16. Glass windows were all around. If you want to find an outside jogging track, it’s on a lower deck.

It always gives me a thrill to watch the last strip of land go past and to head out to sea. This time was no exception. Our grandson was awed at being on a ship sailing on the ocean.

Time grew short, and we had to go to the Main Dining Room for dinner at 5 pm.

Coming Next: Evening Activities on Day One

Utopia of the Seas 2024 – Embarkation

Day 1 – Embarkation

Embarkation for our cruise on RCCL’s Utopia of the Seas went smoothly at Port Canaveral. We parked in the adjacent garage. You take a ticket and pay as you enter. Then you scan the ticket at departure. The terminal was crowded at 11:30, which was our allotted time to board. I was traveling with my daughter and her family. Our grandson did a great job of managing his own luggage.

We showed our boarding pass and passport to the proper personnel and went right onto the ship. On board, we were told our rooms wouldn’t be ready until 1:00 pm. On Deck 5, we crossed the Promenade to the aft end of the ship.

We took an elevator to Deck 15 and the Windjammer Café for lunch. The buffet was mobbed as everyone congregated here along with their carry-on luggage. The lunch buffet offered lobster tails and shrimp cocktail, salads, deli meats, hot dishes, and an Asian section among others.

Our grandson was goggle-eyed by everything, including the pool deck that we crossed to access our rooms Forward on the Starboard side of the ship.

We each had balcony staterooms on Deck 7. The room key cards were outside the door. In the room, I put the card in a slot and the lights went on. Beside the bed, my stateroom had a couch and a small desk, a bureau with a mini-fridge, two closets, and some shelving in the bathroom. The shower was circular with a glass door. The shower gel/shampoo came out easily from the dispenser. One bar of soap was provided for washing hands. I was glad I’d brought extra supplies including lotion. Out on the balcony past the sliding glass door were two chairs and small table. You can easily hear your neighbors talking next door when outside, but the cabin was relatively quiet.

We unpacked and did the safety drill, which consisted of watching a video on our phones and proceeding to check in at our Muster Station. That done, we returned to the pool deck to watch the sailaway.

Coming Next – Day 1 Sailaway

Ponce Inlet Lighthouse

If you enjoy visiting historical sites, you’ll relish this one. The Ponce Inlet Lighthouse & Museum was established in 1887 and is considered a National Historic Landmark. All the dwellings and support buildings remain intact. Located between St. Augustine and Cape Canaveral, Mosquito (now Ponce) Inlet was the recommended choice of the U.S. Lighthouse Board. The tower is built from bricks and stands 175 feet tall.

Note the twisty spiral steps that lead up the tower. No way was I climbing those stairs!

These other buildings are where the lighthouse keeper and his assistants lived with their families. They had to be self-sufficient, and it could not have been an easy life.

The gift shop has a wide variety of items for sale including souvenirs, toys, books, jewelry and more. It’s a fun stop on your way out. We capped off our visit with lunch at Off the Hook in Ponce Inlet. Read more about that meal and other culinary adventures from our trip HERE.

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Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens

Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens is a hidden gem in Central Florida worthy of a visit. It’s a botanical garden with an old sugar mill ruin offering a fascinating glimpse into our state’s history.

On our second day staying at New Smyrna Beach, we started out with a beach walk. We parked in a twenty-dollar lot overlooking the water. Nearby were restrooms, picnic tables, and covered benches if you didn’t bring a chair and need somewhere to sit. We kicked off our shoes and let the seawater slosh over our bared feet as we strolled along the shoreline. The seashells were tiny but colorful. I noted an absence of seaweed and driftwood on this stretch. While the sand here isn’t as powdery white as on Florida’s west coast, the beach was clean. By the time we turned back, we were craving air-conditioned comfort for the rest of the day.

Our next stop was the Marine Discovery Center. It has a cute gift shop, classrooms, and a mini aquarium. I had fun looking at the fish and buying toys for my grandson. There was a group of kids here for summer camp. From here, you can book a boat or kayak ecotour adventure.

Next, we set out to discover Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens, located between New Smyrna Beach and Daytona. After about a twenty-minute drive, we pulled up to this hidden gem. Surrounded by lush greenery, this historical site had once been a theme park called Bongoland. We walked the paths, admiring the flowering plants and tall trees while a grasshopper drew our curious gaze.

Then we came to the old sugar mill. I’ve seen such ruins before, but these were quite intact by comparison. We observed the giant cauldrons where the sugar was boiled and then the other machinery left over from this era. In my book Dead Roots, I had a sugar mill ruin at a plantation resort. For that story, I visited the Gamble Plantation Historic State Park in Ellenton, FL which housed another former plantation and sugar mill.

Coming Next: Ponce Inlet Light Station & Museum

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Dining at New Smyrna Beach

New Smyrna Beach has many tempting restaurants, so many that we tried two different ones each evening of our two-night stay. When we arrived in town, we began our culinary adventures at the Third Wave Café & Wine Bar where I got a Chicken Salad Sandwich. I didn’t want to overeat so that we could enjoy a meal later that day at the famed restaurant, The Garlic.

I loved the décor at The Garlic with its lush greenery, sparkling lights, and warren of rooms. We started with a Caesar Salad that I thought was too bland. The dressing had no tang to it and all I tasted was the lettuce. I’ve had better elsewhere. I liked the roasted garlic dip with olive oil and balsamic vinegar that came with warm, crusty bread. It was a unique idea, although some of the baked garlic clumped together. Next, we ordered the Shrimp and Scallop Scampi but with shrimp only. This came with a delicious sauce and chunks of garlic that pleased our palates. The portion was plenty to share.

For dessert, we headed down the street to Norwood Tree House Bar. Here I had a glass of Chardonnay and we shared their Blueberry Crumble that was a bit dense and more like blueberry cake. I’d expected a baked dessert with blueberries on the bottom and a crumbly top. Now satisfyingly full, we headed back to our hotel.

Thursday morning, we had breakfast at the Mermaid Café. I got the standard 2-egg breakfast with accompaniments. Thus fortified, we took a walk along the beach. Then we drove to Canal Street to see that shopping district, but it was very quiet. For lunch, we stopped at Outriggers Tiki Bar & Grille. I loved their menu and fish dishes but couldn’t eat so much for lunch, so I ordered the lighter Beet, Goat Cheese, and Walnut Salad. We enjoyed the view of the water from the outside deck. This place would be worthy of a return if I could take leftovers home or share a meal for dinner. The food fueled us to explore the Marine Discovery Center and the Dunlawton Sugar Mill Gardens.

That night, we again split up our meal between two restaurants. First we had drinks along with a spinach and artichoke dip that came with a warm baguette at the Third Wave Café. I liked the tropical rum drink I’d ordered. After our starters, we headed to The Grille at Riverview attached to our hotel for dessert. I ordered Key Lime Pie and Sara had Warm Lava Cake with Vanilla Ice Cream. I’d expected a slice of pie and got this entire round. Needless to say, I couldn’t waste it and asked the hotel clerk to put a leftover box in their fridge.

Breakfast the last day was once again at The Mermaid Café at Riverview. This time, we shared a Belgian Waffle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream and freshly baked Beignets. Before heading home, we went to the Ponce Inlet Light Station & Museum.

Then we lunched at Off the Hook at Inlet Harbor, which is a good choice if you’re in this area. We both had the fried shrimp basket.

This concludes our culinary adventures at New Smyrna Beach. Now I have to work on losing the weight I’d gained. Oh, and here’s one more place in town where we stopped to sample the wares: