Nancy's Notes From Florida

Utopia of the Seas 2024 Nassau
August 31, 2024

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


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Utopia of the Seas 2024 – AquaTheater
August 29, 2024

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


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Utopia of the Seas 2024 – Sailaway
August 27, 2024

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


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Utopia of the Seas 2024 – Embarkation
August 24, 2024

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


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Ponce Inlet Lighthouse
August 6, 2024

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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