In the spring of 2011 we decided to take another cruise. This was a ‘Southern Caribbean’ itinerary on NCL’s ‘Norwegian Dawn.

We flew from London to Miami, and stayed a night at the Holiday Inn – Port of Miami from where we could see the cruise ships.

Next morning we boarded the Norwegian Dawn and in the afternoon we sailed away from Miami.

Our stateroom – 10726 – was a mirror image of the room we occupied on our 2007 ‘Norwegian Dawn’ cruise.

After a couple of days at sea our first port of call was Samana in the Dominican Republic.

The Norwegian Dawn was anchored offshore.

I also made a new friend haar haar!

From the Dominican Republic we sailed to Tortola in the US Virgin Islands

And enjoyed a ‘Painkiller’ in Pusser’s Bar, Roadtown.

Pusser’s serve their painkillers in enamel mugs.

The ship’s crest by by shoulder is HMS Ocean, on which my father served during the second world war.

From Tortola we sailed to Antigua. We’d visited Antigua about ten years previously and were unimpressed.

I have been quoted as suggesting that the island’s principal crop is rusty cars, as there seemd to be one in every field.

I was most amused when I spotted a rusty ship on our approach to St John’s harbour.

There were a couple of cruise ships already docked at St John’s.

The ships loom over the tourist shopping area.

From Antigua we sailed to Barbados, our penultimate port of call.

We visited the Mount Gay rum distillery, where I made another friend.

Then to the Banks Brewery

And finally to a beach bar for a final rum punch.

Our final port of call was Basseterre, St Kitts.

We toured the island, including the Brimstone Hill fort

And saw some exotic local flora… a bottle tree!

…and saw the point where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean.

On the journey back to Miami we had some unexpected excitement – a patient had to be ‘medevac’d’ to Puerto Rico.

And the ship celebrated the Royal Wedding

I personally liked the ship’s work ethic:

And we met lots of towel animals during our trip.