Arrival into New York was right on time unlike my cruise in October.  We dressed and went to breakfast in the main dining room.  Since we had a few hours until Chris would pick us up, we choose a leisurely breakfast instead of the buffet.  Service was slow but we weren’t worried since we had plenty of time.

After breakfast, we stopped off in the atrium to drop off some Vacation Hero cards.  I heard someone call my name and it was the great guys we met at Maltings.  We sat with them and I gave them my information.  They were flying back home so they had to go meet their transfer scheduled through NCL.  

Our color to disembark was already called so we went to leave.  The line was huge and not moving.  Apparently things were backed up in the terminal but it did start moving shortly.  The terminal wasn’t too crowded and we found our luggage.  The line for customs was super quick as well.  We only waited for Chris about ten minutes.  It was timed perfectly!  The ride home was uneventful and we were back at our house in Delaware around 11am.  

Unfortunately, Veronica did start having some cold symptoms on Monday night and tested positive for covid on Tuesday morning.  After Chris and I both catching it after our April cruise, I am not surprised this occurred.  Thankfully, it was mild and she is better now. 

Our next adventure will be in October to celebrate our 25th wedding anniversary.  It will be our first time sailing on MSC and we will be staying in the Yacht Club.  The cruise will be in the Mediterranean and our best friends, Joe and Ammie will be joining us.  I am so excited for this trip.  Until then, we have also started a Facebook group, Budget Friendly Luxury Cruise Tips.  I will be posting about my personal tips for NCL soon.  I welcome anyone to post who has advice for NCL or any other cruise line.  

Click HERE to drop us a note about where you'd like to go next.  We will work hard to get you booked!
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​The final day of our cruise is a sea day en route to New York. The ship was pretty rocky last night and the bags were still set up in the stairwells this morning. I woke up pretty early so I hit the Starbucks and went to the casino to let Veronica sleep in. She found me in the casino and we went to the Observation lounge for some coffee and pastries. 

Morning trivia was pretty popular today. We did ok but did not win. The next activity was Battle of the Cake Masters. We watched giant trays of cakes being carried past us. We decided to go for a walk around the ship instead. The weather was pretty overcast and windy. We had a wine tasting scheduled for two so we decided to skip the Vibe today. Plus, we had the dreaded chore of packing 

Lunch was our favorite spot, the Local. We wanted to sample the nachos and get one more order of wings. The food was great. This spot really is one of the shining stars of NCL. It is perfect pub comfort food for lunches and late nights. I missed this spot when I was on Carnival as the the only late night option is pizza. 

We spent some more time in the casino before our tasting. The wine tasting was the black glass tasting with macaroons. I had done this tasting in February and thought it was fabulous. The sommelier gave so much information and we had a team contest to identify the wines. It was a different host and he got the sampling started much faster. However, he did not give as much information nor was there a contest. The wines in February were a bit more interesting too. It was still an enjoyable activity and the macaroons were delicious. I might choose to try the tapas and wine tasting next time to try something different. 

After our wine and cookies, we decided to make one more trip to Vibe. There was only one couple there and all the cushions had been removed. It was super windy. We chatted with the crew and heard about the party we missed up there earlier. I was convinced to have one last drink and found a new favorite, Ketel One Grapefruit with 7-up. I will have to buy some at home for some pool time at my mom’s this summer. 

We continued our relaxing last day with some balcony time. I drank the sustainable drink of the day which was a Sustainable Spritz. It is like an Aperol spritz with rosemary infused vodka. I really enjoyed this cocktail. We brought back some snacks from the Observation Lounge. Our cabin was a great location for us as we enjoyed being close to this lounge. It was just a short walk to get light breakfast, coffees, and afternoon snacks. The balcony was the perfect spot to enjoy happy hour. 

I returned to Maltings for a Whistle Pig Manhattan as my pre-dinner drink. We decided to visit the casino before our dinner in the buffet. The theme of the buffet was seafood. The buffet has lots of variety but we were both not too enthused about dinner. I think a week of eating much different than our norm caught up to us both. We did both try a crepe for dessert and really liked them. 

I returned to Maltings after dinner and met up with Glen. He wanted me to sample another scotch that was his favorite. I really enjoyed chatting with him once again. I would not have crossed paths with him had I not had a problem. I debated not even leaving a note about the issue, but I am glad I did. I hope to sail with Glen on a future cruise so we can talk more cocktails and cruising. 

Our evening ended with a final trip to the District. I ordered one last Chimay to take to the cabin and enjoy while packing up the last of our belongings. We ended the last night earlier as we were still tired from staying up at the Glow Party and dancing the night before. Arrival into New York is early as well which was another reason to call it an earlier night.

Our final day in Bermuda was a beautiful sunny day. We decided to enjoy some time on the boat with less people. It started with our breakfast in the Observation lounge. I had an almod crossiant and while not the same as the ones in the Haven Observation lounge, it was still tasty. Trivia was next on the agenda and we won! The next activity was making shirts for the Glow Party which was tonight. We decided to give it a try and make some shirts. I made a shirt promoting my Cruise Planners website and Veronica made a funny shirt which said, “Yes! I am old enough: to drink coffee, play the slots and have beer or wine.” 

We decided to spend the rest of the morning in the Vibe. Since it was not windy in port, we had an umbrella providing great shade. I wrote and Veronica relaxed while taking in the great views. We spent some time in the hot tub and had a nice chat with a couple while taking a soak. It is always fun to meet fellow cruisers to chat about travel. It was soon time to have lunch and Veronica wanted to hit the Local for a pub hot dog so we returned to the cabin to change. The head mixologist called wanting to meet up to discuss my note I left about the problem I had in the A-list. I told him I would meet up at Maltings at 5:30pm. 

The Local had a decent crowd and was very popular this cruise. Veronica had her hot dog and I tried the fish and chips. We also shared some spinach dip and wings. It was another great lunch. 

For dessert, I went to the Sugarcane bar on the Waterfront to have a Banana-ruma which was the drink of the day. As we strolled the deck with the drink, we passed Glen, the head mixologist, who called my name. He must have studied our photos! We spoke for a bit and I told him we did not need to meet later if he was busy but he insisted to still meet in the evening. 

The Galaxy Pavilion opened up at 3:00pm which lead me to suggest we go shoot some zombies. In February, Chris and I did the one hour pass and the zombie 7D attraction was my favorite. It is exciting and scary. Veronica won the game but I feel my performance was improved from last time. I think I was more motivated to protect my daughter from the zombie attack.

I met up with Glen after dressing for dinner at Maltings. He prepared a Woodford Manhattan with his expert mixology skills. We had a lovely chat about cocktails and cruising. Making connections with crew members is a unique and special aspect to cruising. It is one of the things that keeps me returning to cruising. 

Veronica and I used our last dining credit for four more dishes at Food Republic. We both liked the wine with our dinner last time so we stopped by The Cellars to grab a glass. Tonight, we sampled chicken lettuce wraps, Tiger roll sushi, kimchi fried rice, and tuna poke nachos. We liked the dishes the first night better but the chicken lettuce wraps were very good. 

We spent some time in the casino before the adult comedy show in the theater. We grabbed some drinks to take to the show. I opted for some Macallan Quest to enjoy with the show. The comedian tonight was Larry Omaha. He was funnier than the first comedian. We stayed for his entire set. The night was still young so we returned to the casino before heading off to bed to rest up for our last sea day.

Our day started with a latte and croissant in the Observation lounge. We decided to play another 18 holes of golf and visit the museum before it was too sunny. It looked like it was going to be a beautiful day in Bermuda after the rain last night. 

As we approached the course, not a a soul was in sight. The lack of crowds made for ideal conditions for our rematch. Veronica was not too pleased with her performance on the first three holes but she bounced back. She prefers the last six holes from Scotland the best. I started stronger on the six Bermuda holes and stayed solid enough to win the round. 

Next, we walked to the National Museum of Bermuda. This was our first visit to this attraction. We explored the grounds, saw the giant cannons, and took in the spectacular views of the crystal blue water. Perched on the hill is the Commissioners House that has artifacts and art on display. It is quite a large house with lots of rooms to explore. Our favorite exhibit was a stunning mural depicting the history of Bermuda that wrapped around a stairwell. It took three and a half years to finish. We made our way to the lower level and were both startled by a noisy automatic door we did not expect to be in a colonial house. I did not want to go into the dungeon like room but Veronica convinced me to be brave. I found it to be creepy wandering alone in the rooms filled with giant weapons. As we were standing looking a cannon, the loudest bang happened behind me. I screamed pretty loud and startled the older lady who entered from an outside door. Veronica cracked up. The museum is a great place for a walk and to enjoy the view.

Returning to the ship, we headed to buffet for a lighter lunch. Trivia was next on the agenda and we once placed second. Deciding we had enough sun yesterday and a rum cruise later, we went to take showers and relax in the cabin. 

Tonight, we went to the main dining room for dinner. We both ordered the lime dill shrimp starter and Chinese pork for our entree. I also ordered a bottle of wine to share. The starters arrived before the wine and while we were eating a server appeared with a different wine that was partially gone. He said this was better and poured a glass. I asked him to pour one for Veronica as well. It wasn’t the best wine but we only wanted a little with our meal. Our server came over a few minutes later to tell Veronica she could not have wine. I had to once again explain I signed the waiver and then it was alright. Veronica just looks too young. Our pork was not great. Veronica said the dish was different than on the Escape. This was more fatty and chewy. For dessert, Veronica tried the Black Forest cake which was ok. We figured tonight would be perfect for a late night Local visit. 

The rum tasting cruise was very enjoyable. It left shortly before sunset and the drinks were flowing from the second we boarded the boat. A rum swizzle was in my hand before I even chose my seat. The tour is run by Goslings rum and an ambassador educated us on the different types of rums. After the swizzle, we sampled Bermuda Gold, a liqueur made from loquat. It is very similar to Amaretto. Next, glasses of Goslings Black Seal on the rocks were passed around. He only recommended one sip and then to add ginger beer to create the national drink of Bermuda, the Dark and Stormy. The next rum was a special edition of Goslings Gold with Flora Duffy on the bottle. Bermuda is very proud of their first gold medal winner so they celebrated by dedicating a rum to her. Unfortunately, this was our least favorite. We did not like it on the rocks and thought it was even worse with ginger beer. As with most tasting, the best is last. A small sample of the Goslings aged reserve was served neat. We both enjoyed sipping it while admiring the sunset sky and Bermuda coast. More swizzles were offered but we both passed. Bottles were available to purchase which would be delivered to the ship. I would recommend this tour for a fun evening. 

We wrapped up our evening with a quick stop for some Veuve at the Cellars for me. I took it to casino and we spent some time playing some video poker. We worked up an appetite and hit the Local for some late night wings and fries. This is definitely one of the things NCL does right. We were ready to return to our cabin after a fun, relaxing evening.

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Arrival into Bermuda was around 8:00 AM, and there is no better spot to watch than the Observation Lounge! It has wrap-around views, continental breakfast buffet, and a full Starbucks. We used our package to get two almond milk lattes. The coffees went great with some pastries for a light breakfast. Lots of passengers were admiring the view but they quickly cleared out as we docked. After we were docked, I watched the Celebrity Summit arrive. We were not in a hurry so we decided to try nine holes of mini golf to warm up for golf ashore later. 

When I was in Bermuda in October, I noticed there was a mini golf course next to Snorkel Park. It has 18 holes modeled after actual holes at famous courses. Unfortunately, I couldn’t try it then as it was closed while we were in port. As it was still early, we walked to check out the shopping at the Clocktower Mall. Then, it was golf time. It seemed to be a popular early morning choice. 

The mini golf claims to be the best in the world. It is definitely the best course I have done. The holes are very well done and the view of the ocean is spectacular. Veronica provided tough competition but my years of experience and training from my dad won the match. I even scored two hole in ones! 

Although the forecast seemed more mild, it felt pretty hot to us. We returned to the ship for a salad lunch at the buffet. Since Vibe has been so crowded, we figured today might be a nice day to relax there. We were right. A hot tub was waiting just for us and the whole side of Vibe was empty. Ahhh. We relaxed in the tub, got some sun, and each had an Aperol Spritz. Later, I tried a Dark and Stormy and let Veronica taste it since we have a rum tasting cruise tomorrow night so she could compare. Veronica went back to the room to get ready for dinner and I hung out at the bar and tried a Dirty Shirley which is just a Shirley Temple with vodka. Veronica had mentioned it is popular and I read a New York Times article that it will be the drink of the summer. I did upgrade the vodka to Ultimat but the cocktail was nothing special. I would say I liked regular Shirleys more that I remember from my youth. 

For pre-dinner drinks tonight, we decided to try a new bar, the A-list. What a bad call. It appears to be a more upscale bar as it is sandwiched between two higher end specialty restaurants, Le Bistro and Cagney’s. I ordered a Boulevardier and was told he could not make it because it was not on the menu. The bar had all the ingredients but since it wasn’t a menu item it could not be made. The bartender told me to go to the District because it is on the menu there (it is not.). He said that is the only place you can get it on the package. He was pretty condescending about this and I was really confused as I am sure they make more than just that limited menu at that bar. I decided to try another bar, Maltings and received one no problem. 

The Cellars is right across from La Cucina where we had dinner reservations so why not get a nice wine there to bring to dinner. The bartender chose a bold Italian red for us. It had a little funk to the nose but it worked well with the food, especially the antipasto appetizer we both chose. We opted to sit outside and although it started to rain, we were sheltered. I had the shrimp ravioli and Veronica had the Shrimp Fra Diablo. Both entrees were very nice. Dessert was excellent as well. I chose the panna cotta and Veronica had the lemon ricotta cheesecake. 

Walking off our dinner, we wandered into the theater to hear the last thirty minutes of the show. It was Aaron Shaw: The Music of the Night. We stood in the back and he was a very talented Broadway singer. His best song was of course, Music of the Night. I did not even mind standing to listen. 

I wanted another drink after dinner so we returned to Maltings. I wanted to try a premium scotch. The knowledgeable bartender, Christian, suggested Macallan Quest. He even paired it with some homemade chocolate. It was superb and I am not a scotch drinker. It reminded me more of a bourbon especially with the chocolate. I tried a bolder one later but preferred the Quest. We chatted with a delightful couple at the bar about cruise travels and working in education. These gentlemen were the friendliest people we have met so far. I really enjoyed our conversation. We stayed until the lights came on. Not wanting to go to bed yet, Veronica and I had some casino time. It was our latest night yet, not returning to the cabin until 1:00 AM!

Wouldn't you love to be cruising too? We are offering you a chance to win a $250 American Express Gift Card from our Travel Agency, Cruise Planners.  All you need to do is head over HERE before 7/31/2022 to enter!