A view from atop a temple

My husband has wanted to see the  Mayan temple ruins for as long as I can remember and his goal finally came to fruition this past March.  Cruising out of Port Canaveral for the first time was an interesting adventure in itself.  It is not as easy as cruising from say, the Port of Miami, due to the location of the port there is quite a bit of travel time involved to get to Port Canveral.  But I must say that staying overnight in Coco Beach was worth the effort.  Walking around the area and the beach gives you a sense of the community and this would be a nice place to retire.

Our cruise aboard the Carnival Magic was a pleasant experience, overall.  There was an incident in Mahogany Bay, Isla Roatan, that left us at port till around 11:00 p.m. instead of the departing at 6:00 p.m.  A lot of rumors as to why, but this did not prevent us from making our next destination port. However, it may have affected the Carnival Breeze that was blocked in by the Magic and had to wait as well.

Back to the hightlights and the ruins at Belize.  To get to the Mayan ruins from Belize requires an hour bus trip as well as a half-hour boat ride. The Belize Lamanai Mayan Ruins is a large site but worth the effort to reach the tropcial forest where the Mayan ruins are located.  Be prepared for rain and bugs, as this is a tropical forest.  Walking the trails to the Temples and monuments is a unique experience as you will see howler monkeys, toucans, and other tropical birds along the way.  The guided tour takes around 2 hours and you will see the Ball Court, the Jaguar Temple, and the Lag Temple - known as Temple High. Most of the photos are near the Temple High site.

Carnival Magic

View from bottom of Temple High 

Climbing to the top

Mounds carvings

View from atop 

Looking down from atop

Me in front of the Temple High

A view from the mountain top in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands

There is a beautiful view to behold at a mountain top in St. Thomas, U.S. Virgin Islands and definitely worth the cruise down from Miami.  I can say that it is worth visiting more than one time to take in the pristine waters and beach areas, as well as views from the top.  So, I want to share with you a few photos on my way to and at this destination and hope that you may get a sense of the beauty...

A view from the Port of Miami as the NCL Escape leaves for the Virgin Islands...
It is fun to hear the ships call out as we leave the port - a way to say bon voyage!  How friendly :)

Beautiful Miami skyline as the NCL Escape begins its journey to St. Thomas.
A nice way to see the sun setting and take in the sea air as well.  

Calm seas are such a pleasant and inviting mood setter... I just can't seem to get enough of this view :)

Morning view as the NCL Escape approaches the port in St. Thomas...capturing the pilot boat coming to great us and steer the ship into the port at St. Thomas.

What a welcome to see a rainbow in the sky at St. Thomas... always a good sign :)

Entering St. Thomas, a view of old structures. 

A closer look at the old structures at the entrance to St. Thomas.

Hubby taking in the view of the harbor as we prepare to dock.

Side view of Fort Christian is located in central Charlotte Amalie... more information about Fort Christian can be found at http://www.visitusvi.com/stthomas/culture_history

Our tour excursion driver who was quite knowledgeable about the history of St. Thomas.

A unique building in the tourist area of the Island.

Just a beautiful walkway in the shopping area.

A view from above the port where the NCL Escape was docked along with other cruise ships.

Mountain top view - what a beautiful place to see... 

Zip line location on St. Thomas high up in the mountain top. Yes, I could hear some of the zip liners as they journeyed through the air :)

Mountain top view of Magens Bay... St. Thomas's most popular beach, this beautiful one-mile stretch is a public park and was donated to the people of the Virgin Islands by Arthur Fairchild. The water is usually very calm in this heart-shaped protected bay. 

Taking in the mountain top view - such beauty to behold

Can you find me in this photo taken at Coki Beach... a great location for snorkeling and diving...

Yes, I did... one bucket list checked off!

So, okay, I was not expecting to attempt the ropes course and zip lines on the NCL Escape, but when you have a passing thought of life passing you by, something inside you takes over and you accept the challenge. I must say that at the moment you are being "suited up" in your harness, there is excitement and dread at the same time.  It was like being part of the movie, Inside Out, which, is a great animated film you should consider seeing.  All types of emotions all at once and those little head characters all fighting within me to get the leading role.

And, with a 7 year old standing in front of me telling me she has been on the ropes and zip line course several times and how fun it is, well, could you back out?  So, staring at me first was a two by four that went on for a mile, well, okay, about 12 feet... but it felt like a mile.  At the end of the course when I crossed another one, it felt like a piece of cake to me... perspective can change in a few minutes of time :).

After crossing the two by four and feeling like I had already accomplished something medal worthy, I faced the first zip line experience.  Okay, by the time I got there my 7 year old expert in the course was already at a distance from me... how did she get so far ahead of me??  This is when the horror of what you are about to do sets in... and the line behind you grows and begins to be in a hurry... so with some nudging and encouragement, I stare out as I take a small running start into space and hold on for dear life as I pass the camera taking what turns out to be my face showing every emotion it could express in one second of time.

By then, I must admit I began to feel a little wobbly, but looking at the 7 year old from a distance, I accepted my fate and went on through the course of ropes, walking on two lines of rope, walking on a square mesh of ropes and reaching the next zip line that takes you over the sea...yes, I said over the sea.  Now that I was a seasoned zip liner (in my head, at least), I was surprised to feel those same emotions rising up inside me.  At this spot in the course, there was a crew member to help me calm down enough to let me know I could begin in a sitting position - much easier to do - (so where was this advice at the first zip line?) and then I was off zipping over the sea at Deck 20 on the NCL Escape... so you can imagine that the camera shot of me this time was actually worth purchasing :).

I would say that the kind gentleman who was at first behind me in the ropes section and then way in front of me should be given a medal of honor for his sticking it out with me after my pleas of  "this is my first time, so please don't leave me" - what kindness there is in the world of ropes course.

After completing the rest of the ropes in this course, this kind gentleman went on to the higher level and well,  I finished at the lower level, as you were probably expecting.  At the end of the course you can start over again, and to the surprise of the crew member, I turned down the offer to start again...
I imagine he has done this course every day since the NCL Escape began its maiden voyage, so I did not let his puzzled look drag me back in.

However, after finishing and sharing my experience with Larry, my hubby, I found myself wanting to harness up and start the course again... okay, it may have something to do with endorphins and an adrenaline rush inside me that had taken over, but I did experience an exhilaration and feeling of accomplishment that must be considered a "natural high".  So yes, I still want to try the ropes course and zip line 20 decks aboard the NCL Escape... maybe next year or so :).  Want to join me?  I can help you plan your bucket list checked off in zip lining!  http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/en-US/DeniseHile/home

Here are some photos of the course... one with me zipping over the sea.

A visit to Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Island...

A visit to the Virgin Islands is a unique experience that came with a challenging but rewarding time at The Baths on Virgin Gorda.  To see the beauty and sheer volume of these volcanic caves is in itself breathtaking.  Taking on the challenge of walking through the small and narrow passages to see this wonder of nature is another thing...

A brief description from the tourism site at http://www.bvitourism.com/activity/baths-national-park     says it all...

National Parks Trust's Description:
Encompassing the beaches and rocky shoreline at the southwestern tip of Virgin Gorda, The Baths is a collection of massive granite boulders as large as 40 feet in diameter, with white sand beaches and secret rock pools.

The cavernous surroundings are a result of the molten rock seeping up into the existing volcanic rock layers; because the molten rock did not reach the surface it cooled slowly and formed the hard crystalline granite layer. Further shrinkage and cracking formed blocks, which were exposed when the softer volcanic rock above eroded away. Weathering rounded the corners of the boulders to what they are today. These massive boulders are also found at Fallen and Broken Jerusalem.

This is where you start your journey through the caves... yes, it is very tight, but worth it at the end.

A view of the beach (photo provided)

Approaching Virgin Gorda from a catamaran - a great way to travel from Tortola to Virgin Gorda....

Hubby and a good friend getting ready to explore the caves that lead to the beach

A view of the beach at the Baths (photo provided)

Worth the challenge of getting to... beautiful!
(photo provided)

A great way to get here is aboard the NCL Escape - the newest ship in the Norwegian fleet... that in itself is a great experience, too.

Let me know if you want to explore this destination to The Baths... I welcome the opportunity to help you plan your journey... http://www.cruiseshipcenters.com/en-US/DeniseHile/home 

A look at the Norwegian Escape...

If you want to get in on a great cruise deal on a the newest NCL ship, take a chance with the NCL Escape.  Promotions are going on through January 3, 2016 to receive two amenities and some on board credit.  There is still time to book for January cruises...

NCL Escape - a look...

Getting Certified - NCL Freestyle Specialist - my newest acheivement...

I am so excited to have received my NCL Freestyle Specialist Certification!  This is the highest level of certification that NCL currently offers.

Denise Hile, Freestyle Certified

An insert from the press release:

Norwegian Cruise Line is proud to announce that Denise Hile has earned the necessary credits to graduate from its online travel agent university, NCL University. This progressive, state-of-the art online school is geared to deliver an enhanced level of knowledge and insight into Norwegian Cruise Line’s unique Freestyle Cruising philosophy, cruising destinations, ship programs and operations, and many other “behind-the-scenes” elements not available anywhere else. Each graduate is required, within one year, to earn a minimum number of credits through a choice of accredited courses and electives. The rigorous curriculum includes testing at every level in order to move forward. 

Carnival's New Brand - Impact Travel

Carnival's New Brand - Impact Travel....

If you are looking for a way to give back or pay it forward, then you will be excited about the news from Carnival on the Fathom Travel program.   The inaugural destination is the Dominican Republic.

Here is an insert from the news release...

WASHINGTON HEIGHTS, N.Y. (June 4, 2015) – Carnival Corporation & plc (NYSE/LSE: CCL; NYSE: CUK), the world’s largest travel and leisure company, today launched a new brand called fathom™, defining a new travel category it is calling “social impact travel,” that will offer consumers authentic, meaningful impact travel experiences to work alongside locals as they tackle community needs. What sets fathom apart is the long-term, systematic partnership approach with its partner countries paired with the unique business model that allows for sustained impact and lasting development. fathom’s scale and global vision reach beyond what the world has ever seen. The company’s first destination will be the Dominican Republic, a country known for its spectacular beauty but also a country where the average household income is approximately $6,000 USD a year and more than two million Dominicans do not have access to piped water.

To read more, click on this link:  CCL - Fathom Travel