Caribbean Cruuuise

Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Center

Hotel | "Great Airport Hotel"

Quote:

I had the opportunity of staying at the Wyndham Miami Airport hotel twice in one week: once pre-cruise and once post-cruise. We got rooms for a steal (a $59 bid on Priceline), and it was extremely convenient.We flew into Miami Sunday night for our cruise that left on Monday. Our flight didn't get in until almost midnight, and by the time we exited the terminal with our luggage, it was extremely late. We wanted nothing more than to go to bed. The airport shuttle, however, had other plans because after midnight, the Wyndham's shuttle doesn't come to the airport very frequently. We waited at the curb for almost 45 minutes before we saw the white Wyndham van. After getting to the hotel, howeve...Read More

Member Rating 4 out of 5 on July 15, 2010

Sheraton Miami Airport Hotel & Executive Meeting Center
3900 Nw 21st Street
Miami, Florida 33142
(305) 871-3800

Cheer!
Flag

Duval Street

Attraction | "Way Too Touristy"

Quote:

As our ship docked in Key West, Florida, I was excited for a day of exploration on the island. We took a map from the Cruise Director and headed out into the heat.The majority of attractions listed on the map were on Duval Street, so my friends and I headed in that direction. Boy, were we disappointed. I hoped for a quaint shopping district with local shops and curious people, but the entire street was filled with dirty t-shirt stores and tourist traps. The only redeeming quality was the taste of real Key Lime Pie.After about an hour of wandering the street, we headed back to our cruise ship and spent a fun day at the pool - a place that was much less touristy, believe it or no...Read More

Member Rating 1 out of 5 on July 15, 2010

Duval Street

Key West, Florida

Cheer!
Flag

Ocean's Ten

Restaurant | "Great Cuban Sandwich"

Quote:

When visiting Miami Beach after my cruise to the Bahamas, I had the taxi driver drop me off at a random intersection in South Beach and figured I'd come across a restaurant that sounded good. The worst part of that idea was every restaurant sounded amazing, and I couldn't choose!While walking up and down Ocean Drive in Miami Beach during the lunch hour, my friends and I were bombarded with offers from every restaurant/bar along the way with deals and lunch specials. Since my goal was to taste my first Cuban Sandwich while in Miami, we stopped at the first restaurant that had one on the menu, Ocean's 10. The best part was, the lunch prices didn't look half bad!When we sat down t...Read More

When visiting Miami Beach after my cruise to the Bahamas, I had the taxi driver drop me off at a random intersection in South Beach and figured I'd come across a restaurant that sounded good. The worst part of that idea was every restaurant sounded amazing, and I couldn't choose!

While walking up and down Ocean Drive in Miami Beach during the lunch hour, my friends and I were bombarded with offers from every restaurant/bar along the way with deals and lunch specials. Since my goal was to taste my first Cuban Sandwich while in Miami, we stopped at the first restaurant that had one on the menu, Ocean's 10. The best part was, the lunch prices didn't look half bad!

When we sat down to order, the server seemed a bit distraught after we said we didn't want anything from the bar (we don't drink). She even said that if we didn't order a drink, we couldn't get the the lunch prices. After a little persuading, she eventually agreed to give us the deal, and I ordered my long-anticipated Cuban Sandwich. Though the service seemed to go slower than a grandma on the freeway, we enjoyed ourselves under the shade of an umbrella on Ocean's 10's outdoor patio. Eventually the food came and my dreams were realized after one bite of the sandwich and its delicious blend of flavors. The sweet, crunchy Cuban bread, the sour pickle, the perfectly spiced pork and the tangy, gooey cheese together made an experience of a lifetime. Though I have no Cuban Sandwich to compare to that of Ocean's 10, it was truly one of the most delicious sandwiches I've ever tasted.

We were so happy with our food choices, in fact, that we ended up springing for a Virgin Strawberry Daiquiri from the bar. At $20 a piece, we had high hopes, and the size alone was enough to satisfy those hopes. All five of us shared a drink that would normally be consumed by one thirsty traveler. I'm beginning to see why Miami Beach holds a reputation for the city of drunken parties.

The location of Ocean's 10 is perfect, right on 10 Street and Ocean Drive, across from the beach. The service was not the best, but it was good enough. But overall, the culinary experience was great. If you like long afternoons in the sun, definitely eat lunch on the patio of Ocean's 10. And definitely try the Cuban Sandwich. Read Less

Member Rating 3 out of 5 on July 15, 2010

Ocean's Ten
960 Ocean Drive
Miami, Florida
(305) 604-1999

Cheer!
Flag

When in Miami...

Story/Tip

Quote:

I had two goals during my one-night post-cruise stay in Miami: eat a real Cuban Sandwich and see the colorful lifeguard towers on Miami Beach. I know, that's not exactly the most extensive or extravagant list on the planet, but I had about 28 hours in the city and didn't want to let myself down.We arrived at the Port of Miami and proceeded with debarkation bright and early; 7:30 a.m. As my friends and I dragged our luggage through the hot, musty customs line with 2,500 of our closest friends, we discussed what would become of our limited time in Miami. Since we were all dead tired, making a decision on anything was more difficult than planning an entire vacation, so we decided ...Read More

I had two goals during my one-night post-cruise stay in Miami: eat a real Cuban Sandwich and see the colorful lifeguard towers on Miami Beach. I know, that's not exactly the most extensive or extravagant list on the planet, but I had about 28 hours in the city and didn't want to let myself down.

We arrived at the Port of Miami and proceeded with debarkation bright and early; 7:30 a.m. As my friends and I dragged our luggage through the hot, musty customs line with 2,500 of our closest friends, we discussed what would become of our limited time in Miami. Since we were all dead tired, making a decision on anything was more difficult than planning an entire vacation, so we decided to head back to the hotel. We pulled up to the Wyndham Miami Airport (a steal at $59 thanks to Priceline), checked in, and barely made it up the elevator to our rooms before passing out for a couple of hours from sheer exhaustion. After a while, though, I was ready to get out and see the sights. After all, who knows when I'll be in Miami next?

A couple of us shared a cab to South Beach, and I was amazed at all of the perfect bodies. How the heck do all of those people have the time to look like that? I felt like everyone was staring at me for being the token fat guy whereas in Utah, it would be the other way around entirely. Anyway, we went to the Art Deco Historic District visitors center on Ocean Drive to try to get our bearings. It was a total bust! The entire place was nothing more than an overpriced gift shop, and no one in the joint was willing to help us find anything. We left that place in a hurry and soon discovered the solution to my first goal: finding a Cuban Sandwich.

After lunch, the crew and I strolled down Ocean Drive a bit to see the beautifully colored art deco architecture of Miami Beach and then decided to hit the beach itself. Despite all of the warnings I'd received from countless people, I wasn't prepared for what we found. Miami Beach was the most pristine white and turquoise beach I have seen in my entire life. It stretches in either direction farther than I could see, let alone farther than I could walk. The water was warm, the sand perfect, and the repetitious sound of the surf lulled us into a deeper relaxation than we had ever experienced before. I never wanted to leave. My good friend Kamie and I traversed though the sand to discover a number of unique lifeguard towers (goal number two done) that were situated about a hundred yards or so apart from one another along the entire stretch of beach and then finally decided to take advantage of the situation and plop ourselves onto a spot of heaven for the rest of the afternoon.

Miami is truly a stunning city filled with color—both in culture and architecture. After spending the afternoon on the beach, we wandered the not-so-touristy section South Beach, meeting a number of fascinating people, and even feeling a little nervous around some of them (especially the man that opened his zipper and urinated on the sidewalk right beside us). We visited a museum of modern art that had an exhibit filled with art deco-era posters and 1930s appliances (which I was surprised to find in an art museum), ate a juicy burger at Fatburger, and ended our night at the ritsy Lincoln Road Mall. All-in-all it was a perfect adventure-packed day to end our adventure-packed week in the Caribbean. The whole week was almost enough to satisfy my wanderlust—for a few minutes at least. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas

Attraction | "Amazing Cruise Experience"

The Majesty of the Seas Photo - Nassau, Bahamas

Quote:

Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas is one of the smallest, oldest cruise ships in the line's fleet, and as such, I was a little nervous. My nerves, however, were completely unfounded. From the moment I stepped aboard the Majesty of the Seas, I was amazed at the attention to detail of the ship's crew. The 18-year-old cruise ship was so immaculate most of the public areas seemed brand new! My group was greeted with smiles and friendly hello's from every crew member we met. As our rooms weren't quite ready, we headed to the Windjammer Marketplace and had our first taste of cruise ship food. From the pizza to the wide array of Asian foods to the wonderfully-presented desserts, I...Read More

Member Rating 5 out of 5 on July 15, 2010

Cheer!
Flag

Jellyfish and Coral

Story/Tip

Waving from the Caribbean Photo - Nassau, Bahamas

Quote:

I'm waving at you from the middle of the clear, blue waters of the Caribbean Sea right outside of Nassau, The Bahamas. Isn't that amazing?!? I never thought I would have the opportunity to go snorkeling in the Bahamas, and I almost didn't.My friend Kamie called a couple of days before our four-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas and told me she had found the ultimate excursion while the ship was docked in Nassau. For only $38, we could sail out to a reef on a catamaran in the Caribbean, spend an hour snorkeling amidst colorful fish, stingrays and coral, and then sail back with unlimited rum punch (OK...that part we weren't too excited about considering neither of us drink). I c...Read More

I'm waving at you from the middle of the clear, blue waters of the Caribbean Sea right outside of Nassau, The Bahamas. Isn't that amazing?!? I never thought I would have the opportunity to go snorkeling in the Bahamas, and I almost didn't.
My friend Kamie called a couple of days before our four-night cruise on Royal Caribbean's Majesty of the Seas and told me she had found the ultimate excursion while the ship was docked in Nassau. For only $38, we could sail out to a reef on a catamaran in the Caribbean, spend an hour snorkeling amidst colorful fish, stingrays and coral, and then sail back with unlimited rum punch (OK...that part we weren't too excited about considering neither of us drink). I couldn't say no to such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! I was extremely glad that she found the excursion before it was sold out.
Our cruise docked early in the afternoon on Wednesday in Nassau and Kamie, Lisa, and I only had 15 minutes to get to our excursion, so we rushed off the ship to find our guide. We were led to a catamaran a short distance from the terminal and crammed onboard. The only place left to sit was on the roof above the bar, so we laid our towels out and sat back to enjoy the trip. Once in the water, it took me a minute to figure out the equipment (the last time I had gone snorkeling was in Bear Lake in Utah at the age of 13), but after I did, the experience was breathtaking. Tiny jellyfish smaller than my palm floated everywhere around us, schools of tropical fish swam around throughout the reef, and stingrays darted in and out of crevices in the coral.
Though it only seemed like fifteen minutes, we were in the water for an hour when our loud, lovingly-obnoxious tour guides called us back to the catamaran. After a matter of minutes, we dried off, the crew put the sails up, and we were on our way back to the city. I have to say, drunk people are quite entertaining. Almost everyone on board carried around plastic cups filled with rum-spiked fruit punch, and most of them were too hammered to realize that many of the drinks had dirt swimming around in them (although I'm sure they didn't care). People danced with the crew, relaxed, drank, and partied the whole way back to Nassau. Read Less

Cheer!
Flag

IgoUgo

Nassau Journals

Upload Photos