Sistahs Cruise: Bliss NY to Bahamas, Feb 23-March 1

[Greenpea2]

[Greenpea2]

[Greenpea2]

[Greenpea2]

[AmyJA]

Finally caught up.  Thanks for the review of Los L, as we are having mom's birthday dinner there in a couple of weeks. 

 

More please!!!!!

 

[luvcruzing]

 Greenpea2, I love your sense of humor. And it seems to run in your family. Looks like you and your sistah had a great time. Hope you’re finally over your cold, but you had the best medicine while on your cruise. 🥂🤣

[Greenpea2]

More to come soon on our day at GSC. Best day of the cruise!

[luvcruzing]

Yes, more please. We love GSC . . . when tenders can make the trip. 

[Greenpea2]

Well, Lord knows if anyone is still interested in hearing about our cruise with all the cancelled cruises, upset, fear and confusion. If you want a brief respite "back to normal" I am trudging ahead with my report. I can't stop now and frankly it's helping me get through this mess to remember and share. So onward, ever onward (with a lot less enthusiasm than I had even a week ago)...

 

The last big chunk of this report will be on our experience at Great Stirrup Cay. Then I have a few short things. I am now going to yak a bit now. I can’t help it. Sistah yaks verbally, I yak writingly, that’s just the way it is.   

 

Great Stirrup Cay

Sistah and I agree on the various highlights of our trip (Los Lobos, her hair streak thing, the cabin, eating naughty food whenever we wanted with a shared impressive ability to compartmentalize that fact until we step back on the scales post-cruise, having the super-duper beverage package and trying new drinks that have now been added to our “favorite” list, etc). 

 

And of course (for me) those days I beat her FitBit steps—does that make me a bad person? 

 

We also agree that the very best part of the cruise was our day at GSC. So I have been saving that one both to savor it more and because that day resulted in the most photos.

 

Brief history of our GSC plans: I have not been there since it was just this small beach area that you were tendered to, rocks and less crowded to the right, and sand, better snorkeling, more crowded to the left. One buffet area set-up. And a lighthouse off somewhere you had to walk to (which most people didn’t bother with). 

 

Fast forward about 6 years later when I booked this Bahamas cruise and started back on CC to research. And wow! Things had sure changed. Being (kind of) an old fart now, I actually wasn’t into the whole newness, expanded, fancy schmancy thing. But as I read more I became more interested. I decided we HAD to have a cabana. The whole $600-800 Villa thing honestly did nothing for me (I mean, flat screen TV and AC?). No interest. Even if it was free or we were stupid rich, I would still have wanted a Cabana. And really, it was just for the 2 of us. Three couples would rate a Villa “sure, why not.” But all we wanted was to be outside with the option of (for me, the pale rarely-in-the-sun gal) shade within steps. Close to the beach, but open-air. A cabana. So when they opened up I was able to snag a large one and was thrilled, we both were. It was not a bad price minus the Plat-Plus discount and $50 excursion package.

 

Then, several weeks before the cruise I received a perky email from NCL, saying they were thrilled to be able to tell me that they had upgraded us to a Villa at no cost to us. I was slightly disgruntled because I still wanted the Cabana! But then I realized it was a done deal (they were renovating the Cabanas) so I got with the flexibility program and figured, what the heck.

 

 

[Greenpea2]

I also did something that surprised and pleased myself. Just so you know, I am a person afraid of heights with a very healthy dose of fear of flying, to boot. I am proud to say that I DO still fly despite that very real fear (and occasional silent tears on lift-off – and yes, I know that is messed up but it is what it is). I take a Zanax before flying plus have a cocktail once onboard even if it is in the morning. Then I kind of don’t care that much. 

 

As long as there is no turbulence. 

 

As long as I don’t think the flight attendants are worried about anything and exchanging weird glances with each other (I keep an eye out for that). 

 

So now you know why I surprised myself when I took a look at the GSC excursions and read reviews and DECIDED WE SHOULD GO PARASAILING. :-0 I texted Sistah and ran the idea by her. She texted me back “Let’s do it!” So I booked it.

[Greenpea2]

The weather on the day we were at GSC was breezy on the ship but it didn't affect the tenders (YAY) and it was an otherwise perfect day. Spoiler alert: It was not, apparently, a perfect day to go parasailing. When we got off the tender and made our way to the shore excursions we were told it had been canceled due to the wind. BUMMER. So now I will never know if it would have been a thrill or a terrifying event. But at least I tried!

 

Never having been to the “new & improved” GSC, I have to say it was kind of confusing when we first got off the tender. People were wandering around looking just as confused as we were. No one was there with signs saying “This way to excursions!” “This way to the beach!” “This way to the super-duper Villas you aren’t sure you want!” We didn’t know where to go or what to do regarding getting to our Villa. Our Concierge was no help, we had asked him the day before and he hadn’t a clue either. Great. Well so we muddled through. Found the excursions desk (straight ahead a bit on to your left, actual excursion groups on your right). They said to walk around to the other side of the desk and a vehicle would take us to the Villas. So that’s what we did. 

 

A few minutes later we were on our way. It was probably a less than 5 minute ride, but one guy with us said last time he was there, they had to walk. That would be a long walk. Probably about 1.5 miles in the sun on a hot sandy “road.” I’m a walker, but watching the distance we were being driven, I was glad not to have to walk it there and back schlepping my crap.

 

They brought us to the main building and from there got someone to drive us to our Villa. 

 

OMG. It was so nice. So quiet, peaceful, clean. The beach was the same. White sand, blue water, peaceful and quiet. The villa we had was, I’m assuming, one of the “studio” Villas. Ours was at the end of a row of about (maybe) 6 or 8 Villas. We were closest to the buffet (maybe a 3-minute walk) and—even better—to the Moet bar! YES. (Maybe a 1.5-minute walk.) Each Villa had 4 lounge chairs set up for them (no one right next to you) and 2 floating thingies.

 

Here are outside pics of the Villas (rear shots not too impressive, then front shots which are nice, then our loungers).

[SenatorsFan]

That villa sounds so nice right now! 

[ggTexasGal]

It's great that you got the trip in before everything started going very wonky.  Great review!  Thank you for sharing with us!!!

[luvcruzing]

1 hour ago, Greenpea2 said:

Here are outside pics of the Villas (rear shots not too impressive, then front shots which are nice, then our loungers).

????? DId you forget to post them?

[Greenpea2]

LOL. I had trouble then was called to dinner. Then I forgot. Will try again!

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[Greenpea2]

Back of Villa

 

[Greenpea2]

Villa Front 

[Greenpea2]

Villas From Afar

 

[Greenpea2]

Villas from the back from afar

[Greenpea2]

Views from the Back of the Villa

 

[Greenpea2]

And another...

 

[Greenpea2]

Our designated chairs...

 

[Greenpea2]

[Greenpea2]

The inside was really nice. Lots of storage, a full-sized bathroom, safe, refrigerator, TV for those who care. We didn't spend much time inside but it was very nice. Pictures to follow.Unless I forget again... 

 

 

[luvcruzing]

Lovely.  Very impressive.