On the first night of our first cruise together, Damon and I sat out on our private balcony. As we clinked our champagne glasses, the moon cast a surreal glow over the sea, and the only sound was the lap of the waves.
With its tropical sunsets, soft sands and turquoise waters, the Caribbean makes for the perfect romantic rendezvous. Only one thing could be better, and that's a Caribbean cruise. We chose a seven-day sailing on board Princess Cruises' Caribbean Princess, with stops in Princess Cays (a private island in the Bahamas), St. Thomas and St. Maarten, and lazy sea days between ports. That way, we could island-hop without hassle, play all day, feast and dance every night, and wake to the sunrise over the sea.
The best part of cruising is its utter simplicity. There's no packing or unpacking, no running to catch flights or make connections. Rather, you just sit back, relax and the world comes to you.
This doesn't mean that Damon and I just wanted to veg out on the sand. In St. Maarten, we joined a hiking excursion through a nature preserve and later strolled along the beach. In Princess Cays, we kayaked and rode paddleboats around the calm waters. Damon had never tried snorkeling, and this protected beach with its own reef was the ideal place to learn. Suspended just below the surface, holding hands, we gazed through our masks and watched the showy sea life dart this way and that. He can't wait to try it again.
In St. Thomas, we signed up for a tour of nearly uninhabited Water Island, where we spent the day mountain biking. Then Damon surprised me with a beautiful aquamarine pendant dangling from a silver chain. He spotted the gem, which perfectly matches the sea's clear turquoise hue, at one of the island's many jewelry stores. I'm still trying to figure out when he found a way to slip away and buy it.
It was all good fun, but now that I think about it, we really made our best memories on the ship. Our mornings began with an energetic pre-breakfast walk around the deck. Or, rather, that was the plan; in reality, our power-walk usually morphed into a leisurely stroll while we stopped to smooch and plan the rest of the day. One memorable morning we skipped the walk altogether and treated ourselves to an Ultimate Balcony Breakfast, a multicourse extravaganza complete with champagne, served on our private veranda.
We adored the Movies Under the Stars program. We pushed a couple of lounge chairs together and watched the 300-square-foot Times Square-style screen. It was sort of like a date at an old-school drive-in theater -- but thanks to the grand ocean views, much more romantic. I think we saw Big, a Tina Turner concert and Shall We Dance, but honestly, it was so lovely snuggling on side-by-side lounge chairs and munching popcorn that what was showing on the screen was almost beside the point.
The ship offered all kinds of nighttime entertainment, but we weren't terribly interested in variety shows, gambling or party games around the pool. Instead, we usually ambled up to Deck 15, where the glass-walled Skywalkers Nightclub loomed high above the sea. Here we settled into cozy seats and admired the moonlit vista of the ship's foamy wake.
Three more top cruises:
- Wind Star in the Greek Isles On this magnificent 148-passenger sailing ship from Windstar Cruises, your dream itinerary starts off in magical Istanbul, then hits the classic islands of Rhodes, Santorini and Mykonos before docking in Athens.
- Paul Gauguin in French Polynesia This luxe ship from Regent Seven Seas Cruises is the best way to island-hop in Tahiti. Do the classic seven-day with stops on Bora Bora and Moorea, or take a longer 14-day trip over to Fiji.
- Celebrity Xpeditions in the Galapagos Cruise through Darwin's training ground in style on a seven-, 11- or 13-day trip from Celebrity Cruises, known for their great food and personal service.
Adventurous honeymooners who like to stay on the move should also check out our 8 Great Lodges in Africa. If a laid-back island vacation is more your style then take a look at our top Cozy Caribbean Resorts.
Return to Main Page: Honeymoon Ideas for the Adventurous Couple
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