We set sail in May on the Norwegian Escape for our first ever cruise. It was an unforgettable 7-day Western Caribbean adventure to celebrate my son’s high school graduation.

We flew Southwest Airlines to Miami because they had the best deal on airline tickets. We almost exclusively use them. Once you tack on baggage fees that other airlines charge, Southwest is always cheaper. For a family of 5, price is important.

Tip: I found that booking my own airlines tickets for this trip, instead of going through the cruise line, saved me around $200

Norwegian was perfect for first time cruisers. We arrived at every port on time, the entertainment and activities were fantastic, the food was delicious, and the memories were priceless! We had three port days and two sea days, and we enjoyed every single one.

First stop – Roatan!

We booked our excursion through Explore Roatan. It was a private tour that included a visit to the Sloth and Monkey Park, Reef and Starfish snorkeling, and a dockside lunch.

Tip: If you book your excursion through someone besides your cruise line, make sure they guarantee that you will be back to your port ON TIME!

The Sloth and Monkey park was the first stop of this excursion. We had an amazing time at this park. The animals were all happy and playful. The sloth, however, was the highlight. With its coarse feeling hair and its adorable expressions, we could not get enough. Each area of the park was kept clean and well maintained. The workers we encountered were very educated and they were passionate about animal and bird conservation. It was really fun to be able to get up close and personal with the toucans, monkeys and sloths. A very educational and enjoyable experience!

Next we headed to the docks to get on our reserved boat for some reef and starfish snorkeling. Because we were a party of 5, and there was another small group at the docks, we were combined and upgraded for free which added an additional snorkeling spot.

The first spot we snorkeled was above a natural sandbar where they did a great job educating you on how to snorkel, how to take care of the ocean and the main attraction – the many brightly colored starfish.

At spot two we snorkeled through the stunning reefs. There were colorful schools of fish and the clear Caribbean water made it easy to see all the marine life. Luckily, we didn’t see any sharks (which was my biggest fear).

Stop three the boat took us farther past the reefs where we could snorkel out to a shipwreck. The water got very deep just on the other side of the wreck, which was a little unnerving. Being able to swim underwater through the wreckage was an amazing experience.

Tip: Using an underwater camera or waterproof case for your phone is a great way to preserve memories and get video of all the marine life and sights to show to those who aren’t brave enough to snorkel all 3 spots.

Before heading back to our port, we had lunch at a little restaurant by the docks. The kids were enthralled by the local monkey, named Luigi, that hung around the docks. Lunch included fresh caught fish, a bean and rice mixture and plantain chips. It all was delicious!

Every moment of this week was amazing, so stay tuned for highlights of our sea days and the next 2 port stops…

Copyright: All photographs in this blog and website are original and produced by me unless otherwise stated. I love to share but please contact me for permission before using.