PHOTO REVIEW: Norwegian Sky to Cuba

[Bostonjetset]

Day 4 - At Sea

 

11/02/2017 - 11.15pm

So, today ended up being a day at sea. We were supposed to call at Great Stirup Cay, Bahamas but the captain decided at around 9am to cancel the port as he felt it was unsafe to tender ashore. I've never been to this port but I still cannot say I am heartbroken. I've not really been impressed with any other ports in the Bahamas so this wouldn't have likely been much better. Anyway, we should get the port fees refunded so I'll see how much tomorrow when I get the final bill [*Note, it was $31pp].

 

We had breakfast with C and J and then ended up having lunch with R and C2 from Calgary, Alberta. The rest of the day we just lounged around; E laid out on deck for some sun whilst I caught up on some reading back in the stateroom. Around 5.30pm I turned on the TV to find Spiderman Homecoming on so I watched that until it was time for dinner. We took dinner in Cagney's tonight as we had some OBC to spend. It was pretty good but didn't blow me away. The petit filet was tasty and the short-rib starter was quite good. However, the potatoes au gratin were just mediocre as the cubes of potato were just a bit too hard. The macadamia nut ice-cream sandwich for dessert was very good though. E had the bison steak and it was tasty. After dinner we met up with Orlando, Philly, J, and C for drinks in Outriggers. We chatted for a good two hours and then it was time for bed. Luckily we still have tomorrow in Miami before flying home on Saturday.

[Bostonjetset]

Cagney’s starter, entree and dessert.

[Bostonjetset]

Day 5 - Miami, FL

 

11/03/2017 - 10.25pm

We were up around 7.30am this morning so we could have our last breakfast on the ship. It is always busy on disembarkation days but as we did self-carry walk-off we did not have to wait long at customs. There must've been hoards of people later on so this method is preferable for those who are able-bodied enough to handle their own baggage. Tonight we are staying at the InterContinental Miami-Doral which is near the airport so the Uber was a bit pricey at $25. Our room would not be ready until about 12.30pm so we took the shuttle to the Miami International Mall to kill a couple of hours. It's not the nicest mall and we had no plans to buy anything but we did end up eating lunch in the food court. We got back to the hotel around 1.15pm, checked in, and took naps until about 4pm. Then ewe caught an Uber to South Beach to meet E's friend [that he met on a past cruise] for an early [6ish] dinner at The Big Pink. The food was excellent and portions were generous though prices were on the higher side being in South Beach and all. After, we strolled along Ocean Drive for about 45 min before catching another Uber back to the hotel. Early-ish flight tomorrow and it's been a fabulous but exhausting trip so bedtime soon.

[Bostonjetset]

Final Thoughts

 

**Ship:

NCL is not my line of choice for various reasons [i'm really more of a Holland America Line / Cunard guy] but the Sky pleasantly surprised me in a few areas. The open-bar concept made for a stress-free vacation; even though I'm not a big drinker it was nice to never have to even think about drink prices as it was all included. Even some top-shelf brands like Russian Standard, Bombay Sapphire, Tito's, etc. were included. Only the ultra-premiums like Grey Goose and the like hade an extra charge. One could could perfectly nice cocktails made with good brands from the all-inclusive list.

 

For a ship that is almost 20 years old she was in very good repair. NCL has done a nice job of keeping her in good shape. The layout may be a bit awkward for those used to the newer ships but the smaller size helped ease any stress that may cause. One impressive feature is that she has a full, wraparound promenade deck which is a rarity nowadays. All HAL ships have this and I was happy to see it on this NCL ship as it's a pleasurable place to stroll a few laps in the afternoon.

 

We didn't see any shows on this trip so I can't comment on those.

 

**Food:

I know this is subjective but I feel the food could have been better. NCL has historically ranked last of the lines I've sailed when it comes to be personal tastes in food and the Sky did nothing to elevate that position. Sure there were a handfull of really nice dishes [the pork shank in the MDR was delicious and the pea soup was good. Also, I love NCL's pretzel rolls on the buffet!] however most things were fairly mediocre. They had a roasted lamb shank on the menu one night which looked promising but they were out of it by the time we went to dinner. The French onion soup in the MDR was not great and most other dishes I had were just not memorable. Cagney's was good and the service was nice as it's a small venue. However, other lines have Cagney's-quality food in the MDR for no extra charge.

 

**Service:

Our steward was kind and got the job done. The bar staff were pretty much the same as were the dining room staff. No one stood out with the exception of a young Filipino waiter in the buffet [i think his name was Mark] who was very sweet and always went out of his way to chat with us when he saw us. There was also a young Indonesian waiter, whose name escapes me, in Outriggers who was very sweet.

 

**Port:

There is no doubt that Havana is one of my favourite Caribbean ports of all time. It is so unique and nothing like anywhere else in the West Indies. The Cuban people were so kind and welcoming; proud to show their country to visitors and dispell any misconceptions one may have. The fact that everything in Havana is pretty locally based is a huge plus. No Diamonds International, Tanzanite International, Senor Frogs, etc. here and that is so refreshing. The culture and history of this country is so deep and though 2 days is not nearly enough, it does give one a nice sampling of at least the capital city. NCL made a wise decision putting this ship on the Havana runs as it will surely make an older ship like the Sky more marketable. As soon as I got home I found myself wanting to be back in Havana, a cigar in one hand and a daiquiri in the other, lazing away the evening with good conversation among new friends.

[Oakman58]

An absolutely great trip report and review. Thanks for taking the time to do it and share all those wonderful photos.

[Bostonjetset]

An absolutely great trip report and review. Thanks for taking the time to do it and share all those wonderful photos.

It was my pleasure. I am happy you enjoyed reading it.

[Yorkvillain]

Great review and great photos Boston. Thanks for sharing.

[Bostonjetset]

Great review and great photos Boston. Thanks for sharing.

Thank you for reading. I'm happy you enjoyed it. These reviews are always a fun way for me to relive a trip shortly after returning :).