05/31/2026
: A Puerto Rican Paradise & 5-Port Island Hop! 🇵🇷🚢
For this week’s memory, we are heading back to November 2019 for an unforgettable trip on Royal Caribbean’s Freedom of the Seas out of San Juan. This was Vikkie’s very first time experiencing Puerto Rico and Royal Caribbean, and we made sure to do it in style!
🌴 Act I: The Ultimate Land Vacation
Vikkie’s parents, Mimi & Papa, came along for the land portion of the trip! We stayed at the beautiful Margaritaville Rio Mar on the north coast. Since I was the "resident expert," I got to play tour guide:
Old San Juan: A classic day exploring the historic streets.
Culebra Island: We took the ferry to lay eyes on Flamenco Beach for the very first time. (Spoiler alert: You will see a lot more of this beach in future posts... it is magnificent and a place I will visit as often as possible!). 🏝️
El Yunque Rainforest: We climbed to the top of Yokahu Tower for some incredible views. 🪵🌧️
A Forever Memory: Our last night on land, we treated ourselves to dinner high on the hill at Richie’s Restaurant. Watching Vikkie’s parents slow dance to Frank Sinatra with the ocean stretching out below us was a beautiful picture of true love that I’ll never forget. ❤️🎶
The next morning, we returned our rental Jeep, said goodbye to Mimi & Papa (who stayed behind to enjoy a few more days in paradise), and boarded the ship!
⚓ Act II: Freedom of the Seas & 5 Port Days
This was a whirlwind itinerary with five consecutive port days. The food on Royal Caribbean was absolutely phenomenal, and we even found a classic shuffleboard court on the promenade deck—one of my all-time favorite cruise pastimes that you rarely see on the newer ships! 🥏
St. Maarten: We rented a car to explore the Dutch and French sides. We "stumbled" upon Orient Beach (if you know, you know... we didn't stay long! 😂), climbed up to Fort Louis for the breathtaking views, and caught the planes flying over our heads at Maho Beach. ✈️🏖️
St. Kitts: Vikkie was in desperate need of a beach day, so we took a taxi to Cockleshell Bay Beach for a perfect day in the sand.
Antigua: Another gorgeous beach day at Long Bay Beach (one of the 365 beaches Antigua is famous for!). That night back on board, we caught Royal’s signature ice skating show. ⛸️❄️
St. Lucia: By day 4, we were completely exhausted from the non-stop travel. We grabbed a couple of local beers, took a water taxi into town for quick shopping, and went right back to the ship to rest. Pro-tip: On a 5-port run, sometimes you just have to listen to your body and relax! 😴
Barbados: A late-night stay here let us experience the local flair! We spent the day at Brownes Beach in Carlisle Bay snorkeling around a shipwreck, and hit the town that evening just in time to see a lively street parade. 🥳
🎭 A Sea Day & Post-Cruise Paradise
After a much-needed sea day relaxing and catching a fantastic theater production (we never miss the ship shows!), we disembarked in San Juan—but we weren't ready to go home yet.
We stayed a couple more nights, driving through the Carolina area (one of my favorite food hubs) and treating ourselves to a spectacular lobster dinner at Lola Lobster before finally heading back to reality. 🦞✨
Who else loves the theater shows on a cruise? And has anyone else accidentally stumbled onto Orient Beach? Let me hear your stories! 👇
