Ritz Carlton Caribbean Cruise From Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

We ended the year in luxury Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruises from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale.  It was the perfect way. How to end a year of travelThe story began with a stunning Antarctica expedition cruise.  

A trip on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht EvrimaWe had been looking forward to this trip since the ship’s launch the previous year.  We were eager to explore the ship, and we wanted the luxury treatment that we expected. Ladies and Gentlemen of the Ritz.  We selected a Caribbean itinerary with some ports that we have visited before.  We decided to do only a couple of shore excursions, and spend the rest of our time on board while everyone else was ashore.  

We were able to enjoy a Caribbean cruise in the sun and warmth of the south as winter settled into Toronto.  We had a great time on shore excursions, and enjoyed the water activities on the Marina Deck. Ritz-Carlton Yacht. We had plenty of time to enjoy it. first Ritz-Carlton yacht experience.

Our Caribbean Itinerary

Our trip began with a St Regis Bahia Bay: a luxury stay in the BayOutside San Juan, Puerto Rico.  Boarding the yacht EvrimaIn San Juan, we started First cruise on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht.  

Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands (BVI), was reached after a quick overnight cruise.  We made a short hop to the second BVI Port at Jost van Dyke that night.  After a relatively calm day at sea, we arrived in Grand Turk on the Turks and Caicos.  San Salvador was our first Bahamas port.  Then we spent a full day in Nassau.

The cruise ended in Fort Lauderdale.  Not satisfied with our pampering experiences, we spent yet another day in Fort Lauderdale. 5 Days at the Ritz-Carlton Fort Lauderdale.  Then it was time to return to Toronto during the winter.

Boarding In San Juan, Puerto Rico

After a St Regis Bahia Bay: a luxury stay in the BayWe hired a driver to take us to the port.  We were always grateful when drivers checked cruise port assignment.  Our port for the Ritz-Carlton Yacht EvrimaOur paperwork was not correct.  We also knew that we should never leave the port before we had seen our ship!  

We arrived at 1pm and were checked in immediately.  We uploaded our photos and credit card details in advance of boarding so that we could get our room cards.  A long line of Ladies and Gentlemen of the RitzAs we walked onto the yacht and around it, we were greeted by a friendly crew.

We were taken to our emergency station and then the mandatory safety video started in the cabin.  This was our First cruise on the Ritz-Carlton YachtSome of the cruise processes were different.  We met with the Concierge assigned for our group of cabins to make our dinner reservations.  We were unable to book dinners prior to boarding unlike other cruises we have taken.  The room attendants arrived shortly after we had met them.

We had lunch on the pool deck.  We then explored the yacht for seven days.   

We returned to our room and unpacked, then dressed for a dinner early.  We ate on the deck of the Mistral Restaurant.  It was the ideal opportunity to see the yacht depart the San Juan Harbour.  

We were all excited to start our vacation. Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruises from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

Explore Virgin Gorda by Land

We woke up early to watch our first sunrise on the sea from our balcony.  The water looked calm and perfect for our day excursion on Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands (BVI).

Our yacht was in the bay.  We were able to reach the shore after a short ride in a tender. We looked at the Ritz Carlton Evrima, which was floating in the water.

The Tigers Taxi jeep awaited us.  We took a tour of the island.  We stopped by three different viewpoints, including Soldier Bay Lookout (Savannah Bay Viewpoint), Little Bay Lookout (North Sound), and Savannah Bay Viewpoint.

The view from above was amazing.  Each view was higher than the one before. We looked behind us and saw our route.

The turquoise waters were breathtaking.  We saw a multi-masted sailing vessel far below. On our boat tour around Virgin Gorda, we got a better look at it.

The breathtaking views of Virgin Gorda from the air excited us on our trip. Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruises from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

Virgin Gorda From the Water On Our Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

Slowly, our jeep drove down to the other end of island.  We boarded a ship at the Virgin Gorda Port. Bell Arosa catamaran.  The captain took us on a slow cruise along the coast.  One of the staff gave a running narration as we passed through sights. Another staff member ensured that glasses were filled up with rum.

We saw the Club MedClub Med Beach Club and a sail ship with multiple masts. We moved slowly past Saba Beach Resort. We noted this lovely location for a future visit to Virgin Gorda. Our guide then pointed out the islands that Richard Branson owns.

We motored past the beach at Devil’s Point.  The boat then passed the granite boulders, the white sand and the opening to the sea. The Baths.  We saw the waterfall from the top of the cliff. Top of the Baths Restaurant & BarIt was a beautiful spot to stop for a break on an island with a nice view. Some of the excursions on the cruise ships included a swim at The Baths through the rocky caverns.

The tour boat made a quick pass by the Ritz-Carlton Yacht EvrimaWe got a great look at the yacht from the water’s level.  We noticed that the Marina Deck had been opened and was ready for outdoor fun.

We saw Virgin Gorda in a new light from the sea. We had a great time on our first shore excursion. Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruises from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

The Ritz-Carlton Yacht Evrima offers a fun marina deck.

As soon as we returned to our yacht, we changed into bathing suit and headed down to the Marina Deck.  We had to sign a comprehensive liability waiver before we were allowed to leave the dock.  

On one side of the deck, we found a Hobi Cat sailboat.  On the opposite side, we had double pedal kayaks as well as regular double kayaks.  We had kayaked before but never tried pedal kayaks, so we chose them.  We grabbed the life jackets, and then proceeded to board.  

Similar to Our kayaking experience in AntarcticaThe hardest part of the trip was getting in the kayak.  We were given instructions on how we could go forward, reverse and turn.  Once we launched, it was easy and fun.  We had to kayak as close to the ship’s back as possible to ensure we were within reach of recovery.

After returning the kayaks, we jumped into the small swimming pool created at the rear of the dock.  We had to wear life jackets while swimming and I bobbed around like a cork.  After we got cooled off, we went back to the deck where we enjoyed some more sunshine.

Snorkelling At Jost Van Dyke 

After a very quick overnight cruise, the following day we arrived in Jost Van Dyke.  This was the second port we visited in the BVI.  Again, it was sunny and mostly calm.  It looked perfect for our day of snorkelling. We took the tender to the shore and were immediately transported to the Ocean Girlz catamaran. 

The captain pulled out quickly to take us along the shoreline to our first snorkeling spot.  The crew provided snorkelling equipment.  We brought our own snorkel and mask but used the fins that the boat provided.  

We both traveled with thin skin for sun protection and rash protection.  We had seen jellyfish the day before. After being stung by jellyfish in SicilyWe didn’t take any risks earlier in the year.

We all walked towards the shore with our gear when the boat pulled up at the small dock.  We walked across the sand and then waded in the shallow, weedy water.  We walked to the rocks, and then deeper water, to see the underwater world.  The water was murky, but we found small fish and corals as we slowly moved forward.

We swam to the boat to get on and move to the next location.  When we saw the long sandy beaches at Sandy Spit, we knew we had arrived.  When we looked below, we saw clear water with sand.  We knew we wouldn’t see any fish here.  We wore our gear and explored the 2 palm trees and the long sandy spit.

The turquoise waters of Jost Van Dyke were beautiful.  Another great outdoor adventure on our Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruises from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

Grand Turk: A Short Port Day

After a full sea dayWhen we arrived in Grand Turk, Turks & Caicos, the wind gusts were above the operating tolerances.  The captain was unable to safely dock the ship because of the high winds.  He quickly got alongside when the winds finally calmed down and apologized to the crew for the delay.

Grand Turk replaced an earlier scheduled stop at Long Island, Bahamas.  We were only in port about six hours.  We decided not to book a tour.  We could get up at a leisurely pace and then leave the ship late in the morning.  

As we walked along the pier, we saw the long stretches sand beach.  And the sign welcoming Grand Turk.

The pier led to a large area of a cruise port that looked similar in appearance to many other ports we visited.  Jimmy Buffet’s MargaritavilleWe had to walk right through the Duty Free shop to leave the ship.  We walked around the large pool area. MargaritavilleImagine Grand Turk when many cruise ships visited it.

The cruise port area was full of shops.  With less than 200 people onboard, the cruise ship was a small one. Ritz-Carlton YachtSeveral of the stores had closed.  We found a memorial to Grand Turk, the splashdown site of Friendship 7 and American Astronaut John Glenn.  A large Christmas tree had been decorated for the holidays. While strolling on the beach, we came across a fun beached statue of a whale.

It was nice to get off the boat and stretch our legs.  Our slow morning meant that we didn’t really have time to get a taxi and explore more of this island.  So we headed back aboard to Enjoy the luxury shipBefore the excursion groups returned.  On our Grand Turk tour, we enjoyed a quiet day. Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruises from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

Enjoying the Ship in San Salvador, Bahamas

We have cruised the Caribbean many times, and visited many ports.  We booked our cruise when we booked. Ritz-CarltonOn our Caribbean cruise, it was fine to stay on board for a few port days to enjoy the ship’s quietness.  Our plan was to spend the day in San Salvador on the Bahamas.

The ship stayed in deeper water when it arrived in San Salvador and used GPS-controlled dynamic positioning (DP) to hover in place.  We were glad for a late start to the day and a relaxed onboard experience. The seas had been a bit rough, so we were grateful for a late breakfast.

We were thrilled to find the quiet 9th floor deck near the gym and spa.  There were a lot of loungers at the bow and shady ones along the sides. We chose the unusual day bed shaped like a clamshell and stayed under some shade. The bucket was filled with wine, champagne, and water.  The whirlpool was on this level, with jets all around. It was also shaded and had warm water.  

We went down to the Marina Deck when we wanted a change in scenery.  The water sports were closed because we weren’t anchored.  The vast lounge area was mostly empty.  Another great place to enjoy a quiet yacht day.

Around 2pm, people started returning from their shore excursions.  We were a tad envious when we heard that a small, private group had organized a great scuba diving excursion.  This could have changed our plans.  We were very happy that we had a full-day off on our Ritz-Carlton Caribbean from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale. 

Our Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale, the busy port of Nassau

We checked the ports before our cruise to see if they were busy.  We were not shocked to find out that there were 6 cruise liners and 20,000 passengers at Nassau the day of our visit.  This alone would have discouraged our booking of a shore excursion to Nassau.  The cruise terminal was a hive of activity as the day progressed.

We’re lucky we Visited Nassau many times.  Our best pal had a condo in Nassau, and he was there when we arrived.  We avoided the costly “bait & switch”The local jitney buses were the best option after we escaped the taxi scams.  The #10 and #12 buses would quickly take us to Cable Beach, for only $2.50 US each for two people.

We spent a few hours with a friend and had lunch in the Royal Blue TavernThe golf course is a great place to play. Baha Mar Resort.  While most people who are not on cruise ships spend their day at the closer Atlantis ResortsWe felt the newer Baha MarA day pass at the complex was better than a simple option.

We planned our time around the crowds at the port and made it to the ship.  A friend was able to visit us on our Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale. 

Docking In Fort Lauderdale

Many cruises in the Caribbean had a 7-day loop that started and ended in Miami or Fort Lauderdale.  We started in San Juan, Puerto Rico, but finished in Fort Lauderdale.  It was a bit harder to book flights.  The direct flight from Fort Lauderdale to Toronto was quick and frequent.

We were not in a hurry to leave the ship because we had stayed in Fort Lauderdale for a few more days after the cruise.  We had a leisurely, slow breakfast and then stopped at a coffee shop.  It was a good opportunity to say goodbye properly to the many officers, crew and passengers we met during our trip.

We were fortunate to be the only cruise ship at Port Everglades, when we disembarked.  We were escorted along the long corridors, picking up our luggage.  We were able to get to our final destination quickly as there was no queue at customs. Stay at the Ritz Carlton Fort Lauderdale.  We had a final luxury stay in Toronto before we returned.

A Luxury Cruise on the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Evrima

We enjoyed our ports stops on the Ritz-CarltonCaribbean cruise from Puerto Rico Fort Lauderdale.  We were glad to have the time we did to enjoy our cruise. first Ritz-Carlton yacht experience.  The Ladies and Gentlemen of the Ritz have delivered on the brand promise and the service excellence we love from Ritz-Carlton.  This was by far and away the best service we’ve ever received at sea!

The balcony was a nice touch.  The ship had a variety of dining options.  Vishna, our barista Vishna, was a delight every day with her coffee art.

The yacht had a beautiful interior design and great spaces for relaxing.  Small pools and deck spaces were available for sunbathing.  The spa included a complete exercise room.  We had plenty of time to relax and enjoy the yacht.

We enjoyed both of the theme nights.  En Blanc night was a great time to dress in white and enjoy the food in a beautifully decorated room. The musicians onboard entertained us as we ate.  Havana night was a change from white to vibrant Caribbean clothing.   The music was upbeat which immediately filled the dancefloor.  

We were glad to have booked our Ritz Carlton yacht trip on this Caribbean cruise.

Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale

We started the year with An amazing cruise to Antarctica. And our first Ritz-Carlton yacht experienceWe finished exactly where we wanted to finish Our 2023 Travels.  We enjoyed the many port stops during our Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico to Fort Lauderdale.  We had plenty of time to explore. EvrimaEnjoy the Ritz-Carlton’s service excellence on your yacht.  

We learned more about the expansion plans for the future and the new ships coming to the Ritz-Carlton Yacht Collection line.  We knew we’d be back for another great yachting trip.

Have you ever taken a Ritz-Carlton Caribbean Cruise from Puerto Rico up to Fort Lauderdale, Florida?

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