Having never travelled to the Caribbean before,  I was excited to experience Royal Caribbean’s private island, Labadee in Haiti.

Sherri had visited the port  years before but was surprised at the amount of shore tours on offer when we  received our Cruise Compass the day before.

From parasailing to the zip  line, Labadee offers a wide range of activities for passengers who are after either  a bit of adventure or just relaxing by the beach.

Crystal blue waters and white sand met us on  arrive on an absolutely picture perfect day. Having rained overnight, we were a  bit worried that the bad weather would follow us but, apart from a slight  sprinkle in the afternoon, it was smooth sailing (pardon the pun) all day.

We hit the markets first and  whilst Sherri is well versed with pushy traders, it got on my nerves a bit so I  headed back to the beach to ensure that I could show off a well procured tan on  my return to Oz.

Floating beach mats abounded  and the perfect antidote for my many late nights was ahead of me. Surprised at  the coolness of the water, it was a welcome reprieve from 35 degree weather.

A barbeque was available in  several locations on the island and the 1100 kids from the ship were well  entertained with ‘Buccaneer Bay’ and the floating ‘Aqua Park’.

A day of pure relaxation can  be a tad exhausting though and I had a date with the ‘Unexpected Boys’ that  evening so I had to ensure I looked hot to trot before the performance.

The ‘Unexpected Boys’ pay  tribute to Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons in true ‘Jersey Boys’ style with  witty dialogue and angelic voices.

Like the musical itself, the Jersey attitude  and quips prevail and the ‘boys’ received several standing ovations.

Being a massive fan of the  music, I was so excited to have this show on board. So much so that I even  purchased the CD and have been listening to it on repeat ever since!

South Beach Miami hit  Navigator of the Seas tonight with a nightclub under the stars. The Cruise  Director and Activities Director took to the decks and spun a myriad of tunes  for passengers wanting to revel in the beautifully balmy evening en route to  Jamaica.

There’s something about  dancing under the stars that brings out all of those people who had been hiding  in their cabins each night. The Solarium was filled with those amazing dancers  of the first night and the mood was electric.

It’s always this point in the  cruise when groups are formed and lifelong friends are made. This was a bit  more difficult on a sailing filled with so many children, but looking around  the Club 20 Dance Party, it was great to see so many familiar faces most  probably aiming to burn off those calories again as I had attempted to do each  night!

“Cupid Shuffle” anyone?

Originally written by Nataly Aroyan for e-Travel Blackboard