Brothers Cruise - Part 2: All Aboard the Resilient Lady
Champagne, Chaos & Caribbean Magic
We were beyond excited to join Troy and Kathy for their very first cruise. We kicked things off with drinks at The Dock, because nothing says “bon voyage” like a cocktail before you’ve even left the pier. Then it was time for the Sail Away party, where the music was loud, the vibe was festive, and the champagne intake… well, let’s just say we definitely took advantage of the free champagne.
First Port Stop - Tortola: We chartered a small boat called the Lickety Split, which sounds adorable until you’re bouncing across open water like popcorn kernels in hot oil. Suddenly those boat seats shaped like saddles made perfect sense. But the perk of being on a tiny, slightly feral vessel? We could zip into Sandy Spit, a pocket-sized island that looks like it was photoshopped into reality. Just a few palm trees, some hermit crabs, and us. This is what paradise looks like! We also got to visit a couple beach bars accessible only by boat on Jost Van Dyke. We needed the liquid courage for the ride back to port!
That evening, we cleaned up from our Mr. Toads Wild Ride of a boat outing for the Splash of Romance happy hour. There was a dreamy sunset, live music, and that perfect ocean breeze that makes you feel like you’re starring in your own travel commercial.
We ended the night at Gunbae, Virgin’s Korean BBQ restaurant, where they kick off dinner with a drinking game that involves math. Math. After cocktails. Unsurprisingly, I was eliminated almost instantly, but Kathy absolutely dominated. We also made instant friends - nothing bonds strangers like shared confusion, sizzling meat, and competitive soju consumption.
Barbados: We spent the day on the pristine white sand of Carlisle Beach, which is simply stunning. Warm water, powder-soft sand, and a level of relaxation that should honestly be medically prescribed.
St. Lucia: We had booked a scooter tour for all four of us, imagining cute little Vespa vibes. Absolutely not. These were mini Harley Davidson hell beasts disguised as “scooters.” Kathy and I took one very tentative test drive and immediately opted to become passenger princesses - crowns metaphorically on, pride fully intact. The boys bravely powered on, and by the time the tour ended, the general consensus was: “We’re just happy to still be alive.”
That night was Virgin’s famous Scarlet Night, an octopus-themed ship wide extravaganza where everybody wears red and there’s glitter in places glitter should probably never be. At Pink Agave, the Mexican restaurant, the boys sampled margaritas topped with dried crickets (tastes like chicken). Kathy and I enjoyed more complimentary champagne.
St. Maarten: our final port day. We hired a local driver, Maria, who whisked us around both the French and Dutch sides of the island like a one-woman tour-de-force. We visited the iconic Maho Beach, where planes take off and blast spectators with sand and jet-engine enthusiasm (we survived and still have eyebrows). Then we wrapped up with Guava Berry Coladas and a blissful afternoon lounging at Orient Bay.
Best of all, we had an absolute blast hanging out with Troy and Kathy the whole time - whether we were bouncing across the ocean, dodging death scooters, or singing our lungs out to 80’s music. If this is how our first trip together went, we can’t wait to see what kind of chaos the next adventure brings.