We’re cruising across the Atlantic on the Norwegian Star. Our cruise has been a busy one with port call tours as well as sea days filled with plenty of onboard activities. It has been non-stop since we boarded. The Star is one of NCL’s smaller ships and this sailing is only at 67% of total capacity, which is nice because it hasn’t felt crowded.
I am excited to say my parents are currently roaming with the Rountrees. It was great to meet up with them on board when we arrived.
We currently hold an early lead in a cruise-long progressive trivia game. We are surprised to be in the lead, but know it’s a long cruise. Wish us luck! Rex and I love playing trivia when we sail.
Over the last week we’ve stopped at a few ports.
Spain: Cádiz
In Cádiz our excursion took us to the trafalgar lighthouse. This lighthouse lies on the western limit of the Strait of Gibraltar and has been a guiding light for ships navigating the straight since 1862.
Canary Islands: Arrecife
The Canary Islands are located off the Spanish coast. Arrecife was our first stop in these islands and we chose to just stroll the boardwalk and enjoy the views of the sea shore.
Are the Canary Islands named after canaries? No. Their name comes from the Latin word for dog (canaria). According to legend, European explorers encountered a large amount of dogs or “sea dogs” (seals) upon arriving and named the islands “Islas Canarias” or Canary Islands.
Canary Islands: Tenerife
Tenerife was our second Canary island stop. The island is dominated by a large volcano named Mount Teide, the tallest volcano in the Canaries. The volcano is still active, but hasn’t erupted since 1909. We took a bus from sea level to over 7,200 feet in elevation to the base of the volcano, learning a lot about the island and the volcano as we drove. Fun fact: NASA used this island to test the Mars Rover since the volcanic soil and rocky landscape are very similar to the conditions on Mars.
If you are interested in roaming with us in the future, please like our travel page where we will post groups and other opportunities for you to join us.