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Writer's pictureRaquel Fernandez

CARIBBEAN HONEYMOON

Updated: Apr 14, 2020

Hi, guys! I can’t believe it’s been almost three months since my last blog post. The wedding festivities and holidays had all my attention, but I'm so glad I have the chance to get back to blogging! We just got back from our honeymoon last Sunday night... I couldn't wait to organize these pictures and tell you all about our trip.

After many months of debating on what to do for our honeymoon, we decided to go on a cruise! Due to the time of year, we chose the Caribbean as our honeymoon destination and we were not disappointed! It was so nice to take a little break from winter and catch some sunrays! We chose Holland America as our cruise line just like we did back when we got engaged in 2018. This time we were a little more savvy about choosing which specific ship we wanted, and we chose their latest cruise ship, Nieuw Statendaam.


We had debated on going to Istanbul and Israel for our honeymoon, but when we heard about the Iran attack in January, we figured it’d be safer to stay closer to home. Now I realize that WW3 didn‘t break out, but at the time, social media was buzzing about what could happen.

Then, the coronavirus news hit... these outbreaks occurred on two cruise ships sailing around Asia. Fortunately, Holland America took safety precautions for our cruise. They didn’t allow people from certain countries to board ahead of time (gave them a full refund, supposedly), and did a health check before we boarded. We’re so thankful we had a safe trip! If you’re planning on traveling these days, research the best ways to remain healthy and constantly wash your hands!

There were four stops on our cruise itinerary: 1) the Bahamas, 2) Turks and Caicos, 3) Dominican Republic, and 4) Key West, Florida. Keep scrolling for more info and to find out which spot was my favorite! :)


THE BAHAMAS

One word: wow! Half Moon Cay is Holland America's private island, which is a part of the Bahamas. We took a small ferry from the cruise ship to the island. The water, as you can see, was stunning - like, Gatorade blue! The cool thing about it is the 98% of the island remains untouched to preserve the wildlife. Also, there was free lunch included and the only method of payment for anything on the island was our room key card. This was mostly a chill day for us since we knew we had three stops to go. We enjoyed the beach, and walked around to check out the restaurants and cabanas.

We got lucky... A sweet lady gave us her little cabana since she was heading back to the ship and wouldn't be using it anymore

My "MRS" hair clip is from shein.com - make a statement with a tiny detail!

The Captain Morgan restaurant and bar...





Don't mind that I put my shorts on inside out. It was a long day! lol













Outfit details:

Bikini: Shein.com

Lime and snakeskin print? Say no more. Plus, I love a good high-waisted bikini bottom.


Sunglasses: Raybans

My favorite shades. If you're an avid reader of my blog, I'm sure you already knew this.


Shorts and shoes: Nastygal.com

I love these wedge platform shoes, even if they're not the most comfortable to walk in! They went with pretty much all of my cruise outfits.


had to sneak a ring selfie in...

TURKS AND CAICOS

Turks and Caicos was probably my favorite destination. We booked a catamaran excursion for this stop. First thing that morning, we boarded the "Chukka" catamaran, which took us to one of the most beautiful reefs in the WORLD!

Turks and Caicos is known for it's snorkeling and scuba diving spots. I had never been snorkeling so I didn't know exactly what to expect, but it was so worth it! It was really windy that day, so they warned us that if we weren't strong swimmers we should just stay on the catamaran. I ended up using a swimming noodle just to be safe out in the water. I didn't have a waterproof case or anything like that, so I didn't get pictures in the water to share with y‘all.


I definitely recommend doing at least one excursion during a cruise. We didn't do more than one because it would‘ve probably been exhausting and we mainly wanted to relax on this trip. This excursion was just what we wanted. After the snorkeling fun, we boarded that catamaran again and they gave us drinks. We were then taken to a private beach and chilled there for about an hour before heading back to the port.


The staff was so friendly and entertaining. A couple of people on the excursion told Justin and me that we luckily chose the best snorkeling company. They had gone on excursions like this one through other companies in the past and this was their favorite... which reminds me, I need to go write them a good review!

Outfit details:

Bikini: Shein.com

Of course, I went to Shein for my bikini needs! They have SO many cute and affordable options. I went with a comfortable and secure bikini for Turks and Caicos since I knew I was going snorkeling that day.



View from the Chukka catamaran aka "the Party Girl"

Can you spot me?




And that’s all she wrote on Turks & Caicos! We didn’t take that many pictures in the Turks, but I’m glad we disconnected during days like this one.


THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

I was so excited to go to DR since I have Dominican friends and I‘ve heard so much about it! I always wondered how different it would be compared to Puerto Rico or one of Venezuela's islands. It was completely different. If I had to describe it in one word, I’d choose the word “green.” We went to Amber Cove, which is right outside of the city of Puerto Plata. It looked like a rain forest, and as soon as I stepped out to our cabin's balcony I heard music. So, I knew it was going to be a fun place to explore.









Outfit details:


Dress: Shein This dress gave me all the Spanish vibes! I’m glad I wore green to match the greenery in the DR.


Shoes: Marc Jacobs

These heels are super comfortable, especially considering how I walked around all day long!


Purse: My mom bought this purse in Miami about 2 years ago. We can't remember the name of the store, but Nordstrom has a great selection if you're looking for one!


Hat: Aria I bought this hat right after I got engaged in Santorini. I thought it was fitting to bring it on my honeymoon.


SKY BAR


After walking around, our first stop was the Sky Bar in Amber Cove. Sky Bar has an amazing view of the port. There’s a resort nearby with zip lining, too! However, they mostly played American music. It’s a cool place to go to, but not for an authentic Dominican feel. It’s still worth checking out for the view and yummy drinks though!


PUERTO PLATA

We took a taxi to downtown Puerto Plata also known as "El Centro." The taxi driver told us he could take us to all the tourist sites for $70. He was so friendly and informed us all about the history of the island and its sites. He also joked saying, "mama look and papa pay." Mama (aka me) agreed!





We also stopped by a cigar factory, a jewelry store where they sell amber and larimar (two Dominican stones), and a Mamajuana store. Mamajuana is a Dominican drink made out of wine and rum. Of course, we had to try some!


Paseo de Doña Blanca

We drove by this spot and I knew we had to walk back and check it out. It's so cute and of course there were lots of other girls there taking pictures. It was def the most instagrammable spot.







sitting with the Doña Blanca statue


Casita Azul


Fortaleza San Felipe

Admission to the fort was only $2 and it had the most gorgeous view!






We loved the DR and hope to go back soon!

KEY WEST

Our last stop on the cruise was Key West, Florida! It was our first time visiting this beautiful city. We took a trolley train from the port to the city for free and it dropped us off near one of the main streets. We then walked about 20 minutes to see the Southernmost Point buoy, which is the most photographed object in Key West. The city reminded me of Charleston, SC, since there are boutiques and bars around every corner. If you're planning on visiting, keep in mind you can see it all in one day!







I was so thirsty when I saw this beacon of hope lol

Custom jacket by @najiarts on instagram!

It was a windy day!

Outfit details:

Dress: Shein

This was by far my favorite dress from this trip. The only downside was that it was see-through but I wore my swimsuit underneath. It's a beach town so I figured I could get away with it!



Handbag: Chanel


Denim jacket: American Eagle

I LOVE THIS JACKET. My jacket was customized for my wedding by a Charlotte artist named Naji. Check his artwork out on his instagram @najiarts.

A mermaid house!






We stopped by the *original* Margaritaville for a drink and ordered $4 Margaritas, along with some fried pickles. These margaritas were prob the best I ever had. It was coincidentally "National Margarita Day!"


CRUISE LIFE:

DAYS AT SEA


THE DINING ROOM

Outfit details:

Dress: Vici Collection

I loved the simplicity and elegance of this dress. It was so roomy too, perfect for a dinner date!


Shoes: Aldo

I bought these heels almost 5 years ago and they have withstood A LOT! They're my Cinderella heels.


Clutch: Louis Vuitton

This clutch comes with the Neverfull LV bag, which I also brought on this trip. I didn't bring more options since I had to keep my baggage weight down, so this worked! It goes with everything and just about any ocassion.





Surf and turf night

THE GRAND DUTCH CAFÉ






Our prom picture from gala night lol



escargots!


Since the dining room was closing towards the end of our meal, the waiter gave us one of each of the items on the dessert menu! Ugh, they were all so good, especially the little molten chocolate cake!


Dive In Burgers and New York Pizza... oh, and a salad


late night snacks provided after 9pm

breakfast with a view at the Lido Market

our balcony

Outfit details:


Bikini & belt: Shein.com

I love this tan-ish/coral color. I feel like it's the best nude tone for my skin tone. I bought another nude bathing suit but ended up not wearing it because it was too close to my skin tone. If I had worn it, I would've actually looked nude.


Shorts: Forever 21

These are my favorite shorts. I paired them with this belt since they fit me a little looser in the waist these days *yay!*


Same ones mentioned above! ^

Accessories section:

Handbag: Chanel

Mrs makeup bag: Southern Charm

Lipstick: Kylie Cosmetics (side note: I wore this lipstick the most on this trip)

Mrs passport wallet: Amazon.com

close up of the Kylie lipstick

I always wanted a pic of us in matching robes lol



FORT LAUDERDALE

Fort Lauderdale was our port and final destination before heading back to Charlotte. We spent the whole day in Fort Lauderdale and mostly chilled at Hugh Taylor Birch State Park, which is right across the street from the beach. We also stopped by a really cool restaurant and bar called Park & Ocean nearby. The vibe was perfect for a relaxing day right before heading to a busy airport!


we played a little rummy to pass the time

Park & Ocean

And that concludes my honeymoon post... I'm so glad I could outline the trip and document these memories for years and years to come!


The biggest thank you goes out to my partner in life (and in travel) for making it all possible. I have had the time of my life with you and can't wait for our next adventure!!!


XO,

Raquel


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