Sky Princess: Nassau, Amber Cove & Grand Turk

January 31: Returning to Old Town Kissimmee

We began this trip in Kissimmee with a stop that carried more history for me than most roadside attractions. I used to visit Old Town when we came to Florida to see family, but I had not been back in a long time. Walking through it again brought back those earlier Florida trips while also letting us experience the area together now.

Food became the other theme of the day. At K-Bob, we tried Korean fried chicken hotteok and a Korean corn dog. The sweet-and-savory hotteok and heavily coated corn dog made the stop much more interesting than an ordinary travel-day lunch.

Dinner was at KPOT, where the table filled with meat, vegetables, and hot-pot and Korean-barbecue options. We finished with a Japanese cheesecake from 1908 Bakery. It was lighter and softer than a traditional American cheesecake, which made it a good ending after a large dinner.

February 1: A freezing day at Magic Kingdom

The next day was Magic Kingdom, but Florida did not feel much like Florida. It was extremely cold and windy, and we spent the day in jackets, hoodies, and gloves. The castle and familiar park sights were still there, but the weather changed the entire experience.

We made the best of it and kept moving through the park. A cold-weather Magic Kingdom day is memorable in its own way—mostly because no one expects to need winter layers in Central Florida.

February 2: Boarding Sky Princess

We headed to Port Canaveral and boarded Sky Princess. After the busy food stops and theme-park day, getting onto the ship felt like the real beginning of the relaxing part of the vacation.

We explored the ship, watched the water from the open decks, and settled into the rhythm of Princess dining. Dinner started a week of good-looking meals, ocean views, and quieter evenings onboard.

February 3: Nassau, John Watling’s, and a bottle of our own

Nassau became one of the most memorable port days because of John Watling’s Distillery. We toured the historic estate, tried several of the spirits, and visited the production and bottling side.

The best part was getting to fill a bottle, seal it, dip it, and keep it. Instead of bringing home an ordinary bottle from a shop, we left with something connected directly to the experience.

We also stopped for a beer at Pirate Republic Brewing Company and ate lunch at the Bearded Clam. Together, the distillery, brewery, and local lunch created a Nassau day built around walking, tasting, and seeing more than the immediate cruise terminal.

February 4: A day aboard the ship

The sea day gave us time to enjoy Sky Princess between ports. We ate well, explored the ship, and watched the Caribbean pass by without a schedule waiting on shore.

February 5: Amber Cove pool, zipline, and Sky Bar

Amber Cove was an easy port day because so much was available without leaving the cruise area. We spent time around the large pool, enjoying the resort-style setting between the ship and the Dominican hills.

We also rode the zipline above the port. Afterward, we went up to the Sky Bar for a beer and a view across the pool, port, water, and surrounding landscape. It was a good combination of relaxing and doing one activity that made the stop feel different.

February 6: Golf-cart exploring in Grand Turk

In Grand Turk, we rented a golf cart and drove around the island. That gave us more freedom than a fixed tour and let us stop when something caught our attention.

We drove to the lighthouse, followed roads beside the rough turquoise water, saw horses wandering near the route, and tried a local beer. The golf cart turned the day into a small island road trip and showed us more than we would have seen by staying beside the cruise center.

February 7: One last view from the ship

The trip ended with one last look across the wake and the pool deck as Sky Princess returned toward Port Canaveral. In one week, we had gone from nostalgic Kissimmee and a freezing Magic Kingdom to a rum bottle in Nassau, a zipline in Amber Cove, and a golf cart beside the sea in Grand Turk.