Wow, am I happy that I did not believe everything that I read about the NCL Sky. First off, I made the reservation for our trip in May for a September sailing date for myself, my husband, and our 2 children (12 & 14). My mother, brother, and a friend added their rooms after, and we were all give cabins next to each other. My 2 children were free (with the exception of port taxes, fees, etc which amounted to $67 each). I figured for about $50 per day/per person on my end, things couldn't be too bad!

We arrived at the port a little after noon and we were on the ship in lightning time! On board we were greeted with champagne and orange juice and set off to explore. The announcement that cabins were ready came promptly at 2:00 pm and by about 2:30 our luggage was being delivered. We picked up a snack at the Garden Cafe. My only complaint was that 2 of us are vegetarians and there is a sign above the food that said "Vegetarian", but to my surprise was full of pork! Besides that, the food in the action stations varies and the lines move relatively quick. My TIP here: If you are on the ship before 2pm try the Palace Dining Room. It is open embarkation day for lunch until 2 and I heard rave reviews about the BLT.

PORTS: Freeport: Not much excitement, but then again, we didn't book excursions or plan any trips. I was in definite "chill mode". We took a trip to Lucaya and walked around for an hour or so and made our way back to the ship early. Definitely liked the Freestyle here. Nassau: I have not been to Nassau in 20 years, so Paradise Island was a must for us. We paid $3 per person for a water taxi and were on our way. Everyone had a great time on the slides, pools and even in The Dig. We bought the bands for access to everything directly from the hotel and it works out less expensive. Just make sure to budget time to get back to the ship because this way you are on your own. The water taxi's run every 30 minutes and the vendors under the bridge give you a pretty cheap souvenir option. Read more