We decided to explore the St. Pete’s Pier area prior to checking into our hotel. We drove down to the pier area and parked a few blocks away by a shopping center for free. It was 3 hours free parking street side. Walking down the pier was breezy but the sun was blazing hot. If I could do it over again I would have parked closer. The pier was full of people fishing. Once inside the pier’s center there were a few unique stores, but nothing mind blowing. After a long day of traveling we were hungry and decided to grab a bite at Captain Al’s Waterfront Restaurant & Bar. It was affordable and seemed to have a pretty good selection for lunch. Due to the humid conditions we decided to eat inside. I choose the buffalo chicken sandwich and my husband ordered a shrimp wrap. Chicken sandwich was average, but the shrimp wrap was great! The service was below average. It took forever to get our food and our server was lacking in checking in on us. I could not understand why as the restaurant was pretty slow at this time.

After lunch we headed to the rooftop for a view from St. Pete’s pier. Offering stunning views of the city this was one of the best things about the pier. Following a rather dull experience on water we headed to our hotel. We took lodging in at the Helmsley Sandcastle Resort. Upon arrival I checked and found the lobby very appealing, complete with a tropical fish tank as a backdrop to the guest services counter. The staff was very friendly and efficient. I had booked us a standard room for two nights for only $260 (including taxes). A great bargain for a beachfront resort. After checking into our clean room we headed to the beach. We walked down the hallway and found sand. Literally only 50 steps from the beach. It was perfect.

The beach was very clean and the waves were mighty. A storm had just passed through and it made for an exciting day in the water. After a fun afternoon in the sun we headed out for dinner. Choosing a waterfront bar & grill known as The Old Salty Dog. A dog friendly outdoor bar that sits on the water. Feeling homesick from my own pets I saw a bull dog, lab and poodle that made me not so homesick. We ordered shrimp poppers and crab legs for dinner. They were excellent and the service was A+. I also tried the specialty drink and it was $10 but oh so delicious. Looking for some night life action we wound up at the Gator Club. Cover charge was $5 and it was a two story bar that had a live band downstairs and pool tables upstairs with a DJ. A very energetic club that had reasonably priced drinks. After a long day we headed back to the hotel to turn in for the night.

The next morning was our beach day. Before hitting the beach we ate breakfast at our hotel. It was only $9 per person for the buffet and it was very filling. After eating we headed to the beach and grabbed our complimentary lounge chairs and basked in the sun for the most part of the day. Later in the afternoon we headed to the local mall known as Westridge. They have most of your average stores plus a few extras. Shopping completed it was time to head back to the room and get ready for a night out. Looking for my favorite style of food (Mexican) we choose Two Senoritas to dine at. They offered a wide selection of food, even puffy tacos which are very hard to find back home. The food was delicious and the salsa was very fresh. Service was good and the interior of the restaurant was very low light and romantic. It was a perfect dinner for our last night in the city.

Heading to Siesta Key was next on the venue. Once there we found several night life spots with bars and live music. Our first stop was into the Daiquiri Deck, a bar with over 13 daiquiris to choose from. I settled on the pina colada and it was superb, one of the best drinks I had on the trip. It is a non-smoking establishment that also serves food. Offering some great happy hours between 3pm – 7pm. We decided to head down Ocean Blvd and visited the Beach Club. Another great nightlife spot with a live reggae band. This club seemed to have a larger following with people of all ages. It turned out to be a great spot to hang out and drink.

We finally awake to our final day on the beach. It didn’t start out great as it was raining non-stop till 11am. I was worried about the weather as we were planning to parasail. Finally the weather subdued and the clouds cleared to sunny skies and we set off to Anna Maria Island. My favorite secret spot in Florida where the beaches are crystal clear and wonderful. We decided to hit up our favorite dining spot in Anna Maria the Gulf Drive Cafe. Home to some of the best pancakes. This place is on the beach, offers outdoor seating and has some of the best food and service I have found. If you ever visit Anna Maria you HAVE to dine here and try their pancakes. After a late breakfast it was time to parasail.

We used YOLO (You Only Live Once) parasailing. At an affordable $60 per person we were suited up and ready to fly. I was nervous at first but once you are up in the air it is so peaceful, all your cares just brush away. On our parasail trip we took off and landed from the boat. The expenses included 1 hour on the boat, 15 minutes in the air and a souvenir CD of photos from the day. It was so worth it and I would do it again.

After spending a few more hours beachside it was time to head home. As much fun as I had and as sad as I was to head home I know I will be back. This is one of my favorite spots to visit. The beaches are beautiful and the weather was perfect for our weekend.

My final review would conclude:

Southwest Airlines – transports you right to Tampa Bay only 30 minutes from all beaches
St. Pete’s Pier – Not worth the drive and rather disappointing
Captain Al’s Waterfront Restaurant & Bar – Average food & Poor Service
Helmsley Sandcastle Resort – a stunning resort that is very affordable and beachfront. Offering a gorgeous pool with poolside bar.
The Old Salty Dog – Outdoor bar & grill with fresh seafood; dog friendly establishment
Gator Club – Two story bar with live music; Cover charge
Siesta Key – perfect spot for nightlife action
Daiquiri Deck – Great selection of Daiquiris and perfect spot for sports watching
Beach Club – Fun with live entertainment and energetic bar patrons; NO cover charge
Anna Maria Island – white sandy beaches; great destination for dolphin and whale watching
Gulf Drive Cafe – Pancakes that are superb and inexpensive
YOLO Parasailing – Offering an affordable new view of the beaches.
Westridge Mall – Average shopping experience on the outskirts of town
Weather – temperatures in the upper 80’s and sunny; storms will likely hit the area but are scattered and only last 30 minutes or less

Once we arrived at the cruise port we were a little confused. The bus driver’s did not direct us very well and it took a little time to realize where we were supposed to board at. Once we solved that issue the next challenge was the line. It was wrapping clear around the building. I was thinking: wow, we are going to be here all day. Boy was I wrong as the line begin to pick up speed and moved quickly. We went through checkpoints where they checked our ID, boarding passes and birth certificates/passports. After passing this test we went through a security screenings. After passing through we arrived to an open area where you checked into your room based on your stateroom floor. Here is where you provide your credit/debit card or cash deposit for your Princess card for your stateroom charges while at sea. This only took maybe 5 minutes and then we were well on our way to our stateroom.

We were upgraded to an ocean view room. Upon arrival the room was clean and I was quite pleased at the above average size of the stateroom. Being hungry we headed above deck to eat. There was an array of choices available from a seafood buffet, pizza, hamburgers and hot dogs. After eating we settled back into our room and received our luggage. We had set sail for Princess Cays, Bahamas. An island privately owned by Princess Cruises. The following day the morning weather looked dreary, with a lot of ominous dark clouds hiding the beautiful sun. When we arrived to Princess Cays we ported at 9am and explored the island a bit before selecting a few lounge chairs and feeling out the temperature of the water. The water was bright blue and warm temps in the upper 70’s. This was our relaxing day of enjoying the water and sun. We did have a couple rain downpours, nothing lasting for more than 5 minutes and when it quickly moved out the bright sunshine returned. Princess offered a great BBQ buffet on the island for the day. The food was perfect for a day on the beach. We headed back to ship around 3pm. We left the Bahamas later that day and headed to our next stop. That evening we attended Movies under the Stars, a wonderful and unique way to watch any film while being provided popcorn and blankets.

Our third day at sea was a long one. These will be your typical drawn out days. We played some bingo and board games and eventually made our way on deck to enjoy some sunbathing by the pool while watching movies under the sun. This particular evening was the formal night. After putting our evening wear on we headed to the dining room for dinner, along the way taking portrait photos provided by the cruise ship to mark the occasion. We ended the evening by watching Sex & the City under the stars. Awaking the next morning to see we had arrived in St. Marten. Our excursion for the day was a caterman ship ride out to sea to a private beach. While at sea we were provided with snacks and alcoholic beverages. We made anchor at sea and were able to jump in the water and float and even head towards the sandy area where we encountered waves, some 4 to 6 feet high. We were told the waves were being caused by a hurricane that had hit a week earlier. Following our water adventure we headed back to the ship and rested up a bit before going to see the evening magic show, then ending the night with a luau party on deck.

Next day we arrived in St. Thomas USVI. A wonderful island with beauty offered all around. Our excursion included a bus ride to Paradise Point where we got a 360 view from up top of the island. We rode a tram that offered wonderful views, however the tram was crowded and a little uncomfortable. But once at the top it was so worth it. After finishing the tram ride our driver offered to take us back to the ship or drop us off downtown for shopping. We opted for the shopping. There were tons of offers everywhere. St. Thomas had the best deals to offer shopping wise. I would highly recommend, no make that insist that you shop here. This is where you will find the best deals on everything. After shopping till we dropped we headed back to ship by taxi. After another formal evening we prepared for our final stop. The next day we reached Grand Turk. Located on the Turk & Caicos Island. This area was hit badly by the hurricane a couple weeks prior. We decided to walk off the beaten path and head down to where a local recommended snorkeling. When we got there it was a beautiful location but there was no snorkeling and it was rather secluded. Everything was closed down due to damages from the storms. Disappointed we headed back to the cruise port. There we enjoyed a day on the beach. To finish things off we did some duty-free shopping and headed back to the ship.

After our final destination we had mostly finished up our trip. We enjoyed our last full day at sea. Ordered the drink specials and watched a few movies. That evening we went to the farewell show and had some laughs, finishing the night off by some gaming at the ship’s casino. The next morning we arrived back to port. A long much needed vacation is what we had. Relaxing is the best word used to describe a cruise. You sit back let them take you to your destination and enjoy all the perks along the way. If you get those midnight hunger pains you can always order room service at any time. Everything Princess Cruises had to offer was what I would expect. At an affordable price you can not beat this escape to the seas.

My final review would be:

Princess Cruises: a top notch cruise ship with friendly & efficient staff
Princess Cays, Bahamas – cruise owned destination offering a stunning beach
St. Marten – a lot to see, but not enough time; choose your excursions wisely
St. Thomas USVI – Caribbean shopping at it’s best
Grand Turk – stunning beaches but is rebuilding after destructive hurricane
Formal Nights – make sure to get your portrait photos
Bingo – a fun and exciting time killer while at sea
Weather – clear & sunny, temperatures in 80’s in October

We arrived on a Friday and checked into our resort. We booked a one bedroom room at the Tortuga Inn. An older Beach Resort located directly across the street from the beach. Tortuga and many of the other resorts offered their own personal lounging areas for hotel guests. These areas included complimentary beach towels, beach umbrellas and chaise lounge chairs. We booked the least expensive room at this resort which was adjoined to another room. We had to enter the room by sliding glass door, which was rather strange. In our room we did not have air conditioning set up. It was kept cool with a cooling tower, however it did seem to get the job done. We could not locate the remote control for the television and the maid entered our room one morning unannounced. I would not recommend this resort to anyone traveling to Anna Maria. Given we paid the lowest rate friends of ours who traveled with us booked an entire unit for less than our cost.

On our second day we traveled further North to the edge of the Island and found many beautiful beaches with the clearest water I have ever seen. I floated in the gorgeous water and even saw several dolphins only a few hundred feet away. Later that day I attended my friends wedding on Bradenton Beach. It was stunning. I have never been to a beach wedding and it was a very unique and memorable experience. On our last day we drove to Siesta Key, a beach to the South of Anna Maria and enjoyed a great day in the sun before heading home.

I would highly recommend this location for any honeymooners. It is very secluded and beautiful. On top of all that it is inexpensive. The dining in the area was very reasonable, lodging can be found at great rates and if you book your airfare at the right time you can get a low fare. The down side is that there is not a lot of local shopping available. If you are not a beach lover this may not be a great destination for you, as pretty much everything is beach oriented. Check out Florida’s best kept secret and see the crystal clear waters of Anna Maria Island, FL. It may just be the best beach on US territory.

My final review would conclude:

Tortuga Inn – run down resort that is way overpriced; look around before staying here
Bradenton Beach – perfect spot for a beach wedding
Anna Maria Island - white sandy beaches; great destination for dolphin and whale watching
Delta Airlines – transports you right to Sarasota only 15 minutes from all beaches
Shopping – not much available locally; expect to drive to stores on outlying areas
Weather – temperatures in the upper 70’s and perfectly sunny