Kosherica’s fantastic luxury Kosher Jewish Music Festival will take off on January 13th, 2019. A group of extremely fortunate individuals will board the Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas in Miami, Florida and head for a week of song, sun and unspeakable fun.
As the Jewish traveler boards the stunning ocean liner on that Sunday afternoon, a Welcome Buffet will be awaiting them with delicious refreshments, drinks, snacks and deserts. Furthermore, the host or hostess of the group will provide explanations and answer questions. From the very start, your comfort is the main concern, any question answered. With a full tummy and a sense of security you’ll head to your stateroom, where your luggage will be awaiting as the ship sounds its departure from shore.
Heading to the Caribbean you will have two full days on board, also known as sea days. On this cruise, I’d consider those days to be the most exciting: it’s a Jewish Music Festival after all! With the best Glatt Kosher food in the world, five heart opening meals a day that Kosherica is famous for, you get to listen and watch the best Jewish musicians right from the start.
On the 16th of January the ship docks in Philipsburg, St. Maarten the capital of the Dutch part of the Caribbean Island of St. Maarten. It’s filled with beautiful beaches, magical artifacts from the indigenous Arawak people at the Saint Maarten Museum. There is a fun zoo for the kids (and the kids in all of us), filled with monkeys, parrots and more.
You can also go visit the butterfly farm at the tropical butterfly rainforest. You’ll be sure to be kissed very gently by a beautiful butterfly on your cheek or eyelids (they tickle, and it feels awesome).
There’s a zipline for the sports-minded and for the shoppers amongst us there are hundreds of merchants with duty free prices of beautiful jewelry and other merchandise. They are willing, why they actually expect to negotiate. So you may walk away with a great deal, depending on how crowded the port town is and how good a negotiator you are.
The day will pass before you know it, everything is within walking distance or a short local cab ride away. Bring good sunscreen and a hat and use the time to meet the locals and enjoy.
The next day, Thursday the 17th the ship will dock in San Juan, Puerto Rico. My own favorite activity is visiting the old cobblestoned Puerto Rico, breathing in its history and magic, visit the Spanish Colonial Mansions, the massive tresses from the 16th century, El Morro and La Fortellezza or taking a trip to Villa Baccardi – home to the Baccardi rum. There is so much history and great beauty, which you’ll fit into the short time before it’s time to return to the ship at 2:00pm and get ready for more Jewish music.
The last stop is Labadee, Haiti. Since I blogged on it before I’ll include the link and all you’ll need to do is click HERE. It’s a short day, with Shabbat waiting to welcome everyone in its sacred warm embrace.
Of course Shabbat is authentically spent with some great cantors leading the services, a scholar in residence will delivering inspiriting lectures and, of course, traditional Shabbat delicacies.
If I don’t make that cruise I’d like to be the fly on the wall and enjoy the singing at the Shabbat tables. I suspect there will be a final grand show on the last night and unless I get to be there, I must admit to being envious
After all, what am I, chopped liver?