How Dominica Stole My Heart (And Why You Need to Go)

Honestly? I almost didn't even get off the ship in Dominica. I know that sounds crazy now, but when I was looking at the Norwegian Escape's itinerary months before my Caribbean cruise, I'll admit I was a little disappointed with the port stop. Everyone on the CruiseDeckLife forums seemed to go on and on about St. Lucia, the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico—all these popular Caribbean islands. Dominica barely got a mention. It was like the forgotten stepchild of Caribbean cruising. But my husband convinced me to at least try something, so we booked a shore excursion through Norwegian without really knowing what we were getting into. Best decision I made all week. We woke up that morning and I could tell immediately that this port was going to be different. As we pulled into the harbor on the Norwegian Escape, I was struck by how lush and green everything was. Like, impossibly green. The island rises up dramatically from the water, covered in dense jungle that actually looks untouched. My first thought was "oh wow, this is actually beautiful" but I still wasn't completely sold. I'd been on enough cruises to know that tropical islands can be pretty but sometimes there's not much substa…