We’ve booked our next vacation for October, a four-night cruise to the Bahamas sailing from Miami. It’s very similar to the one we took in October 2010, but this time we’re trying a new cruise line: Norwegian Cruise Line. NCL distinguishes itself mainly through flexible dining (no rigid 6:00 and 8:30 dinner seatings) and beautiful flower artwork on the bow of each ship. Our itinerary takes us to Grand Bahama Island, Great Stirrup Cay (NCL’s private island), and Nassau.

My goal is to try every major cruise line eventually so I can pick a favorite. So far we’ve sailed with Carnival and Royal Caribbean, with Carnival taking a slight lead. Research is hard work, but someone has to do it.

One interesting wrinkle on this trip is that we’re traveling with some good friends from our home group. We plan to have dinner together and stay flexible during the day depending on what everyone wants to do. They hope to dive (maybe with sharks!!), while we plan to spend some time at Atlantis and on the beach. I haven’t really vacationed with friends since my high school youth group days, so this should be different and fun. Fortunately, unlike those youth group trips to the beach, vacation sex on this trip won’t earn me an awkward meeting with my youth pastor.