After a long, cold winter filled with snow, storms, and time on the slopes, I decided it was time for something completely different.

In early March, I boarded Royal Caribbean’s Odyssey of the Seas out of Cape Liberty, New Jersey on what turned out to be one of the most unusual cruise itineraries I’ve been on. It was a 14-night sailing featuring seven Southern Caribbean ports in seven consecutive days — something you don’t see very often, especially departing from the Northeast.

For those of us who spend much of the winter chasing snow, there’s something uniquely satisfying about trading in cold temperatures and layers for warm air, open water, and a completely different pace of life.

The itinerary pushed far beyond the typical Bahamas loop, with stops in St. Maarten, Antigua, Martinique, Barbados, St. Lucia, St. Kitts, and San Juan. Each island offered something different, from dramatic volcanic landscapes to historic towns and quiet beaches.

I’ve been expanding my travel and adventure content on my YouTube channel, Past Yonder, and put together a video from this trip that captures the full journey — from departure in cold, gray, snowy New Jersey to returning two weeks later as the New York City skyline came back into view.

If you’re interested in seeing what a trip like this looks like — especially as we move out of ski season — you can watch the video here:

Please also consider subscribing to my Past Yonder YouTube channel, where I will be posting videos from my travel adventures — both on- and off-slope.

While it’s a different kind of adventure than what is typically covered on DCSki, I think many of you will appreciate the contrast — and maybe even start thinking about your own off-season travels.