Cruisin'

Matt has made all the arrangements and we are going on a cruise! I can't believe it! I never thought I was the kind of person who would be a 'cruiser' but now I welcome it. This trip was amazing! Maui was an amazing trip too but unfortunately because I can't carry anything Matt became the Sherpa for our family. On this cruise we got to unpack, sit back and relax. The heaviest thing Matt had to lift for most of the trip was a beer.



We left out of Miami which is an ENORMOUS port. Our ship was the Carnival Valor. We had two "fun" days at sea and stopped at the port of Belize City, Rhotan Island Honduras, Cozumel Mexico and Grand Caymans. Each stop had something completely wonderful about it. In the Caymans we took the girls to "hang with the manta rays" and in Cozumel they got to "swim with the dolphins." These are experiences they will never forget and we did it as a family. The other two ports we just did beach days. It was so nice to just go to these white sand beaches and play in the water and drink beers under the palapa.



Cruising is really a hobby verging on sport for some. There are websites devoted to cruising. Cruisers post by their profiles how many times they have been and all the ships they have been on. I have nothing to compare but I thought the ship was lovely. It was so clean and the staff was so helpful and kind. There was always something going on and there was a camp set up for the kids. We were really fortunate to be on the top floor of the ship that had staterooms. This was a huge plus!! We had a balcony and nice neighbors (all seasoned cruisers stay on the top deck!) It was tight quarters but tight in a fun way. The girls were fascinated by the bed that popped out of the ceiling. Additionally, our steward made a different animals out of towels everyday for the girls. At the end of the cruise you could purchase the book "How to make towel animals" at home if you wanted too. We passed.



The amount of food and the ability to get food any time day or night was absurd. There were probably 10 restaurants, 6 buffets, 5 short order windows. I put on 10 pounds during the trip. Basically a pound a day for 10 days of vacation. That is what makes it so attractive because the food in all included. It's the alcohol that gets you...............always does.



When we got into Miami on the return we stayed overnight at a hotel because we had a really early flight. To complete our trip we had dinner at the Hooter's in Miami. It was voted the #1 Hooters for 2007 and 2008. The award for for gross sales not cup size I found out. The amount of money those gals made in tips was probably astounding. It was the perfect end to a wonderful vacation where we spent our time laughing at ourselves and at others.



We returned to rainy, snowy Seattle tanned, rested and relaxed. It was an awesome vacation and I would do it again in a heartbeat. I am a cruiser now!