cruise wrap up

Rob trying the wave rider

We are home, the car is unpacked, although the suitcases are not, and everyone is tucked into bed.  We are happy to be home.  Dorothy had it right, there really is no place like home.

We took a ton of pictures on our cruise, and all of them are so fun to look at but I chose just a few more to share.  The ship was amazing.  We loved all the activities available and the decor.  I loved our room.  Loved, loved the balcony and looking out at the stars and the water or watching the approach to an island destination or seeing something far away, like Miami or Cuba.  We liked this ship so much better than the Carnival one we went on 5 years ago.  We went to several shows and I really liked them all.  They had a movie theater on board and showed movies on deck.  There was ice skating, an ice show, a rock wall, a dance floor, shops and restaurants, a kids club, a spa, a work out room.  There was literally something going on at all times.

mini golf fun

One of the best parts was being there with Val and Ryan and Kelly and Alec.  You are a different person when you are with your siblings, more complete.  It was such a treat to hang out and have all the time in the world to talk and do fun things. We got along great and there wasn't a single moment of conflict or trouble.  If someone wanted to do something they said "I want to ______" and the rest of us said, Okay and off we went.

the show on the last night

I know this is silly but I loved the towel creations.  The food was pretty good. I found that, like our first cruise, we both thought the food was good.  Plenty of it.  We were not hungry but it was also not spectacular. The service was very good though and we had no complaints.

towel ninja

This cruise I felt the motion of the ocean a lot more than our first.  Interestingly the first time I had to take Dramamine so I wouldn't get sea sick. This time even though it rocked quite a bit I felt fine. Who knows why?

my talented BIL

We laughed every day.  Everyone was such good company.  We did some remember when-ing. Read some good books.

what our faces looked like a lot of the time

My least favorite excursion was Telum.  Now it was neat and I am glad we went.  It was historically amazing.  It was hot hot hot and from were were docked at Cozumel we had to travel pretty far for a fairly short visit.  I think it may have been Ryan's favorite stop though and I am definitely glad we did it.  By least favorite I mean it was an 8 out of 10 instead of a 10.

the temple in Telum

elephant

The ocean is so amazing in the Caribbean.  I love the color.  If I could buy a paint that was the exact shade of turquoise with living sparkly magic in it I would paint my whole house!  We all loved playing in it and looking at it.

On Grand Cayman we first swam with the dolphins then with the sting rays.  I was a little apprehensive about how the rays would be.  I didn't want to step on one and I definitely didn't want one harpooning me with it's stinger.  They were amazing though.  We throughly enjoyed holding them, feeding them squid and seeing them.  They were beautiful.  Rob got bit by one on accident but wasn't permanently injured.  The dolphins were my favorite excursion of the trip.

Look how big this girl is.  It was crazy!

me and Val

Rio Blanco

Another favorite was riding the horses in Jamaica.  We rode them way out in the surf and it was amazing.  They cantered and hopped through the waves and it was so much fun.  My horse was named Atlas.  He was a gentle boy.  Rob did really well on horse bak and enjoyed it.  That afternoon we went tubing on a gorgeous river.  It was cool under the trees and shady and the little "rapids" were lots of fun.  Jamaica was so poor.  We drove by tiny homes and saw goats and chickens wandering around. It was a beautiful place but I felt very grateful for what I have and very spoiled at the same time.  It seems unfair, the discrepancy.

Us in Haiti in front of the ship.  Our first stop.  We played in the water, looked at the fish.  Enjoyed every second of being there. I was so happy to spend the whole week with Rob.  We've been married almost 16 years now and this is the best time yet, not the cruise, this time in our lives.

I have to say, it was in every way the most wonderful, fun, relaxing vacation.  I would go again next week if I could :)