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| First time at port, San Juan |
I have to say it, you guys. I am officially addicted to cruising. I know it has this reputation for being exclusively for old people, but if you haven't been on one, you really don't know what you are missing! It honestly baffles me that more of my peers haven't considered booking one themselves. But who knows? Maybe that will change after this post.
At the end of March, I had the opportunity to go on my first cruise with my boyfriend and his family to celebrate his little brother graduating high school this year (can you say best graduation gift ever, or what?)! We went on an 8-day Royal Caribbean cruise with four stops: Labadee, Haiti; San Juan, Puerto Rico; Philipsburg, St. Maarten; and Basseterre, St. Kitts.
But the fun started way before the cruise.
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| Poolside in Florida |
The week before we set sail, we flew down to Florida to stay with some family for a few days! The beauty of my job is the ability to work remotely and I have to say, working from sunny Florida instead of cold, snowy Michigan was absolutely amazing.
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| Boat Day in Florida |
One of the last days before we left for the cruise, we spent an awesome day out on a boat! We saw tons of wildlife - including dolphins! I had never seen a dolphin before and it was so cool. Then we docked at a restaurant where I had some great tuna poke. In all, it was a great way to head off on the cruise!
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| My boyfriend and I on the ship (with our Bloody Margarets) |
Once we were actually on the ship, I was a little overwhelmed at first. Logically, you know you are on a ship, but once you are actually on board, it does not feel like a ship. First, there wasn't as much rocking as I assumed there would be. Second, walking around the inside of the ship feels like walking around a giant mall. I'm not kidding. There are shops, cafes and restaurants, and even little kiosks.
You might think the few days we spent at sea just sailing to our next location would be boring, but every day the cruise line released an itinerary for the day that was full of different events we could attend. We went to trivia events, an ice show, a few game shows, lots of music shows, and tons more. Outside of that, I got the opportunity to sit by the pool and read my book which was rejuvenating.
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| Poolside with bae on the cruise ship |
Have I convinced you of the greatness that is cruising yet? No? Alright, I've got a few more points to make that might sway you!
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| View from our dinner table |
Two words. Food and Drinks
I have never tried so many new foods in such a short amount of time. Almost every night, we ate in the dining room and it was hands down the best part of the trip. All of the diners would dress up, the waiters always pulled out my chair, and they took time to really get to know you. I got to try escargots, beef bourguignon, and the best spaghetti bolognese I've ever tasted.
Outside of the yummy food, we also splurged and got the deluxe drink package so we could get unlimited drinks as well. There was no better feeling than wanting a drink and just swiping your room key at the bar and getting your drink for "free." Of course, you pay for it all before you set sail, so it isn't technically free, but since it is all paid ahead of time it definitely feels free in the moment.
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| View from Sea Trek/snorkeling excursion, St. Maarten |
Another perk to cruising: excursions! This part of the cruise is optional and each excursion costs extra money, but I really enjoyed it. We all had the opportunity to go on two excursions, one in St. Maarten and the other in St. Kitts.
The first was a Sea Trek in St. Maarten where we went 22 feet down in the ocean and got to walk around a platform looking at wreckage from a hurricane, all while wearing these old-school style helmets pumped full of air. After that, we got to snorkel nearby, which I'll admit, I enjoyed more than the Sea Trek part!
Full disclosure: I am afraid of the ocean and was mildly anxious the whole time we were under the water. But! I am so thankful that I overcame that fear and stayed under for the whole excursion. Since we could breathe, it was all in my head and after a few minutes I was actually enjoying looking at all of the fish swimming around us.
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| All of us after our Sky Safari Zipline excursion, St. Kitts |
Our second excursion was the Sky Safari Zipline in St. Kitts! Remember how I said I am afraid of the ocean? Well, I am afraid of heights too, so you can imagine how I felt about ziplining.
The whole drive to the ziplining location, I was nervous. There was just something about speeding down a metal wire hundreds of feet in the air that made me anxious (crazy, right? lol), but once we actually got started, my view changed.
We were ziplining on an old sugar cane plantation in the middle of some rain forest and it was beautiful. From the highest line (which was 500 feet in the air), you could see the ocean off to the side and treetops below you. I vividly remember thinking to myself, This is the closest you'll ever get to feeling like a bird.
It was truly a magical experience. I can't say that I'm not still afraid of heights, but I have a new perspective without a doubt.
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| San Juan, Puerto Rico |
Outside of all the great things to do on the boat, the food and the drinks, and the awesome excursions, getting the opportunity to see each port is something that I wouldn't trade for the world. Seeing how other fellow humans live is something that has always mesmerized me. We tend to think we are different from people from other cultures when in reality, we have way more in common than we think.
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| Labadee, Haiti |
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| Labadee, Haiti |
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| Labadee, Haiti |
Not only that, but getting to see not only one new place, but four?! I feel truly blessed to have gotten this opportunity and I can't wait to book another cruise! If you still aren't sure about going on a cruise, then I do not know what else to tell you. It was hands-down the best vacation I have been on and I have already started looking at booking another!
Have you been on a cruise before? What was your favorite thing about it?
