Cruising through Life

Cruising is by far my favorite way to travel. I am pretty loyal to Royal Caribbean, but have gone on Carnival ships too. Basically, whatever ship wants to pamper me I will be on! Our last family cruise was on Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas. It was amazing. A city on the seas is what my kids called it. There were so many things to do that our kids never got bored. We saw shows, played games and played in the pool on sea days. We visited the ports of Labadee, Haiti, San Juan, Puerto Rico and St Maarten. This was the kids first cruise so we made sure to get all the fun in that they could handle.

What I learned from cruising with kids. Food!

Ice cream is the key to life. So are the soda packages. My kids thought they were the Kings and Queens of the ocean with both of these perks. I found the “Sprinkles” ice cream machine right away once we boarded. Also…. kids will try new foods if they can order something else. I made a deal with the kids that if they tried new things and they didn’t like it they could order another entree. This is a definite bonus of cruising. My children, who are pizza and chicken finger lovers, tried octopus and lobster. My daughter fell in love with Strawberry bisque and one kid found a new love of honey dew melon. Not super strange things, but new to them! By the way…the waiters in the main dining rooms are amazing. They knew all the kids names and what they liked. Each night my son was given his favorite ice cream dessert without even having to ask. The delight in his eyes was priceless.

At sea days are more than just laying on the lido deck!

We had so many adventures. While my kids did not take part in Adventure Ocean kids clubs ( I Have heard they are fabulous)we did have a packed schedule each day. Playing basketball, mini golf and a rousing game of table tennis were staples each day. The Oasis is lucky to have a Flowrider. A Flowrider is like a surfing adventure on a boat! Now, if you have never been surfing here is your chance. Both of the boys tested their luck and skills….around 20 times. Wipe outs were plenty, but it was one of the highlights of the trip!

Do you like rock climbing? Zip Lining? You guessed it….it’s available onboard the ship. High Adventure at it’s finest and it is included in the price of your cruise.

Sea Nights are fun too.

While the days are spent in the sun, the nights are just as fun. While on board we saw an amazing ice show and the Broadway hit Cats! Matter of fact the kids saw Cats twice. Hubby and I were able to sneak away to adult shows and sip cocktails at the Rising Tide elevator bar linking the Royal Promenade on deck 5 with the shady, plant-filled Central Park on deck 8. One of the best performances was the water show at the Aqua Theatre . I could not believe that those talented performers were diving from such heights in a small space. It was amazing.

Shore Excursions/Ports of Call

Labadee, Haiti our First Port

This is Royal Caribbean’s own private island. I had been there before years ago when my husband and I were on the Navigator of the Seas. I remembered it to be relaxing and fun. Royal Caribbean has done some major renovations to the island that make it a hit with families. The addition of a water park, dragon coaster and other activities break up the time sitting on the beach, but are fun for the kids. I will say we did have to pay for some of these extra items, but it was ok with us since it added to our overall fun day. There was no lack of chairs to sit in and shade if you needed it. Food is included in this stop since it is part of the cruise company. A good selection of bbq, hamburgers, sides and fresh fruit. Hubby and I enjoyed our Labadoozie drink (think frozen tropical deliciousness)and the kids could choose from sodas and fruit punches.

St Maarten Second Port

Our stateroom had balcony. I love sitting on the balcony as we are pulling away from or into ports. I also love just sitting out there when I know we are already there in the wee early mornings and it is quiet before the loads of cruise passengers are getting off the boat ready for their fun day. For this stop we had all agreed on taking a swim with the dolphins. This is something my oldest son had requested and we were all glad he did. Once we had our breakfast and gathered the thousand things we needed for the day were were off the ship and waiting in line with the others for our excursion. We booked this excursion through Royal Caribbean. They make it fast and easy to get where you need to be once you are in port. This is a fairly small port if I remember correctly and we didn’t have any trouble getting to where we needed to be. This excursion was taking us to another location on the island by boat. It was longer that I had expected and the water was rough that day. This caused for lots of people feeling sea sick including one of my kiddos. Needless to say we were all glad to get to the aquatic center where the dolphins were. We had great instructors and we all took turns holding on the the dolphin fins and they swam through the water. The kids were all smiles the entire time. Warning: if you do any kind of dolphin swim (probably anywhere) prepare to pay for pictures. We knew this would happen ahead of time as the companies do not allow you to take your own. I will say our family picture is on my entryway table as we speak and I smile at it each time I walk by, so worth it. After our dolphin encounter we loaded up on the boat and were taken to a small island for some beach fun. Our kids had never been in such blue water. It was fun watching them look for things under the water and snorkel a bit. Overall it was a successful day for us all. We ALL did something new and have some really great memories to think back on.

San Juan, Puerto Rico

I was excited that this was a stop on our cruise. I love Puerto Rico. Being married to an airline pilot does have it’s privileges and I have been lucky enough to have been there before. We did not do an excursion per say on this stop. We didn’t play on the beach or in the water. We did explore the old town with its shops and beautiful architecture. The port is in a great location. The only issue we encountered was the time. Some of the shops and places to eat were not open when we got there. Fine by us. We walked into the pretty town square and looked around. I knew (thank goodness) that we could hop on the Trolly that takes you all over town for free. This was fun for the kids and gave us a chance to really see the town. I wanted to show the kids some history so the San Juan National Historic sites were on our agenda. We stopped at Castillo San Cristoball a beautiful fort overlooking the sea built between 1634-1790. There were artifacts and other interesting things for the kids to explore. After we saw all we could there (and it was soooo hot that day) we hopped on the Trolly again for Castillo San Felipe del Morro, another fortification and unit of the San Juan National Historic Sites. In both places you can take a guided tour or explore yourself with the provided maps. If you go to San Juan….these are the must sees in my opinion. Hungry for lunch we stopped off to treat the kids to a Pina Colada. (no rum of course) In our last trip we discovered one of the 2 places that are claimed to be the birthplace of the Pina Colada. I am not an expert so I don’t know which one was the first, I just know my drink was amazing. Barrachina in Old San Juan is where we go. They have a good menu that has something for everyone and a Pina Colada that is refreshing. If you visit the restrooms, say hi to the sweet birds on the patio. The kids enjoyed looking and talking to them. If you want to learn how to make a Pina Colada like the on at Barrachina go to https://www.thekitchn.com/barrachina-pina-colada-puerto-rico-recipe-262410?utm_source=pinterest&utm_medium=tracking&utm_campaign=inline-img-share I had found this web site when trying to recreate them at home when I was missing my cruising life. San Juan did not disappoint.

Cruising through Life….one Port at a time!

I can’t wait for the next cruise. There are so many extras and pampering that make a teacher/mom feels like they are really on vacation!

Pro Tips: Bring some comforts and conveniences from home

• Bring plenty of sunscreen-it is expensive on the ship. Also, aloe vera if you tend to burn. Lip balm is a plus as well.
• I use a waterproof pouch for money, credit cards, and my phone. It keeps things safe and all together.
• Stuff a few plastic bags and zip loc bags for wet clothes or to wrap souvenirs in.
• Invest in a lanyard for your sea pass card. It is your key to life when you are on the ship. Room key, charge card etc. You must have it to get on and off the ship.
• Use your in room safe. Put your passports and other valuable documents/money in it.
• Bring your own toiletries. There is usually a pump of a combo shampoo/conditioner/body wash in the shower. That’s it. I don’t know about you but I need my coconut shampoo on vacation!
• Bring your own cup. I use my Yeti style cup for ice water by my bed at night…..or even putting my drink in at the pool. We usually do the drink packages, but those cups are not as well insulated. They make a great little souvenir though, and I use them during the school year to remind me of my fabulous cruise.
• Bring one of those travel size Febreeze or Lysol sprays. Do I need to explain this?
• One last tip. Take pictures! We have some great family photos from this trip. You can buy professional packages or just a few individuals. There is a photographer at every port. You can also have pictures done on deck during the sunset. The possibilities are endless.

Does all of this sound good to you? Check out http://royalcaribbean.com/ to book a cruise you won’t forget.