Return to the Caribbean

As some people requested, I kept a journal of our recent cruise, and so here it is for your enjoyment. :)

AUGUST 25- Here we are on yet another adventure. We left home yesterday m0rning, dropped the dog off at K-Lane, and drove to Minot. We stayed at La Quinta. It was brand new and VERY nice. Sat in the hot tub while watching the kids in the pool. Had supper at Space Aliens. We ordered the Alien Feast for 4, but it was enough for at least 8!!!! Brisket, ribs, martian munchies (riblets), giant loaded baked potatoes, baked beans, and rolls with cinnamon on the top. Breakfast this morning was at the hotel. Free! Cereal, make your own waffles, bagels, drinks, fruits, etc. Yum!

Flew to Minneapolis and wandered there for a few hours. Took a picture of the kids by a Snoopy statue. The kids bought big fancy caramel apples. Back on the plane to Orlando. All told, we traveled or waited for about 9 hours today.

Elizabeth used the wheelchair all day. Wise choice.

Visited M&M World again. Spent money. Also bought Cherry Coke at the mall.

Had supper at Buca di Beppo. Nice supper, good price. For all 4 of us to eat, with appetizer, dinner, drinks, and dessert too, it cost us, with tip, about $75.

Quick stop at the Disney store, back to our hotel room (Florida Hotel and Conference Center), and we crash. :)



AUGUST 26- An eventful day. Up and packed, walked to McD's. Elizabeth in the wheelchair. Back to the hotel in time to surprise the kids with the fact we were taking a stretch limo to the port. Hurt my left shin when I rammed into the wheelchair when it rammed into a chunk of uneven pavement.

Got on the ship no problem, and roamed a bit with the kids. A nice lunch at the Windjammer.

The rooms are smaller than I thought, but adequate.

Kids went swimming in the rain. Very stormy and choppy out. The boat is rocking and swaying a lot this time.

The kids loved the meals and also discovered room service. Son lost his Sea Pass card. Got a hole punched in the new one.

Hubby and I did karaoke. Boot Scoot Boogie for me, Achey Breaky Song and Danny Boy for him.

Smoked fish roullade, horseradish crusted salmon, and BBB crème brulée (banana, bailey's, and brulée) for supper.

No CoCo Cay tomorrow because of Tropical Storm Isaac.



AUGUST 27- Up at 6:45. Kids had room service breakfast, Hubby and I brought food down from the Windjammer. Hubby tried black pudding.

Had a rough day, kind of. Boat doing a lot of up and down today. Made me very dizzy and queasy. Very, very windy. Son and I tried to use the jogging track, but nearly blew away. Daughter's Sea Pass card blew away when she was by the pool.

The kids liked Adventure Ocean. Both also got Sea Pets. A monkey for Son and a dragon for Daughter. Daughter made a monkey cupcake. I bought a chocolate mint cupcake and a maple bacon one.

Bought a Freedom of the Seas sweatshirt.

Lunch was at Johnny Rocket's (chili, burger, and chocolate Coke, yum!).

Daughter had a mani/pedi today.

Supper was scallop au gratin, artichoke crépe au gratin, and bittersweet chocolate soufflé.

The show was Marquee. Very good. Sleeping with the curtains open and the waves pounding the ship. At least I will be rocked to sleep. Silver lining. :)



AUGUST 28- We slept in until 8:30AM. Breakfast at the Windjammer.

Went to the mix and mingle and cabin crawl. Lunch at the Windjammer.

Played a bit at the arcade.

Supper at Chops. Filet mignon, broccolini, mashed potatoes, asparagus, and green beans with dijon and feta. Virgin piña colada and crème brulée. Kids did okay with the meal, but will be happy to return to the dining room tomorrow. The crème brulée was VERY alcoholic. Did not like it, so I did not finish it.

Show tonight was a singer/impressionist. Very good, but not a kid friendly show. Luckily, both kids were at Adventure Ocean instead. Daughter is at a late night youth dance party. Son finally managed to fall asleep despite the Adult 70's dance party in the Promenade just below his window.

Had a chocolate pear tart this afternoon. SO good!!!!!!



AUGUST 29- Today we got up early for our first excursion day, finally. St Thomas, USVI. It was very hot and humid. We all went on the sky ride, then Son and I went up the hill and Hubby and Daughter went down. We looked at their sad mini zoo where the animals were underfed and tortured by the geese, I think.

Went to Wendy's for ice cream, then more shopping (we shopped at the top of the sky ride, too), then on the Screaming Eagle. It was so much fun, and we got SO WET!!! The water was so, so salty! Bought 2 t-shirts, 2 pins, and the Christmas decoration. Son got 2 t-shirts, a colouring book, and a monkey.

Went back to the ship and went swimming.

Dinner was caprese salad, veal t-bone, and tiramisu.

Pirate parade tonight. Son was very cute.



AUGUST 30- Today we were at St Maarten. Again hot, humid, and sunny. Went on the Lord Sheffield tall ship together.

Swam in the ocean. Kind of freaky as it was 10-20 feet deep. Son and I had life vests and snorkel masks and pool noodles. Drifted with the tide and had to swim HARD to get us back to the ship ladder.

Yummy BBQ chicken and ribs, Coke, cookies, and bread with cheese and strawberry.

Both Daughter and I lost our hats to the wind on the ocean just before we returned. A bird flew away with mine when it hit the water. At least we don't need them since it was the last excursion.

Shopped after. Bought a t-shirt, Godiva chocolate, Belgian chocolate (7 pieces), a giant Reese's peanut butter bar, a mini jar of Nutella, a pin, turtle earrings, and a pineapple milk.

The kids came across a dying cat and Daughter was inconsolable for awhile.

Relaxed on the boat. Ate at the Windjammer. Saw Madagascar 3 in 3D, then an ice show, then the Love and Marriage Show.

Hubby has terrible sunburn, and I got some, not nearly as bad, on my back, shoulders, and front where the bikini wasn't.

Yesterday Daughter and Hubby went to swim with sharks. They also snorkeled, so Hubby got badly burned there, then got redder today. Not sure if it's new burn or just continuing cooking from yesterday.

Nice night at sea. Can see stars for the first time. Son heard a whale the other day.



AUGUST 31- Today was fairly relaxing, for most of it anyway. Got up and went to the character breakfast where the kids got pictures with Gloria, King Julien, and Alex. Kids went to Adventure Ocean and I bought t-shirts for Son and watched TV. Had lunch at Johnny Rockets where we found out the chocolate soda was NOT part of the free stuff.

Son had some bad luck with the arcade eating his tokens.

Kids went to Adventure Ocean and I went to my room. Watched TV, slept a tiny bit, and bought a big Ben & Jerry's sundae in a collectible glass. Hubby had been on an all-access tour of the ship.

His sunburn was so bad he was all blistered on his shoulders like I was last time and went half buggy from the itch, just like he did last year. This time he got Benadryl, so felt better soon, but was a total snoozer all evening and night.

The kids and I went to a show (Once Upon a Time), and shopping.

The kids had a huge blowout with each other like Hubby and I had on our last night in Florida last year.



SEPTEMBER 1- Last day on the cruise. Hard to believe it's September already. The day started well enough. Breakfast at the Windjammer, kids to Adventure Ocean, did some packing.

Kids had a talent show. Both sang and got medals.

Lunch in the Windjammer where the kids got to feed Hubby stuff that they thought he may not like. It was fun to watch him choke down a pickle. Took the kids back to Adventure Ocean and played 9 holes of mini golf. Headed out of there to come across Hubby and Daughter.

She broke her ankle. Just lost her footing and snapped it. Poor thing.

Supper was french onion soup, lamb, and chocolate pear crisp.

Bought 2 t-shirts. Packed. Watched the closing show. Kids got picked up from Adventure Ocean, then Daughter went to a pizza party with her friends.

Son got a scrape and bump on his head.

Kids both made a pillowcase.




SEPTEMBER 2- The trip home was long, but fairly uneventful. With Daughter in the wheelchair, and with the soft cast, we got on first and off last for both flights (Orlando to Minneapolis, Minneapolis to Minot), without it affecting our timing much.

We rode in the stretch limo to the airport.

They briefly lost her wheelchair on the second flight, but it was just stowed behind all the other checked luggage. Long drive home, getting back around midnight.

Cats were hiding, but once we found them, they could not stop meowing. :)

Good to be home. Will get the dog back tomorrow.

Next cruise will be at least 4 years away. And probably Alaska.