I went on a CRUISE!

In May I officially finished my first year of teaching. Hallelujah, I SURVIVED! It was a great year, and to celebrate, we booked a cruise with Bobby's sister, Lindsey, and her hubby, Billy. We were also considering this our anniversary cruise, since we celebrated 2 years on July 11! We had a blast. It was a 4 night, 5 day cruise to Coco Cay and Nassau. I tried to count and I believe this was 14th of 15th cruise, but only my 2nd on Royal Caribbean. Which is ironic because I left for my first cruise on July 4th, 2001 (or 20o2, can't remember!) on RC, and went to the Bahamas, and we left for the same cruise on July 4th this year! IRONIC? I KNOW!

Brother and sister! Aren't they sweet!


Lindsey was just a tad anxious about the flight.

But she flew like a pro :)


We made it to Orlando! We lucked out and got a limo from Orlando to Sanford!


From our hotel we walked to a little seafood place on the water. It was scrumptious! We were trying to get Lindsey some oysters on this trip and we FAILED!


We boarded the ship on the 4th. There were matinees swimming next to the ship as we were waiting to pull out of the port.


I thought it would be fun going on vacation with Lindsey but she always looks this good! It's NOT FAIR!


This is the view of the Kennedy Space Center from the ship, 4 days before the last space shuttle launched into space. We actually got off the ship the day it launched and saw the traffic for the shuttle, but not the launch :(


I have been ready for this cruise for A LONG TIME!


So, it's kind of a big jump to the next day, but this is Coco Cay. LINDSEY AND I WENT PARASAILING! We went VERY HIGH! And they gave us no directions. We were the 1st ones off the boat to go and we were sitting down on the back of the boat, and then we were way high in the air...with no directions. I guess when you're that high up if you fall, there's not much you can do.


The beach at Coco Cay.


We were ready for the sand and sun!


This is our ship, The Monarch of the Seas.
We also went to Nassau.....it was a flop. We had scheduled an excursion to go on a catamaran out to snorkel but decided to change it to a sunset sail, which got rained out. So we got off the boat with no idea of what we wanted to do. Mistake #1. I had asked at an information booth about a good place to go to get fresh seafood, and they recommended The Poop Deck. We also wanted to see Atlantis so we decided to take a taxi to another spot on the island close to Atlantis. The taxi driver does not take us to Atlantis (Mistake #2 - not insisting to be taken to the door) so we walk around trying to get in and another taxi driver notices us walking around, and at this point we were starving, and he said he would take us to a really good seafood restaurant, so we hop in (Mistake #3). He drives us a good ways off and drops us off at the top of this short hill and drives away. (Mistake #4) It was 1 and the restaurant didn't open until 4. So now we're a ways off where there are no taxis!!! So we walk back to where we had been earlier as it starts to rain. We finally get back and just decide to get a taxi and head to The Poop Deck. (Mistake #5) The Poop Deck was overpriced burgers and seafood. And when I say seafood, they had Mahi Mahi and Konk cooked every way you could imagine on the menu. Except they were out of Mahi Mahi. So I ate half of a $14 cheeseburger, which I could have gotten for free on the ship. BUT THAT'S OKAY! It is vacation and paying way too much for a mediocre hamburger is just part of it. After that we took ANOTHER TAXI back to the ship. Lindsey did some shopping at the straw market and then we hopped back on the ship for the rest of the day.....I really feel like we wasted a day at Nassau but next time we'll plan a little better. We still enjoyed being there!


Dinner on the last evening. This cruise went by way too fast! We had a day at sea, which we mostly played rummy and golf (the kind with cards). We also watched the belly flop contest and the World's sexiest man contest, which was entertaining, to say the least.


Happy 2 year anniversary to us!


Aren't they so cute?!!


Our waiter was ehh, okay. But our assistant waiter was great! She was so kind and sweet and wanted so badly for everything to be perfect. It turns out it was her first week working on the ship. She has 3 children back home, I think she said they were 4, 9 and 11. It broke my heart that she was working so hard for us on our vacation and she wouldn't see them for 7 months! It really makes me appreciate what I have but it also makes me feel spoiled and materialistic. I've thought about her a lot lately. Bless her!

That's it as far as pictures go! I think Lindsey and I kinda split camera time so maybe I can get some more from her! I usually take SO MANY but I am really lacking pictures of this vacation. Guess we'll just have to go again!