Greg & I returned late Thursday night from our very first cruise. It was the best most relaxing vacation we'd ever had.
We took the red eye to Fort Lauderdale with Mel & Steve after dropping the boys off with my Uncle Dave & Aunt Brandee-- the boys love their twins Maddie & Parker so we thought it would be the best bet for a fun week for them. We didn't get any sleep on the flight but since I didn't have the boys to worry about - I totally didn't care! We met Greg's parents, Dave & Nicole, Doug & Jessica, and Jeff & Allie and got to the port in Miami plenty early-- we couldn't wait to get the vacation started. We explored the boat, had our first introduction to the buffet, did an emergency drill where we got to wear our enormous life preservers (nothing kicks off vacation like "here's what you'll do if the boat sinks") which made a perfect pillow (i totally could have used one of those on the plane), then we just hung out on the deck listening to the band as we left the port.
Our formal dining room table was ready at 8. It was the perfect dining time since you're pretty much eating every 3 or 4 hours all day anyway, and you have plenty of time for a nap and shower after your day's activities.. then after your nice long leisurely dinner it's time for all the shows to start. With such a big group we had 2 tables that we rotated seats around. Our servers were Ayyappan from India who was amazing (he could sense the second you were done with one plate & had the next dish there before you could set your fork down) & another girl from Bulgaria (who's name has momentarily slipped my mind) who always described her favorite dishes as 'very very nice'. People aren't lying when they say how amazing the food is on a cruise.. and they just keep it coming. Greg's record for ordering at dinner was 4 appetizers, 5 entrees, & 3 desserts--- and he only gained 2 pounds eating like this for a week!!! Oh-- there was the most amazing dessert - warm melting chocolate-- served in a small custard cup it appeared to be a simple warm chocolate cake but underneath it's thin top cake layer was oozing warm chocolate - Heavenly. (And almost like some sort of sign.. this recipe came to my e-mail box today.. the ones on the ship were served in the custard cups, but Melené tried it today and said it's SOOOO GOOD! Here's the recipe for Molten Chocolate Cakes)
I loved the days at sea because it was just pure relaxing. It has literally been YEARS since I've been able to sleep in without worrying about babies & toddlers to take care of. And in our dark inside cabin room I slept until a blissful 10:30 am (still only 8:30 Utah time but I tried!) We got ready, grabbed breakfast from the poolside grill then settled down on some lounge chairs by the pool. I spent the day reading magazines & a Carol Higgins Clark book - BURNED - and taking walks with Greg along the decks (making many laps past the soft serve ice cream machine). We played cards, and chatted, and napped. It was great!
GRAND CAYMAN
First thing Monday morning we docked in George Town, Grand Cayman. Dave, Nicole, Jeff, Greg & I tendered over to the island and met our dive group. It was my (and Greg's) first boat & Ocean Dive.. and how awesome to do it in Grand Cayman along the wall. (And i got to use my new mask, snorkel, and RED fins!) The conditions were awesome (I was a little worried that visibility would be bad or the water would be choppy) but the water was 81 degrees and so comfortable. Our first dive was at a site called Caribbean Club Sand Shoe. We could see from where we were diving where the wall dropped off but we weren't close enough to it to explore it. Nicole found a little Morey eel that came out of his hole to say hello. I was amazed by the teeny tiny fish swimming between big giant fish. We dove to 70 feet & stayed down for about 30 minutes. I couldn't believe how fast the time went. I lost my mask about six feet below the surface during our ascent (it wasn't on tight enough & as the pressure decreased it floated off), but Greg luckily was able to grab it.
Our second dive was at a site called Lone Star Ledge (formerly Lobster Ledge because of all the lobsters there). We dove to about 60 feet & stayed for about another 30 minutes. There were 2 coral reef fingers with over hangs that we explored (I was too chicken to actually go into the overhangs, but I still enjoyed them). Greg and I saw a flounder swimming across the bottom that we followed for a few minutes. We found a puffer fish, and Dave showed us an enormous grouper that had shrimp cleaning it's teeth (apparently there was an enormous lobster and a crab beneath the grouper, but I didn't see them). We had a great time being carried by the current while we dove.. but it wasn't until we had to go back to the boat that we realized our mistake.. it just took a little more effort, but we made it back with plenty of time and air. I'm so glad that I took the classes and got certified at the last minute. It was an amazing experience & I can't wait to dive again. 
After our dive, Milt & Susan, Doug & Jessica, Mel & Steve, and Allie were waiting for us. They'd found a couple of vans to take us on a tour around Grand Cayman. We stopped at a Turtle farm where they
raise thousands of turtles for food and to release back into the wild. There were small ones and enormous 600 pound ones. We stopped at a rum cake factory then went to Hell. (HaHaHa!) Hell was named for it's black iron shore formations that are estimated to be 1.5 million years old. I guess they named it Hell because someone said it must be what Hell looks like. But they put a post office there so all the tourists could send post cards from Hell. We didn't have any addresses with us! But we slapped one together for our good friend James and sent it to him at work since we knew he'd really appreciate the gesture.JAMAICA
On Tuesday, Greg and I were out on the deck having breakfast as we pulled into Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We met everyone and walked right off the boat into the port where there were swarms of tour buses and vans. Our guy was waiting for us (Dave had it all set up for us before hand). He got us saying "No Problem, Mon!" right away. I couldn't believe how lush and green everything was. They drove us to the Dunn River Fall's where we hiked an amazing waterfall. It was tons of fun. There were some great pictures taken. We hoped in the van and they drove us through the Fern Gully. The road had formerly been a river which had since been diverted by an earthquake. So the sides were really steep & it twisted and turned, just like a river. Along the side were cave where cave-men lived & had lived for decades. We saw the tiniest of shacks and huts and then huge expansive beautiful mansions. I loved driving through the neighborhoods and seeing the kids run around or waiting for their school bus.
Our next stop was tubing down the White River (they joked that it was named that because so many white people come floating down it every day). It was hysterically fun. We had 2 river guides that would swim really fast past us so that they could get ahead to push us out of brush or away from rocks. Sometimes they'd jump out of the river, disappear into the jungle then come jumping back into the river, just in time to guide us through some rapids. We stopped about half way down the river for a
little cliff diving. Now, it never even occurred to me that I would jump.. I don't jump off of little diving boards into a swimming pool. Dave, Greg, Jeff, Milt, and Doug all jumped, then Melené jumped. Steve was being a total chicken. I thought.. wouldn't it be funny if I jumped and Steve didn't. So I did it! I jumped! 15 feet and it was awesome (Okay, Greg said the cliff was more like 8, but it really seemed a lot higher!)! Then Nicole came in right behind me. Steve almost HAD to jump at that point.. and he finally did. I just kept thinking.. you know, when am I ever going to get the chance to jump off a cliff in Jamaica? I'm glad I just sucked it up and did it. At the end of the River was a little stand where we bought the boys some bright Rastafarian hats complete with braids and beads.
How ironic to be in Jamaica on Bob Marley's birthday. Our guide sang his favorite songs to us as they drove us to a craft market where we did a little shopping. We found some t-shirts for the boys & a sweet little steel drum. I loved Jamaica and would definitely go back. (especially because I'm sure there's great diving there too!)
We loved the cruise & had an awesome time. We can't wait to get on our next one and want all of our friends to go with us.. so come on! It's going to be great!
On Tuesday, Greg and I were out on the deck having breakfast as we pulled into Ocho Rios, Jamaica. We met everyone and walked right off the boat into the port where there were swarms of tour buses and vans. Our guy was waiting for us (Dave had it all set up for us before hand). He got us saying "No Problem, Mon!" right away. I couldn't believe how lush and green everything was. They drove us to the Dunn River Fall's where we hiked an amazing waterfall. It was tons of fun. There were some great pictures taken. We hoped in the van and they drove us through the Fern Gully. The road had formerly been a river which had since been diverted by an earthquake. So the sides were really steep & it twisted and turned, just like a river. Along the side were cave where cave-men lived & had lived for decades. We saw the tiniest of shacks and huts and then huge expansive beautiful mansions. I loved driving through the neighborhoods and seeing the kids run around or waiting for their school bus.
Our next stop was tubing down the White River (they joked that it was named that because so many white people come floating down it every day). It was hysterically fun. We had 2 river guides that would swim really fast past us so that they could get ahead to push us out of brush or away from rocks. Sometimes they'd jump out of the river, disappear into the jungle then come jumping back into the river, just in time to guide us through some rapids. We stopped about half way down the river for a
little cliff diving. Now, it never even occurred to me that I would jump.. I don't jump off of little diving boards into a swimming pool. Dave, Greg, Jeff, Milt, and Doug all jumped, then Melené jumped. Steve was being a total chicken. I thought.. wouldn't it be funny if I jumped and Steve didn't. So I did it! I jumped! 15 feet and it was awesome (Okay, Greg said the cliff was more like 8, but it really seemed a lot higher!)! Then Nicole came in right behind me. Steve almost HAD to jump at that point.. and he finally did. I just kept thinking.. you know, when am I ever going to get the chance to jump off a cliff in Jamaica? I'm glad I just sucked it up and did it. At the end of the River was a little stand where we bought the boys some bright Rastafarian hats complete with braids and beads.How ironic to be in Jamaica on Bob Marley's birthday. Our guide sang his favorite songs to us as they drove us to a craft market where we did a little shopping. We found some t-shirts for the boys & a sweet little steel drum. I loved Jamaica and would definitely go back. (especially because I'm sure there's great diving there too!)
We loved the cruise & had an awesome time. We can't wait to get on our next one and want all of our friends to go with us.. so come on! It's going to be great!
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