Several weeks ago my family of seven boarded a plane and flew across the country to Miami, Florida.
My kids had stars in their eyes — it was their first time flying.
Once in Miami we boarded the Carnival Breeze for a six-day cruise through the Caribbean. (No sighting of Captain Jack Sparrow — understandable.)
We didn’t travel alone. Nearly 50 extended family members joined us, all wearing bright red shirts that read “Have You Seen My Family?” on the front and “There Are 53 Of Us!” on the back. Six of my husband’s siblings, their spouses and kids, plus my mother-in-law and her husband, made the trip. We were, to say the least, quite the spectacle.
The ship offered a lot of fun amenities and activities for all ages.
It was very kid-friendly, which was perfect since we had children from my eldest son Mark, almost 18, down to baby Jill, six months old.
There was a 5D theater,
and a ropes course with an incredible ocean view.
The kids loved it all.
There was also a sports court, mini-golf and many other activities to keep everyone entertained.
We dressed up for evening dinners, and the kids thought the fancy meals were a big treat. One night my eight-year-old Nate found a bone in his chicken and asked his dad, “Hey, there’s a BONE in my chicken. Am I eating some kind of ANIMAL?!” It was a funny reminder to talk more about where food comes from in our house — we tend to stick to boneless, skinless options.
We made a stop in Jamaica, which was absolutely beautiful.
The local colors and markets were lively and unique.
My kids and some cousins practiced their bargaining skills while shopping for souvenirs.
The scenery was stunning and sharing it with family made it even better.
We also visited Grand Turk, with water so impossibly blue it took our breath away.
We spent a full day on the beach playing in the sun and surf.
We also stopped in the Bahamas and did a bit of shopping with the teens. From the ship we snapped a few photos of Atlantis in the distance.
All in all, the trip was fantastic. With my oldest son preparing to leave on a two-year mission soon, this was the perfect last hurrah before he goes. Cruising with family proved to be a unique, fun and memorable way to travel — we’re so glad we did it.
Have a great weekend, everyone — hope it’s a good one.
