Have you ever taken a cruise? We are fresh off our very first cruise, I thought I would share some take aways.

 

 

First, let me say we have never been on a cruise and never had any desire to go on one. We thought we would get sea sick, suffer some gastrointestinal illnesses such as norovirus and of course eat too much food.

Well, yes, we experienced one out of three.

But life is meant to be experienced and so we set sail from Bayonne, New Jersey to the Bahamas and back for a 7 day cruise on the Royal Caribbean mega luxury ship “Athems of the Sea.”

 

We met cruisers and more cruisers. We met people on their 47th cruise. People book cruise after cruise. We realized that cruising can become an addiction. We met a woman from Syracuse who spends 6 to 8 weeks a year cruising back and forth to the Bahamas all winter. Why not? It’s less expensive than a condominium with food and entertainment included.

Our eyes were opened and we learned so much. In case you don’t know about cruising, let us fill you in. Cruising is becoming more and more popular because it offers value and something for everyone.

The ship sails at a much slower pace than you might imagine. 25 to 29 knots which is only about 25 miles per hour. Oh, so that’s why we sail all night. For some reason we thought they were faster. You feel safe. The cruise ships are so large. The one we were on had 15 floors. There was a mall in the middle. There was even a Starbucks. You can buy anything from expensive jewelry to a souvenir pen. For some reason there is a lot of art for sale. It was fun to walk around the top deck and witness the endless views. I didn’t realize the when the winds pick up and the waves get choppy the water in the pools are emptied out. If you really had to use those lifeboats….yikes. Hard to imagine cramming 100 plus people in one of those. Thankfully my mind only entertained that thought for a second.

 

We read books cover to cover. I don’t care to admit the last time I did that.  We sat in comfortable chairs with big windows that look out over the ocean. We discussed them over a beautiful sit down dinner. That part was so wonderful. No phones to distract us. That doesn’t happen at home.

There were so many people yet so spread out, with plenty of room to relax or walk the ship. You could experience bumper cars, surfing, sit by the pool, or just enjoy the view of the gorgeous Atlantic ocean.

It was so nice to unplug from the internet & social media for a week. It opened you up to conversations, talking, reading, & not looking at your phones. Instead of texting where you were, we made a secret spot to meet. Kids & teens played & laugh together. We pretended we were back living in the 1970’s! I liked our little post it notes we left for each other.

 

Every want or need is met. Endless food, drink and entertainment. Many choices for restaurants. Beautiful ports of call. Yet we were disappointed there was not any religious services. The most important reason we are alive is not present on a cruise ship. Hey, we know God is our captain. Speaking of the captain. He did make announcements and there were opportunities to meet, ask questions and be photographed with the captain. I liked the formal dinner nights. Oh the people watching is excellent on cruise ships.

The crew is young & international from Indonesia, Mexico, Singapore, Philippines—70 countries in all… all working long hours & sending money home. Was this ok to have the staff working such long hours? They were very pleasant with big smiles. Never on their phone. I never like to see families separated, but they seem to enjoy. The crew really relies on tips. Our cruise director Dennis was so funny and we enjoyed the daily newspaper the Cruise Compass with all the daily happenings.

 

One thing that struck me was the generational families on board. Grandparents with their grown children with their children. All accommodated at big tables for meals. All busy with age appropriate activities all day & gathering back together at dinner. How special.

We thrive when we mix our generations together. Create memories with your family. It doesn’t have to be a 7 day cruise but when you unite all generations your future – your family’s legacy is lasting.

Two best friends were on the cruise together in their early 80’s. They met when their sons were 6 years old. They used to help each other clean each other’s houses in the Spring & would iron together. Always there for each other including car accidents, surgery, weddings of children & death of spouses. Very touching.

 

We took full advantage of the trivia, the comedies, the shows, the concerts, all the entertainment. We were so impressed with the variety of places to eat. Heck, you could eat to your hearts content. We loved the towel animals and the hand carved fruit. We joked on day 7 we were having a slim fast and a glass of water.

Our favorite spot was CoCoCay in the Bahamas. It’s an Island owned by Royal Caribbean made up to be the most make believe perfect spot to swim and relax.

We never got sea sick, we never got the stomach flu, we ate too much and we really enjoyed ourselves. You can’t help but gain perspective by traveling a whole different way. I’m ready to book my next cruise. But by day 7 Evan was ready to hit land permanently and said “who can do this week after week? Not me.”

Our thanks to Royal Carribean for such a successful first cruise. The relaxation, the entertainment, the food, was all so affordable. I can certainly see the appeal.

To me, a successful trip is coming home with stories to share.

Missioned accomplished.

Sincerely, Trish

 

 

 

Tags : Bahamas, Cruise, Royal Caribbean