Cruisin' to Mexico!

We just got back from an AMAZING family vacation with Mendy and her family.  We were so very sad on the day of departure when Mom unexpectantly was not able to board with us.  Through the tears, we decided to continue on and make the best of the vacation that we could.  We were not sure what to expect since this was our first cruise on Royal Caribbean, but we had a fantastic time!  

We started with a day at sea where we explored the ship and hung out at the pool.  The kids enjoyed the Teen Club before we all met up for our first fancy dinner.  At dinner, we met our waiter Ronnie from the Philippines, his assistant Soma from Indonesia (Bali) and head waiter Raymond from Indonesia.  These 3 were the most caring people and kept us laughing and smiling the entire time.  That evening we participated in a game show contest, and continued to explore the ship. 

Early the next morning, we disembarked at Puerto Costa Maya, driving 1.5 hours to Mahahual, Mexico. When we arrived, we took a river rafting trip through the mangroves which led us to the 7 color Baccalar Lagoon.  The water was beautiful with all its colors and we learned it was the second largest lagoon in the world.  We ended the excursion with a catered authentic Mexican lunch before heading back to the boat.  With the late arrival back on the boat, we missed our dining time with Ronnie & Soma, but still enjoyed a fancy dinner in another dining hall as Charles and I celebrated our 19^th wedding anniversary.  It was a magical day filled with firsts and awe in the wonders of what God has created. 

The next morning was an early one as we had a port of call in Cozumel.  We started the day by boarding the Atlantis Submarine and dove to 108 ft below the surface to explore the reef, see the 2,000 foot ocean shelf/drop off, and a sunken Navy vessel. The port windows were much clearer than I expected, and I loved seeing the reef and various types of fish.  The ocean has always been something of interest to me as it truly is like another world.  Just like God creates each of us as individuals, he gave time and details to each species of fish, corals, etc.  It is just fascinating to me.  After our submarine excursion, we walked around Cozumel in the shops.  Everyone enjoyed looking around.  Caelin found a blue tshirt, ankle bracelet, friendship bracelet, and get a Henna tattoo.  Cade was a little more adventurous and decided to purchase the largest sombrero ever and wear it with pride.  It is already hanging on the wall of his room as I write this blog, ha.  After getting back on the ship, the kids had activities planned with the teen club while the adults either took a nap, read a book, or went to the Casino.  Dinner was a fabulous Mexican cuisine, and an assortment of desserts.  We were able to grab a drink and walk around the ship exploring and listening the music before all going to the casino that night. Mendy and Chris came out with some earnings, and I lost $50.  At least I can say I had fun! 

The last day was a sea day as we headed back to Galveston, TX.  We spent the day laying out by the pool, Caelin did the water slides and a towel folding class, Charles enjoyed a cigar with new friends, and Cade/Jax roamed the ship and participated in some teen activities on board. We met up for the ice skating show at 3pm before showering for dinner. The final dinner was an Italian theme and we were stuffed as we finished packing and watched the final dance party/balloon drop on the promenade deck. 

There really are no words for all the laughs and memories we had.  We still joke around about meeting by the “Texas Flag at 5:15pm for dinner” or going to eat breakfast at the Windjammer.  All 8 of us had the time of our life and were grateful for our time together.