Ok… so I NEVER, in a million years, would have booked a cruise. I’m kinda terrified of the idea of open water (well I was anyway 😉). Maybe it was the 30 or so times I watched Titanic as an impressionable teenager or all the episodes of The Deadliest Catch but in my mind ship+ocean= watery grave. If it hadn’t been for some friends of ours, we would have never tried the “Cruising” experience and we would’ve missed out on a fantastic new way to travel our whole lives!
Like with almost everything else in life, I had preconceived notions as to what the cruise would be like. I always thought that cruising was for old people. That there would be copious quantities of sun visors, new balance tennis shoes, shuffleboard and water aerobics. Man was I ever wrong. Sure there was a generous amount of older folks, who were very versed in the cruising lifestyle (I’m overly friendly and talk to, like, everyone. Ask my husband, it drives him crazy.), but I was blown away at how many families there were! And Royal Caribbean did a great job of making a ship so inviting for kids. From the water slides and rock wall to lazer tag sessions, a wave rider, sports court, arcade, carousel even a zip line, not to mention the 8 story slide. It was a playground for kids and adults, alike, in every way.
There was plenty for adults to do as well. You could challenge your problem solving skills in the Outer Space Escape Room, participate in an exhilarating art auction, enjoy some much needed pampering in the Vitality Spa, roll the dice with lady luck at the Casino Royale or even just relax in the sun out on the Adults-Only pool and sunning deck. My favorite place was Central Park. The exquisitely beautiful and romantic park replica on the 8th deck. There was nothing like walking out of the sliding doors to the warm, tropical morning air and stepping into a secret garden in the middle of a 225,000 ton ship sailing the vastness of the ocean. It was like being on a planet within a planet. Totally surreal and absolutely enchanting.
A lot of people have asked, and it was kind of a concern of mine too, “did you get sea-sick?” or, “could you feel the ship rocking?”. I, personally, didn’t get sick, nor did I see anyone else get sick and I was kind of worried about that cause I have a tendency to get motion sickness. We litterally, and everyone else on deck around us, had no idea that the ship was even moving until I looked over and gasped, “We’re sailing!!” as I saw the skyscrapers going by. You could feel it a little bit every once in a while; a gentle sway from side to side at dinner or at the casino but it was most prominent in the shower, where I was in a confined space, or when I was doing my make up because I needed a steadier hand haha.
The accommodations were, surprisingly, roomy and comfortable. I was panicked that I packed too much (a common mistake from the many blogs and websites I read) but I’m a master at rolling clothing so I fit a lot into a backpack and 1 giant suitcase. The staterooms offer clever storage, and plenty of it, so as long as that’s utilized wisely the space never seems small. The bathroom is a little on the small size maybe, but totally workable. Although the bed was a king, it was 2 twins put together; which makes sense, as getting king sized mattresses through the hallways and doors would have been next to impossible, but while it was spacious and comfortable to sleep on it wasn’t the greatest for cuddling in the middle of.
Finally, let’s talk about the dining. We didn’t purvey any of the additional-cost restraunts. We just stuck to the already included dining options and, overall, it was fantastic. I have to say I didn’t love the food at the buffet but the Main Dining experience made up for that and then some. The ambiance of the Main Dining atmosphere was 5 star. Romantic, elegant, attentive service and I, of course, LOVED getting a chance to dress up every night for it!
The meals were delicious. 4 courses (sometimes 5 or 6 if you ordered an extra entree or starter) of beautifully plated, mouth watering sustenance was offered every evening with a generous selection to choose from. From shrimp cocktail, escargot, crabcakes and several specialty items throughout the week as starters, to Lamb shanks, Prime Rib, lobster tail and even a vegetarian option for the main course. The ship’s Spaghetti Bolognese was one of the best I’ve had since going to Italy! It was so good I forewent trying the special on our last night and had it again. There’s a reason why they say people gain an average of 7-10 pounds on a cruise. The food is plentiful, and with Royal Caribbean, it’s good too.
With so much to do on the ship it’s hard to believe that in addition to everything I just mentioned, and so many more things I didn’t even go into, that there were still 3 different countries we visited along the way! Those stories will be headed to the blog soon too, but for now, the take away is this… don’t keep a closed mind to anything, you never know when might be pleasantly surprised!