We spent Spring Break aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas. We traveled with some friends this time – and that was really fun! We’ve been on two Disney cruises, so we were excited to see how Royal Caribbean compared.
Things we learned …
- Formal dining is one of our favorite parts even though we aren’t formal people. Showing up and being served delicious food I would never cook for myself is such a treat.
- We needed a vacation from the heaviness of the world around us and a cruise really is a getaway from most all responsibilities. Momma needed an actual vacation. That’s what’s so great about cruises: They’re a true vacation once they’re planned, excursions are booked, and travel arrangements are made.
- Two excursions on a week-long cruise aren’t enough. We were sad the windy weather kept us from stopping at Costa Maya. We loved our time in Roatan and Cozumel. In Roatan, we went on an island tour and had some beach time and a private resort. In Cozumel, we spent the day with our friends, interacting with dolphins, petting manatees, watching sea lions, and snorkeling at Chankanaab Beach Adventure Park.
- We’ve outgrown the stateroom that barely accommodates five people.
- Traveling with friends is fun; we’d never done that before. We did some things together with the Gachokas, including our day in Cozumel, and some things separately. Coming together for dinner each night was such a sweet spot of that whole week.
- Our kids’ age gap — they’re currently 15, 13, and 7 — was magnified on this cruise, where many activities were for specific ages. Disney does whole-family entertainment better than probably anyone, although we certainly enjoyed entertainment and activities on the Royal Caribbean ship. The adults and teenagers did enjoy lots of trivia and Name That Tune games. Rachel was a fish and wanted in the pools at any moment possible. Ben improved his boogie-boarding skills. Cate played pickleball and went to dance fitness classes.
- My kids have rarely been sunburned. Usually, they start getting tan when we are outside in the spring and then by summer just tan, but all this (very welcomed) sunshine at the beginning of April has even been a lot for their skin. At least they believe me about sunscreen now.
- We also found the medical facility on our second night on the ship because Rachel was running a fever and had a sore throat. I thought she had strep. She didn’t. She also didn’t have covid, thankfully. The nice doctor from Tanzania supplied us with an antibiotic for tonsillitis. Thankfully, she was back to herself the following day.
Shout out to my friend Misty Grogan for helping me plan our cruise. She recently announced she’s starting her own travel agency with her daughter. I recommend Kingdom Seekers Travel to help you plan your next trip – especially if you want to go to Disney or Universal, on a cruise, or to an all-inclusive resort.
*****
I have a bunch of photos uploaded on Facebook and posts saved as an Instagram highlight, so be sure to check out those to see more of the fun.
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