I’ve always been curious about cruise and wondered if they would be the kind of holiday that would appeal to me and my family especially after we all meeting after a longest period of time...sure enough it was a most wonderful experience of my life & definitely some unforgettable moments with Gen X.
Exciting, fun, memorable, amazing (the list of words would be endless! )..that’s what I’d call hopping on a cruise for the first time.
Had mixed feeling of being with family & some deep unrest inside me as how the journey of JUST me would go. But from the time landing to Miami and back the journey of being with family is something enduring forever.
As soon as i landed & did some initial shopping headed to port to see our cruise line Carnival. Discovering what’s inside that gigantic vessel that floats across the Atlantic sea is an adventure by itself.
Our departure port was Miami which is a fantastic holiday destination in itself, some memories are still stuck in there which makes it sweeter to be at that place.
The cruise took us through some Atlantic hotspots - Nassau, Bahamas, Half Moon Cay, Bahamas, Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos Islands.
After going through all a few key boarding procedures that include getting my picture taken by a professional photographer (which my family loved it), putting on a big smile and given our access cards to the rooms, i started exploring our boat- Carnival Sensation.
First impressions? Hmm...it's my first cruise trip (of course did smaller ship),so felt it was astonishing to see how it looked from the inside. The towering glass globe, colorful lights all around, huge staircase & all the beautiful people around.
It didn’t feel like we were inside a boat at all. It felt more like a luxury hotel with see through elevators and sparkling Swarovski crystal stairs....uff...a magical place which makes you forget the world outside.
A pianist was playing some tunes to King Cole (at-least that is what i read at the entrance) in the lobby…the holiday had just begun…
Our balcony room was great: a cozy bit comfortable bed, air conditioned, safe box, minibar, fridge, movies on demand and the ensuite bathroom that was small but pleasant.
It had also a balcony which then became my favorite spot to relax & view blue ocean waters, watching the ship arrive at port in the mornings, reminding so many moments or having a drink with wide expanse of sea as my view.
The life in the cruise has no boring moments. There is a wide range of entertainment programmes throughout the day onboard if you choose to stay inside the boat or you have the option of taking of the different city excursions for each city/country we visited.
There are 4 restaurants to choose from, ranging from buffet to a la carte and a choice of cuisine ranging from Mexican, Italian to French (of course Indian too!!). The ship also has 14 bars/lounges including L’Espresso coffee bar, Jazz bar, Piano bar, Wine bar, Sports bar (where you could go for golf) Cigar lounge and a pool bars.
Plus there are 3 pools to choose from, 8 jacuzzis, a large gym, solarium as well as some American board games (@ Oak Room).
We had access to the large Strand theatre (accommodates 1200 guests) which has different types of shows every night, a casino, a disco, a small 4D cinema, a Virtual World video arcade plus the very cool Formula 1 simulator and children’s play area.
So there is no shortage of choice in terms of food and drink and entertainment. And oh man food options are something which i never had it so far in my holiday's :)
The last day in the cruise was a long day of travel so I treated myself with a good drink (thanks to my brother-in-law’s) and it felt like heaven. I was so relaxed that I felt asleep soon after walking into my room while looking at the sea horizon line in a distance.
And no, I never did felt sea sickness nor none of my family that were with me, you can hardly tell you’re in a boat.
For me the adventure is remembered by the smiles of the children, the excitement of the families, the happiness in my mother's face, the content of relaxation for my sister's and the discovery of new cities each day....many aspects to keep in mind for eternity.
It was my sister's dream, to get all the family together on a holiday cruise. And so it happened. Advantage was we could all stay together but still have the privacy and independence to do our own activities.
There are programed for all tastes and ages....of course couldn't go to any adult based entertainment for obvious reason!!
We could share the meals and tours plus kids go free which makes a big difference when you are on a family budget.
What i enjoyed the most was the bedroom with balcony (it’s worth the extra cost), the variety of food, the night shows, the family time, which is something cherishable for rest of my life and most of all the cities we visited.
Waking up in a new city every day, opening the window and seeing the sunset/ sunrise by the sea all week without having to move luggage or not having to think which good restaurant to have a good meal- cruising makes travelling easy, especially when you have parents & young kids. Plus the entertainment for all ages is definitely a great extra, especially if you’re in a group.
There are so many things to write up & it would only end up this blog not as an article but a book by itself...those fun rides with my mom, those late night cheers with brother-in-laws, those photo-op moments with sisters, those pulling moments with all the kids...AMAZING AMAZING AMAZING!!!!
Few Random pictures --
