Caribbean Cruise 2019 - Part I

Oh my goodness, that was a long ride there. Whoever made the decision to drive to Tampa is fired (oh, oops, that was me...). Yeah, 11 hours through the night is a very long drive - especially when just about the time the kids fall asleep, one of the adults had to pee from all the Coke/Mello Yellow we were drinking to keep us awake!

But we made it!! Easy process to board the ship and we were waiting in line for a drink at the pool by noon.

Once our cabins were opened, we dropped off our stuff and Brock and I walked around to explore (and to sign up for the Adventure Ocean Kids' program!)

Bye Tampa!

After the always fun Muster Drill, we watched the tug boat get in position to help us out of port.

Advice to those who haven't cruised - unpack your stuff in the drawers, then store the suitcase under your bed. It will feel a lot better when you're not living out of a suitcase! Also - if you have kids especially - decorate your door! It makes it so much easier to find down a corridor of doors!

While I was taking a very much needed shower, Brent was watching as we headed out to sea!

Photo credit to Brock!

Dinner time at our family style table....with two other families. I will make note, I did not quite enjoy this aspect of it. We had our own table on the cruise to Alaska and we liked it much better.

After getting about 1.5 hours of sleep the night before, we all headed to bed early that night - asleep by 9pm. Ha! We definitely slept more than usual this trip since almost every night we went to bed the same time as the boys! Haha!

Good thing too - by 7am, the boys were up and ready to go! Breakfast at the buffet, then off to grab chairs by the pool for the boys to swim!

They figured it out quick that this was a saltwater pool! And also that the hot tub was a little nicer at 8 in the morning than the same-temperature-as-the-ocean swimming pool!

Sidenote - thank that lifeguard for rescuing Kade. I had just explained to Kade that surrounding the pool was a nice ankle-deep depth, but to be careful because the middle part is DEEP and he should not go in there without mommy/daddy. I returned to the room to grab the boys' goggles (leaving Brent at the chairs) and Kade apparently needed to test my warning. He simply stepped into the middle section and down he went. The life jacket worked like a champ and the lifeguard simply grabbed him up from the vest, but his head definitely went under - (thankfully?) he was a little more wary of the edge after that. 

We headed back to the room to get cleaned up for a quick lunch......

...because by 11AM, we had arrived in KEY WEST!!

I'm glad we didn't plan anything to do. The boys were still acclimating to the new "schedule" and it was a bit humid that day. The boys immediately complained of the temperature after exiting our bus, so after a quick souvenir shop, we headed back to the ship.

No nap for the boys.... so off they went to Adventure Ocean! Yay - Date night started early!!

One good-looking husband!

While in Key West, I had to wear my Lilly Pulitzer dress!

Two nights during the Cruise we signed up for "Specialty Dining" - another way for the cruise to get more money from you, but whatever - it was a more intimate restaurant and offered a better menu selection than the main dining. Tuesday night we headed to Giovanni's Table - delicious Italian while leaving Key West with a really pretty view.

We actually docked at the Naval Air Station in Key West and got to check out this ship from our dinner window

No pictures from dinner, only dessert - Brent asked for THREE cannolis!

I think the boys had fun - that's one happy (and tired) face!!

While Kade and I were getting ready for bed, Brock and Brent headed up to the Arcade!

Day Three was a Full Day at Sea! This time we secured some chairs THEN went to get breakfast. After some time in the big pool, we headed to the kiddie pool/splash area. A much smaller area, but I think they both had more fun here.

We used lots of sunscreen that day!

Brock was one of the first kids on the "big" slide when it opened that day!

What a cool thing to do on a ship! Kade and I went down twice together too!

That may have been one of the slowest slides I've ever seen!! Haha!

After a super fun time at the pool, we headed back to the room and both Brock AND Kade took a nap! Good thing too - so they could look all spiffy for Formal Night!

Dinner that night... good thing I like sesame seeds! ;)

Special moments with the wait staff - they were so sweet (and patient) with my boys!

Special treat as Royal Caribbean was celebrating their 50th Anniversary!

The boys liked the lollipops more than the cake! (Topper of the above cake was the lollipop)

My handsome guys - after the meal (with lollipops in hand).

I got my wish - one decent picture of all of us! (You'll have to forgive the quality - it's a picture of a picture!) :)