My Caribbean Christmas Cruise

What we have been planning since July finally came to pass. The four of us--hubby Steve, sons Andrew (23) and Eric (20), and me--went on a Caribbean cruise over Christmas. Here is a brief summary:

We flew to Ft. Lauderdale Dec. 22 and spent time with my mom, my sister and her family. Then on Dec. 23, we boarded the Crown Princess in Port Lauderdale. The in-processing wasn't too bad. Once on the ship, we checked out our rooms (Aloha deck), then started exploring. Up to the Lido deck--pools, Horizon Court Buffet, and fantastic views.

Dinner every evening was fabulous. The food was tasty and way too filling. Of course, ordering 4 courses can do that! I loved the appetizers and soup sometimes more than the main dishes. A few memorable ones were lobster pate, seafood salad, foi gras (I had to try it), and creamy porcini mushroom soup. My favorite main dishes were lamb shanks, lamb chops, veal scalloppine, and fettucine alfredo. Desserts? Most nights I sampled something sweet, such as chocolate mousse brownie and baked Alaska.

We stopped at four ports. First was Princess Cays in the Bahamas. There we took an island tour, which included lunch (sampled some island foods such as Conk Salad and Conk Fritters). Second stop was Grand Cayman, where we visited the turtle farm (the guys all picked up turtles) and interacted with a dolphin (what a blast). Third, the visited the island of Roatan in Honduras. What a great port. The beach was clean, restaurants and shops were close -- a super relaxing day. Steve snorkled, Andrew and I read (me on my Kindle), and Eric enjoyed buying a coconut and rum drink (drinking age is 18 there).

Our final stop, Cozumel, was a favorite for Steve and me. We did a Mexican Cuisine--cooking and tasting experience at Playa Mia. A small group (maybe 20) took instruction from Chef Luis (a very friendly and helpful guy) on preparing a 3-course meal. Along with the cooking, we had unlimited drinks.

On the ship, we felt relaxed and were pampered so much. It was great to not cook, clean, wash a dish, etc. I loved the international cafe, where we enjoyed lattes and mochas as well as pastries, salads, and sandwiches. Eric liked the big screen on the Lido deck, where he watched some movies and football as he soaked up the sun. Andrew loved having time to read books for fun, eat whenever he wanted (and whatever he wanted), and having an endless supply of soda. We also enjoyed the entertainment--music shows, trivia and other games, and Princess Pop Start karaoke contest (no, we did not compete).

Steve and I are already thinking about another cruise--just have to figure out when, then where. I highly recommend the Princess cruise line. But for now, the memories are priceless. What a way to spend Christmas!