Our Texas & Caribbean Trip -Part 1

Taking a vacation just days before Christmas might not be one of the brightest decisions we ever made... but then again, it was very relaxing at a normally crazy busy time of year. I don't regret that we did it, I just wouldn't want to do it every year.

In my last post I wrote about the reason we took this trip. In case you've forgotten, we were celebrating our birthdays- especially R's 50th, our 26th anniversary, and possibly every other special occasion from Groundhog Day to National Cupcake Day for the next year. Since pregnant women aren't allowed on cruise ships in the later half of their pregnancy, JS & wife were not able to go with us, but we took JR and A on their first cruise.

We booked the trip back in September when the birthdays were happening. The idea was to wait to  travel to warmer climes till it's cold in the Midwest (who wants to spend money on a vacation down south when it's still balmy at home?!), but before we're too close to grandbaby Miller's due date. Wouldn't you know it, when vacation time finally rolls around, it's snowing in Texas! Yes, of course, it is. We are some sort of magnet for drama when we travel.

Here we are on Saturday, Dec 9, excited for the adventure to begin. JS & AM took us to the airport.

 We flew to Houston TX. During our layover, we received a text from the cruise line that our ship was delayed and we will not be leaving on schedule- that we shouldn't come to port until they say so. Too late! We're already in Texas. Did I not say we are a magnet for drama? And our flight was delayed, too, so we didn't know if we could make the 5pm shuttle I had booked from Houston to Galveston. Hanging out in the airport till 7pm for the next shuttle wasn't ranking very high on our bucket list. Fortunately the research paid off- we had great shuttle service; our friendly driver was monitoring our flight and knew we were delayed so he was waiting on us.

 We loved that all our Texas hotels had state-shaped waffles for breakfast. 

So the next morning, 9am, we get another text from the cruise line that the ship will be docking at noon but we should not come to port till 3pm. Give them time to clear out all the returning cruisers and clean the ship. We had been planning to board at 10:30am, but we can roll with this. It could be worse. A lot worse. 

   We started calling around trying to find a ride 5 miles across town to the port for later in the day. Virtually every taxi was booked -it was total chaos with thousands of people coming & going at the same time. Our only 2 choices were a limousine for $126 or a shuttle van for $60. Seriously, both are highway robbery for a 5 mile drive, but they have you "over the barrel" and they know it. The last shuttle van ran at noon so we had no choice but to go to the cruise port too early. 

  When we got there, they gave us a brochure about all the wonderful touristy things within walking distance of the port that we could do to pass the time, but everything has a price tag attached and you are expected to tip virtually everyone who so much as says hello to you, so we opted to do some good old-fashioned people watching, which is still free. I mean $3 per person to simply walk on a fishing pier?? Do I look that crazy to you?! Our time in Galveston just confirmed our belief that normally we don't want to cruise from TX; we only did this time because of our post-cruise plans. Thus we sat on this hard bench for 2.5 hours, listening to a continuous litany of "parking lot B" with accompanying hand motions for the benefit of departing cruisers... over and over and over again. 

If we learned anything from the experience, it's that human nature really is the most entertaining. 

   Finally at 2:45pm we thought it looked like they were letting guests check in, so we went inside. Only to discover a really long line of people being processed ahead of us. We ended up in a huge holding room that was already full of our fellow-cruisers. Obviously they had been checking in guests all afternoon. The stale air in the room made us glad we had stayed outdoors as long as we did though. The snow from the day before was all gone and it really was quite pleasant outdoors.   

 While we waited for our boarding group to be called, R struck up a conversation with the couples sitting next to him. You see, he holds to the belief system that everyone wants to be chatted up, while I cling to my belief that they want to be left alone. If the stranger at the gas pump next to me says "it's a beautiful day today, isn't it?" I will agree aloud but silently hope I don't have to listen to their entire life story in the amount of time it takes to pump $50 worth of fuel. In this particular instance, it turned out okay- the neighboring men just happened to be truck drivers as well and they became familiar faces in a sea of strangers for the next week.

   After that long, boring wait -roughly about the time we originally expected to be heading out to sea- we were finally allowed to board the ship. The kids' first look at the massive ship... 

A floating hotel for 4000+ guests. 

Since our staterooms were not ready yet, and because breakfast had been a long time ago, we headed to the buffet ...the kids' first introduction to all the amazing free food that comes with a cruise. 

Can we just say right away and get it out there that it's fairly common to gain 10# on a week long cruise? On our last cruise -a 4 day- I gained 5#, so I believe it is totally true. I, for one, was determined not to do that this time. We took the stairs most of the time, and made use of the fitness room and jogging track. I won't name any names, but 2 of us lost a pound, 1 of us gained a pound, and 1 of us gained a couple pounds, but none of us were unlucky enough to gain 10, for all our efforts at exercising. 

The sun set over Galveston as we were wandering around the ship, trying to orient ourselves to the layout of 13 decks, and lugging our carry-on bags around because our staterooms were still being cleaned. 

We finally joined the throngs that were simply sitting on the floor waiting for our rooms to be ready. Humans are curious creatures, aren't we? We are impatient to be at the front of the line even though it means a lengthier wait for the next thing. It did us little good to board at 4:30 if our rooms weren't ready for another 3 hours. But hey, as long as the line is moving we feel like we're making progress. 

And finally, finally, at 7:30pm we were able to settle into our staterooms. We still had to wait a bit longer for our suitcases to be delivered. Following the muster drill at 9:30pm, we headed out to sea. Good-bye, Galveston! Hello, Gulf of Mexico! 

At the conclusion of the muster drill, the captain makes an announcement before you head to sea. That is how we learned we would not be sailing to Grand Cayman as scheduled. Due to a storm in the vicinity. What next?! Did I mention drama magnets yet? Ok, so I definitely don't want to sail into rough seas that would have all of us hugging the toilet and hurling up all that yummy food, but somehow yet another change in itinerary feels like we're getting ripped off. We paid for 3 islands, not 2. Fortunately for us, after this rocky start, the rest of the week went as planned and there was no more drama. Well, sort of. More about that later.  

   

Cruise ships are notorious for their tiny rooms, but we think it's very comparable to a camper and don't mind it at all. And, hey, a camper doesn't come with free food 24/7 and a maid that cleans up after you twice a day! 

 We slept "like babies". (Although I've never been quite sure what that term means, based on how my babies slept.) The beds were so comfy and the room-darkening, noise-blocking drapes... the ship gliding so smoothly through the water... we slept better on the ship than we do at home!

This ship had round showers. We won't soon forget the comedian the first evening who cracked numerous jokes about these tiny shower stalls, vacuum toilets, and the like.

 Our staterooms were promenade view on the 6th deck, so we were among the lowest row of windows you can see in this picture, overlooking the shops & restaurants on Deck 5. Would definitely do Promenade View again.

 The kids room was the bay window directly above the car... we were the next room to the left, above the restaurant. Connecting rooms.

Monday was an at-sea day. (Actually since Grand Cayman was cancelled, 5 of our 7 days were at-sea days.) A lazy day, soaking up the sun and swimming in the pool, as it grew steadily warmer the farther south we got in the Gulf of Mexico.  

Gorgeous sunsets out there on the water. Just saying.

 Monday evening was the first formal night. We got all dressed up and went around to the ships' formal portrait stations. I wanted to hit every station so we have more poses to pick from (come on, you know how hard it is to get 4 people to agree on a portrait! We all look at our self in the picture and it's Murphy's law that someone does like how they look in each shot.) But after 2 stations, my loving family was D.O.N.E. I'll give the ship's photographers an E for effort. They tried. They really did. But our carefully coordinated Christmas outfits totally clashed with the backgrounds and we looked freaked out or scared in every pose. It was a disaster as far as portrait sittings go. Thankfully there is no obligation to purchase their photos. Scratch that idea.

We had My Time Dining -which means we could show up at the main dining room whenever we felt like it, instead of being tied to either the 5:30 or 8:30pm seating times. So we were assigned to the Rembrandt dining room on Deck 3. Would totally do My Time Dining again. We never had to wait for a table more than a few minutes.   

 There is no time like a cruise to try new foods you don't want to risk or can't afford anywhere else. This was escargots. Snails, in plain English. (Under all that garlic butter.) Loved em.

R ordered duck. His assessment- it was good but hard to remove from the bone.

 The head waiter surprised him with a piece of cake for his birthday, but the waiters did not sing for him when they found out it wasn't his actual birthday. 

We had already ordered chocolate souffle with mocha sauce and creme brulee for dessert, so we had plenty of sweets. Hey, we're on vacation here! Time to live a little. And that's what they invented jogging track & the fitness room for. 

to be continued...