“Aruba, Jamaica, oh I want to take ya, Bermuda, Bahama, come on pretty mama. Key Largo, Montego,mbaby why don't we go.  We’ll get there fast and then we’ll take it slow…”

Well, for Bella and I the beginning of our Caribbean vacation was more like “we’ll get there slow and then we’ll rush through the first hours of vacation...” ✈

Bella and I left our house to go to the airport in the very early hours of the morning on Friday, May 31st, actually, I think it was still dark out.  We got to O’Hare with plenty of time to spare!  One of my biggest pet peeves is being late for things, especially the airport which always gives me anxiety for some reason.  My grandma used to say “being on time is being late”, and I try to live by her wise words. 😊

We went through security with flying colors and plenty of time to grab some coffee and a breakfast sandwich for Bella at Starbucks.  We sat at our gate waiting to board the plane coffee in hand.  Once we boarded the plane, we buckled and waited for take off… we waited another five minutes, and another five minutes and then after 20 minutes or so the engines of the plane turned off and that’s when we knew we weren’t going anywhere any time soon.  Half hour later an announcement come on from the cockpit saying there were “mechanical” problems with the airplane and they would let us know when we would be ready for take off.  Gasp!!! Did I mention I am a nervous flyer? An hour passed, another half hour passed, two hours went by and some people started deplaning trying to get on another flight.  Being the nervous flyer that I am, the fact that Bella and I would be missing fun #1 of our vacation in the Everglades seemed unimportant all of a sudden, I was more concerned about the mechanical issues the airplane was experiencing.  Long story short, after three hours on the ground and waiting INSIDE the plane patiently for things to improve, we were on our way to Florida and lucky for us our friends who had landed in Fort Lauderdale before us were able to wait for us to go on the tour of the Everglades.  Phew!

I’ve only been to Florida once prior to this trip and that was a visit to Disney in Orlando many years ago when the girls were very little. I didn’t know what to expect at the Everglades except for a bunch of alligators.  The Florida Everglades have an amazing and rich history and the visit turned out to be a lot more informative than I expected it to be. The Everglades was established by Native Americans in the early 1900’s to preserve the biological diversity and resources of their ecosystem and ponds.  The prairies and wildlife is something you’d like to paint on a canvas.  But just paint, because according to our tour guide most of these trees and plants are poisonous and some have flesh eating effects… we’ll stay on the boat, thank you very much!  After our air boat tour (which was fascinating and I personally highly recommend bringing ear plugs if you plan to visit) of the ponds where we saw a few alligators, it was time for a greet and meet with some wild life that we got to hold and interact with, quite an interesting experience.  The weather felt like 125 degrees with a humidity level of 100% but since we had just left freezing Chicago weather a few hours before, those extreme temperatures for us Chicagoans felt like paradise.

After the Everglades, we checked in at our hotel, went swimming in what seemed like bath water (ahhh, I miss that), and then showered and got ready for dinner and some exploring in town.  We had dinner at a Cuban restaurant by the hotel which had AMAZING beef empanadas and some delicious watermelon water.  I also had a Cuban sandwich which was quite tasty.

At 8 a.m. or so the next morning we were on our way to the port for embarkation, the excitement was palpable, we were all so excited and ready to start our Caribbean cruise vacation.

I don’t remember feeling that incredibly giddy and excited in a long time.  A parent from our group said to me “your level of excitement is like that of a child on Christmas morning!”  Yes, that was me and I think I managed to keep it up for the majority of the trip.  Walking inside the ship for the first will be something that will remain dear to my heart forever.  I was happy not only for me, but for Bella, her friends and all the parents in our group… I knew, we were on our way to make long lasting memories.

The first day on the ship was pure bliss.  Walking through the ship, getting to know the many corners of it, getting acquainted with the many meal options (my favorite part on the ship if I’m completely honest haha), and then lots of celebrating on board with many “Welcome on Board” parties!  I have never been on a Cruise before so I can’t speak for other people’s experiences with Cruise Directors, but ours “Mike” was phenomenal.  I knew from day one, we were in for a good time!!! 

Our first stop was the Island of Grand Turk.  We arrived in the morning and as soon as we disembarked from our ship, we were on our way to our boat tour for some snorkeling where we saw amazing marine life and even got to touch a shark (while a bit frightening, it was also incredible), we experienced some conch diving – pronounced “kaangk” – ate conch salad prepared at the site and then had the opportunity to slip back into the water to play with some gentle stingrays.  I could go on and on about this incredible experience but for me I would have to say what stands out about this island will always be my very first snorkeling experience, I still can’t believe I did it!

When we arrived at our first snorkeling site, I was acting all brave and sure of myself, putting all the snorkeling equipment on ready to jump in.  I let everyone go ahead of me (how kind of me), and decided I would be last.  In all honesty, I wanted to see for myself, that everyone was doing ok and it was a completely 100% safe thing for me to do.  I started to descend from the boat and as soon as my legs touched the ocean water I completely panicked, started low key hyperventilating and went rapidly back on the boat.  I had decided, snorkeling was not for me and I was ok with that.  Well, the captain of the boat and person in charge of the tour had another plan for me.  He kindly went up to me and said “oh yes, you will snorkel and you will love it!”  He called his right hand on board and asked him to get a floating device, go down with me and keep me company the whole time I was in the water.  Seeing the floating device and knowing I had a water expert next to me, gave me a lot of confidence, so I decided to try it.  My heart was still pounding nonetheless and I wasn’t too sure I had made the right decision but I am glad I said yes!  It took me a few tries of putting the snorkel mask on and not feeling like I was suffocating and then attempting to submerge myself in the water until I finally got it.  The first time being able to snorkel and experience all that under water marine life was beyond incredible!!!  I will always be thankful for Mckenzie, the snorkel expert who convinced me to try it, who gave me the confidence to go in the water and also gave me the experience of a lifetime.  I would love to say that I came home a snorkel expert but that would be far from the truth, BUT, I snorkeled in every Island we visited, every time with more confidence and I will say that snorkeling is now one of my favorite things to do, I still miss it.

Snorkeling, conch diving and sting ray playtime in Grand Turk check!  Off to Dominican Republic now!

Before no time, we were back on the ship with some picture worthy tans or sunburn I should say and it was time for showers and getting ready for dinner with our favorite server Simon.  After dinner we went to see a musical, then a comedy show and then some late night  party.  So fun!

The next morning we arrived in the Dominican Republic were we went on a speedboat excursion to Saona Island which has the most magnificent turquoise waters, beautiful palm trees and endless white beaches.  There we saw starfish, huge sea turtles and corals.  On the way to Saona Island we stopped at “Piscina Natural”, a natural swimming pool and sand bank with an endless amount of starfish.  Piscina Natural gives you a feeling of being in the middle of the ocean with crystal clear water, white sand under your toes and the experience of marine life in their natural habitat.  The water is shallow even though is far, far away from shore and the water is never higher than waste deep.

Once in Saona Island we were able to bask in the sun, relax in the many beach chairs at this private beach , play in the water and then we enjoyed a traditional Dominican buffet lunch of grilled chicken, pork chops, salads and fresh fruit.  Many kitties roamed the outdoor buffet area looking for something tasty to fall from the tables… or a generous hand to share a piece of their meal.  The girls loved this sight as much as they loved the starfish!

Curaçao (pronounced “kur·uh·saw” 😉 ) was our third Island excursion, a surf and turf kind of experience.  We went on a bus ride that took us to a beautiful cave, then we did some snorkeling where I came in close contact with some prickly sea life (proud to say I had to dive in a little deeper for that encounter). We relaxed at a pig roaming beach and then on the way back to the ship we stopped at a beautiful flamingo lake that was quite amazing to witness.  The sun was setting just as we pulled into the lake and that made the experience even more worthwhile.  Breathtaking views all around!  Also, in Curaçao some of the girls were brave enough to jump from a very high cliff into the ocean and then at a second stop with a shorter cliff (nonetheless terrifying in my opinion), more girls braved that jump as well.  We arrived at the port in the evening hours and some of us from the group decided to explore the town, eat something and experience the magic of the Island at night.  My favorite part of this evening excursion was seeing the ship beautifully illuminated from the distance waiting for it’s passengers to come aboard for it’s final Island destination.  I can still feel the breeze and the bliss of the night as we made our way back to the port.  Amazing experiences all around.

The day after our Curaçao excursion, we disembarked in Aruba.  What a festive welcome this was!  The sun was shinning in all it’s glory, there were local musicians playing outdoors as we made our way through the port and joy was definitely in the air.  In Aruba we did the Jolly Pirates excursion… a sail, snorkel, swim and swing type of experience.  And oh boy, did we do it all!  The Pirate ship was sooo much fun!  They played fun music from the moment we got on board, and we tasted the most delicious rum punch. First time for me trying rum punch and Aruba definitely knows their rum punch game, so delicious! The ship made two stops for snorkeling opportunities, served a yummy lunch and then gave the passengers the chance to rope swing into the ocean, and guess who said “I’ll do it!”? Me!!!  That was both a brave and dumb decision of my part.  Apparently I didn’t realize that rope swinging into the ocean from a pirate ship required some arm muscle, which I don’t have at all, and also incredible guts.  Well, apparently the rum punch was making that decision for me that day because off I went up the steps and into the ledge to bravely swing off that rope.  Ay, ay, ay!  Let’s just say that I plummeted into the sweet arms of the ocean sooner than I realized, not even giving me time to pluck my nose for the forceful dive into the ocean once my hands let go of the rope.  I’m glad I did it… I guess I can say I am a pirate now?!  Not even close!  Thankfully the bruising and soreness of my back is now gone and I have the memories to last a lifetime.

After four magnificent Island visits, many incredible excursions and new friendships made, we were back on the ship for two full days at sea.  The timing couldn’t have been better because after six full days of being on the go nonstop, our bodies were ready for some R & R, more aloe and cozying up by the pool with a fruity drink in our hands.

Being on a cruise for the first time was beyond anything I had ever imagined, but what I loved the most about this trip was my one on one time with Bella, witnessing the amazing friendships her Girl Scout troop has developed throughout the years and the stronger bonds they developed during their time at sea.

So many laughs, so many amazing experiences, sooo many “it’s so good!” delicious meals and countless unforgettable moments to last a lifetime.

After the cruise, Bella and I spent two more days in Miami Beach unwinding from the trip, eating more delicious food by the ocean and enjoying more pool time. The time spent with Bella those couple of days were amazing in every way. I love this kid endlessly.

Beyond thankful for the memories made and for safe travels all around!  Until next time Carnival Horizon… I’m already in love with you and you can’t run away! 🧡