Our adventure of the seas

Just prior to the snowstorm of the century, Mark and I enjoyed a fantastic, relaxing getaway in the southern Caribbean. For Christmas/birthdays we decided to treat ourselves to a vacation. My wonderful husband agreed to take over the planning. Last year we went skiing in the Rockies, so he knew that it was only fair that we go somewhere warm this time around. (OK, I might have hinted a wee bit.) Mark has cruised previously with his family and thought it was time for me to give it a try. Before we boarded the ship, numerous cruisers told me I wouldn't want to travel any other way ... I think they just might be right!

Our flight left for Puerto Rico just as a few snowflakes began to fall at BWI. I laughed to myself on the plane, "ha ha suckers!" not realizing there would be 30 inches of snow waiting for us upon our return. We spent one night in San Juan, then embarked on Royal Caribbean's "Adventure of the Seas" ship on Sunday.

To my friends who think cruises are only for "old people" and to those who might be a little skeptical of cruising like I was, I highly recommend it! Everything you want or need is right there in one spot. No need to rent a car or find a hotel ... you wake up each morning, anxious to see what new port you've arrived in. Even if you haven't planned any excursions in advance, there is usually someone waiting at the pier, ready to take you on a tour of some kind. Or, you can simply walk through town or take a taxi to a local beach. Our interior room (no window or balcony) was bigger than I imagined and had lots of storage space, eliminating that "living out of your suitcase" feeling. Unlike many resorts and hotels, there was an abundance of on-site entertainment. Comedians, jugglers, game shows, casino, bars, figure skating, movies, singers & dancers, mini-golf, running track & gym, rock climbing wall, basketball court, plus pools & hot tubs galore were all right there. For relaxation, there was also a spa (very expensive though - I didn't go) and many quiet reading spots scattered across the ship. Despite all these amenities, I think my favorite part - and I'm probably not alone on this one - was the FOOD. Too much food, perhaps. Buffets, dining rooms, all-night snacks, and a self-serve frozen yogurt machine beckoned to me constantly. This isn't Old Country Buffet I'm talking about, but endless selections of delectable restaurant-quality cuisine. The "staples" were present at every meal, but other than that the menu changed daily. Finally, the people were great. We met lots of nice people from across the U.S. and Canada, and the international crew were outstanding.


Our itinerary
Day 1: At sea, exploring the ship
Day 2: Bridgetown, Barbados
Day 3: Castries, St. Lucia
Day 4: St. John's, Antigua
Day 5: Philipsburg, St. Maarten
Day 6: Frederiksted, St. Croix (U.S. Virgin Islands)
Day 7: San Juan, Puerto Rico

I've already blabbed enough, so I'll let the photos do the talking. Please check out our Picasa album, or find an abridged version on Facebook. Here are a few selected pics:

Hello, vacation!

Scuba diving in Barbados

The Piton mountains in St. Lucia

Fortress in Old San Juan

Formal night on the ship

Getting home was a little challenging, given the aforementioned Snowpocalypse in Baltimore. Our flight back on Sunday was canceled, and the earliest we could fly into BWI would be late Tuesday night. It's a good thing Mark changed our flight to one going to Newark since the second snowstorm would be at its peak at that exact time. (Although I would have been quite content being stranded in Puerto Rico!) Instead, we met Mark's mom at Newark airport on Monday, picked up a rental car, and exchanged the pugs. Then we drove a few hours south to Charm City, right into the aftermath of Storm #1. Bye-bye 80 degrees and sunny, hello reality :) Haha!

Happy Valentine's Day, everyone!!