Dec 5th-Dec 10th - My First Cruise!

I woke up early in the morning and headed to the airport to go on a girls trip with my family! My Mom was flying from home to NYC and we were flying to Miami and then going on a cruise with my Aunt and Cousin. I was going through security when I saw someone pull out their passport and my heart started pounding... I forgot my passport! I brought my driver's license to go through security but forgot that I would need my passport to get on the cruise-ship!

My Mom landed and I called her and told her what happened and we met at the gate and went over the possibilities of what to do. Our flight started boarding and I almost decided to miss it to go back and get my passport but my roommate Sarah did me a huge favor by going to FedEx and getting it overnighted to our hotel in Miami! We paid extra to guarantee 8:00am delivery and then we boarded the plane last minute!

We got to the Grand Beach Hotel and the room was breathtaking! 

We were hungry so we went downstairs to the restaurant to eat lunch outside which was really good! I wanted to try to be healthy but then I realized that is especially hard to do while on vacation haha

Then we explored the hotel and went out to the beach to step into the Ocean. We warmed up in the hot tub and then laid out by the pool and talked and relaxed which was nice.

When the sun started setting we went shopping and had a nice time going out to eat for dinner. 

We heard that there was a significant art convention called Art Basel going on and we went to SoundScape Park to watch the Art Video Nights event. It was neat sitting outside watching videos that artists created being projected onto the New World Center building. 

The next morning I woke up and called downstairs to ask about my passport that was overnighted and they told me I had to wait until 10:00am to check on deliveries. My Mom and I worked out at the gym and got ready for the day and then I went downstairs to pick it up. The concierge said that no package was delivered for me so I gave them the tracking number and they told me that my passport was still in New York! I could not believe it. 

(My passport was about 1,000 miles away!)

My Mom and I immediately called FedEx and they said there was a mechanical problem and that there was nothing they could do. I was so scared that I was going to have to miss the cruise that we were going on for my Aunt Lolita's birthday! We told FedEx that we were going to have to find out if I could board the ship at Key West instead of Miami and they would have to ship my passport there and pay for my travel to Key West. When they agreed we called Carnival and they said that we would have to pay an additional $300 to be able to board at Key West and plus I would miss the first day of the cruise. 

Carnival also told us that if I had a copy of my birth certificate then I could get on at the Miami port. My Dad was home looking for it but we were not sure where it was. Right before it was time to leave for the cruise we got a copy of my birth certificate and were able to board the ship! That was one of the most stressful situations I have been in but I learned my lesson and I am so thankful that it worked out!

(Boarding my first cruise!)

We met up with my Aunt Lolita and Cousin Betsy and headed straight for the ice cream machine! Then Betsy saw that there was a margherita tasting at one of the bars so the three of them tried four different ones.

Afterwards everyone on the ship had to go to a safety meeting and then we went to an event where they tell you about the different stores in Key West to go shopping. Later we watched some of the welcome show at the theatre which was nice and then headed to dinner. I had a vegetable pot pie which was delicious and I was in euphoria when eating the chocolate lava cake for dessert! Then the servers all put on costumes and danced on some platforms throughout the dining room to "Low (Apple Bottom Jeans)" which was funny. 

We spent the rest of the night at the piano bar singing songs like "New York State of Mind," "Walking in Memphis," "Amie," "Hotel California" and "Bohemian Rhapsody." That was my first piano bar experience and it was so fun!

The next morning I woke up and looked out over the water and watched us pull into the Key West port! We got off of the boat and went to some shops and then went on a trolley tour which was nice. Our main excursion was going to The Key West Butterfly and Nature Conservatory and I loved it! We walked into the greenhouse and butterflies were flying all around us! A couple landed on my Aunt Lolita and stayed on her and later one landed on me but flew away before we could get a picture.

There were also little Asian Quails that were really cute!

We looked around in the shop there and then walked to the Southernmost point of the continental United States of America which was pretty. 

Then we got back on the trolley and stopped at the The Key West Lighthouse to take a look. In the same area we went to the very start or mile marker 0 of US 1 which goes all the way to Fort Kent, Maine! Afterwards we went to some more shops, got back on the boat and watched part of a performance in the theatre and then went to the Captain's dinner! 

We had a great dinner and then we went to a magic show and my cousin Betsy was chosen to be his assistant for half of the show! It was a lot of fun, I have always loved magic! 

The next morning we woke up early and worked out in the gym and ate breakfast in the dining room. Then we got off of the boat in Cozumel, Mexico! We started our excursion there by riding in a beach buggy, following a guide. Our first stop was at a lighthouse that we got to walk up to the top of. The view was absolutely beautiful, I stood there trying to soak in the sight. 

Then we laid in hammocks on the beach and a local gave us bread to feed raccoons which were cute! 

Next we went to another beach area where we went snorkeling! I saw different kinds of fish and a couple of stingrays! Afterwards we had a buffet and ate on the beach together while enjoying the amazing view. Then we got back in our buggy and headed to see a Mayan ruin! It was not a very big one but it was still really interesting to see!

Lastly we went to Crocodile Lagoon and although we did not see any crocodiles we got to see the sun set over the water.

We headed back to the port and did some souvenir shopping and then quickly showered and got ready for dinner! The next day was "a day at sea" and we started it by laying outside to get some color before we went home. I saw that there was going to be a basketball competition so my cousin and I went to go enter and my Mom and Aunt came to watch. It was a bunch of younger boys and then we convinced my Mom and Aunt to enter in the throwing competition too! I made a basket and was secure unless any contestants made two baskets and my Mom did it!! It was so funny seeing my Mom in the final round with three boys, I was proud of her! One of the boys won but we all got medals and had a lot of fun!

There was a slide near us and I went first but learned the hard way that the slide used salt water, it went up my nose and in my mouth, eek! Everyone else after me went down the slide gracefully and kept their head out of the water, thanks to me! ;p Then there was a salsa dance lesson on the deck and my cousin and I showed off our skills haha Afterwards we heard that there was a chocolate buffet so we had lunch and a lot of dessert!

Afterwards there was a Minute to Win It competition and my cousin Betsy was chosen to play with three other people and it was so fun to watch! Then we went to karaoke and the four of us sang "Man, I Feel Like a Woman" by Shania Twain and it was hilarious! Later we went to a holiday show where they performed Christmas songs and the children got to go on stage and sing with Santa which was cute. 

Then we went to a bar in the middle of the ship that had a piano and a Christmas carol sing-along that was fun. Afterwards we stopped at a comedy show and then had our last dinner on the cruise and the servers sang everyone a song at the end. To finish the night we went to a part of the boat that had a snow machine and we stood and admired the snowfall together and then played some of the machines in the casino. I had such a great trip with my family! We had a lot of fun and it was so nice to spend time together. 

The next morning when we docked in Miami we said bye to my Aunt Lolita and Cousin Betsy and then my Mom and I headed to an excursion in the Everglades! We got on a airboat and went for an awesome ride!

It was really fun zipping around and the view was beautiful! We saw crocodiles swimming through the water and laying out on the land. There were all different kinds of neat birds and the view was so pretty.

We got back to the land we saw a nest with a tiny baby crocodile on top of it, I never knew they were born so small! Then we went to an area where a trainer showed us some crocodiles that were huge! 

Afterwards we ate lunch outside on the patio and then headed to the airport to go back to New York! Everything about our trip was amazing (except forgetting my passport ;p)! I feel so blessed that I got to go on this trip with my family!