Cruisin the Caribbean

To celebrate Jacob's graduation and my mother-in-law's retirement, my in-laws, Jacob and I went on a cruise that traveled through the west Caribbean. We had a blast! It was great getting away for while and spending some time with my husband before our lives get really hectic for the next couple of years.

The view from the balcony of our room on the very back of the ship.

First stop: Miami, Florida
We departed from Miami. I had never been to Miami...

I didn't know it was so beautiful!

Miami Beach, Florida

Pulling away from the harbour
The first formal night

Second Stop: Grand Cayman, Mexico

What an amazing place!!

This is Hell, Grand Cayman. These unexplainable geological structures are unlike any other rock formations in the world.

We swam with sting rays! This sandbar is out in the middle of the ocean where all these sting rays hang out. There are hundreds of them and they all want to be fed. It freaked me out a little because they are kind of aggressive, especially when you have food. They slop their bodies up on your sides looking for food since their mouths are underneath!!

This sea turtle farm ensures the survival of sea turtles by protecting their eggs in a hatchery. In real life, the odds of an egg surviving are very poor.

A view of Grand Cayman from the ship

The nachos we ate at Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville!! Yum!! The most fun restaurant I've ever eaten at...they had a water slide inside!

Third Stop: Roatan Isla, Honduras

In Honduras, we went snuba diving (a mix between scuba diving and snorkeling). Our regulators were attached to a 20 foot tube that connected us to our own oxygen tanks. It took me a while to get used to the pressure differences and the sense of continuing to breathe under water but after a while, I really enjoyed it. We got to see some great sea creatures.

Fourth Stop: Belize City, Belize

Jacob went scuba diving in Belize, so Dan, Judi and I took a boat to a private island! It had a restaurant, a bar, a few shops and some of the most beautiful views on earth.

Gambling at the casino on the ship that night.

I got addicted to this quick bet slot machine!

Fifth Stop: Costa Maya, Mexico

A view of our ship before we left for our snorkeling trip.My mother-in-law and me on the boat after snorkeling.Chips and salsa and margaritas at a beach bar before getting back on the ship. We also did a little shopping.Second formal nightWe had drinks at this baseball themed bar on our last night on the ship.Our drink boy for the week, Iputu. He had a wife and two boys back home in Indonesia that he sends money to. He has been on the ship for 3 months and has 4 months left.

It was a wonderful trip! Now it's back to the real world!!