« New Zune 80 | Through the Park »

Our First Cruise Vacation

Posted on November 24, 2007 
Filed Under Daily Life
Tags: , , , , , , , ,

Julie and I just got back from our cruise vacation that brought us to destinations including Key West, FL and Nassau, Bahamas. What an awesome trip and just perfect for us to relax and finally kick back for a while. Oh, and eat way too much of course!

Surprisingly enough I did not suffer too much in the way of technology withdrawals when I was gone, as I was more than content with just relaxing for a change; I think Julie and I both were. So it is possible to live without internet access, cell phones (for the most part), and computers for at least 7 days. If you have not tried this technology separation exercise, perhaps you should as you may be surprised how easy it is to let go of for a while. However, we did have our mp3 players which came in handy while kicking back on the deck and for the flights there and back.

So back to the trip! What a great time overall and a perfect escape from the daily grind for a few days. This was our first time cruising and without a doubt it was a lot of fun. We arrived in Jacksonville, FL on the Friday before Thanksgiving and spent the day simply wandering around the area for the most part.

We ventured out to Huguenot Memorial Park which is one of few beaches you can actually drive you car onto and head right up to the ocean. We definitely recommend a visit here as this is quite the unique experience. Being the off season the beach was not crowded at all, but I could see how in the summer months this would be the beach to be at. Best of all it costs only $.50 a person to get in – what a deal at two persons for a buck!

We left Jacksonville on Saturday afternoon for the start of our 5-day cruise. The first evening and following day were spent at sea, and then we arrived in Key West on Monday to perfect weather.

Julie and I snorkeled for the first time (in the ocean) at the nearby coral reef and were amazed by just how cool it was to swim with the fishes, quite literally. It is hard to describe the experience other than it is something worth doing if you have the means and don’t mind the occasional drink of salt water. For those who enjoy swimming and experiencing nature under the ocean, I’d say this is a must do at some point.

After returning from the snorkeling excursion we found a nice little place to eat lunch in Key West and then proceeded to hit a few shops in the area as well. Oh, and on a recommendation of a friend we had to stop for a Flying Monkey as well. What’s a Flying Monkey you ask? Lots of alcohol cleverly disguised with a fruity slushy texture and taste, which of course means drink in moderation. If you are ever in Key West, look them up for sure.

The next stop was Nassau and unfortunately we really did not do too much here as Julie was not feeling all that well for most of the day and therefore we just stayed on the ship. We had not planned excursions here as the intent was to just spend the day at the beach. It was just not meant to be this time around, but perhaps at some later date.

We spent our last full day at sea, Wednesday, just kicking back and of course enjoying the last few hours of our trip. We caught a few shows, ate our fill of food as usual and caught the last amazing sunset of our first cruise. Returning home on Thanksgiving Day actually worked out well as traveling was pretty much a breeze as most everyone was already where they needed to be I would guess for the Holiday. Not to mention our flight was cheaper as well coming back on the Holiday.

Some vacation details –

To check out the photos from our trip just hit the following link – Cruise Vacation.

Overall, this was a fun trip and something we would do again for sure. However, we think it would have been even better to go with a group of friends which we think will be our next attempt at a cruise vacation. There are so many social events that take place on cruises that going with a group of people you know would be a blast for sure. This is not to say that you cannot have a lot of fun going as a couple though, as we did for sure. Having all kinds of time for doing nothing but relaxing is simply a wonderful thing.

Chris


Related Entries:
2 Years of Randomness!, A Thank You to Everyone!, Bella Casa Residential Portraiture, What is blogging to you?, Electronics Are Fun, Too Much Time Spent at the Computer, A Trip to the Museum, Tips for a Healthier Heart, A Moment of White Space!, Turning 30 - Party Time!

Comments

Leave a Reply