On a completely different note from tummy troubles and half marathon recovery, Clay and I are going on a cruise!
When we moved down in June, we knew we wouldn’t take a real vacation this summer. I took a vacation day to move, and so did he, but starting a new job, he had to wait to take any days off- almost 6 months to get a week off. We moved on a Friday, went to Florence to clean our old apartment on Saturday, unpacked Sunday, and both worked Monday morning.
Fortunately, we moved to Charleston, SC, where I can run on the beach, eat tasty food, and enjoy scenic views when I want. Plus, the weather is pretty much always great. Five months later, it still feels like I’m on vacation. Minus the traffic, having to cook and clean for myself, and this little thing called a “big girl job” (technical writer) that I do 40 hours a week.
I assure you I do work… and eat ice cream! During my days in the home office at ACS, we always made it a fun place to work.
Despite the laid-back atmosphere of the Lowcountry, we knew we wanted and deserved a vacation this year. After looking at the calendar and planning around half marathons, two vacation schedules, holidays, and football season, we booked a 7-day cruise on the Carnival Legend leaving from Tampa, Fla.
On the cruise, we will be visiting Cozumel, Belize, Grand Cayman, and Roatan, and we even splurged for the balcony room since it was only a little more. Clay and I are really looking forward to eating room service and having coffee (well, I’ll drink the coffee) on the balcony, along with walking around in the ports and meeting other people in the dining room.
Late seating on the Freedom of the Seas
The cruise will be a nice way to celebrate surviving a college graduation, job change, and move. Right now, we’re trying to plan what to do on the ship and in the ports, but I’ll keep ya posted.
And of course, we all need pictures, so here’s a few from our other travels:
Carnival Destiny- October 2009. I turned 24 on this cruise- what an awesome way to celebrate a birthday. This was our first cruise that I reluctantly went on at Clay’s suggestion, and I fell in love with cruising. Great first vacation as a couple.
Carnival Fantasy- May 2010. I was diagnosed with severe anemia about a week before the cruise, but we still had a great time (I took a few extra naps).
Now, I see this very ship every week when I drive over the bridge to Mt. Pleasant to coach or run over the bridge. Somehow, I always crave pancakes when I see it on my way back, hehe. Love cruise ship breakfasts.
Royal Caribbean Freedom of the Seas- May 2011. This was the most beautiful ship I’ve ever seen, and it was truly a special cruise because it was our honeymoon (we went two months after getting married). I also wrote lengthy reviews on this blog.
The view from the Doubletree Inn and Suites in Miami where we stayed before our Carnival Destiny Cruise (October 2009).
Me participating in some goofy contest on the Carnival Destiny.
Someone was ready to eat, haha! We liked our table mates on this cruise.
I’m not used to this view of the Cooper River Bridge (the ship *does not* pass under the bridge). This was before we ever knew we’d move here.
In a Key West bar. We love to hit local places for lunch in port.
Sore bingo losers on the Carnival Fantasy. This was the only time I’ve played bingo on a cruise.
We loved the rock climbing wall on the Freedom of the Seas! Once I figured it out, it was pretty much my favorite activity on the ship.
FlowRider on the Freedom of the Seas
Serious… nah, not us!
Gotta love the towel animals!
17 Days and Counting!
gah so awesome! so jealous. I have never been on a cruise but this makes me want to go on one NOW
Okay, I can’t deliver a cruise vacation but if ya come down we can possibly run past this ship and not-so-secretly wish we were on it eating pancakes.
I am SO excited for you! We did the same cruise and had a BLAST! Ours was years ago though so I bet it is even better now. The Caymans & Cozumel are so great!!
Yeah who knows, maybe they have renovated the ship or something? Or the ports might have more stuff to do. Guess we’ll see!
Ahhhh. I am so jealous!! But happy for ya.
I woould like to experience a cruise someday. It sounds like it’s a lot of fun. And you’re juust over 2 weeks away! Yeah! So excited for you at the same time.
I just hope you feel LOTS better soon.
Thanks, yeah I started feeling better pretty quickly, fortunately! Cruises are awesome, hopefully you can go one day!
Wow- you’ve been on a lot of cruises! I’ve never been on one… my parents would rather go to resorts but my friends and I have talked about doing one for spring break this year. It looks like so much fun! Definitely something to look forward to. We all deserve a break sometimes
You should go on one if you can
. I haven’t ever been to an all inclusive resort actually, I should go to one of those one day to see how it compares. We like cruises because we can be in a different place each day, but still in the same place sorta… on the ship.
I have never been on a cruise – and it looks like so much fun! Gorgeous past pics (and I totally eat ice cream when I work from home as well – it’s perfectly acceptable).
It’s definitely a lot of fun
. I eat ice cream and frozen yogurt all the time though, not just when I’m working, hehe.
I’ve never been on a cruise! Sounds like so much fun!
It’s pretty amazing. I’ll post a lot about it and you’ll probably want to go on one, lol.
sounds like so much fun! I have never been on a cruise, but this makes me want to!
So exciting! We just (September) went on the Carnival Fantasy here in Charleston and loved it! It was our first cruising experience as adults. We can’t wait to do it again!
Oh my goodness, I am so excited for you! You guys totally deserve a vacation. Once you get a balcony, you will never go back. It’s amazing and I think you’re going to LOVE it.
Oh yeah I bet we will… we have only had rooms with small windows or complete interior so far. We couldn’t afford a balcony on Royal Caribbean because it costs too much so the trade off was going back on Carnival… hopefully it will be fun though!
how fun!! you guys do love your cruises
can’t wait to see pics and hear about the adventures!
Yup we do love cruises, that’s like our favorite vacation pretty much. We did a land vacation to Tenn. this winter and it was fun but still lacking, a cruise is much more relaxing!
I have never been on a cruise, but your pictures make it look so fun. Now with a port right here in our own back yard I really want to try one. I worry about getting seasick though.
You should go! I’ve only been seasick once and it wasn’t on the cruise ship, it was on a sailboat. The one from here in town does sway a bit, especially since it’s a smaller ship. You can tell you’re on a boat. It’s not that bad though, I think if you took some ginger or some motion sickness pills you’d definitely be okay.