As I sign off on our Grandeur of the Seas cruise, there are two things I want to say. Firstly, cruising is something you should experience at least once in your life. You can find cruise deals for almost any budget, and a short cruise in particular can be very economical.
Secondly, cruising with family and friends is really the most fun. My DH and I have cruised alone once, and our kids have all cruised alone as couples. The main thing we agree on is that it is just more fun with a group.
The ships are massive and it is very easy to have alone time when it is desired. You can also split up for different excursions on port days.
It is also nice to have more options for activities with others. For instance, my DH had no interest in swimming with the dolphins, but I was happy to have my DD and DSIL joining me in the experience. Shared experiences are always more enjoyable. So...get out there!
Bon Voyage ~Marla
Every Western Caribbean cruise will have Cozumel as a port of call. The little island has made catering to cruisers its number one priority. I have yet to tire of this wonderful place, and this stop was one of the most memorable to date. This visit we spent the day at the very beautiful, and very large, beach club called Chankanaab. Our decision was based solely on one factor...three of us wanted to swim with a dolphin.
Choosing to participate in a dolphin swim was a difficult decision for me. I am honestly uncomfortable with dolphins being kept in captivity for human enjoyment. When I was a teen my dream was to be a Marine Biologist. I owned a collection of Jacque Cousteau books and dreamed of working with marine animals. Veterinary medicine ran a close second.
My dreams were shattered by a particularly poor biology teacher in high school. I did not take another science class until I returned to college at the age of 25. Imagine my shock to find I still loved science and that it was very easy for me as well. By then I was married with children and nursing seemed a better fit. I will admit that after 20 years of nursing, my heart still belongs to the animals. So, the dolphin swim was a purely selfish endeavor...and one I will never forget.
While DD, DSIL, and myself, frolicked in the water with DH watching, DS and DDIL found a comfy beach spot and began working on their tan. The beach is very nice at Chankanaab, and especially popular with snorkelers. What it does not have is the nice sloping sand beach entrance into the water. It makes up for this in size and beautiful grounds, but for me it is a one time visit kind of place.
There is a fee to enter the facility, unlike Mr. Sancho's, our go to beach in Cozumel. It does have a reproduction of Mayan ruins, a lagoon, and gardens that are lovely and very enjoyable to walk through. We saw some pretty impressive Iguana's up close and personal there.
I actually did not snorkel at Chankanaab. There are stairs to enter the water and they were ridiculously crowded. Once past the stairs a snorkeling class/group were flailing around in the water. I gave up and decided laying on the beach with food and drink was a preferable way to spend the rest of my day.
My daughter and I were talked out of some money for a picture with an Iguana and a Parrot...but the pictures were so worth it! And yes, the Iguana is perched on my head.
The dolphin swim was worth any residual guilt...though I will not do it again. Big tip...do not book the swim through your cruise line!! We saved almost half by booking it directly through Chankanaab. They even send you a voucher for your cab fare. And it includes your entrance into the park. It is also refundable if bad weather causes your swim to be cancelled. Save yourself some money and book direct.
All in all we enjoyed a relaxing day at the beach...even my DH, who stayed fully dressed right down to his shoes and socks! Enjoy the pictures...and...
Bon Voyage ~Marla
Our cruise on the Grandeur remains especially memorable for two reasons; It was the shortest cruise we have taken, and also the most enjoyable. This is particularly amazing considering the food and service were probably the worst we have ever experienced on a cruise.
That said, it is my experience that the worst day while on vacation still rivals a great day at work! Therefore, I generally can overlook quite a bit when it comes to the food quality and service. The food was not terrible...simply not as good as on other cruises. The service in the dining room, however was amazingly poor for a cruise ship. We gave our server the benefit of the doubt, and assumed he was new to his role as a main waiter vs. assistant.
The cruise was only five nights, instead of seven, and was much too short! We were having such a great time that it was almost painful to disembark after such a short time! We only went to two ports, and we had an absolutely great time at both. This cruise also had the distinction of being the first for DD's boyfriend, now husband...so I will refer to him as DSIL. And of course our DDIL came with us, so we had two young couples with us, which makes it even more special!
We spent evenings playing Hand & Foot and Apple's to Apple's. We were so hooked on Hand & Foot that we even played it during our layover times at the airports. I have never enjoyed airports as much as this trip. The family time was priceless and really added to the vacation.
We also returned to winter cruising, which I much prefer. There is nothing better to beat the post Christmas blues and the bitter Kansas cold, than a Caribbean cruise. Not to mention you avoid hurricane season that way as well.
The down side? In order to score $160 round trip air fare to Tampa, Florida, we drove two vehicles to the Kansas City Airport. What should have been a three hour drive was stretched somewhat when we encountered a snow storm just outside Topeka. Despite watching other cars and trucks careening off the Kansas Turnpike, we made it safely to the airport with plenty of time to spare.
Our flight was inexpensive because it was convoluted. We flew from Kansas City to Detroit, changed planes, and on to Florida. Luckily the weather in Detroit was better than in Kansas City, and the flights were uneventful. Upon arrival in Florida it was in the upper 40's and we enjoyed hearing the locals complain about the bitter cold...this after we left single digit temps in Kansas! After a quick bite at IHOP, it was off to bed for a few hours at the hotel.
The Royal Caribbean pier in Tampa was the nicest I have seen, and boarding was very painless after a short wait in the lounge area. The Grandeur is a sister ship to the Rhapsody, both are Vision class, thus the layout was the same, which made navigating the ship very easy. And so began our cruise traveling to the ports of Costa Maya and Cozumel, Mexico.
Next: Costa Maya, Mexico
Bon Voyage! ~Marla
