Cruising

Logan and I will be going on our third cruise this May. So far we have been on two cruises in the Caribbean, sailing to Cozumel, Guatemala, and Belize. Our first cruise together was with Carnival and our second was with NCL. For our up-coming three year anniversary, we will cruise the Mediterranean with Royal Caribbean. Our cruise leaves from Barcelona and stops in Naples, Rome, Florence, and two ports in the French Riviera. I once thought that cruising was an impersonal form of traveling, but now I'm a believer. While I do not believe that cruising is the only way to travel, I think that it is a relaxing way to visit a lot of amazing places. One of the best parts for us is not having to worry about getting from place to place, which in our case means fighting with rental car companies.

When Logan and I travel we love to visit more than one destination at a time. I often like to combine multiple stops on our itinerary. For example, when Logan and I went to Las Vegas last August for his birthday, we took a five-hour road trip to the Grand Canyon. My philosophy is you never know when you'll be back to an area, so do as much as you can when you can. I love to plan extensive itineraries, but it is a relief to sometimes let someone else do the work for you. Don't get me wrong, I am not one of those people who boards a ship and then is content to mindlessly drift along; however, having the ports of call already decided makes my job easier.

For those of you who have never been on a cruise and are considering it, I would say that you must try it. Logan and I convinced his parents to go on their first one, and now they are planning their next. There is an undeniable appeal in having people wait on you hand and foot from the moment you step on the ship. The towel animals and allure of a midnight chocolate buffet also jazz up the incentive. Days at Sea can be as relaxing or as activity-packed as you choose. I've done everything from ballroom dancing to handwriting analysis to a watch seminar (Logan's idea.) We have spent mornings laying out by the pool while reading a book or staring out into the ocean...afternoons attending magic shows...and evenings strolling under the stars after attending a Broadway quality show. It is the perfect vacation for couples or even large groups because you can have plenty of together time and then break a part to do your own thing. The first cruise I ever went on was actually a friend's family reunion. My family reunions usually consisted of picnicking in the park for an afternoon, so I was a little hesitant about a week-long reunion. In my opinion, a cruise is the only way to go for a multi-day affair.

As great as it is being on the ship, my favorite part of the cruise in arriving to ports. Whereas you can choose to spend your day on the ship, Logan and I can't wait to get on the gangway. One of the most memorable moments I've had is eating breakfast on the ship's deck with the Guatemalan jungle rising in the background. You go to sleep surrounding by water and wake up with "Land Ahoy!" Sometimes we choose to explore the port of call on our own, but although we spend more money opting for the cruise company's excursions, it is a relief to know that the ship won't leave us. We have walked through rain forests, climbed Mayan ruins, and spotted spider monkeys in the jungle. I even swam at the base of a waterfall, which Logan refused to do because he had seen an episode of House which involved a particular type of fish that likes to swim up...well, something that didn't concern me but worried the heck out of him. I think Logan was really using that for an excuse, because he is afraid of water. On our first cruise, we went snorkeling in Cozumel. I was so proud of Logan for giving it a try. I had waited years to try snorkeling again after my first disastrous mishap. Let's just say that I asked the snorkel guide if we were supposed to bite down on the mouth piece. He didn't understand me, so he just said yes. I ended up drinking in a good portion of the ocean and destroying endangered coral with my leg. My second time was blissful. I tried telling Logan that it is only natural to tear yourself up on coral the first time, but he is convinced once is enough.

I have so many stories about our cruises, but I'm only going to share one more for now at least. It involves our climbing the Mayan ruins in Guatemala. I was determined that I was going to make it to the top. On the bus ride there I was the brave one, and Logan was the one who wasn't quite so sure that climbing a stone structure thousands of years old was for him. When it started raining, I asked the guide if we would still be allowed to climb. He assured me that we would be...at our own risk. When we finally made it through the jungle to the large ruin, I was ready to race up those steep steps. I have never really been afraid of heights, so I scoffed whenever our guide told us story after story of those who became frozen once they reached the top. I was already on my way up with Logan trailing behind me. I took it one slippery step at a time. All was going well, except for my poncho getting in the way, until I reached the second landing. I turned around and all of a sudden thought the earth was spinning. Mr. Curtis and Ms. Nellie looked like ants. I thought I could spot the ship forty miles away. I decided right then and there I was going to live up there with the monkeys because the only way I was getting down was if they air lifted me out of that jungle. Logan, on the other hand, was in his element. He was the first one to make it to the top and didn't even hold the rope on the way down, even though I was screaming at him the entire time. I eventually made it to the top (for about three seconds), and I did make it down alive, much to my surprise; however, I have a permanent dirt stain on the back of my capri pants where I slid down on my fanny, one fearful step at a time.