Grand Cayman- Stingrays, Turtles, Fish...OH MY!

View our video Here: 

We had a great time in Grand Cayman!  We did the excursion Stingray City and had a pretty good time.  I am not a swimmer and not super comfortable in the water, so when I read that it was good for all ages and that the water depth was about 3 feet I was thrilled.  

We booked through www.discountexcursions.com and they were great to deal with.  We had a nearly private shuttle which took us to the turtle farm (More on that in our next blog post) and then from the turtle farm our driver took us to the dock where we hopped on a small boat to go to the sand bar.  

The boat tour was through www.rowanwatersports.com

So the first thing was the boat we were in was having a difficult time getting a spot near the Sand Bar and we circled around several times before he attempted to back in the boat.  We started to get extremely close to the boat next to us and he came close to hitting it.  Once he realized he was so close he punched the gas and we circled around to another location, which then he hit the boat next to us.  That was pretty nerve wrecking, especially since I am not a strong swimmer.  I started to doubt their expertise and wasn't sure if they were aware of what they were doing.  Once we parked everything seemed to calm down a bit and he assured us that it happens from time to time.  

Everyone starts to get off the boat and we realize that the area we parked in was really deep water (6 ft or so)  I already knew that I wasn't a good swimmer, and my youngest does swim but isn't strong enough to swim for a long period and could not touch the bottom.  So some of us put life jackets on.  Once we got to the sandbar the water was around 3-4 feet, but very rocky.

The staff was very friendly and helpful.  They took photos, they made us laugh, and even filled us in on some History of the Cayman Islands.   My son and I had to go back to the boat and they helped get us to the boat and on the boat.  They rinse everyone off with clean water to get all of the salt off the skin and hair.  And they have water and punch on the boat to drink free of charge.  

Overall these are the things I would keep in mind while booking a Stingray City Tour (Especially if you go through Rowan Water Sports or Discount Excursions)

1. Water Depth may vary and may not be suitable for younger children or those who are not strong swimmers or those who do not feel comfortable in the water

2. Through this company we were allowed to take our own photos, or bring the GoPro off the boat.  I have several people tell me that they weren't able to bring their camera to take their own photos through other suppliers. 

3.  They also take photos of your experience and allow you to purchase through them.  Cash & Cards are both accepted. 

4. Bring a towel 

5. Bring seasick meds, and a small snack.  This is a long excursion and it is tiring.

6. Bring shoes that are easy to get on and off, NO SHOES on the boat.  

My older kids (13yr old & 16yr old) loved it.  They loved the Stingrays and they loved the snorkel experience.  My youngest wasn't a fan and it seemed in our group that most of the little kids under 10 wasn't really enjoying themselves. 

Carnival Breeze Sea Day Fun

When we booked our cruise several months ago the only thought I had in my head was how much I wanted to have a nice RELAXING vacation. NO cooking, NO cleaning, NO laundry, NO chasing my kids a thousand different ways, AND absolutely NO being over scheduled.   We have been all over the place with our kids and each time I find myself coming back and wishing I had another vacation from my vacation just to relax.  Between taking care of the kids, to planning out the entire fun trip, to meals, and all of the other craziness that comes with traveling with kids & family.
Disney is a madhouse each time running around, getting up early, trying to get on all the rides at all the parks.  Anyone who has gone to Disneyland OR DisneyWorld knows just how busy and crazy it can be...ESPECIALLY with 3 kiddos.  Same thing when we go to NYC, or even to the beach.  I am always trying to find ways to keep the kids busy, fed, taken care of, and clean (hahaha).

We disembarked (fancy word for left from) Galveston Texas and spent 2 whole days at sea.  Getting on the Carnival Breeze was literally such a breeze.  We arrived to the port around 1:00, parked our car and unloaded the crap load of stuff that I packed.  YEP, I am one of those over packing people.  And I was so amazingly thankful for the Ship porter that came down to help us and check our luggage. I originally thought we would carry on our bags, but after hauling it just from the shuttle to where the ship port met us, I was so thankful we didn't have to lug that stuff all the way through the ship and to our room.  When we walked up to board the ship it was roughly 1:30 and the line moved through so super fast.  Every.Single. Carnival worker smiled and welcomed us it felt so heart warming to be greeted upon our arrival.  They checked our travel documents really quick and we were on the ship, and they even had our room ready!  We walked right up and to our room set our stuff down, looked around where we would be spending the next 7 days.  We booked a balcony stateroom that connected to another balcony stateroom.  The kids were in one, and we were in the other.  The conjoining door was awesome.  And the room was cozy.  I decorated our door super duper quick and we were off to grab some lunch and meet with my Facebook group.  Everyone of us chose Guys Burgers and it was delicious!  I think we all ate at least one a day the entire trip.  

The one thing I have to say I loved about this trip was the FOOD...and sitting on the balcony everyday enjoying the beauty in front of me.  (No not my husband hehehe, he's a hottie too though), but the sun, clouds, sky, etc)  AND the kids clubs.  OMG my kids woke up in the morning and was like Peace.  We are going to the kids club or hanging out around the ship with the groups from their kids clubs.  My youngest asked every day when the kids club was opening because he wanted to bounce.  WHO am I kidding...I LOVED EVERYTHING about this vacation.  I was in hog heaven eating, drinking, watching shows, seeing my kids and husband having a great time, and just being on the water was nice and relaxing.  I fully planned to enjoy the spa but I didn't get around to it, which was fine because I had absolutely no plans of being over scheduled.  

The ship was so beautiful.  The art was so pretty, it was clean, and the shows were super amazing.  We saw 88 Keys, but missed the Motown show.  It was pretty spectacular, the stage moved, they had fog, and also sparks.  We all loved the Carnival Hub app, which allowed us to stay in contact with one another, and was really helpful when looking for activities to do.  There was also a map on the app, I never had a clue where I was going and I even got lost on the ship and couldn't find my room.  I am direction-ally challenged.  And the app also had a way to view all the photos that we had taken with a photographer throughout the week.  

 The musicians and activity squad were great!  We always had things to do.  From playing in a Corn hole tournament, to the super fun Carnival Waterworks waterpark, to the Dodgeball game,  to the evening movies by the pool..which I could never stay awake during.  And dinners and gourmet desserts, Tea time and LOTS of Ice cream!!!  We had so much fun!
Plus I just adored our Stateroom steward Deranee.  I really wanted to bring her home with me!  Everyday she took care of us like we were part of her family.  She cleaned our rooms, and made sure we had everything we needed, she greeted us and told us goodnight, and every evening our room and the kids room had a new towel animal special for us.  I was so sad to leave.

Can't wait til our next Family Cruise!

Until the next time...

Preschool

Preschool Info...Coming Soon

Our Carnival Cruise Character Breakfast *Cat in The Hat and Friends*

And don't forget to check out our video from Green Eggs & Ham breakfast with Cat in the Hat & Friends. For Video-Click Here

We just returned from our 7 day Family cruise on the Carnival Breeze and we had a blast!  I don't know why I decided to start the blog off with our Character Breakfast, but eh..  

We had planned on doing the Green Eggs & Ham breakfast even before we left for our trip.  And we weren't disappointed!  The food was delicious, the entertainment was fun, and even though our kids originally acted a little irritated and stuffy, they all were smiling in minutes.  I do wish I would have got some cute Seuss outfits for our family, because so many people went all out and dressed up.  Of course I didn't think of it until we got there and then I was like Dang we should've dressed all cute.  But it didn't stop us from having a great time.  

We had to wake up super early (vacation standards).  You could book a 8:30am or a 9:45am and we chose the later one.  The dining room was all decorated in cute Cat & The hat themed decorations, and the music was pumping.  (kid version of course) 

The wait staff was absolutely fantastic.  The entire duration of our trip all the staff was so amazing.  As a mom it was nice to let someone else take care of me and our family, as it is usually me doing it all.  

The one thing I was a little bummed about was the Characters didn't really come to the tables and interact with the guests.  If you are used to Character breakfast or any Character meals you may be a little put off by the lack of interaction.  But for $5 a person it wasn't a big deal.  We got amazing food, and great service, and a bit of cute, cheesy entertainment.  This will definitely be a part of our cruise tradition! 

Stay tuned for more fun stories from our trip!
And don't forget to check out our video from Green Eggs & Ham breakfast with Cat in the Hat & Friends. For Video-Click Here