We're Going On A Cruise!

3 Years, 38 Weeks.


We surprised the children this past week with a 4 night cruise to the Bahamas and Key West.

We had been planning this trip, along with Tangie's parents, since October, and we were dying with anticipation.  We originally thought we would let the kids know of our plans so that they too could get excited about it, but then we thought it would be much more fun for us if we just pretended to take a road trip and then tell them we were going on a cruise just as we pulled up to the ship.  So that's what we did!

After our cruise last March on the Ecstasy, Tangie and I decided we didn't need to cruise on Carnival ever again, and instead reverted back to our very first cruise line, Celebrity.   This was also going to be the first official cruise for Papa Dave and Nana Jane, and we wanted them to have a good impression, so that was another reason to go with Celebrity.  It caters to the more sophisticated cruiser, and although the average age of cruisers on Celebrity is around 50 years old, the cruise line caters to multi-generational families, and also received high reviews on their children's program, which was what sold us on booking with them.

What a glorious ship!

Our ship was the Constellation, built in 2002 and sister ship of the Millennium which we had taken on our honeymoon in the Mediterranean.  She was refurbished in 2010 and just recently this past April underwent what Celebrity calls a "Solsticization" with new upgrades in looks and furnishings to match the newest Solstice-class ships of the fleet.  The results were modern and breathtaking, with the interior resembling a smart luxury hotel comparable to a Four Seasons or Ritz Carlton.  Everything about the ship and the experience was elevated, the service unmatched.  It was a complete 180º from the last ship we were on, and we agreed:  You get what you pay for.

The pool deck.

The indoor solarium.

The main dining room, San Marco Restaurant.

The Celebrity Theatre.

The Reflections Lounge.

Let's go back to the day before we set sail.

Wednesday was New Year's Day, and it was a little chilly and wet throughout the whole day.  We slept in [somewhat] because of the holiday and because of staying up late the night before getting the children's clothes together and packed away, so as to not arise any suspicion or questions.  You could tell the adults were excited about the next day's plans and tried to speak in code about specific elements without giving the surprise away; there were some instances when someone would accidentally say the word "cruise" which would result in receiving a glare or finger to the lips, shhh!!   I would go get a haircut and work on the blog while the girls would go get their toes done.  Tangie also continued packing her things and finalizing some things for work; Papa and Nana kept the children busy and pre-occupied whilst taking care of their own packing. That evening Papa and I would go get Duncan's roof carrier for the van, and started final preparations for a very early morning departure.

She chose pink for her toes this time.

Making sure we had enough clothes for the children!

Day 1

My plan was to roll out of the driveway by 7 AM, 7:30 at the latest.  It was a 3 and a half hour drive to Port Everglades in Ft. Lauderdale, where we were to embark from, and they were allowing new passengers to board by 11:30 AM, and we wanted to take advantage of all the time available on the ship.  We had told the children we were going on a road trip to go to a swimming pool [go figure?] the day before, but they were a bit groggy and tired as we got them up and dressed and into the van just before heading out.  The weather was very humid and foggy, although we knew it would clear up with the forecast for Ft. Lauderdale.  We entertained the kids with some games and a couple of movies on the way down, the adults chatting or sneaking in short naps.  It was a smooth ride and we drove down pretty much uninterrupted save for a few stops at several Turnpike service stations for potty breaks.

A foggy start to our trip.

At least the parents were excited.

Finally, they're awake!

Playing with toys while waiting for the adults to finish at a service plaza.

We entered the port and went through security without any issues, and proceeded to where our ship was docked.  Soon after the "surprise" we arrived at the terminal and unloaded quickly.  I went to go park the van but came across a hiccup with the parking garage, as the rooftop carrier exceeded the height of the parking garage ceiling.  Fortunately I was able to get clearance to park on the ground level, specifically for oversized vehicles, and after about 20 minutes of getting all the papers filled and payments payed, joined the rest of the family at the terminal.  The embarkation process was quick and easy; we had filled out and printed all necessary paperwork beforehand so that made it much faster to board.  The children were very excited and giddy.  Of course, I would include myself in their group!

Our view of the Constellation as we drove up to unload our bags.

Making sure we had all our necessary paperwork and travel documents.

About to board!  On the gangway, and very excited.

Some of us opted for complimentary orange juice instead of the mimosas!

The first thing we did was head up to Deck 10 and grab some lunch.  Their buffet area was open and it was starting to fill up fast; finding a table with seating for 7 would prove a bit challenging.  We finally found a couple of tables in the open patio on the back of the deck, and enjoyed a selection of eats ranging from salads to sandwiches to pizzas to Indian cuisine.  You name it, it was there.  Of course, we paced ourselves, this was only day one, after all. While we were eating they announced that rooms were ready to receive their guests, so we walked across the pool deck to the front of the ship, swinging by the spa and gym for a quick tour.  We went up to Deck 11 to see the Fun Factory, where we would enroll all 3 into their free kids programs, ages 3-5 were Shipmates and ages 6-8 were Cadets.  We met the counselors and for an additional $55 upgraded Braelyn into the VIP program which included chaperoned mealtimes, backstage tours of both the Celebrity Theatre and navigational bridge, and a slumber party from 10 PM to 1 AM every night! What fun!

Open deck lunch overlooking some condos at the port.

Inside the relaxation room with warm stone benches at the Aqua Spa.

Checking out the Fun Factory.  Even their sign looked fun!

Maddy meets one of the counselors, Alina, from Poland.

Lots of new toys and activities to explore and play with!

We took the elevator 10 floors straight down to the bowels of the ship, Deck 2, where our rooms were located.  This wasn't the cheapest cruise we had ever booked, especially since it was during the holidays ~ prices were a tad higher ~ so we had booked the least expensive rooms, and unfortunately that meant being at the lowest level any passenger can stay in, and at the very front of the ship too.  We had two rooms between the 7 of us, because supposedly there were no rooms except suites that could accommodate a family of five like ours, and the prices on the suites were a bit steep.  So we put Braelyn into Papa and Nana's room with the twins in ours when we booked.  Nana suffers from a little motion sickness so they had an oceanview cabin, with a hideaway couch for Braelyn to sleep in, although she ended up sleeping with us in our cabin on our hideaway couch.  We got an inside cabin several doors down that could sleep "4".   I put the 4 in quotations because with the hideaway couch we could actually sleep 5, but they wouldn't allow it on their computer when booking the cruise.  And unfortunately the hideaway berths that came down from the ceiling weren't the safest places for a couple of 3 year olds to sleep in at night (they had a sign saying no children under 6 should be on them) which meant that both Tangie and I would be taking the top bunks while the twins took the beds underneath!  It was just like summer camp...a little bit crowded, but with room service!

The window sill in Papa and Nana's room was big enough for Braelyn to sleep in!

The kids loved having bunk beds in our cabin!

We timed it just right, as they started delivering our luggage while we were still in the stateroom.  So while that was happening we started to unpack and put our clothes away in the closets and drawers, so as to keep the hanging garments from wrinkling even more.  During that time I was able to meet our room steward, a slender gentleman from India named Hippolito.  He introduced himself and told me to call him Hippo.  Really?  How can you be so thin with a name like that?  He was like a walking oxymoron.  Anyway, he was very nice and we chatted for a bit.  Usually on embarkation day Tangie and I would toast our vacation with a glass of Martinelli's or something bubbly like that so I requested a bucket of ice, a bowl of strawberries and 7 champagne glasses for later, shaking his hand and slipping him a $10 bill.  I had read somewhere that if you tip your steward before the cruise begins they would wait on you hand and foot the entire time.  It couldn't hurt, could it?  Within minutes we had our ice bucket and champagne glasses.  Then he returned with another bucket of ice, this time containing a bottle of real champagne from Celebrity's own collection!  Then while I was out checking on Papa and Nana, he introduced me to the ship's assistant chief housekeeper, who gave me his card with his extension and told me to call him if I ever needed anything!  Wow, $10 sure goes a long way!  So I sought and found Papa and Nana's room steward, Robert, and did the same thing, making sure that they received exceptional treatment while on their cruise:  They would get plates of fresh cut strawberries, including some that were chocolate covered, waiting for them in their cabin at least 3 times while on the ship.

The children really wanted to hit the pools; we had promised them that we would, after all.  But before we could go we had to attend the muster drill that is mandatory for any cruise ship to perform before heading out to sea.  Usually that would mean donning your life jackets and meeting up at your assigned muster station, then filed out to the open decks for roll call.  But this one was a little different:  they had us all meet at the Celebrity Theatre and sit there while they went over some instructions over the sound system.  There was a roll call for a couple of cabins that weren't in attendance, but that was it.  We were dismissed within minutes!  We did want to watch us sail away and wave to the people back on shore, so we picked up some ice cream on the way out, as we sailed out from Port Everglades at sunset.  And with the sun going down, it became rather chilly, and only after a few minutes in their saltwater pools, settled on the hot tub before heading back to the cabin for showers in preparation for dinner and the evening activities.

Braelyn working on her splits.

Trying out every chair on the ship.

Enjoying our first bowl of fast melting ice cream as we sailed away from Ft. Lauderdale.

FaceTime with Uncle Mike and Auntie Gen while we left port.

The kids already getting into vacation mode.

Playing life guard while they enjoyed the pools.

Warming up in the whirlpool.  It was quite nice!

Kohl and Papa share a laugh.

Usually we would have dropped the kids off at the Fun Factory while the adults ate but we wanted to all have dinner together the first night.  Bad move.  We had chosen anytime dining at their large restaurant on Deck 10 Aft, San Marco, instead of the usual 6:00 and 8:30 seatings.  For those of you who have cruised with children, you know that eating at a specific time can be challenging, let alone in a nice restaurant that serves 4 courses.  So anytime dining gave us the flexibility we needed with time, although that meant not having the same servers who would learn and cater to your every whim.  Anyway, the kids were restless just after we ordered our food; at least they would be served first.  But after constantly telling them to sit on their chairs or keep their voices down while trying to enjoy my escargot de bourgogne, I had had enough.  They were already done eating so I went ahead and took them back up to the Fun Factory on Deck 11 Forward.  I made it back in time for my entrée of veal bolognese on spaghetti, and then the 4 of us enjoyed a variety of desserts.  Since it was a very early morning, Nana retired to her room while Tangie and I picked up the kids to get them to bed.  Except for Braelyn, who wanted to attend the slumber party while Tangie and I attended the late comedy show, Papa volunteering to stay in our cabin and watch TV while the twins slept.

Nana and Braelyn at our dinner table.

Taking Braelyn to the Fun Factory for her slumber party at 10 PM.

Enjoying a quiet walk outside Deck 4 with the Mrs.

About to retire for the night, this would be the first we'd sleep apart while staying in the same room!

Day 2

We awoke to complete darkness, inside cabins have a way of making you lose track of time.  Fortunately we had ordered room service for coffee and bagels/yogurt so they woke us up with a phone call prior to knocking on our door.  We were at Nassau, Bahamas for the day, and we had booked a fun excursion for the children at the Atlantis Resort.  Last week through their website we purchased a day pass that enrolled all three kids into a 1 hour program called Sea Squirts that gave them access to interact with marine wildlife and the opportunity to feed baby sharks and stingrays in the hotel's lagoon!

But first we had to get there.  After getting everyone up and dressed, we headed up to Deck 10 for breakfast, before going back to our cabin to pick up our wagon and gear, and met up with Papa and Nana at the elevators.  We were greeted to beautiful sunny weather, but we knew that would be short lived with a weather forecast of a 40% chance of rain.  The sight of ominous looking clouds on the horizon kept me anxious, especially knowing that the children's excursion was going to be outdoors and bad weather could be a factor. Nevertheless, we walked out of the ship and down the pier, ogling at the two Disney ships, the Magic and the Dream, who were docked side by side right next to ours.  We told ourselves that one day we would book a cruise on them. We hailed a taxi that would seat 7, and joined 4 other people when that taxi turned out to be a converted van, very popular in that part of the world.

The twins enjoying breakfast a la room service.

Sisters ready to head out for their adventure!

Our first glimpse of Atlantis on Paradise Island.

Mommy and the kids checking out the two Disney ships.

Silliness in the stateroom.

Showing our floor's location on the ship.

We told them they might see a dolphin or two on our cruise...

The family beside the massive vessel.

The Disney Dream and Magic beside the Constellation.

Brae and Mommy walking through the port shops to the taxis.

Crossing over on the bridge to Paradise Island as the Norwegian Epic
joins the 3 ships already in port.

Everyone looking forward to a good time.

We arrived at the resort and the taxi brought us to one end of the property.  I kind of knew the area where the lagoon was located, where the interaction was to be, but the paper that I had printed for confirmation gave us the name of the opposite end of the resort, so we piled back into the cab and he brought us around to the other side.  Big mistake.  Once we got out and started walking and asking for directions, it was realized that we should have stayed at the original drop off spot, which seemed like at least a mile away!  Still, we pressed on, fortunate to have made it inside the resort as the tempest and rains that were forecasted arrived and forced all the sun worshippers running inside for cover.  It was a long walk to the other side of the resort; Papa's knees started to bother him and he sought relief from chairs whenever he found an empty one.  We finally found the lobby to the area where we were to go, and were told to go to the library down the hall, where we should wait, so we did. There were some toys and activities to keep the kids entertained, as we had about 30 minutes before the class was to begin.  But while we were waiting Tangie overheard that we had to check in for the class back at the lobby, so I went, thinking that I already had completed the process online, only to find out that I had more documents/waivers that I needed to sign, and that I needed to bring the kids to the lobby as that was where the program counselor was going to meet us and start.  So back to the library again to get the family and bring them back to the lobby, where we waited for another 10 minutes or so.

Can you spot Maddy?  Waiting at the lobby to meet our group leader.  

Our instructor finally arrived and introduced herself to the children, learning their names and letting them know what they were going to do for the next hour.  There were a total of 6 kids in the class, ours taking up half the group, the other 3 were siblings or cousins from Sweden, their parents accompanying them as well.  We followed our instructor down a series of steps and through some private doors and down a dank corridor, arriving at the hotel's Fish Hospital.  Definitely off the beaten path and in an area never seen by hotel guests, this room had several fish pools and large tanks to help the hotel's marine animals who are ill.  One of the little pools housed several horseshoe crabs, starfish, sea urchins, sea cucumbers, and a couple of baby nurse sharks, which all the children got to feel and touch.  Then we peered into the tanks, one with a bunch of baby green sea turtles, again which the children got to hold, and the other containing an adult green sea turtle weighing in at a whopping 350 lbs!  There was this one awkward moment though, when one of the adults noticed an isolation tank with a single baby turtle in it, except that this particular turtle wasn't moving around and was deathly still, probably because it was!  "Why isn't the turtle moving Mommy?"  We had to try and get the kids' attention away from the dead turtle and on to something else!  At least the turtle soup was fresh...

They don't advertise this part of the hotel in their brochures...

Brae loved being able to pick up the starfish!

Kohl checks out the baby green sea turtles, or was it the other way around?

We then headed out to the lagoons; we saw a bunch of adult nurse sharks sedentary at the bottom of theirs.  There we met up with another instructor that was in charge of the feeding, and proceeded to give each child their very own souvenir rash guard with the program name emblazoned on the front!  Braelyn and Kohl were eager to reach into their buckets of chopped up fish parts and guts to feed the baby sharks; Madelyn was repulsed by the chum and lived up to her diva status.   Maddy promptly handed the bucket to Mommy, who in turn handed it over to me!  Seriously ladies??  The kids were even allowed to step into the stingray lagoon and feed the stingrays, which Braelyn loved but the twins were not so sure.  And who could blame them, some of the stingrays there were just as big as they were!  In the end Maddy and Kohl cried, though not because of the stingrays but rather because of the chopped up fish and shrimp bits that were floating around them ~ Maddy would not allow that to touch her!  We're sure the water was cold too, as the storm had kept the clouds overhead and prevented the sun from peeking out for the rest of the day.  But it was a good experience for the kids, and hopefully they'll enjoy it even more if the opportunity arrives in the future.

Need an extra mattress for your room?  This is where they store them!  Wow.

The landscaping of the hotel grounds was breathtaking.

Pointing out the stingray lagoon.  We would get in the water a bit later.

Sporting our new Sea Squirt rash guards!

Showing off our buckets of chum.  Yummy!

You could tell she just had a blast.

After the class was over we found some bathrooms to change the kids back into some dry clothes, and hit up a Starbucks before meeting up with Papa and Nana who were waiting for us back at the lobby.  They had stayed around that area and made nice with some other guests while waiting for us.  We found a taxi to take us back to the ship, where we quickly proceeded to Deck 10 for lunch, we were so hungry!  After lunch we dropped the kids off at the Fun Factory for the afternoon, Papa took a nap while Nana and Tangie walked around the ship and found a place to sit and read in peace, and I hit the gym to use their elliptical machines ~ I knew I was going to need to do something to offset all the calories I was already taking in!

The Carnival Sensation and Norwegian Epic docked while we were away.
A busy day in Nassau, 5 ships in total.

The wagon got real heavy all of a sudden.

Celebrity had a lounge area outside the ship, complete with drinks and cold towels.

And that's where we found Papa waiting for us!

Cuties having lunch.

Kohlden photo bombs the girls.

Panorama of our view from the top deck as we left port.

Dinner was formal night, and we wanted to take advantage of the photo stations available to get some good family pictures.  After the gym I checked the kids out from the Fun Factory and picked up their supper from Deck 10, then headed back into the room for showers and to get dressed in our black and whites.  I had brought my tuxedo because everyone wore their tuxedos on our last Celebrity cruise; I would later find out I was THE ONLY ONE who wore a tuxedo that evening.  Well, me and some of the performers on stage for that night's show.  Anyway, we were supposed to meet the grandparents for pictures at 6 at the grand foyer but we ran a few minutes late, so when we arrived they were no where to be found.  So we walked around, up to Deck 10 to see if they had gotten hungry but no such luck, so we went back to their cabin but it was empty too, both walkie talkies we had brought along still in their charging carriage.  So the family went back to our cabin to wait, while I walked around some more looking for them, Dave finally spotting me back at our original meeting point!  Needless to say, we didn't have any time to get our family pictures taken as planned, although we took some posed informals on some nearby sofas.   We ended up just dropping the kids back off at the Fun Factory and then eating supper at the restaurant, but we did get a chance to take a couple of pictures together after getting the kids again after 10.

Maddy shows off some face paint from the afternoon's activity.

Checking out some portholes on the floor we found on Deck 10,
looking straight down into the water!

Waving goodbye to the Disney Dream and Norwegian Epic.

Family portrait via elevator mirrors!

Maddy looks like a Vogue model.  So serious!

The boys just chilling out with no socks!

Candid family photo.  Geez Maddy, smile!

Late night snack of cookies and milk.  Maddy was so tired she lay down on the bench.

I carried her back to the room as she promptly fell asleep on my head!

Day 3

Our day at sea, we tried to sleep in somewhat, trying to recoup from the past couple of late nights.   We ordered room service for breakfast so we could take our time waking up and getting ready for the day.   Nana slept in, still trying to adjust to her motion medicine while Tangie, Papa Dave, and I attended a tour of the galley after we dropped the little ones back upstairs to the kids program, they so enjoyed it and looked forward to all the different themes and parties the counselors had planned for them.  We enjoyed the galley tour too, Papa Dave was blown away by the sheer size of the kitchen and the operation it took to create up to 10,000 meals per day!  It was neat to see the planning and process, and execution of all the food staff working behind the scenes, it made me appreciate the fact I really only have 4 people to cook for at home!  The one thing that stood out from the galley tour was the 3 moving escalators the waiters took back and forth from the different kitchens on different floors, all trying to get their orders together, day in and day out.  What an incredible operation!

All smiles at the start of the galley tour.

Meeting the executive chefs of each food department.

Our tour guide was Rodolphe, the executive pastry chef, from France.

Every croissant eaten on the ship was made by hand...by this guy.

Cute and fun fruit creations.

Salads lined up and ready to be dressed in time for lunch.

Afterwards we swung by a lounge where they were having a putting contest. Dave and I originally planned to sign up, but there were a bunch of people in line and I just didn't want to wait around, so I left Dave by himself.  He was the last one to go, and since he had watched everyone putt before him, knew what he had to do.  So he stepped up when his name was called and put his ball in the hole in just 4 strokes, and promptly won the contest for the men's side!  Go Papa!  Brae had a backstage tour of the Celebrity Theatre during lunch, so we picked up the twins and had lunch with Papa and Nana at the big restaurant rather than the buffet line.  It was much more peaceful than the hustle and bustle upstairs.  We dropped the twins back off again, Papa took another nap, Nana and Tangie found a quiet lounge to read, and I went running on the treadmills upstairs.  We picked up the kids a bit earlier for them to do a little bit of swimming and whirlpool before it was time to get ready for the evening festivities.

Maddy with her Nana.

Nana and her main squeeze.

Papa lines up his putt...

and wins outright!

The 2014 men's and women's golf putting champions!

Twins joining us for lunch in the main dining room.

Mommy making sure Kohlden eats his lunch.

Me taking a picture of Papa taking a picture of Nana and the twins while Mommy watches.  Whew!

Kohl taking a photo of his parents.  Nice thumb buddy!

Mommy and Brae check out the view of the bow.

Nana and Mommy enjoy some quiet time and reflection, ironically in the Reflections Lounge!

Enjoying some miso soup!

Maddy all set to go swimming!

The pools were a bit chilly so into the whirlpool instead!

So this is what cruising is all about!

Sharing a drink at the whirlpool.

Same routine with getting everyone ready and fed before heading back up to the Fun Factory, Tangie and I enjoyed dinner and conversations with Papa and Nana before attending the evening show.  Dave and I would enjoy a hilarious comedy sketch by the Captain and crew in a live rendition of the board game Balderdash, their's called The Liar's Club.  Their stories and definitions of choice words were so outrageous and told in such straight faces it had both Dave and I rolling and crying with laughter!  Did you know that a urinating ant is called a pismere?  And that there are always a bunch of hawseholes on every cruise ship?  Well, all I can say about that is...fulfart.

With my lovely date...

and dinner companions about to enjoy our usual 2 hour long supper.

Picked up a bunch of superheroes at the end of the night.

Meeting up with the rest at the Celebrity Theatre and showing off their creations. 

Late night comedy with the Captain, Activities Director, and Cruise Director.  3 hilarious men!

Wiped out.

Exhausted.

Just plain pooped!

Cozying up to a quiet night with her Kindle.

Day 4

We got up very early on Sunday, not just because our port of call was Key West, but because the entire ship had to go through customs and show our passports/id's to immigration officers.  It's mandatory when entering the US after going out of the country; had Key West been our first port of call we wouldn't have had to do it.  Anyway, we went to the lounge where the officers were and handed our passports over.  The guy looks them over and asked us where we were from, with me replying from Orlando.  So he asked what part, and I said Ocoee, Winter Garden area.  Then he looks at me and says, "I have an uncle in Oviedo.  Do you know where that is?"  So I look back at him and say, "Yes, over on the east side of town by Winter Park and Casselberry."  He nods his head and hands me back our passports, "Enjoy the rest of your cruise, Mr. Isidro."  And that was that.  Good thing I know my areas around town!

A little grumpy this morning.

Everyone was just a bit tired.

We met up with Papa for breakfast on Deck 10, then went down to pick Nana up from their cabin to head out to shore.  We had booked a trolley tour online that would give us a tour of the island.  Originally we were going to go with Old Town Trolley Tours who are the most popular ones around and have tours all over the country.  But then we found another tour company and saved a bunch of money by switching to Geico I mean, City View Trolley Tours. Basically the same tour, same looking trolley cars (except theirs was grey vs. the orange ones for Old Town) but almost half the price!  Anyway, glad we found out about it, and, after reading reviews on TripAdvisor, booked our tickets.

Nice view of the port at Key West.  Nice looking yacht too.

Celebrity had their red carpet out with some lounge chairs.

Very appropriate for visiting Key West!

Mommy in charge of the wagon.

Papa and Maddy wait on everyone else by the shops with the ship in the background.

We rode the trolley around town, listening to our guide talk about the history of the island, the large open windows allowing us to feel every bit of humidity there; it had rained hard the day before and you could see the dampness and puddles everywhere.  There were 8 stops on the tour, and you could get on and off at any of the stops.  We hopped off on stop #5, where we along with the rest of the 5 million tourists on the island went to get their picture taken at the Southernmost Point in the United States marker.  We could've just gone to the Gaylord Palms Resort in Orlando!  The line to get your picture with the famous landmark was at least a mile long.  Of course, I'm exaggerating here, but it FELT like it was a mile long.  We probably moved 2 inches in 20 minutes, and you can only imagine how antsy the children were getting at waiting.  In the end I went to the front of the line and just took a picture of the cone with another family and called it a day.

Maddy enjoying the trolley ride.  It was the lowest price and best value!

Tangie thinking we could wait out the line...

Um...no thank you...

"Our family" at the Southernmost point in the continental USA!!

At the butterfly conservatory, a very scary looking insect!

The humidity was starting to get to me!

After getting back on the trolley we jumped off at stop #8 just down the street from the port.  It was the location of Kermit's World Famous Key Lime Pie store and restaurant, and Nana wanted to sample their fare.  She is a huge fan of all things key lime and is always on the lookout for the best key lime pie anywhere, so why not take advantage while we were at the place key lime pie was born?  We took in a bunch of their samples and enjoyed their shady eating area outside, stopping at some neighboring shops nearby to check out their goods.  The kids and I were starting to get pretty hungry, that and Braelyn had a tour of the navigational bridge in the afternoon, so Papa and I took them back on board while Nana and Mommy stayed around the port stores to shop and look for gifts and keepsakes.  They met up with us as we were finishing up lunch on Deck 10.

Kermit of Kermit's World Famous Key Lime Pie store, just like the sign above him.

All things key lime, Braelyn enjoyed the key lime jellybeans, if only because they were green.

With the man himself!

Enjoying a selection of key lime treats in their cafe garden.

With a dancing couple in the streets of Key West.

Paying homage to the key lime pie.

Papa takes the children back to the ship.

A silly moment at the stairs.

We dropped the kids off at the Fun Factory for the afternoon, and then started the process of organizing and packing our things into our luggage.  We did give ourselves time to hit up the adults only solarium hot saltwater pool complete with jets, very relaxing and soothing for sore muscles, but very crowded at the time.  It also seemed as if we were the youngest couple there in the water...wait a second...yes, we were the youngest couple there, by at least 30 years!  We stayed only half an hour, then headed back to our cabin for showers before picking the twins up from the Fun Factory for their dinner.  Braelyn had chosen the option of eating supper with her friends there, and why not? as it was our last evening there. We enjoyed our last supper and walked around one final time, swinging by the photo gallery to purchase a few pictures before retiring for the night, making sure our luggages were packed and waiting in the hallway by 11 PM.

Watching a jet ski excursion while having lunch.

Kohlden looks out at the spectacular view from Deck 10.

Watching the sunset as we leave Key West.

With the counselors and crew of the Fun Factory.  They had such a blast!!

Day 5

Monday was another early morning for us, we were given the 8:30 disembarkation time so we could've left the ship pretty much as soon as we docked.  But we took our time for breakfast and did the sit down restaurant vs. the buffet upstairs.  We learned this after our first cruise that it can get pretty crowded and hectic at the buffet with people rushing out trying to make their flights, etc etc, whereas we not being in a rush can enjoy one last full serviced meal in the dining room, and get pretty much all of the same things being served upstairs.  Plus it was much easier getting a table for 7 rather than having to fight other passengers for one.  We ended up being the last people left at the dining room; they even turned the lights off to signal that breakfast was over and that we had to finish our conversations somewhere else on the ship, as the servers and waiters were quickly turning tables over to receive the next group of guests getting ready to board the ship.

Last breakfast and meal on the ship.

They look like they had a great time!

Since we exited the ship later than our given disembarkation time, our luggage was waiting for us, as we joined the throng of passengers going through customs and back to the real world.  It was a bright, sunny Ft. Lauderdale day that greeted us as we dragged our luggage back to the van in the parking garage, but that would be short-lived as a cold front would meet us on our way back to Orlando, bringing with it whipping wind and cold weather that would give us our coldest temperatures this year, with a low the following morning of 35º and only a high of 45º the entire day Tuesday.

Weaving through the line at customs.

Maddy was tuckered out by the time we got to the parking garage.

One of several rest stops on our way home.

With a wooden skeleton at Rocco's Tacos on Restaurant Row for lunch.

Our last hurrah.  What do you mean we have to pay?!

In the end we decided that a 4 night trip is just too short, as Papa and Nana were just starting to get into the swing of things by the 3rd day, only to have to pack up the following day.  A week's cruise would have been perfect, but since we didn't know how they would do on the cruise, a 4 nighter was a good length for a trial run.  A 7 nighter would've been too long had they been miserable. But we all had a good time, and everyone enjoyed the vacation immensely. We were all very pleased with the ship and her amenities, with our experiences on board and our time with one another.   And the best part is that Papa and Nana enjoyed it enough to go on one again!


The rest of our week:

• Papa flew back to Denver on Tuesday, as Tangie returned to work and Braelyn back to school.  Nana is in town for another week as she assists me with the twins during the day and picking Braelyn up from school in the afternoons.

The twins say goodbye to Papa.  We enjoyed having him here for 2 weeks!

A visit to the library to get new books for bedtime stories.

Afternoon bike ride with Braelyn.  Here showing she can ride with only one hand.

Supper with Nana at Old Winter Garden Pizza Company.

Outgrowing the cart seats at Costco!

Randoms:

Checking out the artwork on the ship and wondering if her hair could look like that.

Speaking of artwork on the ship.   Just amazing!

If only I had a tie and some stripes on my sleeves...

Kids, don't drink and cruise.

Only in Key West will you find a man driving a scooter in a ski mask carrying two shih tzu's! 

Our previous ship, the Carnival Ecstasy, was in port at Key West as well.
Here is an external comparison between the Ecstasy and the Constellation.

On the Turnpike, came across a hunter with his catch:  a deer strapped in his passenger seat!

Chilly temps across Central Florida on Tuesday.
And yet we're still much warmer than the rest of the country!

Food: A sampling of the meals on Celebrity.

Appetizer:  Organic Beet with Feta.

Salad:  Butterleaf with Tomato and Watercress.

Entrée:  Teriyaki glazed Duck.

Dessert:  Celebrity's version of Carnival's warm chocolate cake.
Smaller but just as good, with a twist of Banana's Foster!

Quotes:

• At the Atlantis hotel in Nassau, helping Madelyn use the bathroom. After she was done and it was my turn to relieve myself she noticed that the toilet water was green due to the cleaning agents in the water, and exclaimed out loud , "Daddy!  You have green pee pee!"

• Waiting for Papa and Tangie to arrive for the galley tour, in my navy swim trunks and a white Cuban shirt, a lady passenger approaches me as I stood editing pictures on my phone:

          Lady:  "Excuse me, but do you know where I can get some bingo cards?"

          Me:  [trying not to take offense] "No, I don't.  Why would I know?"

          Lady:  "Oh, I'm sorry.  I thought you worked here."

          Me:  "Why would you think I work here?"

          Lady:  [pauses] "Because...you're wearing a white shirt?" 

                     [leaves quickly, beet red]

          This always happens to me!  LOLOLOL

• I was asking Braelyn about her backstage tour of the Celebrity Theatre:

          Me:  "So what did you see and who did you meet?"

          Brae:  "I saw the costumes and I met James and Bobby."

          Me:  "Oh really?  Who are they?"

          Brae:  "A boy and a girl."

          Huh.  Thanks a lot!

• We were at the Reflections Lounge on the top deck at the front of the ship, Braelyn was running around being goofy.  Tangie told her to calm down and said that she wasn't even supposed to be allowed in the room at all.  Looking around Braelyn noticed that most of the people there were senior citizens, and replied, "Is this a room for grandmas?"

Our five "Celebrities."  Now cruisers for life! 

          

Have a great weekend!