Bon Voyage!

Back on land after 7 days at sea!

We got back to Galveston early Sunday morning and finally made it home around noon. Very good trip. This was the first cruise I have ever done and I enjoyed it, even though I got sick the last day of the trek. We did a 7 day trip on the Carnival Conquest running out of Galveston, Texas with a trek across the Gulf of Mexico with stops in Jamaica, Grand Cayman, and Cozumel. Was to be a family trip with my parents and both brothers and their wives. Interesting to be that close on a boat with my family for a week. Many interesting stories/debates ensued throughout the week.

We had a good time and ate/drank non-stop. The first 2.5 days were “fun days at seas” where we basically hauled butt across the Gulf on the way to Jamaica. There is a lot to do on the ship from a myriad of shows, playing games, gambling, exercising in the gym, playing miniature golf, run/walk the 1/10 mile track, or just sit out by one of the pools. I never pictured the Gulf as being that big, but once you leave Galveston, it is huge. Miles of open water with an occasional oil platform or passing ship off in the distance. Very peaceful. Sunsets were spectacular. Life aboard is whatever you make of it. You can get up early and walk/run the deck or sleep in. Have breakfast in your room or eat in one of several dining rooms. They typically have ton of planned activities each day that you can participate in or lay out by the pool and read/catch some rays. Lunch is pretty much wide open between 1100 until 1430 with plenty of good eats available. Dinner is either early (1800) or late (1930) seating and is in one of the formal dining rooms. Very fancy service full course meals every night. If that is not your cup of tea, you can always get hot dogs/hamburgers/pizza up on the back deck by one of the pools. Of course, you can always find an open bar close by. As with most all-inclusive cruises, once you book your trip, the meals are covered in your fee. What is NOT covered is your “incidentals” like any liquor or sodas or souvenirs. Of course, they take pictures of you throughout the trip for you to remember (buy). Getting on the boat, getting off the boat, having dinner, playing craps, doing bingo, posing with one of the showgirls, posing with Sam the Pirate. We did have one group/family shot taken and I did buy that package. Be careful with these little incidentals. You can run a hefty tab by the time you get home.

More to follow…