THE Cruise

As you can imagine, the shear thought of posting all about our cruise completely overwhelms me since it took me about 15 hours just to compile our photobook about the whole experience. For the sake of my eager followers, I am choosing just a few of the most interesting pictures to keep it brief. All in all, we had the most fabulous time and are already planning our next trip.

As most of you know, I didn't receive my luggage when we arrived in Long Beach. It turned out to make the whole trip a bit more emotional than otherwise planned but I was determined not to let it ruin the entire vacation. After much frustrating shopping for ridiculous clothing, things turned out just fine. What is frustrating is that Melain made it with all her luggage and I didn't get my one and only bag.

We had booked a limo for a special treat and got to go 100mph since we were held back so late because of the luggage debacle.

Of course the airline reimbursed me a few hundred for my trouble which turned out to be an insult. Rob was way more excited about it than I was. He was hoping that any leftover cash would be put toward buying him an iphone. Not in his wildest dreams.

Carnival cruise lines really came through for me and went out of their way to travel 160 miles to retrieve my luggage by the third day.

The ship at night. It is a sight to behold. It makes you feel like one of the rich and famous when you board. Fun fact: this is the exact ship we took on our honeymoon 10 years ago.

This is the inside middle of the boat. The atrium is spectacular.

Finally about to board the boat, a huge waive of relief come over all of us. We almost didn't make it so the smiles on our faces are true happiness.

I think the activity we did the most was EAT. We never stopped eating. It was absurd.

$15 rip off special of the day. Coconut monkey head pina colada. Ouch! However, nothing screams "we are on vacation" quite like a coconut monkey head pina colada by the pool.

More eating.

The soft serve machine was our favorite attraction. In fact, we became so addicted that all four of us have made Mcdonald's ice cream cones a regular part of our diet ever since we got home.

Our first stop was Catalina Island. It was beautiful weather. We shopped the entire time for clothes when we would have rather been parasailing.

We had two formal nights while on board. We loved the gourmet food and dining followed by spectacular shows and music.

We always sat on the front row and had the best time.

A second formal night.

Rob always has to be eating something in pictures.

I was treated to the song I HATE the most in the whole wide world (Love Shack) by Rob and Melain on Karaoke night. The nights we did karaoke were some of the most fun.

Ensenada Mexico is not all it's cracked up to be. Especially not in February but we got some great pictures there.

Rob went straight for the authentic fish tacos serenaded by a Mariachi Band.

Jon was all about towel-snapping the moochers that would wait unattended food.

The boys had a good time pretending that they won on the slots.

In the aiport on the way home we sat and munched on a box of Whitman's chocolates and enjoyed a relaxing wind down to a crazy week.

Well, folks. I hate to say it but that sums it all up. Unbelievable fun that has it's own set of inside jokes and memories that just can't be explained. I guess you just need to book your own cruise and see for yourself.