Cruising the Caribbean

The adventure begins.  At midnight on Saturday/Sunday, Oct. 11/12th, Jed and I and Marilyn and Matt were at the Salt Lake airport for the first leg of our trip.  We were headed for Florida (with a 3 hr. layover in Atlanta, Georgia) to board a cruise ship for the Caribbean.

To actually see that great big cruise ship was breathtaking!!!!

Finally on board!!!

On Monday, Oct. 13th we were at Princess Cays (a small island in the Bahamas owned by Princess Cruises.)  We swam in the ocean and played on the beach here. The cruise provided a barbecue lunch while on the beach.       (I don't know why this is underlining.  I can't get it to go away)

Tuesday, Oct. 14th was an "At Sea" day.  I spent most of the day in bed with the flu.  That evening was formal dress for dinner.

We met this group who were sisters (and their husbands and their mother) who were all from the Utah Valley area and Salt Lake.


On Wednesday, Oct 15th the ship docked at Grand Turk.  The island had recently been devastated by a hurricane.  They were just getting it rebuilt and cleaned up from the hurricane.

This is a wedding party.  The couple on the right were married this morning out on the beach!!!

We played on the beach and swam in the ocean

Back to the ship to eat (and eat and eat) and watch the shows and entertainment that were provided.

Thursday, Oct. 16th.  We tried to start each day with a 2 mile jog on the top deck.

Our "Eastern Caribbean Cruise" was suppose to take us to St. Maarten and St. Thomas but because of a hurricane that was brewing in these areas, our course was altered and we visited Jamaica and Grand Cayman instead.  We loved Jamaica and Cayman.




We hiked up the Dunns River Falls.  Fun!! Fun!! 

Getting our wet hair braided after the falls

Sky Ride through the Rain Forest

The view from the Sky Ride was spectacular

We ate lunch at Hard Rock Cafe

That night was "Formal" for dinner so we all got "dressed up" (with our braided hair).

Friday, Oct.17th we arrived at Grand Cayman.  The day started off with breakfast at the breakfast buffet.

Then we went in to shore on a "tender boat".  We were picked up by a bus and taken to the ocean front. Then we traveled by boat out into the ocean!!!!

When we got to a sand bar we jumped out of the boat and played with sting rays!  It was incredible.  They were all around us.  We could touch them and fed them squid out of our hands.  It was the soooo much fun!!!!!! 

The boat then took us close to the coral reef nearby and we snorkeled for awhile.  We saw colorful fish, an eel and beautiful plants.

Then we reluctantly got back in the boat and it took us back to shore.  We had met a nice man from Florida.  His name is Michael.

Michael had a bite on his arm from the sting rays!!

We did a little bit of shopping and "sight seeing" before we took the "tender" back out to the ship.

Saturday, Oct. 18th, was an "at sea" day as we traveled back towards Florida.  Marilyn, Jed and I participated in a 5K walk/run that was held on the 7th level ship deck.  The donated money from the event is to be used for cancer research.

Our last night on the ship.  We had found the two waiters that we liked and tried to sit at their table every night.  They were such good waiters and were so nice.

This is Micklos. He is from Hungary

This is Adrien. He is from Mexico

Sunday, Oct 19th

Time to head home:(

 The ship docked at Fort Lauderdale, Florida.  We were taken by bus to Miami airport.  After about 4 hrs we flew from there to Detroit, Michigan and then after 3 hrs layover we flew to Salt Lake City. We got to Salt Lake about 9:45 pm. (just a side note, Marilyn and Matt flew home from Fort Lauderdale to Texas and and then to Salt Lake.  They got to Salt Lake about 6 1/2 hrs before we did)!!!   

We were so tired but had a wonderful week.  Thanks Marilyn and Matt for talking us into going with you!!!!!   

We made it back to Salt Lake City!!!!