Bon Voyage ~ Part 1 The ship, first day at sea

I know I know it is about time, it is almost the end of the year and I am just now getting the cruise posted! Quick recap, I will try to be quick you know how I can be long winded.........

David starting planning a cruise last year for our 10th anniversary...only it was really our 9th oops. It just so happens my birthday is 3 days before the big day...the BIG hahaha 29! We also paid off our car last year, and our small mortgage this year!!! HIP HIP HOORAY HIP HIP HOORAY...Thank you Lord for providing, strength, determination, Dave Ramsey for a great plan, and David and I for working our butts off!!!! He worked as many extra things as possible as did I...nursery 2 days a week for awhile and watching a little girl 3 days a week. WE DID IT!!! So time to celebrate!

Since Ike pretty much destroyed our port the weekend before we were to depart we were a little nervous about the plans. Carnival kept telling us they were hoping it would be re-opened I thought ..."Are you insane?!?!" They just got wiped out by a massive storm! But you know how those business' run...money money money! The Wednesday before we were to leave we found out we would leave from a new destination, and thankfully it was not New Orleans as feared. It was a new port located in Pasadena right outside of the city. And we were still leaving Saturday morning.
I was SO excited as you can imagine....it was not only my first time on a cruise but our first trip together, by ourselves outside of our very short honeymoon, 9 years and 4 boys ago!!! YIPPPEEEEEE!!!! Plus I had some really cute new clothes and bathing suits I was dying to wear...LOL!!!!
Again I will go in segments because I am just a writer, and I want to give details! Too many fun things to share...so bear with me, in a few days you will get the entire trip!

We arrive at the ship around 12:00, after the confusing directions and turning around once, we finally found it. It was HUGE!!! We got out and a man took our luggage, labeled it and had it at our room later. We had a few "details" before we could board. Line for security, line for payment methods and more security as well as paperwork. This was the last year a passport is not required, we were able to use a birth certificate with DL as ID. I was born in Germany, so I never take my original with me because if I were to lose it I am afraid what the process is to get a new one....probably not as hard as I imagine it. But it said on the website that a copy would suffice. So that is what I took, not aware of teh serious issues that can cause....! When we were going through our paperwork the man told me that if I were to miss the ship on an excursion I would be detained in Mexico for weeks. and he said...."So just make sure you are not late." Hey thanks for that...I feel really comfortable and safe and no I am not scared at all....WHAT??????????????????????? Are you kidding me....Apparently not! It sure left me with warm fuzzy feelings for the very beginning of my first cruise ever.....Actually no, I don't think that was warm and fuzzy it was downright FREAKED OUT...LOL....No I am just kidding, if any of you really know me that is not my personality. Actually I wasn't scared at all...but I also made sure I was always early!

Once on the boat we didn''t have much time to explore and boy was I dying to begin work on my tan....so overdue! And for your info I really can tan! I have pictures...!!! But we were immediately taken to a room...yes inside, no sun!!!....to be given a "short" (not sure of their definition of short) run down of safety procedures in case of Emergency. Once done we could leave the port.

And we are off! The sky by this time is covered in clouds no sun to be seen! I was really disappointed because there is nothing better than a beautiful, crisp sunny day! But we managed to enjoy our time anyway. We played some miniature golf....which is quite a fete on a moving ship on the top level where the wind blows 30 MPH..or so. But it was fun and it gave me an excuse to lose...!

The food...Oh the food!!!! Everywhere, all the time, plenty of it and we didn't have to pay for any of it...of course we already did, but no other vacation can you eat that much for so little. Really I am surprised we didn't come by twice our original sizes. No we tripled...Just kidding, David gained 5lbs and it is not polite to ask a lady that question! Besides I did not weigh myself, for good reason.

Our stateroom (isn't that word exquisite..sounds like we were special...really we weren't we didn't even have a window!)

Toddlers pool

The great pool with awesome slide, that was open only one day of our voyage...it was what David looked forward to for a year, and said it was going to be his first thing on board!

Here we are looking our best!!! LOL

Here I am totally smoking him at ping pong....actually I am horrible, I lost EVERY game!

These adorable creatures were a highlight of my day! Each night when we arrived to our room after dinner, or a show, our room was cleaned and we were left with a new adorable animal made from towels! The dog, elephant, ???? and my personal favorite was the monkey that was actually hanging off of a shelf, and like a goober I forgot to get a picture.

Putt putt at sunset! It was really a beautiful light blue! Like nothing you see in Houston!