Our Royal Caribbean Cruise Vacation

I've always been wary of cruises.

The idea of being out in the middle of the ocean PETRIFIED me.  However, when Royal Caribbean said they would sponsor a trip to Cozumel, Mexico, I stopped to re-think.  I figured if thousands of people sail each day, why not me? To play it safe, we agreed to only do (4) nights instead of seven, just in case we didn't enjoy it.

So I told my husband all the details & before you know it, we were off to Ft. Lauderdale where we boarded the Vision Of The Seas ship. This is a relatively BIG ship, so we were excited!

This is the 1st photo I shot of the ship as we walked toward the check-in area.  It was like a dream come true seeing the actual ship in person,  it was MASSIVE.  When we boarded, they directed us to our balcony stateroom - Oui, monsieur...... which was toward the front of the ship on the 7th floor.   A balcony room is the way to go – the view is breathtaking all hours of the day....if you don't get a balcony, most rooms will tend to have a tiny porthole, or no windows at all.  I'm claustrophobic, so that doesn't fly with me! NO WAY.

As the ship took off, the land seemed to get smaller & more distant; it was very surreal, since I'd never been in the middle of the ocean with water surrounding me on all 4 sides.  It was a lovely cruise with lots of food, entertainment, and plenty of interesting activities to get involved in or watch. We sat down for a FREE comedy show one night and that was really fun.  Most of the cruise was spent either sunbathing, or just relaxing in our room.  There are 3 meals a day served, either to your room or in the main dining area + 1 housekeeper for each room, so your room is always clean.....keep reading below....


When we finally got into our state room, they had this beautiful fruit salad waiting for us - and look at our prvate balcony, so beautiful and serene.



I immediately took a shower & put on my robe - loved the cute little bathroom. All stocked up like any luxury hotel, with fancy shampoos, conditioners & lotions!  It was a small bathroom with a shower, but still very comfortable with lots of shelf space for our toiletries. That was a plus since I tend to travel with lots of toiletries. My husband always asks "do you need all that?" - My response, "Ummmmmmm, yeaaa"

We spent the Fourth of July on the ship, and even though we didn't see fireworks, there were plenty of events.  After a delicious formal dinner there was a beautiful red, white & blue balloon drop in the atrium, super cute!  The sunset was amazing that night too. In case you shoe-addicts are wondering, my shoes are from ShoeMint & my dress is from Mango.



The next day was gorgeous, blue skies all around us......if felt as if the sky never ended. God's presence was certainly bountiful.


Because it was so windy, I ended up having to braid my hair.  I used this really cool product by Oscar Blandi called 'Braid Paste', which helps keep braids neat.


This was the main dining hall, with a ton of huge round windows running on each side of the ship....and lots of amazing views. We also had a chance to try out the three specialty restaurants (check out my Instagram for lots of pics) - I really liked the ambiance at the Asian spot, Izumi, but Mat was especially fond of the steakhouse, Chops Grille (thanks to Franz, the Hotel Director, for the recommendations). They even had lots of gluten-free and dairy-free options....perfect for me.

 

Thanks to Triangl Swimwear for these amazing neoprene swimsuits.  LOVE them!


Good morning! This was probably one of the most AMAZING breakfasts we've ever had....because of the beautiful view.  Don't you agree?




We stopped to enjoy Cozumel, Mexico for the day - It was beautiful & probably the hottest place I've been in a long time. The humidity was SO thick - so when we arrived back to NYC humidity, we weren't complaining.



The sunsets were also a favorite of ours, it was very romantic and unlike any other sunset.


After that experience, you can bet we will be taking another cruise again! And definitely the experience aboard Royal Caribbean was really top-notch...the crew was so friendly & helpful, and there's so many choices of ships, locations and activities. Best of all, there's something for everyone to do – eat, spa, sunbathe, swim, exercise, sight-see, gamble, or just relax – and no shortage of it. Thank you RC.



-images by jen ramos
-the trip was sponsored by Royal Caribbean
- Want tips on how to save on a cruise?  - visit this blog:



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14 comments

  1. Wow! Looks like you had an amazing time. Great pictures!

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  2. ROYAL CARIBBEAN ALL DAY ERRDAY!!!!!!!!!!!

    I went on my first cruise last year and it's a MUST-DO for everyone!

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  3. Love this! Great pictures. We are currently on a Royal Caribbean cruise (Allure of the Seas) and we love it. It's our first cruise and we weren't sure if we would like it either, but we actually love cruising. I was most afraid of getting seasick, but we can't feel the waves at all.

    I did create a post today about getting a cruise for free, just in case any of your readers were interested. http://www.makingsenseofcents.com/2014/07/how-to-get-a-cruise-for-cheap-or-even-free.html

    Cruising doesn't have to be expensive! :)

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  4. Looks like you had a fabulous time - I was wary my first cruise (I thought it was an "old people" vacation - oops!!) but I ended up having a blast. Glad you guys got to spend some time away relaxing XO, D

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  5. This looks absolutely amazing!!!! I am now definitely considering a cruise for my next trip!

    x Lily
    http://whilemyboyfriendsaway.blogspot.com/

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  6. @204 park: Funny- i also though the same as you. There were plenty of old people , but it seemed like a mix of all ages in reality. thank you for reminding me that i had spelled "wary" wrong- oops.

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  7. M. AT MAKING SENSE OF ...Thank you! i loved the tips on your blog! enjoy your cruise :)

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  8. To me it is very bizarre not to have ever been on a ship before. I live on an island so usually when I travel I use the ship. I' m afraid of aeroplanes you see. When I was 20 I even worked on a cruise for 15 days. What an experience! We cruised the Black Sea. Hope you get to go on a longer cruise next time!

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  9. That looks like so much fun! I haven't been on a cruise yet and want to go so badly! We are planning on taking one within the next few months! I cant wait! Great pictures!
    http://flairbybrandi.blogspot.com

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  10. Looks like you had a fabulous and relaxing vacation. I am dreaming about a vacation right now after looking at all your photos!

    -Sayeh, The Office Stylist
    http://theofficestylist.com/

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  11. Ah my gosh this is A-maze balls!! Yes I can relate, I can be prone to a wee bit of anxiety if I feel I am some place I can not leave via my two feet or public transportation. But I am bet you are glad you went! Love the coral bathing suit by the way and of course it looks stunning on you.

    Allie of ALLIE NYC
    allienyc.com

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  12. Oh wow!!That's sound amazing.Wish I could experience the same,btw you look gorgeous in the pictures.

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  13. Since I have read your blog, I am simply fantasizing about this Royal Caribbean Cruise. Seems like you had a great time on this cruise. I haven't been on a cruise for a long time. This looks like the cruise I will undertake in the near future. Great pictures

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  14. Wow! Such a beautiful place to visit.

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