Cruise in Review

Okay... here it is... the much anticipated cruise blog. I must say... I am not excited to write this, so it is going to be a condensed version. The reason I am not excited... because I still want to be on the ship and given that I am not, how un-exciting is this?!?! Plus, I got engaged when I got back and that was even more exciting. Okay... here goes:

The Ship:
Wow... what an AMAZING ship. Liberty of the Seas is the shit! As of right now, it is the largest cruise ship in the world (she shares the title with her sisters Freedom and Independence). This ship has mini-golf, a rock climbing wall, a flowrider, shuffleboard, Ben & Jerry's, Johnny Rockets, an ice skating rink, a royal promenade, and so much more. It truly felt like I was in a moving city. They also have amazing pools including two cantilevered whirlpools hanging out over the ocean. VERY fun!!

The Entertainment:
Their production shows were AWFUL. Most definitely the worst I have ever seen on any ship. However, that was a total of 3 hours out of the week. They did have an awesome comedian and an AMAZING juggler. They had ENCORE which is an extraordinary show on ice. Their casino was great! The sports offered around the ship cannot be beat, and their activities/games were definitely a blast. We enjoyed the Quest most of all and our team came in 3rd place out of 8. Yahooo!!! There was also a 70's Dancing in the Streets party on the Royal Promenade that was incredible as well as a Pirate Parade on the last night. I also would not necessarily qualify this as entertainment, but we went to the spa twice and it was AWESOME. So relaxing and my therapist, John, from South Africa, was EXCELLENT!!!

The Food:
The food on this ship was was better than any other ship. Surprisingly enough, my favorite thing I ate all week was at breakfast. It was chocolate french toast. Let me say that again... CHOCOLATE FRENCH TOAST!!! It was regular bread, but with a layer of chocolate in between almost like a croissant. So amazing!! They also had great beef, delicious chicken, and more. Plus, our table requested roasted garlic in the clove one night, and from then on they brought it to us every night. Unbelievable!!!! I also have to give Kudos to their specialty restaurant Chops Grille. We ate there on the last night and it was hands down the best fillet Mignon I have ever eaten and without a doubt the best service I have ever seen in any restaurant anywhere. If you go on this ship, eat at Chops!! Also, their room service menu was much nicer than most ships. You have a lot more options and the food is really good.

The Service:
The staff and crew on this ship know what good service means. They make you feel like a king no matter where you go. In the dining room, the front desk, the Explorations desk, the cruise director's staff, and on and on and on. They are EXTREMELY well trained to provide the best customer service around.

The Ports:
Normally there is a port or two I did not like, but not this time:

Labadee, Haiti- This is their private area on Haiti. We rode jet skis and it was incredible. So much fun going 45 miles per hour. I totally felt like I was on Baywatch!! Their shop owners are WAY to pushy for my liking, but then we found out that the average ANNUAL income per person is $230, so you understand why they want you to buy from them.

Montego Bay, Jamaica- I have to admit, I was very nervous about going to Jamaica. You hears TONS of stories about people getting mugged, pick pocketed, and even stabbed. Thankfully, we were safe the entire time. They had some really nice shopping here, though nothing to write home about. We went rafting down the Martha Brae on our own bamboo raft with our own guide paddling for us. It was great. Very relaxing and fun to do.

Georgetown, Grand Cayman- The shopping here is like Beverly Hills. Much more upscale than you would expect and you don't really feel like you are in the Caribbean. Here we went on the SeaTrek Helmet Dive and walked on the floor of the ocean (25 feel below the surface) with an 80-pond helmet on for 40 minutes. It was INCREDIBLE!!!! We did some really cool things under the water and I would HIGHLY recommend this to anyone. I want to go again. I also tried conch, which is the animal that lives inside those big shells. Do yourself a favor... don't try conch!

Cozumel, Mexico- The last time I was in Cozumel was right after the hurricane and it was a dump. This time I was pleasantly surprised and really liked it. This is also where I was a dolphin trainer for the day at Dolphinairs. What an AMAZING program and experience. They really know how to treat you right. We gave the dolphins the commands, fed them fish, and swam with them for 45 minutes or so. We also got a back stage tour, T-shirt, pictures, lunch, drinks, and so much more. Easily, one of the best days in my life.

So that is it.... my cruise in review. Obviously there is a ton I did not write about, but you will just have to watch the DVD we bought of the trip. It was another amazing trip and I can hardly wait for the next one on February 13, 2010 aboard Holland America's M/S Noordam!

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