Okay, I lie, I'm on a ship! Yeaahhhhhhh!!!!!!
I woke up this morning, quickly threw together the last bits of my stuff and headed for the complimentary breakfast in the hotel. Some yogurt, a pancake, croissant and tea later I was checking out and trying to figure out where to go with the hotel shuttle to the cruise ship not leaving till noon and it was only 10am.
I'm standing outside, luggage in one hand, the other blocking the sun as I looked out to see if I could catch a taxi, when an older Irish couple come out of the hotel and ask if I'm heading to the ship.
"Yes! The Royal Caribbean?"
Turns out they had were headed that way as well and told me that I could walk with them if I liked. Apparently there was a complimentary shuttle just down a few blocks at the entrance of all the ports.
Perfect!
I follow them down, very nice couple, and then was greeted by the bus driver who watched my every move walking towards the bus, saying "bellaaaa, bella! You know what that mean?" I smiled and nodded, thanking him."Bellissima!"
The bus dropped me off infront of a big white tent about 6-or-so minutes down the road - it was so exciting to see this ENORMOUS cruise ship docked beside it! I was so giddy and excited!!!
I gave my suitcase to one of the attendants standing by and then mosey'd on over to fill out a few forms, drink some lemonade and wait for my number to be called to check in!
After checking in and getting my SeaPass card, i had to hand over my passport to the police (who apparently keep it the whole cruise) and I walked up and on to the massive cruise ship!
It didn't take as long as I thought to get lost. Having walked on, I immediately had no idea what to do or where I was going! A woman with a welcoming face immediately saw my confusion,
"can I help?"
"umm... actually, yes. I don't know where to go!"
And that's when she looked at me and said "Anywhere! Go explore!"
I couldn't help but laugh, if she only knew that all I've been doing for the past 22 days is exploring! Haha!
I asked her if I could see my room, to which she said wouldn't be ready for another 2 hours but if I wanted to, I could go up to the 5th floor - The Promenade, and grab a drink or have some munchies.
As the elevator dinged at the 5th floor, I walked out and was blown away at the size of this promenade. Shops, restaurants, stairs going up and down and decorations hanging from high above! It was beautiful!
Since I had managed to check in and be on board before the suggested boarding time, there weren't very many people around! It was nice to wander around a few floors of the ship, exploring, while no one was around and it was quiet and peaceful.
As I wandered, my carry-on bag getting a biiiiiiit heavy for my liking, I managed to find the champagne bar! Hallelujah! Hahaha! Time to get my celebration on!
Took out my little SeaPass card, grabbed a mimosa and then happily read my book at one of the tables. How exciting!! I feel like I'm on a real vacation now!!
I mean, not that this whole trip hasn't been an amazing vacation already.. I'm talkin' about little-umbrella-in-your-piña-colada-while-you-bask-in-the-sunshine-on-the-pool-deck kind of vacation! Haha (Well okay, I know I still had a mimosa in hand but the piña coladas will come and I'll be ready to take a sip and a bite of the pineapple that is so nicely placed on the rims edge!
So, I read my book for a little bit then found out that there was a lunch buffet a few floors up. I found the guest relations desk, grabbed a few descriptions and itineraries then decided it might be nice to scope out the buffet and grab some veggies!
While stacking my plate with some healthy snacks, I ended up running into the Irish couple again who warmly welcomed me to sit at their table with them! We chatted about all the fun things described on the itinerary and before we knew it, it was one o'clock and we could go see our rooms! Wahoo!
I go on a search for the elevators and after pressing the button, the elevator doors open to a few people inside - two of them were very good looking, muscly, guys who look to be around my age and have an accent. Woop! HELLO! Haha
I get in the pretty silent elevator, and quietly but clearly I can hear this really crappy JLo and Pitbull song that I despise. (Of all the crap elevator music they could play...JLo really? Ha! -- Whatever, vacation!)
I get out on the 8th floor, so do the cute guys.
Hmm.. Okay.
I'm walking down the hall, them slightly behind me - walking in the same direction - still hearing JLo playing on what must be the hallway speakers.. I find my room and then as I'm digging for my SeaPass card it occurs to me that that crappy music? Yeah, it was coming from myyyy headphones! Dahhhhhh! Hahahaha GO FIGURE!
(Insert red, embarrassed cheeks here.)
All the people in the elevator must've been thinking "who IS this girl? Jammin to JLo... Diva" haha
Oh well! C'est La Vie!
Standing infront of my room, on the door is a sign saying "Bon Voyage!" -- how cute!
Hmm.. Wait a minute.. No one else's door has a cute little sign on it...
Mom.....?
... Dad......?
Hahaha
I open the door and there are little streamers and decorations all over the room in blue and yellow and "Bon Voyage!" exclamations everywhere!
Awwwwwwwww! :) Yayyyyyyyy! Thanks parents!!!
The room is fantastic! Big enough closet to unpack my suitcase! Vanity! Tv! Couch! Super comfortable queen bed and wicked balcony that was looking out to the ocean! Wahoooo!
BRING ON THE PIÑA COLADAS AND LITTLE UMBRELLAS!
I put down all my stuff then do a solid flying Superman pounce on my bed and soak it in! It's time to relax and fiinnnnaaaaally not have to think about the next train I have to hop on or who may yell at me about putting my feet up! Take that crazy Italian man! In yo face! Ha!
I open up the balcony door, enjoying a great view of the ocean and another couple cruise ships docked beside ours then decide to go find out what the gym is like!
On deck 11, where the lunch buffet was (at the Windjammer restaurant), there was a large pool and lots of chairs for soaking in the sun, and then behind the pool was the gym and spa!
The gym was on the very back of the boat with floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the ocean! YEEEEESSSS!!!!!!
If you know me well enough, you know I go to the gym pretty much every day, sometimes twice a day, plus yoga (sometimes). I'm very active and love it! Its how I de-stress and always stay positive. And for the last month and a half, not only have I been eating my weight in incredible European food, I have also had very little time to go to the gym having had my best friend from Canada visit before my trip, working, freelancing, trip planning, going to Canada before Europe.. It's been pretty hectic. Thus leaving me feeling crappy and unhealthy. So, I'm sure its needless to say at this point that when I found the gym I was stoked! Now all I had to do was get some running shoes from one of the stores in the promenade and I'd be good to go!
I wandered around the ship some more, checking out the mini golf and the rock climbing wall and the spa and the library, all the while awaiting the shops to open as well as constantly seeing those hot elevator guys around.
I literally saw them everywhere I went! It was so weird. They probably thought I was creeping or something lol aghh... Haha
Finally the shops opened, I ran down to buy a pair of running shoes and then headed back to my room to change and give my parents a call.
As I was on the phone with them, I hear a knock on the door. My "stateroom attendant" introduces himself (his name I can't remember - oops) and he brings in a bottle of wine and a fruit basket with a note: "Happy first cruise!!! Have fun! XO Love Mom and Dad!"
Dawwwww, I have great parents! :) Thank you, thank you, thank you!!!
I talked to them about everything I had seen on the ship thus far and then went off to the gym! (Seeing the guys one more time on the way... seriously, in gym clothes now? Can't catch a break!)
After working out for about an hour, I headed back to my room, showered, watched some tv, changed... Taking my time, enjoying life -- by this point it was already 9ish and I had missed my 8:30 seating for supper. I knew I was going to miss it because of the gym, but I didn't mind, wasn't thaaaaaat hungry anyways.
I went downstairs to the Promenade and spent some more time exploring, grabbing a mini calzone at the snack restaurant making small talk with the bartender and people around me. Again... Seeing those guys... I swear they're following me now. Haha! Then I head down to the casino to look around.
When I come out the other side, as I'm walking up the stairs, I see the guys one more time. They stop and watch me for a second, so finally I turn around and before I have a chance to open my mouth, they laugh and say "You're following us huh?" (agghh!)
I start laughing- "I thought you guys were following me!"
They (Rob & Dave) ask if I'm here alone and I explain what I've been doing for the last few weeks. Rob & Dave are personal trainers from Dublin. They ask where I'm from and as it turns out one of them just so happens to be coming to San Diego a few days after I get back! How funny!
So as we're talking about San Diego, a girl perks up as she's coming down the stairs that were all standing on, "San Diego?! Did I hear you say something about Pacific Beach?" Her name is Holladais, about our age, and lives in Coronado!
We decide to all grab drinks together and go down to the night club on board called "The Dungeon".
Hours, dancing, tequila and several drinks later - it was time to call it a night. It was almost 2am and I had to be up for a tour of Taormina, Sicily at 7am.
Uggghhhh.... Why do I do this to myself???!
I'm gunna just go ahead and say/ put the blame on "college years".
Haha! Ugh...
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