So here is how my first cruise experience went.  I was a Dad with a young family, and I wanted to take them on a cruise.  I spent hours on the computer searching for a great cruise deal because I didn’t want to overspend on a trip my wife was already questioning. I finally found a 4-night cruise that sailed out of Miami that fit the budget.

         We spent the first 2 days of our journey driving to Orlando where we had a great day at Sea World.  The kids loved the animals and the rides.  The next morning, we started our drive to Miami where we came upon dead-stopped traffic about 45 minutes from Miami.  I-75 was closed down for an accident. This was before smart phones and rerouting the GPS was not an option. With no travel insurance, it was time to panic! Fortunately, the highway opened, and we arrived at the ship about 45 minutes before departure.  Whew!!! Close call.

         The ship was large and when we entered on the Promenade  deck, it was beautiful and definitely had a lot of flash.  We went to our deck 2 interior cabin and opened the door.  How were we all going to fit in this room?  Where are five beds?  And there aren’t any windows. Welcome to life as a sardine.  When we returned to our cabin later that evening, the cabin steward had prepared our beds and it all made sense.  They stacked on top of each other like a giant Jenga puzzle facing in different directions.  The kids actually thought it was pretty cool.  Kathy was not impressed.

We did the mandatory safety drill then spent the rest of the evening exploring the ship and having our first dining experience.  The main dining room was fancy and definitely a new experience for the kids.  And the food was delicious.  With that said, I’ll save the rest of my first cruise experience for the next edition of Weekly Travel News.   So, stayed tuned next week to hear more about our adventure.