Southern Caribbean Cruise | Vacation 2017

Each summer for as long as I can remember, my momma has always planned a summer vacation to go on. We would always look forward to it and the it has stuck as a tradition. Typically around December/January we always start asking each other “so where is our summer vacation to this year?”
When these first started I was in the lower grades of elementary school, and my mom took my sister and I on a road trip to the “mountains” or so she thought. We got to Stone Mountain, GA and she decided this wasn’t what she wanted, so she kept driving into the REAL mountains of Georgia! And every year since then we would take summer vacations up into different places along the Appalachian Mountains. Tubing down the creek in Helen, GA. Hiking different locations, waterfalls galore, the cutest little mountain towns and some of the sketchiest. My wanderlust heart formed at a very young age.
We started taking more adventurous vacations, like flying across the country for a 2 week trip to California, up to New York and Niagara Falls, Virginia and the Shenandoah Mountains, and then we started cruises.

Last summer we adventured all along the northeast coast! This year we decided back on a cruise and went back to some of our favorite Caribbean Islands!

Here are some of the highlights from this summers vacation! And the best part of this vacation is the only time I picked up my “real” camera was for 1 hour in Aruba and another 5 minutes another evening! These were all taken on my iPhone – and edited through Lightroom! IT WAS A TRUE VACATION! ahhhhhh.

Day 1 : Puerto Rico
Our ship was out of PR. We started the morning with an unforeseen amount of people at the airport and a line for security that began the second you stepped off the tram at Tampa International. When we got to the port in PR, we just relaxed and walked around for a bit and got lunch! We have never been on a Royal Caribbean cruise before so it took a little to get used too! Especially after being on, what feels like, a hundred Carnival cruises!

Day 2: Sea Day
This day we spent relaxingg!!!!! We went to a cupcake decorating class (my cupcake thankfully turned out decent with 100% thanks to the man who ran the class – thankful for you haha!). Laid on the deck, and watched an ice skating show, IN THE MIDDLE OF THE OCEAN. How cool! It was also the first formal night and the champagne was AHHH-MAZING.

Day 3: Bonaire
Oh this day was so good! We took a water taxi over to a smaller island, Klein Bonaire. The island has nothing on it, no ammenities, just a beach and the most stunning reef! This island requires you to drift snorkle. You walk down the beach to the opening they have marked (a natural opening of the reef), and you swim/drift back to where the beach is! The water was incredible!
After we spent a bit of time there, we went back to change, eat (of course), and took an island tour because we have never been there before! They make their own salt (the white mountain looking things in the photos) – so of course we got some of that!

Day 4: Curacao
THIS DAY WAS TO DIE FOR. Curacao is one of my FAVORITES. We have been there before – a few years ago, but I could go ALL the time! We went back to the same place we went to before – Shete Boka. One of the most gorgeous places I have ever been too. the rocks and water crashing up is breathtaking! We also found the pretties beach to go swimming at! There was cliffs all over to that people were jumping off of, and I just couldn’t do it! I have a weird fear of being super deep underwater – BUT I CAN JUMP OUT OF A PLANE. It’s weird HAHA. So I chickened out! I think I could live here!

Day 5: Aruba
Well Aruba was a stressful day. Momma does the most incredible research before trips to find the best things to do and see, and she found a natural pool. The only way to get to this natural pool was with a 4×4 vehicle and the scariest drive to get there. The “road” was not paved, and had huge boulders and rocks everywhere! Thank goodness momma drove (hehe). A 1.5 mile trip is expected to take 30 minutes to drive. The natural pool was worth it though – AND I JUMPED OFF A CLIFF. We also went to some caves that are in the same National Park. They were SO beautiful! That evening after we went back to the ship for a bit, we went to a beach and bar to be able to watch the sunset. The last time we were in Aruba, the sunset was something I could not even describe. This time. The sunset was nonexistent. But we still had a good time and had some yummy tropical drinks on the beach.

Day 6: Sea Day
This sea day was much needed after 3 days of nonstop fun. We enjoyed mimosa happy hour (me – a little too much), winning some money on slot machines off of $5 vouchers the cruise gave us, and getting a little too much sun in the afternoon! We also walked to the very front of the ship, which was really cool. No other ship we have been on has allowed you to go out that far forward!

Day 7: St. Maartan
So this was like our 3rd or 4th time in this island so we decided we were just going to get off to do a little shopping and then enjoy the empty pools and ship! So sad to have had to pack up this evening. 🙁

Day 8: Puerto Rico
Our flight was not until 4:30pm so we booked a tour to the rain forest and it was a nice little time killer before going to the airport to head home!

Now heres some of the pretty pictures momma took of me on the beach the evening we were in Aruba, and a few photos we took on our last evening! The only 2 times I brought out my DSLR.

Momma – Thank you so much for such an amazing vacation! I loved having you alll to my self for a week! I love you SOOOO much. More than all the stars!