Well, I guess I'm starting this a little early, but a head start might make sure I come back and finish and at least have a few details already in place.
I always give a, "How this started..." explanation, so I will continue with that tradition.
I mentioned in my Freedom review about my first cruise. I don't remember how much I told, so I'll just start again.
When I graduated from high school (hs) I decided I wanted to go on a cruise instead of going to beach week like everyone else. I asked my friend and her parents about it and a couple more friends. The parents set up everything and actually paid the bill and we paid them back (p/t job at Wendy's) as we went along. At mine and my cousins graduation party my mom gave me a card that had a bank receipt in it that showed she had put back all the money I had spent on booking the cruise. It wasn't until later that I found out where the money came from.
My grandmother and her had been planning on going on a cruise, in fact, it was booked. My grandmother had colon cancer and was in remission at the time they booked the cruise. But such is cancer it came back and her doctors would not allow her to travel. She gave my mother the money that she put towards mom's portion and told her to hang on to it, they would go later. Later that year, she passed away.
Fast forward to present day. I have never gone on a vacation with just my mom. Plenty of family ones when I was little (mainly with my grandmother), but no one-on-one. Figuring that I owed mom...I approached her with the idea. She is a school teacher so we have to go in peak season, but that is okay. I asked her before to go on a cruise with me and she flat out wouldn't (budgeting and such), but his time....(grandma, must have been there) she looked at me and said..."yes."
So, here we are at 63 days to go and I'm starting this blog to document our trip together. Giving her the Mother/Daughter cruise she never got with her mother.
As for the name for this blog...my mom loves the saying, "Live, Laugh, Love", so I thought it was a good play on words.
Lets get to the basics.
We are leaving out of Miami on June 19th on Carnival Liberty heading to Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Ochos Rios for 7 days.
We are driving down from VA. Mom has never flown, I figure two first in one vacation would be too much. Plus its more bonding time. We are leaving on Friday EARLY and driving straight.
I have reservations with the Airport Hilton Garden Inn for a Park and Cruise Rate that includes: Parking the car there for the week, room w/ two queens,breakfast in the morning, and a ride to the port. $123 with tax.
I have a hotel booked for driving back too. We are leaving from the ship to drive to Savannah, GA and staying in the Hilton Garden Inn Airport there too. $134.47 w/ tax and it includes the stay. I little steep I think, but it was better than the others I found and the hotel had good ratings.
I've only booked one excursion and it is through Island Marketing for Nachi Cocom Beach Resort. $12 pp deposit and the rest of the $49 in cash we you arrive. You have to pay for your own transportation there (I'm told $15 for 1-4 ppl)and back. The cost includes, A 3 course meal, all drinks (including alcohol), plus they have a swim up bar, chairs, umbrellas, and a waiter that takes care of you. They say the tip is included, but others I've read said they tipped extra b/c the waiters are sooo good. We will see. If the weather is inclement or you miss the port, you get refunded the deposit.
The other pre-planning I have been doing is SHOPPING! I've bought a few things to expand my cruise wardrobe. As soon as I get most of it in order I will post some pictures of what I'm wearing. I don't know if you will care, but I always like to see what other people are wearing.
I'll try to post updates as we count down as to if we book anymore excursions or change plans,do more shopping and any other pre-planning information. Then of course when I get back I hope to have a fairly detailed review of the whole experience.
No comments:
Post a Comment