Saturday:
The plane ride from DCA to San Juan was fairly easy, and getting our luggage and a taxi wasn't too bad. The taxi ride to the hotel was short, and we were at the hotel in San Juan by about 1:30pm. We changed into bathing suits, ate lunch at the restaurant right by the beach (I'm still thinking about those fish tacos), and swam in the pool until about 4:30pm. We attemped to go down to the beach but the riptide and current is really strong, and there was a red flag meaning it waas dangerous to be in the water.
After swimming, we all got dressed and walked outside. We ordered pizza and salads to go from the restaurant across the street and then walked around for a little bit, stopping at a fountain to play, while our food was being made. We walked back,stopped at CVS for water and diet coke, picked up our food, and ate dinner in the room. The kids ate on the bed watching TV, while Eric and I sat outside on our oceanfront balcony and ate, which was really nice. Around 7:30pm, the hotel next to us had a big firework show right on the beach, and it was gorgeous to watch from our balcony. Really, really perfect (spitx3). Then the big kids got into PJs and watched TV, while Jasper fell asleep. We were all asleep by 10pm.
Sunday:
We got up early and ate breakfast in our room. Then we headed back to the pool at the hotel and just hung there for a few hours. Around 11am, we packed up our stuff and headed to the port, which was an easy, short ride. Getting on the boat didn't take too long, and next thing we knew, we were eating lunch at Cabanas and playing in the pool. We also explored the kids club, ate ice cream, and just hung out. We went to dinner, and were just so glad to be on our trip. (Okay, so I honestly can't remember what else we did--so this day's summary is short.)
Monday:
We were in Saint Martin. We all got up around 715am, got dressed, went to breakfast, and were off the ship around 930am. We found a taxi and took it about 30 minutes to get to the Royal Sonesta Maho Beach, where we had a day pass to use the pool, beach, and included food. Maho Beach is famous for having planes fly right over you. We started down at the beach but it was small and rough (but the planes were cool) and then moved to the pool and all swam for a while. Eric went back to the beach to watch for some of the bigger planes, and I stayed at the pool with the kids. He stayed there for about an hour, and when he came back, we all went to lunch by the water.
The hotel was fun but the people were very unfriendly. After lunch, we just took a taxi back to the ship. When we got back, Fletch and Deke went to the kids club and Jasper went to the nursery. Piper bounced around between the kids club and walking around the boat with other kids (P&F were allowed to check themselves out of the kids club, and we give them a little freedom to explore). Eric and I relaxed in the adult area for 3 hours, and then met up with Piper to get ready for dinner.
We picked all the boys up, and went to dinner at 815pm at our favorite restaurant--Animators Palate. After dinner, the big kids all went to the kids club for pre-tween time (activities for 9-12 year olds for P&F) and Avengers Super Heroes Academy and a glow in the dark dance party (Deke) at 10pm. Eric and I put Jasper to bed and hung out in the room. I picked the big kids up at 1145pm and we all went to bed. A very fun day. Jasper just loved everything, and the counselors in the nursery totally remembered him from last year.
Tuesday:
On Tuesday, we were in Antigua. We ate breakfast and then just got off the boat for about an hour to walk around. We got back on around 11am and Fletch and Deke went to the kids club, and Piper and Jasper hung out at the pool. Piper eventually went to the kids club while Jasper napped in his stroller for a few hours, and Eric and I just sat in the sun and relaxed. When Jasper woke up, we took him to see some characters and then put him in the nursery for a few hours. Eric, Piper and I hung out in the room, and then went to get all the boys for dinner. After dinner, the big kids went back to kids club until 11pm and Jasper went to bed.
Wednesday:
We were in Martinique. Same routine. We got off boat for an hour and then went back on board, as there wasn't much to do at the port and not many excursions for kids. The kids swam for a while in the pool and then went to the kids club. The excitement for the day came when Piper checked herself out of kids club, and we didn'tknow where she was for 2 hours. Turns out she went to the movies by herself to see Rise of Skywalker at the theater next to kids club. She mentioned wanting to do it but I didn't think she'd actually do it. She went back to the kids club with the boys, and we brought Jasper to the nursery from 4-8pm. Eric and I hung out in the adult area, Piper came down around 6pm and went swimming. Then we got ready for dinner , ate and afterF&D went back to the kids club until midnight, while Piper and Jasper went to bed a bit earlier.
Thursday:
This was by far, the best day. Just so so terrific. We were in Barbados, where Eric and I got engaged. We got up at 8am, ate breakfast, and checked Jasper into the nursery. Then the rest of us got off the boat in Barbados, and took a taxi to the beach at Harborlights Beach Club. The water was gorgeous and warm, and we all swam out to a reef and snorkeled off shore, probably about 100 yards or more. We saw huge Hawksbill turtles (that the kids got to pet), lots of sting rays, tiny eels, puffer fish, etc. It was magical with the kids. I didn't think Fletch would go because he's usually pretty scared of things like this but he was the first one and LOVED it. It was like getting to swim with Galaxy.
We had a great time doing that and playing at the beach. We took a taxi back to the boat around 1pm, ate lunch, and the kids went to the kids club. We picked up Jasper and just hung out for a few hours, and then checked him back in again so Eric and the big kids could go to see Rise of Skywalker in 3D, and I got to relax on deck and take a shower without anyone bothering me (the showers are so nice in the room).
We picked up Jasper at 8pm and all went to dinner at Animators Palate. After dinner, the big kids stayed at kids club until 1145pm and Jasper went to bed. A really wonderful day.
Friday:
On Friday, we slept in until 830am, had breakfast, and got off the boat on St Lucia for maybe 15 minutes. Eric and I had been to St. Lucia years ago, and decided we didn't really need to go back, other than to take the kids off so they could say they had been there. After those 15 minutes, we were back on the boat and hung out at the pool all day, with Jasper and the big kids going to the kids club for a few hours here and there.
Jasper took a long nap and then went to nursery. And then that night was pirate night, which was so incredibly fun. The kids loved the dance party, and the fireworks at sea are amazing. This was also Jasper's birthday, and at dinner, he was already tired even when they sang him happy birthday and then he fell asleep before the fireworks even started. But, the rest of us had a blast. After the fireworks at 10pm, the big kids went to the kids club. I picked them up at 1145pm. We were all exhausted but had such a great day.
Saturday:
This was our day at sea. We started the day with Eric going to the gym, while the rest of us slept until 830am. We went to breakfast, swam, the boys went to kids club, and then we met up with two women from my twin mom group who happen to be on the cruise to have lunch together. Between the of us, we had 11 kids all sitting at a kids table. The poor servers didn't know what to do with us. But, it was so fun.
After lunch, the boys went back to kids club (where Fletch met up with his new BFF that he met on the ship who happens to live near us), Piper ran around the ship with friends, and Jasper napped. That evening at dinner, Deke was DONE. Too many late nights, meals consisting of mainly ice cream, too many hours in the sun, and just too much stimulation. He got to dinner and just melted down, crying that he didn't feel well. Eric brought him back to our room, while I finished dinner with the other kids. Our servers were nice enough to pack up food for Eric and Deke and send it to our room, while they brought Piper, Fletch, Jasper, and I an endless stream of delicious beignets.
After dinner, Deke made a miraculous recovery, and the kids spent one final late night at the kids club while Jasper went to bed. We were all sad to go to sleep that night, knowing it was our last night. But, we did book a placeholder on Saturday for another cruise in the future.
Sunday:
Sad, sad Sunday. The last day of our trip. I swear that I could have cruised for another week or more. We had 815am breakfast and disembarkation, which we took our time doing. We finally got off around 10am and took a taxi to the Courtyard Marriott Isla Verde and bought daypasses to use the pool, beach, store luggage, etc. (The passes were $75 for 2 adults and up to 3 kids under 12, which seemed like a good deal.) The hotel pool and beach was beautiful, and it was a perfect way to ease back into reality. My friends and their kids were there too, and all the kids played together for hours before our 7pm flight. Around 4pm, we got everyone dressed, collected our luggage and headed to the airport, which was just a few minutes away.
When we finally got on the plane, it was a long 3+ hour flight back. Jasper cried and whined most of the way, finally falling asleep during the last 9 minutes of the flight. Sigh. And then when we got off the plane, Deke melted down b/c we woke him up and he just wanted to sleep. But, we eventually made it out of the airport (not before Fletch got to say a tearful goodbye to his new BFF who was also on our flight) and home again.
The trip was truly so much fun. I can't recommend a Disney cruise highly enough. It's such a great combination of family time, relaxing time, yummy food, beautiful weather, and sunshine--all of my favorite things.
