Trip Report, Day 8: Final Day on the Norwegian Gem

We got up early and got our stuff together to leave. We all met and had breakfast in the Garden Cafe Buffet. Our departure time was 9:30 a.m. and we had pink tags on our bags, so we had to get back to our room to scoop up our stuff and find a spot to wait. We hung out in the lounge area near the beer and whiskey bar waiting for pink to be called.

When pink was announced, we walked around the ship and got in line to check out. We first had to be cleared to leave the cruise and then we went to find our bags. As we gathered our bags together, TK went to look for a porter with a baggage cart. When he came back with the porter, he started to pile the bags on top of each other because we had a lot for seven people. He sped us through the line and through customs. We gave the customs agent our passports and the declaration slip, and we were on our way.

We had a great time cruising together on the Norwegian Gem and want to take many more cruises as a family in the years to come.

Just to make decisions on future cruises easier, here are some highlights and negatives from our trip on the Norwegian Gem:

The Highlights
- Food was available somewhere, 24 hours a day. 
- The private island, Great Stirrup Cay, was amazing and relaxing.
- The cabana rental was perfect for our big family.
- The Hippo Slide was fun. 
- The waitstaff was friendly and attentive.
- The stewards will get you whatever you need.
- The Chocoholic Buffet
- Alcoholic beverages were tasty. 
- The Pub Crawl was a good time.

The Negatives
- Apple juice was difficult to get for my toddler after breakfast.
- There was nothing for a toddler to do after 8 p.m.
- You need a ride to go anywhere at Port Canaveral. 
- The pools were crowded.
- Atlantis was a waste of time, unless you spent hundreds of dollars.
- No cupcakes, cookies or brownies
- Alcoholic beverages were pricey.
- Our room was quite small. 

Bon Voyage! 

Trip Report, Day 7: Last Full Day at Sea

Today, we woke up, had breakfast and went looking for our family. My mother took a zumba class and saw us on her way back to the room. My dad, Uncle George and Aunt Rosie were all playing bingo, so we went to meet them. TK played video blackjack for a little while as we waited for them to finish playing bingo. After they lost at bingo AGAIN, they headed to the casino and Jax and I did more laps around the ship.

I met my father, Uncle George and TK to have some sushi for lunch. Jax snacked on some Cheerios as we ate some delicious rolls. I started with Edamame and then had a Shrimp Tempura Roll, but everyone else had two or more rolls. We loved them and the sushi chef was very friendly and taught me about the different types of fish in each roll. Finally, when everyone was done, we went to see the crew talent show, but I had to get up with Jax because he bumped his head on one of the chairs and would not sit still. I took him to the top of the theater and we watched the show from there. My mom and Aunt Rosie came to the rescue with some grapes for Jax, and he was content.

We walked around the shops a little bit after the show was over and TK made a deal with me that if he won some money in the casino that I would be able to buy a dress from the shop. I don't usually spend $50 on a sun dress. Fortunately, he won exactly the amount of the dress and I made the purchase. TK went back to the room and I walked Jax around while he fell asleep. Then I went to the atrium and watched people perform Just Dance 4 on Nintendo Wii. It was pretty funny and entertaining. Since TK forgot to return from the room to meet us, we went back to the room to relax before our dinner reservation at the hibachi restaurant.

When we arrived at Teppanyaki, we sat around the hibachi table and ordered some cold sake. The food was delicious (especially the sauces) and the show was entertaining. I couldn't figure out the origami lesson on the menu, but I did catch egg in my mouth on the first toss, so I felt slightly accomplished. After dinner, we went back to the room to get our bags packed and ready to be taken by the stewardess. Deisei took our bags and we met back in the atrium for coffees and hot cocoa. We also made sure that Jax took a final picture with his friend Tetiana. Then, we turned in so we could get up nice and early for our departure the next day.

Trip Report, Day 6: Chocoholic Day at Sea

We refused to get up for breakfast at 9 a.m., so by 10:30, we made it to the buffet to just grab bagels. Then, we went looking for our family and our little guy. We found my mom first in the shops and then saw my dad and Jax as they were walking around and looking at souvenirs. He loved the wind chimes and found this $700 bracelet that he liked and needed to show me. It had light blue stones in it and wasn't something I was interested in buying for that amount of money.

They all went to the casino because the guys wanted to enter a Texas Hold Em tournament, but immediately realized that it wasn't worth it. It was $300 for the three of them to play and they could only win $350. So, they just played table games instead and did pretty well. Jax and I did laps around the boat while we waited for them to finish playing.

After the casino, my dad, Uncle George and TK entered a putting competition in the lounge. Some of the shots were from the top of the stairs. Jax and I left to go to the kiddie parachute play session, but Jax wasn't interested in the parachute and just played with the blocks and cars in the room. When the session was over, we went back out to the kiddie pool and Jax went in again. After he splashed around for a while, we went back to the room to rest and then get ready for dinner.

When Jax woke up, we all got dressed in white and headed to dinner. Jax had a mini meltdown during dinner, so someone had to take him walking every few minutes. This is where it really helps to have a large traveling party. After dinner, we went to take formal family pictures in our matching outfits where the photographers were set up with a few backdrops. It was the White Party night, which we missed, but we showed up in time for the enormous Chocoholic Buffet. There were some interesting treats, but again, no cupcakes, cookies or brownies. I enjoyed the Chocolate Cheesecake and Cream Puffs with a nice cold glass of milk. When we had our fill, we went back to the room with Jax to watch a movie because there wasn't anything else for us to do that would keep him entertained. We called it a night.

Trip Report, Day 5: Nassau, Bahamas

Atlantis Outdoor Mall

Today we had breakfast at somewhere other than the buffet, the Grand Pacific Dining Room. I had a Belgian Waffle with Banana Compote. Yum! After breakfast, we headed out to Nassau and to a Tortuga Rum Cake store and Del Sol, a heat-activated clothing store. Jax got a few Disney color-changing t-shirts. When we were done shopping, we got on a ferry to head over to Atlantis. It was $4 a person. On the trip over, we saw Nicolas Cage's vacation house and a hut that was used in a James Bond movie.

When we got to Paradise Island, we walked to Atlantis and through their outdoor mall, which was a serious trek. The only areas in Atlantis that we had access to were the mall and the lobby of the hotel. We couldn't take Jax in the casino and we weren't allowed to even see their grounds. We needed a ticket or a room key, and when I asked about complimentary activities, the desk clerk laughed at me. They charge $40 per person just for their aquarium and I heard that wasn't all that fantastic anyway. TK, Jax and I decided we were going to head back toward the boat. We stopped at Ben & Jerry's first and wasted $20 on nothing. TK got a waffle cone and I got a really small cup of lemon sorbet and a Coke Zero. $16.55. WHAT?? I officially dislike Atlantis.

Strawberry Daiquiri and Conch Fritters

We took a cab back to the pier and then walked a long way to the Fish Fry. On the way, we passed Junkanoo Beach which should have been our first stop instead of wasting our time at Atlantis. At the Fish Fry, we ate at Frankie Gone Bananas and had Conch Fritters, Conch Chowder and a girlie drink each. The Fritters and Chowder were good and had a little kick, so we needed the frosty drinks. After eating, we took a cab back to the ship. We got back early and Jax fell asleep, so I decided to go use my spa credit for a facial. My appointment wasn't until 3:45 p.m. and I was there at 3, so I popped into the library to have some quiet time and I did a crossword puzzle that they had available. Twenty minutes before my appointment, I went to check in and they allowed me to hang out in a lounge chair at the front of the ship.

Samantha, my esthetician, came out to greet me and bring me into the spa room. We talked about my skin and then I got ready for the facial. I didn't have to change my clothes or put on a robe, which was odd to me. Every other spa I've been to, I had to get out of my clothing, but this time, she just wanted me to bring the straps of my dress down and take my hair down. The facial was great and refreshing. It was my first facial ever, so I wasn't sure what to expect. Samantha also gave my hair a treatment that allowed me to put a brush right through it when she was done. When does that EVER happen? Never. She also spoke to me about how I should be cleansing my face every week. Eventually, I will follow her advice, but with a facial mask for $50, I will have to wait.

Afterward, I went back to the room and saw TK, Jax and Uncle George. Apparently, while I was getting a facial, my family was worried about us because they couldn't get in touch with TK or me. TK and Jax were asleep in the room and I was getting pampered. I told them where we would be when we left them in the casino, but they weren't sure if we made it back to the boat and that it might leave without us. So, we all met out by the pool and Jax refused to swim with my dad, so we had to take him back to the kiddie pool so he could splash around for a little bit.

Chocolate Decadence

Everyone met for dinner shortly after we showered and changed. That night I had the best dessert (I counted the ice cream as a snack). It was called Chocolate Decadence and I was waiting for something completely indulgent and full of chocolate ALL week. Also, I didn't see a cupcake all week. I thought that was odd. Chocolate Decadence was so delicious, sweet and warm, and it had berries on it. I tried to share it with everyone, but my dad said it was too much chocolate. What does that even mean?

After dinner, we went to the atrium where the Ranger game was on the big screen and we sat at the bar and took turns taking Jax for a walk. We also met a really cool couple, Kevin and James. My parents took our sleeping baby for the night and we decided we were going to hang out for a while. When the Rangers lost, we headed over to the Bliss Night Club to see what was going on over there. The club had all 20-somethings in it and I was disappointed to see that more of them got up to dance to "Cotton-Eyed Joe" than "Hypnotize." What is going on in this world? At 3 a.m., the lights came on and we said good bye to our two new friends.

Trip Report, Day 4: Great Stirrup Cay

Today, we got up, had breakfast and prepared to head over to the private island, Great Stirrup Cay. We reserved a cabana on the island, so we received VIP tender tickets which allowed us to take any tender boat we wanted to head over to the island. We decided to take the earliest boat possible. A tender is a boat that will take you to the island because the ship cannot dock at a pier and has to anchor in the middle of the ocean/sea. I didn't know what they were before this trip, but now I am very familiar with them.

So, we got on the tender boat and it was rocking back and forth as they let people on and idled in the middle of the sea. I ended up popping a Dramamine because the boat was seriously swaying and I didn't want to be nauseous while swimming at the beach. Even Jackson was holding on to us because he was uneasy about it and he jumps headfirst off of couches. When we started moving, we both were fine. It took all of 10 minutes to get over there.

When we got to the island, it was awesome. We just had to grab our bracelets for the cabana and then head over to cabana #9. It was the second farthest, of course, but it was lovely. Already at the cabana was a plate of fruit and chips with salsa. There were also bottles of water in the refrigerator, towels, lounge chairs and yellow foam floats. Fortunately, it was not a far walk to the beach and there weren't too many people on the beach with us, so we went right in. Jax went in the water with TK at first and then Uncle George brought down the yellow floats and Jax walked across them. After a little bit, he got out and we played in the sand with the bucket of toys we brought from home. He liked being able to stand in the water and throw rocks and shells.

After a little while, I went to get my snorkel and swam along the rocks on the coast. There were tons of little striped fish hanging out in there and a few big fish also. I let TK try the snorkel so he could see what I saw. It was great and I was glad that I made the decision to buy a snorkel at Target when I did.

We got out of the water and went up to the cabana for a snack. With the reservation, we received a $50 food credit to order food from a menu they gave my parents. The food we ordered, including beer, fruit and shrimp cocktail, arrived and the barbecue down at the entrance area also began, so we decided to take a walk. My dad and Aunt Rosie stayed back with Jax. At the barbecue buffet, there was an interesting array of food including pizza, burgers, brownies, salads, ribs, chili, hot dogs and chicken. We brought back a few plates of food, but my father decided that he would wait for my mother to get back, but she was shopping at the little shopping area that was set up and I figured that might take a while. We saw some guy walk by sipping a drink in a coconut shaped like a monkey's head and when TK asked him, he said he got it at the bar. The cabana had waiter service, so we asked the waiter for two monkey heads with pina coladas. The drink was so refreshing that it was hard to go back to my Blue Moon afterward.

After eating, we pulled out the lounge chairs and soaked up some sun. A few minutes later, TK's curiosity got the best of him and he wanted to take Jax down the Hippo Slide. So, we walked down to the big inflatable slide that we could see in the distance. I had to use the restroom, so I stopped on the way. Unfortunately, Jax fell asleep on the way, so we couldn't take him on the slide. But, that didn't stop TK and I. We met up with my mom and she watched Jax as we climbed up to slide down together. It was pretty high and a lot of fun. We ended up colliding at the end. Oops. When we exited the ride, we got our flip flops back on and decided to do a little shopping for our niece and Jax. We got Genny a little straw purse and a t-shirt with little beads. We bought Jax a Bob Marley t-shirt. That was a sweet find, even though we were in the Bahamas and not Jamaica.

When we got back to the cabana, we headed back to the water before laying out in the sun again. Unfortunately, by that time, it was time to head back to the ship, so we scooped everything up and headed to the tender area. On the ship, we went right to our rooms to get changed and ready for dinner. I had sunburn on my upper back only. The rest of my body that saw the sun was just tan, thankfully. We headed back to the Grand Pacific again and I had a soup, a salad and Gnocchi. It was great and just the right amount of food.

We hung out in the atrium before ordering a martini and arriving at the Happy Family Dance Party in the Bliss Night Club. Jax didn't love it and I took one for the team when TK didn't want to participate in the Nickelodeon contest. We did a musical chairs-ish game and it came down to me and a three-year-old girl, so obviously I had to lose and take a whipped cream pie in the face. Unfortunately, when that little girl won, she got a pie in the face too. Poor thing. They should've given her a prize of some sort instead. After wiping the whipped cream from my face, Jax was finished dancing and being happy, so we went back to the room to watch a movie and go to sleep.

Trip Report, Day 3: Port Canaveral

Today, we had breakfast at the Garden Cafe Buffet again and were prepared to go ashore. We were allowed to leave the boat at noon, so we met my cousin Georgie, his girlfriend Paige and her son Garrett. We love them! They rented a car and also took their own so we could all travel wherever we wanted to go because there were 10 of us. We even had a car seat for Jax. It was very nice (and smart) of them.

Our first stop was Ron Jon Surf Shop in Cocoa Beach so we could do a little shopping. I got Sanuk Flip Flops that I love and a small Dakine pocketbook. TK got a hat and a tank top, and we got Jax the cutest shark pail and shovel. We also bought stickers for our cars, and future cars. Georgie bought Jax a Ron Jon surfer van, which was very nice of him. My mother bought Jax a full Hawaiian outfit. It was adorable, I have to admit.

When we finally finished shopping, we headed to Historic Cocoa Village. It is a nice, small, coastal town that has a number of shops and restaurants. It is small enough to walk it all. Our first stop was Ossorio Bakery & Cafe for lunch. I had a lemonade and the Sara Salad. They had pizza, sandwiches, free refills for iced tea and lemonade, and homemade ice cream, so we made sure to get some on the way out. I had Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream in a waffle cone and it was seriously delicious. While eating our amazing ice cream, we took a walk down the street to a cute toy store, a great flip flop store and home decor shops. Paige bought a pair of flip flops because the Flop Shop had some seriously comfortable ones and the prices were comparable to other places I've been. My mom asked one of the store clerks if there was a park close enough to walk to and there was, so we headed there.

We walked a couple of blocks and found a park with a jungle gym, a swing set, a volleyball court and a fountain. Jax played around a little bit and TK and Paige played a game of volleyball with two random middle school girls who were on the volleyball court. Then, Jax found the fountain and made a beeline straight for it. My dad and Uncle George ran with him through the fountain and he got soaked. He wasn't happy that we had to leave, but  I changed his clothes and he passed out in the car on the way back to the ship. Georgie and Paige had to go, so we said goodbye and headed back to our rooms to get ready for dinner.

That night, we had dinner in the Grand Pacific Dining Room, but Aunt Rosie wasn't feeling well, so her and Uncle George stayed in their room and got room service. The Grand Pacific is fancier than the Magenta, but still included in the price of the cruise. That night, I had Red Snapper, something I had never eaten before. That was one thing I wanted to do while on the cruise: eat something I've never eaten. It was delicious and light. I was kind of surprised because I like shellfish and mollusks more than I like actual fish, or so I thought. Now, I will consider Snapper when I am eating seafood.

After dinner, TK and I headed over to Shakers Martini Bar for a couple of beverages, but then decided to head to the Java Cafe in the atrium. Jax made friends with the piano player, Tetiana. She played "Let it Go" for him and he loved it. Eventually, Jax fell asleep and we called it a night.