As soon as the calendar hits March 1st, my mind immediately goes into “I need a vacation” mode. I got myself into a horrible (by horrible I truly mean fantastic) habit a few years ago by starting the tradition of taking “adult spring break” trips. Of course if you go on spring break, you have to plan a summer vacation! The more trips the better, right? Unfortunately, March 2018 is booked up with weddings, so this year my spring break plans are going to be memorable for different reasons. But Summer 2018 is around the corner and we are planning our next ship and shore adventure… I’m thinking a week long trip with Royal Caribbean would be the perfect vacation!
If I only get one vacation this year, I need it to be the best it can be- and Royal Caribbean is known for being the best of the best. No, seriously though, they have been voted the Best Cruise Line 15 years in a row… that’s more than half my life. Royal Caribbean also sees eye-to-eye with me on how to enjoy a new destination. Whenever I head to a new place, I make a point of crossing things off my bucket list. Half the time I don’t even realize it’s on my bucket list until the opportunity presents itself! I make a cautious point to not use the word “no” while traveling. From new songs to new heights, nothing is off limits. Vacations are about experiencing the world, not just seeing it.
Swimming with the Sharks
Picture this: a creature, 25+ feet long and 3+ feet wide, is swimming around your boat. It’s close enough to the top of the water that you can see it’s large, dark shadow. Dressed in snorkeling gear, you dive in. You swim your little heart out until you are only inches away from touching this creature. Your legs are kicking and your eyes are getting larger than life. Yup, you guessed it, you’re swimming right next to a whale shark.
Swimming with whale sharks is easily one of my top 5 life experiences, but I nearly talked myself out of it while on a family vacation. My mom convinced me that it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and that it would make for great Instagram photos. Well, one part of that ended up being a lie as you can see with me not having a picture here… but the other part, well I guess she was onto something.
ATVs on the Beach
If you ask 18 year old boys how they want to spend their afternoon on shore, they just might surprise you and ask to go ride ATVs around the beach. It shouldn’t have been a surprise, my brother takes 4 wheelers out every other weekend at home, but it caught me off guard. Luckily I had packed some tennis shoes and was ready for anything they might suggest.
Twisty trails and open areas of packed sand made for quite the adventurous ride. My brother was at the front of the pack- driving like an expert. I was stuck somewhere between going faster than a grandma and enjoying the gorgeous island view.
Cruise Ship Activities
As different as we all are, the Walker kids are all big ole social butterflies, and when you put us on together on a ship we somehow manage to become social x 10. If you haven’t seen it in action, book your next cruise at the same time as us…
From karaoke to contests, we bond closer together while sharing these experiences. Nothing screams family time like signing a love ballad by Hinder with your little brother, am I right?! I promise it’s only semi awkward when people ask if you’re dating…….. I guess this is when it’s appropriate to tell y’all that we don’t get embarrassed easily and my brother really does look like he’s old enough to be my boo.
Spending time together is great and all, but meeting new people from all of the country brings our vacation to the next level. You get to experience culture by visiting new places and by having conversations with people from all walks of life. To this day we all keep in touch with dozens of people that we’ve sang karaoke with, got braids in the Bahamas with and shared many a meal (and drink) with. There is something truly unique about the friendships you form and the people you connect with on a cruise ship… Nicki and Coach, if you’re reading this- let’s plan a trip soon!
My Next Vacation
I’ve been dropping very subtle hints that I wouldn’t mind taking a vacation to Belize on Royal Caribbean’s ship, Liberty of the Seas. The ship leaves from Texas… it’s somewhere I haven’t been… it’s romantic…Okay so writing this is clearly not very subtle, so Austin can we pretty please!?
Thanks to Royal Caribbean for sponsoring this post. All opinions are my own. #ComeSeek #Sponsored
[…] worry, that’s where I come in (hi, it me). I have been on half a dozen cruises in my adult life, and don’t have one bad experience to speak about. The majority of my trips […]