Caribbean Vacation Part 3 | Nassau and Debarkation.

Day 5 -- Nassau, Bahamas.

Our last port of the trip was Nassau, Bahamas. The weather was a little uncooperative this day but we still managed to enjoy the island. We started the day off with a submarine tour. We headed out to some of the nearby reefs to see all of the fishes. There were tons of fishes and even turtles! After the submarine tour, we got a tour of the city. We got to see celebrity's houses, visit Fort Fincastle, and go shopping in some local straw markets. I am glad we were able to stop in Nassau but if I never go back again I won't be mad. It seemed a little dirty and it was sooo busy. There were 4 cruise ships in the port that day which seemed pretty normal to all the locals. 

Notice my sweet straw hat I got at the straw market.

Waiting for the submarine tour to start -- going for the sunburn/no makeup look

Our home for the week

Lighthouse with The Atlantis Resort in the background (I would visit there in a heartbeat!)

Day 6 -- Debarkation.

This is the day I absolutely dread whenever I go on a cruise. I hate that last day and having to pack my bags and head home. This means that my vacation is really over and reality sets in. We had a late flight home so we took our time getting off the ship and then hung out for a while in the airport. We had a layover in Chicago so I got to fulfill a dream of seeing the Chicago skyline. That made my day. It was nice to finally land in Salt Lake and get to see Kennadi. A week away from her was a long time but I don't think she missed me at all. She had way too much fun playing with grandma and grandpa. 

Now I need to start planning and saving for our next vacation. I have the vacation bug already! Any suggestions on what our next vacation should be?

Snuggling with Kennadi when we got home. She got a bit spoiled for a couple of days. I missed her.

Caribbean Vacation Part 2 | Grand Turk and Half Moon Cay.

Day 3 -- Grand Turk.
Our first port was Grand Turk. This island is part of the Turk and Caicos Island. Grand Turk is actually a pretty historic island. It was where Christopher Columbus first landed when he was trying to find the new world and Astronaut John Glenn splashed down at Grand Turk after his historic space mission. The island was very green and tropical. The first thing I noticed was the water though. It was so blue and pretty. It was a drastic difference than the Pacific ocean that I am used to. We were one of the first ones off the ship because we were only stopped in the island until the early afternoon and we wanted to take advantage of the island! We started the day on a trolley ride around the island. It was nice to see the whole island, learn more about the history and culture, and stop at some of the popular destinations. After the trolley ride we spent the rest of the day snorkeling. The water was so clear and there was a big wall where the dug the cruise terminal which made the snorkeling amazing. I would definitely visit Grand Turk again. I loved that island!

At the Lighthouse.

They have wild donkeys roaming the island. How rad is that?

On the Trolley Tour.

At the Space Memorial.

Day 4 -- Half Moon Cay.
The next day we stopped at Half Moon Cay. This is a private island that Carnival Cruise Lines owns. This was my favorite stop the whole trip. The whole island was like something out of a magazine. It also helped that the ocean was so clear. At times I felt like I was swimming in a swimming pool. We spent the whole day at the beach. We went snorkeling, swimming, laid out in a hammock, and ate some delicious caribbean barbecue. I was sad when this day had to end. This port had everything that a tropical vacation should entail.

Relaxing in the Hammock.

But seriously...

Look at how pretty that water is (the man isn't too bad looking either)!

Caribbean Vacation Part 1 | Miami and Sea Day.

By some miracle I convinced Austin to take me on a Caribbean cruise. Alright, maybe it wasn't a miracle and simply free flights and super cheap cruise deals but whatever works, right? Darci and Britten came along with us because vacations are always more fun with family! We flew out on Friday to head to Miami. Austin and I ended up getting delayed for 3 hours in the Denver airport (no fun) so we didn't get into Miami until after midnight. When we finally landed, we got a taxi and went to our hotel where Darci and Britten were waiting for us. The next morning was when the real fun would begin....

Day 1 -- Embarkation.
After we slept in from our late night flight, we headed to the cruise port to board the wonderful Carnival Victory. I will say, I have been on 4 Carnival cruises in the past 3 years and this ship was my favorite! We spent the rest of the day exploring the ship, stuffing our faces with food, and working on our tan by the pool. The food was delicious during the whole trip (like melt in your mouth, order second and thirds, eat so much they have to roll you out of the dining room good). 


Day 2 -- Sea day.
The second day on the ship was a sea day. We started the day off with the seaday brunch. I had the most delicious french toast covered in fruit loops. I should have snapped a photo of it, it was that good! We then hit the pools and water slide. The ship had 4 pools and a water slide so there was plenty of options to keep us cool in the blistering heat. We also took some swings in the mini golf course, played some shuffleboard, laughed at the comedy club, watched some movies under the stars next to the pool, and of course stuffed our face with food (like I said, i liked the food)!

Flying to Miami. Austin was sooo worried about Ebola but we survived! :)

On the boat. Leaving Miami.

Taking a nap in the shade.

Austin getting ready to go down the waterslide.

mini golf.

How cute are these towel animals?