Top 5 Reasons we loved Cruising with @CruiseNorwegian #NorwegianMoms

Who in their right mind sets off for a week vacation a few days before hosting a dinner for a family of 45?

This Family! Did I mention we were to do all the cooking?  Makes no matter because we would do it all over again!

Arriving in Miami early Saturday morning, the littles were definitely still sleepy and unaware of their surroundings.  JD said mom we can’t be on vacation I don’t see any coconuts! Funny how they associate things

Within minutes of retrieving our luggage we were on the Norwegian shuttle bus and the excitement began to rumble from within as the kids realized we actually were about to board the Norwegian Cruise Lines Getaway.   As we drove to the Miami port we discussed once again the ports of call on our 7 day Eastern Caribbean adventure, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and last but not least our all time favorite Nassau.

When we arrived at the Getaway we felt as if we had just arrived to a party that was thrown in our honor, with all hands on deck to welcome each of us, along with music, balloons and so much more.

Our room was easy to locate, and at first glance we thought it was the perfect size for us. Of course the kids loved having the drop down twin size bed, and JD was quick to claim it. Shouting mom it has the best view of the water!

We had no idea what was in store for us in this week ahead but one thing was certain I was happy to unplug and enjoy the time with my family. Awaiting us in our stateroom was The Freestyle Daily which provided us with a list of the activities of each day ahead, who knew this would quickly become our bible? We had our activities circled and a plan for the day ahead, by breakfast each morning.

Top 5 Reasons we loved Cruising on the Norwegian Getaway:

1)  The Sports Complex!  

We spent most of our days within the Sports Complex, we started off slow with Miniature Golf and before we knew it we worked ourselves up to much more. I sat in awe as Jd conquered his fears and soared to amazing heights bouncing high in the air on the Getaway Bounce.  Sadly despite her anxiousness Gia was too small to partake, so she did the next best thing and gave it her best shot and got tangled up in the Spider Web, a 24-foot enclosed climbing cage complete with a spiral slide.

2) Aqua Park!

Gia enjoyed splashing the day away with Sponge Bob SquarePants and friends in a pirate themed Aqua Park. The life-size sculptures in the shallow pool were perfect to enhance her play time with her favorite Nickelodeon characters, especially Squidward!

JD and LJ felt the rush of The Whip, and came racing down, side-by-side on the twister slides.  Eventually JD made friends and good old dad was given a rest as he ventured onto the slides with the cool kids from California and Canada. The luxury of having a view of the the steps that lead to the slides, the slides themselves, as well as the exit had this mom at ease to let her baby mature and go at it with his new friends.

3) The Activities:

Having our Freestyle Daily sheet delivered to us nightly, ensured we had our day of activities circled and mapped out before breakfast the next morning.  Activities included, cake boss decorating classes, LEGO parties, Dora Dance Parties during the day, and Family Deck Parties at night, Line Dancing, and a meet and greet with the Captain to name a few.  I loved being in the know, having every activity aboard the ship laid out before me to plan our day.

My only worry the entire week was ensuring we planned around Gias nap time or the tantrums will be unleashed upon us all! Luckily for us she could nap anywhere no matter the noise level or comfort so indulging in a dance off poolside while she napped on a lounge chair was perfectly fine with her and us.

4) The people we met:

It didn’t take long before my family felt right at home, having met all the staff and knowing their names. Of course there was one man who was on the pool deck that my family grew fond of.  Hector, who my children enjoyed visiting and speaking with daily. My husband and I also enjoyed speaking with him and hearing stories of his family back home in the Philippines and his travels with his Norwegian Cruise family.

As you can also see from the tears in my sensitive boys eyes he grew very fond of the camp counselors at Splash Academy and was sad to say goodbye to them.

5) The Ports of Call:

Of course the ports of call were full of adventure and beautiful scenery and new friends and experiences. From snorkeling in St. Thomas, enjoying the beautiful beaches and a cookout in St. Maarten, during the Holidays. Each stop was made more special by our welcome back to the ship, the music, the drinks, and my favorite, the Hand Sanitizer!  Cleanliness was for certain high on the priority list, and as a mom of a thumb sucker, I couldn’t be happier.

As our last night came to an end and we enjoyed a late night snack,  Gia asked where are we going tomorrow? JD replied we are heading home tomorrow sissy, clearly she was not happy.

Being a very connected family, as in social media, work, friends etc. is was enlightening to spend the week aboard the Norwegian Getaway and opt to not have cell service or wifi.  We enjoyed tackling the slides, snorkeling, dancing the night away, miniature golf, and building sand castles in the Caribbean. It was a great opportunity for us all to spend quality time with each other without the distractions or stress of the outside world.  Watching JD and Gia form a sibling bond that will continue to grow, absorbing the love we each have for each other, and the calmness of us all has inspired us to disconnect on a weekly basis.

Thank you to The Moms for providing us the opportunity to experience the Norwegian Getaway, we made new friends we hope to see again, and memories that will last a lifetime.