Crusin' to Mexico

We landed in California on Friday evening, again missing all delayed airport weather because of snow, and re-packed our bags as we were leaving for the port of  Los Angeles the next morning to cruise down to Mexico.  We had a gorgeous afternoon and sail away and we were all so excited to share in this wonderful vacation together. My parents had given us this trip for my 50th birthday (I know, turning 50 has proven to be quite a lucrative experience for me!) and we had the added bonus of my mom being healthy.  Just last week she received the news that the cancer is virtually gone and at the present moment she is showing no sign of ill health! 
The first toast was to life and love and hope filled the air!
We praise God for this amazing miracle and that news set the tone for a great week of relaxing and enjoying the beautiful Sapphire Princess all week long.

Day Five: At Sea

Our last full day of the cruise was another relaxing day at sea. The previous night we had our second formal night and it was once again fun to get a bit dressed up and enjoy a lovely meal. On the menu was lobster and giant prawns and it was delicious! The traditional "lit" baked Alaska was served on the last night on board. Looks more impressive than it tastes!On the last morning aboard, the ship was offering a cooking demonstration followed by a tour of the ship's galley so we took advantage of that fun show. The way they prepare and crank out meals for so many people is pretty amazing. The only culinary bomb for me was the French Cuisine night when I ordered frog legs. I thought, why not be adventurous...now's the time to try something new. I couldn't get past the fact that there were two frogs on my plate. They looked like, well, frogs, and I found it quite disturbing. I did try it and didn't care for it but I'm sure the mental anguish I was experiencing prevented me from even remotely enjoying the taste. I just couldn't bring myself to dig into the little guys.

On the final day on board, we were excited to soak in as much sunshine as we possibly could so in spite of it being a bit windy on deck but we managed to find a cozy spot on the back of the ship that was quiet and warm. Each afternoon they were offering afternoon tea so I took that in. There wasn't much for entertainment on the last night so we played cards, messed around on the penny slots in the casino and packed our bags as we readied ourselves to go home.

Other highlights of the week included a late night fiesta on the pool deck. The evening was beautiful and warm with the full moon shining brightly over the deck. The buffet was delightfully decorated with fruit and ice carvings and lovely food presentations. We also enjoyed another comedian on board, Carlos Oscar, who again, was very family friendly and hilarious. He had all of us rolling in the aisles as he highlighted and made fun of every day events in our lives. The singers and dancers on board were as good as I've seen on a cruise ship and it was just nice to have some fun things to do in the evening.
I really enjoyed this whole experience. The waiters at meal time, the wide range of activities on board, the chance to sunbathe, the opportunities to take in fun entertainment and spend time together with my parents added up to a winning vacation. I wouldn't take a cruise for every vacation but once every couple of years it provides a relaxing, easy, fun opportunity to see some new places and enjoy being pampered and taken care by a crew of wonderful people. And it's a great way for us to enjoy time with my folks who do find cruising among their favorite ways to take a vacation.

Day One: At Sea

Day break, our first day at sea.

The first full day of our cruise was at sea which translates into pure relaxation with no real agenda! Having come from a winter climate we were hopeful for some sunshine. It was a bit cloudy and cool on deck, but the reality was that we were still outside in shorts! After a delicious breakfast, we went up to deck 15 for a walk on the ship's track. To our delight, we found a paddle tennis court and decided to give it a go. We weren't entirely sure of the rules, but applied basic tennis rules to the game and had a fun set. It was great fun running around the court while at sea! Afterward, we found our way to a deck chair and enjoyed sitting in the sun until about 1.00 when the clouds and wind finally drove us inside. Much to our delight, Julie and Julia was the movie of the day being shown in the ship's gigantic theater so we took in a matinee. I loved the book, 'My Life in France' and had been quite interested in seeing the film, so it was a great way to spend the afternoon. Formal attire was the protocol for dinner that night so it was kind of fun getting dressed up and enjoying a nice meal together. The entertainment of the evening was the comic/musician we so enjoyed the night before and we laughed and laughed while watching him perform his clever and silly act. What a delight to encounter someone with such a funny way of looking at life. And he was clean which made it especially nice.
In spite of the chilly afternoon, when I fell into bed at the end of the first full day, I did notice that my skin was turning the color of a cafe con leche and I was happy.

Week 3: Cruising the Mexican Riviera

My parents have long enjoyed cruises as way to take a fun, relaxing vacation without blowing the bank account. A few years back they got us interested, so when an opportunity to see some of Mexico via cruise came up, we decided to jump on it. We no sooner arrived in California when we jumped in the car and drove to the cruise terminal located in San Pedro, California, about 2 hours from Palm Springs. We boarded the Sapphire Princess cruise ship to begin our adventure to the Mexican Riviera. The ship was huge and beautiful and our cabin was surprisingly large. We took a quick look around, made sure we were on deck as the ship pulled out of its slip and suddenly, we were on our way to Mexico. Shortly thereafter, we sat down in the formal dining room for the first of many indulgent and delicious meals. Prime Rib was on the menu and the 4 carnivores who had disembarked together were happy cruisers! Our waiters were Jerry and Norberto, both from the Philippines, both adorable with wonderful senses of humor. Afterwards, we went to the Welcome Aboard show and enjoyed great singing and dancing along with hilarious humor from a guy named Steve Moris. Combining singing, audience participation and stand-up comedy, we were delighted by the great entertainment.
All in all, our first impressions were fantastic. We looked forward to a week of fun in the sun.The first of many beautiful sunrises and sunsets aboard the Sapphire Princess.