As with any full-time job, writing is exhausting work, and after awhile I find my creative well has been thoroughly drained. My go-to in order to fill up my creative well has always been live music concerts and musicals, as well as other types of live shows. I also love to travel, though I rarely get to go anywhere, especially these days since it’s so hard for my disabled husband to accompany me.
So it was with great joy that we were able to participate in the latest The Texas Tenors Fan Cruise to the Caribbean. Seven days on the waves with our favorite singing group and the opportunity to catch up with many dear friends. Not to mention the ship (Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas) had some lovely shows itself, everything from a Broadway-worthy production of Mama Mia to an amazing diving show with stunts galore.
My favorite part of the cruise (other than The Texas Tenors concert) was the one excursion in which we participated. In Roatan, Honduras, I got to hold an eight-year-old sloth (they are so soft and friendly!), face my fear of birds (long story…involves camping and divebombing hummingbirds) with a giant macaw on my head, played around with the monkeys who “helped” me take selfies and nearly swung off with my glasses, and hold and feed a large iguana. The whole day was amazing.
Another highlight was on the last night of our cruise when I was feeling a little low about going back to real life. I went to fill up our soda glasses, and there right on the soda machine was a duck. Rubber ducks are a new “thing.” Cruisers bring and hide rubber ducks around the ship for others to find, kinda like Easter eggs. I never expected to find one, much less how much it made me smile.
I knew my writing well was filled when I returned home to my sweet Gabby’s schnauzer smiles. If you’ve never seen a schnauzer smile, you need to asap!) The other couple at our table spoke nonstop about their “baby” Sadie, an adorable little dog, and other friends came home to find their beloved elderly dog not doing so well. More than once when I was eating French fries aboard ship, I found myself unconsciously picking out the special fries I would normally feed Gabby.
It got me to thinking that the one thing that would have made every dog-lovers cruise better would have been to be able to bring their sweet puppies aboard with them. And what chaos that would bring! Maybe canine matchmakers at sea?
I think I have a new book forming!
What about you? Do you enjoy cruising? What is your favorite vacation?
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~~Love Courageously~~ Publisher's Weekly Bestselling, award-winning author of 30 novels, Deb Kastner enjoys writing contemporary inspirational western stories set in small communities. She feels especially blessed to be able to include faith as a natural and genuine part of her characters' lives. Deb lives in beautiful Colorado with her husband and a pack of miscreant mutts. She is blessed with three adult daughters and two grandchildren. Her favorite hobby is spoiling her grandchildren, but she also enjoys reading, watching movies, listening to music (The Texas Tenors are her fav), singing in the church choir, and exploring the Rocky Mountains on horseback.
I have never been on a cruise but would really like to. About the only place I go for any kind of vacation is the beach. I also visit family in Tennessee and Illinois.
So glad you could refill on your cruise. It sounds as though you had a wonderful time.
Sounds like you had a fabulous time! I’m so glad you got to partake in this special getaway. My husband and I have a Royal Caribbean cruise scheduled in May!
I have never been on a cruise but I do like to vacation on a lake surrounded by mountains. It is so relaxing to hear the waves lapping when I go to sleep.
That sounds wonderful! My 7 year old is obsessed with sloths, it’s so great you got to actually hold one!
I’ve never been on a cruise but the do sound amazing. We went on our first family holiday last year, staying near the beach here in the UK, I’m hoping we’ll be able to go again this summer.
I’m currently on a Caribbean cruise. I wish our cruise experience was as good as yours.
I have never been on a cruise, and I don’t plan to because the idea of being out on the open ocean freaks me out but I know lots of people who love cruising. My favorite vacation is spending time at a beach.
Oh boy! I’ve never heard of divebombing hummingbirds, but I’m glad you still had such a great time (both on the cruise and in Honduras)!
I’ve never been cruising, but my favorite vacation is going on a road trip with my family to a part of the country we haven’t been to yet. :)
Your cruise sounds awesome. I am so jealous. I have been on one cruise and that was so long ago, 2000-2001, I think. My daughter danced from preschool to beyond high school. Her studio had a chance to go on a cruise, so we (my daughter and I) went. It was the most prefect vacation that I have ever been on, even to this day. My husband does not like to cruise. We go to Traverse City, MI, to vacation. We get a place by the East Grand Traverse Bay, look out at the water, and read. Not a bad way to spend a vacation.
I am glad you got to “recharge” on your cruise.
Never been on a cruise my favorite vacations are going somewhere with my family.We just went to Hawaii in the for my brother’s make a wish trip and that was so fun when most of my family could make it except my married sibblings as one of my sister in laws had a new baby my other sister in law pregnant and is now could have her baby girl any day now and my sister out of town was just too busy to make it. We always like going to the beach in the summer when it’s warm my family likes going to palm springs California in the spring with our family
The cruise sounds fun! I haven’t been on one, not sure I really want to, to be honest!
haven’t been
I have never been on a cruise (besides the ones on a river that take a few hours) One day it would be good to do. Not sure I want to be on the one that has dogs seeing as I am scared of them. I have had friends who went on a Gaither cruise and loved it.
Also had a member of one of the groups I am in go on a musical cruise and talk about the different shows.
That sounds like a fun vacation. I haven’t ever been on a cruise but I’ve often thought they look fun.
I have no wish to go on a cruise. Knowing my luck, the boat would sink.
I have never been on a cruise but it sounds like fun.
I have never been on a cruise. We do not travel any longer. My husband and I are both disabled. It is too challenging to prepare to go any where. Thank you for sharing. It looks as if you had a fabulous time. I love being able to look at other’s pictures as well as travel in books. God bless you.
I have never been on a cruise. My mom went on one. It sounds like you had a really good time, how fun for you. Thank you for sharing your awesome pictures. Your pup is really cute. We have a half Schnauzer and he is a very sweet boy. Have a great weekend .
I would love to go on a cruise, especially the ones with good teachers like Chuck Swindoll or Alistair Begg. Maybe someday. . .
If you like the beach you’d love cruising! I recommend a balcony. Well worth it!
Most definitely. There were some challenges, as well, but I was able to relax.
RC is a fun cruise line. Be sure to catch the Broadway show!
I’m a huge fan of mountain vacations, as well. Another great way to be immersed in nature.
The UK is on my bucket list! The thing about the sloths that surprised me was how soft they were. I’d expected them to be bristly. And they are SO cuddly!
We had our moments, to be sure. More problems with the travel agent than the cruise line in this case. And honestly, I thought our ship was just too big for my disabled husband. Curious what issues caught you up?
I’m the opposite. Not a fan of the beach or sand, but I love being surrounded by water. :)
Joe and I had planned on being big road trippers after he retired, but unfortunately his double stroke put an end to those dreams.
I have a terrible time with hummingbirds. Ever since I was little, the darned things zip down and attack me. No clue why!
I think the most important thing wherever you vacation is having the opportunity to recharge. Cruises work well for me because I don’t have to cook and can find food whenever I’m hungry.
Hawaii is most definitely on my bucket list. Maybe someday! I agree it’s super fun to have a vacation with family.
Trudy, it seems as if some people love it, some hate it. I like having choices on what to do (or not do) and the fact that there’s great food served everywhere. I like NOT having to cook.
I highly recommend if you enjoy having everything done for you!
I’d love to go on a musical cruise. In a sense, I guess I was, because it was The Texas Tenors fan cruise and we got to hear the guys sing. Right up my alley!
I highly recommend a cruise vacation. Literally everything is done for you, so it’s a great way to relax.
I think the movie Titanic did that for a lot of people. They are much safer now and there are lifeboats for every passenger, LOL!
Cruises are really a lot of fun, especially if you like things done for you. And the dress up dinners are especially fun.
I have never been on a cruise. I don’t know if I would particularly like it. I think I would prefer a resort type location with lots of unique things to do and various forms of entertainment.
I love cruising!!! Just got back from one :) celebrated our 20th wedding anniversary.
Aruba is my favorite stop!