We Are Norwegian Now... we cruised the Jewel

We are home.  All five kids are alive, happy and well. They did fine without us for a week. But let me tell you easing back into real life is not glamorous or fun.  Cruising like a Norwegian is much more exciting than working, cooking or cleaning.  My only regret....I  was not being able to blog, tweet and facebook during the week, as so many things were happening moment by moment and it would have been nice to share.

I unplugged all devices and that had a whole host of benefits for my romantic week with the World's Greatest Husband as we sailed on our anniversary love boat but the down side is trying to explain moments like the "washy washy man" after the fact. It would seriously have more of an impact and humor if I were tweeting it the moment it happened, with little explanation, now it simply has lost the energy to explain the washy washy jingle and humor. But if you have cruised like a Norwegian, you are giggling right now.

So here is my quick recap of the Norwegian Jewel.... ready?? stay with me.... wait for it..... and now  BOOK IT....

Ironically, the couple that cruised to get away from five kids... had 800 on their boat (I am not kidding) The boat usually hosts 200ish but cruise a thanksgiving cruise and that all changes.  Lucky for us our house is a loud, fun place so being near kids on the boat didn't seem so bad but as the week went on and they all became friends, they traveled in packs and that was interesting to watch.   We heard that some kids were crying when their parents went to camp to pick them up.  My bottom line take on the kid thing.... I think it is a great family vacation idea. Especially for a family with children ages 8-17.   That being said, I would want to cap their key cards so they couldn't spend a trillion of my dollars.  We chatted with a proud dad talking about his kids and their exciting trip only to offer a wink and a  whisper-- "Ya, but take it from us it's way more fun without them."

Once we got settled into cruising life -- life was perfect. Our meals were beautiful and yummy.  Entertainment, top notch with amazing talent and skill.  Staff - the friendliest bunch of paper mom peeps I've ever met. Accommodations were luxurious, roomy and clean.  The Norwegian staff certainly knows how to throw a party.

So what really struck me?
Nakedness in the spa.  No holding back, naked ladies dressing and undressing into comfy robes to sit on the mosaic heated chairs that stared out onto the ocean. Big lady nakedness and little lady nakedness.

The rules don't change.  Shorts and t-shirts are not allowed in the dining room on any night even though we continuously saw folks trying to break the rule and slide on in.  Seriously, you paid a lot of money to cruise I think you should be able to find something other than running shorts and a ratty old T.

A wine package is a good idea.  For a couple who doesn't drink much.... we managed to down a bottle of vino each night.  The package made it easy and was offered at a discount on day one.

The cabin stewards are sort of psychic.  I swear our guy only saw our face once and one evening while walking on the wrong side of the boat he shouts out - cabin 5586 you are on the other side.... amazing.

My only complaint........  hair conditioner.  Bravo for Norwegian saving the earth by having dispensers rather than  individual packaging for soap and shampoo but I missed my conditioner -- a minor complaint for a week in paradise....and oh ya, I didn't care for the hamburger buns.

Now I am ready to book another.  But next time I will stay plugged in and tweet my feelings as I go.  I am hoping I have the power ball winning ticket because I will look to "rent" the whole boat and throw one heck of a party for my family and even you my faithful readers.

I hope your thanksgiving was lovely.  As for us, we are thankful for many things but believe it or not, we ate in the Italian restaurant, Mama's on Thanksgiving - we had the place to ourselves and the best service on the boat.

Tis the season people.  I hope to be blogging a bit more just so we can celebrate the meaning of the holidays together. . . . . like old friends.

A Norwegian Cruise to Paradise....

The World’s Greatest Husband and I are contemplating a cruise to paradise to celebrate our fifth wedding anniversary, a grown up kind of vacation, the kind where it is just the two of us for seven nights and eight days.  I must admit, in my mind this is big, B-I-G, bigger than big.  I deserve this little excursion for many reasons but over the last few days it has become clear that a little break with sun, sand, exotic drinks, vacation sex and a bit of shopping will make me a better wife, mother, employee, volunteer and heck I even think… driver, cook and catholic. Life has suddenly overwhelmed me.

So I want the World’s Greatest Husband to consider the top ten reasons why I need a vacation:

1.    I need a vacation because I would like to not have to listen for footsteps to the bathroom door with a lock click to know our kids actually, finally did get out of bed after visiting their rooms eight times with a big “Time to rise and shine for school mantra” 
2.   I need a vacation because our eight year old cub scout’s  4 AM bathroom wake- up call often comes with a “I can’t fall back asleep” situation that lasts until 15 minutes before my alarm goes off.
3.    I need a vacation because although nothing is really truly lost unless mom can’t find it, I am tired of looking. 
4.  I need a vacation because starting next fall and for the next 12 years, our five kids are in the college pipeline, our only vacation will be tuition payments, all while knowing 7 out of the 12 years we will be making payments for two children at a time and that is only if they all do it in the allotted four years. 
5.  Ok, do I need to repeat number four?
6.  I need a vacation because over the last 4 weeks our September, October schedule has kicked in with art lessons, track and field, gymnastics, marching band, book club, fall softball, tennis lessons,  zentangle class, CCD and ALGEBRA HOMEWORK.
7.   I need a vacation because we have not one but two twelve year old seventh grade girls. 
8.   I need a vacation because no matter what night and what meal I am cooking someone has the nerve to say, “Ewwe, I don’t like that”
9.  I need a vacation because I am tired of monitoring hand held devices with timer on our microwave.
10.   I need a vacation because five years in -- and  I still really like the World’s Greatest  Husband , I enjoy his company and like to laugh and learn with him and I don’t want to lose that butterflies in my stomach feeling when we focus on one another.  Over the last many years we have never had more than a few days without our children and that has never coincided with no work or home responsibilities.  We honeymooned for two days in Providence (now granted it was a grand sweet with spa treatments and amazing dinners but still only 48 hours!)  A blended family, like any family is exhausting but hey, for extra credit points we have two other sets of parents that factor into the equation constantly.  It takes flexibility, patience, a ton of money and a sense of humor to make it work.  Lucky for us we have a partnership that works and kids who genuinely like each other.  My cub scout recently said, “Our best days are the days we are all together” Now really who can ask for anything more than that?  Well beside a romantic seven day Norwegian cruise out of New York Thanksgiving week with the World’s Greatest Husband who I love deeply.  Honey, I hope you are reading this.