Allure of the Seas is one of Royal’s Oasis Class ships.. that means she has Central Park, the Boardwalk, the Aqua Theater, a Carousel, 2 Flow Riders, a Zip line, and most of the other perks that Royal’s ships have: Multiple pools, mini put, sports court, rock climbing, and of course- free soft serve ice cream! We only had 3 days on the ship since this was a short cruise, so we arrived early for our check-in time, and we were able to board the ship just after 10am since we were suite guests. That was a great perk- we … Continue reading Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas

As usual, I have not kept up on writing posts. So here is a combination post for the two 5 day cruises that we’ve taken over the past 6 months with more attention on our group cruise in January. First, both Voyager and Mariner are in the same class, so the ships were very similar. As “Amplified” ships in the Voyager class (along with Explorer, Adventure, and Navigator), these ships were smaller than the Oasis and Freedom classes, but still had a lot to do for the kids. Our crew enjoyed the Flow Rider, Water Slides, Mini Put, Rock Climbing … Continue reading Royal Caribbean – Voyager & Mariner of the Seas

Pros: Cons: Would I go again? The kids say YES – they loved it. I don’t know if I think it was worth the price (especially to pay full fare, which I didn’t-hooray for travel agent perks!). I think this … Continue reading Pros/Cons: Beaches Ocho Rios

We finished school on June 8th, and S suggested checking “best bets” to see where we could fly standby with the most open seats… Montego Bay showed about 15 seats open on June 10th, so we decided to go for … Continue reading Beaches – Ocho Rios, Jamaica

If you are only going to Universal for a few days, I highly suggest staying on site at one of their Universal hotels. Specifically, I suggest spending at least one night at one of the premier hotels. The cost is high, but it is well worth it for a family of 4-5, and here’s why: Universal Unlimited Express passes. Premier hotels: #1 Portofino Bay: This beautiful hotel is probably my favorite of the three! It looks just like Italy’s Portofino Bay as you can see with the scenic pictures in your hotel room. Pros: Cons: #2 Hard Rock Hotel: Pros: … Continue reading Universal Orlando – Premier Hotels!

Wow, it’s been awhile! I seem to update this in clumps. I will try to do better. In the midst of covid while spending tons of time at home, I decided to read the Harry Potter series to the boys. #1 and I had already read books 1-3, but #2 and #3 seemed ready to listen to the magic of Potter. I read aloud, we listened to youtube readers, and they read some parts as well. By Christmas of 2020, in the middle of covid, we finished HP & the Order of the Phoenix… just when our cousins in Florida … Continue reading Universal Studios – Orlando, FL

One of my favorite places in the country is Mackinac (pronounced Mack-i-naw) Island, Michigan. It’s a small island between the upper and lower peninsulas of Michigan that prides itself on it’s modes of transportation. No automobiles- only bicycles and horse-drawn carriages. The coastline boasts of Victorian houses tucked between trees and beautiful gardens. The famous Grand Hotel stretches across the coast in all its grandeur- it looks like a cruise ship that parked on land. So, if there are no cars allowed, how do you get there? There are a few ferry lines that will take you from St. Ignace … Continue reading Mackinac Island, Michigan

Since my husband is a pilot, his mother also gets non-revenue perks. She and I traveled to London together in May, and decided we should take my sister-in-law (her other daughter-in-law) SJ somewhere *fun* for her August birthday. SJ’s choice? … Continue reading 3 days in Germany/Austria