Thanksgiving Cruise Days 1 & 2

When we booked the birthday cruise, I noticed that prices for Thanksgiving were really inexpensive. The 5-day cruise was less than the 3-day October weekend cruise. I suggested postponing the birthday cruise until November. Thomas suggested we do both. Almost everyone was on board with that! Jack didn't really want to do either. He especially didn't want to give up Thanksgiving at home. But, he doesn't have to do any of the preparation, cooking or cleaning that Thanksgiving requires, and he is a bit of a homebody, so that was not surprising. We dragged him along anyway and he had a good time. Marta and Frank joined us as did our neighbors, the Cantells. They are the same family that we did family camp with. They have two daughters, one Luke's age and one who is 5. All my kids (but especially Luke and Kara) love their girls, so that was really fun.

Day 1:

We arrived at the port around 11 and check-in was very quick. We still had to do a COVID test for Luke (if you are vaccinated, you have to do one no more than 48 hours before the cruise, if you are unvaccinated, you have to do that and then test again right before boarding the ship). We were onboard by noon, did our muster and then met Marta and Frank in the Windjammer. After lunch, we explored our awesome 2-bedroom suite, which was on the back of the ship (prices were so comparatively inexpensive, we couldn't resist, we could never afford a suite under most circumstances).

After unpacking, Jack, Anna, Luke, and I explored. J&L did rock climbing. Luke was able to ring the bell, everyone cheered, and they gave him a medal. Jack came super close but didn't quite reach the bell. 

The line was short for the sky pad, so Luke did that next. Jack left us and went off to explore by himself. We saw the Cantell‘s and they did the sky pad as well. Then the kids played on the climbing structure. 

We got ice cream and went to miniature golf. I sat and chatted with Anna and the adult Cantells while Luke, Ella and Jordyn played. By now, it was about 5, so we headed off to get ready for dinner, stopping in at the suite lounge. I declined drinks, but the waiter offered Shirley Temples to Luke and Anna which they loved. Luke asked if we could go every night at 5 (when they offered the free drinks) and I think we ended up going 4/5 nights.

On our way out of Port Canaveral

We had Thanksgiving dinner in the main dining room. There was a mixup with the seating, so we were not all able to sit together.  I sat with Marta and Frank at a table adjacent to the rest of my family and the Cantells. 

Earlier in the day, I told the older kids that they had to go to the teen's club for at least 15 minutes when it opened at 8pm. They were all very angry about this. We expected them to come back at 8:15, which they did, but only to look for items for a scavenger hunt they were doing with their new friends. Kara's team ended up winning and received a medal (the same kind Luke received for ringing the bell on the rock climbing wall).  Jack’s team came in last place and had to go and play Ring Around the Rosie in the Promenade. They came back to the room between 9-10. Everyone said they had a good time in the teen room, but Jack never went back. 

Day 2

Everyone slept terribly. For Thomas and me, it was because of very thin walls. Our "neighbors" were loud and got sick in the night. I was awake at five. I enjoyed watching the ship back into Coco Cay. Luke and Kara were up around seven and shortly thereafter we woke up Jack and Anna and went to the Windjammer for breakfast. We were on Coco Cay around eight; it was more crowded than when we were there in October. We snorkeled for a little while. Well, Thomas and I snorkeled. Then, Thomas and Jack went out and I went out with Anna. We saw some really big stingrays and found a couple of sunken things that we did not see last time. 

We met up with the Cantells and then we all went to the huge pool, where Marta and Frank were hanging out. We had a really delicious lunch, then played a little bit more on a different beach. Thomas took Anna to get her hair braided and then Thomas, Kara and Jack went back to the ship.  Anna and I stayed with Luke and he and Ella played in the kid's areas. Kaitlin, Anna, and I had fun listening to some live music while they played nearby. I definitely love Coco Cay!

Kara took the "chill" part seriously.

Ella, Luke and Jack took turns burying each other.

The massive lagoon pool. It is huge with music you can hear underwater (which is different than the music you hear above water)

Lots of braids.

We texted Thomas as we were walking back to the ship and he came out and waved at us.  Our ship was parked next to Symphony of the Seas, which looked pretty amazing. Thomas, Anna, and I went up to the top deck of our ship so we could walk around and check it out a little better. Then we went back to our room as we pulled out of Coco Cay and waved goodbye to the people on the Symphony and they waved goodbye to the people on the Mariner.  There were lots of people out on their balconies waving and it was really fun. 

Our view of Thomas waving from our balcony.

Thomas' view of us on the pier.

Goodbye to the Symphony

After everyone showered, we went up to the suite lounge and had some more nonalcoholic beverages and a couple of snacks before heading to dinner. After dinner, Luke went into the kid's club for a little while and Anna and Kara went to the teen area to do the Flow Rider. At some point during the day, Anna did a speed rock climbing activity with the teen club and came in first. They gave her a gold medal, the same kind that Luke & Kara received.