Hello everyone, and welcome to my final blog (awww),

For my final blog, I thought that I would talk about my most recent trip. My latest adventure brought me back to one of my favorite things: cruising. Cruising is one of the most relaxing and fun experiences in the world. It can take you all over the world while entertaining you with singers, dancers, comedians and so much more. If you want to do something or have fun, there is always something to do. Now, I can’t wait to tell you all about my adventure, so let’s dive in. Wait, I think that was a poor choice of words. Scratch that, let’s begin.

The ship that I boarded was called the Anthem of the Seas. Anthem of the Seas is the second ship in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum Class. The 4,180-passenger cruise ship shows off RipCord by iFly, a skydiving simulator; North Star, a glass capsule that rises 300 feet above sea level; and the SeaPlex, the largest indoor sports and entertainment complex at sea, with attractions ranging from bumper cars, roller skating and video gaming to a circus school. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to do the simulated sky-diving because I was too tall for the machine :(. But, I was able to watch my family which was just as fun. My favorite activity was the 70’s themed roller skating party. It felt like you were transported back in time from the music to the disco lights. It was awesome. In addition, I won gold in the Royal Caribbean volleyball tournament and learned how to trapeze. Overall, the activities onboard where such a great time, and a time that I will never forget.

Now, I want to talk about the shows on board. The ship have a wide variety of entertainment during the cruise. From comedy shows to musicals to gameshows, there was not a second that I was not entertained. The musical, “We Will Rock You,” rivals anything you would see on Broadway. At night, the ship’s innovative Two70 venue blends technology with a live performance, including aerialists, singers and dancers. And, late night comedy starring Mike Marino had us all laughing in the wee hours of the night. However, my favorite was the various music and dancing scattered throughout the boat, particularly, Matt Yee’s Sing Along. Matt Yee is a funny Hawaii based entertainer who performs his Outrageous Adult Sing Along Show. His combination of great vocals, audience participation, naughty jokes had me coming back every night. Honestly, I couldn’t stop laugh while I watched him. Also, I want to give a shoutout to Tommy Green Jr., a musician. His calm energy and amazing musical skills drew me into the pub to listen every night. Also, he taught me of my love for the band Oasis. Thus, I think it is pretty clear that the entertainment on board was out of this world.

Most importantly, the food was delicious during every meal. We had plenty to choose from when it came to dining, with multiple options for quick bites, as well as sit-down meals in the evening. I will keep this short because I know I could write many pages on food, but I have two favorites that stick out. First, Sorrento’s was one of my haves on board. Sorrento’s is a 24/7 pizza shop that had delicious pizza. At any point, I could count on Sorrento’s for a quick slice of pizza while sitting and watching the ocean. My second favorite meal was in the traditional sit-down restaurant. Here, we had an amazing 5-star server named Hamza. He was funny, nice, and extremely helpful. He made our dining experience fantastic. On lobster night, my family ordered the lobster meal. We were surprised when he brought out 7 lobster tails for my family. It was full of butter and great taste. I have never ate so much lobster in my life, but it is a memory that I will never forget.

Finally, I’m going to talk about ports of the cruise. We had three main location during the cruise: Florida (Port Canaveral), Bahamas, and Cococay. Each one offered a fun and exciting experience. First in Florida, I went on an airboat tour. We explored the swamps and marshes of Florida in search of alligators. We saw many throughout the trip including a 12 foot beast who is world famous. After, we ate alligator bites, and I was even able to hold a alligator and take a picture with it.

Next stop was Bahamas. This day was all about relaxation and sun. We decided to go the Meliā which has some of the most beautiful white sand beaches in the world. We simply relaxed in the sun, swam in the water, and played a little beach volleyball. Simply, it was a great day to be stress-free.

Our final stop was Cococay. Cococay is a private island owned by Royal Caribbean. It houses beautiful beaches, food huts, water activities, and more. Once again, we had another relaxing day in the sun. I went snorkeling where I took a selfie with a stingray. Although, I’m pretty sure it wanted to sting me, but I was quick to escape. However, I was attacked by jellyfish where I was stung on the foot. LOL. In addition, I participated in a limbo competition. I surprised the watchers by making it through the first two rounds, but I simply didn’t have the body type to move any further. Overall, the Caribbean was a blast, and a welcome change from all the stress of college.

In conclusion, the vacation offered me time to spend with my family. Before the trip, I didn’t see my family for 6 weeks which is hard because I love my family. However, this trip allowed for me to spend time with my family and catch up while making everlasting memories.

Everyone thanks for coming over the past months. This is Blake signing off. See y’all later.