When I booked a “Mommy and Me” five-night Western Caribbean cruise earlier this year, I simply thought it would be another nice, but standard Spring Break getaway. My 10 year-old daughter and I happened to have the same week off of work/school and I was able to snag a fantastic balcony cabin deal with Royal Caribbean on the Explorer of the Seas out of Miami. Easy. We wouldn’t have to fly anywhere—just take the Brightline train to the Port and set sail.
I wanted, no, desperately NEEDED to unplug and relax before the end of school year crunch. I didn’t want to have to think much, if at all past deciding what fun activities to do onboard. Little did I realize how much I would learn about my daughter on this cruise and how I am now a huge proponent of one-on-one travel time with your kid(s). Here are 5 things that I learned…
Boat Bookworm
I am so glad I got a cabin with a balcony because without it, I don’t think I would have realized how much my daughter likes to read! And outdoors! She blew through a book and a half on our trip (I only got through one!), which I am thrilled about since reading on a lounge chair with a fruity drink or glass of wine is one of my favorite vacation pastimes.
Curious Foodie
One of the best parts of going on a cruise, hands down, is the food. Since this was my daughter’s first one, I explained to her on night one that she could order multiple things for dinner and if she didn’t like one, she could simply move on to the next. We tried snails (a hit!), Jamaican patties (too spicy), coco bread (yum!) and more, which is always encouraging as a parent, especially if you have a picky eater. Dinner and foodie conversation every night was by far the highlight of the trip for me.
Cringe is Cool
If you as a parent haven’t been called “cringe” by your child yet, just wait. Your time will come. Another positive thing about cruising is that everyone is a little cringey (aka embarrassing, awkward, uncool) simply because the activities are kind of all over the place.
Did all of the millennial moms have the same crazy dance moves to Journey’s “Any Way You Want It” at the silent disco? Yes.
Did my kid look ridiculous ice skating with a helmet on? Definitely.
Did we both regret pretending it was her birthday on formal night and having the dining crew bring a cake and sing “Happy Birthday” in front of everyone? Maybe.
Let’s just say that for once, I was happy to not be the only cringey one in the family! We embraced it and had a great time as a result.
At Peace with the Pivot
When our ship docked in Falmouth, Jamaica, I thought I had nailed fun on the head by booking a dolphin encounter excursion for us. Little did I know that the tickets were in line with ship time, not local time, so we missed the bus (literally) by an hour to see Flipper.
Instead of being (visibly) disappointed, my daughter suggested fun alternate activities like shopping, trying Jamaican coffee and hair braiding in the historic village, and we ended up having a really fun day! We can always swim with the dolphins in Orlando, right?
And bonus: We basically had the pool to ourselves once we got back on board, which is a huge deal when you’re dealing with spring break crowds.
Take the Trip
No vacation is perfect and we certainly had our moments during the cruise, but being present and together one-on-one for almost a week was something that this mother-daughter duo urgently needed. My kid is changing so fast. She’s about to embark on her middle school journey next year and I know that our days of cruise ship snuggles and her wanting to do my makeup before dinner each night are numbered.
So if you take any advice from this local mom blogger, take the trip. Savor the time with your kids while they’re at the age they are. Because pretty soon, you’ll be saying bon voyage to the time you could have spent with them.
Michelle Olson-Rogers is a mom of one and the founder of Modern Boca Mom, an award-winning lifestyle website for the stylish & modern South Florida parent. She can also be found on Instagram at @modernbocamom.
