CRUISE

So Phil and I have been trying to come up with some fun plans for our second anniversary this summer. We were thinking maybe a cruise, but I was worried because I had already reserved time off work for girls' camp, youth trek, and a basketball referee camp this summer, and didn't want to ask for more time.

Then Dr Brown announced one day that he's going on a trip to Guatemala the first week of May, so the office is going to be closed.

WHA???

So we started looking.

Best friend's wedding in that Friday. Can we work around it?

We found one that would work perfectly! Sunday through Thursday, be back in time for the sealing the next morning. But it was Carnival, and we had heard not-so-good things about it. But it was the only one that would work, so we decided to just go for it.

Except.

Cruise leaves from Florida. How to get to Florida. Plane.

Sigh...two tickets, round trip from Orlando, $700.

Pretty much doubled our whole trip cost.

Wait, maybe Priceline? We got our hotels for our honeymoon and first anniversary at steals, so why not try it?

Wait, for flights on Priceline you can only pick the day, and you HAVE to stick with whatever flight they pick for you, and it could be ANY time that day.

Which means we would likely miss our return flight because the airport's a little drive from the harbor and...

Sigh...

So we couldn't afford the flights, now what?

We realized we weren't going to be able to make it to the sealing.

Killed me. My best friend, who came all the way to San Diego for my wedding. My male of honor.

Saddest day of my life, but that one was the ONLY cruise that weekend/week that would have us back in time.

So, we expanded our search. There were other cruiselines going out of Florida, but we still can't fly. Where to go?

Mexico.

Found a winner that worked with our budget and schedule.

We booked it.

Submitted our passport applications, should be in the mail by early April.

Yes, it's Carnival.

Now before you seasoned cruisers crucify us for booking with them, I remind you that if you're willing to pay for our flights to Florida so we can go Royal Caribbean, we will gladly accept. We know Carnival has a reputation, especially among our LDS friends, but again, we had very few options and a very small time frame to work with.

And we've never cruised before, so we won't know any better.

We're so excited. I'm eating nothing but salad and apples and bananas for the next two months (this is a lie)

Luckily we'll be back in time for the reception, at least.

AND we get to spend a few days with my family in Carlsbad, which we haven't done since last Christmas, and is WAY overdue.

Here's our route:

Long Beach, CA

to Catalina Island

to Ensenada, Mexico

and back, all aboard this sucker

I can't wait!!!