Each year I actively desire to travel somewhere new and learn by seeing what different parts of the world have to offer. Being from Philly, the most convenient cruise ports to sail out of are Baltimore, NYC, or Norfolk, but me and my family decided to board the Carnival Liberty in NOLA to broaden our horizons. Three hours after submitting my masters comprehensive paper to finalize my degree, I left home to finally celebrate freedom from six years of school and my eradication of weekly assignments.

To our surprise, me and my family were greeted to New Orleans by a horde of men and women sloppily running around in bright red dresses. Our Uber driver informed us that this day constituted as “The Red Dress Run,” an annual fundraiser that reached its 30th year mark a week prior. She told us it was an excuse for men to wear dresses and get drunk, but I honestly saw this as a fun practice of unity, despite how nonarbitrary that statement sounds.

I’ve always wanted to visit The French Quarter and stroll down the chaos of Bourbon Street. As I’ve progressed through life I’ve realized that sometimes the best plan is having no plans. Less stress. We wandered up and down the streets of Bourbon Street as “This is Why I’m Hot” by MIMS and “TGIF” by Glorilla congruently blasted with each stride. A few people gently threw down silver plastic beads towards us and I was elated (No flashing required, lol)

For dinner we spontaneously ate at this bar called The Tipsy Trumpet, followed by dessert at Cafe Du Monde. I had the best fried chicken I’ve ever had in my entire life and tried the infamous “Hurricane” drink. Yes, I have celiac. Should I have consumed not one, but two a little treats containing gluten? Perhaps not, but life is too short not to when you’re at the hotspot for tasty carbs.

Boarding the ship was a very smooth process, thankfully! A visceral response is always felt while pulling my luggage up the walkway onto the boat, acknowledging the beauty of the unknown. Hundreds of people are entering a space where immeasurable quantities of memories will come into fruition. I think that’s why I am partial to cruising. The cosmic alchemy is modeled throughout the social structure. You coalesce with people you would have most likely never met in your life if not for the trip. Each day, you hear travelers overtly sharing repertoires – childhoods, heartbreaks, and achievements. Yet, each individual is still there and has survived up to that point to celebrate life together.

My new years resolution for this year was, “Take more chances, dance more dances.” I promised myself I’d step outside my comfort zone and involve myself in events not within my social engagement proclivity. Happily, I can say this goal was successfully executed. The Sail Away party kicked off this goal and everyone had vivacious energy, I had a great time learning new dances, meeting others, and hearing their stories.

Roatan, Honduras

Honduras was the first stop on our itinerary and absolutely wonderful! I would have been a happy camper simply admiring the view from the ship. My mom, sisters, and I took the scenic route to the local beach. There were a few bars and shops surrounding the walking path, but I was too ecstatic to take a dip in the ocean! A ski-lift was also available for visitors to access the beach area.

Can You Belize It?

My family and I decided to do Carnival’s Sharks, Rays, Barrier Reef Snorkel & Island Escape excursion in Belize! Swimming with nurse sharks and stingrays was such an unforgettable experience and we were very happy with our selection.

The 45 minute boat ride to Caye Caulker was incredibly soothing; as the sun gently rested on my shoulders, I took a moment to close my eyes and feel the air flow through my hair. It doesn’t get much better than that. Our tour guides kept us entertained by sharing the history of each island, I recall them mentioning there are over 400 scattered throughout the country!

Once we arrived at the first snorkeling location, each participant quickly assembled their snorkeling gear and jumped into the ocean. Copious amounts of conch shells were scattered across the white ocean floor and dove to the bottom to hold one. As I veered to the right of me, I saw a vibrant moray eel dancing along the reef, I’d like to think that was his own little way of saying hello 🙂

After spending an hour in the water, our tour guides drove us to the designated spot where about twenty nurse sharks and stingrays gathered around us. They are such gorgeous creatures and it was a privilege to spend a small amount of time in their world.

We had about an hour and a half to enjoy lunch and spend time at the beach area. Near the entrance was a flight of stairs guests could climb to dive into the water. I absolutely despise heights, but I took a step at conquering this by jumping off into the turquoise water. This time, I wasn’t scared. I allowed myself to float in the calm ocean, appreciating the serene elements keeping my body afloat. It feels liberating to let go and let mother nature take care of you for a little while sometimes!

In order to get back on the ship, you are required take a shuttle. Upon boarding we encountered a very tipsy woman banging a hand drum souvenir she purchased at one of the gift shops. There were hundreds of us on the ride back, and it was quite amusing to hear her drunkenly play her instrument and join in. Humans can be so cute sometimes. Observing people laughing while improving their own song reminded me of being a kid on the bus singing in congruence before a sports game. I don’t think those parts of us ever truly leave, we simply just pursue them in lesser quantities when it’s “acceptable.”

My first visit back to Belize after a ten year hiatus was spectacular and I’m grateful I had the opportunity see this beautiful country again!

New Friends & Sea Days!

Being a person who primarily sails out of nearby ports, it was really interesting seeing the vast range of locations other travelers were from. We met a lot of travelers from Oregon, Mississippi, Texas, and Missouri, which was exciting! Our little group we made had a lot of fun together and I’m grateful I got to spend this time with them.

The Camera Eats First!

Would this really be a blog post if there weren’t a few food highlights sprinkled in?

Concluding Thoughts!

Our first time sailing the Carnival Liberty was amazing! We thought that the ship’s logistics and layout were extremely convenient. I’m very fortunate to have been on quite a few, and this one definitely ranked in my top three. Granted, I haven’t been on any of the newer boats yet, but I actually enjoy the “smaller” options because they are easier to navigate and you end up running into the same people frequently.

In comparison to other Carnival ships I’ve sailed on, the amenity locations were set up in a way that made sense for the trajectory of nightly events. For example, the comedy lounge, alchemy bar, and nightclub were directly adjacent to each other. I have absolutely zero sense of direction but found the route of this ship to be easy to memorize. As a coffee connoisseur, I also really liked that there were two cafe locations on this ship: one on deck five and near the lido deck buffet. There were also plenty of places to read books and play the daily crosswords + sudoku puzzles!

Our cruise director, Franco, was fantastic and brought a great amount of energy to the events! We attended the Sail Away, 80’s Rock & Glow, and Mega Deck Party and had a blast (even if it started pouring rain). It was so cool having the rain pour out of nowhere, I did a little dance in the rain and stuck my tongue out to catch a few drops before running in lol

I never went to the alchemy bar on other trips because of the invariably crowded congregations, but I recently realized how underestimated this place was. Webster, one of the “mixologists” was probably the best bartender I’ve ever met! They meticulously curate drinks based on what you like and hit the nail on the head every time.

It was such a privilege to have an opportunity to see the world and explore the passage of time in new places! Travel changes you and is never wasted, you seclude yourself from the environment that makes you perceive yourself the way you do. Disconnecting from the normality of every day life – the customs, people, and culture, provides the opportunity to identify the genuine self more evidently whilst simultaneously learning from others. I will forever cherish these memories and carry them through the rest of my life! 🙂