Cruise to the Bahamas!

For our 6th anniversary, Seth and I took a 3-night cruise to the Bahamas! Being in Miami already (meaning no flights necessary to get to the port city) and finding a discount after Dorian hit the Bahamas, we were able to fulfill a long time goal of going on a cruise together. It was my first one! And it was grand. We left from Miami, had a "Perfect Day at Cococay", and had one day in Nassau, and came back to Miami.  We felt like we were in a bubble the whole time, and pretty much kept to ourselves on the ship. It was like a second honeymoon.

These artsy rudders in the port were so enormous.

Our lovely stateroom.

The view out our porthole.

The Miami port behind us.

Headed out for our "Perfect Day at Cococay"

  Our cruise liner was enormous.

Heading to the island.

Bahamian greeters.

Sand-worthy strollers. The baby-gear nerd in me got a kick out of this. Wheelchairs too.

  We paid for a ride on this helium balloon, but it was too stormy to go. We were bummed.

We went snorkeling (no phones=no picutres) and afterward CRASHED on a hammock and lost an hour or so. It was heaven.

On the second night, which was our anniversary, we went to a fancy Seafood restaurant on the ship- it was so lovely. 

After that, we had our "Perfect Night at Cococay" and the water jet pack riders and the fireworks were the highlight.

This was the view of Nassau from our ship. This Norwegian ship was beautiful.

On our way to church in Nassau!

A colorful welcome.

There was only one ward on the island and we got off the ship just in time to take a taxi and get there as it started.

Colorful Bahamian money.

A tour of an old ruin after church.

The likely self-appointed tour guide got all the guys to rotate an old canon for fun. 

Our ship in the background.

These two other couples were also on vacation and went to church that day. One of them was from my old ward in Phoenix! We remembered each other (Deborah and Lance Johnson, on the right.) In the middle were Alex and Julie Frumusanu, an energetic couple who were staying at the world-famous Atlantis hotel, and gave us a tour!

This was a beautiful little spot.

Apparently, Queen Anne actually used these.

The Frumusanus took us to the ritzy parts of Nassau, and we got the insider's tour of Atlantis.

Really majestic architecture.

 
The aquariums were amazing. The "ruins" inside them are all supposed to be what the "real Atlantis" would be like.

  This fish is the size of a baby elephant. And there were like 4 in there.

 Original "Atlantean" submarine.

 "Atlantean" diving gear.

All of the water features at the hotel had sea turtles, sting rays, sharks, and really cool fish in them.

Beautiful rope bridge.

This water slide was amazing. If you look in the water you can see the tube inside...riders go down inside the Aztec building and come out into the tube which is a lazy river surrounded by SHARKS!

View off the rear of the ship.

My heart will go on.

We basically had the bow to ourselves. Amid all the revelry on the ship, we had a quiet little piece of paradise. The stars were so incredible away from the light pollution.

This horizon took our breath away. It was 360- I had never seen that before in my life.