Western Caribbean Cruise with Royal Caribbean International

Looking out my window thinking about the -42°C and storm we recently had, I can't help but remember that this time last year, my husband and I were on vacation. Somewhere very warm. Away from the cold. We had actually booked our trip three weeks prior, as a last-minute thing to escape that year's blistering cold winter.

Last year's vacation was all about exploring the Western Caribbean in +Royal Caribbean International's Oasis of the Seas, visiting: Falmouth, Jamaica; Labadee, Haiti; and Cozumel, Mexico. This was my second cruise with the Oasis, and I loved the ship just as much as I did the first time.

Fort Lauderdale
Our journey began in the popular port city of Fort Lauderdale. The moment we landed in FLL, a sensation of pure relaxation took over our bodies. I must admit, the first time I heard about Fort Lauderdale, I thought it was some small port town that happened to be by the water. Little did I know it was a fun tourist destination with tons to see and do. The night life is vibrant, the food is good, the shopping is cool and the beach is simply breathtaking. Our favourite was walking by the board walk and watching people swim, roller blade and just enjoy life. 

The Oasis
From the moment we reached Port Everglades, we immediately spotted our ship. It's the biggest, baddest ship on the Floridian coast and is very hard to miss. I have to say, Royal Caribbean is very organized in terms of passenger registrations, baggage control and time management. Their staff works really well together and their efficiency is incredible. It's also great that every staff member comes from a different part of the world. We met a fantastic South African yoga instructor and gym attendant, a Costa Rican cashier at the Coach shop on deck and Brazilian surf instructors. I loved getting to know a few of them.

The ship is absolutely jaw-dropping when you first enter. In my opinion, they have something for everyone. They have a full gym, a beautiful spa, several types of restaurants to choose from, organized sports in their outdoor court, a casino, comedy club, shopping, baking classes, zip lining, surf simulators, card-game room, aquatic performances, Broadway shows, rock climbing, a carousel and anything else that could attract your attention. We even got to do some Yoga on the helipad a few mornings, and that was c o o l. And to top it all off, my hubby and I even got to see the Caribbean server we met the LAST time we were on the Oasis, when we celebrated getting engaged! AND HE REMEMBERED US!!! (See picture below)

Royal Caribbean has a nice rewards program called The Crown and Anchor Society for returning customers. And since it was my husband's third time riding with them, we got an upgraded room, additional discounts on drink packages, invitations to exclusive events and more. It's worth signing up for if you think you may do a few cruises in your lifetime.

Labadee, Haiti
The morning we arrived to Labadee, my husband and I were doing our morning run on the track. It was exciting getting closer and closer to the coast while completing each lap. Before disembarking the ship, we were told that the area we would be exploring for the day was isolated from the rest of the country, with police securing the grounds. The two beaches were nice, and Royal Caribbean organized a nice lunch with burgers, pork chops and fresh fruit. The market was fun to walk through and there were nice trails to follow. 

One thing I craved from this visit, however, was to actually learn about the city's culture. When my husband and I cruised the first time in the Eastern Caribbean, we had the opportunity to explore without facing any distinct dangers.

Falmouth, Jamaica
The next day, it was Jamaica's turn. That day, we planned to go through caves and climb Dunn's River Falls! The online pictures of the falls do not do this landmark any justice. We spent a little over an hour climbing them and cooling off in the fresh water. We also got to buy cool water shoes... Those are definitely useful to not slip.

Cozumel, Mexico
This was the last stop of our cruise, and by now, we were looking forward to just grabbing a cab and going on our own little adventure. We started off by asking a taxi driver to take us to a popular tourist shopping destination, and 15 minutes later, we were there (don't ask me where that was... I completely forgot the name of the area!). We browsed the shops and the very commercial restos until we decided we wanted to experience authentic Mexican grub. 

So we asked around, and the locals eventually led us to a popular fast-food place. We tried out their tortilla wraps and homemade guacamole (which were delicious, just by the way) and continued on with our day. Since we did not have much time to hit up a beach by this point, we walked back to the port. This took us about 45 minutes. Then we saw it. A +Hard Rock Cafe. (Side note: Since we began dating in 2012, it has become an essential tradition that we eat at this restaurant and collect the cocktail glasses every time we travel to a new city and see this franchise. No exceptions to this rule. Oh, and we usually have their yummy fajitas.)

Have you ever been on a cruise before? If so, which cruise line did you go with and where did you visit? Have you been on the Oasis before? Write to me! :)

Connect with my on Instagram @ChezAlesiaDunn !