Cruises. I think you either love 'em or you hate 'em. We have NEVER had a bad experience... never found ourselves stranded in the ocean without working sewage systems, never been sea sick, and never found the ship boring or confining. But, everyone has an opinion about them, so I'd definitely suggest people experience it for themselves before completely turning down the idea.
One of the reason that we chose to see the Mediterranean by cruise ship is because it was the most economical way for us to take two children and see so many wonderful places. The food is inclusive, and we made sure to take snacks from the boat when we got off to keep us from buying lots of expensive snacks off the boat (although this may or may not actually be allowed! :) ) We worked hard to plan out our time at each port so that we avoided paying expensive fees for tours and other things. Jason was awesome at navigating the buses, metros, and train systems, which saved us so much money on taxis and such.
Different cruises have different purposes. Some are designed just for fun and relaxation, but this one was definitely centered around the ports of call. Our cruise was 12 days long, and we stopped in 10 different ports along the way! That meant lots of getting up early, full days of sightseeing, and rushing to get back on board the ship each evening to avoid being left! We were definitely worn out each evening, but our kids seemed to have this stash of energy that they saved up each day.
If you ask them their favorite part, they'd, without hesitation, tell you it was the children's department and activities that the cruise ship offered. Most nights they were willing to forgo dinner, especially if it meant they might miss some activity that was scheduled. Living in India doesn't afford them lots of opportunities to do organized activities with other children, so they soak it up whenever it's offered.
Face painting seemed to be a part of each night's events. We were never sure what they'd look like when we picked them up.
Eat your heart out, ladies!
They had bear night, pirate night, Nickelodeon night, and many others, but all week, they spent time working on a special event that would take place at the end of the cruise... their very own circus. I didn't know if my boys would really get into it. Both are a little shy on a stage, but I was SOOO wrong!
They practiced tricks all week until they perfected "an act." Jack's first role was starring as a clown, which I must say he played well. He hammed it up with the best of them!
But his best moment came with his diablo performance. He can often lack confidence and get frustrated with something new, but he fell in love with those sticks, string, and funnel shaped object.
At the end of the performance, the MC challenged them to throw the diablo one more time, but this time to do it as high as they could. I wasn't sure how this would play out, but that boy rocked it!!!
Jack's Performance from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.
I love his face at the end of the performance. I don't think he could believe that he caught such a high toss!
We knew prior to the show that Jack was going to perform the diablo, but we weren't real sure what Max would specialize in. He's our "wild-card kid" and we aren't ever sure what to expect when he is allowed to be on stage. But I think they found the perfect role for him. He was the "ferocious, intimidating, adorable tiger," because you can't have a circus without a tiger!
His solo performance was perfect... a great demonstration of his personality and why he keeps us on our toes!
Max at the Circus from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.
Our boys loved all the sights we saw, food we ate, and experiences we experienced on this trip, but nothing excites kids like fun that has been especially designed just for them!
Living far away from friends, family, and all things that are normal to us can often take a toll on our boys. They mourn the things we left behind, the people they don't see often enough, and the culture they are slowly forgetting. But we are beyond grateful for the new things they get to do, see, and appreciate along this new journey in life! And this trip was just one of the many experiences that are moulding these two precious boys into the men they will become!
One of the reason that we chose to see the Mediterranean by cruise ship is because it was the most economical way for us to take two children and see so many wonderful places. The food is inclusive, and we made sure to take snacks from the boat when we got off to keep us from buying lots of expensive snacks off the boat (although this may or may not actually be allowed! :) ) We worked hard to plan out our time at each port so that we avoided paying expensive fees for tours and other things. Jason was awesome at navigating the buses, metros, and train systems, which saved us so much money on taxis and such.
Different cruises have different purposes. Some are designed just for fun and relaxation, but this one was definitely centered around the ports of call. Our cruise was 12 days long, and we stopped in 10 different ports along the way! That meant lots of getting up early, full days of sightseeing, and rushing to get back on board the ship each evening to avoid being left! We were definitely worn out each evening, but our kids seemed to have this stash of energy that they saved up each day.
If you ask them their favorite part, they'd, without hesitation, tell you it was the children's department and activities that the cruise ship offered. Most nights they were willing to forgo dinner, especially if it meant they might miss some activity that was scheduled. Living in India doesn't afford them lots of opportunities to do organized activities with other children, so they soak it up whenever it's offered.
Face painting seemed to be a part of each night's events. We were never sure what they'd look like when we picked them up.
Eat your heart out, ladies!
They had bear night, pirate night, Nickelodeon night, and many others, but all week, they spent time working on a special event that would take place at the end of the cruise... their very own circus. I didn't know if my boys would really get into it. Both are a little shy on a stage, but I was SOOO wrong!
They practiced tricks all week until they perfected "an act." Jack's first role was starring as a clown, which I must say he played well. He hammed it up with the best of them!
But his best moment came with his diablo performance. He can often lack confidence and get frustrated with something new, but he fell in love with those sticks, string, and funnel shaped object.
At the end of the performance, the MC challenged them to throw the diablo one more time, but this time to do it as high as they could. I wasn't sure how this would play out, but that boy rocked it!!!
Jack's Performance from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.
I love his face at the end of the performance. I don't think he could believe that he caught such a high toss!
We knew prior to the show that Jack was going to perform the diablo, but we weren't real sure what Max would specialize in. He's our "wild-card kid" and we aren't ever sure what to expect when he is allowed to be on stage. But I think they found the perfect role for him. He was the "ferocious, intimidating, adorable tiger," because you can't have a circus without a tiger!
His solo performance was perfect... a great demonstration of his personality and why he keeps us on our toes!
Max at the Circus from Sarah Marlin on Vimeo.
Our boys loved all the sights we saw, food we ate, and experiences we experienced on this trip, but nothing excites kids like fun that has been especially designed just for them!
Living far away from friends, family, and all things that are normal to us can often take a toll on our boys. They mourn the things we left behind, the people they don't see often enough, and the culture they are slowly forgetting. But we are beyond grateful for the new things they get to do, see, and appreciate along this new journey in life! And this trip was just one of the many experiences that are moulding these two precious boys into the men they will become!
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