Today was our second “sea day” and we spent it eating, drinking, hanging out in the pool, eating more, going to see the show, enjoying chocolate cocktails, and eating more. That’s cruise life, I guess!
I have to say that I’ve been pleasantly surprised at the shows on the MSC Seaside. Even though we listen to the same five main singers, they have been really good, and the variety of shows is refreshing. Everyone especially loved the magic acts and acrobats. Very impressive! And we even saw a 30-minute version of Madame Butterfly opera in the afternoon. Very nice and unexpected. I thought it was great.
Today’s port-of-call was Cozumel, Mexico. We’ve been here once before, but this time we took a ferry to Playa del Carmen on the Mexican mainland and then joined the tour to the Tulum Ruins. The ruins were the one thing I really wanted to see on this trip so I was stoked to be able to visit them with a tour guide who explained the history and of course the human sacrifices! 🤯 But seriously, although the ruins are not very large, the history was amazing and the setting, right on the cliff was stunning. It was well worth the trip!
After finishing our visit to the Tulum ruins, we had a few minutes to grab a bite to eat at the restaurant. The chips and salsa were so good (and spicy!), the ceviche was fresh and yummy, and the enchiladas verdes were delicious. I had the fish tacos which were pretty good, except the tortillas basically disintegrated when I tried to pick them up, so I had to eat them with a fork. But still enjoyable, especially washing it all down with an ice-cold Negra Modelo. 🍺🌮
Today we arrived at the Cayman Islands for our next stop. Mariko, Bay, and Koa’s excursion was on a submarine ride, and I chose to go snorkeling. It was a beautiful, sunny day on the island, and the sea was amazing. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the water temperature was just about perfect for our two 40-minute swims. It was cool enough to be refreshing, but not too cool where I got cold. Just right!
I took my Victure 4K action cam with me and tried some video. I think it turned out pretty good, even though I wasn’t really prepared. I mean, I hand-held the camera in its waterproof case, and it was haphazardly attached to a lanyard around my neck. Definitely NOT the optimal set-up. My niece, on the other hand, had her camera mounted to a handle which floats if “dropped”. Next time, I’ll get one of those for sure!
After snorkeling, we went for a quick drink at Rackams before heading back to the tender which took us back to the ship. It was a nice excursion, although I wish we could spend more time on the island exploring. I guess that’s the nature of cruise travel though… once you realize and accept the fact that you won’t be spending much time at the ports-of-call, it makes the cruise experience much nicer. Or at least a little less disappointing.
Our Jamaica day was spent mostly on an excursion to go rafting on the Martha Brae River. When I was little, we went rafting but I only have a vague memory of it. I do, however, remember a small bamboo toy raft that I got as a souvenir which is probably still in my old room at my folks’ house.
So I was excited to go rafting as a grown-up, and take my own kids. The trip down the river was really fun and relaxing, and our boatman, Derek, was a cool rasta, who talked to us all about the river, the local fruits and vegetation, and even about the “old days” in Jamaica which was when most of my mom’s family was still living there. Derek, who was in his sixties, even told us about the political situation of the time, and how he remembered that many of the Chinese-Jamaicans left after Jamaican independence because of the political uncertainty. It was really interesting to hear about the situation from someone outside my family.
“With Derek” Martha Brae River, 2019
The rafting lasted about 45 minutes, and I wish it were longer because I enjoyed myself so much. It was so peaceful, cool with a gentle drizzle at times, and not too many mosquitos.
Soon, though, we were on the mini-bus back on our way to Ocho Rios. We did have a quick stop at a local market and I bought some jerk chicken to see how it compared to my cousin’s. It was yummy!
After we got dropped off in Ocho Rios, we met up with my cousin who drove over from Port Antonio to see us. She showed up with a basket full of fresh fruit which we all sloppily enjoyed near the dock.
Although our stop in Jamaica was very short, it was fun to see a bit of the country where my Mom was born and raised. We’ll be back!
Today was a full day on board the ship, where we ate, drank, played games, saw a show, listened to Jazz, and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. This is cruise-life, I suppose!
The MSC Seaside is an amazing cruise ship, with so many things to do, including bowling! There are two lanes in the gaming area, and they are just like a standard bowling alley. The only difference is that the ship sways a bit, so the ball might not travel the path you expect as it goes towards the pins. 😄
Koa and I spent some time in the lounge listening to the Swing Time Quartet who played Jazz standards and were really good. Of course, Koa is interested in the music, so we stayed there for quite a while.
