Impromptu Sea Day

This morning we were  jolted awake by an early-morning announcement crackling through the cabin speaker, informing us that the sea conditions were too rough for us to safely go into Honduras. The captain explained that strong swells and high winds made it impossible to safely use the tender boats into shore, and as a result, our original plans had to be scrapped. Instead, the cruise team had to quickly come up with an alternative plan within a very specific timeframe to keep the day enjoyable for everyone on board. While it was disappointing to miss the port we had been looking forward to (we were going to play with monkeys and sloths), it was impressive to see how efficiently and creatively the crew adjusted the schedule and organized new activities despite the sudden change.

(Leaving Honduras)

After the announcement, most of us decided to go eat breakfast at Windjammer Cafe. While we were there we could see the beautiful island of Roatan, Honduras.  After eating some breakfast we all went back to our cabins and went back to sleep, grateful for the chance to get some much-needed rest without the pressure of an early excursion. When we finally woke up, the disappointment of missing Honduras had faded, replaced by a relaxed, go-with-the-flow mindset. Some of us headed up to the pool deck to soak in the sun, enjoying the warm breeze and the slower pace of the day. Laughter and cheers filled the air as we settled in to watch the women’s cannonball contest, where contestants competed for the biggest splash and loudest crowd reaction. It ended up being a surprisingly fun and memorable way to spend a day that hadn’t gone as planned. While some of us were at the pool, the rest of the group worked on finishing their countries scavenger hunt. The scavenger hunt has the guest go around the ship and get signatures from as many countries as possible. It's a really cool way to see where these crew members are from and how they got to their job.  

After a fun day in the sun and around the cruise ship, we headed to The Great Gatsby Dining room for group dinner. Tonight, group dinner ended up being one of the highlights of the day. Everyone gathered around the table sharing stories, laughing about the unexpected change in plans, and replaying moments from the pool and the cannonball contest. The food was great, but what made it really fun was the energy of the group inside jokes, nonstop conversation, and the feeling of being fully present without any rush. Even though the day hadn’t gone the way we originally imagined, sitting together at dinner made it clear that the best part of the trip was being able to share these experiences with the group. After dinner we headed back to the room to get changed for an evening of disco, when we entered the room we were met with our daily towel animal. These might be the favorite part of the day, we are always so excited to see the cute animals sitting on the end of our beds!

(Towel Animal)

After dinner, we all split up again, each group chasing a different kind of fun. Some headed off to play games, ready for friendly competition and lots of laughs, while others made their way to the dance floor, letting loose and enjoying the music. It was nice knowing that no matter where everyone went, we were all ending the day on a high note. Even with the unexpected change of missing Honduras, the day turned into a reminder that flexibility can lead to some of the best memories, and the post ended up being about making the most of the moment and enjoying every part of this experience. Tomorrow we are heading to Cozumel for a much needed Beach Day! We can't wait to see what tomorrow has in store for us!

-Graycie Branham

(Brayden and I at the disco)