Leaving on a Jet Plane

It’s been a few weeks since my last post…and for good reason.  We packed our bags 2 weekends ago and headed south for the winter.  We (ok…I) wasn’t quite ready to go somewhere without Sassafras for an entire week so we decided to take her along for the ride.  Choosing a vacation spot with a little one is a delicate process…adult time, child friendly, budget conscious, and somewhere warmer than MO in the dead of winter.  We decided on a Royal Caribbean cruise (Liberty of the Seas) that sailed out of Ft. Lauderdale, FL and stopped in Belize City, Belize and Cozumel, Mexico (two ports we hadn’t been previously).  We sailed on a sister ship 5 years ago and loved the experience.  The company’s website touted their family friendliness…even for children under 3…all things considered, we thought we found a real winner.

In my mind the experience was going to be fantastic…the ship had a pay-as-you-go daycare so Little Bit would enjoy time with qualified caretakers when JPug and I wanted to have a nice dinner or hit up the gym.  We were hoping for the perfect balance of spending time as a family and enjoying our time as a couple.  In reality, the experience was so-so for a multitude of reasons.  So mediocre, in fact, that this was the first vacation I can honestly say I would have rather stayed home.

The Pros:

• Our stateroom attendant was AWESOME.  She was ridiculously helpful and really catered to us (although she had a number of other rooms she was responsible for).  The only way Royal Caribbean has to recognize an excellent team member is to provide them with an additional tip (which we did)…too bad for Heather from Trinidad & Tobago that we couldn’t shout it from the rooftops.
• The entertainment on board was really first class.  We saw a number of shows and I would rate them all somewhere between good and great.
• Our port excursions were excellent experiences!  We took a private tour with the director of the Belize Zoo (in a Jaguar’s cage, up close and personal with Toucans, etc.) and joined a local Cozumel Chef for a culinary tour.  Both excursions were booked outside of the cruise line and were fabulous.
• The weather!  Can’t beat 75 and sunny when KC is below freezing and under a foot of snow…literally!

 The Cons:

• Pay 3^rd person rate for a 3^rd person no matter the person’s age…14 months or 50 years.
• Although the ship touted being family friendly, they didn’t offer changing stations in any bathroom or cups with lids in any dining area.  Seriously?!  Aren’t those two of the top things you’d be sure to have on board if you’re going to welcome children under 3?
• We also had a lot of difficulty getting a high chair (waited more than 10 minutes) in both the main dining room as well as the buffet.  The issue wasn’t lack of availability, it was lack of service. 
• Special programming for children under 3 was not as advertised.  The website shows special developmental programs for families to enjoy together but they didn’t seem to exist.
• The Food!  I couldn’t even believe it…5 years ago our dining experiences were top notch.  Unfortunately, this time around the food was some of the worst we’ve ever had.
• In two instances, family members added shipboard credit to our account so we could enjoy the ship’s amenities at no additional cost to us.  In both instances, the Royal Caribbean representative on the phone asked what they would like their notification card to say but we never received the information.  Talk about sounding ungrateful when you recap the trip and have no idea credit was given as a gift.
• Available elevators were hard to come by.  Carrying a 20-lb toddler up 10 flights of stairs isn’t feasible so the alternative was to wait a LONG time.

I’m sure I seem ungrateful for our experience and that’s absolutely not the case.  My problem is that the service and experience should be commensurate with the price of the trip and therein a major discrepancy lies.  We relied on information provided by the cruise line to choose our vacation and the “caring details” for children under 3 were all but forgotten.  At least we’re wiser for the future and I can say with certainty that we won’t make the same mistake twice.  I did send a letter voicing my concerns to Royal Caribbean and will provide an update if I receive a response. 

You may be thinking the least I could do is provide a few pictures of our trip.  Well, on the last day we (most likely I) misplaced JPug’s phone…which was on airplane mode (no find my iPhone).  Unfortuately, all of our vacation photos were lost with the phone.  Also, no iCloud backup because wifi on the ship is $0.85/minute and we would have never thought of the downstream ramifications of losing phone…airplane mode…no iCloud backup…no vacation photos.  Yes…I may never forgive myself for that one!  I had a handful of photos on my phone…below is Little Bit playing in the pool on our first day.

Given our experience…do you have any recommendations for successful vacations with toddlers?

Moving Forward

At the beginning of March, JPug and I booked a vacation to Washington DC for early fall.  He had some Southwest frequent flyer points that were set to expire and I got tired of planning our lives around if or when something might happen with our process.

We chose DC for a couple of reasons…neither of us have been there and combined, we know 5 different people who live in or near the DC metro…some childhood friends, some relatives.  The opportunity to reunite with so many folks and see a new place made our decision easy.  We’re taking a weeklong trip…flying from KC to Pittsburgh, PA to visit one of my best friends from high school (and her family) for a few days before taking the train to our nation’s capital.

We’re looking forward to the trip while simultaneously continuing treatments for infertility.  Stupid idea?  Maybe so...but I’d much rather plan the trip and have to cancel because something wonderful happens than sit around KC come fall twiddling my thumbs regretting the decision not to book if something doesn’t.

Is it possible we’ll be in a situation where we lose some money or airline points?  Absolutely…but it’s a risk we’re willing to take.  Plus, from my point of view, any money or points we might lose are well worth being lost of the process actually does work.

For now, the flights are booked and we’re leaving the other details for later.  If anyone has suggestions for places to stay, things to see or where to eat in DC…please share!

Thanks to Google Images for this sweet DC pic!

The Carriage House of Cady Cottage

Now that October has come and gone, it hit me this morning…this is the first year since moving back from Florida that we didn’t visit Hermann, MO for Oktoberfest.  Hermann was established by Germans on the banks of the Missouri River in 1837.  Today Hermann offers quaint shops, numerous local wineries and a brewery all with an old-world look and feel.  The first four weekends of October, Hermann celebrates its heritage and opens its arms to visitors who enjoy fall colors, festive bands, brats and plenty of drinks.

In 2009, we made the trip with a group of friends…rode the train from KC to Hermann, squished way too many people into two hotel rooms and enjoyed beer, wine and food from sun-up to sun-down (reminiscent of a number of college trips).  In 2010, JPug and I decided to make the trek on our own and classed it up a bit whole lot.  I found a B&B online with a decent website, reasonable rate and a charm I just couldn’t resist.  The same weekend as MU’s homecoming, we detoured through Columbia to enjoy campus for the afternoon and continued on to Hermann.

Once we arrived, we had some difficulty finding the place…from what I remember, the numbers weren’t well-marked on the house and there was no discernable front door.  After circling the block twice, we figured it out using process of elimination and the help of a nosy neighbor.  We walked up the path to the front door (which was actually on the side of the house) and knocked; the owner, Chris, came out.  Big sigh of relief…we’d come to the right place!

Chris (short for Christine) was on the upper end of middle-aged, standard build with silver-grey hair pulled back into a classy ponytail.  She asked if we had any trouble finding the house to which we replied (and lied through our teeth) “No”.  After a few pleasantries, she asked us to pull our car into the alley behind the house which was the main entrance of The Carriage House of Cady Cottage. 

As we pulled up, it appeared that The Carriage House was a two-car detached garage that had been converted into the only room Chris had to offer.  From the outside, it was well kept but didn’t look like much.  As we entered, we were transformed into an old English cottage complete with four-post bed, dining area, sitting area w/ fireplace, reading nook and bathroom.  I’m usually not one for cluttered décor but the look and feel Chris infused into this small cottage was absolutely amazing.  Come to find out, she had been collecting English cottage pieces (furniture, accessories, etc.) for years and opened The Carriage House once her collection was complete.  Chris walked us through each of the features of the room and was sure to point out our evening dessert on the dining table…homemade apple pie!

The next morning, Chris prepared a gourmet breakfast…truly better than I’ve had at any B&B.   The breakfast area was decorated as an art studio and displayed numerous pieces of Chris’ own handmade folk art.  As we wrapped up our meal, she was sure to provide recommendations regarding places to eat and things to see and do in Hermann.  After a long day of enjoying Oktoberfest, we returned to The Carriage House to find another terrific, homemade dessert.  The next morning, Chris whipped up another amazing breakfast…homemade stuffing & egg soufflés served with a side of seasonal berries.  Once we were finished, we said our goodbyes and were on our way.

If you’re looking for a weekend getaway, I would absolutely recommend Hermann, MO and The Carriage House of Cady Cottage.  Whenever possible, JPug and I try to support local B&Bs rather than large hotel chains.  We’ve stayed at our fair share of B&Bs and I can say with certainty that The Carriage House of Cady Cottage tops them all.  Hermann is known for its wineries but the visitor’s bureau does a great job of offering all sorts of events and opportunities to enjoy Hermann if drinking isn’t your thing.  Bon voyage my friends…I hope you have a great trip!