Making up for lost time, we managed to squeeze in three cruises in 2022. The crazy part is that all three cruises were between September and December.

Our last cruise for the year was on Odyssey of the Seas. We have had this cruise scheduled for about a year. It was our family Christmas gift and Odyssey is now my favorite ship of all the ships we’ve cruised. Granted, I’ve only sailed on 7 of the 26 currently in the Royal Caribbean fleet, but of those I’ve sailed, I really loved Odyssey. Hubby wasn’t the fan of the ship that I was, but to each their own. He did enjoy the cruise though.

We had port days in Labadee, Haiti. This is one of Royal Caribbean’s private islands.

It was a beach day for us, and we were pleasantly surprised at how beautiful it was. Honestly, we weren’t really looking forward to this particular stop. Our cruise was originally scheduled to go to a different private island, and we were disappointed by the itinerary change. Little did we realize just how much we would enjoy Labadee, and we would love to go back one day.

Our second port was Falmouth, Jamaica. We were just there in September, so it was a shopping day for us. We also took advantage of spending time on the ship. During port days, it’s much less crowded and there was an activity Lili really wanted us to do.

North Star!

You step into a ball of glass and are raised 400 feet into the air. On Sea days, North Star has a charge. On port days, however, it’s free. That’s assuming you can get a spot. It is a very popular activity of the ship and thanks to Lili, she was able to get us spots at two different times while in Falmouth. I was actually happier to go up while in port for a couple reasons. First, being able to look out over Jamaica and the Caribbean was amazing. Second, on Sea days, the North Star doesn’t just go up and back down. It actually takes guests out over the ocean for a full 360• view. I’m not fond of heights and the thought of being held over the ocean like that did not sound like a good time to me. So, a shorter ride up and back down was much more to my liking.

Our last stop was Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Another port we visited in September, so another shopping day.

It was also a day for me to take pictures of all the pirates I found.

It was great seeing the islands Christmas decorations.

The ship was also decorated.

There were gingerbread houses, churches and villages all around the ship.

We even got into the decorating. Actually, decorating our doors help us easily spot our staterooms.

We enjoyed great weather and time at the pool.

One of our favorite places on the ship is called The Music Hall. It is two levels. The upper level has a bar, seating, billiards tables and a relaxed atmosphere. The lower level had a stage where bands play, staff conducts various games, a dance floor and seating. We loved the vibe of The Music Hall and made our way there most evenings.

I wish I would have gotten more pictures of The Music Hall. Maybe next time.

Most of our meals we ate in the Windjammer (buffet). Ezran just isn’t good at sitting thru a long meal and with lots of different food choices, we found it much easier. However, we did take advantage of some lunches at El Loco Fresh. It’s a newer addition to some Royal Caribbean ships, located on the pool deck.

Naomi may have gotten nachos there every day either as a meal or for a snack.

The girls and I participated in a cupcake decorating class.

Lili, Naomi and I had done these decorating classes before on other ships, but it was a first for Arryn. In case you can’t tell, that’s a frog sitting on top of her cupcake.

Another favorite part of the ship for us was Theater Two70. The views are spectacular and there is a cafe where you can grab breakfast or lunch items

Sitting there in the mornings having breakfast was so relaxing. Okay, as relaxing as it can be with an 18-month-old and 4-yr-old.

In the evening, the theater hosts shows.

Truly, this ship is wonderful and I hope to one day sail on her again.