After wrapping up our first cruise of 2026, I made it home just in time to do laundry and repack before jetting off to Miami for round two—a Girls’ Cruise! This time, it was just me and my best friend, her grown daughters, her cousin and niece. Yes, I was the odd man woman out.

Before leaving, my husband asked how long it had been since I’d gone anywhere overnight without kids. The answer? About 12 years! I looked it up later and realized it was 2013 when I took a quick trip to Chicago for a concert with friends. Needless to say, this getaway was long overdue!

Our ship this time was Freedom of the Seas,

my first time on this vessel and for some of the ladies, their first Royal Caribbean experience. While I wish I could say it was the perfect escape, the weather had other plans.

• Day 1: Embarkation was pleasant enough.
• Day 2: Nassau greeted us with cool winds and temps in the low 70s. I headed back to the Royal Beach Club and started at Chill Island. I made it about 45 minutes before seeking shelter from the breeze. I eventually found a quiet sandy spot shielded by a cabana, where I sipped a cocktail and soaked up the sun for over an hour—pure bliss!

Unfortunately, that peace didn’t last long. Security escorted two very tipsy (understatement) women to my little hideaway. One passed out in a chair while the other loudly announced it was her birthday over and over and over again. I never quite figured out if they were being sent back to the ship or off the island and the ship entirely. But after a while, I decided lunch sounded better than the drama, so I headed to a different part of the island for a bite to eat and then headed back to port.

• Days 3 & 4: Sea days with perfect weather on Day 3 and rain on Day 4. We played trivia, lounged on the balcony while it rained, and enjoyed a few rounds of Gin Rummy. I even tried my luck in the casino—won some money one day, gave it back the next. We capped it off with the Showcase Production, which was fantastic.

While Freedom of the Seas wasn’t my favorite (especially after sailing on Utopia of the Seas the week before), we had some wonderful meals, including dinner one night at Giovanni’s

and made some awesome memories. Freedom isn’t a bad ship and definitely served her purpose: a much-needed break to refresh and recharge.