This is really wordy, but it IS my journal too.
So we had the May Family cruise 2009 on March 30-April 3. It had been long anticipated. Planned as my Dad's birthday presents and as our Christmas gifts.
We were all prepared, shopped til we were exhausted for the perfect cruise attire, and saved all our cash for our Mexican souvenirs. Family had been flown in to watch kids and last minute medical emergencies adverted (thanks to our family friend, who is also a doctor! Thanks Sherilyn! I thought Olivia was getting a staph infection, Logan was getting bronchitis, and Callie had questions about the Dramamine patch, so we all called Sherilyn within a half hour of each other the night before we left.)
We left at 5 am for the airport. So far so good. When we arrived at the Long Beach airport we met up with Heidi and Ryan. They said that Ryan found out that his driver's licence was expired, but was able to get on the plane anyway. Whew!
We were all so stoked!
Then we waited for our vans that would take us to the ship. And we waited. And we waited.
This is the only picture I got of Heidi.
After about 2 hours we decided to take a couple taxi's. (We did get some nice pics with the palm trees. It was a beautiful day!)
When we arrived at the ship Casey and I got in line and continued through, but nobody else was coming. So we went back and Brandon told us that they won't let Heidi on because she is pregnant! We didn't believe him. It was true! The woman looked at her and said congrats, and asked if she was due in July, when Heidi said "Yes. Thanks! Here's my doctor's letter." the women said, "Well you can't go then. You can't go if you are over 24 weeks." (Heidi was 26 weeks.) And that was it. We tried everything. Having doctors fax letters with a different due date, and trying to have them call people higher up (which I don't think they really did.) It was unreal. 3 hours later we had to come to terms with it. Heidi and Ryan would not be coming with us. It was like they had died. We were all sobbing! I'm sure every one was staring. We had to board, and the cruise line said they would get Heidi and Ryan a flight home. So we left. In the mean time, they told Heidi that the new plan ticket would be $500, and they never even offered her anything to eat even though it was 5 pm and no one had eaten since the airplane at 8 am. They were completely incompassionate! Like machines without feeling! Unbelievable! Carnival Cruise Lines are the worst!
Needless to say it kind of killed all the excitement. We were pretty wiped out that night. But was tried to make the best of it for the rest of the cruise.
So this is our FIRST cruise. As told by my pictures:
This is our dinner that night.
And this is the two empty chairs at our table we had to see every night! (Heidi and Ryan were supposed to be in them.)
That night Ashley had a Titanic "moment"...
The next morning we were in Catalina. We got up an had breakfast then went to leave the ship. We found a line that wrapped around the stairs and up a floor and down the halls. Casey, Callie and Brandon didn't want to wait in line. It made me feel claustrophobic and I insisted that we wait, I needed off the ship. I was also feeling a little sea sick, I wanted some solid ground under my feet.
So this is Catalina:
I even snapped a picture of the "Baywatch" runners. It was funny! They were just running through town, in matching outfits....I thought it was funny.
That evening we stuffed ourselves with dad's favorite part of a cruise, SOFT SERVE ICECREAM! By the end of the cruise dad was able to stack his 7 layers!
The next day was at sea. So we played some games on the ship. Win lose or draw, sports trivia, and Casey and Brandon entered a free throw contest. No trophies in this family.
That evening we enjoyed some virgin drinks, gotta have the umbrella. And played our own version of bingo while waiting for a show to start.
The next morning we were in Ensanada, Mexico. We took a 3 hour tour and saw this building a winery, and some shops. We bought our Mexican vanilla and realized that we were close enough to walk back to the ship. (It was a weird tour.)
That evening we had our formal dinner. While getting ready Callie and Ashley realized they both matched. (Of course Callie used her robe! A little piece of home!)
The whole cruise dad just wanted to have a little quiet time an read a book. I think we all talk too much.
The next day we we back in Long Beach. Casey insisted on having breakfast, and left me with the bags and waiting in line to deboard! We had a few hours at the airport til the plane left so we ate lunch at the restaurant and just hung out. (Over all we spent more time at that airport than we did in Mexico. Crazy!)
So we had the May Family cruise 2009 on March 30-April 3. It had been long anticipated. Planned as my Dad's birthday presents and as our Christmas gifts.
We were all prepared, shopped til we were exhausted for the perfect cruise attire, and saved all our cash for our Mexican souvenirs. Family had been flown in to watch kids and last minute medical emergencies adverted (thanks to our family friend, who is also a doctor! Thanks Sherilyn! I thought Olivia was getting a staph infection, Logan was getting bronchitis, and Callie had questions about the Dramamine patch, so we all called Sherilyn within a half hour of each other the night before we left.)
We left at 5 am for the airport. So far so good. When we arrived at the Long Beach airport we met up with Heidi and Ryan. They said that Ryan found out that his driver's licence was expired, but was able to get on the plane anyway. Whew!
We were all so stoked!
Then we waited for our vans that would take us to the ship. And we waited. And we waited.
This is the only picture I got of Heidi.
After about 2 hours we decided to take a couple taxi's. (We did get some nice pics with the palm trees. It was a beautiful day!)
When we arrived at the ship Casey and I got in line and continued through, but nobody else was coming. So we went back and Brandon told us that they won't let Heidi on because she is pregnant! We didn't believe him. It was true! The woman looked at her and said congrats, and asked if she was due in July, when Heidi said "Yes. Thanks! Here's my doctor's letter." the women said, "Well you can't go then. You can't go if you are over 24 weeks." (Heidi was 26 weeks.) And that was it. We tried everything. Having doctors fax letters with a different due date, and trying to have them call people higher up (which I don't think they really did.) It was unreal. 3 hours later we had to come to terms with it. Heidi and Ryan would not be coming with us. It was like they had died. We were all sobbing! I'm sure every one was staring. We had to board, and the cruise line said they would get Heidi and Ryan a flight home. So we left. In the mean time, they told Heidi that the new plan ticket would be $500, and they never even offered her anything to eat even though it was 5 pm and no one had eaten since the airplane at 8 am. They were completely incompassionate! Like machines without feeling! Unbelievable! Carnival Cruise Lines are the worst!
Needless to say it kind of killed all the excitement. We were pretty wiped out that night. But was tried to make the best of it for the rest of the cruise.
So this is our FIRST cruise. As told by my pictures:
This is our dinner that night.
And this is the two empty chairs at our table we had to see every night! (Heidi and Ryan were supposed to be in them.)
That night Ashley had a Titanic "moment"...
The next morning we were in Catalina. We got up an had breakfast then went to leave the ship. We found a line that wrapped around the stairs and up a floor and down the halls. Casey, Callie and Brandon didn't want to wait in line. It made me feel claustrophobic and I insisted that we wait, I needed off the ship. I was also feeling a little sea sick, I wanted some solid ground under my feet.
So this is Catalina:
I even snapped a picture of the "Baywatch" runners. It was funny! They were just running through town, in matching outfits....I thought it was funny.
That evening we stuffed ourselves with dad's favorite part of a cruise, SOFT SERVE ICECREAM! By the end of the cruise dad was able to stack his 7 layers!
The next day was at sea. So we played some games on the ship. Win lose or draw, sports trivia, and Casey and Brandon entered a free throw contest. No trophies in this family.
That evening we enjoyed some virgin drinks, gotta have the umbrella. And played our own version of bingo while waiting for a show to start.
The next morning we were in Ensanada, Mexico. We took a 3 hour tour and saw this building a winery, and some shops. We bought our Mexican vanilla and realized that we were close enough to walk back to the ship. (It was a weird tour.)
That evening we had our formal dinner. While getting ready Callie and Ashley realized they both matched. (Of course Callie used her robe! A little piece of home!)
The whole cruise dad just wanted to have a little quiet time an read a book. I think we all talk too much.
The next day we we back in Long Beach. Casey insisted on having breakfast, and left me with the bags and waiting in line to deboard! We had a few hours at the airport til the plane left so we ate lunch at the restaurant and just hung out. (Over all we spent more time at that airport than we did in Mexico. Crazy!)
8 comments:
You got some great pictures! Despite the huge dissapointment it was still a lot of fun. That picture you got of Evelyn kills me.. too cute! Next time I'm at your house I am going to steal some pictures if you don't mind!
You have tons of great pictures!!I want some of the like the great "Robe" picture. I do love my robes!!! I glade we were able to have some fun together.
How horrible that Heidi couldn't go! Did they give her her money back?
Hey looks nice. Did you get Cohen and True's pictures done? Can't wait to see them. Your camera is so nice and you take really good pictures.
You took some great pics. but who is that crazy lady with her eyes closed, wilding a napkin? scarey!! I loved reading your text about the cruise. You all made it the best time. Those two chairs made me so sad. love ya; mom
Looks like so much fun/disappointment. That is so hard. Hopefully you will try to do it again. It can really be fun!
That is sad about your sister. The thing that gets me is how they tricked her. So not nice!
I'm glad you were able to make the best of very sad situation.
How fun! I am glad you guys were able to get away, just the two of you.
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