I must admit that the idea of cruise has never sounded appealing to me.  My overly sensitive stomach has never comported with the sea, which could very well be the real reason I’ve steered clear from such a trip in the past.  Also, I always assumed that such a trip would get boring very quickly.  I mean, I don’t care how big the boat is…You’re still confined to a boat.  Am I right?

Anyway, the idea for the trip was sparked by my desire to have a trip with my immediate family.  It’s been ages since I’ve gone on a vacation with my parents and my sister.  We batted a few ideas around for a while, but nothing seemed to click.  The question we were all struggling with was as follows:  What trip could we take that would require minimal planning and ensure it catered to everyone’s needs?  6 people = 6 different personalities with 6 different expectations.  Ugh, just thinking about it made me cringe.

A cruise excursion was then suggested to which I reluctantly said yes.  However, the more I thought about it, the more it seemed to be the perfect solution.  I mean, the itinerary was already mapped out and the activities were diverse and already built into the trip.  Jackpot!  My parents loved their cruise experiences from the past so they were instantly excited by the prospect of another.  My sister would take the lead (along with her husband) on doing the research.  We ultimately settled upon a 7 day cruise via the Holland America Line, on the MS Westerdam. continue reading »