After a couple of glorious days soaking up the sunshine at Ocean Cay, we were looking forward to our final port of call, Nassau! We had recommendations to visit Blue Lagoon Island, and when I discovered there was a sale on the dolphin encounters, it was an easy yes! What I hadn't realized when booking was that we would need to be at our meeting spot by 7:30 a.m. Now, my girls are not exactly early risers, and after a late night of fun the evening before, this was not their ideal way to start the day. But somehow, we managed to get everyone up, ready, and to our meeting spot a few minutes early. That alone felt like an accomplishment!
Unfortunately, we soon learned there had been a death aboard the ship the night before. Before anyone could disembark, local authorities needed to complete their procedures. MSC kept us informed, but we ended up waiting in the auditorium for about an hour and a half. The kids eventually resorted to stretching out across the rows on the floor for a nap, using their towels as blankets. There may or may not be photographic evidence of this, but I have been firmly informed that those pictures are not allowed on the blog!
It certainly wasn't the start to the day we had hoped for. Still, knowing the reason for the delay put our inconvenience into perspective. Somewhere, a family was facing a heartbreaking loss, and our disrupted plans seemed pretty insignificant in comparison. Once we were finally cleared to leave, we made our way outside and boarded a smaller boat for the ride to Blue Lagoon Island. Thankfully, it was a beautiful day, and our excitement quickly returned as we headed across the gorgeous blue water.
When we arrived, we went straight to the dolphin encounter area since our group was scheduled first. While we waited, we got to watch the dolphins doing some incredible jumps and tricks. I was already feeling a little giddy just watching them, so you can imagine how excited I was when it was finally our turn to get into the water!
We were able to pet the dolphin along its back and belly, give it a hug, and even hold its fins.
Clearly I am slightly expressive.
He made a loud unexpected noise at Ezra.
We weren't allowed to take our own pictures during the encounter, but the professional photos turned out so well that we decided to purchase them. I'm so glad we did!
We even got an incredible family picture with the dolphin, which made the experience that much sweeter.
This was definitely the highlight of our entire cruise, and something I would highly recommend! Afterward, we headed over to see the sealions, but they were busy at the time, so we decided to grab some lunch instead.
Thankfully, lunch was included in our excursion package, which made things easy.
Then it was time for the water park!
We had about an hour left, and we made the most of every minute. There was plenty of laughter, climbing, slipping, and trying to figure out how to get ourselves back up onto the obstacles.
Zoe and I even ended up helping a few other people who were having trouble getting back up on their own. It turned out to be so much fun, and I was glad I hadn't decided to sit that one out!
Before we knew it, our time was up and we needed to head back.
The excursion did feel a little rushed, especially since our time on the island had been shortened by the delay that morning. I would have loved more time to explore and enjoy everything, but I was so thankful we had still been able to experience the dolphin encounter and water park.
(Although they didn't communicate to us about this...we did get a little money back for having our time cut short. I do appreciate that we did not say anything about it but they took that initiative.) Once we were back in Nassau, we didn't have much time to spare, but we managed to pop into a few shops before heading back to the ship.
Afternoon naps for everyone!
Once I woke up, I headed to the buffet for a little snack. One of the many perks of cruising is that there always seems to be something delicious waiting somewhere!
That evening was our final dinner aboard the ship, and the theme was Italian Night.
The waiters put on a fun performance, dancing throughout the dining room, and the girls even joined in on the action!
After dinner, we headed to our final show, which featured a variety of the incredible performances and entertainment we had enjoyed throughout the cruise.
It was a fun way to wrap up all the shows we had seen over the past few days.
Of course, we squeezed in a few more pictures along the way!
But the night wasn't over just yet.
The final party was called the Sunshine Party, held inside the atrium, with music and a theme celebrating the '60s, '70s, and '80s.
The final party was called the Sunshine Party, held inside the atrium, with music and a theme celebrating the '60s, '70s, and '80s.
I put on my dress and headed out to dance with my girls!
It turned into another fun evening of music, laughter, and making memories together. I loved that there were so many opportunities throughout the cruise for us to enjoy things as a family, even with teenagers.
The next morning came all too quickly. We got up early for one last breakfast, enjoying the beautiful sunrise from the back of the ship as we waited for our disembarkment.
With the health challenges leading up to our departure, there had been a very real possibility that we wouldn't go at all. And yet, here we were, wrapping up four days filled with beautiful places, new experiences, incredible entertainment, plenty of laughter, and memories I know we'll treasure.
Not everything had gone perfectly, including some tears along the way, but I am so thankful the Lord gave us the strength and opportunity to take this adventure. Our first family cruise turned out to be such a wonderful experience, and I may be already planning the next one!
Farewell, MSC! Thanks for the memories!
Farewell, MSC! Thanks for the memories!
