David and Jeff's 10th Anniversary Cruise

Hello! While you are certainly not obligated to join us on any or all of these, we have selected some shore excursions that we will be taking part in during our cruise. Here is what we have booked in each port:

Puerto Costa Maya, Mexico (Day 3) – Chacchoben Mayan Ruins

Belize City, Belize (Day 4) – Calypso Train Tour (12pm excursion)

Roatan, Honduras (Day 5) – Sol y Mar All Inclusive Beach Escape

Cozumel, Mexico (Day 6) – Jade Caverns by ATV (Single-Driver)

There is a Black Friday sale on all excursions at the moment, as well as on the drink packages. Remember that if you purchase any items and the price ends up going down, you can cancel and re-book to get the lower price.

When 15 drinks per day is not quite enough…

Those of you that joined us for our wedding cruise with Carnival may have heard stories about this. More than one of our fellow cruisers found out that the “unlimited” drink package on Carnival was not, in fact, unlimited. Well, no such worries with Royal Caribbean! The drink packages are truly unlimited, and they offer a wide variety of premium options. So, if you’ll be joining us at the Schooner Bar or by one of the pools with a beverage in hand, a drink package will make sense if you plan to enjoy more than about four drinks per day. Details on the different packages can be found here:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/booked/beverage-packages

At first glance, the price for the Deluxe Beverage Package may seem a bit high ($100 or more per day) and is almost as much as the cruise fare itself. Please don’t pay that much! After you have booked your cruise, please download the Royal Caribbean app on your phone and be sure that notifications are enabled. Then, be on the lookout for sale alerts like this:

The exact discount will vary based on the promotion, but we were able to book our drink packages for 40% off several weeks back. The good news is that if you book the drink package and then a better deal comes along, you can cancel your previous purchase for a full refund and re-purchase the drink package again for the better price! This also holds true for any other pre-cruise purchases including shore excursions and specialty dining, which we will cover in the next blog post.

Also, we have now secured a block of hotel rooms at the Home2 Suites Tampa Downtown Channel District, which offers a complimentary shuttle to the cruise terminal. These are queen bed rooms with a kitchenette and sleeper sofa. Other room types are available, and this hotel is connected to a Hampton Inn, which also has several other room type options. Reservations and hotel information can be found here:

Home2 Suites Reservation Link – Group Code CHT90K

Thanks for reading and stay tuned for another blog post soon!

Hello! Thank you to those of you who have booked so far to join us on our 10th anniversary cruise vacation. If you will be flying to Tampa, as we are, it is recommended that you arrive the day before the cruise (Friday, June 12) to allow for any travel disruptions. We will be staying at the Home2 Suites Tampa Downtown Channel District, which offers a complimentary shuttle to the cruise terminal. Reservations and hotel information can be found here:

https://www.hilton.com/en/hotels/tpadbht-home2-suites-tampa-downtown-channel-district/

(Note that we are WAY ahead of the game here, so rooms have not yet been opened up for reservations. It’s expected that the rooms will be posted for booking in the next month or so, and we will let you know on this blog once they are available.)

If you are driving and wish to park at the cruise terminal, information can be found here. Parking is much cheaper at the port than at the hotel, so if you are going to drive in the night before and stay at the hotel, it would be more cost-effective to drive to the port to park on embarkation day. The port address, parking rates, and additional information can be found here:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/faq/questions/driving-directions-port-tampa-florida

We have been asked about whether passports are required for this voyage. The short answer is: no! However, they are strongly recommended. A birth certificate is acceptable as the cruise departs from and returns to the same port in the United States, as long as the name matches your other identifying documents exactly. More information can be found here:

https://www.royalcaribbean.com/plan-a-cruise/travel-documents

To book your cruise, please reach out to:

Kristin O’Brien
Travel Planner Affiliated with
MEI & Mouse Fan Travel

p: (516) 387-2510

m: (917) 282-4695

w: https://mei-travel.com/kristin.obrien

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9 AM – 4 PM

Each cabin will receive a $50 onboard credit attached to their folio as a “thank you” from our agent. You do not pay anything extra over Royal Caribbean’s direct prices.

Hello! On June 18, 2016, we were married in Jacksonville, FL on the beautiful Carnival Elation. The ceremony and reception were a dream come true and we had the pleasure of having 17 friends and family stay on the ship after the ceremony for our cruise to the Bahamas and Half Moon Cay. As we’ve reminisced with friends and family, and made new friends over these past nine years, two common responses keep popping up:

“I wish we could have been there!”

“I wish we could do that again!”

Here’s your chance! For our 10th anniversary next year, we will be taking a seven-day cruise from Tampa on the Royal Caribbean Enchantment of the Seas departing Saturday, June 13. The ship will stop in Costa Maya and Cozumel in Mexico, Belize City in Belize, and Roatan in Honduras. We have reserved a block of rooms and have a travel agent ready to help you book your cruise with us. The details are as follows:

RCCL Enchantment of the Seas
Embark: June 13, 2026
Disembark: June 20, 2026

ITINERARY:

Saturday: Tampa, Florida
Sunday: Cruising
Monday: Costa Maya, Mexico
Tuesday: Belize City, Belize
Wednesday: Roatan, Honduras
Thursday: Cozumel, Mexico
Friday: Cruising
Saturday: Tampa, Florida

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Inside cabins are $1700.54 ($850.27 per person) for double occupancy.

The special group rate is available for double occupancy cabins; anyone needing other occupancy options, or who would like to upgrade to a balcony or suite, our agent will be more than happy to assist you to find you your perfect cabin.

In order to secure a cabin, it will require a $500 deposit per cabin, and final payment is due by March 15, 2026. The deposit is fully refundable until the final payment date.

Each cabin will receive a $50 onboard credit attached to their folio as a “thank you” from our agent. You do not pay anything extra for her help over Royal Caribbean’s direct prices and she has been amazing to work with.

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Our agent is:

Kristin O’Brien
Travel Planner Affiliated with
MEI & Mouse Fan Travel

p: (516) 387-2510

m: (917) 282-4695

w: https://mei-travel.com/kristin.obrien

Office Hours: Monday – Friday 9 AM – 4 PM

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This will be the first of several posts regarding our anniversary cruise. We will try to post at least monthly with updates on planning, shore excursions, travel to the port, dining options, and beverages.