Weekend Cruise to Bahamas, Day 2

About 8 years ago, I went on a 4 day cruise to the Bahamas and I enjoyed it. However, after coming back I concluded that I would rather spend 4 full days in an island instead of just a few hours in each port. Since my priorities have changed so much, I now consider cruising a great option for traveling with kids. There are many things to do, food options just in case you have a picky eater like my daughter, a child care center (for kids older than 3) and when you get to a port you only need to bring the basics for the day. 

Our plan for the day was to spend the day at the beach at the Atlantis Resort. I had been there before but I wanted to return. My friend had never been there and Emma loves the beach. We paid $10 for the taxi from the port and $69 each (Emma was free) for the beach/hotel access and lunch. Emma absolutely loved the paradise lagoon inside the resort, she didn't want to go anywhere else. I wanted to go to the beach at least to see it but it was almost Emma's nap time and then it was time to go back to the ship. Having a stroller was not easy around the outdoor areas of the hotel; the ramps were far and the elevators sometimes didn't work. This was a relaxing day and I loved every minute.  

Paradise Lagoon

We took a taxi back to the port for $4 per person, we shopped for some souvenirs and rum cake in a store close to the port and headed back to the ship. We decided that we wanted to go to the sit down restaurant that night. The food was good and the service was great. However, the "difficult hour" of the day for a kid is typically around dinner time. I have to confess that thanks to YouTube and Baby Einstein videos I can eat dinner many nights. I had my ipad but with no internet connection I was not fully prepared to keep Emma entertained for that long. She didn't eat anything for dinner except a few pieces of banana. We went to bed early again and this was basically the end of our cruise. The next morning, we woke up in Miami and we needed to be out of our room by 7:00 AM. We stayed a little longer, until around 8:00 AM. On our way back to Tampa, I upgraded to first class for $45 and it was a completely different travel experience. I was exhausted by the time I came home; nonetheless, I was proud of Emma for being such a good traveler and of myself for traveling alone with her.

Weekend Cruise to Nassau Day 1

What does a girl do when her husband can't come on a cruise? She calls a friend (me), and asks her to come. When my friend asked me if I wanted to take her husband's place in a 2 night cruise to Bahamas I said YES. I only had one request: I had to come with Emma. At the time, I had never spent a night away from her. Also, this was the perfect opportunity to start taking long weekend trips with Emma. Emma and I were lucky that my friend had reserved a balcony stateroom in the MSC Divina and we had plenty of room for the 3 of us. Since we went to bed early, it was nice to have a good view from our room. 

We flew from Tampa to Miami on Friday afternoon and the cruise sailed for Bahamas Saturday at around 7:00 PM; just before sunset. As the cruise departed, there was a live latin band playing salsa, merengue and reggaeton. Emma was enjoying the music and she was running around the deck. I was running behind her, trying to eat a slice of pizza as my dinner and enjoying the music. The good thing about her new found energy is that she is sleeping the whole night.  

Sunset over South Beach's skyline

We all went to bed early and our plan was to disembark in Nassau as early as possible. 

Pre-boarding privileges

Last weekend, I took Emma with me and a friend to the Bahamas. It was a short cruise from Miami and I decided that it was easier to fly there. Emma still hates the car seat and our only flight experience last summer was great. I got my plane ticket on American Airlines, packed our bags, checked in the car seat and headed for security feeling like super mom. I managed that part like a pro. I folded the stroller, took my shoes off, made Emma stand next to me while I passed her diaper bag, the stroller, the bin with my shoes, and my camera bag (I know, I shouldn't have). I carried her, walked through the metal detector and collected everything again. I got her bottles tested by a TSA agent (no big deal) and continued to our gate. We ate a quick lunch and she walked the whole terminal. When it was time to board, I was already exhausted. I assumed that we were going to board after first class or worst case after group one. I had a group 3 boarding pass but I didn't really worry about it until it was time to board and nobody called for families. When I approached a gate agent, he informed me that American no longer allowed families to pre-board. He wasn't even nice. I had to wait until half the airplane boarded before we could go in. I had to fold and turn the stroller at the gate which requires both hands, watch that Emma wouldn't run, carry the bags hoping for available overhead space. I'm lucky that Emma now walks and she walked (slowly) towards our seat. The people behind us were not too patient, but a 28 pound toddler is a lot to carry for me these days. It would have been a more complicated situation with an infant. The flight was perfect. Emma loves to fly, she doesn't even cry. The trick is to give her a pacifier or something to drink for her ears. 

I started to check online to see if my good experience with Southwest was only to be expected from Southwest. I contacted AA on Twitter and they responded; at the beginning not very helpful and I finally made my point that they need to improve their service. I hope that they do change this policy. I understand that children that are older don't need help, but those with infants or traveling with a stroller need more time.  I read that Southwest, Delta, jetBlue, Alaska and Virgin still allow families with small children to pre-board. However, American and United do not. I'm planning to use all of our miles on a few flights and stop accumulating them with American. I find it the worst airline of all. Their airplanes are old and their service is not great. I stay loyal only because the milage program is the best. I am a loyal AA member and I am very sad that now that I am a parent I do not get a few more minutes to make the travel experience more comfortable. I didn't know how much work it was to travel with a child. I do not want to stop traveling and from now on, I will have to travel with those airlines who treat families well. Needless to say, I was not looking forward to our return flight. I upgraded to first class on our way back. It was the best $45 that I ever spent. We had leg room and we boarded first. I'm happy to say that Emma and I made it though a long weekend trip alone. She is my travel buddy now and I am SO proud of her.  I will upload pictures from the cruise soon. 

Favorite places in Miami, Part 2

Miami is probably one of my favorite Cities in the US. I created this post and part one to help a friend plan an upcoming trip to the City of Sun. Miami is more than just the main port to the caribbean. 

Downtown is referred as the area north of the Miami river. Brickell, the financial district, is located south of the river. The most beautiful hotel that I've ever stayed, the Viceroy, is located in Brickell. I can't wait to return to their Spa and pool. I stayed there with my best friends for my Bachelorette weekend. You can see the pictures from that weekend here. Brickell key is a small island of Brickell with mostly luxury residential buildings and the Mandarin Oriental Hotel. The metrorail or a $5 dollar taxi connects the areas. 

Viceroy's Pool

Brickell Key from Brickell

the Spa @ the Viceroy Hotel

The best about staying in Downtown is that the newest hotels and restaurants are located in this area. If you don't know where to go, head to Mary Brickell Village. Within a few blocks there are several stores, bars, coffee shops, and restaurants. My favorite bars in the area are Baru, Segafredo, Blue Martini, and Kukaramakara. There are many options within walking distance. If you are staying on South Beach and want to go out in downtown a taxi will probably cost $30 each way.

Segafredo Brickell

Drinks and Sushi @ Kyma

The most popular tourist area in downtown is probably Bayside Market Place, Bayfront Park, and the American Airlines Arena. There is a water taxi stop at Bayside. I've never taken the water taxi. Maybe on another trip to Miami I will take it towards South Beach.

Biscayne Bay from Bayside Market Place

Bayside Market Place 

There are many hotel options all over the City. Since I always stay for one night or two I like to stay in south beach or Brickell. Other nice areas are Coconut Grove, Key Biscayne, North Miami Beach, and Sunny Isles. Ft lauderdale is another great option and it is only 20 minutes north of Miami. If you need help deciding where to stay let me know and maybe I can help.

Favorite Places in Miami, Part 1

Miami has countless things to see and do. Most people go to Miami for the beautiful white sand beaches, shopping sprees, and for the nightlife. I spent many weekends in my 20's enjoying Miami. Lately I've been lazy about the drive but once I'm there I always have a good time. I considered moving there several years ago. I still consider it an option if I ever move out of Tampa. I looked for pictures from old trips and I have so many that I need to split this post into 2 parts: South beach and Downtown. 

South Beach

South Beach or SoBe is the southern most beach in Miami Beach. South Beach is famous for the topless sunbathers, the architecture, and the nightlife. It goes from 1st street until around 22nd street. I'm not a big fan of Ocean Drive except for the Art Deco buildings and seeing the Versace mansion. I really recommend not going to Ocean Drive at night. It's safe, but I consider it a bit too touristy for my taste with boas and wild birds on the street for pictures. I do love having breakfast on Ocean Drive at News Cafe which is open 24 hours. Most clubs close at 5:00 AM and it is very convenient after a night of dancing.

I rather stay north of 16th street. The most glamorous hotels in the area are the Delano, the ShoreClub, the Ritz Carlton, the Setai, and the W. There are many price options in South Beach from budget hotels to the most beautiful boutique hotels. Most of these hotels have nice bars to start the night where you can go even if you are not a guest. After a few drinks you can head out to another place. If you are staying at a hotel in the area, ask the concierge to provide wrist bands for night clubs or to at least put you on a guest list. Otherwise, the bouncers are tough to get through and you will be asked to buy a bottle or maybe not even allowed to get in. Also, the dress code is very strict in most night clubs. A black dress and heels for women and a simple button down shirt and nice jeans for guys will do it. Forget about wearing flip flops or sneakers at night. Leave the casual wear for the beach. Most places love to have a reputation of being the "most exclusive" or to have the "tighest door policy", so be ready to look your best.

South Beach, Miami

The Pool at the ShoreClub Hotel

Fun nights with friends in South Beach

South Beach

Most restaurants and bars are trendy for a while. Some of the places that I've been no longer exist. Mynt Lounge has been popular for at least 5 years. I'm lucky to have friends that live there and take me to new places all the time. The only place that I keep going back during the day is Nikki Beach. They make the best mojitos in Miami and the brunch on Sundays is amazing. They always have a DJ playing and the lounge beds are perfect for a day in the sun. 

Mojitos @ Nikki Beach

Champagne Bottles Celebration

Parking in South Beach is hard to find. Most hotels charge approximately $30 per day for parking. The best option is to walk or take taxis instead of trying to find a new parking spot. A taxi from the airport is probably at least $40 each way. However, having a car will let you explore the rest of the city.

Photo Credit: www.southbeach-usa.com

Lincoln Road

Lincoln Road is practically part of south beach and this is probably my favorite place in Miami. Lincoln Road is a pedestrian street between Alton Road and Washington Avenue. There are several unique stores, art galleries, movie theaters, hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes. There is even a church in the middle of Lincoln Road. Most restaurants have indoor and outdoor seating and offer late night dinner. Also, stores are usually open until midnight. The best part about Lincoln Road: people watching. My favorite itinerary (day or night) will include  visiting the Romero Britto gallery, Segafredo for coffee or drinks, and Nexxt for dinner. 

Dessert @ Nexxt

Segafredo Lincoln Road

Dogs and clothes in a Lincoln Road Store

Photo Credit: www.lincolnroad.net

Weekend in Miami, Day 2

After a fun night we had a hard time getting out of bed. My plan was to have lunch in South Beach, and window shop on Lincoln Road. However, we were not feeling so well this day. We never go out dancing, and we are definitely getting old. We had a late breakfast at the hotel and we went to see one of my childhood friends in Downtown. We didn't even feel like relaxing at the beautiful pool in her building. We parked at the meters by the Intercontinental hotel and walked one block to her building. That is where I took the pictures of Biscayne bay. 

Chopin Plaza

Bayfront Park getting ready for ULTRA 2012

Coolest Lounge Chairs

A pool with a sculpture is a perfect example of Miami Style

Brickell Key from the pool

Nap Time?

After the short visit, it was time for lunch.  Our last stop in Miami was at La Carreta, a great cuban restaurant. There are 8 locations in Miami including one in the AmericanAirlines terminal at Miami International Airport. The one at the airport is fast food style, so the quality of the sit down restaurants is a lot better. 

After a delicious cuban lunch we drove back to Tampa. Weekends are never long enough and they are even shorter when there are so many things to do.  I am sure that we will be back to Miami soon and on my next trip I will take more pictures. I promised a friend to write about my favorite places in Miami for her upcoming trip. I will find some old pictures and do a long post about it.

Weekend in Miami, Day 1

Miami is a 4 hour drive from Tampa. We were lazy and decided to drive Saturday morning instead of Friday night. The reason for the trip was a Juan Luis Guerra concert at the AmericanAirlines Arena. I reserved a hotel room at the Marriott in downtown Miami. This hotel is within walking distance to the arena and a short taxi ride from the club where we were planning to go after the concert. I really wanted to stay at the Viceroy again specially because they have the best pool that I've ever seen. However, spring break and the upcoming Sony Ericsson Open, Ultra Music Festival, and the Winter Music Conference had hotel room prices in Miami extremely high. 

We drove with another friend from Tampa. It is always nice to have as many people as possible in the car for the long ride. I felt that it was a shorter drive just because we didn't stop talking. We dropped her off at her sister’s place in Miami. We were going to meet them at the concert later that night. Andre and I headed to one of my favorite restaurants in Miami where he had never been. The Knife is an Argentinean style steak house that is also affordable. We payed $25.75 each for an all you can eat style meat grill (parrilla) and a great salad bar. The price includes one bottle of wine per person (or 2 beers) and one dessert from the menu. I started going to this place about 11 years ago and I still like it. The price varies from lunch to dinner and between weekends and weekdays. We didn’t order 2 bottles of wine because we still had to drive to our hotel. The one bottle that we had was really good. For dessert I ordered the dulce de leche crepe and Andre was too full for anything other than ice cream. Andre was so happy with his meal that he said he would consider moving to Miami just because of the knife. 

After our large lunch we headed to the Marriott in Biscayne Bay. We had a very nice room with partial bay view. We decided to walk towards the arena and start the night without worrying about our car. We met with our 2 friends inside and had an amazing time at the Juan Luis Guerra concert. You can read all about the concert here. 

The view from our room

Biscayne Bay from our room

Downtown Miami

After the concert, it was time to party Colombian style. There is a club that is originally from Cali that was so successful that they opened in 2 more cities in Colombia and one in Miami. I love this place, Kukaramakara, because you dance with a live band instead of a DJ all night long. We completely underestimated St. Patrick’s day. I really thought that nobody cared about this day in Miami. We were in the car for at least 1 hour because of traffic when normally that drive takes 10 minutes or less. Finding a parking spot was another challenge that night. We finally made it and we got a small table close to the stage. The 4 of us ordered a bottle of Aguardiente and danced the night away. 

Andre and I left at around 4:00 AM and took a taxi to the hotel. Considering that most clubs close at 5:00 AM, we left early. We were exhausted after a long day and were ready for bed. Kukaramakara was a lot of fun. I would love to go back on our next trip to Miami.