Houston....We Don’t Have a Problem

By: Susan NelsonNASA, Rockets, Oilers, and humidity step aside as Princess Cruises partners with the Port of Houston to create vacation memories of a lifetime. No matter the weather, the price of oil or not understanding the lady at the airline counter due to her very heavy Texan drawl, departing on a 7 night Western Caribbean Cruise on the gorgeous Caribbean Princess ship from Princess Cruises did not disappoint. When my hubby and I looked at each other 8 weeks prior to our cruise and said, “Um, our 20th anniversary is coming up. What do you want to do?” My spidey like Travel Agent senses kicked in looking for an experience where we could truly feel like we were escaping our Western life without the kids. Enter a flight to Houston-Bush Airport on Frontier Airlines and pre-cruise overnight stay at the Wingate by Wyndham. We chose the Wingate by Wyndham because of their late shuttle pick up time as our flight was coming in after 10pm. They were very accommodating and the rooms were very clean. They even shuttled us back to the airport to catch the extremely organized Princess Cruises shuttle to the Port of Houston.Not Galveston. Houston. Yes, it’s really there: Port of Houston

Not only is it really there, but when you show up in monsoon like conditions known only to remote island regions, Princess Cruises shuttles you to have lunch in the cute bay town while you wait for embarkation to begin.Princess Cruises offers multiple dining options. We chose Anytime Dining which granted us the flexibility of eating when we were hungry and because it was our anniversary week we had to dine at the exquisite Sabatini’s Italian Specialty Restaurant and Crowne Grill Steakhouse. Both divine.Upon arrival, we headed straight to the Lotus Spa to sign up for embarkation day specials. I can still taste the cucumber water that awaited me as I waited my treatments.Our Western Caribbean itinerary stopped at Cozumel, Mexico where we had pre-booked an ATV excursion to ride through the jungles of Mexico. Remember that monsoon? Apparently mud and ATV’s make for an exciting excursion (I may or may not have almost gotten stuck on a giant rock and almost flipped over). So exciting that afterwards we headed to a beach resort, stripped off the muddy shoes and socks and found solace in ocean waves.

The second stop was the Island of Roatan, Honduras. As the rain poured we were whisked off to our beach excursion/BBQ day wishing for an ark to appear. The people of Honduras were unwavering as we were served our very American hot dog lunch and after a round of drinks at the bar decided if the skies were going to pour we may as well submerge ourselves in the gorgeous waters of Honduras. Upon safe return to the port area I wanted plantains. When in Rome, eat as the Romans. I asked a gal in the gift shop if she knew of a place I could get them and as she quizzically looked at me while pulling out her cell phone she says, “You want local’s food? You want Mama’s.” I assumed Mama’s was the name of her mother. Um, no. Mama’s is the local “restaurant” where the folks of Roatan go for lunch. Fried chicken, fried plantains, and beans were ordered with this girl’s personal cell phone and apologies made as she explained Mama had already sold all her chicken for the day. Next time you’re in Roatan please tell Mama this red head says hello and that was the best plate of plantains known to man.  By the time we made it to Belize, the Caribbean skies had cleared and the sun was once again our friend as we made our way to the Altun Ha Mayan Ruins. One word, spectacular. We were met by a small market selling their wares and of course, fresh coconut and banana chips had to leave with us. Beware of young children holding baby crocodiles and asking to take pictures for money. We learned that the city of Belize will fine tour operators that encourage/allow patrons to interact with them.Three memorable ports, a gorgeous ship with unparalleled on board experiences including seeing World War Z (frightening!) at the huge “Movies Under the Stars” complete with popcorn and blanket service and the bartender at the Vines Wine Bar that knew our names and asked if we would like more complimentary sushi with our beverages truly made for an unforgettable vacation that I cannot wait for you to experience!Follow me on Facebook and contact me today for your complimentary, personalized quote. Because reading my adventures now makes us friends, mention this article for an extra gift from me when you book your vacation.Memories Await!-Susan N.susan@wishefamilytravel.com