💖 Proposed Holidays for Mum & Me 💖

Now, I have not found us return flights as we will not be flying back from Miami, but Orlando. Instead I booked the flights via a multi-city route. London to Miami then Orlando to London.

10am depart from London Gatwick, arriving at Miami International at 2:20pm local time.

Once we arrive and have our bags etc. we will make our way via Uber and check into the quirky Cavalier Hotel overlooking Miami Beach!

Ocean Drive

We will be awake pretty early for breakfast as we will have jetlag. I know we will be awake around 4-5am, but I think we should have breakfast out once things are open.
The hotel is located on a famous road called Ocean Drive, 10 minutes from the hotel by foot is a fantastic cafe called News Cafe where we can go for some breakfast. If that turns out to be undewhelming, I can just google maps for something around.

IF you trust the concept of me driving, quite conveniently there is a car hire point here… (I NEED TO GET MY LISCENSE UPDATED) on Avis we can hire a Ford Mustang Convertible and drive up and around Miami. (£99.40) (Hotel parking £20 a day, the car costs the same to rent for 1 or 2 days) (£119.20) It could work out cheaper than ubers to have a car, depending on how much we do.

If you don’t trust my left hand driving, or find the cost of parking is too much, we can just take Ubers.

We can explore Ocean Drive, we can visit Lummus Park and go shopping.

We can then take the 40 minute journey by car/Uber to CocoWalk and we can spend the day there!

We could go to Level 6 Rooftop or Regatta Grove for some lovely indoors-outdoors dining.

After breakfast, we can then take the 20 minute journey by car (or Uber) to:

The Museum of Ice Cream

Cost: $24 each for a basic ticket, $49 each for VIP tickets
(Parking $6) An Art Project/Museum where everything is pink, you can bathe in hundreds and thousands and enjoy ice cream (You must wear pink) – It’s really just for taking fun photos more than anything. Sadly the exhibit I want to see, OmegaMart, is on the other side of the country.

When we’re all ice creamed out, we can take a 20 minute walk (or 8 minute drive/Uber) to…

Bayfront Park

(parking $20) for a walk around there. Ride the wheel, take in the views, and visit the marketplace for dinner.

We will be really tired by about 7-8pm, so can head back to the hotel and hang out and relax on Ocean Drive. Though we’ll need to return the car by 6pm if we did hire one.

The Brightline train is a bullet train which goes directly from Miami to Orlando. It takes about 3 and half hours, and will take a large chunk of the day, but should give us some fun views along the way!

Brightline train cost: $118 – £59 per person

We will make our way and check into the Embassy Suites by Hilton in Downtown Orlando

Hotel cost for 1 night: £121

In the morning we will be travelling the hour journey by Uber from Orlando city centre to Port Canaveral, where the Adventure of The Seas will be waiting for us. The ship sets sail at 4pm on the dot, but we will need to go through security so we will arrive in good time!

Once aboard, we can explore the ship, take a few nice photos, lounge by the pools, soak up the unrelenting, shadless sun and have a nice meal at one of the ship’s restaurants, perhaps ending the night with one of the shows.

These will be a cruising days. I remember the entertainment on Royal Carribbean was very good, so we shouldn’t be bored.

Looking it up, there is so much to do – pool parties, dance classes, film nights, swimming, themed nights, classes, arcades, an adults only solarium, mini golf, wine tasting, rock climbing, parades to watch, ice skating, jewellery making, dancing, bubbly brunch, photo with the captain, cupcake and sushi making sessions and more.

However, I was thinking…. How does a Mummy-Daughter spa day at sea sound?

We can start the day off with the:

Sip, Tour Brunch ~ if I can afford it by July…

Then we can make our way to:

The Spa!

And between and after that, we can do as we please. Explore the ship or just relax if you’d prefer before dressing up for dinner at one of quite a few places:

This is assuming I can afford it… if not, there is plenty to do that doesn’t require a booking. You can read in the sun, I can spend an extortionate amount of money on some yoga class. I am crossing my fingers that royal carribbean is still running the Spa and Brunch 30% off offers by the time I get my next pay.

We can get ourselves some coffee and breakfast from somewhere on the ship, head back and get dressed in stylish, but practical, attire because…

At 1:45pm, we will disembark the ship to go on the:

The Panoramic Curaco Island Tour!
(You will NEED: Sunglasses and a Hat)

“See the essential landmarks and sights of Curacao’s colorful capital in comfort on a commentated bus tour. Learn about the island’s history and Dutch heritage as you take in the colonial-era fortress, harbor areas, elegant villas, distinctive waterfront mansions and more. Enjoy panoramic views and browse for souvenirs at a handcraft shop and taste the island’s signature spirit at a historic distillery. The scenic route includes spectacular harbor and city vistas from Queen Juliana Bridge.”

Up bright and early today! 7am start, because at 8:30am we will disembark the ship for our second shore excursion:

Aruba Sights, Scenes & Tastes
(You will need: Hat, Sunglasses and Closed Toe Shoes)

“Experience it all in Aruba as you enjoy a 3.5-hour panoramic bus drive that stops by natural landmarks, old gold ruins, the California Lighthouse for a local snack, plus Eagle Beach to capture the Fofoti Tree. You’ll first ride through Oranjestad, capital of the island nation, passing Dutch Colonial architecture and colorful cityscapes. Stand at the Natural Bridge, seeing how this coral limestone arch was shaped by powerful waves over the years. View the crumbling ruins of Bushiribana Gold Mill. Then behold California Lighthouse, stands as a silent sentry in the area known as “Hudishibana,” near the island’s northwestern tip. The lighthouse is named for the U.S ship – the California, which sunk about two years previous to its construction in 1910. Perched on a high seaside elevation, the lighthouse has become one of Aruba’s scenic trademarks and offers a picture perfect view of the island’s western coastline of sandy beaches, rolling sand dunes and rocky coral shorelines. Bite into a cheesy pastechi patty, a gouda-filled breakfast favorite with islanders, before heading to Eagle Beach. This tropical seascape, with its powder-white sands, bright turquoise waters and famous Fofoti Tree, makes for the perfect souvenir photo spot on the way back to the ship.”

We will actually be finished by around 12pm, if you want to rest we can. If I have some extra cash I might book us something on the ship… if not we can wing it.

At 11:30am we will dismebark for our third shore excursion:

Pedernales Scenic Drive and Beach Getaway with Lunch

“The indelible charm of the Dominican Republic comes to life on this captivating journey that fuses scenic beauty, cultural immersion, and a relaxing beach experience.”

• Begin your adventure with a warm welcome and a comfortable air-conditioned ride, as you relax and enjoy the unique cacti and desert views of Cabo Rojo.
• Journey to Pedernales, a town known for its laid-back atmosphere, picturesque main square, and rich Dominican-Haitian heritage.
• After taking a moment to explore, savor a delicious lunch at El Navio Restaurant, located right by the boardwalk. Choose from fresh fish dishes or indulge in a taste of the Dominican Republic’s famous paella.
• Don’t forget to capture some memorable photos with the colorful letters that adorn the boardwalk. After your meal, unwind on a comfortable lounge chair on the pristine beach, soak up the sun, and enjoy the beauty of the Caribbean Sea.
• As your time in paradise concludes, board your transportation and return to port with lasting memories and an appreciation for the unique beauty of Pedernales.”

Hear me out…

Now mum, this isn’t EXACTLY up your alley at first glance. This is basically a water park island, but from what I can tell there it is also just a stunning private island in the bahamas with over the water cabana huts and those bars where you’re in the pool while you order a drink.

There is an adults only section called Hideaway Beach, the private cabanas and just stunning views, which I have booked us entry to the private adults only beach ~~ I could not afford a cabana floating over the water, they literally cost more than the cruise. I am more than sure we can take pictures…..near one – I mean, who’s going to know from a photo? I won’t tell if you don’t!

We can come and go from the island at any time really, as long as we’re back in good time for when the ship sets sail. We can take today at our own pace.

We will dock in Orlando at 6am. We have to be out the room by 8am. I believe we will have disembarking groups, and I don’t know which one we will be in. If we’re lucky enough to get one of the later ones we could go to the Main Dining Room for free breakfast.

The rest of the day will be pretty boring, we can mull around Port Canarveral. If it’s really early, I can have a quick search at the time of anything in the area. We will have until 1pm here if we want to do anything in particular.

Now, we will have to be at Orlando International Airport by 2pm, which I believe is an hour drive from Port Canarveral!

We fly back to home from Orlando International Airport via Virgin Atlantic at 5pm!