I went to Mexico!

justin in front of puerta maya sinage

I took my first trip out of the country in August of 2022 and it was a very enjoyable experience. I got my passport made a few years ago but never got the chance to make use of it until recently. The trip was a 5 day cruise on the Carnival Ecstasy sailing from Alabama headed for Cozumel and Progresso in Mexico.


Monday was the day we set sail and it was pretty exhilerating seeing the city fade away to just a small black line on the horizon. It was an odd day and I was having to calm my nerves for the first few hours on the boat because I had absolutely no clue where my suitcase was. The cabin staff were wheeling carts stacked with suitcases to cabins and leaving them at the door, so you could explore the boat while you waited for your bags to eventually show up at your room. That sounds great unless youre like me and get anxious about opportunistic individuals who see an unattended suitcase sitting outside a door in a hallway nobody else is in. I continued being anxious and started running across the ship like every 15 minutes checking to see if they delivered our bags. After running back and forth too many times to count, the were finally delivered and I had peace of mind for the rest of the day.

Tuesday was our first full day at sea. I really enjoyed the sea days because I would spend the majority of my time at the top of the ship taking in the absence of the hustle and bustle of being back on land. Thats what I came to enjoy the most during the trip, something about not seeing all the city infrastruture and hearing cars whizzing by was really theraputic for me. When I decided to be social, I ended up spending a lot of time in the 21+ area and met some fun people at the hot tubs! Interestingly, of the people I talked to in the hot tub that day, I walked away having had a more valuable conversation with people closer to my parents age. I met a woman from Saraland Alabama who told me of the many cruises that she sailed on and her descriptions resonated with me in a special way. It made me realize I really want to see more of the world while I have the time.

Wednesday morning we got the Cozumel and that meant it was time to go meet some dolphins! We got two excursions for the trip and the one for Wednesday was swimming and pictures with dolphins further in the city. I havent swam in years so I was nervous getting in the water even with my lifejacket on. After some aclimating (and encouragement from staff ) I had a great time and got to have fun with my new finned friend!

justin kissed by dolphin

Thursday had to be the highlight of my week.
The day started with the ship arriving at Progreso in Yucatán. Our excursion for this day was a tour of Merida city and a relaxing day at the beach with "endless" drinks and food( they may have been endless, but they were not quick). I enjoyed my time there, got some nice pictures, met some nice locals, and ate good food. However, our evening in the Starlight Lounge was what I had my sights set on.
Karaoke night.

Before this, all singing I have done has been only for myself. I enjoy singing but never really get the chance to perform for others. I also had a very strong drive to do my best becuase I made friends with a group of individuals (again, closer to my parents age than myself) that really enjoyed karaoke. I HAD to impress them and the friends I went on the trip with. So with some backup dancers, I sang my heart out to some Whitney Houston and i'll let you decide how I did.



Friday was the last full day at sea with not much to note other than more socializing with people from many corners of the country. As I walked the ship througout the day I was stopped by people complimenting me for my performance the previous night and I kinda felt like a celebrity. later that night, the ship had very exciting broadway style shows along with a hilarious comedy performance. I have to say, Carnival really made sure to make me miss the fun that I was having on the boat.

Saturday morning I said my final goodbyes to notable crew members and new friends as we landed. After waiting for what felt like an eternity we got back on Mobile soil and it was nice to be back on home turf. I know that my time on the cruise was short and also railroaded to optimize a tourist experice, but I still think that because of the cruise, I have found a new interest. Traveling is so refreshing and not only helped me answer questions of what it is I want to do after I graduate from college, but also given me another perspective of what its like to meet people from different cultures and learn from them. I have to say, I forsee much more time on the water in my future.