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Meaningful Travel: A Crash Course in Cruising with the Family #ComeBackNew

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October 9, 2014

Anyone who knows me knows that travel is my true passion. My parents were active travelers and took it upon themselves to introduce my sister and I to a world outside of our own, and that drive is something deep seated in me. Like my parents, I want my children to experience this world — meet new people, connect with nature, and engage with different cultures. Travel is an amazing way to enrich our lives, learn, and grow.

This past summer, our family took a deep breath, packed up our iPads, and took an overnight flight to Europe. We landed in Athens just in time to take a ferry to a small island in the Agean Sea — Sifnos, to be exact. Something magical happened on that boat; my husband surrendered to the the idea of being 11 hours outside of our time zone and shut down his email for the first time in his life.

Athens was definitely another world away from home. New language, alphabet, and intense summer heat. But it was that ferry ride that signaled a break from the urban experience. For two weeks we camped out on the tiny island with no agenda, no real plans, and had one of the greatest times of our lives. We met friendly people, experienced a new culture, ate amazing local cuisine prepared by very proud people who eagerly shared their recipes with us. The kids roamed the island beaches like locals, swam for hours on end, and met a new adventure every day.

When Princess Cruises came knocking on our door with an interest in reaching parents who were “meaningful travelers” — I quickly raised my hand to learn more. I immediately connected with the notion of a meaningful traveler. It described my travel persona to a tee. And the opportunity to take my family on a cruise was powerfully tempting since I’ve never been on a cruise before. I wanted in!

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So over the next few weeks, I’ll be reporting back with what it’s like to cruise with my kids through the Caribbean in search of an authentic, relaxing and meaningful family experience. My goal is to share an insider’s perspective on the entire experience with people who have never considered a cruise. We’ve signed up for expeditions and will report back on them along with the food, the spa, the rooms, hospitality and more. I’m hoping being on a boat again will induce the same level of relaxation and surrender that gave my husband the best few weeks of his adult life. We shall see.

Feel free to follow our adventure as we head off to Ft. Lauderdale on October 11th. We’ll be sharing our experience “live” on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter as well as on our site. Follow the hashtag #comebacknew for updates on our adventure.

Let us know what questions you’ve got about cruising and I’ll give you my perspective on it in the comments. Or share your cruising tips with us below and use the rafflecopter widget to share the article, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win $100 from SocialMoms! Let the adventure begin!

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