Our Non-Cruise Cruise

On August 10, after months of planning and anticipation, we left at 4 am to take off for our family cruise. With 100+ braids in the girls' hair, excitement was in the air. My parents were taking us, Jenny and Ryan and the cousins, and Grandma for a 4 night cruise; our girls flying for the first time. We boarded the airplane and waited anxiously for take-off...and waited some more. An hour later the pilot shared that we would not be leaving, as someone forgot to plug in a much-needed battery. 'Are you kidding me????' We think surely we will find another flight to Miami; it's 5:30 am. Nope. Luckily my parents bought cruise insurance and they footed the bill for us to stay at Great Wolf Lodge. The plan was to leave at 4:30 am, flying to Nassau to meet our ship. So day two, my birthday, we are getting our on-board passes and it asks to swipe our passports. That's when I knew...We would not be able to go. We had bought the girls passcards. The cards are cheaper and they work for land and sea travel, ie. Mexico, Canada, Caribbean but you can't fly to another country. Should have worked if we would have left via Miami. Honestly, writing this story and seeing these pictures still makes me sick. Our girls were bawling, Papa and Nana crying and running to the plane, I was wanting to throw up. Really, it was one of the worst moments in my life. HORRIBLE! Seeing my three girls being ripped apart from the family, NOT getting to go on the cruise they have been looking forward to for 6 months. The airlines did send us to Miami and put us in a hotel (vouchers they gave us were messed up and not what they told us) because Vince said "You are putting my kids on a flight SOMEWHERE!" All of the kids clothes were with my parents (or the other luggage that was currently lost), except for their swimsuits and cover-ups, which were in our carry-on. Note to parents: Always keep swimsuits in your carry-on. So to sum it all up: We paid almost $500 for a non-cruise cruise, no clothes, the ocean stung our bottoms, tears, pop-tarts (hotel breakfast was $125) and we were glad to be home.