The Cruise That Needed a Redo

Jess and I both grew up on modest vacations—think camping trips, coolers packed with food, lakeside nights under the stars. Those memories are golden, and we still love unplugging with a couple hundred bucks and a tent. But these days, our family’s idea of a getaway has evolved. We travel. We fly. And we cruise.

Every year, we try to take at least one cruise—usually five to seven nights—as our family vacation. Sometimes it's a familiar route, sometimes it's a new ship or new destination, but it’s become a tradition that the whole family looks forward to. Our kids get to see the world, meet new people, and step into cultures beyond their everyday life. Jess and I get just as much from the experience, maybe more. And we feel incredibly fortunate to be able to give this to our family.

California Calling

Earlier this year, we planned a celebratory cruise. Our son had just graduated high school, so we made it special—invited his girlfriend, loaded up the car, and drove to California. None of the kids had been to California, and it had been decades since Jess and I had visited.

We set sail on a five-night cruise aboard the Carnival Firenze, leaving out of the Long Beach port. The itinerary included Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, with a couple of sea days. In Cabo, we splurged on a day pass to an all-inclusive resort (Solmar Resort Cabo, San Lucas)—fresh sushi, ceviche, tacos, cocktails. It was $109 per person and worth every penny.  The food was world-class, the drinks flowed, and for a moment, it was everything you dream a cruise stop will be. My son, newly 18, got to have a legal drink in Mexico, and we all enjoyed a few cold ones poolside.

Then Came Ensenada

That night, I didn’t feel great. I figured I’d overdone it with the drinks, but the next day I still felt run down. We pushed through and explored Ensenada anyway, starting with one of the top culinary stops in the world—La Guerrerense, the same food stand Anthony Bourdain once named a must-visit. For about $10–15 a person, we devoured incredible seafood tostadas: clams, sea urchin, and this unforgettable peanut-chili oil that took everything to the next level.

Turns out, Ensenada is an underrated gem. It’s an industrial fishing port, sure—but the charm is there. We hit up a pharmacy for a few essentials, had a sit-down meal for the entire group (under $90), and wandered the street markets where my son discovered his talent for haggling. We left with churros, elote, souvenirs, and smiles.

The Crash Landing

We drove back to New Mexico with a one-night stop in Phoenix, and I hit a wall just outside of Albuquerque. Jess had to take over driving. I was completely wiped. When we got home, Jess took a COVID test and sure enough, it was positive. No wonder I’d felt off for most of the cruise.

And listen, the trip wasn’t ruined—but it was… disappointing. You wait months, sometimes a year or more, counting down the days, paying things off piece by piece. Everyone in the family is excited, tracking the calendar. To finally get there and not feel well? It was a gut punch.

I told Jess the moment we got home: I needed a redo.

Enter: Quantum

A few weeks later, I spotted a deal I couldn’t pass up—Royal Caribbean’s Quantum of the Seas sailing out of LA. I’ve had my eye on the Quantum for a while, mostly for Alaskan cruises, but Royal moved her to LA recently. I jumped on it.

This will be a six-night cruise—our first of that length—and it includes something totally new: an overnight in Cabo. That’s a huge win. We’ll get the chance to actually enjoy a full evening in town, no rushing back to the ship. It also includes another stop in Ensenada, which we’re now genuinely looking forward to.

If you’re not familiar with the Quantum class, it was designed for colder weather cruising. Tons of indoor spaces, big panoramic windows, and a massive, enclosed solarium at the bow of the ship with a three-tier pool overlooking the sea. It’s meant for glacier views, but I have a feeling it’ll be just as beautiful cruising down the Mexican Riviera.

The ship itself is loaded with amenities: bumper cars, skydiving simulator, North Star viewing pod, surfing, and plenty of family spaces. Jess and I are stoked. The kids are stoked. This time, I’m determined to be 100% healthy, fully present, and soaking in every moment.

Train of Thought

We’re switching up our travel method, too. Instead of driving, we’re boarding the train.

We’ll catch the Rail Runner right near home in Rio Rancho, ride it down to the Albuquerque Amtrak station (Alvarado Transportation Center), and from there, take the Southwest Chief overnight to Union Station in LA. It’s about a 17.5-hour ride, but honestly, that’s only a few hours more than driving once you factor in stops. This way, we get to relax, grab drinks at the bar, enjoy the views, and just unwind.

We’ve got a rental car waiting for us in LA, staying the night, and then dropping the car off at the port before we cruise. On the way back? We’ll grab another rental, explore LA for the day (maybe Huntington or Newport Beach), grab lunch, and head back to Union Station for our evening train home.

None of us have done an Amtrak trip before, so this is a new adventure for the whole crew. New ship, new travel mode, new way of vacationing.

Final Thoughts

The last cruise didn’t go the way I hoped. But that’s life. Not every trip’s going to be perfect—but every trip is a chance to try again, to learn something new, to see something you haven’t seen before.

This one’s our redo.
This one’s our recharge.

And we can’t wait to take you along for the ride. We will have lots to report on this trip on our YouTube channel when we return. 

– Bob