https://www.facebook.com/1037374089467073/

Lomax Family Travel, 1995 N Harbour Drive, Noblesville, IN (2026)

08/31/2026

We are back and it’s hotter than St Maarten here in Indiana by far!

Thanks to my parents and Hannah’s parents for watching the kiddos while we were gone! So excited to be back home with them.

08/30/2026

And just like that, our last two days are done and this trip is coming to an end. 🥲🚢

After three straight port days walking miles and miles through the August Caribbean heat and humidity, our sea day turned into exactly what we needed… basically a scheduled day of unconsciousness. 😂

We slept in until almost 10, went swimming, came back to the room and took a nap, then eventually dragged ourselves back out for dinner and a show.

We also had to go visit one of our favorite servers, Haydee, at Samba Grill — basically Fogo de Chão at sea. 🥩 We ate an insane amount of meat, (the rack of lamb and Brazilian sausage are perfect) went back to the room, and went right back to sleep.

We were absolutely ZONKED.

Then, for our final day, we pulled into one of our all-time favorite ports: Perfect Day at CocoCay! 🏝️

This was our FOURTH time here in the last year, and at this point we try not to book a Royal Caribbean sailing without it. We’ve intentionally tried a different beach every visit, and with South Beach this time, we can officially say we’ve hit them all.

South Beach was beautiful… with one small problem.

Jellyfish. Lots of jellyfish. 😂

We actually watched two kids get stung while we were there. Thankfully these weren’t dangerous jellyfish, so it was less “medical emergency” and more “everyone suddenly becoming extremely aware of everything touching their legs.”

Hannah was understandably not interested in testing her luck, so we relocated to Oasis Lagoon, one of the largest freshwater pools in the Caribbean. The water was perfect and we hung out there for a while before I finally admitted that I was officially beached-out.

I headed back to the ship, changed into street clothes, and assumed our day was winding down.

Hannah, apparently powered by a completely different battery than me, decided she wanted to walk ALL the way back to South Beach for a sand volleyball tournament. 😂

Normally I’d be all over that, but my back has been in rough shape this trip, so I walked back out with her and became a spectator instead.

Her team won their first game, lost their second, and finished in third place. 🥉

Then, right in the middle of everything, a HUGE thunderstorm rolled in.

There were two large ships at CocoCay, so suddenly what felt like 10,000 people all collectively decided, “Yep, time to get back on the boat.”

It was honestly impressive to watch. Royal Caribbean’s staff had everyone moving, kept people calm, and handled the whole thing incredibly well. One of the things that continues to impress me about cruising is how smoothly they handle situations that could very easily turn into chaos.

Once back onboard, we had dinner at one of the last restaurants we hadn’t tried yet: Playmakers Sports Bar & Arcade. 🍔

Basically a sports bar at sea. I had a burger, Hannah had chicken tenders, and they were good! Probably not good enough that I’d normally pay the upcharge when the included Main Dining Room is already so good… but hey, we had to try it once.

And now I’m writing this at 6:30 in the morning as we get ready to walk off the ship and head home.

We are SO ready to see our kids. ❤️

Traveling with our kids is honestly one of our favorite things to do, and in a lot of ways we actually prefer having them with us. Watching them experience new places makes traveling even better.

But I also think there’s something really important about getting away together as a couple every once in a while.

Kids are an incredible blessing, but raising them comes with plenty of craziness, exhaustion, schedules, responsibilities, and trials. Having a week where it was just Hannah and me — exploring new places, eating way too much food, sitting on beaches, laughing, and reconnecting — was something I’m really thankful we got to do.

Now we’re ready to go home and be Mom and Dad again.

At least for a little while. 😂

Because our next adventure is already booked!

In October, we’re heading out on an EVEN LONGER cruise to the Southern Caribbean — and this time the kids are coming with us. 🚢🌴

Which means the grandparents are officially off duty for that one. 😂

Until next time! ❤️⚓️

08/30/2026

🇵🇷 San Juan, Puerto Rico!

Today we had breakfast at the Central Park Café before heading out for our early morning in San Juan. At 8 AM it was already 85°, so we knew we were in for a hot one.

We started off walking to the Catedral Basílica Menor de San Juan Bautista (Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist). It’s been really cool getting to visit the churches on each island and see how different they all are.

From there, we strolled along the old fort walls through Old San Juan, stopping at landmarks along the way before making it to El Morro, the first of San Juan’s massive Spanish forts. We explored the fort and then made the walk across town to the other major fortress, San Cristóbal.

One interesting thing at the forts was seeing all of the flags flying at half-staff in honor of Dolly Parton. Alongside the American and Puerto Rican flags was one we had never seen before—a white flag with a jagged red X that almost looks like barbed wire. It’s called the Cross of Burgundy, an old Spanish military flag that represents the Spanish era when these massive fortifications were built.

By that point we had definitely earned some Puerto Rican food. We stopped at Moreno’s near the port and sat out on the balcony for mofongo and alcapurrias, getting to try a couple of Puerto Rican staples before heading back to the ship.

After around 15,000 steps in the blazing heat—and basically three straight days of doing the same thing—I was absolutely zapped. I went back to the room and somehow passed out for 3½ hours while Hannah still had enough energy to go soak in the Solarium AND play in a volleyball tournament. 😂

That evening Hannah and I grabbed dinner at Johnny Rockets and then listened to some relaxing live piano music in the Schooner Bar. The pianist was incredibly talented and made for a great way to wind down the night.

We’re currently debating whether we have enough energy for the late-night shows at 11 PM, but frankly, at 28 years old and 9 years of marriage, I guess we’re just comfortable being the old couple that goes to bed at 9 PM. 😂

Time for MasterChef and bedtime!

Another awesome day in the Caribbean. 🇵🇷🚢

08/28/2026

🇸🇽 St. Maarten!

We got off the ship and took the water taxi into Philipsburg, then spent the morning walking all over town. We stopped at some of the local sites, including the town’s historic courthouse built in 1793.

I apparently forgot that a historic courthouse can also still be… an actual courthouse. I walked right in, immediately set off the metal detector, and was promptly informed by the bailiff that the courthouse was not a tourist attraction and I needed to leave. 😂 So our tour of the courthouse lasted approximately 15 seconds.

We continued up along the Great Salt Pond and stopped at the St. Maarten Museum before beginning our next adventure: trying to find the illusory local bus system.

I had read that you could get all the way from Philipsburg to Maho Beach and back for about $4 total, and after walking around forever with taxi drivers everywhere, I was becoming convinced these buses simply did not exist. Right before giving up and spending $25 on a taxi… we found one!

We hopped on the local bus and rode out to Maho Beach, where we spent the afternoon swimming directly in front of the airport. Watching giant passenger jets come in just over your head is absolutely crazy. ✈️🏝️ You really don’t appreciate how massive those planes are until one is flying right over you!

After our beach day, we caught another local bus back into Philipsburg, took the water taxi back to the ship, and headed straight for the Solarium for a soak in the cool pool and a dip in the hot tub.

Then came one of the highlights of the entire cruise.

🍽️ 150 Central Park

We finally got to try it, and it was genuinely one of the best meals we’ve ever had. Scallops, pork belly, braised short rib, halibut, beef tenderloin, duck, lamb Wellington, and finally fried cheesecake for dessert. It was truly astounding.

Our server, Jesus Anthony, was the best server we’ve had at sea. If you’re ever on Allure of the Seas, 150 Central Park is an absolute must-try experience.

After dinner we went to Ron Lucas’ comedy puppet show, which was really good, and then finished the night at the AquaTheater.

There’s something wild about watching these people dive, flip, jump, and perform all these insane stunts—and then looking off to the side and realizing you’re watching all of this in the middle of the ocean.

🚢 No one does it like Royal Caribbean.

Another incredible day in St. Maarten! 🇸🇽

08/27/2026

🇰🇳 St. Kitts & Nevis — An Awesome Port Day for $55!

Our first port day aboard Allure of the Seas was St. Kitts, and this ended up being a great example of how you absolutely do NOT need an expensive cruise excursion to have a great day in port.

We started with breakfast on the ship (free food before leaving the ship is always the move 😂) and then walked straight from the port into downtown Basseterre.

We spent the morning walking a couple miles around town and hitting the major sights. Our two church stops were probably the highlights: the beautiful Immaculate Conception Co-Cathedral and the much more… rustic Anglican church. 😂

The Catholics are definitely winning on this island. Probably because the King of England can’t even be bothered to check in on his own faith, am I right? 😂

After exploring Basseterre, we walked back to the cruise port and grabbed a local taxi to Friars Bay Beach, a beautiful public beach on the Caribbean side of the island. 🏝️

One huge bonus: on the way, our taxi driver stopped at Timothy Hill Overlook so we could hop out for a few minutes.

And WOW.

You can see both the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea from up there, with the mountains and coastline stretching out in front of you. Absolutely gorgeous and easily one of our favorite views of the trip so far. 📸

Then it was beach time!

We spent about 3½ hours at Friars Bay swimming, relaxing and enjoying the Caribbean.

Unfortunately, we also made a rookie travel mistake…

We forgot sunscreen. ☀️🔥😂

We both got absolutely cooked. Hannah definitely got the worst of it, but neither of us walked away unscathed.

Eventually we grabbed another local taxi back to the ship and split up for a little while. Hannah headed to the Solarium to relax and read her book while I went to Vitality Spa for a much-needed deep tissue massage. My back had been seizing up and hurting quite a bit, so that massage couldn’t have come at a better time.

That evening we reunited for dinner at Samba Grill Brazilian Steakhouse. 🥩

The food was AMAZING.

We also ate an absolutely irresponsible amount of it. 😂 By the time dinner was over, we were basically helpless.

So instead of doing anything exciting that night, we crawled back to the cabin, watched Ohio beat New Jersey in the Little League World Series, and crashed.

💰 TOTAL COST FOR OUR ENTIRE DAY IN ST. KITTS: $55

That included our taxis and tips. Everything else we did on the island was completely free.

For two people to explore Basseterre, see the major sights, stop at Timothy Hill, and spend several hours on a Caribbean beach for $27.50 per person is pretty hard to beat.

📋 I’ll include the itinerary I created before we got off the ship in the photos on this post! If you’re cruising to St. Kitts and want to explore without paying excursion prices, feel free to save it and use it for your own trip.

Next stop… St. Maarten! 🇸🇽

✈️🚢 Lomax Family Travel

08/26/2026

🚢 Allure of the Seas — Days 1–3! 🌊

We’re officially underway on our 8-night adventure aboard Royal Caribbean’s Allure of the Seas! Since our first couple days were spent at sea, I figured I’d combine them into one update before we start sharing all of our port adventures.

Embarkation Day 🚢

After getting onboard, Hannah and I headed straight for the Solarium, where we met a fun group traveling together from Missouri. One of my favorite parts of cruising is how quickly you end up meeting people from all over!

That evening we had dinner at Izumi Sushi 🍣 and scored a great deal.

💡 Lomax Family Travel Tip: On the first day, call the dining desk and ask if they’re offering any discounts on specialty dining for that night. They’re often trying hard to fill the specialty restaurants while the Main Dining Room is slammed with everyone boarding. We asked and got 35% off Izumi!

After dinner, we headed to the theater to see Mamma Mia! — a full Broadway-style production at sea and a great way to end our first night.

Sea Day #1 ☀️

We did something we haven’t gotten to do in a LONG time… slept in! 😂

After breakfast at the buffet, we spent the morning relaxing in the Solarium hot tubs and pool. Later, we caught a brass concert in Central Park. It still amazes me that there’s an actual open-air park filled with trees and live music in the middle of a cruise ship.

That night was one of the highlights of the trip so far: Chef’s Table. 🍷🍽️

We joined just 4–5 other couples for a private dining experience that lasted about 3½ hours! Multiple courses, an intimate setting, and easily one of the most memorable meals we’ve had onboard.

Sea Day #2 🌊

We started the morning with Starbucks and FaceTimed the kids since we purchased the internet package for the day. ❤️

Then we headed down to the Deck 5 walking track and put in probably 3–4 miles, along with some much-needed stretching.

For lunch we tried The Mason Jar, a Southern-style restaurant that’s only available on a handful of Royal Caribbean ships. The easiest way I can describe it is a gourmet Cracker Barrel at sea. 😂

Hannah loved everything she ordered. I wasn’t quite as lucky with my entrées, although the deviled eggs were fantastic. Overall, I’d give it about a 6/10.

After a few more laps around the ship, it was time for the fun stuff. We headed to the top deck for the waterslides, and Hannah took a few attempts at the FlowRider! 🏄‍♀️

I decided to be the supportive photographer rather than destroy what remains of my already-injured back. 😂

Then came the volleyball tournament. 🏐

We teamed up with another couple who were onboard for their honeymoon and absolutely dominated our first game.

We were feeling pretty good about ourselves…

…and then promptly lost the next two and got double eliminated. 😂

After volleyball, we cleaned up and headed to the Main Dining Room for dinner before going to one of our favorite Royal Caribbean events: The Love & Marriage Game Show. If you’ve cruised Royal before, you know how funny this one can get.

We finished the night the way any wild married couple without their kids would: watching MasterChef in our stateroom and going to bed. 😂

And with that, our sea days were over!

Next stop: St. Kitts & Nevis! 🇰🇳

Come back tomorrow for our first port-day update — we did this one mostly on our own, and I’ll share what we saw, what we spent, and what we’d recommend doing if your cruise stops in Basseterre.

✈️🚢 Lomax Family Travel

05/29/2026

We had an amazing time sailing on Navigator of the Seas this month with my sister and her family! It was so much fun watching our toddlers become such great friends and experience new places together at such a young age. (Swipe for some adorable goodbye photos from yesterday!)

Hannah and I have already booked our next two adventures with Royal Caribbean:

🚢 August 22 – 8 nights aboard Allure of the Seas to the Eastern Caribbean, including a stop at Perfect Day at CocoCay.

🚢 October 8 – 9 nights aboard Freedom of the Seas to the Southern Caribbean.

If you’ve ever thought about taking a cruise, we’d love to have you join us! Cruising is always more fun with friends, and as a travel advisor, I can help you find great deals, answer questions, and share tips to help you make the most of your vacation.

Where should we sail next? 🌴☀️⚓

05/22/2026

Days 7-8 were our sea days as we sailed back toward LA, and honestly they were pretty low-key. Not much on the itinerary besides good meals, swimming, and exploring more of the ship. Elizabeth and Bristol really enjoyed the Ice Skating Show!

On our last day I walked about 3 miles around the promenade with Calvin and Malachi while Hannah and Lizzy relaxed in the hot tub and Victoria and Joey caught a comedy show. The boys absolutely loved waving at everyone we passed and watching Bluey along the way. Sometimes the slower days end up being some of the best ones.

Now it’s time to pack up and drive to Reno as we are spending a few days at my sisters home in NV!

05/20/2026

Days 5–6 of our trip update:

Day 5 – Cabo San Lucas

Hannah and I had never been to Cabo before, and we had absolutely no excursion planned... but no problem.

We tendered over to port, and the boat pilot even let our kiddos take turns “driving” the boat. Once we got off, we met a guy who introduced himself as “Mexican Danny DeVito” (his words, not ours 😂). He somehow managed to squeeze Hannah, Victoria, me, and three of our four toddlers onto his tiny boat. He gave us a tour of all the nearby sights and dropped us off at a beach for a couple hours where the kids climbed rocks, played in the sand, and wore themselves out.

No excursion? No problem. Plus, it was WAY cheaper than booking through the ship.

Day 6 – Mazatlán

Again, no excursion planned... but that wasn't stopping us.

We loaded all four kiddos into the giant wagon and walked 3 miles along the Malecón to the aquarium. The boardwalk was mostly quiet, but the ocean breeze made the heat a lot more manageable.

At the aquarium the kids had a blast—running around searching for the biggest fish, feeding stingrays, touching sea urchins, and exploring everything they could find.

For the trip back we hitched a ride in the back of a pickup truck to the port because... when in Mexico, I guess? 😂

After naps and dinner, Hannah took Elizabeth back to the hot tub while I stayed with Calvin again. Hannah is loving that Elizabeth is potty trained now and can join her for all the swimming fun.

One thing we've learned: naps are absolutely non-negotiable. Both days they ran into dinner time, but if you're traveling with toddlers, you do NOT skip the naps.

Lomax Family Travel

08/31/2026

08/30/2026

08/30/2026

08/28/2026

08/27/2026

08/26/2026

05/29/2026

05/22/2026

05/20/2026

Address

Telephone

Website

Alerts

Contact The Business

Shortcuts

Share

Category

Listing takedown request