Back in November, I traveled to Bermuda with my boyfriend and two additional friends. It was a relatively last-minute trip that I planned for my birthday. Although I didn’t market it as such when trying to recruit my friends to go with me.

I always see people who go away and travel for a birthday or do some extravagant party or club vibe, and let’s be honest: when your birthday ranges from Black Friday to a couple days later, no one is usually free. Vacation time is hard to take around then, or people are already going out of their way to travel to their families. And family time is super important to me, so why would I ask anyone to give up theirs?

I know that may seem silly, but I was super excited about the prospect of traveling on my birthday for the first time ever. Regardless of whether people wanted to join me or not on this last-minute cruise endeavor, I was determined to make it happen, so I did. And I was not disappointed.

I found this fantastic deal with Norwegian Cruise Line that I couldn’t pass up, and since my friends and I were on a budget, it was a perfect fit for all of us. In hindsight, we should have splurged a little more for a bigger room because we barely fit in the one we got, but lesson learned. We were excited to go away, and the room was just for sleeping anyway.

We took this trip from November 26th until December 1st. It was short, but it was so fun! Not only was I shocked at how many different things there were to do to keep us entertained (no matter the age range), but I was seriously impressed by the service and food throughout the entire trip. Everyone was pleasant, friendly, kind, and attentive, and I didn’t have a bad meal.

On my birthday, we went to one of the specialty restaurants, and they brought me a cake. The waiter overheard me talking about a dessert I had the night before and must have heard the tail end of the sentence, “I was in the mood for chocolate.” Since the one he first brought out was vanilla, he returned with a second cake because he thought I’d like it more! I was speechless at the kind gesture. Meanwhile, my friends were making fun of me for getting a second dessert because, let’s face it, I have a sweet tooth, and it wasn’t the first time it happened on the trip.

On the boat, we went to a comedy show, a white party, a seminar on diamonds, a magic show, an art auction, hot tubbing, a film screening, the casino, participated in a daily scavenger hunt, attempted to go go-karting, and enjoyed several excellent meals.

The art auction was my favorite of those activities and formed a deeper appreciation for art in me. I had never been to an art auction before, and it was a truly interesting experience. I even bid on a piece from one of my favorite artists, and Stephen was so kind as to purchase it for me as my birthday and Christmas present.

When we docked in Bermuda, we booked the Caves and Waves excursion, where we went to an underground cave to view beautiful crystal-clear water, stalagmites, and stalactites. Then, we were bussed to a private beach. It was colder in the water than expected, but we still had a great time.

Similarly, we got lucky with our time for the tour as we had an amazing tour guide who drove us around Bermuda. He was a long-term resident of the Island. He stopped in all the nooks and crannies to explain interesting and unique stories, even stopping at one point to let us out and look at some rescued sea turtles. There was a bus tour on the excursions list, and I felt as if we had two excursions in one; it was really wonderful.

The second day, we walked around, explored, and did some shopping. We considered going jet skiing, but it was a little too cold for that. When we returned to the boat, I decided to go to the spa and utilize one of the deals they offered for a dual massage and facial. I felt pampered in a way I never had before.

There are so many beautiful experiences to recount from our vacation. Although I ended up with a cold on the last day, there isn’t anything I would have changed. Our trip on the Norwegian Joy was unlike any other I had been on. I had been on cruises as a child, but with more to experience as an adult, I definitely enjoyed this one more. I have nothing but compliments for the Norwegian Cruise Line and cannot wait to book another trip with them in the future.