Embarkation

Our family represents 1 percent of the entire ship's population.

The map above our beds in cabin 4099.

While ours is a large ship, there are, of course, much larger vessels.  Here goes the Queen Elizabeth 2 aided by a tugboat on her way out to sea.

First dinner on aft deck six, starboard side.

Our ship, the MV Explorer, built in Germany, chartered out of Nassau, Bahamas.

Embarkation line.

Embarkation terminal, Southampton.

Another famous ship that left from Southampton... this was actually the framed image just above the men's urinal in the Grand Harbour Hotel, the last thing I saw before getting on the shuttle to the embarkation point.  

Something you'll certainly need for the journey.

Mercer, our eldest son, quickly earned a reputation on the ship.

Our t-shirts from the back.

And the front

Classes began promptly the next day - here is one half of my morning class Media, Religion, and Culture.

Genevieve immediately began pumping iron to stay in shape.

And old ironsides of the German navy greeted us in the Baltic Sea.

Oliver, Genevieve, and Adler take to the upper deck play area.

And to looking serene as the sun sets after dinner on our first night out.