A Fantastic Voyage
I will admit before my last few years here in Baltimore my love affair with the City was nonexistent, as a young man from Oklahoma I missed home and I never really opened up to what Baltimore had to offer. Sure I loved that the cities on the east coast were close together can that you could be just about anywhere within five hours. Deep down I always felt like Baltimore got the short end of the stick as opposed to their sister city Washington D.C. and the cities just north (Philadelphia and New York City). Over the past couple of years I have actually got out and experienced what the city has to offer and I am really enjoying it so far.
My latest experience was a day cruise of the Spirit of Baltimore. I have heard great stories about the cruise but I wasn’t really excited about taking the trip. I always wanted to take a voyage cruise to some exotic location spend days at sea and enjoy all the components that a big ship has to offer, but the Spirit of Baltimore was a pleasant surprise. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon in August my wife took me to the inner harbor of Baltimore and we shared a beautiful experience.
The ship boarded promptly at 4:30 pm offering to take a picture before you board. Once on the ship you walk up to the dining floor, you arrive at the host station and are escorted to your seat. While seated you are given the rules and expectations of the ship from the host/DJ who breaks everything down to you in light and humorous way. After rules are established the boat takes off, I had to get my “sea legs” rather quickly on a small cruise ship you feel the waves pretty easy. Once the ship got a couple minutes into the voyage the trip leveled out and I was able to pay attention to the atmosphere around me. I saw couples celebrating anniversaries, families celebrating a loved one’s birthday, and friends just out for a nice summer evening.
The scenery of the harbor was cool, boat houses, piers and docks, company headquarters ranging from the new athletic apparel giant Under Armour to the classic Domino Sugar plant lined the shore as we moved across the water. After taking in the view it was time to eat! I am no stranger to a meal especially a good one! I really enjoyed the food on the cruise, and was surprised to know that all the food was prepared on the ship’s lower deck. The menu was diverse and tasty, I literally ate my heart out! An assorted buffet of roast beef, roasted chicken, Parmesan encrusted talapia, cheesy pesto pasta, steamed broccoli and more are ready to eat. A salad station with a cheese tray, and wonderful dessert table are an excellent prequel and sequel to your meal
After the meal the DJ turns up the dining room and the party is on! If your not up for dancing then head up to the top deck for a nice lounge scene with couches, flat screens, and a bar, enjoy the view of the harbor and take in some sun. Overall I really enjoyed my time on the Spirit, the food, environment, and the fresh air on a summer afternoon was a great way to see Baltimore in different and beautiful light. I will be back Spirit of Baltimore, I will be back.
Disclosure: Cloud 9 Living provided us with a Baltimore Dinner Cruise Experience in exchange for our honest review. Any opinions expressed are our own.
Founded in 2005 based on a belief that gift giving should be more than just an obligation, Cloud 9 Living is a small company filled with passionate people offering gifts that show the recipient that you took your time to find something they will truly love and cherish for a lifetime. Cloud 9 Living has partnered with over 600 “Best in Class’ experience providers to create an experience portfolio of over 2,000 items in 51 regions around the country. With experiences ranging from thrilling and adventurous to relaxing and cultural, they have something for every taste and every budget.
Biplane Ride Experience – Photo by Cloud 9 Living
Cloud 9 Living has also partnered with corporate sponsors to provide a new type of incentive or reward for their employees and clients. Additionally they are part of several of the largest Rewards Programs in the world where members can redeem their points for Cloud 9 Living experiences.
Using the Cloud 9 Living website and services is very easy. You can choose your experiences based on the different regions. Once you have selected your experience you purchase and if you are sending as a gift they will handle that as well. For the gift recipient it’s very easy to redeem their gift certificate for their experience they can either use the Cloud 9 Living booking number or redeem online. If they choose to redeem online they will be assigned a experience agent that will assist them throughout the entire process from redemption to final booking and even send a reminder close to the experience date. They offer everything needed to make the process simple and enjoyable.
Ride Along Experience – Photo by Cloud 9 Living
The holidays are right around the corner and if you’re looking for a unique and unforgettable gift experience I suggest you check out Cloud 9 Living. They have gifts for all those people on your list who seem to have everything and right now they are offering my readers a special discount. Use Code: XMASMUSINGS15 to save $15 off your total order value on Cloud 9 Living. The code is valid from now until December 31st, 2105. Limit one code per order.
