The only reason I allowed the wedding night to conclude was because I knew we would get to crash the honeymoon the next morning…. ON A CARNIVAL CRUISE SHIP!

In honor of the newlyweds, we set sail with 21 friends and family members to continue the celebration across 6 more days, in the middle of the ocean, with stops in the Dominican Republic and Turks and Caicos.

There are no words to describe such an adventure… I could tell you about the bottomless kiddie cocktails, the late night pizza, the all-you-can-eat buffets, and the self-serve ice cream stations, but it’s not the same as having your taste buds actually tingle. Or I could try to explain that morning when we found towel animals in every corner of the ship and that afternoon when we witnessed an angelfish carved from a block of ice, but to be truly wowed, you had to see it in person. And, I suppose there’s also no point in listing off all my favorite floating amenities like the hot tubs, waterslides, miniature golf course, and the basketball court, because that would sound a little bit like bragging. Plus, no one would believe that we had our own personal magician who removed dad’s Apple watch right in front of our eyes and gave me the strength to bend coins.

As it turns out, some experiences are simply beyond words, and can only attempt to be told through 117 pictures: