Join Carly Milne (with her friend Sandra Heikkinenas) as she cruises for a week on Royal Caribbean's Liberty of the Seas:

I have a confession to make -- I'm a boat narcoleptic. Any time I've been put on a boat, I've fallen into a deep sleep, the likes of which is usually reserved for coma patients. I decided it was time to challenge myself -- to encourage myself to find enough things to do to keep me occupied during my seven day cruise. Would I prevail?

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Up Next: Pulling Out of Port

The Liberty of the Seas' maiden voyage was in early 2007 and featured 1817 state rooms, an indoor mall, spa and fitness center, six whirlpools, a jogging track, rock climbing wall, mini golf and a golf simulator, countless food options, an ice skating rink, a night club and karaoke room -- it wasn't going to be hard to find something to keep me busy. With that in mind, I promptly fell asleep. When I awoke I wailed, "I've already failed the objective and we haven't even pulled out of port!"
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Up Next: Catching Some Sun

After our 10AM Tai Chi class, we decided to do one of the most important things you can do on a cruise ship -- catch some sun. We nabbed two deck chairs toward the front of the boat (giving us some peace and quiet from the melee going on around the pools), and settled in. A few hours later, we headed back to the state room. There I used the WiFi connection and did some surfing on my laptop until it was time to get ready for our formal dinner at the captain's table.

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Up Next: Shore Excursion

We walked off the boat and -- not having booked a shore excursion -- decided to wander aimlessly. We weaved in and out of shops, some with genuine Puerto Rican artifacts featuring souvenirs like handmade jewelry and depictions of cockfights cast in resin (no joke.) The most entertaining moment came courtesy of an overzealous kiosk owner crowing, "It's a real Chanel purse! Only eighty dollars!" Suuuuuuure it is.

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Up Next: Biking Tour

The next day we set out on a mountain biking excursion through St. Maarten. While weaving through countryside and paved roads, we were able to see a beautiful cross section of life in St. Maarten. The best part of the tour? Ditching the bikes and jumping into the crystal clear blue water to refresh ourselves after a sweaty ride. Followed up with another dinner in the main dining room, it was a perfect day -- and one where I wasn't able to find a moment to rest.

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Up Next: Crashing a Wedding

The forth day, we decided we needed to shake things up a bit. What better way than to crash a wedding? A wedding was taking place in front of the Flowrider, Liberty's on-board surf simulator. We took our seats before the bride and groom made their entrance, then watched as they took their vows in front of a surfer rocking the waves behind them. Everyone clapped raucously when they were pronounced man and wife.

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Up Next: Zipline

The fifth day we conquered the zipline -- reportedly the longest over water. (This isn't for the faint of heart or fear-of-heights crowd.) We were fitted for our body harness (which felt like wearing a large diaper), and took our turns on the baby zipline. Then a jeep took us all the way to the top of the mountain. It wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. Going down the line felt like soaring through the sky like a bird, until you hit the breaks at the bottom.

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Up Next: Dancing

On day six we realized we hadn't done a lot of what we'd intended to. We decided that going to the nightclub after dinner was an absolute necessity. Joined by friends we'd met on the boat, we all converged on The Catacombs, Liberty's on-board night club complete with resident spinster DJ Anthony, also known as Mr. Trinidad 2007. We shook, we shimmied, and we danced the night away -- until we realized it was nearly 2AM, and we had a 6AM debarkation timeslot the next morning. Yikes!
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Up Next: Future Cruise?

Though our sleep was short and fitful, we -- having smartly packed the night before -- wheeled our bags and our tired selves through the ship and down the ramp, through customs, and out on to the street, where we met our car to take us to the airport. All in all, I was proudly successful in my quest. The problem this time was I didn't get to experience everything that I wanted to. Is it too early to book another cruise?

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Up Next: More Cruise Advice

But on the flipside, sometimes some of the most interesting adventures come when you venture out by yourself. Keep things fresh by alternating -- maybe do an excursion at one port, none on the next, and a half-day event on the third so you can get the best of both worlds. Just make sure you're safe when you're out on your own.


Up Next: In-Port Spa Specials

Those spa prices can seem pretty spendy when you're at sea, but did you know that often times treatments can be cut as low as half price if you book when the ship is docked? Take advantage of this opportunity by booking early -- appointments on these days fill up fast!


Up Next: Don't Miss Boat

There's a reason why they tell you to be back from your shore excursion at a certain time, and that's because they really will leave you behind! Guests who don't make it back on the boat before it leaves port have to cover their own expenses to get to the next port, so make sure you keep your eye on the clock and have it synchronized with the ship's time.

Up Next: Relax

It's tempting to fill your days with activities and such, but few things feel as fabulous as finding a patch of deck somewhere away from the mel?e of other vacationers and soaking up some sun. Bonus points if you fall asleep ... just don't forget your sunscreen!


Up Next: Don't Do Everything

There's a ton of things to do on a cruise ship, from events and activities to stage shows to contests ... it can leave your mind reeling, especially if you try and cram it all into one trip. And if you try to do that, what will you do on your next cruise?


Up Next: Repeat Trip

Because really, you will want to do another one so you can repeat all the things you loved doing on your first trip and try all the things you didn't get the chance to on your second. Some people love cruising so much they don't ever get off the boat! A bonus? Sometimes if you book when you're on the trip or shortly thereafter, you can score some deals for being a repeat customer!

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