Cruising Into 50: Richie’s First Cruise Adventure 🎉🚢

 On August 11th, we set sail on an adventure like no other, my cousin Richie’s very first cruise to celebrate his 50th birthday! This trip was made possible thanks to the generosity of our amazing family and Richie’s unbelievable circle of friends. Together, we raised enough money to cover all of his expenses, and yes, we went just a tiny bit over budget, but hey, that’s what memories are made of. 😉

Richie, who is deaf and has some mobility challenges, got the royal treatment all week long, complete with chauffeur service in his wheelchair (mostly thanks to Cameron). Honestly, he may never go back to walking on vacation again after this “celebrity-level” pampering.

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Getting There and Back ✈️🚖

Travel days are always an adventure of their own, and this one was no exception.

• Night Before the Cruise: Angie, Jonas, and Richie stayed at the Holiday Inn Express in Gahanna. The hotel offered a park-and-fly option, which was great on the return. But with our 5 a.m. flight, the shuttle timing didn’t work out since it didn’t start until 4. So, they had to Uber to the airport. Note to self: always double-check shuttle times before booking.

• Our Ride: Cameron and I stayed with Breanna the night before. She deserves a gold star for shuttling us bright and early. We first met up at the hotel to help get Angie, Jonas, and Richie loaded into their Uber, then we were all on our way.

• Flying to Florida: We flew Spirit Airlines into Fort Lauderdale and honestly had excellent customer service. A shout-out to Viktor at Spirit, who kept checking in with us to make sure things were going smoothly. Once we landed, we ordered an Uber XXL (a Suburban), which fit all five of us, our luggage, and Richie’s wheelchair perfectly.

• Heading Home: The return trip was less smooth. We ordered a Lyft XL, but a Kia Sorento showed up with the driver’s own belongings filling part of the car. There wasn’t enough room for us and our stuff. On top of that, the driver had himself marked as deaf or hard of hearing, but really he just didn’t speak English. We ended up calling a second vehicle to get us to the airport, thankfully with plenty of time to spare. After several hours of back-and-forth with customer service, Cameron managed to get a $25 Lyft credit. Not exactly a win, but better than nothing.

• Flying Home: Our Southwest flight was excellent. Richie got the window seat in the front row with Cameron and me, while Angie and Jonas got to spread out in their own row. A comfortable ending to a very full trip!

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Life on the Norwegian Gem

This trip was aboard the Norwegian Gem. She’s one of Norwegian Cruise Line’s older ships, but in great condition and full of charm.

• Food & Dining: Buffet seating during peak hours was a battle royale, but the included restaurants were blissfully wait-free. We only made it to Magenta since the other dining room wasn’t easily accessible by elevator. We later found out there was a separate accessible entrance. 

• Ship Accessibility: Some flooring transitions gave us a few literal bumps in the road, but overall, maneuvering was manageable. Even better, one of the tenders to Great Stirrup Cay (Norwegian’s private island) had a handicapped elevator. A short wait, but absolutely worth it. Definitely, looking forward to the new pier expected by the end of 2025. 

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ASL, Laughter & Bathroom Emergencies 🤟😂

One of the trip highlights was how many connections Richie made through American Sign Language (ASL).

• A woman walking by our Yahtzee game stopped to sign with him. She was an interpreter from upstate NY.

• At dinner, a waiter noticed our signing and joined in because he knew ASL too.

• Richie, Cameron, and Jonas were ornery throughout the entire trip, which also led to someone sneaking a video of the "scenery" on the pool deck and walking track. 😉

Richie had been teaching us signs all week, so these surprise encounters felt like magic. Jonas in particular went from beginner to “ASL pro” in just a few days, constantly telling Richie he was funny (which Richie loved every single time).

Of course, not all our “signing moments” were so magical, especially when it came to the sign for Poopoo. Let’s just say… if you see multiple rapid-fire “Poopoo” signs, you move. Fast! 🚨💩 Lesson learned.

And yes, our late-night Yahtzee tournament was tragically cut short by a bathroom emergency. I won’t name names. (But you know who you are. 😉)

No trip with Angie and Cameron would be complete without Cameron picking on Angie, although he did refrain quite a bit this time around. The best was when he called her out for making up signs. 😉 She had a tendency to make up a sign if she didn’t know it, which led to some very confused faces and looks.

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Mishaps, Speedos & Unintentional Comedy

No family trip would be complete without a few hilarious disasters.

• Angie may have bumped Richie’s head while tucking him into bed one night. (She claims it was “gentle.” Jury’s out.)

• Cameron and I may have almost dropped him while transferring him into a chair at Spinnakers. Don’t worry, we got much better at it after that near-oops.

And then there was… the Speedo Situation.

As we left Spinnakers one evening, we spotted a man sunning himself proudly in a speedo. A little miscommunication led Richie to believe we said it was a woman, so wanted up to check it out, only to discover the truth. He thought we were messing with him, but the laughs that followed were worth gold. So much so that we may or may not have changed his phone wallpaper to “Speedo Guy” every chance we got. 😂

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Nassau & Great Stirrup Cay 🏝️

We made a quick stop in Nassau for some shopping. We picked up souvenirs and a very classy new coffee mug for Richie (complete with a protruding bikini top). Consider it our peace offering after the speedo jokes.

But the real magic happened at Great Stirrup Cay.

Thanks to Norwegian’s accessibility efforts (beach wheelchairs and helpful staff) and a little creativity on Cameron's part, Richie got to experience the ocean for the very first time in his life. With a rented snorkel set, life jacket, and a floating mat, we helped him into the water.

• He floated on his back.

• He did a little snorkeling.

• He even hopped onto the ocean swing.

Watching Richie in the ocean, laughing, relaxed, and having the time of his life, was one of those rare, unforgettable moments.

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Onboard Fun: Games, Trivia & Nonstop Food

When we weren’t in port, we stayed plenty busy.

• Richie sunk a great shot on the basketball court. 🏀

• We played giant checkers (with Cameron’s questionable “special rules” one round).

• We joined in trivia (no wins, but loads of fun).

• And of course, we ate. And ate. And ate.

Our daily routine was basically:
☕ Breakfast + coffee → 🛳 wander → 🍴 lunch → 😴 nap → 🍽 dinner → 💤 sleep → repeat.
Honestly, can anyone think of a better way to live?

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Gluten-Free Cruising: A Pleasant Surprise 🌾🚫

As someone with celiac disease, I always hold my breath a little when traveling, especially on cruises where food is everywhere and cross-contamination can be a challenge. But Norwegian really delivered this time.

• Breakfast: We alternated between the buffet and O’Sheehan’s Neighborhood Bar & Grill (a complimentary 24/7 pub-style spot). Both had plenty of gluten-free options.

• Lunch: O’Sheehan’s became our go-to. They had several gluten-free bread choices (multi-grain and a bun), which meant I wasn’t stuck ordering “just the burger patty” like I have on other trips. I enjoyed a burger, a Reuben, and even a chicken salad sandwich, all with the bread/bun. 🙌

• Dinner: Each evening I pre-ordered my gluten-free dinner for the following day. The best part? My meal was served at the same time as everyone else’s. On past cruises, my food often came way earlier or later, so this was a big win.

At both O’Sheehan’s and Magenta, the staff always asked about allergies. If they already knew, they specifically checked who had the allergy so there was no confusion. I felt confident and well taken care of.

My only complaint? The gluten-free dessert selection was slim. Then again… maybe that was a blessing in disguise. 😉

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Keep Richie Cruising 🚢💙

Richie’s very first cruise was everything we hoped it would be and more, but we don’t want this to be his last. He’s officially hooked, and we’d love to keep the adventures going.

We’ve set up a GoFundMe Future Cruise Fund for Richie. The idea is simple: once we reach the goal, we’ll book his next cruise and give him another chance to soak up the ocean, laugh until he cries, and create more unforgettable memories. We're even working on organizing a cruise specifically for the deaf/hard of hearing community.

If this story made you smile, please consider donating or sharing the link. Every dollar truly helps us keep the waves rolling for Richie, and we promise to share plenty of updates, photos, and behind-the-scenes laughs along the way.

👉 Help Richie Set Sail Again

Here’s to more sunsets, more laughs, and more cruises in Richie’s future! 🌊✨ 

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Final Thoughts

This trip was so much more than just a cruise. It was about celebrating Richie’s 50 years, giving him an experience he’ll never forget, and creating family memories we’ll be laughing about for years. From ASL bloopers to ocean adventures to speedo wallpaper pranks, it was the perfect mix of love, laughter, and adventure.

Happy Birthday, Richie. Here’s to the next 50, and maybe the next cruise too. 🥂🚢

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👉 Have you ever traveled with a loved one who needed accessibility accommodations (or tried gluten-free cruising)? Share your stories (and tips!) in the comments.