There are a few subject areas that I could go on and on and on about, and packing is one of them!  So I will try my best to keep this on topic and abbreviated!

After 12+ cruises, we have learned that you can bring very little and make it go a long way, if you plan accordingly.  What do I mean about this?  Well, if you have clothing that you can mix and match, then you can pack less and have more outfits.  We can take a 7 day cruise and both bring only a carry-on and a backpack or tote bag!

First, bathing suits…..you will find you spend a good majority of your time in a bathing suit if your cruise is in warmer climates.  This is true for on or off the ship.  So bring two at least – one will need time to dry.  So I alternate days of use.  One cover-up for the ship can also be used for ports of call, but I prefer to wear shorts and a tank top over my bathing suit when in port.  So I bring knit style shorts and a tank top for that.  Or you could consider a nice simple knit tank dress for in port.  My husband also brings two bathing suits, and we have since purchased swim shirts to match.  So he has two outfits that he will wear whenever we’re headed to the pool or beach.

Although we never used to bring them, water shoes have become important.  The reason being, shoes take up A LOT of room in suitcases, especially men’s shoes.  So we finally purchased good quality water shoes that are similar to sandals/sneakers.  This eliminates the need for separate sneakers or sandals.  I bring one pair of shoes for evening that match ALL my outfits (basic black usually fills the bill), and one pair of shoes for my husband for evenings (black or brown depending on his outfit selection).  I also love flip flops, so I generally bring one pair.  Now keep in mind, one pair of whatever shoes you’re bringing can be worn to your destination and don’t need to be packed.

For me, my basic rule of thumb for myself is two bottoms and three tops give me 4 outfits for casual nights.  How?  Well, basic black and khaki bottoms, whether pants, capris or skirts are your foundation (or any other colors you would choose that would work with your wardrobe).  Now you need one top that matches only the black, one that matches only the khaki and one that matches the black and khaki.  This also holds true for your significant other.  Again, the colors are up to you, but follow these guidelines to minimize clothing needed.

This is what it looks like:        one black bottom – one top matching only black (1 outfit)

one khaki bottom – one top matching only khaki (1 outfit)

one top matching both black and khaki

(2 outfits)

There are usually two formal nights on a 6-8 day cruise.  For this I got myself a black maxi skirt.  I bring two more dressy looking tops to go with it.  Long past are the days of long gowns for me, but yes, we did do this at first.  Full gowns for me and a suit for my husband.  It was fun, and it was nice to have a couple formal portraits.  We have found that we no longer need that, so we have simplified.  For my husband, instead of bringing a full suit, one of his pant selections for the list above are his suit pants.  Then we bring one long sleeve white dress shirt and two ties.  This gives him two formal night options and utilizes the suit pants for the other nights, as well.

We have found that having two pairs of shorts is handy for downtime when not around the pool or on the beach.  I found the simplest thing to be denim shorts for me and cargo for my husband.  I bring only two additional tank tops.  He brings 4 light t-shirts, but generally he’ll go home with one or two clean ones.  Sometimes I will bring a couple very casual dresses instead of the shorts/tanks.  I can use these for dinner, too.

Socks and underwear……well one pair of underwear for each day, of course, unless you’re okay with re-wear based on the fact that a good portion of your day is spent in a bathing suit.  Socks are pretty much only going to be used for the man at dinner time, unless you are an adamant socks and sneakers wearer and don’t like the water shoe idea.  For dinner, you can get away with 3-4 pair and just re-wear.  Same goes for gym socks that you would wear with sneakers.

Here’s what a basic packing list looks like for husband and wife (change according to your needs):

For Her:                                                           For Him:

2 bathing suits                                                2 bathing suits

1-2 cover ups                                                  2 swim shirts

2 capris/skirts                                                 2 pants (1 being suit pants)

3 dinner tops                                                  3 casual dinner tops (polos/Hawaiian shirts)

1 maxi skirt                                                     1 white long sleeve dress shirt

2 dressy tops                                                  2 ties

2 shorts  (or 2 casual dresses)                     2 shorts

2 tops                                                              2-4 t-shirts

underwear                                                      underwear

flip flops                                                          3-4 dress socks

dress shoes                                                     3-4 white socks (if needed)

water shoes                                                    dress shoes/water shoes

Obviously this would need to be adjusted depending on destination.  Cruises to Alaska, European river cruises etc. would perhaps not require as much clothing for swimming and more clothing for keeping warmer, like a jacket.  Adjust accordingly.  And again, ASK if you have any questions or need any advice!

Other things that need to be packed, like toiletries, sundries, bags, other personal items will be discussed in a separate post.

Until then…get packing…….and cruise on!

Today we’re going to talk a bit about what you are looking for in a vacation, and whether or not a cruise is really right for you.  I will admit, I am a bit biased, being a cruise lover and all.  But I know that a cruise is NOT for everyone.  In fact, I have seen some pretty miserable people on a cruise ship.  Is it because they are just miserable people or perhaps talked into going on a cruise they never wanted to take?  Perhaps a bit of both?

I believe everyone needs to look at a cruise ship as a giant, floating hotel.  That is essentially what it is.  But instead of walking out the front door of your hotel onto the same street each day, you walk out onto a whole new island, into a whole new country, sometimes even onto a new Continent!

We chose our first cruise for reasons I discussed in a prior blog post.  What happened after our first cruise, our discussions about what we liked or did not like, led us to the conclusion that we had fallen for cruising.  No, we did not want to go through another storm like we did on our first, but we had learned pretty quickly that there were many ways to avoid that as much as possible.  So we would be wiser in our choices from that point on.

Since then we have cruised mostly Caribbean ~ Western, Eastern and a lot in between.  We thought cruising would be a great way to see many different places, especially vacation islands.  We figured that if there was any island in particular that we ever fell in love with, we could always go back there for a vacation of a week or more, and we have!  Cruising is a great way to see everything imaginable, all over the World, for one flat rate.

Here are a few questions to ask yourself……..1) Do you want to see a few different places during your 6-9 day vacation or just one?  2) Do you like to go sit on the same beach, in the same beach chair each day?  3) Are you social? Do you like to meet people, engage in fun activities?  4) Do you feel confined at all or have a fear of the sea?  5) Do you know whether or not you get sea sick?  6) When you choose a hotel, what type of amenities are you looking for?

If your answers to 1 and 2 above are that you prefer one destination, sitting in your beach chair in a familiar spot every day during your vacation, then a cruise may not be for you (although we do ‘claim’ our spot on deck and sit pretty much in the same location by the pool all during the cruise).  If you are social, but really prefer to just be left alone, hanging with whomever you are traveling with exclusively, then a cruise may not be for you (although there are plenty of spots on every ship for you and your significant other to have quiet time).  And although most places, even your cabin, really don’t feel too confining on a ship, if you fear the sea or know you get sea sick, then a cruise may not be for you.

On the other hand, if your answers to the above questions are that you would love to see different places in one fell swoop, you would love to sit on a different beach each day and take in the sights and sounds around you or even tour some new locations, you are social and would have fun engaging in on board activities (or even watching from afar), you are totally on board (pun intended) with making some lifelong friends, you have no problems with feeling confined or sea sickness (that you know of), then a cruise may be for you!

Cruise ships are like any 4 or 5 star hotel, with A LOT of amenities.  All cruise ships have multiple pools, most with one exclusive to children and another exclusive to adults.  All ships have several different show venues, from one large theater which puts out Broadway style shows nightly, to smaller venues with comedians or magicians, piano and jazz bars, and full blown nightclubs where you can dance into the wee hours.  Every ship has a full gym and a spa which offers treatments of all kinds for the face, body, hair….you name it.  Every ship has a casino and multiple shops with duty free items like cigarettes and liquor, as well as souvenirs such as clothing, jewelry, hand bags and more.  If you cannot find something to do on a cruise ship to keep you busy, then I’m afraid you are just very hard to please.  And I mean that in the nicest way possible.

If you are in the category of thinking a cruise may not be right for you, but you’re still curious, then just try it!  If you hate it, then you never have to do it again.  If you love it, then the rest will be history.  No one says you have to go for a full week either.  There are cruises to ‘No Where’ for as little as two nights.  This would not be my first choice, as they tend to be ‘booze cruises’, but it’s an option.  I would say, if you are a hesitant first time cruiser, pick a 4-5 day.  The first and last days are travel days essentially, so the few days you actually have of cruising will give you a good taste test.

If you still aren’t sure, just ask me!  I love having discussions of all kinds about cruising, and I will be honest with you.

Until next time……cruise on…

Today we will get into a little more depth regarding cabin types.  Again, if I don’t cover something you want or need to know, please leave a comment and I’m happy to respond!

First thing to know, when it comes to the 3 basics I mentioned before, inside, ocean view and balcony, there isn’t much difference in the cabin interior itself.  The square footage of the interior is a bit smaller, and the set up is a little different.  The main difference will be location and cost.

ALL cabins, no matter what type, come with these same creature comforts:

• Room service
• 24 Hour Room Steward
• Nightly turn down service
• Individual climate control (A/C!)
• Telephone
• Television
• Plenty of closet and drawer space
• Private bathroom and shower
• Personal safe
• Ice bucket and glasses

In addition, some cabins have a small refrigerator.  I cannot speak for an interior, but I know ocean view and above all seem to have refrigerators.  Also, most ships we have been on have shampoo and body wash in the showers.  But check before leaving anything behind.

Interior:  Interior cabins are the most affordable way to cruise.  Yet you don’t risk losing any comforts at all.  The only thing missing would be natural light.  Everything else is there, from the same beds, bedding, bathroom etc.  If you are someone who requires total darkness when sleeping, this is the best option for you.  We also had an interior cabin for our two children directly across the hall from our ocean view cabin.  We opted for this because our kids were okay on their own, a bit older and needing more privacy (as did we!).  This was cheaper than having a connecting ocean view cabin.  Interior cabins sleep two, three or four people in two lower beds and one or two upper bunks (5 with a roll-away or pack-n-play), depending on the cabin chosen.  Some interior cabins also offer connecting cabins for families.

Oceanview:  Ocean view cabins are a little longer front to back than an interior cabin.  This allows added space for a bit longer counter space and the addition of a couch and coffee table.  Ocean view can come two ways, with port hole windows or a larger 4’x4′ (roughly) picture window.  Port hole cabins are a bit lower priced than the ones with picture windows and are on a lower deck, but are structurally the same.  Oceanview cabins sleep two to five people in two lower beds and one or two upper bunks and one on the couch, depending on the cabin chosen.  Some oceanview cabins also offer connecting cabins for families.

Balcony:  Balcony cabins are identical to Oceanview cabins with the only difference being a large door/window combination that leads out to a private balcony.  There are many different balcony options, from standard balcony, to a cove balcony or an aft facing balcony (rear of ship).  Aft facing balconies generally only accommodate two guests.  Other balcony cabins sleep two to five people in two lower beds and one or two upper bunks and one on the couch, depending on the cabin chosen.  Some balcony cabins also offer connecting cabins for families.

Suite:  Suites come in different sizes and shapes from Junior suites to Grand suites.  All suites sleep two to five and have connecting cabin options like the other categories.  What they do offer in addition is VIP check-in, priority embarkation and debarkation, and a deluxe bathroom with a whirlpool tub.  They have larger closets and an additional spacious seating area with table.  Vista Suites are usually at the back corner of the ship, have a wall of windows and an extra large balcony space with regular chairs and chaise lounges.  Suite prices vary greatly.

As new ships are added to every fleet, the creativity with cabins has really taken off.  Some class of staterooms, Havana on Carnival for instance, offer private space for all Havana Cabin occupants.  You have daytime access to a private pool, larger outdoor space with hammock chairs, and children under 12 are not allowed.  Spa cabins have a few more amenities for your comfort like specialty shampoo, body lotion and body wash, use of luxurious bathrobes and slippers, priority spa reservations, and more.

Location of your cabin is also very important.  Every cruise line offers deck plans on their websites of the ship you’re considering.  Before choosing something, look each deck over.  If you’re considering a certain cabin, what is below it or above it?  Are there other cabins or is there common space like a lounge, night club or casino?  You want to know what’s there and what may cause some noise.  Truthfully, we have never had a major problem with noise, but some cabins can have issues.  Aft cabins down low, for instance, may be more inclined to have noise from the engines.

Location is also important when it comes to the rear (aft), middle or front (forward) of the ship.  If you’re concerned about seasickness always go low and middle.  You will feel more motion at the back or front of the ship.  You will also feel more motion the higher you are on the ship.

When bringing a family on board, you have one thing to decide….do we save money by having our children in the same cabin with us?  If you do, the 3rd and 4th person in a cabin are a lower rate than the first two, and it is indeed cheaper to do it this way.  If your children are in a connecting cabin, each child will cost the same as you, because they have their own individual space.

And on the reverse, if you want more quiet, I recommend getting a cabin away from the connecting cabins where most families with children will be.  It’s also quieter away from the elevators where people will congregate.

Essentially, the options are pretty limitless!!  I’m here to help, just ask!!

Until next time, cruise on……..

 

 

 

 

 

Hello again!  Today we are going to talk about the best times to go certain places.  I’m going to tell you a story and what I learned from it.

Our very first cruise was from Boston to Bermuda aboard the Royal Majesty.  She was not a large ship, but since it was our first, she was large to us!  We left the day before Memorial Day 1997 for our 10th Anniversary.  We had children that were 4 and 6 yrs old, so we really didn’t want to fly anywhere.  You know that fear of leaving your children the first time.  So we thought this was a great option.  Let’s just say, our love of cruising began, but it was not without its challenges.

The second night at sea the ship starting moving pretty steadily from side to side around 9pm.  Don’t ask me why, but there is a little part of me that was more excited than afraid.  I was one of those people trying to open the promenade doors just to peek out over the rail at the churning sea.  Alas, the wind really didn’t allow me to.  A little after midnight I woke up looking at my feet!  One of the things we learned on the cruise was that doors and drawers have those little lock mechanisms to keep them closed, much like the things you add at home to keep your toddlers safe.   Needless to say, the doors and drawers were opening and closing on their own as the ship pitched.  All I remember thinking was, “Go back to sleep……”

We were able to go back to sleep.  Honestly, I’m not even sure if my husband woke up during the night.  But when we awoke for the new day, the ship was still pitching pretty well.  I decided to take a shower, which was hilarious.  Thank goodness the showers are so small.  I couldn’t be tossed very far!  I got out of the bathroom to let my husband in and sat on the bed.  An INSTANT feeling of nausea gripped me, and I thought “Oh God, no!”  The hubby went into the shower.  I got dressed and told him I was heading down to the casino – mid-ship and the lowest part of the ship’s common areas.  I knew of anywhere on the ship (if it was at all possible) there would be the least amount of motion there.  Thankfully, I made the right move, never got sick, won $60 and bought two stuffed animals to bring home to the kids.  After a couple hours, I noticed something was missing….my husband had never arrived.

I decided to chance it and head back to the cabin to see if I could find him.  On my journey of pitching to and fro, holding onto every hand rail (yes, it was that bad), I was in awe at the number of people just lying in the middle of the hallways, on chairs and couches in common areas, even on the floors.  Empty barf bags were everywhere!  People definitely looked miserable.  I got back to the cabin and he was there, puking in the bathroom.  Poor guy didn’t make it out in time.  We talked briefly, and I could not coax him out of the cabin to a lower spot in the ship.  So I headed back out and told him where I would be.

I went to a lower deck again, but not quite as low as the casino, definitely mid ship and sat in one of the big windows watching the sea.  I personally thought it was pretty cool.  But I did feel badly for my husband and all those affected.  I also felt bad because there were a lot of elderly people on this cruise, and watching them try to navigate the hallways and stairwells without falling or being thrown against the walls was a little disconcerting.  A few more hours later, probably close to noon or 1pm, my husband showed up.  He literally hung out, looking green, for about 15 minutes then went back to the cabin.  With not much else to do I sat around and did a little walking around for a few more hours.

At 5pm things seemed to be calming down, so I returned to the cabin, determined to get my husband out of there.  I convinced him to come with me to the infirmary.  I had heard they had a shot they could give you of a high dose medicine like dramamine.  He came with me, and the line was unbelievable!!  All I can say is, BEST $40 WE EVER SPENT!!!!  Less than two hours later, we were in the dining room, and he ate a 5 course meal!!!

So how bad was this storm, really?  We were told there were 25 foot swells.  At one point I did make it up to the front of the ship on deck 10.  When the ship came down off a wave, the splash created by it went up, over the top of the 11 story ship!  When the front end of the ship pitched downward, the propellers at the back, came out of the water!  It also lasted for 17 hours.  This was almost unheard of.  The crew were all telling us they had been in storms like this before, but never for more than 3-5 hours.  So, this was a pretty unique situation.

So what did I learn from this?

1.  If you are going to cruise from Boston or other ports on the East Coast to Bermuda, you are better off going AFTER the 2nd week of June.  This was advice given to us by the locals on the island.
2. When you cruise the Atlantic, Pacific or any other really large body of water, if you might be prone to sea sickness, get a cabin mid-ship and on one of the lower levels.  We were all excited to have our beautiful ocean view cabin at the front of the ship up high for our anniversary trip, but it was a big mistake.  That’s why our cabin was pitching around so much.  We were up high and up front.
3. Don’t panic.  Have faith in your crew.  Despite this being our very first cruise, I was never scared….not once.  Should I have been?  Maybe.  But what good would it have done?
4. If there is ever a storm on your cruise, GET OUT of your cabin!  It’s TRUE that because cabins are small, the closed in feeling will make you feel worse.  Once you’re stuck, you’re stuck.  So get out early on and find a comfortable place to relax in the common areas.
5. When all else fails, go to the Infirmary!  They CAN help you, and believe me, it’s worth it!  My husband wished he had gone so much earlier than he did.

Despite our rocky first cruise, we had an amazing time.  Our other days at sea were wonderful, glass smooth.  I sincerely never thought my husband would cruise again, but this experience did not deter him.  Here we are fourteen cruises later.

Needless to say, these same rules of thumb would apply to the obvious – be careful selecting a cruise in the Caribbean during Hurricane Season – June to November, peak being mid-August to late October. Although storms can happen any time, be smart and avoid the obvious.  If the only time you can go is during this time, then be prepared.  Take dramamine beginning a week prior to your sailing, buy two wrist bands (a lot of people wear one, but two work better), or apply a patch behind your ear a few days prior to sailing.

Whenever you want to cruise and wherever you want to go, never let your fear of storms deter you!!  Rest assured that the crew has it under control, and you will be well taken care of.  The horror stories you hear are few and far between, just like the number of airplane crashes vs the number of airplanes in the sky at any given moment.  The chance of encountering something awful is very, very small.  But the benefits of an awesome cruise vacation are giant!

Goodbye for now…..cruise on……

 

 

Hello all!  I have cruised for years and have always loved to share my inside information with people who are curious about cruising.  I finally decided to start this blog!!  If you have any questions or want to see anything featured here, just let me know!

Cruising basics:  First and foremost, if you are seriously considering a cruise and have never been on one, please use a reputable Cruise Planner.  Although it is very easy to book things online yourself, there really are perks to using a Cruise Planner, and it costs you NOTHING!  I love my lady, Allison.  She watches the cruise prices constantly, even after I’ve booked.  If the cabin I booked ever goes down in price, our cost goes down!  The cruise line will NOT do that for you.

Types of Cabins:  There are several, but the essential ones you need to know are Inside, Oceanview and Balcony.  These are the main three categories the majority of people book.  Other cats like suites etc. are super pricey.  If you’re a standard, no frills traveler, then you will be looking at these three.  But if you have any questions about the others, just let me know!  The type of cabin we choose is generally based on the type of cruise we’re going on and what time of year.  We used to save money by booking an oceanview.  They are low in the ship, which is also advantageous in bad weather.  But since we do 95% of our cruising in the Caribbean, we now almost always book a Balcony cabin.  Seas are relatively calm, the views are beautiful, and if you have a partner that gets up earlier than you do, having that outside space for them is awesome!

Dinner Time:  Most cruise lines now offer anytime seating. But one of the things we have loved about cruising is meeting people and making lifelong friends.  This might sound silly, but we have indeed made some friends who we have traveled with again and who we are in touch with all the time.  Dining is a great way for this to happen!  We choose our dinner seating time, early or late, based on the itinerary and what times we are in port.  For instance, if all your days in port end by 4:00pm, there’s no reason you cannot eat at 6:00pm and have the remainder of your night to dance, watch a show, maybe even a movie, relax in the piano bar or get to the casino.  However, if your days in port end closer to 6:00pm, you may want to take the late dinner seating to optimize your time on shore.  I highly recommend, if you are a first time cruiser or have only cruised a few times, to make a dinner seating time choice and request a table for 8.  Those other travelers assigned to your table may just become some of the best friends you have ever made.  At the very least, you know you go to the table with one thing in common, a love of cruising!

Gratuities:  When we started cruising back in 1997, it was the days of handing your Cabin Steward, Head Waiter, other wait staff and even the maitre d’ some cash at the end of the trip, thanking them for their amazing service.  Today, you can still do that if you choose, but pre-paid gratuities make it much easier.  What is this?  Well, this is something that is automatically added to your cabin bill based on the cruise line you are with, the $ per day, per person.  Essentially, if you’re okay with the amount being charged, then it’s a lot easier to just do it this way.  If you feel someone has been exceptional, you can always hand them a little extra.  If you want to tip staff yourself, you will need to go to the Purser’s desk and ask that the gratuities be removed from your bill, because you want to tip staff yourself.

What is Included:  When you cruise, most of the things you want in a fabulous vacation are included.  Included items are – your cabin with full hotel service every day, all the food you can eat in the dining room, on the Lido Deck near the pool and on some ships, a few new food spots throughout the ship.  Also included (and found on the Lido Deck) are beverages such as iced tea, lemonade, water, coffee, tea and fruit juice.  Near the pools there are frozen yogurt and soft serve ice cream machines.  And if you haven’t eaten enough, room service (a smaller menu) is also included!

What is NOT Included:  Probably the most significant thing is alcohol.  Alcohol used to be a decent bargain on cruise ships, but now they rival restaurant prices.  If you drink a lot, then expect your bill to be a lot.  There are beverage packages that you can purchase so you don’t have to think about the unknown costs, but you should figure out beforehand if it’s really a cost savings.  The last ship I was on, I would have had to consume 10-12 drinks a day (A DAY!) to make it worth the cost of the package.  Also important to know is if you want the package and are traveling with someone, everyone in the same cabin has to have the package, too!!  So, if you are traveling with someone who drinks very little or not at all, getting an alcohol beverage package is not the way to go.  Also, not included are specialty restaurants such as the Steakhouse.  But I will tell you, for the $35 per person cost to dine in the Steak House and other specialty restaurants (Italian, Mexican, French, Teppanyaki, and Brazilian Steak Houses just to name a few), it is worth the experience.  The food in the dining room is fantastic.  The food in these restaurants is even better!  Try it at least once!  A lot of ships now have specialty coffee houses, sushi bars, pastry cafes and more that are at an extra cost as well.  Also not included is soda.  Again, if you drink a lot of it, then a soda package might work.  But all in the cabin have to have it.  If you can live with the free drinks on the Lido Deck, then a soda package is not worth the cost.  There are also things you can bring on board when you first embark….we will talk about that in more detail in another blog post.

NEXT TIME we will focus on one subject area at a time in more detail.  These are just the basics.  Hope you found it helpful!  Cruise on…..

 

 

 

Thanks for joining me!

Good company in a journey makes the way seem shorter. — Izaak Walton