It is finally that time I have been looking forward to which is my cruise happening this weekend! I seriously can not wait until this trip because it has been a crazy last several of months at work and just busy in general, so a much needed vacation is essential. Cruises are something that I seriously love because of the relaxation and honestly just the open blue seas. When I was little I always used to get sea sick if I went on any type of fishing boat, but cruise ships are so big that other than the occasional rocking it is a smooth sailing. Some people have the misconception that they would feel trapped on a cruise or there is not much to do, but believe you me it is about 3 times the size of a typical hotel and there are plenty of activities going on. So many activities that there is actually an agenda sent to your room every day by hour of what is going on around the ship. I am all about vacations that involve relaxing and going to more than 1 place without ever having to repack your bag. This will be my 16th cruise and needless to say I enjoy them and have some tips and tricks to share with you when it comes to packing.

Outfit: Top | Jeans c/o

Suitcase | Floppy Hat (sold out, similar) | Swimsuit (old, similar) | Sandals | White Lace Up Dress | Crochet Cover Up | Embroidered Dress | Black Dress | Tassel Earrings (available in blue) | White Flower Earrings | Passport Holder | Dry Shampoo | Tassel Drop Earrings | Tanning Lotion | Bronzer | Detox Scrub | Printed Bag

Photos by LA PHOTOGRAPHY

Cruise Packing Essentials

When most people think of a cruise they think of going to a tropical destination and just relaxing somewhere where it is hot. Out of all of the cruises I have been on, they have all been to islands around the Caribbean somewhere. There are cruises that take you to Alaska, Europe, and all over the world. If it is your first time cruise though you will probably be going somewhere hot and tropical. I have included some of my favorite must bring items on a cruise in case you need some tips.

• Bathing suit/coverup: This is a no brainer if you are going somewhere tropical. Each cruise typically has at least 1 day at sea either getting to your first destination or coming back to your final destination. These days for me are my favorite because they are spent out on the deck listening to the reggae band and watching all of the activities that happen on the deck. A good tip is to try to get out to the deck early morning because the good lounge chairs get taken fast and you want to have the perfect view of all of the contests that might be occurring on the deck. Or if you are like me you will want to volunteer for everything because hey you probably will never see these people again and being a judge for the hairy chest competition is pretty funny. FYI, don’t feel like you have to weigh down your valuable packing space with beach towels. There are plenty of towels that you can rent out for free and then return them after your use each day.
• Advil/Dramamine: You could easily get motion sickness by being on a cruise ship if it is your first time. It also depends on the weather conditions and what ocean you are in as well. There have been some cruises where I have been sitting at the dinner table and my glass will clink a little, but that is when we were in some rough seas. For the most part you can barely feel you are moving because the ship is so big. I always keep some Advil on hand in case I happen to get a headache or if you happen to get sick. There are little convenient stores that sell items like these but they do increase the price so I would suggest bringing your own. As a tip there is a doctors office on the cruise that does have all of the great medical equipment if you happen to have a problem. I will admit I have been down there twice for breaking my toe and then thinking I broke my arm once.
• Formal Outfit: Depending on the number of days your cruise is depends on how many formal outfits you will need to pack. Typically a 5 day cruise has 1 formal night and a 7 day or more has 2 or more. This is one of my favorite parts about the cruise is dressing up and going to dinner. It reminds me of the Titanic and back in the day when everyone would dress up for dinner. Some people wear full length dresses and get really dressed up while the majority of people just wear cocktail dresses. I can’t wait to wear my new vintage black bell sleeve dress with some classic black strappy heels. On the cruise you typically have a set dinner dining time of either 6 pm or 8 pm with the same table and waiter assigned to you every day. You get to know the waiter and they do a little dance on some nights after the  main course. Enjoying dinner in the dining room is for sure something you must do.
• Comfortable Shoes: You will be eating a ton and might gain about 10 pounds since it is an unlimited amount of food, but you will also be walking it off too. There are elevators on the ship but going to your room and getting something to eat or going to see a comedy show at night will involve lots of walking. I always bring at least one pair of comfortable shoes that I can throw in my suitcase that I will wear on the sea days, and then if needed in the ports if I am going on any type of walking excursion. Sure you can wear your cute heels to the dining room and shows that night, but after all of that walking you might want to change into your comfy shoes for the dance club later.
• Wine: Yes you read that right. You can bring 2 bottles of wine per room on board with you on the ship. I would highly recommend taking advantage of this. Me personally I prefer drinking wine at night and also when I am getting ready in my room before dinner. This helps me save a little more money for later and I can enjoy a drink in my room instead of walking all the way to the bar. Cruises now offer drink packages on a per day basis that typically range about $50 a day for 15 drinks a day which is basically all you can drink. This seems like a great deal since drinks can range from $5-$15 but there is one catch. If one person buys it in your room, everyone in the room is automatically charged it as well. I don’t know if this is how it is on all cruises, but at least the ones I have been on. Also to note you can get really great deals on bottles of alcohol to purchase on the cruise as well as in the ports to bring back home. Do note that they are strict on the “when you get back home” part aka they will withhold it until you depart.
• Passport or Birth Certificate: Don’t forget this essential item at home. It is wise to just bring your passport as you will most likely be traveling to other countries and will need this. Plan to start the passport process early if you know you will be going on a cruise in the near future. I would at least try to get one no later than 3 months before you depart for your cruise and that is at the latest. This process as most of you know can be extremely long. Some cruises will let you bring birth certificates, especially if you are not leaving the country. Make sure to check this on their website before you book your trip.
• Extra Money: I don’t mean cash here as you will be using your “sail and sign card” for everything you do on your cruise. This will act as your room key, inserted upon entering and leaving the ship and for any on-board expense you might have during the trip. As you are getting prepared for your cruise you go online and put a credit card to this sail and sign card. This can get real dangerous real quick if you don’t watch it. You will  never see anyone paying for anything via their credit card or cash, just the sail and sign card. I honestly have spent more on the cruise with my sail and sign card then the whole cruise before. That is because there are constantly drinks readily available for purchase and I forgot to mention a casino as well.

Cruise Tips

• Don’t rely on cell phones: For the longest time cell phones did not work at all on cruise ships, it was only your room phone that you could use if you really had to make a phone call, and it would cost you a lot. Now there are phone plans you can get for the duration of the cruise for texting, email, social media etc. There is even a plan to just call/text others that are on the cruise with you. This might come in handy but I would personally not even rely on your phone. I generally turn mine off as soon as we sail away and turn it back on when we pull back into port. I have seen people on walkie talkies communicating with their family as well. My advice would be to have a plan or meeting place and discuss that plan with your travel companions. Eventually you will run into each other whether that is by the pool or out by the buffet.
• You will be catered to: The whole reason you are going on a cruise is for vacation right?? I mean I don’t know anyone that takes that kind of trip for business and if you did, well then I might just want your job. In that case you are here to relax and be catered to and that is exactly what you will get. When you are out by the pool during the sea days you will have people coming around at the snap of a finger asking if you would like any drinks. Also your room stewardess and server in the dining room are constantly going over and beyond to make your trip enjoyable. They even have turn down service in your room with little chocolates on your pillow and animals made out of towels. Any little added touch to make your trip that much more enjoyable is their number one priority.
• Yes your room and bathroom are small: 90% of the rooms are about the same size which is pretty dang small if I am going to be truthful here. This means that includes enough space for a king bed, a little vanity, chair and little closet and bathroom space. It is definitely smaller than your regular hotel room. If you have more than 2 people in a room most likely the other beds will be folding down from the ceiling and are twin beds. The bathroom at max will fit 2 people at any given time and you will be alarmed by the loud noise the toilet makes when you first flush it. This may sound funny but just wait and then there are going to be comedians later on the cruise mentioning this same thing. I have stayed in an inside room “aka no window” and then a balcony room as well which I personally like better. The price difference is not that bad between those. All of the rooms to be honest are not that different in price unless you actually want a normal size big room which will cost you in a suite. From experience you are not going to be in your room hardly ever only to sleep and get ready, so I would personally rather have more money to spend on activities but that is just a personal preference.
• Not everything is free: Cruises in my opinion are one of the cheapest vacations you can take and they do have their perks including free food while on the ship and the activities on-board the ship are free. Just to clarify though that not everything is free. There are specialty restaurants and cafes that are not part of your original price of the ship and cost extra. Also soft drinks cost as well which is sometimes not known until people get on the ship. Sure you can have 24/7 pizza and ice cream but if you want a soda with it, it will most likely be a couple of bucks. Drinks like juice, coffee and tea are complimentary but all other specialty drinks cost money. There are also amazing spas, casinos, shopping and great cocktails that cost extra if you partake in them. The cruise ships also charge a certain amount per day for tips for your waitstaff who have been catering to you on your  hand and foot throughout the trip. You can choose to pre-pay for these or do them at the end of your trip. I personally like to tip a little more at the end since they do so much for you to make your trip enjoyable.
• Off season is the best rates: If you book your cruise when school is out i.e. summer, spring break, Christmas break, etc. you are going to be paying more. Not that this is an expensive rate at all, it can range anywhere from about $100-$300 per day I would say. However, if you want to get a great discount look at times when school is in session. If you have kids and want to take this trip as a family this might be a little hard to do though. During this time is when you can get a great steal for less than $100 a day. I actually have gone on a 5 day cruise with all tips and taxes included for $260, which is a great price. A lot of people think cruises are expensive, but in the scheme of things and the destinations you get to go to it makes it worth it for a very reasonable price.

I think everyone should try out a cruise at least once. Some people love them (like myself) and others would rather fly somewhere and stay in one spot for a week. I think it is great to just get away and see several places in a week. Granted you only have about 8 hours at each location, but if you fall in love with one place you can always go back and just spend time at that particular place. I know that I am even more excited about the upcoming cruise now. If you ever have any questions about cruising I would love to answer them 🙂