5 Tips for Cruising

Happy Thursday!

I hope you all had a great week and are excited for the weekend (this girl sure is)! With spring break coming up next month, I thought I would share some tips for going on cruises. I’ve been on about five cruises now & I think I’ve finally mastered the do’s and don’t’s of cruising. I also highly recommend sailing with Royal Caribbean as they are a great company & always have great sales going on throughout the year!

1. Wear Sunscreen Everyday (& no tanning oil does not count): This tip might seem like it’s not important, but trust me, it is! I made this mistake last spring break and regretted it for the entire trip. I went to tan by the pool during the first day and thought to myself “I live in Arizona, I don’t need sunscreen, I won’t burn!” I was very wrong. I only put tanning oil on and was burnt to a crisp at the end of the day. I was miserable for a couple of days, which put a minor damper on my “fun in the sun.” The Caribbean sun is very strong so don’t make the same mistake as me & end up being a charred lobster the first day!
2. Dress code: This tip might also seem like a no brainer, but it’s really important! While I was cruising with my parents last year, we didn’t pay attention to the dress code one night. Every night there is a different theme or dress code and my mom, dad, and I showed up to formal night wearing pants & nice tops… which was super embarrassing. The greeter at dinner told us we needed to be wearing dresses or skirts and my dad needed slacks, a tie, and button up shirt (so don’t be those people like we were).
3. Do the excursions: I HIGHLY recommend doing the on shore excursions during your cruise. They can be pricey, but all of my favorite memories of cruising were on excursions! During previous cruises I: went swimming/held/snorkeled with stingrays in the Grand Cayman Island, went cave tubing and hiked the jungle in Belize, went ziplining and on a roller coaster through the jungle in Haiti, snorkeled and went on giant inflatable slides and trampolines in Cozumel, went on a catamaran and snorkeled in Honduras, and many more fun excursions!
4. Immerse yourself into the culture: I highly recommend immersing yourself into the culture on every island or mainland you visit, you won’t regret it! Ask around and find out where the locals eat and drink, I guarantee you will eat the best food and have the most fun! While we were in Belize, we went on an excursion and afterwards ate lunch in a small village in the jungle. I had the most amazing chicken, Belize beer, and fresh coconuts. I loved eating the authentic food and spending time with all of the villagers while they prepared the meal and served us. I also met the sweetest children in Jamaica. They were on a field trip to the town center, where we were shopping. They loved my blonde hair and were just so happy to be on their field trip. As with anything, the more you put into your trip, the more you will get out of it. If you spend more time looking for local restaurants and meeting locals, you will have a better experience as they know their land better than any cruise specialist.
5. Room: If you can afford a room with a balcony or a suite, it’s definitely worth the upgrade. I have stayed in both a balcony room and a suite and having the balcony makes a huge difference while cruising. It’s so nice to be able to open the sliding glass door and listen to the ocean while you fall asleep or sit on your balcony in the morning with a cup of coffee. I personally think having a balcony helps if you get seasick because the fresh air keeps you from feeling constrained. I had never been seasick before until I went on a cruise and stayed in a stateroom with no windows or balcony, I felt claustrophobic every night. I also recommend getting a suite if there will be three or more people staying in the room during your trip. My parents and I all shared a standard room one year and having three adults in one small room was difficult at times. We had a difficult time fitting our luggage and unpacking all of our stuff. The room upgrades are definitely worth it if it’s in your budget.

I hope you all enjoyed these tips and I hope they will be of use to you! I thought I would share some pictures from previous cruises.

XOXO,

Jonica