Western Caribbean Cruise • Wrap Up

We made it to the end of National Plan a Cruise Month! I'm so excited for those of you who booked a cruise this month! You took advantage some amazing deals! To close out this fab month, I wanted to do a "wrap up" on the Carnival Western Caribbean Cruises I've taken. 

I've shared trip highlights like shopping in Cozumel.

My favorite on board activities, such as catching a sunset.

Tips & Thoughts about Progresso, Mexico.

What to pack for your time aboard a Winter cruise.

A fun place for the whole family in Cozumel, Mexico.

I enjoyed sharing my cruising adventures with you, and can't wait to hear all about yours. If you have questions or your own thoughts & tips to share, I'd love to hear them! Be sure to comment below. I can't wait for my next cruise! Crossing my fingers for Alaska!

If you are interested in a cruise vacation you can contact me here for more information, pricing, and payment options.
I look forward to hearing from you! 

Cozumel, Mexico

Hey there! I am DEFINITELY dreaming of warm sunshiny places like Cozumel today. We are, literally, in the middle of flood hear in Texas, and there is no end in site. To keep my mind off of this insane weather, I thought we could take a little boat ride to Cozumel, Mexico today. This was my favorite place to stop on our Western Caribbean Cruise, and had so much to offer! Shopping, beautiful waters, shore excursions, and great scenery.

We had a snorkeling shore excursion scheduled, but rough waters nixed that. But, we still made the most of it! We spent sometime shopping at the port which was completely decked out with beautiful holiday decorations. We found BEAUTIFUL trinkets for souvenirs and our favorite, hand painted clay nativity set and a hand carved fish bone nativity. After shopping at the beautiful cruise port, we caught a taxi to Club Cozumel Caribe. It was a beautiful resort on a gorgeous white beach with a pool, fun for kids, and a bar for the adults serving up buckets of beer! Paradise, right?

The waters and beaches here are truly stunning, and just what you imagine the Caribbean to be! Cozumel was definitely my favorite stop on our Western Caribbean Cruise. The water was warmer than the stop at Progresso, as it's a bit farther south, and the water was even bluer! I hope you enjoyed my little stroll through Cozumel. We are heading into our last week of National Plan a Cruise Month, and if you are itching for your own cruise to Cozumel, now is the time to book! There are amazing sales going on this month, and you won't want to miss out! Hope to hear from you soon. Bon Voyage. ;)

If you are interested in more information for your own adventure tours, cruise, or vacation contact me here for more information, pricing, and payment options!

Winter Caribbean Cruise Packing

Hi there! I thought I would share some winter cruise packing tips with you, as it's been the only time I've cruised. Packing can be a bit tricky for this time of year, because you really do need warm weather clothes & cool/cold weather outerwear. Both of my cruises were in mid-December, and docked on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico. Once we arrived in Mexico, the weather was great, not too chilly, not too hot. On board, the weather was a little cooler at night, but still warm enough for laying out during the day. Transitioning out of Texas and info the Gulf (and vice versa), it was cold! I have photos of me in my coat while still on the ship as there was a true distinction in weather when we got closer to Texas. So, I put together a little graph to show what you'll need for different parts of your trip. Now, keep in mind these are recommendations are for Mexico in December, so things weather will likely vary if you are headed farther East in the Caribbean. I've included ideas for swim, day, and night wear along with a couple of extra recommendations.

Swim Wear 1│2│3

Day Wear 1│2│3

Night Wear 1│2

Extras 1│2

 I had a cute little cardigan added to my list, but I forgot to include it. If you are going to explore the upper deck in the evenings, it's something you'll definitely want to carry along. If you're thinking about carrying a fun beach hat, leave it at home. It's far too windy on board to keep it in place. :) I hope these few tips and inspiration. I'll be sharing more about cruising tomorrow. And don't forget, it's still National Plan a Cruise Month, so there are tons of sales going on! Contact me via email, and we can get you fixed up!

If you are interested in more information for your own adventure tours, cruise, or vacation contact me here for more information, pricing, and payment options!

Progresso, Mexico

Hi there! I'm excited to keep the merriment of National Plan a Cruise Month going with more details on stops on the Western Caribbean Cruises I've been on. Today, I wanted to focus on Progresso, Yucatan, Mexico. I have mixed reviews about Progresso. There are definite good and bad things about this port, and I'm going to be honest in what I share with you. Hopefully you can appreciate that. :)

Progresso Pros

• Nearby Mayan Ruins
• Architecture
• Corona Beach + $1 Coronas at the bar
• Port shopping {buildings located immediately off the ship}
• Free shuttle into town
• Warm waters, even in December

Progresso Cons

•  Whatever you do, STAY AWAY from the "mermaid bar" {not sure of the actual name, but it has a mermaid statue right outside the door─don't even eyeball it, just keep walking!! This advice comes from not only me, but multiple Western Caribbean Cruisers I've chatted with}
• Corona Beach {this is on both lists because the sand is brought in, sort of disappointing, but it gives you the white sand you are probably hoping for}
• Lots of beggars/peddlers on the beaches

 Beautiful Architecture

 Corona Beach {above: views of the bridge to the cruise ship port}

Jose Cuervo Christmas tree at a port shop

Sweet Christmas song serenader who found us shopping & on the beach, pretty neat & surreal experience. He joined us knowing the words to Feliz Navidad {if you're from Texas, of course you know it!}, and enjoyed us teaching him the English portions.

 A local tour bus that offered rides around the town.

There are more pros than cons on my list, but if I were to visit Progresso again, I would head straight for the beach, no dilly dallying in town, or opt for a shore excursion to explore the Mayan Ruins. There are plenty of things to enjoy here, just be aware of and prepared for my "cons." Thank you so much for stopping in today. If you have any questions or other thoughts about Progresso, please comment! I'd love to hear your thoughts. Thanks again!

If you are interested in more information for your own adventure tours, cruise, or vacation contact me here for more information, pricing, and payment options!

{Destination Highlights} Victoria, British Columbia

It's still National Plan a Cruise month, and there are some amazing sales going on right now! Every cruise line in the industry has a sale going on this month so you can plan your next cruise on a budget. {Shoot me an email to get started on your plans!} At the top of my cruise to wish list is Alaska!! The blue waters, glaciers, and hello, dog sledding!?! Yes, please! A popular Alaskan cruise stop is Victoria, British Columbia on the Canadian West Coast. During one of my visits to Seattle earlier this year, we had the pleasure of visiting Victoria.

This was our first visit to our Northern neighbor, and let me just say, Canada stole my heart! Our stay there was very short, but that was all it took to fall in love! As soon as our ferry pulled into the harbor, I was smitten! Who wouldn't be when you are greeted by the extraordinary Empress Hotel (THE Queen's choice hotel in BC), The British Columbia Parliament Building, and a harbor full of boats and colorful floating houses! I'll go into more details about Victoria later. For today, I hope you'll enjoy these highlights.

 Butchart Gardens {above & below}

 Craigdarroch Castle {above & below}

 The Fairmont Empress Hotel

 Thunderbird Park

 Floating Houses at Fisherman's Wharf

 British Columbia, Canada Parliament Building

Orca Whale Watching out of Victoria, BC in the San Juan Islands

Does Victoria look dreamy or what!? Catch the first ship to Alaska next year, and stop to see for yourself! You definitely won't regret it. I'm so excited to know this is a popular Alaskan cruise stop, perhaps I'll make it back someday! Don't forget about all of the great sales going on. Shoot me an email and we can chat about finding you a cruise on a budget! Check back soon for more cruising tips and details.


If you are interested in more information for your own adventure tours, cruise, or vacation contact me here for more information, pricing, and payment options!

On Board Cruise Ship Activities

In continuing our National Plan a Cruise Month celebration, I thought it would be the perfect time to share my answers to the #1 cruising questions I hear, "what can I do on the ship?". I've complied a long list of on board activities for kids and adults alike. If you've been on the fence about taking a cruise because you're afraid of getting bored, whit list is for you! I'll highlight my top picks as well, but check out the list for many more.

There is truly something for everyone aboard a cruise ship. Adult only pool areas to escape the kids, day cares for your littles while you play, towel art classes, on board demos of ice sculpting and fruit carving (and more), activities just for kids, clubs for teens only, shows for the whole family, and comedy nights for the adults.

Here are just a few of my favorite:

My top cruising activity is to "relax & reflect."

The views on board are absolutely breathtaking!

Sitting on the top deck, taking in the views, and reflecting

on life and the world are the perfect cruise activities.

 There are a slew of on board activities for everyone!

I particularly enjoyed the towel art on our beds every night,

which is offered as a class on board,

the fruit & ice carving demonstration on the pool deck,

and the comedy and stage shows.

Nix it as an activity all you want, but eating is a big part of cruising!

My favorite was breakfast on the covered outdoor terrace with view similar to above.

Of course, I can't leave off swimming & layout--cruise ship staples!

There are even fun pool & slide areas for the kids.

 We can't forget exploring the ship as a top activity.

There are literally new things at every corner!

Take some time to explore and get to know your home for the next few days.

Apart from this list, there are still so many other activities, but I hope this gives you a good foundation in discovering what a cruise has to offer, just while on board! Later this week, we'll talk about Ports of Call and Shore Excursions. There are stops and activities for everyone!

If you are interested in more information for your own adventure tours, cruise, or vacation contact me here for more information, pricing, and payment options!