And yes, I did watch a TON of those “what to bring on a cruise” videos on Youtube — and they all seem to go over the same stuff. Magnetic hooks, cute dresses, toiletry bags (all with affiliate links). But, today I want to share the things that no one talks about — that you may very well have on hand (I did) that can make your cruise SO much better!

And before we get started, if you’re looking to book a cruise the good people at Get Away Today are my favorites to book with. I have endless questions, and they have endless answers and were willing to price-check my cruise and save us some cash along the way! I book with them every time!

Ok, let’s get to the STUFF (I promise most of this doesn’t even add much to your packing list!)

Hair Mask/Moisture

I don’t know what’s in the water on the ship but my hair hasn’t been so dry in a LONG time. I’d brought good conditioner (and leave in) but the regular amounts didn’t work.

Honestly, at one point on the cruise I looked like Einstein…. my hair was so dry!

As a curly girl who needs a lot of moisture — I took action. I double conditioned my hair (using twice as much as I normally do) and I let it sit in longer. Then, I used twice the amount of leave in.

However, I wish I’d brought a hair mask — don’t worry, you don’t have to spend a lot. I found this one (looks like it’s just under $10 right now). I love it — and I found it when I tried the Abbey Yung Method.

I would also plan for extra leave in conditioner if that’s something you need.

I wished I’d brought a kelating shampoo that compensates for water issues (Abbey talks about that a lot). However, that one is expensive enough I would probably just work on the moisture side.

Let me be clear that my hair looks AMAZING on the California coast normally — super curly with all the humidity. It really had something to do with the water on board, just putting it out there — I didn’t hear about that before hand.

Erasers

I stuck this on a pencil just as I was headed out… and I’m SO glad I did.

We love to do the crosswords, sudoku’s and trivia that the ship offers, but often we make a mistake.

Their pencils are just the little golf ones and don’t have an eraser.

It doesn’t need to be anything fancy — it was just REALLY handy — I wish I’d brought more.

BTW, I do pack a little stationary bag that includes:

• Tape — great to fix stuff or tape something on the wall — this time I brought washi tape
• Post-it — great for notes to each other or for our steward
• Highlighter — in case you want to highlight the activities you want to do.
• Sharpie — just in case you need to mark something

I will say the debarkation tags they give you have an impossible surface to write on — it seems impossible to write with ANYTHING because of how badly it smeared. I wish I’d brought a ball point pen that wouldn’t smear as bad, even my Sharpie S was a mess on it.

All of that is just stuff I have around the house — no purchase needed!

USB Fan

A lot of places recommend having a fan you can place by your bed if you like some air flow, but my fan goes somewhere else just as necessary — and that’s the bathroom.

There is literally NO air flow in the bathrooms. The door shots automatically and it’s just almost impossible to get things to dry on the line in there.

I’m not a fan of clipping our wet stuff on my deck chairs as that’s against the rules (but I will if we’re hanging out there). SO, I bring a fan into the bathroom.

But, Hilary — how do you do that?

You get a mini desk fan that can clip on to the shower grab bar — and then angle it at your suits.

Honestly, they don’t run a long time on high, but it’s better than nothing in there.

I just charge it when it runs out and then re-clip it when I’m in the room next.

It can clearly by used by you at night too – but I like the clip feature to put it in the bathroom.

However, if you’re hot (and awake) nothing beats a….

Hand Fan

I feel like those usb fans are all the rage — everyone says you should get one.

But honestly, nothing beats a foldable hand fan for me when it’s hot.

Now, I know some cruise lines have banned the clickitty-clack ones but I just have a simple one I picked up on vacation somewhere.

It just moves way more than those USB ones.

Pro Tip: There are GIANT fan, and those often don’t fit in my bag — the smaller ones are also great (so make sure you get one that fits the area you can put it).

Clearly, if you’re not awake the USB ones are great, but don’t underestimate a regular fan.

In fact, we had to stand in line to get on our tenders and it was WARM in that hallway. I pulled out that hand fan and was VERY happy.

That being said, my daughter was super overwhelmed in one of the markets between all the people, produce and pig heads and she loved the USB fan she could just close her eyes and get some air flow.

So, both are great, I just prefer how easy the hand fan is, how small it folds up (and I don’t have to keep it charged).

Playing Cards

Now, you used to be able to get cards for free at guest services, but that hasn’t been true on my last few cruises. A pack of playing cards can be so handy!

I actually keep mine in my tiny cruise purse. It’s awesome when we’re waiting for dinner, or a comedian or a show. Just a big fan of a pack of playing cards.

Honestly, we often bring a few games, but the playing cards get the most use since they’re so versitile.

Just don’t plan on the cruise ship having them for you (although I am pretty sure they’re not an expensive purchase on board).

Tea

We love to go to tea on the cruise ship — have some tiny sandwiches and some scones, but we don’t love basic tea — so we brought our own from home (vs their expensive add-on you can purchase there for like $4).

They didn’t bat an eye — and we were very happy to have it.

What else?

This isn’t to say that there aren’t a lot of things other people share that are great.

I LOVE magnetic hooks — I scatter them around the room and are great to hang stuff on.

I love a hanging shoe organizer to contain all the small things including:

• Sun screen
• Ziplocks
• Nail clippers
• Medication
• Games
• Baby Powder
• Ear plugs
• Sea Sick medicine (we love the ear patches and Bonine if it gets bad)
• Waterproof phone holders
• String Backpacks (great if you want to take something to the pool)
• USB fans
• Towel clips
• Laundry Supplies (huge fan of detergent sheets)
• Hand sanitizer extras
• Ponchos/umbrellas

There just isn’t enough room for all of that in the bathroom, and it’s nice to have it out where everyone can see it!

So, those are my things NO ONE talks about, and I wish was mentioned more.

What did I miss? Tell me in the comments!

One other thing no one talks about is how cruises change prices so frequently. Please book with someone who will check the pricing for you and let you know your best options (sometimes a lower price isn’t actually cheaper — because it’s CONFUSING). That’s why I love booking with Get Away Today. My favorite way is to just contact them with the dates I have and see what’s available, and then go from there!

The post 6 Things to Bring on a Cruise that NO. ONE. TALKS ABOUT (not Magnetic Hooks) appeared first on Pulling Curls.

Who to buy cruise excursions from

We used a company called Shore Trips.  A few things I liked about them:

• They GUARANTEE that you will arrive back to your ship on time, or they will get you back to it.
• They had reviews available on the site to see how people liked the excursions (biased, more on that later)
• The price was much less than the carnival pricing

I did email them about what our family was like and they recommended some for people with kids.

However, we had a pretty negative experience in Mazatlan (Stone Island).  It wasn’t advertised correctly (we had wanted to snorkel, but they don’t carry snorkel gear for kids — and as far as I can tell, conditions seem to pretty bad for snorkeling pretty frequently), and everyone was pretty drunk early on.  I gave a review (negative) and they never posted it.  So, take their reviews with a grain of salt.

I think I would still use them again though, and try to check out reviews on my own as well.

BTW, we got our cruise from Get Away Today — so many great answers and ideas for us.  Big fan of them (always).

BTW, if you’re looking for more info on cruising — don’t miss these posts:

• Lies about Cruising
• What to pack for a cruise
• What to wear on a cruise
• Kids on a cruise

How many excursions should you buy?

I wouldn’t do an excursion for each of your shore days.  We did 2/3 the days we were in port, and I think that was a good number.  It was nice to just explore Puerto Vallarta on our own (and take the kids to the mall to learn the value of a peso).

We were also all a bit sore from our previous excursion when we were in Mazatlan, so I wish we’d just taken a “bye” for that day and chose something in Puerto Vallarta.

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How to Pick Excursions for your Family

For us, after having one excursion that was AMAZING (Cabo Outfitters Kayaking around the Cabo Arch, one of the best days of my life) and one that was less-so…. I thought about what I’d pick next time:

Pick shorter excursions for your family

The Stone Island excursion was most of the day, and it was just TOO LONG.  We aren’t huge beach people (especially when there are no “supplies”.  I wish we’d picked something that was active, and a bit shorter.

Open Bar Excursions?

For us, that was a downfall.  We don’t drink and it is awkward to be around people who are VERY drunk and not be drinking, plus kids….

Pick active excursions for your family

For us, our family really likes to be DOING things, which is probably why the Cabo Arch was such a win.  We were active the whole time and trying new things.

Aware of your limitations

Turns out, we don’t love the beach.  Especially just to stand there all day with no toys or chairs…. just not my thing.  That’s how our Mazatlan excursion ended up being.

I probably should have been more honest with myself about this (although, I had seen resorts with beach chairs and umbrellas when I booked this, so I thought it would be more like that).

Communicate while on the excursion

Only one of the tour guides spoke English, so that made it hard.  I wish we would have asked him a bit more about how the day would go.  We had no idea how to get our food until we asked him.

Can you buy excursions once you get into the port?

Yes, of course, you can.  You will also save a TON of money, but I get nervous about missing the boat and just who’s taking us where for the day.

It’s me, it’s not them.

But, there are tons of excursion opportunities the minute you step off the boat.

As well as people pushing you to purchase, etc.

I find those situations overwhelming.  In fact, even at our Stone’s Island excursions, there were constantly people on the outskirts of the restaurant yelling for us to buy things.

Again, me — not them.

Anyway, we love the boat so much, and it is nice to get off and see the sights, but I am not sure I’d spend as much on excursions next time.

Hope that helps you in picking yours!

If you are headed on a cruise, don’t miss the things NOT to be missed in your bag and check out my other cruise posts below that!

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The post Picking Carnival Shore Excursions: Tips & Rules for Families! appeared first on Pulling Curls.

By way of note, on our cruise our kids were just barely 15 and 9.  That meant the oldest went to Club O2, and the youngest went to Camp Ocean (and was in the oldest group there).

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Kids on Cruises

I really wasn’t sure how the camps would work…. so here’s some logistics to start off with:

Facts about Carnival’s Club O2:

This club is for kids ages 15-17.

This is done entirely at your child’s leisure.  They can look at the schedule (only available at the club or the front desk can print you off one as well.  

There is not a whole lot of adult supervision (my kid said there was usually just one adult there).  There are games, and video games.  However, hours vary so you can’t just plan that this camp will be open all the time.

Facts about Carnival’s Camp Ocean

This is for kids ages 2-11, and kids are split into different groups (there’s sharks, sting rays, penguins — all based on their ages).

Kids can have the ability to check themselves out if they are old enough (I think the age is around 8, but I am not 100% sure).  However, you have to give your permission to let them do that, so that is up to you.

Activities that are around the ship (mostly scavenger hunts require them to have sign-out priviledges.  My kids loved those, and they stayed together in groups — so, just an FYI.

There is no calling system, and they don’t message you through the app (your child can if they have a cell phone).  If your child is unhappy they will just call you on your room phone, or possibly page you overhead.

I wasn’t sure how all that worked before we left.  I believe that kids in the smallest group, their parents do get pagers — so that is different.

16 tips to helping your kids LOVE a cruise!

First off, book with Get Away Today.  They already 100% understand families with their huge Disney travel portion of their business.  I had 400 questions to ask them about taking our family on a cruise and they knocked it out of the park.

I recommend calling and talking to someone.  Just make sure to tell them you heard about them from Pulling Curls.

And, before we get into the meat of it — be sure to check out my other cruise posts:

• Lies about Cruising
• MUST have’s for your next cruise
• What to wear on a cruise

Use the app

Carnival has an app that allows you to message each other on board using the wifi.  It’s $5/user (at the time I published this)

I wish I had sent my daughter with an old cell phone into the kids zone, for a few reasons:

• It would have been nice to see how she was doing when she was there
• She could have checked herself out which would have saved us time
• I would have allowed her to be more independent with that phone (I was nervous to have her walk to/from the camp until the last day — although, I think I was more likely to get lost than she was)

My son had the app and it was super handy.

The app also allows them to see the schedule and mark favorites easily.

Visit Camp Ocean together

I would recommend going to the open house together at the beginning of camp.

While I registered both kids for the camps ahead of time, they do require you to confirm the details once you’re on board.  

It also gave my daughter a few minutes to see where she’d go and meet some of the staff.

Watch the Camp Ocean Schedule

You can’t access the Camp Ocean schedule on the app (which is super annoying) so grab a few schedules while you are there (because you are bound to lose a few of them).  Have your child figure out which activities sound fun for them, and then plan to take them.

**One of the HUGE perks to Camp Ocean is that your kids are learning to make friends with total strangers.  This is a HUGE life skill and I really liked how that happened on the ship.  My son wasn’t great at it, but my daughter always had a friend around on the ship and was always saying hello to other kids.

So, yes, your child is going to have to put themselves “out there” a bit, but the camp staff was somewhat helpful in helping them make new friends, etc.

Leave plenty of time for pickup drop off

This was the most painful thing of the camp.  It took FOREVER to check them in and out. The line was long and annoying.  There is just one staff member at the door and they have to go find each kid.  Anyway — just make sure you’re not in a hurry.

Send a cell phone

Like I said before if you feel like your child could handle a cell phone, grab one of your old ones and send it with them so they can check themselves out.

I also made it VERY clear that she wasn’t to check herself out without my permission.

While I think the ship is quite safe and she was very savvy about navigating it, I just wanted to be safe.

Go to fancy dinners

While the buffet can be tempting with kids, I 100% recommend going to the restaurants when possible.

The food is so tasty, and the wait staff is so great with kids.

I also encouraged my kids to order off the main menu as much possible. They all tried new things and loved a lot of them.

I always thought we’d just go to the buffet for breakfast (and believe me, we did grab a lot of boxes of Lucky Charms for snacks in the room) but we preferred the restaurant.  My son realized he has a penchant for fresh juices.  Who knew?

Decorate the Door

All the doors look the same, so we used some dollar store vinyl stickers on our door (do NOT use the gels, as they discolor the door, and the vinyl clings that you use on windows don’t work on the doors) and that helped.  But some people just brought a gift bow and stuck that on their door.  Just something to help kids remember THAT door is their door is handy!

Bring sea sickness patches

We all were pretty miserable one of the nights.

The seasickness patches (that you can find here — and I have a whole post on the essentials to bring on a cruise) were a LIFESAVER and we were all feeling better within about 30 minutes of putting them on.  I even left it on for a bit once we got home, and didn’t have much residual feeling of being off the boat (my husband took his off, and he did).

Also, I bought the homeopathic ones vs the medication ones.  I didn’t find myself (or my kids) extra drowsy, they were just awesome!

Leave electronics at home

It was an ugly day when my 15 year old learned that his Nintendo switch was staying home, and that I wasn’t planning to buy wifi while we were on board.

{feel his pain}

But I am so glad that we did.  They read books on their kindles and I think his lack of a device had him going to the club more frequently (as they did have a wii U) and he got out and just did more.  I was really glad we left them at home.

He did have his phone, but was pretty good about not using it too much when he didn’t have wifi.

Go to the towel animal morning

This was one of the coolest things we did, and really only cool when you’re on the ship.

They learned how to make towel animals and just had a good time!

Be sure to check out the pool area that last day as well, as ours had TONS of towel animals all around for people to enjoy.

Go to the family shows, and volunteer!

The family shows were a lot of fun.  There were a couple of family game times that my kids volunteered for and really enjoyed.

Bring your own bingo

We played bingo, and it was a pretty big letdown.  I wish we’d brought our own cards and just played in the back for fun.  Or maybe give kids a buck if they win!  Either way, it will be cheaper.   The game was really fun though….

Go to the family-friendly comedy shows!

We LOVED the comedians!  There are PG shows on most nights and we just had a great time there.  Keep in mind they often do a different show each night, so don’t feel like if you’ve seen a comedian already, you can’t go the next night.

I honestly think this was my kid’s favorite thing.  It was just nice to hear a lot of clean jokes.  You can also run downstairs and grab some popcorn from the dive-in movie and enjoy it with the comedian.

We also enjoyed the trivia my kids knew (they had a Harry Potter one).  Loads of trivia on board.

Karaoke is awesome!

We went to Karaoke a few nights.  People are so nice and the music is super fun.

I actually ended-up getting my daughter a Karaoke machine for her birthday after it.  She just ended-up loving it.  It is pretty fun (and they kept the songs PG til’ about 9 or 10 pm).  The DJ was so great.  We really enjoyed this (and weren’t planning on it). 

There was also a piano bar where they played classics and everyone sang along, it looked fun as well!

ICE CREAM

Guys, there is ice cream available 24/7.  Let kids splurge.

There is also pizza.

There is also the joy of childhood and just being able to enjoy them.

Find family-friendly activities and DO them!

Our ship had a water slide, and miniature golf.  There was also a giant chess board and ping-pong tables.  Lots to do around the ship that isn’t on the schedule.

Watch them pack

The one thing you want to be sure of is that they bring the right stuff on the cruise.  There are stores on board, but you will save yourself a world of hurt if you double check what they are packing.  Somehow my oldest can’t understand the difference between a rain jacket and a sweatshirt.  I caught it, and happy days ensued.

One of the best things you can do for kids over about the age of 8 (but if you had a responsible kid, it might be under that) is to give them autonomy.

The beauty of being on board is that they each have their own key (make sure to have a lanyard for them — if you don’t, I think you can get one in the casino or the front desk).  So, they have access to your room at any time.

You can also allow them to charge things to that key.  I set a $15 limit for each of my kid’s, but let them know it would come out of their allowance if they charged anything.

There are PLENTY of fun things to do on the ship that don’t involve cash, so grab a schedule and just have a GOOD time together!

Be SURE to get my top six things to bring on your cruise, and check out my other travel posts below that!

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The post Tips for Carnival Cruising with Kids appeared first on Pulling Curls.

I watched/read maybe 400 videos & blog posts on what to bring on a cruise.  I knew I may be over-doing it… and I did film a video before we went of all the different things that we were bringing.  The remainder of this will share what I found to be MOST important, pretty important and less-important.

As an FYI, we took the Carnival Splendor on a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Rivera (so, clearly, if you weren’t going to a warm/beach places — your list would need to adjust).  I am a self-proclaimed over-packer/planner.  SO, take that for what it’s worth.

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And, we booked out cruise with Get Away Today.  They had the best room selection and by FAR the best customer service ( because, of course, I had 2 million questions).

What to bring on a Carnival Cruise

VERY important to Bring on a Carnival Cruise

Reef-Friendly Sunscreen (or frankly, sunscreen at all) — we brought the spray kind and did it on our deck.  But it made our deck so slippery, I wish we would have just used the cream.  I also used one of these shirts and these shorts and they did GREAT.  They were awesome on our snorkel day.  If you have an active sun activity, get them!

$1’s $5 Dollar Bills:  We probably used around $20 to $30 in tips, mainly ones.  Honestly, I am not sure how important that was, but my daughter loved taking a buck up to every form of transportation we were forced to take and put it in their tip jar.  For instance:  In Puerto Vallarta, we had to take a tram to get through the port, then on our PAID excursion (not cheap) we took a bus to a boat, to the island, to a boat, to the bus, to the tram.  Each time they asked for tips.  Just something to think about.

Motion Sickness Patches — these patches I am linking to are a natural remedy and worked for each of us within about 30 minutes of putting them on.  I tried to avoid wearing them (because I was worried they’d make me drowsy — which they did not) but was SO glad when they kicked in.  I tried both Sea Bands and ginger chews before this.  Not helpful.  Also — if these aren’t working, I have heard you CAN get dramamine from guest services.

Power Strip — you basically just have one useable outlet in the room.  If you think you’ll need more than that, bring a power strip!  Note:  You can NOT bring a surge protector on board — so make sure you just get a POWER strip.  The ones I linked to are correct!

Pop-up Hamper (we didn’t need to use the laundry bag – -we just put it from the hamper into a suitcase).  You change clothes a LOT on a cruise ship.  If we hadn’t had a dedicated spot for them, it would have been a mess!  I know a lot of people like the dollar store kind, but I don’t think they’re large or sturdy enough for a family, I’d spend a bit more to get better quality.

Clothespins — necessary to hang up wet items in the bathroom/deck.  We had some wooden ones from the dollar store, we had some of these that are nice (and hold things better than the wooden ones — we also get ours like this at the dollar store, although they’re not always there).  We also had some towel clips — which we used to dry our microfiber towels on the chairs on our deck (although a TON of people use them by the pool).  We got our towel clips at the dollar store.  They’re not super sturdy, but they certainly worked!

Magnetic Hooks — these were SO important.  helped keep stuff organized and off the floor.  Honestly, one of my MOST important items!  FYI, most of the Carnival line has magnetic walls — so, just try to google around to see if yours does.  We were on the Carnival Splendor.

Over-the-door shoe hanger — it made stuff very accessible that otherwise would’ve been in the closet.

Waist Packs — this kept my phone 100% dry while snorkeling.  Although I bought my son one of these and I liked those better, he could put his case in with his phone, and was able to take photos through it (I could not do that through the waist pack).

Travel Alarm Clock — There are very few ways to tell what time it is on the ship.  SO, this thing makes that a LOT easier!  Plus, you never know if your electronic devices are on ship time, port time, or whatever.  It was nice to have something steady that we could all see.  Also, if you are a later sleeper, you’ll need the alarm on excursion days and when you arrive back home to get off.

Note on Daylight Savings on Cruises:  We switched to Daylight Savings the first night on our cruise, and our criuse didn’t switch the ship time til’ the NEXT night, I believe — in the middle of the night.  Anyway, just an FYI, in case anyone was wondering.  I think it’s up to the captian.

Luggage Tags — you’re not really PACKING this, but you’re provided paper tags, and I just found this to be more substantial so that our luggage wouldn’t get lost.

Pretty Important to take on a Carnival Cruise

Travel Wallet — ours seemed a bit big, I wish I had a bit smaller of a wallet (like this), although this was great to also keep our excursions and cruise documents.  Whatever you do, use a bright color so it’s easy to find.  Travel documents STRESSED ME OUT.

Door Decorations (we used vinyl wall clings from the dollar store) — all those rooms look alike, so it was pretty nice.  The stickers were a bit harder than I’d hoped to take off but removed 100% cleanly.

Other Options to decorate your door on a carnival cruise:

• Someone just put a gift ribbon on their door — my daughter was jealous of that room
• Just tape something else to your door.  I know Carnival says nothing “flammable” but I saw plenty of stuff taped to doors — just be thoughtful that you’ll need to remove the tape and not damage the door!
• Some people used command hooks, but I think masking/washi would work just fine (and is cheaper).

Clorox Wipes — it just made me feel better, although the room looked very clean when we arrived.  I just got a travel pack.

Glide — I THINK it helped, but I didn’t really notice it too much?  Hard to say?  If you’re worried about thighs, I’d buy those bottoms I recommend.

Microfiber towels — these were nice and compact to take on excursions — but only 2 of us ever used them.  I think they’ll be handy to have in the future.

Swim shoes — I bought those for my husband and son.  They really liked them.  They didn’t let a whole lot of sand in, and they really liked them, especially for snorkeling/kayaking.

GoPro Bouy — we actually have a fake GoPro (this one) and this was super helpful — you knew the go pro was never going to sink.  HOWEVER, on the Kayak day you had to stick the bouy in your life vest, you coudn’t attach it to your hand as it would just bang around and be annoying.  A chest strap might have been nicer.

Not as Important to Bring on a Carnival Cruise

White Board — we did leave a note to our steward once, but I am not sure he listened.   My kids, however, found it very amusing and it was only a buck….

Wrinkle Release — honestly, our stuff wasn’t super wrinkled.  Also, in trying this at home, it worked OK, but not amaze-balls.  We did use this garment bag and luuuuuuuved it!

Extra Bags Fold-up Bags — we didn’t end-up using them.  BUT, I can see it being a problem if you buy a lot of souveniers and can’t fit them in your luggage.  I would recommend having some wiggle room in your luggage.

Duct Tape — never used it.  BUT, I can see how I’d probably want a roll with me…. just in case.

Sea Bands — didn’t really help motion sickness.  Honestly, I’m not 100% sure where the pressure point is supposed to hit….

Ginger Chews (got them at Trader Joe’s)– didn’t help when the seas were rough.

Kleenex — they do have kleenex in the room

Sanitizing Hand Wipes — they have hand sanitizer all over the ship, we just used that.  I think I may have used a couple on an excursion — although I could have just used the bathroom….

Weird things I want to bring next time on a cruise:

A pencil/paper crossword book.  I had one on my kindle, which I loved — I wish I had a paper one.

My own bingo cards — this sounds crazy, but I loved playing (just to play, not really to win prizes) — but the pricing is crazy.  Also, are all bingo cards the same?….  I guess you’d have to find out if they use 75 or 90 balls…..

So, those are my tips!  I’d love to know what you agree or disagree with in the comments.  Be SURE to sign up for my ESSENTIAL six for cruising, and check out my other cruise & travel posts below that!

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The post Packing List for a Carnival Cruise appeared first on Pulling Curls.

By way of information — we sailed on a 7 day Carnival Cruise Line to the Mexican Riviera out of Long Beach, which we booked with Get Away Today because not only do they price match, they have the best rooms available of anywhere I saw.

We absolutely LOVED the cruise, but there were a few things I’d heard several times that I felt just weren’t true. Hopefully these help you set realistic expectations for your upcoming cruise!

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Cruise Lie #1: You won’t feel the ship swaying in the ocean.

Honestly, I am not sure what these people are thinking.

From the minute we pulled out from the doc I could feel the ship moving in the water.

Now, FYI — we sailed on the Carnival Splendor that holds over 5,000 people (3,100 passengers) — so, I am sure this depends some on your ship size.

We chose a cabin on level seven, near the middle where I was told we would feel it the least.

I still felt it.

Now, I wasn’t bothered by it until we turned back towards home (on sea day 3 we turned around towards home).  I was grateful for these patches I bought.  I tried both sea bands and some ginger candy (the ginger chews from Trader Joe’s) and neither of those helped much.

The patches worked within about 30 minutes for each of us.

I mean, I never wanted to throw-up — but my stomach just felt sour.

Other things that helped:

• Sitting on our deck and getting some fresh air, as well as focusing on the horizon.
• Drinking more water, as I always think hydration fixes everything.

As an FYI, I am NOT prone to car sickness.  I can normally do anything in the car without feeling sick.  The one other time I felt ill like this was at Universal Studios.  So, even if you think you have a pretty strong motion stomach, you might be wrong.  Bring the patches.

Cruise Lie #2: Disembarkation is easy

This is a total lie.  Ours was a total mess.  I guess maybe people didn’t listen.  There was a huge line in the lobby.  We finally asked one of the nice Fun Squad girls and said we had faster to the fun and we thought we got to get off easier.  She finally found us a way out.

Also, I think if you get a porter after you get bags, you wait less (and they take your bags to the car).

And… a little tip for people who are as dumb as we were

What happens if you leave a bag at the Carnival Cruise terminal?

Yes, we did that.

And they actually called us about it before we figured it out ourselves (which is probably a big blessing).  I just had to call customer service, and they shipped the bag to our house for the price of shipping ($37).  Yes, it’s not cheap — but better than leaving that stuff in CA.

The process was really smooth — AND I am glad that my bag had a couple of tags on it so they knew who to call.

If we had been more local, we could have picked it up.  Phew.   And yes, I am dumb — and yes , at least I didn’t leave a kid.

Cruise Lie #3: All the food is great!

This is a lie.

The buffet is just about as good as your basic Vegas buffet.  Probably a more high end one, but not a Caesars/Bellagio buffet.  It’s fine.

The desserts, however, I felt sick every time I ate them.  Which is sad, because they look super tasty.  Just something about it…

We always tried to eat at the restaurant whenever we could.

The restaurant serves breakfast (or sea day brunch when you’re not stopping at the port), and dinner.

Dinners have many different options, and you can order as much or whatever you like (portions are small, so I got a couple o appetizers many times at meals).  I loved the desserts at the restaurant.  They didn’t have the after effects of the ones at the buffet.

A note on meals on Carnival Cruise Line:

We chose anytime dining, and I wish we’d chosen the early dinner time.  I never felt like our service at dinner was consistent.  Sometimes we had people who were great, and often we had people that were… not.

We always ate early — so it would have been nice to have things more consistent and not get asked about coffee and wine every 10 minutes.

Breakfasts and brunch are always open seating.

Cruise Lie #4: You don’t need to get a balcony room on a Carnival Cruise

Oh man, maybe you don’t if it’s just two of you — but our tiny room with 4 of us.  Two of whom were kids who like to be silly and loud quite a bit.

That balcony saved my life.

It was just so nice to GET AWAY FROM THEM.

Also, it allowed some fresh air into our room.

Even though we used PooPouri habitually our room just kind of seemed “stale” — if that makes sense.

The balcony allowed for some fresh air (although you have to stand with the door open — it closes automatically).

Cruise Lie #5: There is always something happening on a Carnival Cruise

I felt like there was a TON happening at night.  So much, that I had to choose between my favorites, but during the day things were pretty light.

A LOT of trivia… and a sprinkling of things here and there.  It sort of seemed like they expected us to all be drunk and asleep during the day, and then party til midnight.

If you know me, I’m an early to bed early to rise kind of gal.  SO, that was kind of sad for me.  I do like action, just get tired easily, even with a nap.

I did watch a lot of HGTV though, and I do love that.

BTW, there are only like 5 real channels on the TV — so hopefully you like HGTV, the Discovery Channel or Food Network.  Oh, or CBS news.  That’s your options.

And finally, tip #6

Cruise Lie #6: You don’t need Faster to the Fun

Yes, we could’ve done it with just myself and my husband, but faster to the fun gives you SO many perks for under $100:

• You can check in for the cruise faster.
• Your room is ready when you get on board — which means you don’t have to carry your luggage around the ship til’ 1:30 when other rooms are ready
• You get your checked luggage faster (honestly, not sure on that one, I saw plenty of luggage delivered before ours)
• You can use tenders without getting a ticket for it (tickets are free, it just allows you more flexibility).
• You get off easier (as I mentioned, that didn’t quite work as well as we’d planned though).

Anyway — I was a big fan.  Since we paid per ROOM vs per PERSON it was a great deal for the 4 of us.

A few other quick lies:

Bingo is SO fun.  I’d never played it.  It was $40 for some cards and there were only 3 winners in the whole game.  Sad… the girls running it WERE fun, the game itself wasn’t really.  I actually want to take my own cards next time and just play on our own for no big prize!

You don’t have to pay for anything on board — there are constant upgrades and extra things put in your face.  Soda, excursions, bingo — all that costs money!

All cruise dealers are the same — yes, pricing might be similar, but they each have their own pricing structures, and many charge their own fee on top of the cruise pricing.  Plus, customer service varies a lot — which is why I picked Get Away Today.  Best customer service I have found, they answered ALL of my 500 questions, without even sounding annoyed.

The post Six Lies about Cruising appeared first on Pulling Curls.

What to wear on a Cruise?

For me, I’ve mostly watched about 100 YouTube videos preparing me for what I’d need.  In fact, I had no idea they still did formal nights on Carnival cruises until I researched a bit.  We are going on a 7-day cruise, and we will have 2 formal nights (YIKES).  I’m so excited, but I also really work on packing light — so what is a girl to do?

BTW, if you’re wondering. We booked our cruise with Get Away Today because they have absolutely PHENOMENAL customer service, and had the best variety of rooms for when we wanted to book!

For me, I did get a fashion subscription and asked it to be tailored for a cruise.  I was really happy with what they sent — and I wanted to share why for some of the items (I hope it gives you an idea of what to pack) — AND I will also share a great place to get excursion-wear if you’re plus sized (hint: it’s here).

BTW, I use Dia & Co (and, full disclosure, they send me these boxes every once and a while for PR — but all the reviews & opinions are all my own!).  You can see ALL of my Dia & Co Reviews.

Why a fashion subscription?  Honestly, I have a hard time finding the clothes I like in stores, and I’ve had good luck with them in the past.  They did a pretty good job!

Ok, one of the things you REALLY need to think about is transporting clothes and making sure they still look alright.  Dia did a GREAT job of thinking of that (and honestly, I might not have been as thoughtful).

This shirt is going to travel REALLY well, and the pants fit SO well — and will also not get wrinkled in my suitcase.

My last box was a bit off on fit, so I was THRILLED to see the fit of all these items to be SPOT ON.

Top $52 ($39 with a full-box discount)

Bottoms: $65 ($48.75)

What do you guys think of that one?  While the outfit looks “put together” it is also SUPER comfortable (and frankly, feels a bit like scrubs — from this nurse)

Ok, onto outfit 2:

I love, love love the colors of this.  Something VERY different than what I normally wear.  BUT, those bell sleeves?  Oy vey.  Not a fan.  What do you guys think?

The pants are SO comfy and soft.  They will be great for travel.  A nice “lighter” option without being white (so if they get a bit dirty it won’t be as noticeable — especially on port excursions, etc).

AND, as far as cruising, this top is really fun — and does sort of say “Mexican Riviera” with those sleeves.  It is a nice weight for windy boat rides, and the knit will pack REALLY well.  It is a cruise win, for sure.

Top: $69 ($51) — besides not being in my comfort zone, I think it’s a bit pricey — BUT it IS well-made.

Bottoms: $59 ($44.25)

Ok, and I have one other top (Dia boxes come with 5 pieces):

I like how it goes with the pants.  The colors are alright, not as bright as I prefer (I prefer really bright clothes), and AGAIN — the flutter sleeves!

I guess I hadn’t been specific enough about my sleeve preferences, but no fear — I let them know in my comments.

HOWEVER, I do think on hot port days, the flutter sleeves might be a win.  A little more air flow and a bit less restriction will probably be welcome.   Also, I live in Arizona, and I may love these tops long-term.   It is also a GREAT fabric for packing, and will not show stains as I chow-down on the ship.  A cruise win, for sure.

Top: $59 ($44.25) — I was super-impressed with the pricing on this one!  If it didn’t have flutter sleeves, I’d want it in every color.

Total Box Cost: $303 –– total with keeping the full box would be $227.25 — which is very much in line with my other Dia Boxes (I have a whole post on Dia & Co Pricing that you might want to check-out if you have more interest in them).

Subscription Box Cruise Tips:  Make SURE to be SPECIFIC about what you wanted. I told them when I was going, and where I was going so they could aim right for the weather and activities I’d be doing.  Any time you spend giving them more info, is time well-spent!

CRUISE TIPS:  While you might not want to get a Dia box before your cruise, I think we can all learn some things from what they sent me.  Dia has always listened pretty well (EXCEPT FOR THE SLEEVES, eh-hem) and I often have a free styling fee so you can try it out at no cost.  If anything it will give you some ideas to try out on your own.

AND, if you’re not plus sized I recommend Stitch Fix or Trunk Club!

What to wear on a cruise in the Evening

That is the BIG question — right?  I was sad Dia didn’t send any dresses.  I think they were thinking “formal” but my idea of formal is a long dress… and I have LOVED Dia dresses in the past.  I plan to actually take a couple of them.

I plan to take the purple one from my November 2018 box, and the floral one from my April 2018 box.  Both have become favorites of mine, and can easily get very dressy depending on accessories (while still being VERY comfortable!)

What should men wear on a cruise in the evening:

Keep in mind, you don’t HAVE to do the formal evenings, but we plan to — and I think it will be really fun.

Men are expected to not wear jeans, and likely have a suit and tie on.  From the Carnival website it says:

• Men: dress slacks, dress shirts, and we also suggest a sport coat; men may also wish to wear a suit and tie or tuxedo

I think my husband plans on a sport coat and non-jean pants.

What should kids wear on elegant nights on the cruise?

My son will likely wear a pair of dressier pants (which can also be worn on the ship, so I’m not talking SUPER dressy), a shirt and tie.

My daughter will likely wear a dress (a friend of mine recently got some awesome wrinkle-free dresses for girls on Amazon, and I think that’s a top-notch idea), or a skirt and shirt.

What to wear on Cruise Excursions?

Oh man, as a plus size gal I struggled with this!  We are planning on doing some really active things through Shore Trips — including Kayaking & Snorkeling.

Plus Size Cruise Excursion Wear

I found a great plus-size swimwear & active company with Juno Active.

I love how they have SO many options with their swimsuits.  They were nice enough to send one to look over.  My hips and top are SO different I am so grateful for tankinis.  AND, I tend to chaffe in my thigh area, so I was really grateful for a pair of shorts that would help that issue as we’re walking to our different excursions.  I REALLY like the top, (the top they sent me isn’t available anymore, but many are similar and I would pick one that fits your body type) and how it will let me be “active” (vs many plus size-suits that are so busy slimming they don’t let you move).

Juno Active Suits are made to withstand harsh conditioners like chlorine and ocean water.  I am confident their suits will last me a while!

Before I found Juno Active I shopped around a bit… I wanted some longer shorts as we will have to walk quite a bit (and I tend to chaffe in a suit alone).  I got these from Amazon, and a rash guard is a MUST to protect my pasty skin from the sun.

AMAZON WARNING:  Sizing is ALL OVER THE PLACE.  So, be sure to order a few months before your cruise, so you have time to get it right!  

Non-water Excursion Wear

I mostly will wear something that can get a little dirty, and not get too noticed.  I thought that a lot of the items from Dia above would work well for that!

So, that’s my plans.  What do you think I got right or wrong?  I’d love to hear in the comments!

If you’re interested in cruising, climb on board to hear the rest of my cruising posts — and check out my other travel tips below that!

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The post What to Wear on a Cruise: Evenings, ship days, and port options! appeared first on Pulling Curls.