Magen’s Bay, St. Thomas

Day four on the Celebrity Equinox was another port stop, this time in St. Thomas (U.S. Virgin Islands). St. Thomas is known for its beautiful beaches and so our plans for the day involved a trip to the famous Magen’s Bay Beach. We grabbed a quick breakfast in the buffet before getting off the ship in St. Thomas. We didn’t book an excursion, opting to travel to the beach via an open-air cab. The cost from the Crown Bay cruise ship terminal to Magen’s Bay is $10 per person one way. There are lots of cabs to choose from just outside the cruise port but the rate is a flat rate and doesn’t vary.

The ride to Magen’s Bay was very interesting, to say the least. You basically go up one mountain and down the other. The roads are narrow and full of twists and turns, with no sidewalks and steep cliffs. Our cab driver was a woman and she was lovely & did a great job of getting us there safely, but I personally wasn’t a fan of the drive itself. However, it did lend itself to some beautiful views of St. Thomas!

The view from the taxi!

The group of tourists traveling on our cab made plans with our driver to pick us up at the beach in three hours. Once we got to the beach, we separated from the group and walked down to grab a lounger in front of one of the bars. We spent about three hours lounging in the shade, swimming, and enjoying the view. I have to be honest, though – Magen’s Bay is rated one of the most beautiful beaches in the world, but it wasn’t our favourite. I can’t explain why and I’m glad I went there, but I don’t feel the need to go back again.

Magen’s Bay Beach

Supper and Martini Bar

After we got back to the ship, we decided to grab burgers at Mast Grill for a quick afternoon snack. We then spent some time reading on the pool deck before heading back to our room to get ready for supper. I recall watching the view of the sunset that day and just feeling so happy and grateful to be there. Ever get those moments where you think “Is this real life?”. That’s how I felt that day.

Lounging in my favourite place with my favourite drink. Docked next to a Royal Caribbean ship!

A beautiful evening with the sun setting on the boats!

For supper that night I had the creamy butternut squash soup as my appetizer. I couldn’t decide between the rigatoni and the grilled branzino so Reggie brought both and I’m so glad he did as the branzino was amazing and not to be missed! Jordan had the caprese salad for his starter and steak and chips as his main. For dessert, Reggie brought us a chocolate mousse cake to celebrate our honeymoon! It was very tasty and needed to say, we were absolutely stuffed. I think we are both in agreement that this was our favourite meal of the cruise.

After supper, we went to the martini bar for drinks. We tried quite a few different martinis and got a little tipsy that night! I think we finally went to bed around 11:30pm which is late for us, especially considering we had an early rise the next morning for our excursion in Tortola.

Martinis from the Martini Bar

Celebrity Equinox Eastern Caribbean Review: Day Three

Land at Last

By Day 3 on the Celebrity Equinox, I was ready to put my feet on land but unfortunately we weren’t due to arrive in San Juan until late afternoon. We started our day with a late breakfast at the buffet, then spent the early afternoon lounging in the Solarium. Our port stop for San Juan was scheduled for 3:30-11pm, which was a first. Typically you are in port during regular business hours (for example, 7am-3pm, 8am-4pm, or 9am-5pm depending on the itinerary). This was also our first time visiting San Juan. We attempted to do an Eastern Caribbean cruise in 2017 on the Norwegian Escape but the route was changed to Western Caribbean due to Hurricane Maria. Needless to say, we were thrilled to finally visit some new countries after three Western Caribbean cruises!

Living my best life on the Celebrity Equinox!

San Juan, Peurto Rico

Finally, we see land!

We arrived in San Juan at 3:30pm and got off the ship around 4pm, once the initial crowds dispersed. We didn’t have a plan except to find some wifi (we never buy internet while cruising) and a place to eat. There is a Starbucks located a few steps away from the cruise port terminal, so we went there for a cold drink and wifi. We like to visit local spots when cruising but Starbucks is a sure bet for wifi in the Caribbean.

Sailing into San Juan, Peurto Rico

It was really strange to see the baristas in Starbucks dressed in santa hats considering it was scorching hot. In Canada, I associate Christmas with snow and cold. Christmas décor aside, it was a nice reprieve from the heat and we were able to get in touch with family & friends back home. I was also able to pick up the Starbucks “Been There” Peurto Rico mug! I’ve been collecting them for a few years and try to grab one whenever we visit someplace new.

I love all the colorful buildings and beautiful architecture

The famous umbrella street in San Juan

After Starbucks, we set our sights on a local bar that I had found on Google before we left Florida. We were hoping to visit a brewery but couldn’t find one directly in San Juan. However, this bar promised over 50 beer on tap and over 100 bottled varieties. After a lot of walking and map-studying, we finally stumbled upon La Taberna Lupulo. Thanks to the expansive beer list, I was able to find my first sour beer in the Caribbean and I enjoyed it with some delicious tacos and chips. The service was great and it was nice to visit a local spot away from the hubbub of the cruise port. I will definitely go back there on another trip to San Juan!

Delicious food at La Taberna Lupulo

Hot Tubs and Pool Deck

The Solarium water display at night

Once we left the bar it was getting dark, so we decided to head back to the ship. Thankfully the walk back was all downhill and slightly cooler! We got back on board around 6:30pm and decided to go for a dip in the Solarium hot tub. I think we had the whole Solarium to ourselves at that point, since most people were still ashore!

Pool deck at night

It was a beautiful evening so we decided to lounge poolside after we left the hot tub. They had live music playing – a duo that sang folksy cover songs. We had a few drinks by the pool then went to the Sunset Bar on the aft of the ship for sailaway. It was beautiful sailing out of San Juan after dark and we were already looking forward to visiting again the following week.

Beautiful view of San Juan at night

CLICK HERE FOR DAY FOUR ON THE CELEBRITY EQUINOX

Celebrity Equinox Eastern Caribbean Review: Day Two

First Sea Day

Day 2 aboard the Celebrity Equinox was a sea day, which always means a day of leisure for us! We went to the buffet for breakfast, then spent the morning lounging between the Solarium and the pool deck. The Solarium is great when you get too warm out in the sun as it is has a class covering and air conditioning. With the quiet atmosphere and tranquil music playing, it’s a fantastic place to read a book (or have a nap!). The pool deck is always loud, sunny and boisterous, so we alternated between both.

Celebrity Equinox Buffet Breakfast

For lunch, we went to the Mast Grill on deck 14. It’s perfect if you want to grab a poolside snack without dealing with the buffet crowds. We both had hot dogs and fries, and I discovered my new love for sauerkraut.

Celebrity Equinox Mast Grill

Martini Bar

After heading back to the room and showering, we went to the Martini Bar for a few drinks before supper. This is a definite hot spot on the Celebrity Equinox – it is always busy there! Luckily we were able to snag two seats at the bar when another couple left. The bar top is covered in ice which is really fun and the bartenders there are the best! They have great chemistry working together, plus they are incredibly friendly and efficient.

Celebrity Equinox Martini Bar

Main Dining Room

For supper that night, I had the escargot for a starter, steak for my main course and a fruit phyllo pastry for dessert. Jordan had the honey pear soup for his appetizer, followed by the steak and an apple cobbler for dessert.

Celebrity Equinox Main Dining Room Food

After supper we decided to go to bed. One thing you’ll quickly realize about us is that we are the type of cruisers who like to sleep in late and go to bed early. I know – it’s terrible! But what are vacations for if not for catching up on copious amounts of missed sleep? It didn’t help matters that I felt queasy again on our sea day, plus taking Gravol made me extra sleepy. At least we were docking in San Juan the next day so I could put my feet on steady ground for a while!

Celebrity Equinox Martini Bar

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 3 ON THE CELEBRITY EQUINOX

Celebrity Equinox Eastern Caribbean Review: Day One

Celebrity Equinox Check-In and Boarding

After a long Uber ride to Port Everglades, we were grateful for a super quick and easy terminal check-in. We had already checked in and submitted our photo online which meant that we breezed through the photo recognition software at the port. I’m so glad that each time we cruise, the process seems to get easier. I highly recommend checking in online for an expedited experience at the cruise terminal.

Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas was in port with us – this is the first cruise ship we ever went on!

Another difference from last year is that we were able to immediately go to our room, grab our room key cards and drop our bags. On previous trips, our room wasn’t ready until after lunch and we had to carry any of our carry-on luggage with us until then. While our rooms still weren’t ready to actually use, at least we could access them!

Complimentary champagne as we boarded the ship

On Board the Celebrity Equinox

Craft beer at Craft Social

After dropping our luggage, we headed to Craft Social for a drink. Jordan tried one of the craft beers and I had a Pineapple Moscow Mule. Craft Social also has bar food but for a cost, so we never did try it. After we finished our drink, we headed up to the pool deck for a frozen drink, then to the buffet for lunch. The buffet was incredibly busy as usual on the first day because it is one of the only lunch options. We managed to find a place to sit after a while and enjoyed our first meal on the ship.

Enjoying a drink at Craft Social

Once our rooms were ready, we headed back there to unpack our bags. Three of our bags arrived but we were missing the fourth one. Sometimes it takes a while for the luggage to be sorted, so we weren’t too worried. However, we did mention it to our room steward, Ariel when he greeted us. Of all the cruises we’ve been on, he was the best room steward. He was so friendly and helpful and he tracked down my missing bag in no time! (My luggage tag had fallen off in the process of boarding and so it was in the “lost and found” pile.)

We went back to the pool deck for the sailaway but it was pouring rain so there wasn’t a lot of people out on deck. The ocean was pretty choppy due to the storm passing through so I actually took Gravol and had a nap before supper. I’ve never been seasick on a cruise ship before so I was shocked! Everyone says that the Eastern Caribbean itinerary is rougher than the Western and I believe them now. Our room being at the front of the ship didn’t help matters either as we felt a lot of movement there. Thankfully it wasn’t as bad outside of our room in the main areas.

Frozen drinks from the pool bar

Our First Evening Onboard

We went to the main dining room every night for supper, as I mentioned in my Ultimate Celebrity Equinox review. On the first night, Jordan had the French onion soup and a spring roll as an appetizer, prime rib for his main and an éclair for dessert. I had a cream of mushroom soup and a spring roll for my appetizer, prime rib for my main, and a dulce de leche dessert. We started supper around 7pm and finished around 8:30pm, which is average for a three course meal on a cruise ship.

Our first meal in the main dining room

After supper we went to the comedy show at 9pm, which was okay. I think it was our first time watching a comedy show on a cruise ship but we would definitely do it again. After a busy day, we headed to bed after the comedy show. Overall, it was a solid first day on the Celebrity Equinox!

CLICK HERE FOR DAY 2 ON THE CELEBRITY EQUINOX

The Ultimate Celebrity Equinox Review

Welcome to our review of the Celebrity Equinox! This cruise was a last minute decision as we hadn’t planned to do a second cruise for our honeymoon last year. We had booked our initial honeymoon cruise on Harmony of the Seas in early 2018, with the intentions of spending a week on the cruise and then a week in Florida. However, since it was our honeymoon and we wanted to do something a little different, we started looking at a second cruise. Fate should have it that the Equinox fell within our dates and we got a great deal. We hadn’t done a lot of research on the older Celebrity ships and there were limited reviews and YouTube videos available for the Equinox, so we went into it without a lot of expectations. Keep reading to find out why we were pleasantly surprised!

Ship Design & Layout

Celebrity Equinox launched in 2009 and underwent a semi-refurbishment in 2019 (it was supposed to have a full refurbishment but due to dock issues, did not get all the work completed). At 121,878 gross tonnes and with a capacity of 2850 passengers, it is the smallest cruise ship we’ve been on. With a gorgeous navy blue hull, the Equinox is looking as sharp as ever. The ship has modern-looking stylings throughout with lots of mid-century modern style furniture and interesting sculptures.

The top deck of the ship features the Lawn Club, an outdoor area with a bar, glass-blowing classes, outdoor movie screen and real grass. While it doesn’t have a lot of kid-friendly amenities like rollercoasters, surf simulators, water slides, or go karts, it has everything that I could ever need on a cruise ship.

Because the ship is small(er), it is super easy to navigate. I did miss the promenade of Royal Caribbean ships, but at least I could easily walk from one end of this ship to the other in a few minutes! Another fun design feature of the Equinox is a real, live, floating tree in the middle of the ship. You can catch a glimpse of the tree while riding the elevators!

Celebrity Equinox Solarium

We didn’t have any trouble finding a lounger on the Celebrity Equinox, even on sea days. I love the fact that the ship has padded loungers as opposed to the usual uncomfortable fabric loungers. There was plenty of places to lie in the sun or in the shade, whatever your preference is. We spent a lot of time in the adults-only Solarium, which was covered and air-conditioned. There is no bar directly inside the solarium, but there are many just outside the solarium doors on the pool deck. The solarium has a spa-like feel, with tranquil music playing in the background. There are also two hot tubs located in the solarium, as well as number of “cuddle bed” loungers.

Celebrity Equinox Public Bathroom

In terms of cleanliness, the ship was spotless. Even the public bathrooms were immaculate. I also appreciated the fact that the bathroom doors opened by a push button located on the wall as I try to touch as few door handles as possible in public areas!

Service on the Celebrity Equinox

I knew the service would be remarkable when we were handed a glass of champagne immediately upon boarding the ship. From there, the great service continued. We had excellent bar service, especially at the Martini Bar. The staff at Cafe al Baccio were super friendly and efficient whenever we went there for our morning lattes. Our stateroom attendant Ariel was the kindest, sweetest, loveliest person ever and did a great job of keeping our room clean and tidy. He always went out of his way to speak to us every day as we were leaving our room or coming back at night and ensured we had everything that we needed.

The service provided at mealtimes was also top-notch. We love the fact that the Equinox doesn’t just have a waiter and an assistant waiter for your table, but also a designated sommelier and a bar server to take care of your wine and other drinks! Our waiter Reggie was amazing – he went above and beyond every night. He always gave excellent food recommendations and if I was debating between two choices, he would bring both. The meal service was exceptionally efficient but we never felt rushed. If you can get Reggie as your waiter, you are in luck!

Celebrity Equinox Martini Bar (the bar top is iced!)

Stateroom Design & Functionality

Unfortunately the staterooms only got partially upgraded during the refurbishment, so while we had new bedding, curtains and artwork, we had the old carpet and sofa. The new furniture is modern and blue-grey, while the old decor is red, earthy tones so needless to say, it really doesn’t coordinate well.

Celebrity Equinox Balcony Stateroom

The size of our stateroom was about average for a balcony room, but the storage design wasn’t my favourite. There was a closet, five desk drawers, and cabinets above the bed. We stored most of our clothes in the cabinets above the bed, but it wasn’t practical, especially for anyone with poor mobility.

The bathroom, however, was probably the most spacious of any ship we’ve been on! The bathroom cabinet had lots of storage and there was a decent amount of room in the shower. The shower always had hot water and good water pressure.

Our balcony had two reclining chairs and a small table. It was a standard size balcony compared to other cruise ships we have been on.

Celebrity Equinox Balcony

Activities

We didn’t partake in many activities on this ship. As a rule, we typically prefer to relax and read by the pool as opposed to participating in classes or events. We do enjoy going to shows in the evening but none on this ship seemed particularly appealing to us.

We did attend an ABBA tribute one night, which had everyone dancing and singing. I would have liked to watch a movie on the Lawn Club but to be honest, I wasn’t feeling the best (more on that later) so we didn’t do that. Because the ship has an older clientele, it seemed that there wasn’t a lot happening after 11pm. It didn’t bother us since we tend to head to bed around then anyway, but a forewarning to anyone looking for a party ship!

Food and Drinks

Celebrity certainly excelled in the food and drink category. We mostly ate breakfast and lunch in the Oceanview Cafe buffet and went to the main dining room for supper each night. I found the buffet food to be fairly monotonous by day 3 as the selections didn’t change much. However, they do offer a selection of Indian and British food each day. Despite the lack of variety from day-to-day, the food in the buffet was all delicious.

Some days we had lunch at the Mast Grill, located on Deck 14. It was a convenient place to grab a burger (veggie, chicken or beef) or a hot dog as well as fries to eat by the pool. For those who prefer a healthier option, there is also the Spa Cafe located inside the Solarium. Open for breakfast and lunch, it features smoothies and small bites.

Celebrity Equinox Mast Grill

We ate supper each night in the Silhouette dining room. We had “Celebrity Select” dining, which meant that we could choose to go whenever we wanted (as opposed to having an early or late seating each night). Occasionally we had a 5-10 minute wait for our table, but we were provided with a handheld buzzer to notify us when the table was ready. We often had a drink at the nearby Martini Bar while we were waiting.

Rather than a bread basket, Celebrity Equinox provides a combination of bread and bread sticks, along with two dipping sauces and a whipped butter. The dipping sauces change each night, which we really enjoyed. Celebrity had the best selection of appetizers, mains and desserts of any cruise line we have been on. Supper typically took 1-1.5 hours and we never felt rushed. As always, supper was my favourite part of our cruise!

Celebrity Equinox Main Dining Room Food

Celebrity Equinox has four specialty restaurants – Murano (french), Tuscan Grill (Italian), Le Petit Chef (Global- 3D table animation) and Sushi on Five. We didn’t try any of the specialty restaurants on this cruise.

Must-Try Food: Salmon with hollandaise sauce, grilled branzino

Celebrity Equinox drinks

The drinks on the Celebrity Equinox were also amazing. I really appreciate that they mix the alcohol into the blender for frozen drinks, as opposed to pouring it over the top which makes the drink quite strong. We spent a few nights at the Martini Bar, which features an ice-top bar and a DJ playing remixes to popular songs. The martinis were tasty but quite strong, however, the staff there is the absolute best! There is a reason that the Martini Bar is always really busy. We had a few drinks at Craft Social as well. They have over 40 beers so Jordan tried a few but sadly there was no sour beer for me to enjoy.

Must-Try Drinks: French Caribbean and Blue Note

Overall Impressions

Despite being the smallest cruise ship that we’ve been on, it was my favourite. The food, drinks and service was top-notch. I loved the design of the ship and the fact that I never felt crowded. I also appreciated the more mature, well-behaved passengers. We did an Eastern Caribbean itinerary with stops in San Juan, St. Thomas, Tortola and Nassau. The seas were incredibly rough and I felt a lot of movement in our stateroom, which was located at the very front of the ship. I’m not sure if the movement seemed worse because it was a smaller ship or if that was just a coincidence. Either way, it wasn’t enough to stop us from booking another cruise on the Equinox for this year! Without a doubt, the Celebrity Equinox has become my favourite cruise ship thus far.

Celebrity Equinox Daily Travel Diaries

Day One: Embarkation

Day Two: Sea Day

5 Reasons to Choose the MSC Seaside as Your Next Cruise

As soon as we tell our friends & family that we are going on another cruise in September, their first question is always “Which ship?”. When we reply with “The MSC Seaside”, we typically see confused faces in response. “I’ve never heard of them”, they say. It’s true – North Americans tend to associate cruising with the more well-known lines such as Royal Caribbean, Carnival, or Norwegian. However, while MSC is new to the North American market, they are not new to cruising. MSC is actually the 4th largest cruise line in the world, coming in after the aforementioned three lines.

MSC Seaside

MSC is a European cruise line that recently expanded its market to North America. While the MSC Divina has been sailing the Caribbean since 2013, the MSC Seaside is their first ship that was built specifically for the North American market. The MSC Seaside entered into service in December 2017 and currently sails from Miami, Florida to the caribbean.

One of my good friends was actually on the third sailing of the MSC Seaside in January. Initially (as with many new ships), there were a number of issues and many bad reviews. My friend didn’t recommend the ship to me but she wasn’t surprised when I told her about my plans to sail on the Seaside in September. I believe it is vital to give any cruise line a few months to work out the kinks and so I did my research & now I’m presenting to you the five reasons why we booked the MSC Seaside, despite the initial negative reviews.

Five Reasons To Book The MSC Seaside

1. The Architecture & Design

The look of a cruise ship is a major factor in whether or not I will book. In fact, the reason why I haven’t sailed Carnival yet is because I am generally not a fan of how their ships actually look. However, no one can deny the beauty of the MSC Seaside. The aft design was inspired by Miami condos and features an outside elevator with breathtaking views, as well as the stunning “Bridge of Sighs”, a glass-bottomed bridge on the 16th floor!

The inside features a stunning multi-story atrium with large interactive video screens, numerous bars, and the Insta-worthy Swarovski staircases. Known as the “Ship that follows the sun”, the MSC Seaside offers ample opportunities for guests to view the sun and sea, including a boardwalk promenade featuring restaurants and shops on deck 8.

2. The Price

Initially, we hadn’t planned to go on another cruise until our honeymoon. Cruising is quite expensive, especially when you consider airline tickets and hotels on top of the actual cruise fare. We planned to take a cheaper trip to an all-inclusive resort given our budget, however, we couldn’t turn down the price of this cruise! For what we would have paid for an all-inclusive resort, we are getting a 7-night cruise with unlimited drinks! Of all the cruises we have done and those we have booked for the future, this is by far the most affordable. I highly recommend checking out MSC if you want to cruise on a budget!

3. The Food

Food on cruise lines is a very subjective topic. And because I have yet to sail on the MSC Seaside, I cannot comment on the quality of the food itself yet, but I can tell you that I am very excited about it. I’ve heard that the pasta, bread, and pizza is to die for! Furthermore, the unlimited drink package also includes unlimited gelato. Oh, and don’t get me started on the coffee-based drinks! And if that wasn’t enough, there’s also a chocolate bar. Consider me sold!

4. The Multicultural Experience

MSC is a European cruise line and therefore, many of the guests are located outside of North America. In fact, MSC doesn’t sailaway from Miami until late in the evening to allow European guests time to fly into Miami earlier in the day (which I don’t recommend doing). On the MSC Seaside, you will hear announcements in a variety of languages. You will also witness a magnitude of people from different countries and with different mannerisms. It’s a great opportunity to meet people outside of your culture & perhaps make new friends from a different part of the world.

5. The Music & Ambiance

This may sound like an odd reason to book a cruise but it’s an aspect that we are very excited about. From videos and Instastories that we’ve seen of the MSC Seaside, it seems that there is a lot of focus on EDM, or electronic dance music. Given that this is a European ship, I am not surprised, as EDM is quite prominent there. While there will be a number of bars with a variety of music onboard with something to suit everyone’s taste, I am looking forward to hearing more club music and less Jimmy Buffet on this ship.

I will definitely be writing a review after we actually sail on this ship but I am hoping it will exceed my expectations!

Have you been on the MSC Seaside? If not, what has been your favourite cruise ship?

All photos copywrighted to MSC Cruise Line and used from their Media Resources Image Bank.

Tips for First Time Cruisers: Booking Your Cruise

 

This is Part One of a multiple-post series. I will link the following parts here as they are available.

We are not cruise experts by any means (hopefully someday!) but I thought I would share some tips and advice that we have learned from our cruise experiences. It can be an overwhelming process if this is your first time cruising, however, it is will well worth it! If you have any questions or advice, please leave them in the comments below.

Disclaimer: This is based on our personal experience on the particular crises that we have traveled on. This information can vary between  cruise lines and/or cruise destinations. I suggest checking with your specific cruise line regarding any questions or concerns you may have.

To Book With A Travel Agent or Not?

We normally booked all of our vacations independently, until our first cruise. As it was our first time doing a cruise, we didn’t want to risk making any newbie mistakes so we used a travel agent. Since then, we have booked all our cruises with a travel agent. Why, you ask? Because a travel agent can often get you a better rate through a group booking or at the very least, perks in the form of on board credit or other bonuses like free upgrades. If you are interested in booking with a travel agent, I can send you the information for mine! (No, I don’t get anything from the referral!)

Choosing The Right Cruise

With so many cruise options, it can be hard to narrow down a specific ship to travel on! Obviously, if you have limited dates to work with, you will have to find a cruise that sails within those specific dates. Personally, we stick to Caribbean cruises, which typically offer 7-8 day Western, 7-8 day Eastern or 7-10 day Southern cruises. There are also cruises to Bermuda, Florida, Cuba, Hawaii, the Panama Canal and more!

Next up, you have to decide where you are cruising from. We leave from Florida as those flights are typically the cheapest for us. Florida has four cruise ports in the following cities: Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Orlando, and Tampa. Most hotels offer cruise port shuttles for a small price, or you can get a cab, Uber, or Lyft to the port. If you live in the area or have a rental vehicle, you can also park at the ports. However, it is not cheap – usually upwards of $20 USD/day.

There are multiple cruise lines and everyone has their own personal favourites. Royal Caribbean is known for huge, fun megaships and Carnival is known to have the party atmosphere, while Norwegian is a family-friendly combination of the two. MSC is a European-styled line, while Celebrity has a reputation for being a classy good time, and Princess caters to the older folks. Of course, you will find people of all ages, sizes, shapes and colors on each cruise ship! We have traveled on Royal Caribbean and Norwegian and enjoyed both, though Royal Caribbean is our favourite. We also have friends who have traveled on Carnival and Celebrity and have thoroughly enjoyed those as well.

Eastern or Western? Southern?

The Eastern itinerary tends to include places such as St. Thomas, St. Martaan, San Juan, Nassau, and Tortola, while the Western often frequents Cozumel, Costa Maya, Belize, Roatan, Falmouth, Grand Cayman and Ocho Rios. The Southern itinerary is often reserved for longer cruises but includes Curacao, Aruba, Turks and Caicos, and San Juan, amongst others. The Eastern and Southern itineraries tend to be a little pricier than the Western itineraries, and seem to be more well-liked. That being said, I highly recommend trying them all! We were booked for an Eastern itinerary which got switched to a Western after Hurricane Irma. We were initially a bit disappointed as we had already done a Western itinerary, however, this one contained three new ports and we had a great time!

As per your contract with the cruise line, they can alter your itinerary for any reason. As it is part of the contract, you may not receive any compensation for the change so please be aware of this. Likewise, ports can be cancelled due to poor weather condition, especially if it is a port where you have to tender (take a smaller boat ashore).

Taking a tender boat from Royal Caribbean’s Independence of the Seas in Grand Cayman

Once you finally book your cruise (yay!), it’s time to start planning! Here are a few tips and tricks to help you. I will also be posting a separate cruise packing list in the near future, which I will link here as well.

Before You Cruise

1.  Make two copies of your passport and travel documents: one to take with you and one to leave at home with family or friends. Losing your passport in a foreign country would be very dangerous and stressful.
2. Pre-print your luggage tags and attach them to your suitcases. You can buy luggage tag holders specifically for cruise tags on Amazon (standard size and narrow size). You can find the printable for your tags in your e-documents.
3. Bring small cash for tips. While gratuities are charged daily on cruise ships, we like to tip extra when the service is excellent. A couple dollars here and there to bar staff and servers can go a long way. We tend to leave $3-4 dollars each day for the room steward and an extra $20 at the end of the week if we feel it is merited.
4. Call your bank and/or credit card company to let them know you will be travelling, otherwise they may freeze your account when they notice spending in a foreign country.
5. Don’t forget your regular medications but pack any extras that you may need as well. While the ship does sell some medication, it will be very expensive to buy. We always pack some pain medications, anti-inflammatories, anti-nauseant, anti-diarrheal, stool softeners, antacids, allergy relief, anti-itch cream, antibtioic cream, and hydrocortisone cream.
6. It would also be wise to pack a small first aid kit for minor injuries. For example, something as small a cut on a rock could be managed with a first aid kit, therefore preventing a trip to the medical aid office.
7. Pack lots of sunblock and after-sun care! Again, this is very expensive to buy on board and you will need it. Even if it is cloudy, you can burn easily on the ocean.
8. On many of the larger ships, you have the option of booking dining times, evening shows, and more through the online cruise planner. It is suggested that you avail of this as seating may be limited once you are on board, or you may not get your dining time of choice. It varies from cruise line to cruise line, but you will likely be able to start booking around 90 days prior to your trip.
9. It is often cheaper to purchase drink packages, dining packages, and shore excursions online before you sail. Sign up for e-mail notifications so you don’t miss out on any discounts!
10. Book your arrival flight the day before the ship sails! This is especially important if you are traveling in the winter or even during hurricane season. Again, the ship will not wait for you if your flight is delayed or cancelled. It is better to leave early and stay in a hotel near the port the night before.
11. You can easily book your departure flight the same day as the ship returns to port as you are often disembarked by 9-10am. However, be sure to leave enough time to get back to the airport and check in, especially for an international flight.
12. Pack a small carry-on bag for the cruise if you wish to take advantage of the pools or hot tubs before you set sail. You will drop your checked luggage off at the terminal and it may not be delivered to your room until supper time. If you think you will need anything before that time (bathing suits, medications, camera), be sure to pack it in a purse or carry on bag. I don’t recommend taking a carry on suitcase as you will have to drag it all over the ship with you until your room is ready, which may not be until 3-4pm.
13. Join a Facebook group for your ship and if possible, your specific sailing date! This will provide you with the opportunity to see pictures, reviews, and interact with fellow cruisers. Ships often have meet & greet sessions for Facebook group or Cruise Critic participants. These meet-ups are free to attend and may include free snacks, drinks, or even the opportunity to meet the captain or crew members.

Check back for part two soon!

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