I wrote a post with this exact same title on May 19, 2011. And here I am, one year later, writing a similar post. It feels so amazing to me that I made this dream of going on another cruise soon after my first a reality. I can’t tell you how many dreams I’ve had that I’ve just let fade away as other things come up.

I think we all have to find our niche in traveling. I was never interested in traveling until last May. Traveling through Europe or other foreign lands held no appeal for me and I put it off for a long time. Well, for one, you need money to travel and for most of my life, we didn’t have much of that. But now that I’m older and both my mom and I are more in control of our finances, it’s becoming easier and easier to do so.

And cruising, quite frankly, is pretty cheap. It helps that I live within driving distance of four different cruise ports. (Yet another benefit of living in Florida. Woo!) I don’t need to purchase plane tickets, although my mom and I will be driving to Ft. Lauderdale tomorrow and staying the night in a hotel before going to the cruise port.

We booked this particular cruise in August. It’s been nine long months of waiting and saving up and anticipating. I think vacation anticipation is one of the most fun things. I didn’t let myself get too excited over the cruise until a few months ago. It felt so far away before! I remember counting down with my mom and telling her we had “just 50 work days” to go. And now I’m down to my last day at work before leaving. Wow. (How am I going to survive this day?! Just glad I have a lot to take care of at work before leaving for a week!)

My suitcase is getting fuller. My excitement level is through the rough. And I am two sleeps away from being back on a Carnival cruise ship.

For this cruise, we have three stops: Key West, Jamaica, and Grand Cayman. I’ve been to Grand Cayman but have never been to Key West or Jamaica so I’m really excited to experience the island life there!

We’ll be in Key West on Monday and we’ve booked a short bike tour that will take us all around the island and to historic spots in Key West. It’s only about two hours so we’ll have plenty of time to shop and eat before getting back on the ship. I’m not sure what to expect out of this stop but I’m just excited to take it all in and be completely in the moment.

On Wednesday, after a day at sea, we stop in Grand Cayman. We stopped there on my last cruise where my mom and I booked a fun stingray and snorkeling excursion. We’ll be doing a dolphin encounter, which may not be as cool as swimming with them but I still think this will be a neat experience. We’re not allowed to bring cameras to the encounter and photos are expensive to buy, so I’m a little bummed about that. We’re also stopping at Stingray City again where we’ll be able to pet, kiss, and hold sting rays! This excursion will take up much of our time in Grand Cayman, which I’m okay with since we’re dropped in a very touristy part of the island and I’m not all that fond of it.

On Thursday, we have our last stop in Jamaica. I am seriously excited about Jamaica. Not only am I excited about being there, but we’ve booked an awesome excursion: zip-lining and bobsledding. I mean, you can’t go to Jamaica and not bobsled, right? The excursion we bought takes us up to Mystic Mountain where we’ll ride a chairlift to get to the bobsleds, ride the bobsled “as it plunges through 3,280 feet of twists and turns down the mountain” (as the description lists on the Carnival site), go back up the mountain via tram, and go zip-lining through “the canopy on a series of cables and pulleys that are interconnected on both tree and land-based platforms.” Um, hi, MOST AMAZING EXPERIENCE OF MY LIFE! After all that fun, we have time to swim in an infinity-edge pool. We also have the opportunity to go on another bobsled ride for a fee. We’ll have to see how much we like it! I am really, really excited about this excursion, even though it’s way out of my comfort zone. I’m not sure I’m going to want to leave Jamaica!

Friday is another day at sea as we sail back to Florida and we’re back in Ft. Lauderdale on Saturday morning. (Saaaaad face!)

There is so much I’ve been anticipating about this cruise. The excursions. Visiting different countries. Afternoons spent lazily laying on lounge chairs with the Caribbean as my backdrop. Fancy dinners and meeting new people. Waking up and seeing the deepest blue waters out my window. Breakfast buffets. Nightly entertainment. Walking along the decks. Putt-putt golf on the top deck. Watching the sun go down over the ocean.

To say I’m excited is an understatement. I have been looking forward to this cruise for nine months and I can’t believe I’m two sleeps away from reliving the most fun week of my life again. Only this time? This time it will be even better.

My mom and I will be driving to Fort Lauderdale (around a 4-hour drive) Saturday afternoon. If you’re so inclined, prayers and good wishes for safe travels would be greatly appreciated. We’re a little nervous about the drive.

What has been your favorite vacation you’ve taken so far?

I’m back with another round of cruise tips! If you missed part one, you can find it here.

(Four sleeps ‘til my cruise!)

11. Don’t bring a computer and keep your phone off. For one, Internet fees are insane and for another, it’s nice to be totally unplugged.

Last year, I brought my laptop with me where I mainly wrote a daily update on what I did to help me remember when I wrote about it on my blog. This year, I plan on keeping my laptop at home and bringing a little journal to write in every day. For one, I want to get into a habit of journaling so this vacation offers me the perfect starting point. And for another, there’s really no need for a laptop. (I also plan on turning my phone on airplane mode when I get on the ship.)

A cruise is a perfect time to completely unplug from it all. For the majority of my cruise, I wasn’t in range to get a signal on my cell phone anyway. Honestly, it felt completely normal and relaxing to be away from my laptop and focused on the present. It’s so easy for me to get caught up in Twitter and blogging and emails that it was the best way for me to get away. (And now that my job requires me to be in front of a computer screen 8 hours a day, I imagine this vacation will feel even more luxurious!)

So this is my advice: leave the laptop at home. Turn your phone off. Those things can wait. Be in the moment. Be present. Because the cruise flies by in a blink of an eye.

12. GET A OCEAN-VIEW ROOM!

You have the option of four types of rooms: interior, ocean-view, balcony, or suite. Now, obviously, the last two are the most attractive options. But they are also more expensive. (For example, on my upcoming cruise a balcony room would have cost us $300 more, while a suite would have cost us $800 more! Ouch!) While I would one day love to be in a balcony or suite, the ocean-view rooms are pretty nice themselves.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from our room and it was small, but I was pleasantly surprised at how spacious it felt! We had plenty of room to store all our luggage, clothes, and odds and ends that women seem to need. 🙂 And it never felt cramped, even when we were both trying to get ready. My only issue with the room we were in is that it only had two outlets – one of them being on the ceiling of the bathroom! That was quite tricky to figure out but we managed.

In any event, I’ve never stayed in an interior room and I would never want to. I think it would disorient me to be in a windowless room – and the fact that the room would be pitch black when you shut the lights off! – so pay the extra money to at least have ocean view. Waking up to see the ocean surrounding you out your window is an experience not to be missed!

13. You don’t need as many clothes as you think.

I overpacked a LOT during my first cruise. I don’t think I wore half of what I brought. What you need: bathing suit(s) and cover-up, flip-flops, clothes for your excursions (if needed), pajamas, and outfits to wear for dinner. That. Is. It. I promise. On “At Sea” days, you mainly spend the entire day in your bathing suit until dinner. Or at least my mom and I did. I plan on packing much lighter this time around!

14. Best sleep you will ever have is on a cruise ship.

I have never slept better than when I did when I was on my cruise. Between the happy exhaustion from a day lived well to the gentle swaying of the ship along the waves, I conked out each night and woke up leisurely. There is nothing like it in the world. I know some people worry about being able to sleep while in movement but trust me, more often than not, I would forget I was on a moving vessel while on the ship. There are few things worse than not being able to get a good night’s sleep while on vacation!

15. Don’t ever wear a dress on the top deck of the cruise ship.

I learned this the hard way. And perhaps every one of you is thinking, “Well, duh! It’s the top of the ship! It’s bound to be super windy.” Obviously, I am not that smart. I wore a cute little sundress on the top of the ship while trying to play mini-golf. This didn’t go well. I spent the majority of the game with one hand gathering my dress so it didn’t billow up and the other hand on my golf club to tap the ball in the hole.

(In case you’re wondering, I lost that game. By a lot.)

17. Two dinner options: early and late. Both offer their own pros and cons.

Early dining is at 6:00 and late dining is at 8:15. My mom and I prefer late dining since we’re late eaters by nature. This meant we weren’t rushed to get back on the ship, showered, and dressed on our excursion days. It also meant there was a beautiful window of time when it was less busy and noisy out on the decks. But late dining means missing some of the nightly entertainment choices. There were more than a few shows and activities we missed out on because they started when we were still eating. But you also miss the crowd of little kids when you choose late dining which, for me, is a huge plus. (No offense to those who have little kids.)

On our May cruise, we have late dining and on our June cruise, we have early dining. So I guess we’ll see which option we like better!

18. There is nothing in the world like waking up to the bluest waters out your window, or a vast ocean surrounding you.

Becky asked me if I ever felt trapped on the ship. I can honestly say no. I never, ever felt trapped or claustrophobic or scared.  I trusted the captain and the staff at Carnival to know what they were doing and they did. If anything, I felt freer than I ever have in my entire life. Standing on the top of the ship with the bluest waters I’ve ever seen surrounding me was simply amazing. Waking up, looking out my window, and seeing the ocean surrounding me is an experience I treasure every day. Sigh. I can’t wait to experience it all again!

So I know I’ve only mentioned my love for cruising a bajillion times and I am not lying when I say I have a personal mission to go on one cruise a year. I don’t think I realized how much I would love it when I went on my first one last May, but it was the best five days of my life. (You can read all about my adventures here!) Even though I’ve grown up in Florida and learned to swim by the time I was four, I wouldn’t classify myself as someone who loves the beach and water. The beach can be more irritating than relaxing, what with the sand and drunk people and screaming kids and blistering heat…

But I’ve always wanted to go on a cruise. It seemed like a fun time, but I didn’t have a clue how much I would fall in love. I had planned on a simple “10 Things I Learned” post, but as I started writing, I realized I had a lot to say about what I learned. (I was up to 17 points within twenty minutes.) So, without further ado, part one of the list:

1. Make sure you pack some snacks and drinks.

My mom and I learned this the hard way. While there is plenty to eat, there are times when the buffets are closed down. (Mainly for a few hours between meals.) It was especially hard at night, a few hours after dinner when you get the urge to munch — and there’s nothing to munch on! They do have a midnight buffet, if I remember correctly, but we were usually asleep before then. This year, we will be bringing some snacks!

2. Alcoholic beverages are expensive. And if you’re a soda drinker, be sure to budget for a soda card.

I think I only got two drinks on the cruise — both being mojito’s where I asked the bartender to be light on the alcohol. (I hate the taste of alcohol.) One of my regrets is not buying a “drink of the day” since they come in some awesome souvenir glasses! But you can easily spend hundreds of dollars on your drinks. (One day, I saw a woman buying her THIRD DRINK before 10am! I shudder to think of what her drink bill looked like.) And also, soda card. A must-have if you’re a soda drinker. They cost about $6 per day you’re on the ship so for my upcoming cruise, it’ll be a flat fee of $36. (Well worth the money!)

3. Serenity Deck. The most amazing thing to ever happen to a cruise ship.

One of the best features of the Carnival cruise is the Serenity Deck. It’s a 21+ deck in the back of the ship where it’s quieter and the lounge chairs are sooo luxurious! The only issue with Serenity is that it’s very limited in chairs so it’s a first come, first serve basis (and very popular!). It was my favorite part of the cruise ship and I just loved how it was quiet and away from the hustle and bustle of the other areas of the ship.

4. The excursions are worth the extra money.

Before my first cruise, when I asked for advice, someone told me to forego the excursions and instead stay on the boat since it’s quieter and way less crowded. This was terrible advice. First of all, why would I want to stay on a boat when I could explore an entirely new country? And why would I give up awesome experiences of kissing sting rays, snorkeling in the deep blue waters of Grand Cayman, and exploring ancient Mayan ruins? The excursions are completely worth their money. You can find an excursion from $40 – $250 per person. I usually try to stay in the $80 – $100 range and have found quite a few gems. Just be sure to read the reviews beforehand, since they give you a better idea of what to expect than the descriptions. But I wholly recommend going on an excursion during your cruise (especially if you’re like me and not the savviest traveler! You can probably find things to do on your own, but I find it’s just so much easier and safer to book it through the cruise line.)

5. You will be seated with strangers at dinner. Which is weird, at first, but gets to be pretty awesome.

I had no clue what the dinner process was. I surely didn’t realize I would be seated with strangers. Luckily, we had a great group of people to sit with: a grandma and her granddaughter and then a family of three – a mom, a dad, and their 19-year-old son – who kept the conversation flowing. (We also had a husband and wife, but they only ate with us once.) At first, introvert and social outcast that I am, I was upset that I would have to make conversation with strangers during dinner. But then it got to be really cool, getting to know these people, where they were from, and their lives.

6. Make sure you bring some sort of bag as a “carry-on” since your luggage doesn’t get delivered to your door until later on the first day.

And sometimes, it takes a long time for your luggage to get to your door. So try not to freak out and alert the cruise staff that your luggage is missing while they’re preparing everyone for the safety demonstration. Not that we did that. Us? Of course not. We are not that neurotic!

7. There aren’t too many fancy dinners.

My first cruise was a 5-day one and we had one fancy dinner. I had packed 3-4 fancy dresses and most nights, the dinners were casual dress (i.e., you could show up in jeans or khakis.) This time, I’m bringing two fancy dresses but not getting too worked up over how I’m supposed to dress at the dinners. It’s a very relaxed atmosphere.

8. The professional photographs are the cheesiest things ever. Don’t waste your time or money.

Did I ever write about the time my mom and I had a lady do our photographs after dinner one night and she put us in poses that, um, well, made us wonder if she thought we were a couple. Awkward? JUST A LITTLE BIT! The backdrops they create are cheesy and fake (think pianos, plastic columns, and dorky screens), and the poses they put you in remind me of elementary-school pictures. Do not recommend. They are also a ridiculous amount of money. Take your own pictures.

9. All-inclusive? Partially.

The last night of your cruise (a sad, sad day…), an envelope is slipped under your door that lets you know the tip money that is asked of you for services provided. (This includes your server at dinner, stateroom services, and other staff.) On Carnival, it is a flat fee of $11.50 per day per guest. So, for my upcoming cruise, it will cost us $138 in total ($69 per person). You can always give more than the minimum amount, of course, but all guests are required to pay this. And the service we received on our cruise was out of this world amazing, that we had no problems paying the fee. They do a lot and they do it with a smile.

Along with tip money, you will see any other charges incurred while on the ship – alcoholic beverages, soda card, Internet charges, etc. If you chose to have an alcoholic beverage every day, well, this is when you may have a heart attack. Lucky for us, we are not big drinkers so our bill wasn’t crazy. (Our final bill came to $200 total, which included tip money, soda cards for each of us, and four drinks between the two of us.)

10. Learning to use the bathroom and shower on a rocking ship is difficult, but manageable.

This was something I was not expecting. Or perhaps just something I didn’t even think about. Obviously, it’s not as if you’re in danger of falling over while in the shower but there’s a slight unsteadiness to it all that takes some getting used to. This was the only place where I felt the rockiness of being on a boat, and even then, it wasn’t bad at all.

Do you have any questions for me about cruising? They may make them into Part 2! Did I help clear up any misconceptions you had about going on a cruise?