I thought everyone could use some travel humor today.   I recently found this list of questions that cruise passengers have asked.  It was published by Jenny Reed in march of 2010, but I smiled and I thought you might too!

These real questions have been collected by Cruise Directors various ships: 

Q. Does the crew sleep on board?
A. Of course not, late at night a water taxi picks them up and takes them home.

Q. Do these stairs go up OR down?
A. Yes! 

Q. Does the ship make it’s own electricity?
A. No, don’t you see the long extension cord trailing behind the ship?

Q. Which is the sunny side of the ship?
A. The captain spins the ship around daily so everyone gets an even tan.

Q. Which elevator takes me to the front of the ship?
A. Ask the elevator operator when you get on, he will take you anywhere you want to go.

Q. What do you do with the ice carvings after they melt?
A. We re-freeze the water and use it for frozen drinks.

Q. What time is the midnight buffet?
A. Usually around 11 PM or so. We tried doing it right after breakfast but most people weren’t real hungry.

Q. Is this island totally surrounded by water?
A. No, part of it is surrounded by sand, but it’s all clearly marked.

Happy Tuesday!  

I’m trying to settle the long standing debate with people who enjoy cruises.  Which is better the Port days or the Sea Days???

Some people say that they enjoy the time in ports exploring, I do, but I don’t think the days are long enough to really experience all that the islands have to offer.   Which is why I have to cast my vote for the Sea Days!

The ship offers so much to its passengers, and the sea day is really the only time you have to take advantage of the fabulous programming.  Still other people disagree and say that the sea days are boring and offer nothing  to do, I beg to differ, If your sea day Is boring you, you may be on the wrong cruise line, or perhaps a cruise vacation just isn’t for you.  

Rock Climbing wall:

Rock walls have become increasingly popular, and all of the royal Caribbean Ships are now outfitted with a wall on the backside of their funnel, where Guests are welcome to work on their climbing skills with an experienced instructor.  First timer or experienced climber, all of the equipment is included, and there are challenges for every level.  If you prefer a one on one beginners lesson, those are also available, free of charge, by appointment.  

Dance Lessons:

I am not sure this is on my list of things to do so much as I wanted to tell everyone it is available.  Royal Caribbean, offers a variety of dance classes where Guests have the opportunity to take salsa, swing and hip-hop lessons, line dancing, as well as elegant waltz and tango lessons. The lessons are designed for all experience levels, so anyone can participate. Once you have the moves down, every bar and lounge offers different nightly themed entertainment where you can practice.  

The Casino:

I have to admit I have a new found love for casinos, I recently learned to play Blackjack and have so much fun doing it now, so while I was never interested in the casino on a ship before, I am excite to sit down and play this time.  Its also nice to know there are instructors on board to help me learn a new game or review the rules with me.   Tournaments are scheduled though out each cruise, so if you have an interest, check the cruise compass for details. 

Cooking Classes and Tastings

I love cooking and eating and tasting, and I love to know why wines are pair with food and the logic behind those pairings.  The recent Addition of Chef’s table dinners and wine tastings to the Royal Caribbean Programming line up has me really excited to cruise as well as to learn about new dishes and wines. 

BINGO!

It’s self explanatory, and everyone wants to play – so it’s definitely on my list.  As a Bonus, they gave out some great prizes last time I cruised, including another cruise! 

Fitness Programs:


With so much food and so many food related activities, I also am very excited to take advantage of the new ship shape gym and spa onboard. 

A cruise ship is just the kind of place where a body can pile on the pounds – Fortunately, Voyager, is equipped with fully functional state of the art gym.   There are even personal trainers on board so I might be able to pick up a few tips while on board. Voyager also has a running circuits marked out around the upper deck. Through out the day there are also several fitness classes, with an instructor, such as Pilates,  yoga and spin, that you can participate in. 

With so much to do on the ship, I know I will be overwhelmed, but I have the feeling, I’m just going to dive right in, and when I get tired there is always the stand by, cocktail at the pool to relax.

So which is... Port Day, or Sea Day?  And What is your favorite thing to do on the ship?  We'd love to know!

25 Days and Counting!  

Caribbean cruises make for an amazing vacation, especially if you haven't had the opportunity to see many of the islands first hand.  Cruises give you the ability to explore, and if you don't like it, in a few short hours you'll be off to another destination.  

The more cruises I have the opportunity to book the more the question arises...what should I pack?  If you are anything like me, over packing is probable, but my word of advice is this, no matter what cabin you find yourself in, it is likely a MUCH smaller space than you are used to.  While I believe over packing is a must, I suggest that if you lay out all the things you will think you’ll need, then cut them in half. 

I do have a few must haves on my cruise packing list, and here they are:

• An over the door holder:  I am sure this sounds quite strange when you read it, but I will tell you it saved my sanity on the last cruise I was on.  Ships bathrooms are tiny and the shelf and counter space is even less then you would expect.  I however, am your typical girl, so I travel with perfume, lotion, shampoo, conditioner, baby oil, shower gel, sunscreen, chap-stick, a hair dryer, a curling iron, a flat iron, my toothbrush and about 40 other bottles and items that I NEED! There is no room to put any of this in the bathroom, or the cabin for that matter, so In an attempt to create more storage, I turned to the trusty over the door shoe holder, the cheapest I could find, which I hung on the back of the bathroom door, all of our bottles and stuff found their home in this organizer, it kept things off the tiny counter and at our fingertips when we needed it.  Don’t leave for your cruise without one.

• Highlighter pens:  Since you are on vacation, it is hard to imagine a need for a highlighter, but I suggest you pack one color for each person traveling.  Cruises are packed with activities and not to be missed programming, everyone will have something each day that they want to do, so when the cruise compass (daily guide) gets delivered to your room, you can each highlight your activities in the corresponding color, so during the day the things you don’t want to miss will jump off the page for you

• Post-it notes:  your cabin steward is your best friend on the ship, aside from servicing your room three times a day, and leaving the famous towel animals on your bed, he or she will replace towels and other items, bring your ice or anything else you need, pick up laundry if you have it done…they are your lifeline and the fist place you go when you need help.  I find that post-its are a great way to communicate with the stewards.  You can leave your not to be missed notes on the bathroom mirror, and they are sure to get them.  Post-its are also good for communicating to others in your party, where to meet, what you are up to.  My suggestion is decide on a memo area, where you will leave notes for one another when you first get into your room, this way they will never be missed

• Bungee Cords:  These are great for keeping the doors open in your cabin.  Balcony doors are designed to close automatically, and since it is nice to be able to sleep with the door open so you can hear the ocean around you, a bungee cord will come in handy.  This also is handy if you want to keep the bathroom or closet doors open as well. 
•  Clothes Pins:  Since a lot of time is spent at the pool and the beautiful beached of the Caribbean, and balconies are often used to dry items, but with the wind created by the ships movement, it is easy to lose items at sea.  Clothespins will keep your stuff stuck to the balcony.  

• Duct Tape:  I have also come to learn that there is the possibility for rough seas on a ship, and when this happens the latches on drawers don’t always stand up to the test.  A SMALL roll of duct tape will allow you to tape the drawers closed.  In addition, you can also use it to hang decorations on the outside of your door, or if your suit case breaks from over stuffing it with everything you buy in the islands.  

There you have it, my most unique items to bring on a cruise list.  Do you have something you can’t live without???  If so I would love to know what it is, maybe I need it too.