Tips and Tricks For Traveling and Cruising With Children

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cruisingWe recently took a family cruise on the Carnival Glory for my 40th birthday and along the way I came up with some tips to help you keep your sanity, especially while cruising with your children.

1. Pack a roll or two of paper towel.  They will come in handy to clean little messes, wrap fragile items when you pack to go home, and a million other uses that you’ll find while you’re in your cabin.

2. Pack a small bottle of laundry detergent.  I saved a few samples I’ve collected recently.  The ships usually have a laundry room where you can purchase detergent but it was nice having my small travel size so I could spot clean items that I needed to or hand wash a few small things and hang them to dry in the shower on the clothesline.

3. Pack a few garbage bags for your dirty clothes.  Then when you repack to go home you won’t have to put dirty clothes against your clean suitcase.

4. Pack disposable coffee cups with lids.  I love iced coffee and it was nice to be able to put my iced coffee in a disposable cup that I could take off the ship with me or even walking around the ship and not worry about it spilling.  They came in handy for my husband’s coffee and iced tea for my girls, too.  Seems silly but being able to take a drink around with a lid was great and unlike bringing our own sports bottles, etc. we didn’t have to worry about saving them.  Not very eco-friendly but we were on vacation. 😉

5. Bring a case of water with you.  I wish we had done that.  Water getting off the ship was a few dollars and we really needed cold water on each island.  I wish we had brought a case of water on the ship with us and kept some cold in our refrigerator like we had seen others do.  If you aren’t local, stop off at a CVS, Walgreens, or grocery store on your way to the pier.

Ideas for cruising or even just traveling with kids:
I bought both of my girls their own purses that were VERY roomy and had lots of compartments.  Here’s what was in each of their bags to keep them comfortable and busy on our trip.

~mini note pads
~pens
~pack of colored pencils
~crayons
~a chapter book or two
~sunglasses
~sweatshirt/sweater (yes it was hot on the islands but sometimes my girls were cold indoors)
~Mad Libs and other gaming pages
~battery operated fans
~hand sanitizer
~tissues
~small digital camera (I bought them each an inexpensive digital camera.  They cost almost the same as disposable cameras and developing and I didn’t have to worry about developing any bad pictures.)
~deck of cards
~Uno or other card games
~hair ties (I have girls!)
~hidden picture pages (I bought a Highlights Magazine hidden picture book and tore out pages for each of my girls to keep in their bags to keep them busy.  They both LOVED these.)
~mints and/or gum
~package of nuts/trail mix
~water botle
~baseball hat
~sunscreen
~a wallet (my girls liked having a few dollars of their own so they could haggle and shop in the straw markets)

YES, all of the above fit into EACH of their bags believe it or not.  Notice what wasn’t in their bags?  Electronics!  We all went ELECTRONICS FREE for the entire week and loved every minute of it.  We didn’t have to worry about charging our girls’ Kindles, Nintendo DSs, etc.  When they were “bored’, had to wait for their meals, etc. they had books to read, puzzle pages, etc. and honestly I don’t think any of us missed our electronics at all!

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My 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory Part 3 #CruisingCarnival

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Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclaimer- I received free internet service while on the cruise and dinner for 2 at the steakhouse on the ship in exchange for posting about my vacation.  I wasn’t required to write so many posts but I had a lot to say.  I received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% my own.


Check out Part 1 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 2 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 3 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory

Ports of Call-
I live in South Florida so we sailed out of Miami. If you don’t already live down here, make sure to leave a day or two before or after your cruise to check out all there is to do in Miami. Our cruise on Carnival Glory went to Nassau, San Juan, St. Thomas, and Grand Turk.  We had all been to Nassau before but only I had been to San Juan and St. Thomas and none of us had been to Grand Turk.

In Nassau, Bahamas we went on the Sea and See Excursion.  This was a great excursion that had a little bit of everything. We sailed on a boat that gave us a little tour of the area and pointed out houses of famous stars.  They then dropped us off on something similar to a glass bottom boat.  On that boat we sailed to different areas of the ocean to observe the sea life including various species of fish and sharks.  The captain dropped food for the fish over the side of the boat and my girls love seeing all the fish swarming over to eat the food. It was a great way to see lots of fish without getting wet.

We sailed back to the dock and then went on a bus tour that included several stops including a castle. Once the tour finished we were dropped off by the famous straw market where my girls purchased several souvenirs. We then shopped in the downtown area for a little while before making her way back to the ship.
We decide to just “wing it” in San Juan, Puerto Rico and didn’t book an excursion in advance.  It actually worked out well for us because right off the ship we found a local tour guide was just about to start a bus tour of the area.  The tour was very interesting and informative. He made lots of stops for us to stop and take pictures.  He showed us both old San Juan and new San Juan.

We made a stop by the local beach and we even got to see an old Fort.


When the tour was over we checked out some local stores as well as a little open-air market where we purchased some handblown glass jewelry.
(My older daughter loved camp so much that she decided she wanted to stay on the ship instead of go on the island with us so that is why she isn’t in any of the pictures in Puerto Rico.)

The highlight of our stop in St. Thomas, US Virgin Islands (besides shopping for jewelry for me!) was the Ice Bar.  The Ice Bar is an entire bar and exhibit made entirely of ice. It was such a contrast from being outside in the hot tropical weather. You walk inside and they give you a parka to keep warm. They also had things to wrap around your legs if you were wearing shorts as well as mittens to keep your hands warm. My girls got all bundled up while hubby and I decided that we were so hot we would go in without the jackets.  Adults get a free shot of rum so that kept us warm but I will admit I was getting a little chilly by the time we left.
Not only was the entire bar made of ice but there were tons of ice sculptures including a candelabra made out of ice, a bench made out of ice, and even a slide that you could actually go down made of ice.

We were supposed to go on a stingray excursion in Grand Turk but unfortunately due to rough seas our excursion was canceled. It actually worked out for the best though because there was a beautiful beach just past the pier where the ship was docked. The water was beautiful and there were plenty of beach chairs for everyone. We had such a peaceful, relaxing time playing in the water and searching for shells. The beach at Grand Turk was really one of the highlights of our trip and another place I’d love to go back to soon.

We can’t wait to go on another Carnival Cruise soon.
Keep an eye out for my upcoming post on tips for cruising with kids- coming soon!

Check out Part 1 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 2 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cori's Cozy Corner Disclosure Policy

My 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory Part 2 #CruisingCarnival

This post may contain affiliate links.
Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclaimer- I received free internet service while on the cruise and dinner for 2 at the steakhouse on the ship in exchange for posting about my vacation.  I wasn’t required to write so many posts but I had a lot to say.  I received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% my own.


Check out Part 1 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 2 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 3 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory

Professional Photography-
It’s always hard to get good family pictures where we all look nice, we’re all looking at the camera, and everyone is smiling nicely.  Usually I am the one behind the camera so I really loved how many photo stations were on the Carnival Glory.  There were at least 10 different photo stations, each with a different backdrop and props to choose from.  There were also photographers taking pictures when we got off the ship, in the dining room, and around the ship.  We also scheduled a private photo session with a dedicated photographer who spent about 45 minutes with us.  He took us to several different locations on the ship and took pictures of us in many different poses and in different groupings.  He did a fabulous job and we loved the results.  There was no charge for the private photo session but the packages were a little pricier than the regular professional pictures on the ship but they were worth the extra money.  The pictures below are from pictures I took of the professional pictures for the purpose of this post.  The originals are AMAZING!

Spa-

I could write a post called “I Was a 40 Year Old Virgin” or “I Lost My Virginity on a Carnival Cruise” but it wouldn’t be for the reason that you’re thinking. Up until our vacation I have never had a massage or a facial. I normally don’t like strangers to touch me, but I figured I would treat myself for my 40th birthday because the spot was running a special combo package. It included a full body hot stone massage and a facial. I was nervous and not sure what to expect, but the woman who gave me my massage and facial was so sweet and comforting. Before she even started she asked me a bunch of questions about my medical history, my lifestyle, and my body in general.  the massage was wonderful and I was really able to relax. I also enjoy the facial and felt so renewed when she was finished.  I was afraid that she was going to try to sell me a bunch of products but thankfully she did not go for the hard sell. She did write down some suggestions for my body because I have fibromyalgia and some suggestions for facial products, but she really didn’t push me at all. This might have been my first massage but I know it’s not going to be my last.  There was a sauna and hot tub in the spa that I unfortunately didn’t have time to take advantage of but I plan to next time.

Dining-
The food, the food, the food!  I couldn’t write a post about a cruise about talking about the food. There were three different time choices available for dining in the various dining rooms- either the early seating late seating or dining any time which is what we chose for the flexibility. We like the menu included some local dishes, daily items, and some Staples that would appeal to a variety of people. The kids menu also had staples like pasta and nuggets. Let’s just say none of us went hungry.  We all enjoyed the food on the ship.  My younger daughter loves salmon and was so excited that they were able to make her salmon every night for dinner. I really enjoyed that the appetizer portions were small so I was able to try more without wasting any.  In addition to the dining room there were also many other restaurant choices and buffets, including 24-hour room service and a pizza restaurant open 24 hours a day as well.  In the evenings there was also a tasting bar that featured a different tasting  from one of the restaurants on the ship each night. We really enjoyed stopping by the tasting bar for a sample.

Steakhouse-
My favorite meal of our vacation was when my husband and I dined at the Steakhouse.  It costs $35 per person to dine at the Steakhouse but it is worth every penny.  We had several servers who waited on him foot.  It was a true gourmet dining experience including a sample appetizer made specifically for each of us from the chef. To help us choose what we wanted to eat we were shown the different cuts of meat right at our table.  My husband chose steak while I chose filet mignon and lobster tail. Both meals were incredible but the dessert was even more amazing!  We each chose the chocolate sampler that had 4 different desserts.  Each one was more delicious than the next.  It was the perfect ending to a perfect, romantic date.  I only wish I had remembered to take my camera to dinner to show everyone how yummy my dinner was.

Art Auctions-
Did you know that some ruses have in our gallery right on board?  One of my favorite parts of the cruise were the champagne art auctions.  I really enjoy seeing artwork from some of my favorite artists and also learning about artist I haven’t discovered before. The artwork usually ranges from a hundred dollars to thousands of dollars depending upon the artist and the medium. I like it there is something for everyone’s budget and everyone’s taste. The auctions are a lot of fun, exciting, and I especially like that they also do some raffles and other giveaways. I actually won two different paintings as well as a credit to purchase other artwork. My artwork is being shipped to my house and should be arriving any day. I can’t wait to receive it and hang it up. If you’re an art lover or even if you’re not, I recommend checking out one of the art auctions on your next cruise.

Check out Part 1 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 3 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory

Cori's Cozy Corner Disclosure Policy

My 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory Part 1 #CruisingCarnival

This post may contain affiliate links.
Thank you for visiting Cori's Cozy Corner! Please make sure to like us on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and subscribe to our E-mails!

Disclaimer- I received free internet service while on the cruise and dinner for 2 at the steakhouse on the ship in exchange for posting about my vacation.  I wasn’t required to write so many posts but I had a lot to say.  I received no other compensation and all opinions are 100% my own.


Check out Part 1 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 2 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 3 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory

Last month I turned the big four – oh! I decided I didn’t want to have a party and chose to go on a family vacation instead.  My family and I went on a 7 day cruise on the Carnival Glory and I couldn’t be happier with our choice.  We signed up for the Faster to the Fun “Excursion” before we even left for vacation.  It was only $50 per stateroom and it was the perfect choice for us. With Faster to the Fun we were able to get on a much smaller line to get onto the ship for our initial boarding. We also received our luggage in our cabin very soon after we arrived on the ship so we were able to unpack and settle in as soon as we got there. It really made our vacation start off much more relaxing than to not have any of our things upon arrival. My favorite perk of Faster to the Fun is that there is a special line at the Guest Services desk for people with Faster to the Fun.  It was nice not having to wait on a longer line to get my questions answered at Guest Services. It made me feel like a VIP. I was also very impressed that the second time I went up to the Guest Service line the Guest Service representative who helped me the day prior remembered my name before I even gave her my cruise card.  That was a nice personal touch.

Staterooms-
We had opted to get two adjoining rooms for the four of us and it was a great decision. My girls shared a room and they each had their own bed. My husband and I had our beds pushed together before we arrived. We were able to keep the door in between the rooms open so my girls were never really alone. It was nice having two separate bathrooms to get ready in but we would’ve been okay if all four of us shared one room.  One room was spacious enough.  The room included a minibar with a refrigerator which I liked.  It was nice having a small refrigerator to keep things cold. Each room had a TV and while the channels were limited my girls were able to find shows that they liked to keep them busy while we are in the room. The room also included a safe, hair dryer, hangers in the closets, a mailbox outside the door to leave notes, a clothesline in the bathroom.
The bathroom had a basket of toiletries such as shampoo, conditioner, and lotion, and in the closet was a robe for each guest to use while on the ship.  The shower was just big enough that I was able to help my daughter wash her hair and the adjustable shower arm was a helpful touch.

Here are some of the goodies that were left for us in our room. 🙂 My daughter wanted me to mention that her favorite part of the room was the nightly chocolate on her pillow and towel folded into the shape of an animal.

Ship’s Amenities-
There was so much to do on the ship including minigolf, ping-pong, a life-sized chessboard, several pools and hot tubs, a water slide, many different places for live music, a spa, fitness area, kids arcade, and nighttime movie playing on the big screen by the pool, a casino, and so much more.  the casino had something for everyone. There were slot machines for $.01, $.02, $.25, $1, and up. They had blackjack, poker, roulette, and even some fun crane games and other arcade type games to win cash. I like that in the casino you put cruise card into the slot machine to earn points to receive free drinks and other perks, but the best part was that you can charge your card right to your cruise account to get more cash for slot machine without having to get up. This was very convenient but could be a little dangerous.  LOL For those wanting a little quiet time there were adults only as well as a special serenity area for those 18 and over. There was lots of live music all over the ship not just music in the clubs. I was very impressed with how much the musicians got the crowd going. While waiting for my husband to finish in a store, I said over the balcony and watched down below as did musicians were teaching a group of travelers had advanced salsa. People of all ages were up and dancing. I have two left feet, but I was still moving around a little in my spot trying to learn to. There was ship wide Internet that you could use with your devices but believe it or not this blogger unplugged for the entire week. Even my children went electronics free for the entire week and left their iPad, Kindles, and Nintendo DS systems at home.  It certainly was a nice change.

Cleanliness-
We were very impressed with the cleanliness of the ship. We constantly saw employees cleaning at all hours of the day and night. We even saw somebody vacuuming the ceiling!   There was a hand sanitizer dispenser in front of each restaurant to prevent the spread of germs.  I really liked that inside the public restrooms on the door leading out of the restroom there was a little paper napkin dispenser so you can use the paper napkin to open the door without touching the handle. Right outside the bathroom was a garbage can to throw the paper napkin away. With so many reports of illnesses on cruise ships both of these were great additions. Our rooms were both nice size and each had three closets.

Kid’s Club-
The Kids Club was amazing.  Both of our girls had a great time.  We were welcomed by the Kids Club with a welcome package that included information, a coloring book, crayons, and a dry erase board when we first arrived at our rooms.  The dry erase boards came in very handy.  We put them on our stateroom doors and were able to leave each other notes about where we were going.  There were lots of activities with the Kids Club including crafts, games, fitness, science and other educational fun.  The counselors were very nice and learned all the children’s names pretty quickly. It was a nice personal touch. As a former teacher I really like that many of the activities were educationally-based. The children were grouped according to their age. My younger daughter was in the 68-year-old group and my older daughter was in the 9 to 11-year-old group. The free part of camp was over at 10 PM but then we also have the option of them playing in camp leader for a small fee. There were also several nights where there were parties for the children for a small fee.  The only thing that was a little frustrating was that one night the 9 to 11-year-old group had a party until 3 AM where the counselors brought the kids back to their rooms and my eight-year-old was jealous that her group didn’t have a party like that. They did have babysitting for her but she was sad it wasn’t an actual party. She cried a bit when we dropped her off but of course when we came to get her she didn’t want to leave.  LOL  On a side note, I went to take a picture of one of the lounges where there was a kids group going on because I wanted to show what the room looked like.  I was pleasantly surprised that the camp counselor stopped me because she didn’t want me taking pictures of the kids for privacy reasons.   I explained that I was a blogger and that I was just taking picture of the room and promised not to take pictures with any children in them, she let me take a few more quick picture of the area without the children.  I was happy to hear just how much they were protecting the children.

I have so much more to say about my awesome vacation on the Carnival Glory but this post is getting long.  
Check out Part 2 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory
Check out Part 3 of my 40th Birthday Vacation Cruise on the Carnival Glory

 

 

 

 

 

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