Prepare for Paradise: San Juan

24 Days!

Only 24 more days until my Caribbean adventure!

Our second port will be the beautiful San Juan, Puerto Rico!

In my opinion, Puerto Rico is more of a place to do touristy things, rather than relax. I don't quite enjoy the beaches here as much, but the historical sites and the shopping are absolutely fab.

Here are my favorite things to do in San Juan!

1. Drink (like a fish)
   Would you like to know what beverage company currently calls Puerto Rico home? Bacardi! Yes, since being run out of their original home country of Cuba, they've put down roots in this lovely commonwealth. And do you know what that means? Free drinks. If you pay for a ferry ride ($1.50. I think you can spring it) you can head over to the Bacardi factory and distillery to enjoy a tour of the facilities! It's not as in depth as it used to be, apparently, but that's not a big deal. Why? Well, while you're waiting for your tour to start, you get to enjoy a variety of cocktails made with Bacardi products!! (You can also pay a few bucks if you want a blended beverage, like a mojito or daiquiri.) The Bacardi Factory is probably my favorite part of Puerto Rico. Last year I bought at $80 bottle of rum (but it came in a fancy box, had my name engraved on it, AND came with a nice bag!)
   
2. Explore
   San Juan is absolutely beautiful. I mean, it is breathe taking. As the carnival website puts it, "this is where the old world meets the new." There's no better way to say it. You can walk around shops while also experiencing so much history, it's ridiculous. If you're up for it, there are even some tours to take you around the city and explain important sites to you! Or, you can just wander around yourself! I definitely recommend you get on of the smoothie-type bevs they serve from carts on the street. (There's a special name for them that I can't remember...) They are absolutely delicious, plus they're perfect for refreshing yourself after some intense exploring!
   
3. Night Life
   If your ship is staying in San Juan for the night (or at least part of it!) I definitely suggest you experience the night life of the island. Almost every restaurant and bar offers a great atmosphere for just enjoying the night, so just go and have a great time with your friends! What happens in San Juan stays in San Juan, right? Just make sure you're back on your ship in time!
   
4. Shop! (Again!)
   Okay, I'm probably going to say this about every port. But, I mean, it's not every day you get the opportunity to shop in these adorable shops and buy your friends and family some fabulous, authentic souvenirs, right? Budget yourself right, and you can get your friends (and yourself!) something special from every island (and still have money left over for the ship stores!)

There's so much to do in San Juan, so if you ever get the chance to go, I'd definitely say come up with a plan beforehand!

Prepare for Paradise: Grand Turk

26 Days!

Only 26 more days until I will be enjoying a fabulous cruise to the Caribbean!

Out first port is Grand Turk, which I have to say is definitely one my favorites.

The water is beautiful, the sand is soft, and the drinks are delicious.
This isn't an island where you're running around trying to see everything; you just want to relax. Okay, and maybe have a little bit of fun.

Here are my favorite things to do in Grand Turk!

1. Relax
   Yes, relax again. Because you are on a cruise; you're supposed to be relaxing. Grand Turk has a beautiful beach with chairs and cute little canopies so you can sit out in the sun (or not) and enjoy a nice, cold beverage.
   
   
2. Rock Climbing!
   Kind of! In Grand Turk, you'll find one large "iceberg" and one small one, in addition to a trampoline--in the ocean! It's a whole bunch of fun, and a great way to spend your time if you're not relaxing.
   
   
        I may look ridiculous, but I'm having fun!
   
   
3. Surfing
   Okay, it isn't real surfing. But Grand Turk has a FlowRider surfing attraction, so you can try it without all of the terrifying sea creatures to worry about! This is also right by the pool, barely off the beach, so if you don't want to deal with the sand--you don't have too!
   
   
4. Margaritaville
   Basically, I don't consider it paradise unless there's one of the following: Señor Frogs or Margaritaville. Grand Turk boasts the latter! Stay in the cool, air-conditioned restaurant enjoying an ice cold margarita and some "gator bites" while the rest of your family is in that nasty sand and sweltering heat. And of course, there's the shop attached, so you can go ahead and buy some souvenirs. Or a ridiculously large margarita glass. I'm not judging.
   
   
5. Shop until you drop!
   This is probably one of my favorite parts about every place I've ever visited. But I couldn't NOT include it, right? Grand Turk has a ton of cute, local shops as well as some mainstream ones, like a fabulous Ron Jon Surf Shop. If you don't get any souvenirs at Margaritaville, you'll definitely want to check out the Cruise Center: they have everything you could possibly imagine. Including alcohol. SO much alcohol. It's duty-free, so I bought a ton of Caribbean rum to bring back to my friends last year (I swear I gave it to my friends. Promise.)

If you ever find yourself in the beautiful paradise that is Grand Turk, make sure to try everything on the list! And if you've been, you should definitely tell me your favorite things to do! Since I'm going again in less than a month, I'd love all of the tips I can get!

Prepare for Paradise: Day at Sea, Part 1

28 Days!

Only 28 more days until I will be enjoying a fabulous cruise to the Caribbean!

And to start off this fabulous cruise, we have a lovely Day at Sea! These are actually some of my favorite days, because you get to explore the ship and do so much.

Here are some of my favorite things to do at sea:

1. Relax
   Obviously, a Day at Sea is always a chance to relax, because you don't feel pressured to see every sight and do everything you can possibly do in the few short hours you ave ashore. I love to have a nice breakfast in the dining room, then take my tea (or coffee) to the Lido deck to enjoy the morning breeze and a good book before the crowds get out to the pool. Then I'll head back to the cabin, grab my towel and sunscreen, and I'm out by the pool (still with the good book, of course)
   
   
2. Spa Day
   Another wonderful thing about cruises: the on-board SPA. The spas on Carnival ships offer a variety of different services, but my favorites are the Swedish massage and the Hand ritual (which features a manicure!) The services vary from acupuncture to detox wraps to teeth whitening, so there's something for everyone at almost any price point. (But I mean, you're on a cruise. You're going to splurge a little, right?)
   
   
3. Eat Around the World
   On the Lido deck, there are tons of different style foods to try, and I like to try at least one new thing a day. I'm very picky, so the fact that I can just try a little is definitely a big deal to me. Carnival has tons of different food options, ranging from American to Mongolian to Mexican, so it is entirely possible to eat something different for every meal! They also have this great thing called the "Taste Bar," where you literally just get to taste a delicious new food every day!
   
   
4. Shows
   There is never a shortage for entertainment on a Carnival cruise. They offer shows, music, cocktail parties; it's absolutely fabulous. I love to stop by the piano bar right before dinner and enjoy a cocktail while listening to the pianist play jazz pieces and even some top 40 hits! I also love to check out the comedy shows and dance performances they have on stage.
   
   
5. Get Fit
   There's no reason to fall off the bandwagon on a cruise, because they offer so many different ways to stay in shape while you're aboard. There's a fabulous track, wonderful gym facilities, and even group classes! I'm a fan of the elliptical, but sometimes I'll take a walk around the track in the morning. Even if you're just wandering around the boat, you're getting exercise, which is pretty nice, considering all of that food you scarfed down at lunch! 

So, there you have it! My favorite things to do while out at sea, waiting to reach paradise! 

Cruise Countdown!!

30 Days!

That's how long it will be until I will be boarding the Carnival Liberty for 8 days of relaxation and fun!

This is a "Friends and Family Celebration Cruise" to celebrate all of the high school and college graduations, as well as the 3 family members/friends who turn 50 this summer! It's going to be super exciting.

I haven't been able to buy any new cruising outfits (damn you, unemployment!) but I have a few pieces picked out and ready! (I did find a cute swimsuit for a good price online that I might go ahead and get...we'll see!)

But I am just so excited to be getting away from it all.

We're going to 4 ports and spending 3 days at sea, so I'm going to do a series about all of my favorite things to do in the ports and, when we're at sea, on the ship!

Carnival offers so much stuff to do it is literally impossible to get bored.
(Unless you eat questionable burgers in Honduras that give you food poisoning and you stay in your cabin all day trying not to puke. Then it is entirely possible to get bored; entirely too possible.)

If anyone has any suggestions for what I should do on this cruise, let me know! I love to try new things (not a big fan of new food, however) and I'm super excited to open myself up to a ton of new experiences on this vacation! We leave South Carolina on July 18th and board the ship on the 19th!