SMART CRUISING - Part 2

Now for part 2 of the Girlfriends Guide to SMART Cruising .......Ok... so here is a re-cap of a few things I will cover over the next blogs that you will need to know/ think about for out cruise : 1. clothing to bring (or NOT bring), 2. How to plan your day, 3. Things you WON'T have in your room, 4. Dinner options and what to expect, 5. going ashore/excursions, 6. participating in the "activities" on board, 7. Things you need to be prepared to PAY FOR, 8. Getting on and off the ship (what to bring and time expectations) and what happens to your bags.

So, I've already touched on 1&3, so today I will hit 2, 4 & 6. All of these deal with your "day" on the ship, which will either really make it or BREAK it, according to how you spend your time on your relatively short vacation.

Time is precious.... and COSTLY! Remember... even though this cruise was SUPER cheap.... you still spent PRECIOUS $$$ for it! Every minute is paid for and you should make the most of it! Now, don't misunderstand me, you don't have to be running from shuffleboard, to climbing wall to casino, to shuffleboard again every minute of the day. BUT, they will put a schedule under your door every night (and it will be in your room on the day you arrive) and it will list ALL available activities and the times they all occur..... this way, you don't have to miss out on ANYTHING! (or you can decide to just relax and miss it all, the choice is yours!) Here is one important piece of advise when traveling with your girlfriends..... remember, it's FUN to do stuff in a group, push yourself to stay connected, even when you feel like you want to just veg out.... do it with someone else! BUT it is also important for all of the girls in your group to understand and respect each others preferences...... (example: I will be spending some time in the casino, Elyse will not, she doesn't gamble, or particularly care for it.... so I won't be pressuring her to join me, but, she may decide to come watch me win my millions for a few minutes, just to show her support) We don't have to all love the same things to have a great time, and usually, if you stretch yourself, you may find you like something you have never thought you'd try.... like rock climbing, or wave surfing, or KARAOKE!!!! Which brings me to my next thought....

Let me tell you, I am not usually a "game player" with a bunch of strangers.... I want to stay in my little circle and hang with my friends.... BUT, on my recent trip to Bermuda my entire family mandated that we all go to these silly contests (trivia night, karaoke, newly wed game, scavanger hunt...etc) WELL, much to my surprise, it was one of the FUNNEST parts of the trip! I STRONGLY suggest getting your "teams" together and showing up for these activities on board.... you will meet new people and have a GREAT time to boot!! (we will try to put out a schedule where Bellehopping is going to compete in these and then get everyone to join in)

Lastly.... dinner. Well, I haven't gotten the details yet from Lois, but I will have all of us on the same dinner and hopefully all at the same tables. (the largest is a 10 top) Expect excellent service and LOTS of food!!! You can order as much off of the menu as you want (my brother-in-law often had 3 entrees at dinner!) The dress for dinner is pretty nice, and I suggest, again, one of those maxi dresses.... they don't get wrinkled and look great! There will be one formal night and we will try to schedule a time for the ENTIRE group to photograph together in the lobby. This also means we will all have the same "show" schedule. REMEMBER... cut loose and have a great time. And brush up on your karaoke and trivia!