YEAH! Another cruise! and cruising tips

Its Monday and while most people would be cringing that they are starting their week....I am excited!
Today has been a long day and its only 445pm. Ryan went to go pick up the kids since he is home early while I just booked our third cruise but first one for our kids! Excited doesn't even describe what I am.

Ryan and I went to Cabo and Puerto Vallarta on a cruise for our honeymoon years ago. Then this Christmas since all the kids would be at their other parents houses we decided to do another 7 day cruise to the same place for like a second honeymoon. Plus lets face it...I didn't want to stay at home sulking without all the kids here. We knew they would be having fun, so we decided to get out of Big Valley for awhile and get some sun. 10 degrees to 86 degrees sounded like a good start to the vacation.

Christmas in the Sun

The problem with loving your kids is the whole time you are gone having fun you want them to be there with you. So today I booked another 7 day cruise but all 6 of us will be on the ship and going to Cabo! I am so excited. With Jackson going into his Senior year next year and Cassie her junior, Josh his sophomore and Jason his freshman I really wanted to have a family vacation that would allow us to have fun and see a new place. Funny how we keep going back to Cabo but we enjoy that particular cruise and know the sites so it makes it much easier to have fun and be less expensive. We already know where to go and where not to go. We already know which excursions we like and the ones we don't like. I am all about trying to have fun and save a dollar. With a large family like us you just have to have that.

From the Ranch to Cabo! Cant wait

The kids are pretty excited. We got two adjoining balconies with the boys in one room and Cassie is the room with us. Its not like you spend much time in the rooms anyways.

I know some ppl who put their kids across the ship. I am not that person ha. I think I would classify us as strict parents but fun. I want our kids to grow up to be respectful people who knows right from wrong. They all make mistakes but I have to say that I am one lucky mom because basically 95 percent of the time they are great! Good grades, good attitudes and helpful. Good Teens.

The only part of the Cruise that I dislike is we have to take them out of school. We will have to put them on independent study and will have to do their work for the week before they leave. Most ppl would just take them on spring break but that is when they have time with their other parents. Summers we really cant vacation because Ryan is too busy with work and next year it will be Jacks senior year so we don't want to mess with that. An added bonus is.....the cruise was 1000 dollars cheaper because we were doing it right after spring break time.

We want to go some shore excursions with the kids. Ryans dad and stepmom gave us 600 dollars for Christmas so we are going to book a shore excursion with that money. Then we will probably do another excursion. Ryan and I have been scuba diving, snorkeling, whale watching, shopping (that one we wouldn't do again they just take you to where they want you to go), rhythm of the nights and sailing on yacht on the different times that we have been on cruises. I cant scuba dive for two years because of my brain surgery so we definitely will be snorkeling, going to rhythm of the nights tribal dance show and boat ride, and since we have the kids we would like to do a tour of the ship that's behind the scene. That would be a good learning experience and they can see how much others are doing so they can have an amazing vacation.

In Puerto Vallarta Dec 2014

Ryans way of Snorkling

Its going to be exciting.

Some tips for cruising:

1. If you have a balcony bring a bungee cord so you can hold the door open at night to hear the ocean or have fresh air.
2. Bring a hanging shoe organizer to put on the bathroom door to hold all your little things like sunscreens, lotions, earrings, razors, etc.....saves a lot of room.
3. Having a power strip because they only have one or two plugs to charge all your stuff
4. Bring ones so you can tip room service
5. Bring zip lock bags for wet items or to bring sandwiches off ship
6. Call into the morning show to say hello....they will leave you a surprise in your room
7. Bring water bottles and a six pack soda per person on board to save money. One bottle wine per person over 21
8. Bring meds and change of clothes on carry on
9. Wait to the last day to buy anything from specialty shops they will be 50 percent off
10. Go to all the shows....they are worth it and you would spend 100 dollars going to one on land
11. Comedy clubs are great. They have family ones and 18 and over ones.
12. Put your name in all the raffles....win some fun stuff
13. Don't get a massage on ship its 130 dollars when you can get an amazing one on the beach in cabo for 20-40 dollars an hour.
14. Formal nights....take all the pictures you can. You will find at least one you love
15. Look in your bible.....cruisers leave free drink and photo tickets
16. Go to the steakhouse on the first day...its. 35 dollars a person but SO worth it. Why the first night? Because you wont miss Steak and Lobster night. The first night you get a free bottle of wine also.
17. Cool thing about the dining room....you can order two appetizers or even two entrees if you wanted and they wont bat an eye....and its free. Fun for when you want to try something new.
18. It's often cheaper to buy a bottle of wine than a few glasses -- but what do you do if you don't finish the bottle? Cruise ship waiters can mark the bottle with your room number and save it for another night, even for dinner in another onboard venue.
19. Most cabins are made of metal…and therefore they're magnetic. Bring along some magnets (or buy some as souvenirs) and you can keep all your invites, and daily planners hung up on the walls and doors.
20. We snap a photo each morning of the daily agenda newspaper. That gives us a memory anchor for the day's pictures, a digital reminder of what's happening on board that day, and the ship's info should we need it while on port.
21. One thing new cruiser might not know is that even your largest suitcase will easily slide UNDER you bed on most cruise ships making your room area much more spacious
22. MARK your bags as fragile and they will show up to your room quicker because they put it on the top of the piles.
23. Bring post it notes so you can say where you are to your cabin mate.
24. Wear a watch so you know when to be at dinner or a show.
25. Tip your steward the first day in cash and it makes a big difference.
26. You probably will bloat.....bring some shoes that are larger or one bigger outfit.
27. Many pools and Jacuzzi on board but there is an adult section in the back where no kids are allowed.
28. Bring extra hangers.
29. You don't need an alarm clock, your phone has one.
30. Carnival is now offering "Faster to the Fun". For $49.95 (per room) you, and your cabin mates get express boarding, luggage delivery, etc. This is so worth it and you get on and off ship first to the ports.