Posts in Caribbean
CRUISE REVIEWS: Our Family's Southern Caribbean Cruise

Upon our return from this particular cruise, I didn’t do much of a review of the ship itself.  However, I can say that the ship was fine. We had connecting Promenade View Staterooms, which were very convenient because my mom and our two sons stayed next door, while my husband and I had some space to ourselves. It should be noted that Promenade View Staterooms are listed as double occupancy, but by calling Royal Caribbean and explaining our group’s dynamic, including the fact that our younger son was one-year-old at the time, and would have a Pack 'n Play to sleep in, Royal Caribbean was able to book three of us in the room given that one of three was a one-year-old.  It may not be an option on every cruise, but it does not hurt to ask.  After all, that’s how we learn things.  I know that, as a mom, I teach my children that it’s ok to ask questions.  I know that many other parents take the same approach, so if you’re one of those parents, let’s take our own advice on that.  Therefore, if you’re wondering whether or not this is a possibility on your cruise, I suggest calling and speaking with either your travel agent or the cruise line directly. 

This particular cruise was port-intensive, so our focus, as well as this review, was more on the ports than the ship.

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CRUISE REVIEWS: Our Family's Carnival Splendor Cruise

As mentioned in My Cruising Family's previous blog post, I have written cruise reviews, excursion reviews, and more, to share my experiences, and to, hopefully, help other cruise-planning/cruising moms and families to plan the best cruise vacation for their families.  That being said, I will share some of those reviews in this week's blog posts, starting with a review of our family's Carnival Splendor Cruise.  

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Getting To and From Guadeloupe

Our family is looking forward to cruising from Guadeloupe on our most port-intensive cruise yet, so I was quite concerned when I realized that the round-trip cost that I was finding for flights between New York City (NYC) and Pointe-a-Pitre (PTP) was over $2000 per person!  That doesn’t include checked bags, and we are traveling as a family of five! 

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Cruising During Hurricane Season

My family and I are excited about our upcoming cruise, and as embarkation day approaches, we have watched, heard, and read a lot about the hurricanes that have already occurred this hurricane season.  Atlantic hurricane season is from June 1st to November 30th, but hurricanes are said to be more likely from mid-August to mid-October, also known as the “season within the season” or “peak season.”  Some may ask, “With all these hurricanes, are you still cruising this season?”  Our quick answer: “By the grace of God, yes!” 

We have cruised during hurricane season at least twice before.  Our upcoming cruise is a combined birthday and anniversary celebration.  Therefore, it stands to reason that the cruise will take place at or near the time of the birthday and anniversary being celebrated.  Furthermore, if you read My Cruising Family’s very first blog post, you know that I am an advocate for purchasing travel insurance before cruising, especially before cruising with young children.  Children are unpredictable.  Life is unpredictable.  As my husband said, “Cruising during hurricane season is the same as cruising any other time.  All travel involves some level of risk.”  Purchasing insurance takes those risks into account and provides peace of mind. 

Hurricanes should always be taken seriously.  However, that does not mean that successful travel plans cannot be made during hurricane season, even if those plans are to the Caribbean, Mexico, and/or parts of the United States that are vulnerable to hurricanes. 

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Organized Island-Hopping and Further Globetrotting

I am Jamaican-born and first visited the United States when I was four years old.  Then, after years of visiting the United States during Easter and summer vacations, I officially moved to New York, U.S.A. in 1991.  I then visited Jamaica regularly during school vacations. 

Being born and raised in the Caribbean, I am well aware of the beauty and diversity that the Caribbean holds, and while I know that a number of Caribbean islands, including my homeland, are tourist hotspots, I also know that there are a number of lesser known islands that offer much to be experienced. 

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Globetrotting, Globetrotter, Island-Hopping, Island Hopping, Caribbean, Islands, Travel, Tours, Tour, Shore Excursions, Shore Excursion, Family Vacation, Family Travel, Family Cruising, Family Cruise Line, Family Cruise, Excursion, Excursions, Diversity, Diverse, Cuba, Cruising, Cruisetour, Cruise Tour, Cruise, Vacation Planning, Vacation, Tropical Cruise, Caribbean Cruise, Land Vacation, All-InclusivePeta-Gaye DanielCaribbean, Jamaica, Dominican Republic, Antigua and Barbuda, Antigua, Barbuda, Barbados, Grand Cayman, The Cayman Islands, Cayman Islands, Honduras, Saint Martin, Sint Maarten, France, Netherlands, St. Kitts, Nevis, Saint Kitts, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Lucia, Turks and Caicos, The Bahamas, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Saint Thomas, USVI, United States of America, United States, United States Virgin Islands, U.S.V.I., Belize, Mexico, England, Germany, Cuba, Guadeloupe, Trinidad and Tobago, Trinidad, Tobago, Grenada, Dominica, Martinique, Aruba, Bonaire, Curacao, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Vincent, Saint Vincent, The Grenadines, Montserrat, Anguilla, Saint John, St. John, Saint Croix, St. Croix, Tortola, Virgin Gorda, British Virgin Islands, Bucket List, Family Travel, Black Family Travel, African-American Family Travel, Black Family Cruising, African-American Family Cruising, Family Cruising, Cruising, Island Hopping, Island-Hopping, Globetrotting, Globetrotter, Globetrot, International Studies, Passion for Travel, Peta-Gaye Daniel, PetaGaye Daniel, Peta Gaye DanielComment
Why Cruise?

Why cruise?

For our family, the answers are simple, and can be summed up in one word: value

As a mom, I value family time.  As Peta-Gaye, I value travel.  I have been blessed to merge these two values into one amazingly convenient experience over and over again through cruising.  With deals like MSC Cruises’ Kids Sail Free, and Norwegian Cruise Line’s Free-At-Sea Offer/3rd and 4th Guests Sail Free, the overall cost of a cruise for a family of four or five can be quite affordable, and certainly valuable if one thinks of all that family will be receiving during the cruise. 

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