In an effort to assist those who are considering, planning, or already booked a cruise, I have answered many questions regarding cruising. In answering those questions, I caution that there are some things that all cruise lines have in common, but there are other areas in which each cruise line differs. Here, I have included a list of five commonly asked questions, as well as a list of some cruise lines and the corresponding links to how they address each question.
Read MoreMy Cruising Family’s philosophy is that it’s better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it, especially when cruising with children. The below list should be repeated for each person cruising.
Read MoreAlthough this was my 5th cruise, this was my first MSC cruise, and I loved it. My mom, my husband, my 6-year-old son, my 2-year-old son, and I sailed together on the MSC Divina, from March 25, 2017 to April 1, 2017, from the Port of Miami to Ocho Rios, Grand Cayman, Cozumel, and Nassau. We had two Bella staterooms on Deck 8, one room across the hall from the other: balcony stateroom 8251 and inside stateroom 8253. We had a wonderful time! The crew and staff were generally very helpful and cheerful. Our stateroom steward, Lynyrd, was excellent in keeping our rooms in order and providing any requested services, such as
Read MoreAs 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.
Read MoreWhile juggling life’s demands, planning a cruise can seem like an unnecessary use of your time, or like a luxury that you can live without. This working wife and mommy – yours truly – is quite familiar with the day-to-day juggle, and I am also quite familiar with the tools that can make planning a cruise a breeze!
So, what are some of the things that go into planning a cruise?
Read MoreThere will be many activities to choose from during your cruise. However, My Cruising Family recommends attending the following events. As with all the information we share here, we hope this is helpful to you and yours.
**MANDATORY** Muster Drill:
Prior to your ship setting sail, you will be required to attend a muster drill. The purpose of the muster drill is to familiarize all guests and crew with their assigned muster station, which is, basically, the location at which guests and crew are to assemble in the case of an emergency. There are multiple muster stations on the ship, and to allow for an orderly evacuation, if necessary, each guest and crew member should report to his or her assigned muster station. The muster drill also includes information on how to put on life vests, which are included in each stateroom.
Note: Generally, the life vests that are in the stateroom are adult-sized. If cruising with infants, toddlers, and/or other small children, you may need to request the appropriately sized life vest for the child. However, My Cruising Family has experienced at least one cruise line that
Read MoreSo, as I sat, reclined on our couch in the living room, after 9pm on a weeknight, excited about travel and all the information I’m preparing to share with you on this blog about traveling together as a family and how great and awesome it is, my six-year-old provides me with material for this particular blog post. It’s not what I had initially planned to write, but hey, if it’s one thing being a mom has taught me, from the moment a routine ultrasound appointment turned into an unexpected admission to Labor and Delivery, is that life, especially life with children, is unpredictable.
Read MoreThe purpose of this post is to acknowledge that, sometimes, we may encounter circumstances in life that make cruising less feasible than at other times. In those moments, breathe, give thanks for life, and realize that, as long as there is life and family, there are opportunities for family memories to be made.
Read MoreOur 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!
Read MoreCruising is our preferred way of traveling together as a family, as I truly think that it is the best vacation value, or in other words, the best bang for your buck, if researched well, and I love to research cruise options. It was through researching cruise options that I initially came to admire MSC. MSC stands for Mediterranean Shipping Company, as it began as a shipping company, but MSC has, at present, become the world’s fourth largest cruise line. The basic information the cruise line provides on its website and in its literature is already impressive. Add to that, we have now cruised with MSC and are booked to cruise with them again after enjoying a wonderful first MSC experience earlier in 2017. Here are a few of the reasons we love MSC.
Read MoreWe've probably all heard one or more of the following seven cruise myths, and unfortunately, such myths have kept some folks away from a spectacular vacation. I am writing today to shed some light on a number of negative things that have been said about cruising. Let's spread some truth, debunk some myths, and hopefully inspire someone to explore the awesome world of cruising!
Myth #1:
Read MoreMy 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.
Read MoreGreetings!
Today is a significant day in the countdown to our next cruise. As embarkation day approaches, we are turning our attention to packing, so I will share a bit of that in this post. Some may ask, “With all these hurricanes, are you still cruising this season?” Our quick answer: “By the grace of God, yes!” Anyway, that’s a discussion for another post.
We usually pack the following travel-size items in our carry-on luggage
Read MoreI 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.
Read MoreCruising is amazing, fun, and relaxing all in one, and in order to get to that amazing, fun, and relaxing part, it is important to first take some time to ensure that all required paperwork is in place. Understanding what travel documentation is needed to cruise starts with understanding the types of cruises that exist. My hope is that the information in this post will help you to prepare well for your cruise by having all the documentation that you need, and then some.
Read MoreHi!
Some of you may have read this on the homepage for this blog, but my guess is some didn't scroll through the homepage... lol. I know how we can get, clicking around and jumping from link to link, so I've added this introductory information as well as a bit more insight in this blog post because I think it's important to know the reason and motivation behind things that I read, support, and/or engage in.
Read MoreAt the time of this writing, United States citizens are permitted to travel to Cuba; however, tourist travel to Cuba is prohibited for Unites States citizens. Therefore, those desiring to visit Cuba must obtain a license from the Unites States Department of the Treasury or certify that their travel falls into one of 12 categories of authorized travel. One such category permitting travel to Cuba is the people-to-people travel, which requires the traveler to participate in activities that are intended to "enhance contact with the Cuban people, support civil society in Cuba, or promote the Cuban people’s independence from Cuban authorities, and that will result in meaningful interaction between the traveler and individuals in Cuba."
Read MoreWhy 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.
Read MoreIn January 2013, our then two-year-old son, my husband, and I traveled to Orlando, Florida, to witness our friends’ wedding onboard the Carnival Dream. We arrived in Orlando, Florida, on the day before the wedding, and we stayed at a nice hotel as a part of the wedding group. Two of my siblings reside in Orlando, so we welcomed the opportunity to have them visit us at the hotel. We ordered dinner, and my son, my nieces, and nephews spent a nice evening at play while the adults talked, laughed, and had a good time. After my siblings and their children left the hotel, we went to sleep to recuperate from a day of traveling and to prepare for the next day's wedding and cruise.
What does this have to do with travel insurance, you ask?
Read More
