Showing posts with label Bahamas. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bahamas. Show all posts
No matter what time of the year that you go to the Caribbean it is beautiful. Warm tropical weather in the day and cooler breezes in the evening make the perfect combination for a relaxing getaway! (If you are interested in reading more about my caribbean adventures you can find them listed on my travel page HERE or by clicking HERE for all of the blog posts related to the Caribbean! Also if you are looking for additional cruising tips scroll down to the end of the post where more posts are listed!) So here are the top 13 things that you can't leave home without y'all:
1. Different Bathing Suits and Cute Cover-ups
If you plan to spend time simply laying out in the sun than you probably don't care what type of bathing suit you are choosing, but if you plan to participate in a shore excursion that involves a sporty activity you will want to consider carefully your bathing suit. Since you will spend so much time in swimwear on the cruise, throw in a couple of different options.
I love this Women's Billabong 'Hippie Hooray' Crochet One-Piece Swimsuit and the
Women's Freya One-Shoulder Underwire One-Piece Swimsuit 
both are which from Nordstrom. I also love several by ASOS! And I was searching on Amazon and found THIS one shoulder black swimsuit that was adorably cute from Laundry too!
And don't forget to throw a cute cover-up in! It is the perfect excuse to wear some bright and fun colors on the beach! There are several from ASOS that I am loving right now!
2. Cute and Comfy Sandals and Shoes
Y'all know that I love sandals and would wear them every day of the year if I had the opportunity so the Caribbean weather is the perfect time for packing cute sandals. Don't forget to pack Sandals and shoes that are also comfy though. You will be surprised at how much walking you do on the ship and at the ports for different excursions. As a gal who loves shoes it is the perfect opportunity to pack a couple of different pairs. *smiles* (Looking for some cute sandals? Check out my post, A Few of My Favorite Sandals by ASOS by clicking HERE!)
3. Caribbean Inspired Clothes
One of the most fun parts of a Caribbean Cruise is having the opportunity to dress up in cute sundresses, flowing maxi skirts, and sweet tops. Think through what you will be doing on your cruise and plan out some fun outfits for your trip that match your destination.
4. Widebrim Oversized Sunhat
There are so many adorable different hats that can be worn during the summer months and also on a Caribbean Cruise. My favorite hats come from Joules (as seen on me in the picture above) and Nordstrom as they have lots of different options. A tip that a friend gave me was to purchase an elastic fastener that works like a two-sided clothespin. Attach one end to your hat and the other to your shirt- this is a perfect way to keep your hat on your head instead of over the boat! *smiles*
5. Sunglasses
Don't forget to bring a pair (or two!) of sunglasses for your trip!
6. Snorkel and Mask
If you love to swim and snorkel (or even scuba dive) consider bringing your own equipment. Rental masks not only cost a lot of money, but they often fit poorly which allows water to come in or your mask to fog up. While snorkels are "one size fits all", if you are a bit of a germ freak like me, you might feel a little disconcerted by how many people have used the snorkel before you. (Ewww....) Throw in your own snorkel and mask and you will be happy you did! If you are looking for the snorkel and mask that most cruise lines use (from National Geographic) you can find it on Amazon HERE.
7. Sunscreen
This is obviously a "must pack" item for a Caribbean Cruise, and yet so many people forget to throw it into their suitcase. It is extremely easy to get sunburned in the Caribbean so don't forget to throw this in. You will be saving money by bringing your own sunscreen as Cruise ships charge a premium for this essential item. Traveling with a large group or going on a long cruise? Consider taking some travel-size options with you so that you don't have to carry around a huge bottle. And don't forget to toss in a lip balm for your lips!
8. Aloe Vera
Even with sunscreen, the warm climate of the Caribbean can make it easy to get sunburned. Consider taking along some soothing aloe vera with you for your skin. One of my favorites that I use throughout the year is the Aubrey Organics Pure Aloe Vera. It is incredible light and at only 4 oz. it is easy to throw into your suitcase without adding a ton of extra weight. I use this often on my skin, even when I don't have a burn after being out in the sun and it is extremely soothing. One of the other things that I love about this is that it is under $10 on Amazon! You can find it HERE!
9. Camera (and the Extras)
Although I technically have been to several of the ports that we will be stopping at I can't wait to experience these cruises with my loved ones and the beautiful views that I am sure we will be met with. I have never traveled to the Caribbean in the fall and I am sure it will be stunning. But you know what? Its not just the experience. It is always who you are with and you don't want to miss out on remembering these special memories that you will make. Don't forget to bring all of the "extras" that you will also need like a spare battery, battery charger, extra chip, etc.
A great tip that a friend of mine shared with me the last time I went on a cruise was to charge my camera battery every night. This tip was invaluable as one day I accidentally forgot to turn off my camera in all of the fun we were having and would have missed out on some precious picture memories had I not done this!
ALSO because you are going to have opportunities to view beautiful islands with different corals, colorful fish, and lots of fun, you will likely want to document your experience with an underwater or waterproof camera. Don't want to spend a ton of money on an underwater camera? Consider purchasing the Nikon COOLPIX S33 Waterproof Digital Camera to use! I purchased this for our Royal Caribbean Cruise in November and it was wonderful! You can see some pictures that I took with it in my post about our Reef Snorkeling and Sandbar Getaway Shore Excursion HERE!
10. Extension Cord
Okay, so this isn't a particular suggestion only for Caribbean cruises but can be for any cruise! This was a suggestion that someone gave to me on my first cruise and it was a lifesaver! Throw in an extension cord and you will be glad that you did! One that I bring along is the 6-Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip simply because it allows for several things to be plugged in at once which is a must on a cruise!
11. Purse, Bag, Etc.
Anyone that knows me knows that I love big purses and bags. They are honestly one of my favorite accessories. Taking a big purse and bag with me when I cruise is the perfect way for me to carry everything that I needed for our days off the ship (and adding a cute accessory). Some people like to use a backpack or some different type of item to carry their belongings in, but definitely remember to pack some type of bag. For me a large purse works perfectly as I can fit in everything I need to (including my camera and other things!) into it!
12. Journal, Travel Books, Etc.
Y'all know from my shop that I love creating and altering travel books and journals so this recommendation is probably not a surprise at all! *smiles* Some people like to pack travel guides to take with them on the cruise so they can explore in depth the ports of call while others like to bring journals on board so as to remember the special details and memories that are made. With so many special memories that are made it can be hard to remember every detail and was so glad that I brought this along.
13. Cruise Documents and Passport
Don't forget like any other cruise (that leaves the US) that you will need to bring all of your cruise documents and passport.
What about y'all? Any must pack items that you recommend for a Caribbean Cruise? Looking for more cruising tips? Check out the following cruising posts:
5 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First European Cruise
10 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First Cruise
16 Unexpected Things to Bring on Every Cruise
5 Must Pack Item for a Disney Cruise
10 Things to Do Before You Leave on a Caribbean Cruise
10 Tips for Cruising with a Chronic Illness
5 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First European Cruise
10 Things People Forget to Bring on Their First Cruise
16 Unexpected Things to Bring on Every Cruise
5 Must Pack Item for a Disney Cruise
10 Things to Do Before You Leave on a Caribbean Cruise
10 Tips for Cruising with a Chronic Illness
After arriving at the beautiful island of Coco Cay on the second day on our Majesty of the Seas Cruise in November, my parents and I joined the group on Royal Caribbean cruise that had signed up for the Reef Snorkeling and Sandbar Getaway Excursion.
The last time that I was at Coco Cay (in 2014) I did not do an excursion on the island, but my parents and I had talked at length and we all felt that it would be fun to do something for a couple of hours and then spend the rest of the day enjoying the beauty and relaxation of Coco Cay.
After researching through all of the excursion options we ended up choosing the Reef Snorkeling and Sandbar Getaway Excursion and it turned out to be one of our favorite parts of our cruise! I seriously can't recommend this excursion enough!
For this excursion (unlike the Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Excursion where we met our group on the boat) we met our group on the island itself. Our meeting place was extremely easy to find and we were able to sit and enjoy looking at the views while we waited for our excursion time slot.
It didn't take long for our group to gather and then we walked over to where our boat for our excursion was waiting for us. Our group was small (there were probably about 15 of us) and immediately we could tell that we were going to have a great time.
Our tour took us on the opposite side of the island (from where we disembarked and could see the ship) and it was gorgeous to see the different parts of Coco Cay. The day was simply beautiful and the ride was lovely. When we reached our destination the winds had come up so the tour guides made the safe decision in deciding that we would try a different island (Norwegian Cruise Line's Island- about 15 minutes away) to do our snorkeling at.
It was so fun to see more of the surrounding area and when we got to the spot we were able to go in and enjoy the excursion fully! One really neat thing was that we were able to enjoy the spot fully- and it felt like we were completely alone as there were no other boats or people around.
It was absolutely beautiful! The fish were so colorful and we were able to see some amazing things below the surface including Stingray's (and some sharks from a distance!). After we had a wonderful time snorkeling the tour guides took us to a shallower area of water where we relaxed and floated for a bit. The whole experience was absolutely amazing.
Here are a couple of tips and thoughts about the Reef Snorkeling and Sandbar Getaway Port Excursion if you are interested in choosing this on your Royal Caribbean Cruise:
1. This excursion is really wonderful- especially if you are looking for something to "break up" the day on the island a bit. The excursion takes about 2 1/2 hours which still gives you plenty of time to relax and enjoy time on the beach.
2. Our tour guides on this excursion were fantastic. They were in the water with us, sharing about all of the different wildlife, and were incredibly helpful. I was really impressed with them and they truly were a huge reason that we loved this excursion.
3. The cost of this port excursion is $54 for those who are 10 years old and up. For those who are 3 to 9 years old the cost is $44 and for those who are infants through 2 years old the cost is free. This was one of the moderate priced excursions for this port and we felt that for the time that the excursion lasted (about 2 and 1/2 hours) the price was extremely fair.
4. All snorkel gear is provided although you are welcome to bring your own if you would prefer.
5. On this excursion the tour company offered an underwater camera for $20 that you could purchase (and then keep the chip card afterwards). This was on a first come-first serve basis and you had to pay with cash, but it was a great idea if you don't have an underwater camera. (For these pictures underwater I used my underwater camera which is a Nikon COOLPIX S33 Waterproof Digital Camera.)
6. I was a bit hesitant to do two snorkeling adventures in the same cruise (especially on consecutive days) simply because I didn't know if it would be boring. Honestly this was not the case at all. Both excursions (this one and the Seahorse Sailing and Snorkeling Excursion in Nassau) were completely different and unique in their own ways. If you love to be in the water than both of these excursions are unique and you would enjoy both of them as much as we did!
I hope you enjoyed reading this review of the Reef Snorkeling and Sandbar Getaway Port Excursion. It was such a delightful day that I want to go back and do it all over again! Please let me know if you have any questions!
Our day at Coco Cay (Royal Caribbean's private island) was absolutely beautiful and truly epitomized what you think of when you are dreaming of a beautiful "Caribbean Getaway".
Little Stirrup Cay, or Coco Cay, as it is commonly referred to is one of the Berry Islands and is used and owned exclusively by Royal Caribbean for their Caribbean cruises. It located approximately 70 miles from Nassau (where we had spent our first day of our Majesty of the Seas cruise going on a fun snorkeling excursion) and is a beautiful spot to visit.
I had been to Coco Cay once before back in 2014 on my very first cruise (on the Majesty of the Seas ship!) and it holds precious memories for me, so it was extra special and delightful to be back. Being back in Coco Cay was also very special for personal reasons. I shared HERE on Instagram how it has a special place in my heart for seeing how I am healing too. (If you are interested you can click HERE to read more about this!)
Coco Cay is definitely an ultimate island retreat experience and the beauty of this part of the world is absolutely breath-taking.
Due to the time of year that we were traveling (in the third week of November) we found the island wasn't too crowded and we felt that we often had a lot of the area to ourselves. It was a gorgeous day and I hope y'all enjoy these pictures!
The colors of the island and the water simply astound me.
There was a little friend hanging out in the tree that we saw!
Have y'all ever visited Coco Cay? What was your favorite thing about the island?
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
