Cruisin' My Way Through Life

You ever sit down and think about what kind of vacation you want to take? Well if you ask me you should always take a cruise. I haven't been cruising very long, only since 2015. But in that short period of time I have taken 10 cruises, all with Carnival Cruise Lines, and I have two more booked for this year already. They are so fun, there's always something to do. Whether you like to chill by the pool or gamble in the casino, i'd say cruises are for almost everyone. They cater to all different types of people.

When I first started cruise I didn't know what to expect or if I'd even like it. But I'm always willing to try new things and push myself outside of my comfort zone. My most recent cruise was taken with my best friend from college. I haven't seen her since we went hiking together in Sedona in April of 2021. We had a blast. We played bingo, we gambled, we laid by the pool, we watched a couple football games, we went to some comedy shows and we most definitely had some drinks.

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Where I've Been

Cruises are always fun because you're going to new places all the time. Excursions are always something I try to do because it can show you what life is like on that specific island as we ll as show you the beauty that the United States doesn't necessarily have. On my 14 cruises here are all the islands I have been able to explore:

• Nassau, Bahamas

• Freeport, Bahamas

• Philipsburg, St. Maarten

• Basseterre, St. Kitts

• San Juan, Puerto Rico

• Grand Turk, Turks and Caicos

• Princess Cays, Bahamas (Carnival's private island)

• Willemstad, Curaçao

• Oranjestad, Aruba

• George Town, Grand Cayman

• Mahogany Bay, Honduras

• Belize City, Belize

• Cozumel, Mexico

• La Romana, Dominican Republic

• Bimini, Bahamas

• Half Moon Cay, Bahamas (Carnival's private island)

• Amber Cove, Dominican Republic

• St, John's, Antigua

• Costa Maya, Mexico

• Key West, Florida

• St. Thomas, USVI

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What I've Done

It's a lot, I know. Think about how many places I've been able to go though- if I wasn't taking cruises I would never of been able to visit all of these islands. I've swam with dolphins, turtles and sting rays. I've snorkeled countless times, been to outstanding beaches, zip lined over breath taking forests, fed different types of animals I'l never get to see in the USA, road tripped around islands in countless types of vehicles to sight see. I've seen ruins, battle grounds, I've even walked 50 feet under ground in hidden caves. My experiences are unexplainably amazing.

Each port has their own excursions you are able to book through the cruise line so you can stay safe while in a foreign country. This is the best way to go rather than getting off the boat and paying for something on the island itself. Especially if you're someone like me that likes to do things solo.

My favorite excursion: swimming with the sting rays. I've done this excursion in Grand Cayman and Antigua. When booking any excursions that deals with sea animals I always make sure they'll be roaming with cage free. The last thing I want to do is support businesses that take animals from their natural habitat and train them to interact with people. My first cruise I didn't know any better and swam with dolphins that are forced into an small area with many other dolphins. Luckily, both of these islands had free roaming sting rays, they are able to get them to return every day simply by feeding them around the same time daily. The sting rays swim right up to you and let you pet them. I got a chance to feed them- they eat whole, raw calamari. They're like a vacuum and suck it right out of your hand. These rays can get up to five feet long- I'm 5'1'' to put that into perspective. Sting rays get a bad rap because of Steve Irwin- I get that, I loved watching him too but the fact of the matter is they're super friendly creatures and some of the best to exist in the ocean.

My favorite part about cruising: Carnival offers a wide variety of things to do on the boat while off at sea. I am never bored on the boat. Even the older boats don't disappoint. Theres basketball courts, mini golf, waterworks area and multiple pools/ hot tubs for people that like to spend their time outdoors. If you're someone that likes to stay inside and relax there's a spa. As well as games going on all day long like bingo and deal or no deal. They also have daily comedians, musical shows and joyful entertainment like the love & marriage show. Long story short, I am never bored.

What's up next: Like I said in the beginning, I have two more cruises planned already this year. On March 26th I will be traveling to Orlando, Florida to take a back-to-back cruise on the Carnival Mardi Gras, the newest- and biggest ship in their fleet. My first week I will be visiting San Juan, Amber Cove and Grand Turk with a bunch of friends from work. The next week I will be enjoying the islands of Cozumel, Costa Maya and Mahogany Bay with my mother. I also plan on taking the rest of April off to explore new cities like Dallas and Salt Lake City- as well as travel back to Seattle to watch my favorite baseball team, the Marines, play. For the last leg of my trip I will be in Las Vegas with my best friend experiencing the thrill and excitement of the NFL Draft.

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What I Suggest For New Cruisers

If you've never been on a cruise before, or maybe you have and didn't have the best experience, I say give ti another chance. They're fun-filled and the best way to go if you want to experience multiple places in a short period of time.

1. Start short- Cruises are anywhere from three days to months on end. Starting off with a short cruise can get you used to what it's like to be on a boat for a couple days and give you the time to figure out if you enjoy them.

2. Look into the excursions/ islands- Once you book the cruise you are able to look deeply into the excursions that are offered. The reviews are important, they tell you if the descriptions are correct, how fun they are and if they're worth the money. Some people like to book excursions for every island but others don't need to do that. There are some islands that offer free pools and beaches right off of the boat so there's no need to spend the money.

3. Buy the drink package- Only if you like to drink of course. If you do you'd be saving lot of money. It seems expensive but in reality the price of it daily is six drinks. They give you 15 drinks for the day as well as pop, bottled water and speciality coffee for free.

4. Ask veteran cruises questions- Don't be afraid to ask questions about what to bring- and what you can't bring on the ship. There's little things that over the years I have learned to pack and not pack because of other people that have more experience than me, to this day it still happens to me.

I love cruising and I will continue to do it as long as I can, of course all with Carnival. Ahoy!