Cruisin’ to Mexico

Traveling is one of my favorite things to do. I feel deprived if I don’t get outside of Tennessee a few times a year. We didn’t travel much during my childhood so I began to embrace + desire traveling after high school. My love for international travel began soon after with one of the best ways to test the waters- a cruise.

Perks of a cruise:

1. Easy, low maintenance vacation- not much time to worry about driving around or figuring out what you are going to do for the day.
2. Under $400/pp for Ocean-view cabin- unless it is peak season, you can book a cruise under $400. Peak season (May-September) prices can run you $100-$200 more, which still isn’t bad.
3. All-inclusive- room, meals and many of the activities on board are included in your initial fee. Soft drink and alcohol packages can be purchased before setting sail for an additional daily fee.
4. No Passport required- travel out of the United States with only a ID and birth certificate
5. Multiple Port options- no matter where you are in the country, there are ports on the Gulf of Mexico and both, east + west coasts.

You can choose the length of the cruise you want. I usually do 5 days, but there are options ranging from 3 days to 10 days. A 5 day cruise itinerary consists of two port days, two full days at sea (the first calls for optional formal attire) and two partial days of on-boarding + debarkation.

Itinerary:

We consumed too many drinks to keep mentioning so I’ll just mark drinking activities with an asterisk (*).

Day 2: Day @ Sea-

Just roll out of bed (when you can) and throw on something cute + comfortable. There is a new itinerary for each day with shows and activities, like karaoke, art auctions + bingo, to choose from. Pick out a few activities to fill spots in your day, grab a drink + see where the day ends up from there.

On Day 2, my friends and I took this day to get some sun and hang out by the water park* after breakfast*. We also spent some time on the 21+ deck* making friends in the hot tub and roaming in + out of art auctions* and liquor tastings before + after lunch. This was also the night of the Captain’s ball so we decided to catch a nap before heading out. We were late to the ball*, so we settled for walking around the ship dressed up and taking photos* everywhere we could. There are also several parties that happen every night so we made our way to one by midnight**.

Day 3: Yucatan (Pregreso), Mexico-
Day 3 was our first day at a port and we had 8 hrs before the ship was scheduled to head back to sea. We were late risers due to our full night before so we cut our time down to 6 hours by the time we finished breakfast* + got off the boat. This was our day to roam the port, shop with a few vendors + hang out with a few locals at the public beach. The beach was a few blocks from the port so we decided to walk. Along the walk, we decided to stop at one of the many restaurants to have margaritas and random massages from our waiter.
We eventually found our way to the public beach to swim** and be, unexpectedly, serenaded before heading back* to the ship.

Day 4: Cozumel, Mexico-
We were more prepared for our second port day so it got off to a better start after breakfast*. We had plans to find somewhere to snorkel and grab some authentic food. We decided to go to a private resort that included everything we desired for the day; shops, beach*, restaurant***, and a catamaran boat to take us out in the Gulf to snorkel. The private resort also had snorkel gear you could use to snorkel from the shore and a few water trampolines that we had to try before we left.

Snorkeling in the Gulf of Mexico is beautiful. The water is so clear and blue. We were able to swim with sea creatures that were near or came to eat the food snorkel instructors release in the water. We saw different types of tropical fish, an eel and an octopus that didn’t want to come out once he noticed he had company. Once we made it back to shore, we went to try out our skills on the trampoline and I’m sure it was as entertaining for the on lookers who had to witness our carefree foolishness as it was for us.

You may recall, on Day 1, I mentioned checking out the excursions you may be interested in. I didn’t mention booking one because we love to get a good deal and that is not possible with the cruise line. DON’T PURCHASE EXCURSIONS FROM THE CRUISE LINE! Take your chances negotiating a better deal with a local. I understand everyone may not be comfortable taking that risk, but here is an example of why we do:

Purchasing Swim + snorkel @ private resort without the catamaran boat portion will run about $75-90 per person with Carnival. We were able to negotiate a deal with a local for $30/pp with the catamaran boat snorkel included. We saved at least $40 each immediately.

At the private resort, they have an unlimited drink package you can purchase for $30 per person or choose to buy individual drinks. We were able to negotiate the price down to $20 for unlimited drinks + we had a plenty of them to make the price a great steal.

$180 total savings by planning your day with a local

Day 5: Day @ Sea-
We usually try to get up early enough to catch the Sun rise. This was the only day I was able to get out the bed early enough.
This sea day consists of majority the same events of the first, minus the ball: hanging out on the 21+ deck**, playing bingo and doing any last minute things* before packing your luggage for debarkation. We tried to make it to different events on the ship, but we were already so deep in our own activities we never made it on time to anything. If you have enjoyed your vacation, by the time Day 5 comes you are in need of naps to recoup and I made sure to do both AFTER one last party*.

Day 6: Mobile, Alabama (Debarking)–

There is not much that you’ll want to do besides have breakfast and go home. I always choose to carry my luggage myself so I can be among the first group to exit the ship + get on the road. If you choose to check your bags the night before, you get a little more time to enjoy breakfast while you wait to be called. There are a few places on board that are still open for last minute souvenirs should you find the need to shop while waiting.

A cruise is a great way to try international travel. There are a ton of activities and things to try if you are open to new experiences.

If you are not into international travel, a cruise is still a good option since you do not have to get off the boat at any destination. Choosing to stay on board is still a fun time as the activities and events on the ship never stop. Your experience is totally up to you.

Our days were full of laughter + dancing, hot tubs + casinos, and blissful exhaustion.

What will you make of your days cruising?