Vacation’s All I Ever Wanted

Posted on July 6, 2012 Updated on July 6, 2012

This year, our annual anniversary get away took us to the high seas for a 7-day cruise to the Western Caribbean. Yes we boarded the fun ships of my favorite Carnival Cruise ship and set sail. This year we traveled with some friends who added a whole new level of fun aboard the fun ship. I learned many things this trip and there are many I want to share with you. I will do this in a series of posts so that I don’t overload you with rhetoric and photos.

The first thing to think about when you are taking a cruise is the planning. There is so much to see and do on a seven day cruise, that if you are not careful you can overextend yourself financially and physically. We started planning a year out. I have a prepaid credit card that our budget was placed upon and when that money ran out, we were done; but we will come back to this.

Starting the cruise is just as important and the vacation itself. If your cruise ship leaves on Saturday at 4 pm, please plan to arrive at the destination on Friday. Many hotels offer a pickup and shuttle service from the airport and to the port and I went with a little more pricey option, but I wanted us in the spirit of the vacation. I chose the Best Western that had a restaurant and a continental breakfast. Did I also mention it sat on the Bay in Miami? With our room, we had two free drink tickets and a continental breakfast that included sausages, eggs, waffles and so much more. I also can add my stay to my frequent flier program. Most importantly, it put us in the mood and in the frame of mind that we are on vacation. This is a night shot of the marina at the hotel’s restaurant. Yeap, this is a Best Western, see what I mean?

We are relaxed. We are having drinks. We are enjoying the wind blowing off the Bay and we are on vacation. Neither of us are saying a word about our son, our jobs, or any bills. We are mentally preparing for the shift to just enjoy each other and our time away from our lives.

The next morning we wake, have a leisurely breakfast, and the shuttle takes us to the ship. No worries, we are going on a cruise. Out of curiosity, I called our travel companions who stayed at some $99 a night hotel near the airport. She was not happy. That extra hundred I paid was well worth the peace of mind.
This is hubby.

First rule of thumb for vacations, please plan on the type of trip you want to have and plan accordingly based on your budget. The right amount of research can save you a fortune and most of all, can reduce your stress.

Up next….planning for fun on your vacation.