My Carnival Cruise Experience

Thursday afternoon, we set sail out of New Orleans with Carnival Cruise Lines headed to Cozumel, Mexico with a group of about 30 ladies, mostly who are members at Curves!  We were truly elated to be on board the Elation. =)  Cheesey, I know, but really, the Elation was fantastic and did not disappoint!

I'll break it down into three separate categories, the three F's: Food, Fun (On Ship), and Fun (On Land). =)

Food

When I went on my honeymoon cruise 7 years ago, the buffet lines were eh-ok.  The dinners in the formal dining rooms were delicious, but the portions were really small, so I was expecting more of the same.  However, I was pleasantly surprised!  Not only was I blown away by the buffets that I sampled (Italian, Mongolian Wok and Pizza), but the meals in the formal dining room were absolutely delicious. 

Now, I've read a few negative reviews that the food on cruise ships is not impressive.  Welll, I don't know what those reviewers ate, but I loved what I tried.  The fish & roasted veggies from the Italian buffet was so tasty (pictured below) that I actually forgot to take a picture before I devoured it!  The pizza was deliciously cheesy and greasy and exactly what I wanted after a morning in the sun! The pork & veggies stir fry with teriyaki sauce was delicious and healthy. 

The dining room menu had a wide variety of choices.  It had such a wide variety that I was forced on more than one night to order three different appetizers, plus a main course, and dessert. 

Oh, and don't even get me started on how amazing the desserts were!  All in all, I was very impressed with the food that was served on the ship!

Fun (On Ship)

The Elation had plenty of fun activities for the days we were "at sea."  They had many group activities that my little core group (made up of me, my sis, my mom and my aunt) avoided because we're more "lay out and enjoy the sunshine" types than "join the crowd for crazy fun" types. 

However, our days at sea were accompanied by clouds and wind.  On our final day at sea, as our ship was getting further and further away from the Caribbean, it was getting chillier and chillier.  So, we ventured inside to see what we could find.  We ended up playing a game of Win, Lose or Draw and then participated in a Scavenger Hunt.  And let it be known that we won . . . both!  That had nothing to do with me, really. We simply had a very talented artist and some pretty talented scavengers in our group. =)

The ship also had different performances and shows each evening.  Now, if I'm being completely honest, most of those shows started entirely too late for my taste.  I mean, a show that starts at 9:00?  Really???  If you know me at all, then you know that I'm usually in bed watching Seinfeld by that time! ;) 

My favorite performance was given by Erin and the Elation Band.  This girl is so talented!!

We snapped a picture with her because I just know that she'll end up being famous someday. ;)

Fun (On Land)

Finally, we get to the part y'all are really interested in.  Mexico!!  (Said with a spanish accent) If you didn't use the spanish accent, go back and try again! It'll make the whole experience that much better. ;)

We had loads of excursions to choose from, but we ended up choosing the Mayan Ruins & Beach excursion. I guess some people like a little history lesson with their vacation. ;)  We had a fantastic tour guide, who was really funny and informative . . . at the same time.  I know, it takes true talent to inject humor into a lecture about ruins that are as old as time. 

This iguana seriously tried to attack us! Or it ran away in fear, but to me, it felt like it was running right for me every time it so much as twitched! ;)

After the trip to the Ruins, we went to a little private beach. The water was beautiful!! 

I'm sure I'm biased, but I still think the white sand in the panhandle of Florida is prettier. ;)

And that's about it, y'all! I had a great time, but I'm happy to be home, sleeping in my own bed and getting up all hours of the night with my munchkins. ;)

Have any of you ever cruised?  How did you like it?

Stay tuned for more fashion related posts from Days 2 and 3! =)

What We Wore While Cruisin' - Day One

Guess what I learned this week?  All the busy stuff that stresses you out? It doesn't just disappear when you go on a little vacation. It waits for you and then smacks you in the face as soon as you get back! ;)

Don't get me wrong... I thoroughly enjoyed my little vacation, but oh my goodness, have I had a lot to do the past few days! And it's still piled up.  I was able to squeeze in a few minutes to put this post together though...

Get ready for a whole lot of pictures! =)

Dress, Belt & Sandals: Target

Shirt: Thrifted

This is my Aunt in her stylin' cruise clothes! =)

And this is my mom, who broke her foot and ankle, just a few weeks before the cruise!

You guys know my sister...

Tunic: Maurices

Leggings: Target

Amazing shoes: I don't know... =)

Tank: NY&Co

Black Skinnies: Old Navy

Shoes: TJMaxx

Headband: Three Bees Creations

So, all of these are just from Day One. I was going to do one big post, full of pictures, but I just don't have time for that! lol  Stay tuned to see what we wore on Day Two! =)

I'm linking up today with Monday Mingle!

Guest Post - Tara

Well, I'm back! But not really. =) My ship docked in New Orleans this morning and I'm headed back to Florida. Then I'm picking my babies up from daycare and loving on them all afternoon!  Oh my goodness, I missed them!! Okay, I realize that as I'm actually typing this, I haven't even left for vacation yet, but I just know that I'm going to miss them so much, that I won't want to do anything on Monday except love on them!

Okay, now on to what you're really interested in. Who will be sharing her words of wisdom with us??  Well, today, I have the super cute Tara from This Life, Redefined guest posting for me! 

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Hello, friends of Tiffany! My name is Tara, and I can be found most days over at This Life, Redefined, where I post about anything and everything that crosses my mind.

Which would actually probably make you nervous, if you knew just how many crazy things cross my mind, but that’s neither here nor there…

Anyway, while Tiff is off, enjoying some well-earned relaxation time, I thought I’d share with you a little about my favorite vacation from a few years back, and the style regrets I still have, to this day.

You see, when my husband and I got married waaaay back in 2004, he was very well traveled, and even though I’d been a few places in my time, I was not. And I made him promise me that before we settled down and had kids, he would take me to see a few places I’d always wanted to see, first, even if he’d already been there.

And one of those places was Italy.

A few years later, we finally planned our trip. Our itinerary included flying into Paris, heading to Venice for a stop, taking a day trip to Pisa, spending a couple of days in Florence, and finishing up in Rome, where we would be attending Easter Mass at the Vatican. And other than renting a car for one day when we were in Rome so we could drive to the coast for a couple of hours, we were traveling by train the entire way. So, my husband informed me, we had to pack light.

Did you know packing light means backpack only? Because I didn’t, until that moment.

And this is how I found myself in one of the most stylish countries in the world, wearing the same pair of jeans and the same sweater for EIGHT DAYS, trading out only my t-shirt each morning, because that was really all I could carry at one time. I mean, I’d gone out and bought eight new, brightly colored t-shirts for the trip, but still…

I’ve never quite gotten over that, you know?

And so, to this day, I am constantly packing and repacking my imaginary backpack, for my imaginary next trip to Europe, because I REFUSE to find myself in tennis shoes and plain t-shirts a second time.

Things I Will Take With Me, If I Am Ever Forced to Backpack, Again:

1.  Did you know Cole Haan makes really cute shoes with Nike Air technology in them? Because they do. And they are ridiculously comfortable. And I will find the perfect pair, at the perfect sale, to wear to the perfect vacation.
2.  Scarves. Lots and lots of scarves.
3.  And maybe even a hat.
4.  TWO sweaters!
5.  Weather appropriate clothing. I didn’t really check the weather before we left, and for some reason, I thought it would be warmer there than it actually was. I had taken a skirt to wear to Mass, and I thought I’d get more than one wear out of it (hence, the only one pair of jeans…), but it was just too cold to wear it. I should have taken tights.
6.  And, also on that note, a couple of skirts. Depending on the material, they take up less room, I think. And they get less wrinkly, too.
7.  And…that’s as far as I’ve gotten. I will have to keep working on it, obviously.

And there you have it…while my lack of style in no way made me enjoy this trip any less (and I’ve always been ridiculously grateful to my husband for planning it, backpacks and all…), I don’t want to be caught off guard by limited packing space again. I generally refer to this as my ‘someday European trip’ list, but I pretty much follow it any other place I go, too, because you can never go wrong with comfortable shoes and pretty scarves. Of course, I’m always open to suggestions, if you can think of anything I’ve missed…

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A European vacation is most defintiely on my to-do list!  Thanks for filling in for me today, Tara!  Now head on over to her blog to see what kinds of things really pop into her head at any given moment! ;) 

Guest Post - Lisa

It's my very last day aboard the cruise ship. Cross your fingers for me that the weather is beautiful and that I'm soaking up some rays on my heavily sunscreened body. ;)  Today, I have the super cute Lisa from Shoestring Fashion here to share her outfits for vacation!
 

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I want to thank Tiffany for having me guest post today. She asked me to write about what I like to wear on vacation. I have a confession to make: my vacation clothes don't vary much from  my regular everyday clothes. I might wear slightly more flats than in "real life" but that is about it. If there was ever a time to look good it is on vacation, right? I mean all those photographs! He he he!

 

I'm a firm believer in layers when you are on vacation because you never know how fickle the local weather will be, or how hot it will be outside and freezing inside, for example.

Here are some of my favorite looks from our last couple of family vacations.

 

 Legoland, Fall 2010. Cardigans are key when traveling. (I wish I still had this one! So cute. You can't see but it had a flower on it.)

 Legoland, Fall 2010. Same look as before minus the cardigan and plus one handsome Hagrid.

San Deigo Museum of Art, Fall 2010. Walking shorts with a cardigan (told you, key).

On the road again, heading to Arizona in our RV, Fall 2011. This was travel day one and with an early start and being on the road 6-8 hours, leggings were a must.

Me and a catus, Fall 2011. Very similar to the first San Diego look: cardigan, cropped pants and flats.

Southern California, Fall 2011. (I'm in the date capital of the world! Can you guess where I am?) On our way home from Arizona. Comfy blouse, rolled jeggings, sandals.

 

Ok, one more confession: looking back through my vacation pictures I was like, "oh yeah, that was a cute outfit." I may be recycling some looks soon.

 

Thanks again, Tiffany!

XOXO

Lisa at Shoestring Fashion

 

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Isn't she precious?!?  I kind of wish I had that adorable grey and white striped shirt and that infinity scarf on right now!  Thanks for filling in for me, Lisa!!  Now head on over to her corner of the blogosphere and say hi!  =)

Guest Post - Celeste

As you know, I'm still cruising the high seas and soaking up the sunshine.  Well, my fingers are crossed that the sun is shining. If I get out there, and it's raining the whole time, so help me, I don't know what I'll do! Anyways back to the subject at hand, I've got Célèste from Fashion is Evolution filling in for me and giving us some of her tips for packing for vacation!

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Hi, I'm Célèste and I run the personal style blog Fashion is Evolution. I'm excited to fill in for Tiffany while she's on vacation. Here is some of my best advice about how to pack when you go on your next big trip.

The most important tip I can give is to keep your options open. You want to have all your bases covered, but you shouldn't pack four completely planned out
ensembles for four days.

Instead, you want to leave some room for spontaneity. Especially since you can't predict the weather, your mood, or every single activity. Therefor, it's always better to bring a selection of mix and match pieces.

On my most recent trip, I went to Austin, TX to see family for the holidays.
Because I have a bit of a winter uniform, I knew that I could bring a selection of dresses and tights with a few belts and cardigans and be set. I brought my favorite pair of flats and my favorite boots, and that's all I needed. I gave myself just enough of a cushion that I could let the actual outfit planning happen each morning.

Here are three of the outfits I ended up wearing on that trip (click photos to see
full outfit posts.)

Those magenta tights or the green ones would have looked just as nice with the black dress and the pale pink tights could have been paired with the green dress
or with the purple one. I didn't know exactly how I was going to pair these piece when I packed them, but it all worked out and allowed me to enjoy putting outfits together on my trip and avoid the stress of having to plan several outfits all at once.

BONUS
TIPS:

Three things to pack
no matter what:

A swimsuit - You never know if your hotel might have a pool or you'll have some other opportunity to swim or enjoy a hot tub. A swimsuit hardly takes up any room in your suitcase and desperately shopping for one while on vacation is miserable. Better safe than sorry.

One nice outfit - Again, you can't predict all your activities, and when you get
the chance to have a nice dinner out or go to the theatre, you'll be glad you packed something nice.

A sweater - I may sound like you're mom, reminding you to pack a sweater no matter what, but I'm telling you, sooner or later you'll wish you'd listened
to Mom. When I studied in Cambridge, England one summer, I ended up wearing the one emergency cardigan I'd packed almost every day. I hadn't anticipated that "summer" in England hardly resembles the sunny days I'm used to.

Two things that make
flying more enjoyable:

A pashmina (cashmere if possible) - It'll keep you warm and comfortable. You can wear it as a scarf or spread it over you as a blanket. You can even bundle it up into a makeshift pillow if need be. I bought two cashmere pashminas at Nordstrom Rack for about $25 dollars each (Gotta love outlet prices!) and they are so worth it: softer and warmer than the synthetic ones but just as thin.

Comfortable shoes that slip on and off - Flying means a lot of walking. Heels are generally not a good idea; your feet will get sore and your stilettos will catch in the grid of escalator steps. Just say no. Shoes with laces are likewise frustrating. Most airports require you to remove your shoes for security, and slip-ons make the line move faster. Everyone will thank you and you'll be glad you went with slip-ons as well.

* *
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Well, I enjoyed sharing advice with you today. I hope you enjoy this and the other guest posts this week and find the tips helpful. Feel free to stop by my blog ifyou have any questions or want to learn more about me.

Take
care!

~Célèste

Join me on: facebook // twitter // bloglovin
// pinterest // instagram

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Thank you, Célèste! These are great tips and I just love the print on that blue dress. If I had it, I most definitely would have taken it with me on the cruise! ;)

Guest Post - Whitney

Today, I've got the adorable Whitney from Between the Lines giving you some words of wisdom on how to pack lightly on vacation! ;)

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So, who else is jealous that Tiffany is going on a cruise? I know I am!

Have a great time, Tiffany and be safe!

While Tiffany is away, she asked a few of us to substitute for her. I know that there is none like Tiffany and you will all miss her, but I thought I’d jump in and talk about my vacation experiences and my inability pack lightly (I call it OCOD – Obsessive Compulsive Overpacking Disorder. I think it should be a serious diagnosis. You would think so too if you could see my suitcases).

As a teacher, my only options for vacations and travel are in the summer…or if I am feeling particularly adventurous spring break. I’m never that adventurous. When I do get the chance to vacation, I go all out. My last vacation was an eleven-day adventure in the Baltic Sea. I visited six countries in nine days.

The week before we left, I checked the weather—and the countries varied anywhere between fifty to eighty degrees Farenheit. With chances of rain in three of the countries.

We also planned to do everything from tours around museums and palaces indoors and outdoors to watching a performance of Swan Lake by the Russian Ballet. Needless to say, I had to pack with all of these events and the weather in mind.

HOW DO YOU PACK FOR THAT without over-packing?

Answer: Pack layers.

Layer. Layer. Layer. That’s my biggest piece of advice for packing.

Obviously, you can’t wear the same thing every single day

I knew that I would need at least one formal dress for the dinners and ballets – and I knew no one would mind if I outfit-repeated. I packed only one pair of nice dress shoes and a blue dress that wouldn’t get too wrinkled in my suitcase (we actually wound up playing ping pong in our formal attire before dinner one night. Don’t judge).

For the other days, I packed several cardigans of varying sleeve length and three scarves that would go with any of them. I packed a white v-neck tee that would work under any of the cardigans, along with a few other short-sleeve tops that would easily layer with my a-line skirts. I brought one pair of sandals (for walking around the ship) and I wore TOMS everywhere in Europe.

I also packed a light trench coat and a heavier scarf just in case.

 

As for the things I learned from this experience, I was right to pack one formal dress and dress shoes, but they took up quite a lot of room in my bag. Next time, I will probably exempt myself from formal activities—as they’re truly not mandatory—and it will save some space in my bag. I used a majority of my clothes. The trench and heavier scarves/cardigans took up more room in my suitcase, but I never used them. They would have come in handy had I needed them, of course, but I would suggest travelling at a more predictable time of the year (apparently June is not predictable?).

I also learned that men have it so much easier. Husband packed four or five long-sleeve dress shirts, and rolled up the sleeves when necessary. He only packed one pair of shoes that doubled as dress and walking shoes (how do men’s shoes do that?!) and one jacket that he could wear in all weather.

It worked for him, though.

I also learned that women can’t pack like men, and we shouldn’t feel guilty for packing just in case items. Just not an extra-suitcase-full of them.

XO,

W

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Ha, I love that she said "substitute." You can totally tell that she's a teacher. =) Isn't she adorable?!? If you don't know Whitney, stop by her blog and say hi!

Guest Post - Heather & Kayla

I'm setting sail today, so I've asked a few girls to fill in for me and talk to my readers about their favorite vacations and what they like to pack for vactation!  Today's post comes from two of the cutest bloggers in Ohio, Heather and Kayla!

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Hello Breakfast with Tiffany friends!  We are Heather and Kayla with H&K Style Journey.  While Tiffany is away on her cruise (so fun!) she asked us if we would share with all of you one of our favorite vacations.

While some of you may not think that camping is a vacation, this is something that our family does every 4th of July holiday.  It's been a tradition for us for many years and it has brought us a ton of family memories.  We live in Ohio, so our destination is beautiful Lake Erie.  We always stay in the same campground, usually get the same spot every year, and yes, we rough it in a tent!

Our humble abode! Here is Miss M, A  (Kayla's friend), and Kayla

Every summer we plan trips to the beach, lots of bike riding, sometimes mini trips to Cedar Point or Put-in-Bay (a little island in Lake Erie), and just lots of relaxing and fun.

Kayla on the ferry ride to Put-in-Bay (or South Bass Island)

Heather in front of the fountain at Put-in-Bay

Look at all the people! You have to get to the beach early if you want a good spot

Probably our favorite thing to do while camping, besides eating tons of smores, is to go to the beach!  We always end up sun burned, tired, and hungry, but always happy when we get to swim and hang out. 

Camping and roughing it is a nice change for us.  We can throw out the fashion, wear baseball caps, no make up, and just have fun!  What are some of your favorite vacations? 

Thanks to Tiffany for asking us to share one of our favorite vacations with your readers.  Have a great time on your cruise and we can't wait to see your pictures!

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Camping, wow!! I'm not a camping fan, but I AM a beach fan! =) There's not much better (to me) than a day at the beach, coming back with that sunkissed glow and relaxing . . . on the couch! ;)  Thanks for taking care of my readers today! If you don't already know Heather and Kayla (and I'm sure you do, because they're kind of a big deal), then stop by their blog and say check them out!

Manic Mondays Make Me Happy

Why is that, you ask. Well, this crazily insane Manic Monday just so happens to mark the beginning of a three-day work week! That's right, in a few short days, I'm leavin' on a jet plane, don't know when I'll be back again...  Wait, actually, I'm leaving on a boat. And I'll be back Monday, but you know, I just can't help but sing whatever silly song pops into my head because I'm just so excited! ;)
 

Shirt & Cardi combo: Bealls

Tank: Maurices

Cargoes: Target

Booties: JCPenney

Did y'all notice that my hair is kind of curly? I usually use a blowdryer and straightener every day. And this is what it looks like when I just let it air dry. It's not a look I like to go for often, but every once in a while, it's kind of fun. =)

 

You want to know what I'm most excited about?  There's no point in worrying or stressing about anything while I'm on the cruise, because I can't do anything about it! I should be doing school work? Oh, well, no internet access on the ship, so I won't even worry about it!  Laundry needs to be done? Oh, well, the Hubs will get around to it while I'm gone!  I'm not pleasing people at work? Oh, well, I'm not there right now, so what can I do about it?  

 

My grand plans are to sit on the sundeck and immerse myself in a good book. Does anyone have any suggestions for me? I just want a silly, fun vacation read. Nothing too serious or depressing. =)

 

Ring: Alyssa's Antique Depot

I got this ring from a local antique/consignment shop for only $2.99! I had no idea how much cute jewelry they had! I have a feeling I'll be going back for more soon. ;) And maybe I'll even pick up a little something for my February giveaway!  Did you guys catch that? ;)  I'm planning a little something for next month to celebrate one whole year of blogging and to thank y'all for being so awesome! =)