We're on a boat!


  Many apologies for the long hiatus...I was cruisin in the Atlantic. This was, in fact, my first cruise and to be honest, I had no idea what to expect. I wish there had been some well-weathered New Englander who could have taken me by the hand and explained every aspect of a tropical cruise. He was too busy drinking fruity margs and applying SPF3. I was without a guide, but not afraid. With my friend who had invited me on this voyage at my side, we embarked on a journey not soon to be forgotten. 

THE DOS AND DON'TS OF CRUISING

• DO- Wear sunblock even when you're still in colder weather and it's cloudy. It's a common misconception that clouds block the suns powerful rays. Foolishness. In the same sense, it's important that you use plenty of sunblock when you are in the sun. White people turn the most delightful shade of rose when they're being bold and careless. 
• DO- Wash your hands as often as you can. I happened to be traveling on a ship that recently ended a voyage early as many of the passengers had come down with a stomach bug. Although it's not the most convenient, it certainly keeps things a little cleaner. With all the kids on February break, you can bet there were germs of every shape and size on that vessel.
• DON'T- Do not assume that every cost is covered by your initial payment. We were surprised to find out that a gratuity check to the tune of $12 per person was added to our bill EVERY night. That is a lot of money to produce if you're not anticipating it. Ask for your balance at customer relations; we did this early and only found out about the charge formally a day before the trip ended. Sneaky. 
• DO- Consider bringing medication for motion sickness if you are prone to it. I ended up getting a prescription that worked rather well and also brought some Dramamine along just for good measure. One of the nurses also suggested drinking ginger ale or eating a green apple in-between pills when I was feeling a little ill.
• DO- Drink plenty of water. Between all the booze and sun, trust. I would suggest bringing a water bottle with you that you can refill to avoid having to pay for new bottles. Our ship, and I'm assuming most, do not allow you to fill up water bottles from the machines in an attempt to keep germs at bay. I simply took my water glass back to my seat and poured it into my bottle.
• DON'T- I wouldn't suggest eating twice your weight in food if you normally do not. Even though the buffets do a fantastic job of enticing, it may be wiser to indulge just a bit. I found that by mostly sticking to my normal diet, my lack of exercise didn't effect me negatively. However, if the ship you are on has a nice gym, it doesn't hurt to use it. It certainly made me feel a little less like I was drowning my body in alcohol and fat.
• DON'T- Vacations in foreign lands are not the best time to leave all reservations at the door. Although my friend and I wanted to explore Nassau more, we decided that as two young ladies it would not be advisable to discover the city at night. If you do choose to explore, keep your wits about you and your valuables close. 
• DO- Make sure your phone is not "roaming" during the trip. Adjust the settings on your phone the moment you leave the shore to avoid charges. 
• DO- Take opportunities to do fun activities on the ship while you're cruising. Not only did they make the day less dull, but they offered opportunities to make new acquaintances. I had the good fortune of singing with a piano performer on the ship from Maine. In no time at all I'm going to schmooze my way to stardom. 
• DO- Bring your own shower supplies. All ships are different, but like hotels, many do not provide large amounts of these products. Your best bet is to just bring your own.
• DON'T- Lastly, do not forget to tip for exceptional service and at the end of the voyage. Our automatic gratuity was set at 15% so we felt it would certainly be appropriate to leave more of a tip at the end. 

     Maybe, just maybe, I've come that much closer to being the legendary master cruiser I so desperately yearned for prior to my journey. Only time and 194 more guava-ritas will tell.