5 Reasons To Take a Cruise

Today I want to give you the 5 reasons I will definitely go on a Carnival Cruise again.

I just returned from my 7 day cruise on the Carnival Conquest. In a nutshell it was amazing! There is so much I want to tell you about and over 1,600 photos to show you… but don’t worry I’ll condense it all into a few posts this week:-) I know many of you have questions, so on Friday I’ll do a question and answer time.

1. The Beauty

From the time you step on the ship, you’re surrounded by beauty.

On the inside of the ship you have Vegas style lobby decor, elaborate restaurants and leather sofas along windows that make you just want to sit and enjoy the view.

On deck or your balcony you get the fabulous views of the sea, the clean wooden deck, the pretty pools and how could I forget the amazing sunsets.

2. Family Time

When you leave port, there is NO phone access unless you want to pay ridiculous international roaming fees. This means no distractions and you have to relax and spend time with your family. I was in Carnival’s internet cafe a few times, but the connection was very slow so most people just checked their email and left quickly.

We don’t realize how much time we spend on our computers or phones. There was free WiFi at the resort we visited in Jamaica and I noticed a couple on the beach laughing while typing on their iPhones. I knew right away they were playing Words with Friends (and probably NOT with each other). Because we were in the beautiful ocean talking to their kids, I asked them if that’s what their parents were doing and sure enough… they rolled their eyes and said “Oh, they play that ALL the time!!”

On the cruise we were totally absorbed in the moment and with our kids. As much as I love my iPhone, I really enjoyed having some forced time off. I noticed a lot of families with everyone from grandmas to aunts and uncles in their group. A cruise is perfect for the whole family because there is something fun for every age and it’s so easy to create memories that will last a lifetime.

3. The Fun

Carnival does a wonderful job at keeping everyone entertained. From ice cream eating contests, ice sculpting demonstrations and group games, to country night, magic shows and comedians, there was something fun going on all the time! You could be a part of it, or not. I loved the fact that I could hop around to different events or just lounge by the pool or a quiet deck if I didn’t feel like being fun at the moment. But most of the time, I got sucked into watching or participating!

I also loved how the activities were kid friendly throughout the day and then geared more towards teens and adults later in the evenings. The comedians were my favorite! I haven’t laughed that hard in a long time:-)

4. The Food

How can I mention a Carnival Cruise without mentioning the food?

If you didn’t know, Carnival not only has a delicious buffet each day, but also a sushi bar, 24 hour ice cream and pizza! My kids were in heaven over the ice cream!

My husband who is watching his weight and doesn’t eat desserts anymore seriously got Carnival’s Signature Melting cake every night at dinner. (More on this cake later… it was so good, it deserves it’s own post:-)

5. The People

Carnival has the nicest employees! They make you feel so special. My daughter looked at me one day and said, “How does everyone know my name here Mommy?” I told her they just really like you! She and she replied with “They think I’m cute too!”

Our wait staff was amazing and did everything to make our dinners special. You ask for something and they will get it!

The Hotel Manager, Marvin Barrantes, even took time out of his busy schedule to talk with me. He assured me if I fell asleep at port, there would be arrangements made for me to get back to the cruise. For some reason, I had the biggest fear I would miss the ship! Ha!

If I was away from my family so long, I might not be as joyful, but everyone on the ship was super sweet and make sure you have a fantastic time. They also make the cutest towel animals! One of my kid’s favorite things was being surprised each night with a new animal.

Look for more details about my cruise all this week! I’ll be answering your questions on Friday, so get them ready:-) Be sure to read my post about Camp Carnival and how much fun a cruise is for kids.

Follow Carnival on Twitter and Facebook. For more information on their ships and booking, visit them at Carnival.com!

See more of my Cruise tips:

15 Tips for First Time Cruisers

Cruises are Fun for Kids!

Disclosure: This seven day cruise was paid for by Carnival as a part of their Brand Ambassador program.  All opinions and photos about the trip are my own.

Share the fun!