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Harmony of the Seas, one of Royal Caribbean’s Oasis-class ships, is a floating city packed with amenities, entertainment, and adventure. Whether you’re a first-time cruiser or a seasoned sailor, preparing for this experience can make all the difference. Here’s what you need to know before setting sail on this stunning ship.
I loved the room setup on Harmony of the Seas, but there was a slight snag: I needed my own space for the nights. You see, my daughter and grandson prefer their room to be pitch dark, retiring early. On the flip side, I'm more of a night owl, often restless throughout the night. I might find myself engrossed in a book or glued to the TV until dawn breaks. It was crucial for me not to disrupt their sleep, and having blackout curtains proved to be the ideal solution.
Going on a low-budget road trip can be a fantastic adventure without breaking the bank. Here are some tips to help you plan a budget-friendly road trip:
1. Plan Your Route: Decide on your destinations and map out the most efficient route to minimize unnecessary driving and fuel costs. I usually use Google maps and drop pins along my stops.
2. Fuel Efficiency: I guess this is obvious but driving a large gas-guzzling truck is going to cost more than a smaller economy car. We were pretty cramped on our last road trip but we saved a fortune in gas.
I was not sure what to expect since I have not flown in the past year. Especially when dealing with a budget airline like Spirit.
One of the things I love most about traveling is discovering how different each country can be. Every place has its own traditions, food, language, customs, and little quirks—and honestly, those differences are part of what makes traveling so much fun.
Malta was no exception.
This was my first visit to Malta, and I came away with a few things that surprised me, along with some practical information that may be helpful if you're planning your first trip. Keep in mind that some of the information below is based on what I experienced during my visit, so it's always a good idea to check current information before your own trip.
If you have booked a cruise on the Carnival Breeze, you are in for a great time.
I first sailed on the Carnival Breeze and absolutely loved it. Since then, I've had the opportunity to sail on quite a few other ships, including smaller Royal Caribbean ships, Harmony of the Seas, and MSC Seascape.
Sailing on those ships has definitely changed the way I look at cruising. I've experienced larger ships with more activities, different layouts, more dining options, and amenities that weren't available on the Breeze.
Of all the airports I have traveled through, London took the longest to get through—and it actually caused us to miss our flight.
And the reason?
A tiny little tube of antibiotic cream.
Yep. A tiny tube of cream that wasn't in my clear liquids bag. It was tucked away in my regular toiletry bag.
Seven airports hadn't had a problem with it.
One did.
And that one little tube of cream started a whole series of unfortunate events.
When I went to Europe in 2014, I honestly thought it would be a once-in-a-lifetime trip.
I was completely enchanted by Europe. For the entire 16 days we were there, it felt like I was living in a dream. It was just my daughter and me, traveling together on what felt like the biggest adventure of our lives.
I raised her as a single parent, and in many ways, we lived vicariously through Rory and Lorelai Gilmore. We dreamed about going somewhere exciting and far away, never really imagining that we would actually get the chance to do it.
I should probably say that I never dreamed it would happen for me.
My daughter had always wanted to study abroad and knew that, someday, she would travel. For me, Europe was more of a dream than a realistic possibility.
Then, somehow, we made it happen.
The Carnival Breeze is a 3,690-passenger ship that can accommodate up to 4,724 guests when every bed is occupied.
That's a lot of people on one ship.
The last time I sailed on the Carnival Breeze, the ship was filled to capacity. I'll be sailing on her again in a month, and as I write this, it looks like all of the rooms are already booked except for some of the more expensive suites.
So what is it like to cruise on a ship that can hold nearly 5,000 passengers?
Well... it can be crowded.
I'm not sure why it took me so long to visit them, but I'm certainly glad I finally did. These are the places you see in photographs and history books, and standing among them in person gives you a much better appreciation for just how much of ancient Rome is still woven into the modern city.
The best way I know to describe my first visit to Rome is to compare it to being dropped into the middle of New York City—only you are surrounded by thousands of years of history.
Rome is big, busy, noisy, beautiful, and sometimes a little overwhelming. Around almost every corner there seems to be another ancient building, fountain, church, or ruin. It is the kind of place where you can turn down a street simply because it looks interesting and find yourself standing in front of something hundreds of years old.
And that was exactly what made my first trip so exciting—and a little intimidating.
