Just For Fun

There is so much to love about cruising, from the delicious food to fabulous entertainment, thrilling attractions, and exciting itineraries. Cruise vacations are meant to be all about relaxing, letting loose, and enjoying the ocean views.

When preparing for your upcoming cruise, you will want to make sure that you have an outfit for formal night.

While the actual terminology varies from cruise line to cruise line (Carnival, for instance, calls it "elegant night"), it's a great opportunity to dress up, take some family photos, indulge in a delicious three-course dinner, and enjoy the evening's festivities. 

You might be wondering what to pack, though. Is a cocktail dress appropriate, or should you pack one of your floor-length formal gowns?

If you plan to sail on Carnival Cruise Line in the near future, you might want to take a look at your American Express credit cards for a new Amex Offer that will earn you thousands of extra points. That means you could save hundreds of dollars on your next Carnival cruise!

Many American Express cardholders are reporting new Amex Offers that provide an additional 25,000 Membership Reward points if you spend at least $1,000 with Carnival Cruise Line. This equates to around $400 - $500 depending on your redemption strategy - which is nearly 40% to 50% savings!

As someone who cruises for both work and leisure, I’ve seen cruisers make a lot of the same mistakes over and over again on European sailings. Everything from not booking excursions soon enough to taking a poorly planned transatlantic flight, it seems that first-time cruisers make the same mistakes when taking European cruises.

After stepping foot on a cruise ship, you may see lots of people wearing matching t-shirts. Whether commemorating an anniversary or birthday, sailing with a bachelorette or bachelor party, or a group of family members traveling together for a vacation, wearing matching t-shirts is a fun way to celebrate a special occasion.

Even if you're not in a group, individuals can wear a cruise-themed t-shirt to get in the spirit of cruising. Walking around the ship, you will be sure to spur conversation with fellow travelers!

Cruise ships sail around the world, taking guests to the some of the most diverse ecologies in the world. Every cruise you take is an opportunity to experience native wildlife - and we aren't even talking about the cute towel animals you find in your stateroom every night!

If you’re cruising soon and love listening to music, we recommend starting a cruise playlist.

One of the most popular cruise add-ons is drink packages. For a set price, you can indulge in either a fixed number or unlimited premium non-alcoholic and alcoholic beverages each day of your sailing. 

While they aren't required to have a great time, drink packages ensure you will have that all-inclusive feeling throughout your cruise. 

Moving up the ranks of a cruise line’s loyalty program is a goal for many cruisers. Although it’s free to join a cruise line’s loyalty program, you can receive many lucrative benefits as you reach higher status tiers. 

Pretty much all major cruise lines have a loyalty program. For example, Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruises, Norwegian Cruise Line, MSC Cruises, and Celebrity Cruises all have respective loyalty programs that rewards cruisers. Anyone can enroll in these programs for free and start earning points towards loyalty status.