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3/5/2024 • Cruises •
Virgin Voyages is a cruise line like no other! Beautiful ship spaces, incredible entertainment, and unforgettable experiences - Virgin has something for everyone! On all voyages, a select number of ‘Splash of Romance’ (SOR) packages are available to add-on to your voyage! This is a $350 value, for only $200. It’s an amazing deal, and one we will likely add on to our next voyage too. Here are all this amazing package has to offer: - Priority check in and boarding. Not quite Rock Star, but not ‘regular’ either. Quick, separate, and ready to sail! - Exclusive wristband - used to identify you for those special perks on board! We arrived about 20 min earlier than our assigned ‘check in time’. It was no issue. Signage allowed us to verify our status at the appropriate location, and they ushered us straight to check in. From here, we were given expedited […]
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2/13/2024 • Blog, Cruises, Reviews •
Virgin Voyages has unique, immersive, and cultural experiences at every port! In Cozumel, you can venture to Mayan ruins at Chichen Itza, swim and sun at the blue beaches, experience scenic tours, or taste food and drink perfected by this culture. We chose to book a Shore Thing called “Margaritas and Chocolate Mixology” that took us to the Mayaland Cacao Company where we would learn about the Mayan culture, the history of cacao and tequila, and indulge in our own hand made margaritas! This was a fantastic experience! Our tour guide, Roberto, met us at the end of the pier, and made us all feel welcome. This ‘shore thing’ capped at 12 guests, but our particular tour had only 8! Not only was our guide incredibly friendly, he was also one of the developers of this specialty tour to bring culture and fun to cruise travelers. You could tell he […]
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10/13/2023 • Blog, Cruises •
What is a back-to-back cruise? Back-to-back cruising is a popular travel trend where individuals or families book two or more cruises on the same ship to extend their vacation at sea. Instead of disembarking after the first cruise, they remain on the ship for the next sailing. If booked early enough, staying in the same stateroom for both cruises is possible, saving time and the hassle of repacking and moving to a different stateroom. If you must change staterooms, your stateroom attendant will transfer your luggage to ensure an efficient and hassle-free experience. How can this benefit your family? There are many reasons to consider booking two consecutive cruises. Let’s explore how this can benefit you and your family. One of the key benefits is saving money. Who doesn't want to SAVE money when cruising? You may wonder how you save money when booking not one but two cruises during […]
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7/7/2023 • Blog, Cruises •
As someone who normally flocks to the Caribbean islands for some reprieve, I wanted to try something a little different for my milestone birthday. Since my husband had never been to Europe, we thought we might do a “sampler” of various spots and the best way to do that was a cruise. There are so many great cruising options in Europe that we had a hard time deciding which one would be best for us. Europe has a lot of smaller cruise lines with a large focus on service, quality, and destination. Viking, AmaWaterways, and Azamara are a few examples. While it was a hard choice, we ultimately chose Azamara because of the itinerary it offered. Specifically, they dock for longer, including late night and even some overnight stays, which gave us more time to explore the destinations. They also tout themselves to be the leader in Destination Immersion experiences, […]
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5/26/2023 • Blog, Cruises •
Join Me and The Mouse Travel as we help Disney Cruise Line celebrate its 25th Silver Anniversary at Sea. To commemorate this milestone, passengers on one of these epic cruises are in for a treat. We want to give you a sneak peek at what is in store for you if you set sail on one of these unforgettable celebration cruises. Here are some of the exciting features our fellow sailors have to look forward to: A Shimmering Soiree One evening during each cruise, guests will be invited to join their ship’s captain and cruise director in the atrium for an anniversary toast. The festive gala will feature appearances from Captain Mickey and Captain Minnie dressed in shimmering new attire while experiencing the enchanting “Silver Anniversary at Sea” signature theme song. A perfect event for a photo op! Character Encounters with New Style Time to shimmer and celebrate with your […]
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4/28/2023 • Blog, Cruises, Reviews •
I had the pleasure of sailing on the Disney Wonder with my family and one of our ports of call was Catalina Island and it turned out to be one of my favorite stops on our cruise! Catalina Island feels like a private wonderland. The island is full of quaint shops, happy tourists, fun restaurants, and endless beauty. There are no stop lights, everyone walks everywhere, and the crime is super low. Catalina is 22 miles off the coast of Southern California and is known for its beautiful wildlife, scuba diving, ziplining, and offers a charming coastal town feel. It’s full of interesting facts too. The island is owned by the chewing gum king, William Wrigley who also owned the Chicago Cubs. He brought spring training to the island for over thirty years. Catalina is also home to the oldest golf course in Southern California, Avalon. More than 4,000 people […]
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3/28/2023 • Blog, Cruises •
As their motto states, “Explore the World with Viking”. We recently embarked on our first Viking Ocean cruise. We previously experienced their river cruise and enjoyed that so much we decided to try their ocean. We were blown out of the water “pun intended”. For an adult only experience, it was amazing. The ships are smaller and accommodate 900 guests, therefore, it is a more intimate sailing than larger ships. In my opinion, this is different than many cruise lines as it is more focused on the educational and port history experience through the exploration of the destination. It was a very relaxing way to gain knowledge of new destinations by attending guest Lectures & port talks, that provide the history and culture of the next destination. Viking makes the travel as seamless and easy as you would like. Therefore, guests with little international travel experience, Viking will “hand hold” […]
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3/7/2023 • Blog, Cruises •
With over $600 of included amenities on your Virgin Voyage, you can count on room service as one of those amenities as well! “ShipEats!” is a unique onboard room service option that can be ordered from your Virgin Voyages app, or your in-room tablet. While aboard the Scarlet Lady, I wanted to be sure I experienced as much of the food as I possibly could! And who wouldn’t - with Michelin chefs on board, everything was absolutely amazing. But sometimes, sometimes you just want to hang out on your balcony in your hand crafted hammock and snack, or maybe early mornings at a restaurant just aren’t your thing. ShipEats! is your solution! ShipEats! menus are accessible via your VV app, and include meals, snacks, and drinks, that are included with your voyage cost. Some items on the menu are from the various restaurants on the ship. There are some items, […]
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1/24/2023 • Blog, Cruises, Tips •
For many people, the stop at Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, is the highlight of their cruise! Here are some tips to make the most of your visit on this amazing island. You are headed ashore, what should you put in your beach bag? You will want to make sure you do not get off the ship without your Key to the World card and adults will need a picture ID. Throw some sunscreen, your phone or a camera, sunglasses, and some water or a reusable water bottle in your beach bag. If you are traveling with kids you might want to bring a few sand toys. Don’t worry if you forget any of these, you can buy all of this on the island. Outside of the ship, you can pick up some towels for the day. There are more towels by the beach as well. Cast members will have […]
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1/10/2023 • Cruises, Tips •
Booking a cruise is so exciting, but can also feel overwhelming if you aren’t sure what steps to take next. To plan your next Royal Caribbean Cruise and arrive feeling calm and collected, follow these four important steps: 1. Make sure you have all of the required documentation for every member of your party. At Me and The Mouse, we always encourage our clients to have passports. While this is not required for cruises embarking and debarking in the United States, it will protect you in the event you would need to fly out of the country. Make sure to check your passports and renew any that expire at least 10 weeks before your cruise. If you do not have a passport, make sure all adults have their government-issued photo IDs and original birth certificate. Double and triple-check that all required documents match the birthdates and spellings that are listed […]
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