Cruise Drama!

So it seems that there is a lot of controversy surrounding the Carnival Cruise Line as of late.  First a ship gets stranded at sea then an issue at port.  Mishaps can happen whenever you travel, but there seems to be a greater sense of panic/distress at the thought of being stranded at sea on a boat with about a million other smelly, unhygenic people.  I have to admit, I'd be pretty cranky too and completely sympathize with these passengers.  But I do think that how you handle these situations says a lot about you as a traveler and a person for that matter.  On that note, I don't think I ever posted about the great luggage debacle.  Will have to chronicle that one soon as it was quite funny...left me saying "only me".

Good Morning America Article:
http://gma.yahoo.com/carnival-dream-docked-mechanical-issues-143703226--abc-news-topstories.html

I'm back!

So I kind of disappeared for awhile...  Life got a bit crazy and frankly I just didn't have it in me to write about anything.  I had planned to post about my cruise in September (last year) but my grandpa's health began to decline and posting just didn't seem important to me.  I was then going to post about a planned trip to Columbus for the Half Marathon but had to forgo the race when I lost my grandpa to cancer on October 20th.  I focused on work and life for awhile and then BANG my life changed (in a good way!)...I got engaged!!!!!  My fiance, Mike, proposed on December 22nd and life took an entirely different turn.  Wedding planning became my new focus until we decide to move in together.  So then it was packing and boxes and tape and all that goes along with moving.  We're still unpacking...I could write an entire blog about packing and moving! lol...so now its back to wedding planning.  So this blog will become more of a lifestyle blog for me...though packing and travel will always be a focal point. 

So my next trip has come about in a matter of days.  I've been offered the opportunity to represent the American Liver Foundation at Liver Capitol Hill Day on March 20th.  So I get to pack for one of my favorite types of trips, the overnight business trip.  So stay tuned!

So regarding wedding fun...  there are sometimes when the person you're with says something or does something that affirms why you love them so much and why you want to spend the rest of your life with them.  That moment came shortly after Mike and I got engaged.  We were sitting at a local cafe having lunch and having our first official "talk" about the wedding.  We were going over stuff like, where will we get married?  Who do you want in the wedding?  How many people do you think we'll have?  Stuff like that.  Like most girls, I was getting caught up in the details...navy blue bridesmaids dresses...no tuxes for the groomsmen, suits instead...what kind of flowers?  Mike then looked me square in the eye and said "Now let's talk about what's really important.  Where are we going on the honeymoon?"  I thought to myself, yes this is why you are my soul mate.  We then took an old world map that I had lying around that I thought I might frame and began circling and crossing out destinations.  After much discussion, we've landed on St. Lucia...for now.  We may change our minds due to preference and budget, but for now we're planning on St. Lucia.  As we're not getting married until September of 2014, we have plenty of time to mull over it.

Cruise Packing

Well the day has finally arrived and I'm sitting in the airport waiting to board my flight to Orlando. The sun is shining and it's a balmy 48 degrees in Cleveland (that's sarcasm). Just checked the weather and it's a beautiful 75 right now in Orlando!

So I spent about 2 days organizing and packing...those that know me, know this is completely normal. I spent Monday doing laundry and organizing clothes, shoes, etc. by laying everything out on the futon in my closet room (closet room=spare bedroom I turned into a walk-in closet). Doing this helps me visualize each outfit so I don't forget shoes and accessories. I find that of I start putting things in my suitcase right away I forget what's packed in the bottom.

I LOVE space bags for traveling! (see photo). They are great at compressing items into nice bundles. I also place a couple dryer sheets in each bag to keep everything fresh. Dryer sheets also come in handy when you're on a long trip and want to "freshen up" your clothes.

After packing clothes, shoes, and accessories I moved on to cosmetics and my carry-on items. I packed some spare cosmetics and emergency change of clothes in my carry-ons. I brought a Vera Bradley metropolitan bag (which is so amazing it will get its own post) and a Thirty-One garment bag with all my dresses as my carry-on luggage. The key to great carry-on luggage is lightweight, lots of storage, and compact.

Everything was all packed and ready when I awoke this morning and I was showered and out the door within 40 min. In the words of Zac Brown, "Gotta get away to where the boat leaves from!"

Packing, Buckeye Style

I'm going to Ohio State's football game this weekend and I've packed for every possible game day weather scenario...

Contents include: OSU hoodie, OSU t-shirt, OSU long-sleeve shirt, OSU jersey, 2 pair of jeans, shorts, capris, OSU purse, buckeye necklace, 2 pair of flip flops, tennis shoes, and (not pictured) rain jacket and galoshes as there is a 60% chance of rain...GO BUCKS!!!

So guess what arrived???

A happy little package was waiting on me in the mail...cruise documents!!! Only 19 days til I set sail!!!

Check out my new hat!

So I was looking for a hat for the upcoming cruise and I stumbled upon this at Target...fabulous! (even more fabulous is that it was $4.98 on clearance!)

IKEA hotels! I'm in!

Love this courtesy of Budget Travel...if there hotel rooms are half as awesome as their stores, I'm in!!

IKEA Will Build 100 Budget Hotels in Europe

Posted by: Sean O'Neill, Wednesday, Aug 15, 12:54 PM
Filed Under: affordable europe, Europe, hotels, hotels & lodging, hotels and lodging

IKEA's summer pop-up lounge at Paris's Charles de Gaulle Airport (CourtesyIKEA)

Everyone's favorite affordable furniture store, IKEA, will build a budget hotel chain across Europe. The first one will be in Germany, in 2014.

Surprisingly, the 100 hotels in Germany, Austria, Britain, Holland, and Poland won't feature the company's famous flat-pack furniture—or even its brand name, according to a scoop in the Financial Times. Though fans hope that Swedish meatballs will still be served in any hotel restaurants.

IKEA aims to cash in on the booming trend in "budget designer hotels," as represented in Europe by Motel One, citizenM, Chic and Basic,Leonardo Hotels, and B&B Hotels.

It's great news that budget hotels are finally getting their day in the sun. The much stronger dollar against the euro also means that Europe is becoming a good value again.

Let's just hope guests at the IKEA's hotel chain won't have to assemble the beds and dressers ourselves. Or that the instructions for finding your room won't be as confusing as Ikea's diagrams for building furniture.

In 2007, Ikea Norway created a pop-up Ikea Hostel. Earlier this year, Ikea created a pop-up lounge in Paris' Charles de Gaulle airport (Terminal 3).

But on a more serious note, if IKEA did go ahead and build a hotel that was just like its stores, would you stay in it if the price were right?

My favorite souvenir

This is a shot of one of my favorite souvenirs...not my adorable cat, Mrs. Norris...the wool blanket she is sleeping on. I bought this on a cold, rainy day somewhere in the Scottish Highlands because I was chilly on the tour bus. Instead of going for the traditional bold red, blue, or green tartans I opted for muted tones that would match my living room back home. It's by far my favorite and most used souvenir!

Travel Tip: Smart Sharing

So I've taken to sending my family going on the cruise with me travel tips (I'm a bit OCD, I know)...thought I would share...

While packing, consult your cabin-mates to see if there is anything you can share so you're not packing 3-4 of everything.  For example, my sister and I like the same kind of sunscreen so I'm just going to bring a couple bottles that we can share in our cabin.

Also think about who will check their luggage vs. carrying on.  My sister is planning on carrying on her luggage due to a tight layover whereas I have a direct flight and with check mine. So anything she wants me to pack (i.e. full size bottles of shampoo, lotion) will be no hassle for her.

Cruise Myths Debunked

Great tips for cruising...

http://m.budgettravel.com/feature/budget-travel-cruise-tips-myths-debunked,8785/?src=ssrcrc

Cruise Packing List

So I've been a bit of a terrible blogger...have been VERY busy with work and life in general.  Also, I'm getting ready for this year's big vacation.  I mentioned awhile back that I'm going on a cruise with my family (sister, first-cousins, their friends, friends of friends...).  Well as final deposits have been paid and arrangements are being made, we've been very busy preparing!  So let's set the stage:  we're going on a 3-night Disney Cruise to the Bahamas in September.  Disney has a great starter packing list online at www.disneycruiseline.com.  I thought I would share my modified packing list.  And to those that know me, yes I'm already thinking about packing and yes I've already started buying new clothes...

Basics:
Pack these items in your carry-on or day bag.  Your luggage may not arrive at your stateroom until a few hours after boarding

• Medications (in their original containers)
• Passport & Travel Documents (keep a copy in your checked luggage, give a copy to a trusted friend or family member you're traveling with, and give a copy to a trusted person back home in case of an emergency)
• Camera with Accessories
• Smart Phone with Accessories
• Bathing Suit
• Sunscreen
• Reading Material, Kindle, etc.
• Money
• Extra pair of underwear (always!)
• Gum
• Sunglasses
• Extra pair of contact lens
• Flip flops & bathing suit cover up

Cruise Attire and Accessories:

• Bathing suits (my dental hygienist went to Atlantis on a Cruise and did the same deep water dolphin swim that my sister and I are doing and advised to bring a one-piece as one of there group members lost her bottoms during the swim...and it was all caught on camera!)
• Bathing suit cover ups
• Flip flops
• Sunscreen
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Tank tops
• Shorts/Capris
• Jeans (I may not bring as I like dresses)
• Sundresses
• Cardigans to match tanks and sundresses
• Sandals
• Gym clothes (including running shoes)
• Dress suitable for dinner (dinner attire is "cruise casual" which means no shorts or tank tops)
• Beach tote bag (one that folds up and stores easily)

Things not to forget:

• Cell phone charger & camera charger (I like to put these in a zip lock bag and label them)
• Toiletries (tooth brush, tooth paste, hair stuff, etc.)
• Copies of documents and a list of important phone numbers back home
• Money as in CASH$ - And don't forget about the gratuity per day (i.e. $12) when budgeting
• Sea sickness medication
• Copy of eye glasses or contact lens prescription
• Alcohol!  Yes, we're lucky enough to bring it on our ship!

So I think that's about it for now...  56 days til we depart for the Bahamas!!!

In the bag!

So I needed a new cosmetic bag for everyday use as my current bag was getting a bit crowded...as I was browsing the cosmetic bags at my local Wal-Mart I was surprised to discover the "men's" bags were several dollars cheaper than the comparable "women's" bags! Other than a colorful, bold print I didn't see much difference. I opted for the black "men's" bag as I liked the style better, and yes it was cheaper. I've used quotations as I've yet to discover what determines the gender of cosmetic bags.

Words of Wisdom...

Budget Travel - Travel Items for Kids

Some of these are absolutely ingenious!

http://m.budgettravel.com/slideshow/family-travel-essential-travel-products-for-kids,8650/

Travel Tip

Keep your accessories within the same color scheme to maximize the use you'll get out of them. i.e. silver vs. gold jewelry; black vs. brown shoes.

Don't forget to pack _____ Tips from Budget Travel

Follow these tips and you'll always have what you need, no matter where you go.

(Photo by:  Michael Mohr)

These are some great (and often forgotten) items to pack... 8 Common Vacations:  the Surprising Things You'll Need (and the Things You Won't) courtesy of Budget Travel http://www.budgettravel.com/feature/budget-travel-advice-how-to-pack-luggage-for-any-trip,8646/?page=1

I'm definitely taking note of the "Cruise" section as I'll be going on my first one this fall.  I use my iPhone as my alarm in everyday life so its easy to forget to pack a travel alarm clock.  But they are a great investment and always smart for trips requiring you to get up early and be on time.  I purchased my travel alarm a couple years ago at Target for a small price.  My "to do" for my upcoming cruise will be to invest in a replacement battery just in case I need one.

Hotel Review - the Aloft hotel

Recently I traveled south for work (I can't reveal the city for confidentiality reasons) and stayed at the Aloft hotel.  This was a completely new hotel chain for me and I must admit I was quite impressed.  Aloft is "a vision of w hotels" (per their website www.aloft.starwoodhotels.com).  If you're familiar with the W its a high end, very stylish and modern hotel chain across the US.  So the Aloft is their budget version.  Note I'm still not sure how to pronounce it lol...is it A-Loft or Aloft???  I also never figured out if it should be addressed as "the" Aloft or simply Aloft...a bit fru-fru if you ask me, but nonetheless, it was fabulous!

The website will take you through a guided tour of the hotels many amenities, gym, pool, bar, dining space, etc..., but I thought I would share my review and some photos of the room I stayed in.

Upon entering the hotel room, I found the bathroom immediately on the right.  The decor is modern and the bathroom had everything I would need.  You'll notice the mirrored door, this was to separate the toilet from the rest of the bathroom.  On the left side of the photo you can see the large walk in shower.  One feature I liked, was that on the left wall of the shower (if facing the shower door) was a large frosted glass panel which let in some natural light from the bedroom area.

Upon entering the room and looking straight ahead, this was the view (below).  The TV was nice, good size, however VERY slow (as most hotel TV's are)...took FOREVER to change the channel.  I really liked the two large windows with a view of the street/neighborhood I was staying in.  The desk also had a docking station for iPods/iPhones, USB, and outlets.  I hate when you go to a hotel and can't find an outlet for your laptop.  The bench was a nice place to put my carry-on bag and belongings that I needed to keep handy.

If I was standing in the doorway of the room and looked to my right, this is what I would see on the opposite side of the bathroom sink (below).  I LOVE LOVE LOVE this closet design!!!!  It was so efficient and functional!  My traveling colleagues and I noted that it reminded us of European design.  There were plenty of places to hang my clothes as well as stack shoes and other items.  The curtain could hide the clutter if needed, but everything was in such order that I opted to keep it open.  To the right was a space that contained some local magazines (I had removed to read), coffee service, a safe, and a compartment on the bottom just the right size for my small carry-on suitcase.  I also liked that the closet was so close to the bathroom so I could get dressed and primp in one area.  My only dislike was that there was no luggage stand in the room.  This meant I had to lay my suitcase on the floor to unpack.  Perhaps I was to use the bench?? (pictured above), but that would have meant walking all my clothes into another room.

Last, and certainly not least, was the bed (below).  If you notice the bed is actually in the middle of the room.  The hall on the right would lead you back to the bathroom and out the door.  I must admit I really liked this design.  It made the bedroom area feel more cozy and intimate and less "hotel-like" as there wasn't that typical view of the bathroom.  The bed faced the 2 large windows which was really pleasant in the morning.  Not pictured, but to the left of the bed was the frosted panel with the shower on the other side as well as an ironing board & iron thoughtfully tucked away.  And did I mention the bed was SOOOOO COMFORTABLE!  I was exhausted when I arrived and immediately took a long nap.  I slept like a rock the 2 nights I stayed at the Aloft.  Another "like" for the bed area was the alarm on the nightstand, which glowed when it went off, and the outlet for an iPod/iPhone and traditional outlet as well.  No dislikes about the bedroom space!

In summary, I would give the Aloft's hotel room an A.  Pros = great design, efficient & comfortable room, lots of amenities, bed in the middle of the room facing the windows.  Cons = no luggage stand, very slow TV.  Next time I travel, I'll be looking out for this great (and budget friendly) hotel.

O-H-Eiffel Tower-O

This is a great photo of my 3 cousins (Sarah, Amber, & Nicole) on their recent school trip to Europe...memory of a lifetime!

Slippers on the plane testimonial

Just received this text from my cousin, Cindy...

"Yes we are back. We have just finished eating at larosa's. By the way, I loved wearing my slippers on the plane. Best advice ever!"

I told her to pack her slippers in her carry-on for her flight to Rome/from Paris. A travel tip I swear by!

I love airports

I love sitting in airports watching people come and go...wondering where they're going.