The Queen's Ball

Our cocktail party this year is in a medieval inspired disco called the Dungeon. We decided to have some fun with that and dress up a little! Wear a crown, tiara, fascinator or mask to the Queen's Ball. We will have cocktails, music and prizes at this royal event. You might even end up being the Duchess of Filigree or the Countess of Crystal.

Everyone traveling in our Bead Cruise group is invited to this event.

(Photo by John Havel)

There will be prizes for those who wear a crown, fascinator or masquerade ball style mask!

Here are some examples to get you inspired for this fun evening.

Wired Up:

Titania's Blessing Fairy Queen Crown by Angelyques Trinkets.

Black Swan Tiara by Merritt Gade.

Sea Inspired:

Starfish Headband by Smitten For You.

A Black Galleon Ship Fascinator by Professor Maelstromme

Masquerade Masks

Black and Silver Metallic Mask by The Crafty Chemist

Venetian Masquerade Mask by Feather Light Design.

You can go as simple or as fantastical as you'd like. 

I will be giving out prizes for the most creatively crowned/masks guests!

Bead Cruise Husbands

Okay, so there are always a handful of husbands, significant others or those who don't bead that join their bead obsessed friends on the Bead Cruise.  What are these poor boys do when their wives have their noses stuck to the bead trays?

Well, let's start off with the first night.  Guys, while the ladies gather for the Meet & Greet with the instructors, we invite you to have your own informal Meet & Greet outside the conference room at the registration desk and then head on up to the solarium bar to get to know your fellow abandoned travelers.

We have two events the guys are invited to join us.  On the second night of the cruise make sure to pull out all the stops and get dressed up for your sweetie for formal night.  We have a group photo before dinner and you are invited to join us.  The following night we have our Under the Stars cocktail party in the solarium, gather with us for a relaxing evening and a few drinks.

Now, I have a feeling that you'll find plenty of things to do on the cruise.  There is entertainment on board practically 24/7!  Don't hang out in your cabin all day - there is a world of fun waiting for you on the Voyager.

If you are into sports you can go rock climbing, roller blading, golfing, swimming or ice skating!  There is also a full size basketball court and volleyball court in case you are feeling competitive.  No equipment is needed, they have everything onboard. 

Okay, so maybe you are more into games of chance than sports.  There are poker tournaments in the casino, bingo in the theatres and friendly card games in the game room.

Of course, the best vacation may be the one where you sit on a lounge chair all day long next to the pool and do absolute nothing - for hours!  If you want to watch the crowds and be entertained by the activies on the deck, check out the main pool.  I'm not responsible for how many ice cream cones you eat while sitting up there!

If you are looking for a quieter spot head into the solarium.  No kids allowed!  Enjoy the pool, hot tub, lounge area, grill and bar in this relaxing spot.

Want to check out what else there is to do onboard?  Visit this link for a list of activies that will happen during our cruise.  Check out the Compass each evening for a list of activities and compare it to the Bead Cruise schedule to plan out your day.

P.S. If you want to go on the cruise with us in 2012, you may want to send this blog post to your husband.

Formal Nights

If this is your first cruise the formal night attire may be on your mind.

What is formal?  Well, on Royal Caribbean you'll find there is a huge variation in what is worn that night.  My rule of thumb - if you could wear it to a wedding, it's formal enough.  Now this is one of the few times you could pull out the sequins or put in some extra hours in your favorite cocktail dress, so if you want to go all out and dress to the nines - this is your chance!

Some things to keep in mind:

We always have a group photo taken on the first formal night, which is the first full day at sea.

On a 7 night cruise there are 2 formal nights.

Wear shoes that are dressy but still comfortable - there is a lot of walking on the ship and you don't want to ruin the fun with painful shoes.

For whatever reason, I guess because cruise lines think cowboys rule Texas, cruises sailing out of Galveston have a more relaxed dress code.  So don't stress about what to wear!

And finally, on formal night - we'll be more interested in your jewelry than your outfit!

(Touch of Russian Elegance Necklace by Beverly Herman - tutorial available in her Etsy shop.)

Spa Hints

So what's the spa all about on the cruise?  The spa on the Royal Caribbean ships are a little oasis of pampering and relaxation during your tropical vacation.  I love enjoying a day at the spa with my mom while we are on the cruise.  It's such a wonderful experience to sit for a few hours and just have some rare 'me' time.

Don't schedule your spa appointments during our class times - you'll receive a complete schedule when you sign-in with our group on the first afternoon of our cruise. 

Be aware that spa treatments are a separate cost. You can book your appointment once you are onboard.  If you want your hair or nails done for the formal night, book those times as soon as possible.

Here are 5 hints for getting the most out of your spa visit:

1. Schedule a spa appointment during one of our port days.  There are always special deals on those days, you'll have more information delivered to your stateroom about the spa specials while onboard.

2. Enjoy the complimentary sauna and lounge area in the spa.

3. Take a Pathways to Yoga class to get your zen on. 

4. Don't feel pressured to purchase extra items or packages, cruises always try to up-sell.

5. After your spa treatment head to the solarium to sit in the hot tub and then indulge in a tropical drink - complete with umbrella!

Want more details:
Spa Treatments
Fitness Center Information

(Photo credit: The Exo Guy via the creative commons on Flickr)

Cruise Drinks De-Mystified

Here are some drink tips for 1st time cruisers.

Free drinks: ice tea, hot tea, coffee, hot chocolate, juice and non-bottled water.

Soda: You can pay per soda or buy an unlimited soda card for the week.

Alcoholic Beverages - You'll pay for these* and they do add up quickly!

*Except at our Cocktail Party - drinks are free for that hour for Bead Cruise participants.

More Drink Tips:

Treat yourself to the drink of the day and you'll get a souvenir glass to go with it.

The cruise ship sells bottled water when you are getting off the ship to go to the islands or bring a refillable water bottle and fill it up in your room before you leave for the day. 

(Photo credit: Kanaka Menehue via Flickr's creative commons)