Welcome to the new Sunday feature on my blog The Officer Wife Series Travel & Cruise Tips Q & A. As you know I travel the world on a cruise ship with my husband who is an officer on a cruise ship. This is why I thought this would be a fun Sunday feature with my friends that also are officer wives.
This week we will feature Julie. Julie is originally from the USA and she travels with her husband onboard and their two children. She has been travelling onboard for years and even travelled when her children were babies. She is an expert in cruising and travelling with kids.
Let’s see what travel and cruise tips she has for you.
What is your favourite place in the world?
I favour certain places more than others usually due to special memories, but to single out one particular place in the world – no. I don’t have a favourite place because I don’t think that I have explored every place that I want to go to and I keep my mind open to new experiences.
What is your favourite cruise?
I adore the Caribbean in February and March, the weather is perfect. It is an incredible escape and the crowds are less. However, I don’t think I will ever get tired of the natural beauty of Alaska on a summer day. The adventurer in me will always favour the exotic cruises because there is so much to see and do.
What is your favourite part of cruising?
The ease of it! Arrive and unpack once then enjoy. You can make a cruise what you like, the ability to customise your vacation and the pleasure of travelling with family. So many of the stresses associated with travel have been removed, so a group can ebb and flow together as they chose.
How many countries have you been to?
I don’t really keep track, more than 50 less than 100.
What are the beauty products that you cannot travel without?
Anything in a tube!!! I find it easier to travel with things in tubes- they take up less space and are very convenient.
Do you have any packing tips?
The earlier I begin to prepare for a trip the better I pack. Less is more, I make my selections and then edit, edit, edit and reduce. I commit to either brown or black shoes, but never both. For every pant, skirt, or short I pack two coordinating shirts. One additional item in case it is hotter than I expect, generally a t-shirt or tank top that can be layered with other items. And one item in case it is cooler than I expect because I hate to be cold, this item is generally a versatile coloured cashmere sweater. I have a navy blue 3/4 length trench coat that has travelled many miles and never fails me!
What are your tips for travelling with children?
Snacks, snacks and more snacks. It really depends on the age of the child but I have found special treats and surprises to be helpful on long hauls. My children made their first transatlantic flights at 3 months old. Skip ahead 10 years later and they are my favourite travelling companions, I would go anywhere in the world with them.
Do you keep healthy or eat what you like when travelling onboard?
I have successfully dieted and lost weight onboard during extended stays. The choice is yours and there are healthy items and indulgent foods to chose from. When visiting a buffet I select the smallest plate available and generally limit myself to one “treat” a day.
Do you exercise when onboard, if so what you do to keep fit?
Yes, I like to visit the gym onboard and try some of the classes on offer.
What do you do with your time onboard?
Read, relax by the pool and enjoy!!!!
I hope you enjoyed reading the first Officer Wife Series with Julie. She offered some great cruise tips and next week you can read more Q & A’s with another officer wife.
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Happy Travels!
What a wonderful series! It’s such a unique lifestyle, thanks for sharing. One of the many favorite parts about cruising is also unpacking once and traveling for days to different places. Also, having all wonderful meals, entertainment, sightseeing and everything taken care of.
So interesting to read about what cruising long-term is like especially when it comes to dieting! I believe I’d have to be very disciplined to lose weight on board so its amazing that Julie is able to do that!
My favourite thing about cruising is also how easy it is- you save so much time not having to pack/unpack, check in and out of hotels everyday, etc.
What an interesting life! And how lucky to get to just cruise all year. I have never been on a cruise-and have never felt the call to do one (I love the freedom to go where I want-and also I prefer to stay in one city for a good length of time and get to know it rather than keep moving) but I would make the exception for Alaska and Antarctica! I can imagine how amazing it must be to cruise in those exotic locations 🙂
I love the idea for this series as I love hearing tips from other travelers. I’m going on my first cruise in years and will be looking through your site for inspiration.
Love these insider tips! Does she ever get motion sickness? I knew there were gyms on cruise ships, but never expected classes. That makes me more inclined….
Great tips and even more so, a great attitude about her favourite place, that she’s loved many for the memories but hasn’t explored everywhere yet so can’t call a single one. And I love the lack of tick-list counting of how many countries but simply enjoying the wonderful life.
It is so hard to stay fit and take care of your diet while on a cruise. Well done Julie! I would love to visit the Caribbean and do island hopping!
Hii Lucy,
Loving your travel series. Good to know about Julie. She has some real good insights specially less is more when packing for a trip. I agree the best part of cruising is the ease it offers. Would love to cruise some day and spend time reading my best books.
I hadn’t really considered the fact that some people (other than crew) would live aboard cruise vessels! But I suppose for those who are travelling a lot, having the family on board would make things easier! Incredible how Julie has honed her cruising skills to a fine art. I’d love to go on an Alaskan cruise one day – as she described, there’s nothing like it.
Living on a cruise ship — what an unusual experience. Curious about the kids, are they schooled on the boat? That’s good to know that you can actually loose weight on a ship. As Julie, mentioned its about making the right choices. A very interesting and insightful interview.