Caribbean-Cruising Fashonista

[snowbirds2]

Welcome back Indiana! Looking forward to seeing your pictures!

 

Nice to hear there were more tuxes on formal night - love a man in a tux! But I found the reverse was true on our Equinox cruise last month - far less dressy than I remembered it from past Celebrity cruises and more dark suits than tuxes.

[Li'lImp]

I'm back from my first cruise -- a 9-night eastern caribbean, and I've learned a lot! First and foremost, carry-ons only simply are not doable for DH and me for that length of a trip. We only wore two outfits per day and we did rewear all of our slacks/skirts/shorts with assorted tops throughout the week, but it took two checked bags to hold it all. And, no, we did not have unworn outfits at the end of the cruise.

 

I also neglected to try on my formal skirt before leaving and had totally forgot it was one size smaller than what I currently wear. :eek: Needless to say, I had to rearrange my clothing selections starting on the first formal night and bought a new skirt in PR for the second formal night. Thankfully, I had packed a pair of white dress capris in case of a White Hot party (we instead had a Dancing Under the Stars party and I stayed in my dinner wear), so my smart casual dress became my first formal dress, and the original formal blouse was paired with the capris for smart casual.

 

Three pairs of shoes each were plenty. DH had sneakers for ports, sandals for the ship and casual dinners, and dress shoes for dressy dinners. I had sneakers for day wear with my braces and a pair each of black and white sandals for dinners.

 

For me, two swimsuits were too many. It seems I'm no longer a beach/pool person and only wore a suit when we went ashore in Labadee. And then I wasn't able to enter the water as the ocean floor was too unstable for me.

 

The one thing I did pack and really didn't use was evening bags. I tried the first evening or two, but found them to be a nuisance. They fell off my chair during dinner, had to be set aside for photos, and honestly, I never used anything I carried in them during the evening. I'll have to find a new way to pack my jewelry, but that should not be a problem.

 

Attached are the best clothing photos from the first eight nights. There was no photography on the final casual night. We had two formal nights, one smart casual night, one caribbean casual night, and four casual nights. All dressess but one were wrinkle-resistant knits; the blue print dress (and DH's coordinating shirt) for caribbean casual was sea island cotton and was purchased at Caribelle Batik in St. Kitts.

 

I will say that I was disappointed that dress codes in the MDR were not enforced for MTDiners. All the window tables were reserved for them, and seeing t-shirts with ripped off sleeves on the formal nights was not pretty.

[Pennyscandy]

Indiana, Welcome back! Missed you!

[snowbirds2]

Love your pictures Li'lImp and enjoyed your report! Lots of good insights.

 

You are DH are so delightfully coordinated! What a lovely selection of dresses. You can wear so many different colours. I especially love the blue and green ones - my colours! How did I miss that blue one when we were at Caribelle Batiki! Now I need to go back! It's gorgeous. And I love your cocktail dress. You have certainly got this CCF thing down to a fine art!

 

DH did the same thing as you with his suit - forgot to try it on before we left! But there was no other alternative for him than to breathe in!:D

 

I agree with you about evening purses - I was very grateful we always got a table by the window so I could put mine on the window ledge! But I would feel under dressed without carrying a clutch for formal nights! Have to admit my wristlet was so much easier on the other nights.

 

Sorry to hear the dress code on formal nights wasn't strictly adhered to. That's a shame as it spoils the ambiance for other cruisers.

 

My pics were a bit disappointing so haven't posted them yet - but our formal with the captain wasn't too bad (except my necklace was off centre - why don' t they tell you!) so will try to re-size and post that one.

 

Glad you had a great time on your first cruise.:)

Edited April 1, 2012 by snowbirds2

[indiana71]

Of the 14 pairs of shoes...4 pair didn't get worn:eek:! It's easy to forget how much walking there is on hard surfaces and how some shoes are more difficult to walk in...

Evening Handbags - I LOVED taking evening handbags - so convenient and not in the way at the dinner table...but when we fly to Ft Lauderdale in June 2013, packing will be an issue and I might need to reassess the number I take.

Swimsuits - I took 3 and wore 2 - one on Labadee and the other one worn on the Sea days in the hot tub. Also, I took 3 coverups and wore 2...

Here's the issue: when the suitcase isn't quite full, more items are added to keep shifting to a minimum. It won't be a problem on our next cruise to Bermuda, Boston & Newport in June, but will be a concern when weight is important in June 2013...

The fashionista talents will definitely come in handy when we go on Oasis:cool: and that's more than a year from now!

[iCruise717]

 

The fashionista talents will definitely come in handy when we go on Oasis:cool: and that's more than a year from now!

 

What is your sail date for June 2013?! We are sailing the Oasis on June 8th, 2013! :D

 

Space will definitely be tight on that cruise, so packing will be a challenge. A welcomed one though!

[CactusGirly]

Welcome back Indiana! Isn't it nice to see folks all dressed up? I love a cruise for just that reason! :) Glad you were blessed with great weather.

 

I am still fighting with my camera to take photos of my jewelry... so I think I will do it with my iPhone today instead... stay tuned. I had a lady at Talbots ask about buying some this weekend! :eek: If only I had time to make it my full time job... unfortunately, my real full time job pays much better than jewlery making (and is far less fun - VP of HR)!:o

 

We are getting ready for our next cruise in less than 2 months now... a 7 day Western Caribbean on the brand new Disney Fantasy with our 3 kiddos... that packing is going to be crazy! :rolleyes:

[Muslickz]

Of the 14 pairs of shoes...4 pair didn't get worn:eek:!

 

LOL, My wife usually takes a TON of suitcases and only winds up opening up half of them. She says it's better to be prepared? lol ... go figure :)

[CactusGirly]

Here is one of my necklace & bracelet sets... the photo doesn't really show off how brilliant the colors are... but they are fun to wear!

 

 

[Pennyscandy]

CactusGirly you've out done yourself. That is a statement necklace. Love the colors. Bet you get a lot of compliments when you wear that set.

[snowbirds2]

CactusGirly - those pieces are stunning! My favorites colors too! Must have taken you a long time to make them with so much detail in there. Love the design. Thanks for sharing!

[CactusGirly]

Thanks for the kids words ladies!

 

They each took about 4 hours to make. Keeps me out of trouble. ;)

[CactusGirly]

Of course I meant "kind" words... darn, too late to edit. :o

[TNGALOHA]

Here is one of my necklace & bracelet sets... the photo doesn't really show off how brilliant the colors are... but they are fun to wear!

 

 

 

 

Those are fabulous pieces. I Love the colors. Are they glass beads or acrylic ones? Isn't it a lot of fun making your jewelry?

[Cancun01]

I'm back from my first cruise -- a 9-night eastern caribbean' date=' and I've learned a lot! First and foremost, carry-ons only simply are not doable for DH and me for that length of a trip. We only wore two outfits per day and we did rewear all of our slacks/skirts/shorts with assorted tops throughout the week, but it took two checked bags to hold it all. And, no, we did not have unworn outfits at the end of the cruise.

 

[/quote']

Thanks for sharing. Great pics and very nice clothing choices. Try a purse hook for your evening bags.

[CactusGirly]

Those are fabulous pieces. I Love the colors. Are they glass beads or acrylic ones? Isn't it a lot of fun making your jewelry?

 

They are glass beads. Yes - very fun to make! And relaxing... I can zone out for hours doing that. Of course with a full time job and 3 kids, I get limited time when that is possible. :)

[indiana71]

Whew!!! After the 11-night cruise we were home less than 24 hours before heading to our cottage for Opening Weekend.

Now I have a few days to catch up!!!

Reading the boards is first priority - then paying bills - then uploading photos. Tomorrow's post should include a couple pix.

I have one more group of clothes to take to the cleaners. Once that is back to the Cruise Room, Outfit Selection can begin...and June 28 is less than 90 days away. Usually I'm counting down from the hundreds....

iCruise717: Darn! We will be boarding as you disembark. Our cruise is June 15, 2013. How cool would it be to go with other fashionistas??!!:cool:

CactusGirly: I can say "I knew her before she was famous!" Your jewelry is beautiful and perfect for cruising. If Talbot's would start to sell it, I'll be first in line!!

Muslickz: Be Prepared! That motto is good for more than Boy Scouts;)! I like the way your wife thinks.

[iCruise717]

indiana71: I was hoping our trips would align! Alas, we will just barely miss one another. I am concerned about how much space I will have (or won't have) in the cabins on the Oasis. I know they are smaller than what I am used to. I think I will just need to increase my organization when packing! :D

[CactusGirly]

indiana - LOL, if I had any extra time I would not spend it making jewelry... I would spend it cruising! Hmmm... maybe I could make jewelry while ON A CRUISE SHIP?! Perfect plan! :D

[LEXIpoo]

nice pieces!

I also make jewelry...brings in some nice money on the side, which is paying for all of my cruise needs :)

Edited April 3, 2012 by LEXIpoo

[indiana71]

iCruise717: I don't recall that there was less space in our Oasis stateroom, but since it's only 7 nights, there aren't as many outfit changes to take. Our last cruise of 11 nights was our longest and frankly, I loved it but wouldn't want to pack for more:eek:!

CactusGirly: We went to a lecture on one of the sea days RE luxury ships of the past and famous yachts. The speaker talked and had a PowerPoint presentation. At lunch one day, a couple at our table conducted bridge classes; and I didn't go but, listed in the Cruise Compass were classes in scrapbooking and jewelry making.

Talking to the bridge folks, we learned that they have an agent who books them on different cruise lines. They never know what stateroom they will have and don't care because it's a FREE cruise! Maybe you could check that out. DH and I are trying to figure out what we could do...

Weight Gain on an 11-Night Cruise - I dreaded stepping on the scale this week...but lo and behold...I weighed exactly what I did pre-cruise:)!

I ate every meal, no bread & butter at dinner (that was a sacrifice!). We had a couple glasses of wine a day and I drank only one of the foo-foo drinks the entire cruise.

Below is a photo of my Day 1 SailAway from Bayonne NJ outfit. It was a sunny day, temp in the mid 60s. My pants are light-weight corduroy, the pullover is cashmere short-sleeved. I was quite comfortable as we were on the top deck saluting Lady Liberty and heading out to sea.

Next is the first formal night. This is my TJ Maxx bargain dress. I'm holding a little Brighton handbag and although you can't see them very well, the earrings were from the airport $10 jewelry store in Minneapolis.

[indiana71]

One more photo before I go back to ironing:eek: - my least favorite chore after cruising...but a glass of pinot grigio and some steel drum music make it tolerable!

This is the shower organizer that is a HUGE help. I take shampoos, conditioners, exfoliators, etc. and there's lots of room in this easy-to-pack holder.

[CactusGirly]

iCruise717: I don't recall that there was less space in our Oasis stateroom, but since it's only 7 nights, there aren't as many outfit changes to take. Our last cruise of 11 nights was our longest and frankly, I loved it but wouldn't want to pack for more:eek:!

 

CactusGirly: We went to a lecture on one of the sea days RE luxury ships of the past and famous yachts. The speaker talked and had a PowerPoint presentation. At lunch one day, a couple at our table conducted bridge classes; and I didn't go but, listed in the Cruise Compass were classes in scrapbooking and jewelry making.

Talking to the bridge folks, we learned that they have an agent who books them on different cruise lines. They never know what stateroom they will have and don't care because it's a FREE cruise! Maybe you could check that out. DH and I are trying to figure out what we could do...

 

Weight Gain on an 11-Night Cruise - I dreaded stepping on the scale this week...but lo and behold...I weighed exactly what I did pre-cruise:)!

I ate every meal, no bread & butter at dinner (that was a sacrifice!). We had a couple glasses of wine a day and I drank only one of the foo-foo drinks the entire cruise.

 

Below is a photo of my Day 1 SailAway from Bayonne NJ outfit. It was a sunny day, temp in the mid 60s. My pants are light-weight corduroy, the pullover is cashmere short-sleeved. I was quite comfortable as we were on the top deck saluting Lady Liberty and heading out to sea.

 

Next is the first formal night. This is my TJ Maxx bargain dress. I'm holding a little Brighton handbag and although you can't see them very well, the earrings were from the airport $10 jewelry store in Minneapolis.

 

 

Maybe when I am retired and the kids are all in college... :) A girl can dream.

 

Love your red & black dress!

[shheriii]

Love that dress!!

 

We have a Dillards outlet and I bought my formal dress for $11! It was take an extra 50% already reduced ticketed price...it is a total hotspot for prom dresses!

 

I also bought a maxi dress at Ross for $8 and new bathing suit for $17! Still need to buy a pair of heels for the formal dress though. Woot Woot. I love dressing up on cruises.

[indiana71]

shheriii: When I went to the prom, dresses were demure and sweet...but NOW...they are sophisticated and elegant. Finding one on sale is a big bonus for fashionistas who love dressing up on formal night:)!

I've never been to a Ross and I'm so-o-o envious of the bargains you found! Good luck with finding shoes - there are lots of prom styles right now, too.