We just got back from our 6-day cruise trip to the Caribbean. Let me tell you this was the longest cruise trip we’ve ever done. We did one about 5 years ago in the Bahamas and that was a 4-day trip. We booked Carnival Cruises for our trip. We used them for our first cruise so we figured we would use them again.
Carnival Spirit – Our 6-Day Cruise Trip
Let’s talk about our itinerary and where we went, what we did and ate. Being on a cruise ship for 6 days you have a lot of options for things to do. For example, our ship had a basketball court, jogging track, mini golf, and 2 main pools that anyone can use, and then there was the Serenity Pool which adults over 21+ could only use. Carnival Spirit also had 2 water slides for kids + adults to use and a small kid’s splash/water play area. You can see all activities included on the ships here.
Our cabin was on deck 5 in the mid-ship and we were close to the elevators. Which made it easy to access things and places quickly. We decided to go with the balcony room so we didn’t feel claustrophobic in the room. Highly recommend a balcony or suite if you travel with more than 4+ people.
Itinerary:
- Day 1: Embarkation (Miami, FL)
- We were able to embark at 11 am. The cruise sailed at 3:30 pm. We unpacked, ate food, and got ready for dinner because of how crazy the morning was. We really didn’t do much on this day. You can WATCH MINI VLOG.
- Day 2: Fun Day at Sea
- You’re on the ship all day in the middle of the sea. Since your first port isn’t until day 3. We spent our day at the pool. Soaked up the sun all day and had drinks. The boys got to do their own thing like play basketball, ping pong, swim, and then got ready for “elegant night”. Elegant Night is when you are required to dress fancy for dinner.
- Day 3: Princess Cays (Bahamas)
- We ported at 8 am. We definitely spent the day at the beach, snorkeled, and had lunch provided by Carnival. WATCH MINI VLOG.
- Day 4: Grand Turks (Turks & Caicos)
- Probably my favorite beach out of all 3 ports. The beach was so pretty and clear. The boys including my husband and dad had so much snorkeling. They got to see a baby octopus, a variety of colorful fishes, and at one point found a broken Nokia phone. Someone left their trap phone at Turks lol. We did end up walking around the port and they had a big pool, lots of shopping centers, Margaritaville, Starbucks, and a local restaurant. We opted to stay on the beach and eat at the local restaurant. That’s where I got my pina colada. It was very pricey but the food was delicious. WATCH MINI VLOG
- Day 5: Amber Cove (Puerto Plata, DR)
- The Dominican Republic was home. My dad is from the Dominican Republic and we had so much fun here. We did an excursion to this port. Which was Ocean World and we had so much fun there. We did the dolphin encounter and it was the best decision ever. WATCH MINI VLOG
- Day 6: Fun Day at Sea
- This was our last day on the ship so we took it easy and pretty much relaxed. We also packed up so the next day we could have breakfast and leave without feeling rushed.
- Day 7: Disembarkation (Miami, FL)
- We had to be off the ship by 9:30 am. We ate breakfast and we checked out by 8:30 am. The only thing I wish we would’ve done was got on an early flight. Sadly our 1:30 pm flight got moved to 4:30 pm so we hung around at the airport all day. Carnival provides shuttles to the airport (must pay for them). So we didn’t have to worry about Uber/Lyft.
What we spent during our trip? For a family of 4, we spent $910 on the cruise. This included drinks that were not included like soda & alcohol, boys each had spending money to use for the arcade & shopping, and pictures. This doesn’t include the souvenirs & food we got in the ports.
Essentials You Need For Your Cruise
A couple of years ago I shared a blog post about some essentials you need to get for your trip. I’m here to give you an updated list.
Disclosure: Some of the links below are affiliate links. Which means if you choose to purchase something from this post, I will receive a small commission at no cost to you. Thanks for supporting Jasmine Maria Blog! Full disclaimer here.
- For The Room
- Magnetic Hooks – I learned this on TikTok but the room walls are metal so we got these magnetic hooks to hang stuff on the wall like our lanyards, towels, hats, etc.
- Lanyards – You need these to carry your Sail & Sign cards. Because you don’t use cash or credit/debit on the ship. Everything is purchased through your Sail & Sign cards. Only on port days do you need to have cash or debit/credit cards.
- Cruise Converter Power Strip – You only get 1 plug and the other plug is a cruise version. You need to bring this in order to be able to charge or use things in your room.
- Towel Clips – Game changer. Holds your towel in place on the ship or beach. You don’t want your towel moving around while on the boat. We also used these to dry off our swimsuits on our balcony since we had chairs. We clipped it to the chair and let it air dry.
- For Yourself + Kids
- Stainless Steel Water Bottle – a Stanley cup is not going to cut it. You are in the majority of the day and you need to keep that water cold. You are able to refill your bottle throughout the day.
- Water Shoes – These are the ones our boys wore and these are the ones we wore. They were comfortable.
- Crocs – I brought a variety of flip-flops and I stuck with my Croc slides throughout the day except for dinners. They are comfortable. My husband and kids lived in their crocs lol.
- Beach Bag – You will need this for port days and you are able to carry everything with you.
- Waterproof Phonecase – For beach days on port or if you’re doing an excursion.
If you are looking for some outfit inspiration for your trip – You can check out my Amazon Storefront or LTK App.
