Jason and I are embarking on an adults-only cruise this weekend! We’re going with two other couples and we cannot wait. We’re all leaving the kids behind in very capable hands to escape for some R and R on the open seas.
Jason and I have cruised a handful of times and we really enjoy the experience, with or without kids (our honeymoon was an 11-day Mediterranean cruise that was ah-mazing!). It’s easy and pretty affordable. We’ll be on the Carnival Liberty this go-round and we’re looking forward to the bars and pools. I’m sure there will be lots of kids on board, but they won’t be our kids! 😉
If you’ve never been on a cruise, here’s a quick rundown of what to pack!
Comfy dresses
One dressy outfit
Sunglasses
You’ll definitely want a sun hat
Pack your own sunscreen 
When it comes to shoes, I like a cheap (but comfy!) pair of flip flops 
I had to snag these espadrilles 
I usually pack a couple books. I plan on knocking out lots of poolside reading without any kids to keep up with.
Other necessities:
bathing suit and cover up
cardigan
gym clothes and tennis shoes for the on board gym or adventurous excursions
your own steel coffee tumbler
first aid kit with pain reliever, alkaseltzer, pepto bismol, bandaids, etc.
lanyards to keep track of your room key/ID
small bills for tipping
alcohol! Most ships allow you to bring two bottles of wine per cabin (but no liquor)
I always bring ziplocks of various sizes and plastic grocery bags. You never know when you’ll need one.
And there you have it. There will be a sundries shop in case you forgot anything that you just can’t live without. Cruises are so much fun! If you’ve never taken one, I highly recommend it. 
PS- this post contains affiliate links.
: LOVED this book. Easy summer beach read, but not cheesy (at least I didn’t think). I would highly recommend if you are looking for a feel-good love story for the beach or pool.
: I really enjoyed this one! It’s about two teens in New York who happen to meet the day that one of them is scheduled to be deported to her home country of Jamaica. It changes perspective throughout the book- I read it in three days!
: This was a bit heavier of a read. It was VERY descriptive and required a lot of attention (no skimming the pages here). It follows a family with five young boys, the youngest of which is transgender. I loved the parents and thought the book was good until the end. I thought most of it was realistic until the ending. It’s sad, yet uplifting and hopeful. 
: This was my favorite of the four! It takes place in New York and Rhode Island in the 1930s and follows two friends through college, marriages, loves, betrayals, and the hurricane of the century. I especially loved the dialogue and descriptions of the dress and social norms of the time. I would recommend this 100 times over. In fact, I’ve added another Beatriz Williams book to my July list.
by Kevin Kwan
by Beatriz Williams
by Elin Hilderbrand
by Jimmy Buffett
