smariba

So this is just my opinion, but I'm not a huge fan of Nassau. It feels dirty and run down. Half Moon is gorgeous for a beach day. St. Thomas is one of my favorites islands. I can't wait to go back again. I also had a lot of fun in San Juan. If I had the option I would choose St. Thomas and San Juan. Hands down. Both beautiful and a lot of fun things to do. Oh, and Congratulations!

OMG...I went to my niece's new Exercise place and they had some of the instructors giving classes for free....I did half an hour of Drums Alive, something I had NEVER done or even heard of before! I think it's an offshoot of Pound Classes......was I sweating....and I ignored the cookies and mini bagels she had there for the Grand Opening and just ate fruit!!!!

 

 

I have never heard of that before either. Sounds fun (in a work your butt off kind of way). So you said you have the WW scale? My scale is giving me problems lately so I may need to buy a new one. Do you like yours?

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I did pretty good this week and I'm just about 1.5 pounds away from my goal weight. I probably won't get there soon as I just came home from ANOTHER potluck event (my, my) and ate too much, plus dessert. Monday night it's a birthday party for my hubby and then on Tuesday I am taking off to visit my daughter and grandkids so there will be more extra eating then.

 

 

 

I'm back home on Tuesday Sept.23 so it will be right back to the food schedule and the treadmill. I'm really running out of time before leaving for our October cruise, but it sure would be nice to get to that goal weight before we leave. Sigh....

 

 

 

One battle that I have finally won is not to allow myself to go crazy overboard just because of one bad meal. So many times, I have thrown in the towel and ruined a whole day because of overeating in one meal. Finally convinced myself not to do that, so that's progress. As they say "it's the tiniest steps that lead to a big victory." Must go and get ready for tomorrow. No major hurdles tomorrow so I'll probably be really focused on a good day, food-wise.

 

 

 

Have a great Sunday and hang in there!

 

Dale

 

 

Hey dale sounds like you are doing good, if you are only 1.5 lbs from your goal you must be doing something right. I tend to ruin a whole day with one bad meal as well. I've not quite mastered that one yet.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

I had a terrible week. I gained 3 lbs. I was at a work conference all week and had wonderfully catered meals every day! Delicious, but a huge setback. I'm looking forward to getting back to a normal routine and getting back on track.

As silly as this sounds, I bought just dance 2014 for the wii. (No I don't have kids) what an amazing workout. And fun!!! I've been swapping that out for the elliptical a couple times a week to mix things up. It's my cure for exercise boredom.

That's cheaper than staying at home!

 

 

I got the same offer. Could not believe some of their prices. This comment made me laugh because I didn't look at it that way. Going out to dinner one night costs $40 easy!! I'm booked on princess in November but with these rates was tempted to sneak another one in at the end of this month!! Now I just wish it didn't cost me so much to fly to the port!!

Hi everybody. I'm just checking in after a not so successful week. I am back to exercising. So that is a plus. I have 2 and a half months to lose 10lbs. It's not my final goal but it's what I feel is doable for me by cruise time.

 

It's nice to see so many people on here also using WW. Good luck with the weekend ladies. Tomorrow is my weigh in day. I know I've gained a bit this week so I need to just brush it off and move forward.

I'm 86 days out and can not wait to start packing. I will try everything on, including shoes and jewelry to make sure I'm satisfied with my choices. Normally I take way too many outfits, but for this cruise I am going to attempt to take only a carryon and small bag. Which means I need to plan all my outfits around the limited shoes I'll take :)

Shawna!! You are doing so well! Congratulations. Have you been back on the wagon this week? Tracking and/or exercising? I have been back on doing both, did spin yesterday and going again tomorrow and have been tracking everything. I'm taking it one meal at a time. Trying to do it one day at a time means i'm tracking everything before/in bed and I'm forgetting or realizing I went way over! I cooked this week too which was great, yummy healthy food.

 

 

Thank you so much! And great job on the exercise and tracking!! I did jump back on the wagon this week and am trying to track after every meal. It is so easy to forget if you wait until the end of the day. I have the same philosophy as you. If I reach my goal then I am going to give myself some freedom on the cruise and not fret over eating too much. As of now any loss is a plus for me. No matter how small, particularly if I am tracking everyday and staying under my points. The plan is to use my elliptical every day and total gym at least 2x a week.

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

Hello all,

This is my 3rd time around with WW. I had a lot of success in the past but always seem to put the weight back on. This is my 4th month and I've lost 20lbs so far. I'd like to lose another 15 pounds by my next cruise Nov 15. I've fallen off the wagon the last 3 weeks, no exercising, no tracking, not good!! Hopefully I can get back on track and reach my goal.

Nice to meet everyone,

Shawna

Geocruiser: I am about 3 hours north of Arkville. Now I'm wondering if you can go through any small town in upstate NY and experience "the boots" Haha

 

 

Indiana - I agree with you about not being superior, just in our nature to want to look nice. And some farmers in our town don't care about their appearance and others you would never tell they were farmers. My best friend used to own a farm and would work hard and be covered in poo but would always dress nice (and smell nice :D) when she left the barn. She is actually quite the fashionista, with a very unique and daring style!!

I'm glad this was started though because 2 years ago I would never leave the house without doing my hair and changing my outfit 3 times. Haha. Maybe it's marriage that's changed me, but I found myself going to the store in sweats a few times recently!! EEk... what's happened to me!!! Haha. Now that the weather is colder I can break out my sexy boots!

This is a great topic, because as a society we have gotten very lax in the way we dress. I'm from a small town (about 4,000 people). The closest "city" to us is 40 miles away and has about 35,000 people. It is a small farm town and as you can probably imagine, people are far from dressed up. I do my best but am always out of place, even in a nice blouse! It isn't uncommon to see people at the store in rubber boots covered in cow manure :(

Which is why I love cruises so much. It's a chance to embrace who I truly am, and dress to the nines! And leave this little country town behind :p

Granted...it would be nice to see a little less sweat pants and a little more sun dresses at home.

Yesterday at Macy's I found the cutest swimsuit. Regularly over $150 for both pieces, I got it for $9.99 each and I had a $10 off coupon bringing my total to $17. The swimsuit is actually a very pretty turquoise but it didn't show up like that on the picture. I don't have a cruise room but I am placing all my items in one central area and I will be starting on my spreadsheet this week. Very excited!

 

 

Cute suit! I love the ruffle detail at the top, and turquoise is my all time favorite color.

I admit! I'm guilty of makeup hoarding as well! I have at least 50 lipsticks and glosses. The sad thing is I barely use any of them! I have at least 2 chapsticks in every bag, in my car, my husbands truck, at work! I wear lipstick once or twice a month. I want to love it, but my lips are so sensitive and get very dry. I do have a gloss that I love, not sure what brand, but it is a sheer purply/pink and I absolutely love it! The reason I have so many is that I am constantly looking for "The one." That perfect lipstick that feels great and is the perfect shade. I used to use a l'oreal lipstick that smelled amazing and was very moisturizing but didn't last very long. Maybe I should try that outlast that FROUFIE was talking about, I have 1 but only used it once. I didnt like the color. Too pink.

 

This topic has inspired me to clean out (or at least attempt to clean out) my vanity and ditch all the old/unused makeup!!

[quote name='BTraveling47']I get ready for our cruises just as you do. Our guest room becomes my staging area. After I've assembled my dinner outfits, complete with accessories, I take a picture of each with my iPhone as a handy reference on the ship. Jewelry for each outfit is placed in little fabric bags that I save from Chicos, then all of the fabric bags are placed in a gallon size Ziplock bag. Tissue paper is wonderful for packing clothes. Have you tried using extra large ZipLock bags (I buy them at Target) for the items folded in tissue? Works great for slacks, shorts, shirts, tee's. Squeeze all the air out of the bag, zip them up and everything is beautiful when unpacked. I actually pack almost everything in those bags or the gallon size bags -- socks, shoes, and underwear. When unpacking, many of the plastic bags go directly from suitcase to drawers. Helps me keep things organized during the cruise.[/quote]

I pack everything in ziplock bags too. I even do this on business trips. It not only keeps the clothes wrinkle free and fresh, but I think it helps keep things clean and organized. I put my jewelry in a small bag and put it inside the ziplock with the top. I can't believe it is only 4 more months to my cruise!!! It seems like last week it was a year away. I can't wait to start choosing outfits and packing, I really need to buckle down and start working out if I'm going to reach my weightloss goal by then.

Cruise outfit staple: I have this white deep v neck cover up that I absolutely Love. I bought it for my first cruise and have been taking it ever since. With the exception of my honeymoon in playa del carmen, It is solely a cruise item! I have a casual, long white skirt I like to take too. It goes good with my big white hat! Whenever I am wearing that I feel like the cruise has officially begun!

[quote name='CELTICGIRLCRUISER']I tend to splurge on shoes (I have 250 pairs), purses (100+), evening wear, perfumes, my hair especially, plus nails and other beauty items/treatments. I don't splurge as much as I did in my early 30's but I still have a passion for Gucci, LV, Prada and Chanel etc. When it comes to shoes/purses and the beauty is with the luxury brands they don't tend to date so can last a lifetime.

I tend to save on more everyday type clothing that I just bum around in. I wear scrubs most days so like to dress up a bit more when not at work and especially on the cruises both on ship and in port.[/quote]

We sound so much alike! I'm 30 and have always experimented with different beauty products but this year just recently started splurging on luxury beauty products, I have so many now its crazy. I have always had a love of shoes and handbags, and jackets/coats. I don't have as many as you, maybe 50 or 60 of each. My husband doesn't understand my love of these things! He has his own obsessions (four wheelers & snow mobiles).
I wear a uniform at work too, so when I go on a cruise I go all out and love to play with my outfits and style. I don't get the chance to dress formally at home (once a year at the company christmas party) so cruises are my way to be myself and let my true fashionista reign!! Haha :o

Do any of you ladies do a lot of cleaning when your husband/significant other goes on a trip for work for any length of time?

That seems to be when I can get the most accomplished because he isn't there saying-Don't throw that out we might need that later?:eek:

Gerry

 

I always clean when I have the house to myself. He will pick things up that I am trying to throw away and ends up with a pile of stuff that goes right back to the same spot. It's also nice to have the place clean for a little while, knowing everything will stay neat until he gets back.

 

I also try and do crafts/projects that I have been putting off. I am actually planning on turning a storage room into a craft room. I started a while ago but never got around to finishing it. I have a table set up with drawers and storage for all of my jewelry making stuff as well as my sewing machine and supplies. I've been making jewelry for a decade now, and it usually is given as gifts to friends and family. I want to focus on making clothes now. I've attempted it a few times, and really want to put the effort in now, but I think having a designated space will really help. First up is going to be a bathing suit cover up. I have the pattern but have yet to pick out the material. I hope it turns out :confused:

Okay Ladies, when is the next cruise? I still have 619 days and really need someone else to go on a cruise and tell me what they are packing!

 

If not soon I will have to reread this thread!

 

Chris

 

I cruise in 154 days. Just like TNGALOHA, I am hoping to lose 15-20 lbs before the cruise. Have lost about 12 so far. I've bought a few things like shoes and accessories, but am waiting to see where I end up landing weight wise before I buy any more clothes. I was originally at that weight, but the last couple of years I put on quite a bit, so I still have all the shorts, tops and a few cocktail dresses and am hoping I can take a lot of that with me (assuming I lose the weight). In addition I am planning on buying an evening gown and some dressier dinner outfits to add to the cruise wear collection!

My extras are usually entire outfits, a few xtra suits and under garments. I always take way too many shoes so this time I'm going to try and coordinate like most of you do. Of course it is usually my dress shoes that I take too many of. My outfits are usually stand alone pieces and don't necessarily go well together. Of course that is why I struggle not to go over the weight limit and have to readjust things at the airport (embarassing!!! Happened just once, on my first cruise, hopefully never again)

I LOVE this thread...being reading for awhile, but I think this is my first time posting.

 

The few minutes of actually being shoeless going through security don't make much difference to me. I never wear sandals to travel because I'm always freezing (especially my feet) on the plane. In the summer, it's sneakers; in the winter, I'm all about boots.

 

I'd love some input on a dress I just got. I'm hoping this will look nice enough for a formal night. I'm thinking that it will be ok because it's polyester (not cotton) and has some embellishment at the neckline. Any thoughts?

 

 

I really like this dress. Such a pretty color.

 

Some of you said you thought this was on the casual side for formal night. I'm a little worried now. I'm going on Celebrity and am wondering if my formal attire isn't formal enough. I've only been on Carnival and I wore cocktail dresses for formal nights and they seemed fine. There were not many who wore full length gowns. Of course, this will give me a chance to go shopping and buy some beautiful formal wear, which is something I don't usually have and will be fun, any excuse to go shopping is always welcome :)

Personally I would never go barefoot in the security area - from what I have read - not a good idea- always wear socks (just read an article on germs in airports, planes and esp airplane bathrooms! :eek: - pretty upsetting)- or at the very least have socks on when you go thru security then take them off or change into sandals/flip flops if you must!

 

I always wear flip flops when I fly (unless I fly out in the winter of course) it's just easier and I never really thought about it from a germ perspective. So now I'm a little freaked out and may consider wearing shoes with socks.

My cruise is in January so I'll be semi bundled with layers and closed shoes, but I am flying out for business in 2 weeks so you all got me thinking. I went 2 weeks ago as well and the guy sitting next to me was hacking and sweating and looked very ill. I had no hand sanitizer and just tried to stay as far away as possible and not touch the arm rest near him. Despite that I ended up getting sick and still am actually. This cold is holding on tight!!!

So I guess it will be socks and sanitizer for the next trip!

Thank you! I'm definitely taking that one! Not too sure about the snug fitting one from WHBM though, it looks better under a sweater or jacket IMO.

 

I have decided to only take the black dress and the sun dress. I may actually return the snake print dress.

 

I like the neckline on the WHBM top, very flattering. I can see how it would look nice under a jacket.

 

Love the shoes too. I always take too many, luckily summery clothes are small and light to leave room for all those heavy shoes without going over the luggage weight limit!

OK, here are some tops I tried on while packing. The purchase place is in the name of the picture you will see when you click to enlarge it. None of them are new...last seasons stuff I'm still wearing. I got the Cabi top this past spring season but have yet to wear it so I guess that would count as new.

 

Here goes: opinions welcome..be gentle though :p

 

I love love love the one shoulder top with the spagetti strap. It is gorgeous!

We are going to PR in January and I'm so excited. It'll be my first time there! I can't wait to hear about how everything went when you return.

 

As for the white hat, that is pretty much what mine looks like, and I love it too. I used to tan all the time and now I religiously wear sunscreen and try to protect my skin whenever I can. Over the last several years I've noticed some dark spots on my face that weren't there before, and I'm only 30 now, I can't imagine how discolored I would be in another 10 yrs without doing something to prevent it.

 

Have fun on your trip, your suits are very cute! Any favorite places online to shop for suits? I usually buy from VS but want to try something different.

I can't leave smariba out there by herself!

 

I wear hats. A new hat is one of my quest items for my cruise. For vacations and just days in the sun, I have my trusty Columbia river hat. Blue, packable and with an adjustable strap. My last vacation hat is a fuschia grosgrain ribbon hat from Anne Taylor that I bought to wear to an ex-boyfriend's wedding. I'm looking for a white or neutral hat that will be easier to pack. My last shopping trip was a bust.

 

Finally! My fellow hat wearers come out of the woodwork! A few others too I see, I knew I couldn't be the only one :)

 

As far as the nail strips, I have used them before and I thought they were easy to apply and worked quite well, I just didnt' get the same life out of them that I do with regular nail polish. I will try using a top coat on them and see if that works. Great tip. I'm not one to do designs on my nails, its always a french manicure. But I'm feeling like going outside the box this time and trying something really cute and different. Can't wait!!

I don't wear hats at home, I have big ears (a family trait from my dad's side! At least as a woman, I have long hair to cover them up:p). I do take a floppy hat with me when I cruise though. I like to wear it on deck and to the beach. It's white and cute, and don't think I look too bad in it. I know I have a pic somewhere, I'll try and post it later. I use it to protect my face from the sun, and It makes me feel like I'm on vacation. My husband on the otherhand, is addicted to his baseball cap and wears it everywhere, all the time! Maybe I'll try and introduce him to the fedora.

I'm actually surprised more of you don't wear hats. when I think of cruises, I always think of women in floppy sun hats and flowing skirts and floral prints. Haha. I don't know where that image came from, maybe that's just me!