A girls’ getaway is the perfect cure for a hectic home life!
Why? Why?
On a girls getaway cruise you can enjoy the sun and have fun! NO WORK!
My husband agreed and sent me to a wonderful girls’ getaway with a close friend. Do you have a friend to whom you can be completely honest and uncensored? You’ll know that you will always be loved, no matter what.
Her husband is also awesome, just like mine. He agreed and we booked a cruise in record time.
We selected Royal Caribbean Enchantment of Seas 4-night cruise to the Bahamas.
Royal Caribbean’s Port Canaveral, (Orlando), is only a day drive away from home. This makes it a cost-effective option. A four-night girls’ cruise gave us plenty of time to relax. Any shorter, and we wouldn’t have felt ready to return home. It was just long enough for us to miss our husbands and children, at least a bit.
Why Enchantment Of The Seas?
Enchantment of the Seas is a fantastic choice for a cruise.
The ship has enough space to be able to accomplish a lot, but it’s not so big that we can’t!
We played trivia games, relaxed by the pool, danced until we could no longer dance, and much more. In true girls’ getaway style, we laughed, cried, and then laughed some more.
We visited two ports on our girls’ getaway cruise: Nassau in The Bahamas, and CocoCay – Royal Caribbean’s private Island. The weather was perfect on both days, with temperatures in the 80s and calm waters. But even if it rained, we still had a wonderful time.
We spent the day at the Hilton British Colonial Resort in Nassau. It is near the port. The port stop was the perfect spot to celebrate my friend’s birthday, with cake served by a singing chef.
Nassau has a lot of things to do. There are many adventure tours and activities on the island.
We found lounge chairs on Coco Cay’s private island and relaxed listening to the gentle sound of waves lapping against the shore. We brought pool noodles that floated in the calm water. We drank delicious fruity concoctions from adorable pails. We also enjoyed snorkeling on the shallow waters. It was so amazing to see stingrays, nurse-sharks, and other sea life up close!
We knew that this was not going to be our last girls’ cruise together as we drove home from our getaway.
Plan the perfect girls’ getaway with this guide
For girlfriend getaways, short cruises like our 4-day cruise from Florida are perfect. Dining, lodging, and most entertainment are all included. This is almost a girlfriends’ all-inclusive trip! Those who wish to drink or shop can do so easily.
Plan the perfect girlfriend getaway cruise
It was simple to plan our girls’ trip. This is what we did and it worked!
- Choose a cruise port within easy driving distance in order to save money. To reduce stress, we booked a hotel for the night before our cruise. Consider 3 day cruises out of San Francisco, or 4 day voyages out of Long Beach if you are on the west coast. We saved money by not flying (which means that we’ll probably be back sooner than later).
- Search for weekend cruise deals on the internet to save money. A girls’ getaway is a great time to take a last-minute cruise, especially during shoulder season.
- If you want to stretch your budget, include perks like expedited check-in and cabin upgrades.
- One of my friends cruised with her girlfriends and she always “forgot” to bring the key. She took free drinks from the others in the group, and did not pay for her gratuities. It’s okay if a member of the group can’t pay for travel, and other members want to help out. Freeloading when you don’t have to is not cool!
- Split the travel costs. I have a friend who loves driving and has a comfortable SUV. I bought the dinner and paid for half of the gas, the hotel, and half of the food. Fuel costs shouldn’t be borne by someone who offers to drive.
- Plan a cruise for girls that is long enough to allow you to relax. While short cruises may be cheaper, they are over before you have a chance catch your breath. Booking 4 day cruises gives you enough time to reset your brain. It gives everyone a chance of doing something they want to.
- You and your friends may not want to do everything together, no matter how close they are. I like to challenge myself at the rock wall. My friend didn’t share my enthusiasm. On a seaday, she took her much-needed afternoon nap (her youngest child is only 2), and I smashed the rock wall. But that’s another story!
- Make sure to plan shore excursions that are in everyone’s best interests. You’re adventurous. I have been to Nassau several times and feel comfortable exploring the island by myself. My friend is more cautious. We planned an excursion to meet both of our needs, taking that into consideration. The art of compromise is to have everyone share their preferences and budget. If someone is uncomfortable with the price or activity, don’t book a $300 high adventure trip. But…
- When traveling with a large group (such as a reunion or bachelorette cruise), choose two shore excursions, and let everyone pick the one they prefer. You don’t have to stay together all of the time.
These links will help you book a girlfriend getaway cruise!
Are you ready to book a girls’ cruise? You can easily book your girls’ getaway cruise by clicking on the links below!
- Carnival Cruise Line Getaways – the best value on sea
- Celebrity Cruise Lines – modern luxury with fewer children.
- Disney Cruise Line – For the princess in us all.
- Norwegian Cruise Line — Relaxed cruising with great shows.
- Royal Caribbean – for the adventurer within us all
What if the cruise is not for you?
The ease of planning a cruise makes it a great girlfriend getaway. Not everyone is interested in cruising. Consider whether your group can afford to go on an all-inclusive resort. But the same tips still apply.
Any place can make a wonderful getaway with friends. Here are a few of my favorite places:
- St. Simon’s Island, Georgia,
- Charlottesville, Virginia,
- Hocking Hills Area in Ohio
- Annapolis, Maryland,
- Savannah, Georgia.