Southampton hotel booked — and why going down the night before is worth it
We've decided to go down the day before rather than risk it on the day. With a drive that can easily turn into 6+ hours, it just takes that bit of pressure off.
It's 5 days before the Rotterdam cruise — I can't wait!
Just finishing off packing preparations so I'm not rushing at the last minute. The carry-on is the thing I always sort first — because if your suitcase is late to your cabin, or worse, goes missing, that bag is everything.
The countdown is real now
We are under 30 days away. I have been planning this trip for so long that it has started to feel abstract — like something that exists in spreadsheets and browser tabs rather than real life. That changed this week.
Packing decisions I am still arguing with myself about
Twelve days. Two formal nights. Nine ports. One suitcase. I have been going back and forth on the same three decisions for two weeks and I am no closer to resolving any of them.
Why Rotterdam is the port I am most excited about
Everyone talks about Santorini and Dubrovnik. And yes, I am looking forward to both of them. But Rotterdam is the one I keep coming back to when I think about this trip.
The drinks package question — and what I actually decided
Every cruise forum has a thread about whether the drinks package is worth it. I read most of them. Here is what I actually decided and why.
First time on a cruise — what I wish I had known
This is not my first cruise, but it is the first one I have planned this thoroughly. Looking back at what I knew before my first cruise versus what I know now, there are a few things I would have done differently.
Adding new posts
New posts are added to src/mocks/blogPosts.ts — just add a new entry at the top of the array with your title, date, category, and the paragraphs of your post. It will appear here automatically.