The Talking Suitcase

02/12/2024

💳 This is WHY you should be utilizing your everyday spend for award travel

💴 Flying & hotels are EXPENSIVE

🍎You’re already spending money each week on groceries, gas, insurance, kids clothing, dining out, etc. Why not take advantage of your everyday spending to travel for FREE?!

🎄 You’ll also be spending extra this time of year on gifts and parties.

Here are some examples from our upcoming Asia trip:

This is for 4 people…..

✈️ Flight BOS-LHR-HKG = 460,000 miles + $1,401.90 (Cathay Pacific business class transferred from CapOne & Amex)
***Cash value $23,000

✈️ Flight SIN-JFK = 574,000 miles + $265.85 (Singapore Airlines business class transferred from Chase)
***Cash value $17,998.51

✈️ Flight ORF-BOS = 55,092 + $22.40 (Southwest economy points from SW card)
***Cash value $811.88

🏨 Hotel Holiday Inn Koh Samui - 4 nights
2 rooms = 112,000 IHG points + $0
***Cash value $1,041.86

🏨 Hotel Conrad Bangkok - 3 nights
2 rooms = 210,000 Hilton points + $0
***Cash value $973.70

💰 I could never afford to pay so much on a flight, but with points it’s possible. When flying economy or getting a saver flight, it’s way less points and $.

🌍 The route between JFK and SIN is the world’s LONGEST FLIGHT!

Award Travel makes it possible for us to visit amazing destinations and travel more frequently.

🚢 We use points for flights and hotels and pay for our cruises when on a good sale.

❓Questions? Leave a comment

19/11/2024

How do you organize itineraries for a trip?

I like plain old pen and paper as well as typing up ideas in the Notes app on my phone so it’s handy while traveling.

Lucy chose Thailand as her high school graduation trip, so I’ve been busy working out a basic itinerary and searching award flights to get us the best deals to Asia.

The notes will become more detailed as plans are finalized. It’s now just a rough idea of what our trip will look like.

13/11/2024

Virgin Voyages has a great sale starting today. Save 80% off 2nd sailor plus up to $300 Bar Tab!

💥Don't forget - gratuities, soda, fitness classes and more are included.

Bar Tab savings based on cruise length booked.

**Message me for details**

12/11/2024

⇨ Learn all about Royal Caribbean's Icon of the Seas ⇦

The ship boasts a ton of new features including some “first at sea” experiences such as the first swim-up bar in the fleet, the biggest waterpark at sea and the first suspended infinity pool at sea.

Read it here --> https://www.thetalkingsuitcase.com/icon-of-the-seas-tips-whats-new-onboard/

What is your favorite Icon of the Seas feature?

Learn Icon of the Seas tips & what's new onboard Royal Caribbean's first Icon Class ship. New features and so much to explore!

08/11/2024

🌟Fantastic price on Celebrity Cruises Aqua Class Suite🌟

Sail on the Celebrity Equinox mid-March 2025 for only $2,447.10 for 2 guests!!

Includes access to specialty restaurant Blu, unlimited access to The Persian Garden, and more.

$500 non-refundable deposit. Rate does not include insurance nor gratuities.

*Message me for details

04/11/2024

What are some of your tips for a first time cruiser?

24/10/2024

Looking to get away from the cold in January 2025?

Princess Cruise Line Eastern Caribbean - Balcony stateroom for 2 guests as low as $1,532 plus a $50 obc per stateroom!!

Final payment is due at booking as we are less than 120 to sailing date. Rate doesn't include insurance or gratuities.

Comment or message me for details

17/10/2024

Are you planning to to sail with NCL?

I've put together everything you need to know about the new More at Sea promotion and included some of the key differences between the previous Free at Sea promo. One of the most notable features is the new Unlimited Open Bar package.

What do you think of More at Sea? Do you like the change?

Read it here --> https://www.thetalkingsuitcase.com/what-is-ncl-more-at-sea-formally-free-a-sea/

15/10/2024

One of my favorite and least favorite photos from our recent cruise. At first glance it looks like the perfect ocean photo with charming fishing boats. However, if you look closer, the beach is full of trash. It’s heartbreaking to see the amount of debris and makes me more grateful to sail with VV. They have eliminated single use plastic which was a majority of the rubbish on this beautiful beach.

09/10/2024

It's the last day of PRIME DAY!

There are a lot of travel deals available. Regardless of the type of trip you're planning (cruise, all-inclusive, European...) having a hanging travel bag is a must for your packing list.

The BAGSMART Toiletry Bag Travel Bag with Hanging Hook is currently at its LOWEST PRICE.

AMZ AFF --> https://amzn.to/3TYkbjN

I'll link a few other good deals in the comments as well.

BAGSMART Hanging Toiletry Bag Travel Bag with hanging hook, Water-resistant Makeup Cosmetic Bag Travel Organizer for Accessories, Shampoo, Full Sized Container, Toiletries

06/10/2024

Day 4 (take 2) - Valiant Lady Beach Club at Bimini

We choose to spend time at the Beach Club again instead of booking an excursion. I’m glad we decided against snorkeling at the shipwreck because the weather made visibility low. We still had a lovely day as the clouds and breeze helped keep us cool.

The Beach Club includes complementary loungers, umbrellas, towels, WiFi, basic beverages such as water and soda as well as a Caribbean themed lunch. There are 2 pools in addition to an expansive beach area plus a pool party with DJ in the afternoon. You can use your Bar Tab or Sailor Loot for🍹so it’s extremely budget friendly.

Once back on board, I picked up my MNVV. I’m still trying to decide if I should book Brilliant Lady’s inaugural sailing or save $ and go on the 2nd. I also want to sail Scarlet Lady after her refurbishment.

We had dinner at Gunbae again and I almost won the drinking game for a 2nd time 🥃I packed our suitcases and we called it an early night.

05/10/2024

Day 3 (cruise 2) - Valiant Lady Key West

We were excited to be back in Key West! It’s been about 20 years since we visited, so this was the port Derrick was looking forward to the most. We walked from the port to the southernmost point. The great thing about docking in Key West is the port is only about a 5 minute walk to Duval Street making it super convenient to see everything on foot or bike.

After snapping a photo of the buoy, I made Derrick go to the Butterfly Conservatory. He didn’t want to go but said it was one of his favorite parts of the day. This is why he should always listen to me 😉 Walking along the path as hundreds of butterflies floated around was incredible. They have a live camera view from their website if anyone is interested.

We stopped by Dj's Clam Shack for a drink and conch fritters, grabbed a t-shirt and hat from Quiet Storm surf shop, shared a piece of key lime pie from Kermit's Key Lime Shop, and wandered into countless art galleries. We ended up with an original piece and a print from local artists.

In the evening we saw “It’s a Ship Show”, the dinner and variety show on Valiant Lady. It was a great show and the dinner was okay. This show requires reservations in advance but is included in the cruise fare.

04/10/2024

Day 2 (again) - Valiant Lady Sea Day

It was our last sea day, so we tried to cross more activities off my list. After a late breakfast, it was time for Bingo with the Diva! I haven’t played bingo in years. It was packed! Sadly, we didn’t win.

After lunch we went to the show, Around the World with the Diva. It was good but I think it was my least favorite show on Valiant Lady. We went to another cocktail event for the Sailing Club followed by dinner at Razzle Dazzle. This is also my least favorite restaurant. However, the lamb shank was excellent.

It was Scarlet Night, so we changed into our red attire and hit up the various events around the ship before finishing the night at the pool party 💃 If you cruise with Virgin, this is the one event you don’t want to miss!

03/10/2024

Day 6 (& Day 1 Again) - Valiant Lady Miami Back 2 Back

It’s time for our next sailing! This cruise is the 4-night, Fire & Sunset Soirées. After all the sad 😢 sailors disembarked, it was time for the 36 sailors doing b2b to transition to our new sailing.

After we all checkout out and back in, we roamed the virtually empty ship. It was so great to be onboard with just the crew!

The plan had been to hit the gym then relax in the empty pool. Unfortunately, both fitness areas were closed for cleaning. We walked to get my steps instead. The Galley opened at 1pm, about 45 min before boarding started, so we were able to get our food and choice seats. Have I mentioned how much I love ramen? 😝

We grabbed a drink and listened to the DJ before the sail away party and dinner at Test Kitchen. We were excited to have menu A tonight. I tried the vegetarian version this time and it was pretty tasty. Derrick shared some of his steak with me and we swapped desserts because I wanted the chocolate instead of coconut. Such a good husband.

We ended the evening listening to music. I fell asleep before posting this last night.

02/10/2024

Day 5 - Valiant Lady Bimini, Bahamas

It’s time to visit the Beach Club at Bimini! When Virgin Voyages is in port, the Beach Club is for sailors only. We arrived early and snagged 2 waterfront loungers 🌊

We relaxed under the umbrella, snorkeled next to the rocks, swam in the clear calm water, walked the beach, and enjoyed jerk chicken with rice and beans for lunch accompanied by a mojito.

We returned to the ship early to visit the Thermal Suites. We’ll be back to Bimini in a few days, so wanted to take advantage of the relatively empty spa. The Thermal Suite is always relaxing as we meander between saunas, plunge pools, a whirlpool and mud room. I was able to submerge myself in the freezing plunge pool 3x but chickened out on the 4th 🥶

Then we had a quick snack at the Dock and watched as sailors returned to the ship. Dinner was at The Wake with tasty filets, wild mushrooms and asparagus. The server brought us out the Baked Alaska dessert which turned out to be absolutely delicious. We wouldn’t have tried this dessert if the server hadn’t brought it out because it’s his favorite.

We finished the evening listening to live music before returning to our stateroom to pack. We’re on the next sailing but changing staterooms.

Next up - 4 more nights on the Valiant Lady!!

01/10/2024

Day 4 - Valiant Lady Sea Day

We woke to calm seas and blue skies! It was the perfect day to relax, get some exercise, work on my tan and spend another $20 playing penny slot machines at the casino. I got almost 45 minutes of play out of that $20!

We had breakfast at the Galley and for lunch I had a delicious tuna poke bowl from Sun Club Cafe.

We watched the Horseplay Race (I need to figure out how to participate in this next time) and watched the Charmers Lounge show. The Charmer is the resident magician/illusionist onboard. It was a fun show, but beware that it is very interactive. Thankfully, I only had to say “stop” as the Charmer shuffled the cards and not actively participate on stage. 😳

Dinner was at Extra Virgin, the Italian restaurant. This is one of our favorites onboard. I love the ribollita soup and ragu while the New York strip is Derrick’s favorite steak onboard. We’ll spend the rest of the evening listening to live music before calling it a night.

30/09/2024

Day 3 - Valiant Lady Puerto Plata, DR

We docked in the Dominican Republic today. This was our first visit to the country. After a late breakfast at The Wake, we got off the ship around 11am.

Taino Bay is where you’ll dock when sailing with Virgin Voyages (and other cruise companies with the exception of Carnival Corp). You don’t even need to leave the port to have a great day. Taino Bay’s port updates were completed in 2021. The pier can now accommodate two Oasis-size ships and one smaller vessel. The area includes retail shops, food and beverage outlets, entertainment, and a beach club with pools and a lazy river. The facilities are free to use so it’s a great way to save a bit of cash.

We walked downtown, took the obligatory photos of umbrella and pink streets, continued onto the fort then headed right back to Taino Bay. We picked up Dominican chocolate and coffee and made it back the ship for lunch.

Since we purchased the Splash of Romance package, we had a cocktail event to attend in the evening. After a complimentary glass of sparkling rosé, we had dinner at Gunbae.

Gunbae, Korean BBQ, is always a fun and tasty dinner. This is the first time we’ve played the drinking game and I won! My prize was a 2nd shot of soju 😬

Tonight is Scarlet Night. It’s the big event on the lady ships where sailors wear red to celebrate. The fun begins hearing about the myth of Scarlet night, continues with special events, a pool party plus an after party for those that can stay up until midnight.

29/09/2024

Day 2 - Valiant Lady Sea Day

The seas were a bit rocky last night but the day dawned with blue skies, fluffy white clouds and a nice breeze to help beat the heat.

Since we have Deep Blue Extras, we each get 2 free specialty coffees per day. Derrick headed to the Grounds Club (coffee shop) to pick up lattes to enjoy in our cabin. Then we had breakfast at The Galley, I love made to order omelets!

We got in a small workout walking the track, browsed the shops and spent a whopping $8 in the casino 🎰

We purchased the Splash of Romance package for this cruise, so I could review it for clients. Part of the package is a free pressed juice per day. Derrick tried the tangerine while I had the Green with Envy. They were good but I about knocked Derrick out with my ginger breath afterwards 😆

Lunch was at The Wake. The service was ridiculously slow but the food was as good as usual. Since we booked lunch, I ordered the filet and Derrick enjoyed the hanger steak. He also found a cab 🍷 there that he really enjoyed.

Another DBE and DB benefit is a cocktail event while onboard. We made sure to fit that into our schedule as who doesn’t like a free drink or 2! The event was held at the Perch with live music and complimentary sparkling wine and sangria. It was a great event but so windy that I may have flashed a few people when my dress flew up 🙈

Dinner followed at the Test Kitchen. It’s currently menu C which debuted in July. Derrick had the regular menu while I tried the vegetarian. It was okay. We definitely preferred menu A but I’m glad we tried it. The desserts were delicious though!

We tried to watch the Ship Show without eating dinner but the line was long. Instead, we enjoyed the musical talents of the Ohana Duo. She had a lovely voice and a great way with engaging the crowd. He was incredible on the guitar. It was a nice way to end the evening.

There was no way I was staying up for We Fancy. Yes, I realize I miss all the good parties because I’m asleep by 11pm 💤