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Have you ever been on a cruise before? Reese and I were invited on a Carnival 2 Day Cruise on board the Carnival Inspiration sailing from Long Beach, California to Ensenada, Mexico for Halloween. The ship was just stunning and full of so much fun, we didn’t want to leave.

A Carnival 2 day cruise is a great way to escape for a quick weekend of fun. You have everything you need all in one convenient and safe environment. We were beyond thrilled with our 2-day cruise experience on board the Imagination. And now, we’d love to share some inspiration with you about how to truly make the most of your weekend cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines.

Tips For Enjoying A Carnival 2 Day Cruise: Pack Smart

If you’ve never been on a cruise before, you wouldn’t know that it may take some time for your bags to be brought to your room. Since you have limited time on a 2-day cruise, you’ll want to maximize your time on the ship and enjoy as much as you can. The first way to do this is to make sure you pack a change of clothing in your carry-on bag. Sandals, shorts, and swimsuits are a must in this carry-on as well (you can even wear them on board), or else you’ll be missing out on prime sunshine and pool time waiting for your luggage.

Tips For Enjoying A Carnival 2 Day Cruise: Explore the ship the first day

With a 2 day cruise, it goes by fast, like really really fast. You’ll want to soak in as much of the ship as you can. so I like to spend the first day (or at last part of the day) learning the ship. Once you slip into your change of clothes from your carry-on, take some time to explore the ship. Learn where everything is so you won’t get lost. Cruise ships are very big and it’s easy to lose your way when you first board. I make it a point to find our dining room, the kids club and the casino (don’t judge me lol).

Tips For Enjoying A Carnival 2 Day Cruise: Stairs give you a good workout so use them

The ship has a fantastic fitness center, however, why waste your precious 2 day cruise vacation time exercising in a stuffy gym? You can do that at home. Take a few extra minutes and use the stairs instead of the elevators whenever possible. This will save you a lot of time since elevators can sometimes be slow, plus, it also serves to counteract all the calories from the endless buffets of food you’ll be eating!

Tips For Enjoying A Carnival 2 Day Cruise: Bring your own beverages

Carnival Cruise Lines actually allows you to bring a limited amount of beverages with you on the cruise. That means you can bring your own soda, juice or water. While the food is included in the cost of your cruise, extra beverages are not. You’ll need a drink card and those can be very expensive. carnival also lets you bring one bottle of wine per cabin so if you are a drinker make sure you pack a bottle and don’t forget the bottle opener. 

Tips For Enjoying A Carnival 2 Day Cruise: Do The Free Room Service

One of the best services on Carnival Cruise Lines is the free room service. Order whatever you want and have it brought to your room. Reese ordered more than her fair share of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, the only place you can get them on the ship by the way. All sandwiches came with chips and a cookie and your choice of apple juice or tea. This was perfect for light late night snacks when we didn’t want to venture back to the buffet. 

Tips For Enjoying A Carnival 2 Day Cruise: Don’t Miss The Sun Rise and/or Sunset

If you are lucky enough to have a balcony or porthole, you don’t want to miss out on the beautiful sunrises or sunsets while on your 2 day cruise. Nothing is more spectacular than watching the sun dip into or rise out of the ocean. If you can’t watch from the comforts of your cabin, this is one time waking up early and venturing out onto the deck is totally worth it. Swing by the buffet and grab a few pastries and a coffee and enjoy this spectacular show. I promise you won’t regret it. 

Above all else, don’t forget to relax, have fun and enjoy your cruise with Carnival Cruise Lines!