A Guide On What to Pack For A Cruise Vacation

Whether you are sailing the crystal clear waters of the Caribbean or island hopping in Greece, wondering what all to pack for a vacation on a cruise can be a daunting task. This happens to be especially true when you have never been on a cruise before. Cruising is definitely a unique experience after all you may find yourself in a variety of situations and climates all in one vacation. Packing for a cruise vacation always involves taking more clothes as compared to a normal holiday. In order to be prepared for the diverse destinations, weather, and activities you may encounter on a cruise vacation, ensure that you plan out what to pack. For most of the moderate to warm-weather itineraries, follow these packing tips for vacation on a cruise to make sure that you are well prepared. Pack Cruise Casual for The Day Time There was a time when cruise attire used to be extra dressy, but things have changed a little these days. Most of the cruise lines now recommend cruise casual. This implies casual skirts, sundresses, and pants including capris for women. Shorts are fine as well, just ensure that your ‘assets’ are properly covered. Pack Good Shoes When you are on a cruise, comfortable walking shoes are a must to pack and especially when you are taking advantage of the amazing shore excursions that are available. Keep in mind the fact that you’ll be doing things such as biking, hiking, hang gliding, zip lining, sightseeing, shopping, and exploring local beaches and so in order to keep your feet safe and protected, a pair of comfortable closed toe shoes are recommended. For Most Evenings, Pack Smart Casual You’ll want to pack something a little more upscale than what you’d wear during the daytime just if you plan to dance the night away at a disco or dine in one of your ship’s fine dining restaurants. Consider a smart-looking dress or slacks and a dressy blouse. Also, do not forget a little bling. Accessories tend to be small and easy to pack and so are a great option for transitioning an outfit from day to evening.   Pack One or Two Outfits For Special Events A major fun part of a cruise is the special onboard events arranged for the guests. So whether it’s a special fine-dining night or a cocktail party with the Captain, there is always something or the other going on. So make sure to pack one or two dressier outfits that are a little extra special. You can also check with your cruise line about how dressy you should pack. Some ships require dressier outfits like fancy cocktail dresses and long gowns, while others are a little less formal and a little black dress or a maxi dress will do. Things Not To Pack Illegal drugs, weapons, and other items that could easily interfere with the safe operation of the ship or the safe and secure environment of the guests and crew are prohibited and should not be packed.

Once The Queen is Done Everybody Should Stop

The idea of eating with Queen Elizabeth II sounds pretty great -- who wouldn't want to receive an invitation to a dinner at Buckingham Palace? But the dining scene at the palace is even more intense than we thought. Actually eating a meal with the Queen sounds like one of the most high-strung, nerve-wracking dining experiences ever. Here are dining etiquettes of The Queen. The ingredients are intimidatingly top-notch The Queen defined the whole "eating local" concept. She likes any venison or pheasant or grouse, if it is shot on the royal estate, she loved to have that on the menu. If you so much as chip a plate, you're destroying a piece of history There are the best silver, gold and china to serve on. For a state banquet, all of the knives and forks are gilt gold on silver. All of the china was hand-painted Meissen china, dating back to the early 1800s. As for the cookware, it’s all over 100 years old. The copper pans dated back to the 1800s, they still have Queen Victoria's motif on each copper pan. You have to eat at least as quickly as the Queen if you don't want to go hungry. Yes, there are plenty of servants around to attend to your every need, but they're on the Queen's eating schedule during formal banquets. The Palace steward would stand behind the Queen. As soon as she put down her knife and fork from the first course, he would hit the button for the lights to signal the footmen to come in. The course is over and they'd start clearing -- even if you haven’t finished, they'd be clearing the table. When the Queen enters the kitchen, everything grinds to a halt If the Queen came down to the kitchen at Windsor Castle or Balmoral or Sandringham, everybody supposed to stop what they were doing, move the pans to the side of the stove, step three paces back and bow. They can’t work or anything else, just answer questions. Then when she will leave, they can carry on cooking. A "light" meal is three courses When she isn't traveling or hosting guests, the Queen sits with Prince Philip at a small table in Buckingham Palace for dinner -- and no, they never just get lazy and order take out. She would actually have a first course and then a main course with a salad and some fruit as dessert. If you don't like chocolate, you're out of luck The Queen's a chocoholic -- she loves chocolate. Really anything with chocolate on the menu used to get passed. She liked the chocolate mousse, and chocolate perfection pie was probably her favorite dessert. But she liked the chocolate biscuit cake in the afternoons for tea. Oh, and don't even try to out-dress the Queen at the table. Whenever the royal family would travel to Balmoral Castle and Sandringham House, they certainly didn't pack light. They would dress so many different times. First thing in the morning coming down for breakfast they'd be dressed. Then they'd go off hunting or shooting and come back. Then they'd shower and change to go into afternoon tea. And then they'd change again for dinner.

How to Co-lead a Flourishing Household

As you have already gone through how much co-leading is effective for couples to make their marriage life a success. We have figured out six integrating elements which are really helpful for you to co-lead your relationship. 1. Raise your emotional intelligence.  As per the past traditions, there were certain traits defined for both men and women and on the basis of these, they were judged.  Say, men were considered to be strong and reasonable. And if they express their emotions, they were considered to be weak as it was a feminine trait. On the other hand, women were expected to carry the emotional burden of a relationship. But in today’s co-leading relationship, both men and women are supposed to talk, express their emotions and equally initiate emotional connections. In a co-leading relationship, both the partners get a chance to learn to express themselves fully and to communicate with each other logically and emotionally. As a result, a balanced, integrated and a strong relationship discovers where both partners get the equal status of sharing their emotional and logical bond. 2. Fun Titles should be assigned to roles.  The daily household tasks such as washing the dishes, handling the finances, and cooking dinner should be finished just like some fun activity. The person handling certain roles can be given a fun title which makes your task even more enjoyable. This could be done by creating fun titles for those who complete those tasks. Life is not only limited to check off the to-do list but life is all about how to create every task and moment enjoyable which can be remembered for a lifetime. 3. A family meeting is important. In a relationship or as in your complete life, satisfaction can only be achieved when the partners are together in terms of goal setting, achieving and celebrating. The goals should flourish keeping in view the happiness of both, and not through the sacrifice done by any one of the partners. Mental, physical, spiritual, familial, financial, social, sexual, and professional - these are eight aspects which every relationship should focus upon. In order to make a relationship work, the key aspect is to understand the satisfaction level. Based on the satisfaction level only, the desired goals and intentions can be set. And meeting together weekly as discussing these points let you work upon the needs on which you have to work. 4. Roles should be delegated.  There are certain roles which are specifically been assigned to partners based on their gender and they get themselves overburdened to perform these roles. There is no point wasting your time in doing it all. Society sees the wife as a mother, lover, counselor, professional, cook, maid, accountant, and party planner to her husband and children and a husband as a father, husband, accountant, handyman, landscaper, and chauffeur to his wife and children. But your focus should not live as per the society norms. Rather living life on mutual terms, performing together the household roles, keeping each other’s strengths, weaknesses, schedules, and affinities in consideration will make your relationship stronger. 5. The decision should be based on each other’s trust. When it comes to decision making in a co-leading relationship, the decisions are empowered on the basis of couple goals. That’s why if agreeing on certain roles in advance is considered to be good. This sanctions the right to both partners to make decisions that are in favor of their relationship along with developing trust in their partner to also take decisions. If one partner is okay spending some amount on luxuries with checking with the other and try to allocate a night to spend some quality time together and any other day where there could be only you too – is a good example of agreement in a co-leading marriage. 6. What all has to be remembered that Co-leading is Co-Growing.  Not only plants which do not grow die, there are humans also, if they do not grow in their relationship, they die. What ultimately leads to making a relationship die is a loss of passion and desire. When there will be no excitement, then you daily mundane and stale routine make your relationship weak and not worthy. Humans are full of needs which have to be fulfilled time to time in a way or the other. So what best will work for a relation is to grow together, keeping each other’s perspective in mind. Gone are the days where the gender roles have been predefined and both partners are bound to perform those limited roles unwillingly. Today’s couples have clearly understood that there are a lot of opportunities available for them to take their life in the desired direction. What is required is simply to sit down and talk how they want to frame their marriage. Their marriage should not be similar to anyone else, it should be unique and based on their wishes The future of marriage is not dependent on the default ways/ things which used to be in the past but is on how it creates and anticipates life. You just have to remember these tips while designing you marriage life and surely you will enjoy this important journey of your life.

How to Co-lead a Flourishing Household

When you are thinking of cultivating your marriage which you want to be happy and healthy forever, then having one lead in your household comes up with a bit outdated concept. Today’s couples are more comfortable with the new concept of co-leading their households, which they are finding very much satisfactory in terms of their relationship. So what actually co-leading means? Co-leading simply means building an equal association among the partner and which ultimately gives them the equal right on decision making, income, working on the future aspects of their relation. It is completely from the traditional concept of dividing the responsibility as per the gender roles. Here the couples come up together and take equal responsibility for different aspects of their marriage. How co-leading is the way to the future success of marriage… Increased lifestyle choices come along with more options.  There are a plethora of options available nowadays, for the couples, when it comes to making choices on business, careers and the places to live. Couples can easily balance their lives with the options available. Then can get babysitter services, if both of them are working, which can take care of their kids. Home delivery options are available as per the scheduled time when it comes to grocery shopping. And there are many other options which couples can opt to manage their work and personal life. Due to such facilities available, couples are deciding to live lifestyles which are more comfortable and manageable, which could not have been possible in the past. They do not have to worry about their children also, as baby care services are available. So with varied options, comes varied choices to opt as per the lifestyle. There is a great evolution of what we call as gender roles!! Breaking the orthodox rules of the society, women’s have not emerged as a separate identity that owns a valuable position. They are no longer expected to simply live their life as a wife or a mother. They are equally evolving in every field, whether it be going to schools and colleges for studying or making their career path which was previously considered as a role to be performed by man only. But if you will go as per the statistics data, women’s salaries have increased in higher percent as compared to men. This shows that women have not only bridged the wage gap but also have exceeded it. Likewise, men also have evolved in terms of gender roles and are crossing the traditional limits set for them. They now happily welcome the increased income and are also open to sharing household responsibilities. Marriage can be nurtured and nourished effectively when it has been co-led by both the partners. They think in broader aspect keeping their focus on the relationship which easily helps them in blending their individual talents, abilities, and leadership skills. Many couples will be there who are working on the co-leading concept in their marriage life, but they should keep on searching new ways and ideas on which can take their relationship to the next level. So, if you are looking forward to tips which are helpful on co-leading your marriage, explore the Part-II of this article.

Amazing Destinations where the Royals Honeymoon

Royal weddings like Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's inevitably invite breathless international coverage. The dress! The venue! The celebrity guests! It's enough to keep the tabloids humming, and the public in a constant state of anticipatory intrigue. But once the nuptials end, the hoopla isn't over. Instead, everyone becomes fixated on another matter: the royal honeymoon. Royals have long selected some of the world's most divine locations to revel in their post-wedding bliss — from tropical paradises housing luxury retreats to African destinations promising once-in-a-lifetime adventure. Not uncommonly, they visit said places by traversing the seas on a private royal yacht. Here are some of the most spectacular royal honeymoon destinations, including the rumored locale for Harry and Meghan. Namibia: Prince Harry and Meghan Markle It’s being reported that the newest royal couple will soon be traveling to Namibia to celebrate their union. The destination is near and dear to Harry, who has made African conservation one of his pet causes. The couple will reportedly be staying at the recently opened Hoanib Valley Camp, an intimate getaway with just six rooms crafted from locally sourced materials and powered by solar energy. Not surprisingly, the main activity here is wildlife viewing, with giraffes, elephants and rhinos among the common finds. Seychelles: Prince William and Kate Middleton William and Kate reportedly spent $5,500 a night for a private villa with a personal butler on one of the islands of this East African archipelago, known for its crystal-clear Indian Ocean waters, white-sand beaches, and superb snorkeling and diving.It’s recommended to stay at Bird Island Lodge, a collection of eco-friendly chalets on an island roamed by giant turtles and, yes, lots of birds. Galapagos Islands: Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier III of Monaco The sensational union of a Hollywood megastar and her European prince demanded a sensational honeymoon. So it's only right that the couple chose to visit the extraordinary Galapagos Islands, the Pacific Ocean archipelago so rich with wildlife, it inspired Darwin's "On the Origin of Species." Grace and Prince Rainier traveled between the islands on a yacht. Tahiti: Princess Caroline of Hanover and Philipe Junot Princess Caroline, the eldest child of Grace Kelly and Prince Rainier, clearly shares her parents' exquisite taste in destinations. For her honeymoon, she journeyed to Tahiti, the Polynesian island where azure seas are flanked by towering mountains. Hampshire, England: Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip Queen and her husband travelled to Hampshire, the largest county in South East England. The just-married lovebirds stayed at Broadlands House, today open for public tours. Also in the area: Highclere Castle, the main filming location for "Downton Abbey." William's grandparents also spent part of their trip sailing the Mediterranean on the Royal Yacht Britannia; years later for their honeymoon, Prince Charles and Diana made the same trip. Balmoral Estate, Scotland: Prince Charles and Princess Diana After their own Mediterranean sailing trip on the Britannia, Charles and Diana ended their honeymoon with a rather unromantic stop: by visiting Charles' family at Balmoral Estate, the royal family's Scottish residence.