Carnival Cruise to Puerta Maya from New Orleans

We took a lot of amazing trips this year, and our Carnival Cruise to Puerta Maya was one of our favorites. When Emily and Maggie invited us along on Maggie’s senior trip, we didn’t even hesitate with our YES. Our cruise left out of the port of New Orleans, so we spent a whirlwind 24 hours in New Orleans before we boarded our ship.

Once aboard the ship, we spent some time exploring. Our ship was the Carnival Valor. Honestly, I don’t think we explored the whole thing, but we did spend a lot of time on the rear pool deck. A pool, a pizza bar, hot tubs–what else do you need?

We took an excursion to Paradise Reef. After a short trip aboard the Fury Catamaran, we donned scuba gear and explored the beautiful reefs and corals.

The boat was a whole party in itself. We danced the whole way back to Puerta Maya. We grabbed a super fun, delicious lunch at Three Amigos and celebrated with a conga line in between each course. After some quick shopping, we made our way back to the ship.

We spent 95% of our ship time in the water– either the pool or the hot tub. I am so thankful that we were able to experience this with our besties 🙂

Tips for cruising Carnival (or any other ship):

1. Purchase and pack an outlet extender. Most rooms only have one or two outlets, if you’re lucky. I love this one.
2. Turkish towels. These are perfect to pack in your beach bag anytime, but especially on a cruise when you don’t have much space to begin with.
3. A refillable water bottle. Hydrating is super important, but it can get expensive if you aren’t careful. Most cruises have water refill stations, so a bottle like this Simple Modern one is handy.
4. Carry on a case of your favorite beverages– alcoholic or non. Check with your specific ship, but most allow a 12-can maximum.
5. Get to the shows early–they fill up fast. Our girls loved the comedy shows and the kareoke nights, but we had to arrive early or stand by the wall.
6. Book excursions online, ahead of time. They are cheaper.
7. Wear ADIDAS =) We love our Adidas women’s running shoes for all things fun and outdoors!