I was allowed to drive the 2017 Mazda CX-5 for my trip free of charge to facilitate this review. All opinions are mine alone. #DriveMazda 

When I was planning my super-quick trip to Orlando a few weeks ago, I knew I needed to get a vehicle so I could have easy access to transportation whenever I needed to go to the next location. There was a lot of back-and-forth between parks to fit it all in, so being able to go on my terms was necessary. I was super excited to learn I’d get to drive the new CX-5 for my three days, and I learned Why the 2017 Mazda CX-5 is the Perfect Trip Vehicle.

If y’all remember, we got to test out the 2016 version of the Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring back in February, and loved the smoothness of the ride and roomy-ness of the seats and foot areas. I knew the 2017 would be at least as good as last year’s model, but oh my gosh – I wasn’t prepared for my new absolute FAVORITE feature…..

…it displays your SPEED onto the windshield!!! Okay, don’t panic – it’s a screen on the dash that’s designed to reflect up so it displays slightly in front of you – but lightly, so while you CAN see it, it’s definitely not a distraction and doesn’t interfere at all with safe driving or seeing obstacles.

Here’s why this makes it IDEAL for a trip vehicle though – it not only displays the speed you’re currently going, but also what the posted speed is! Ack – that’s my biggest frustration of driving in a new place, like on trips, because I don’t know what the speed limit is on the roads until I pass a sign. And those don’t always show up very often, depending on the road.

It was super nice to 1: not have to look down to check my speed and 2: know what the posted speed limit was on any road I went on, without having to look for/wait for another sign.

That’s not it – it also had indicators on that special display that showed if there was something close behind you, if you were close to the one in front of you, AND if there’s something to your side. They have the side indicators on your side-view mirrors as well, that light up a bright yellow when a car is next to you – but I loved having it right there in my view.

Aside from just this new feature that I think is completely amazing, the 2017 Mazda CX-5 Grand Touring has all the great features I enjoy in a vehicle, like a pop-up screen for navigation, music, etc. There’s dials for it on the steering wheel and the middle dash as well, making it convenient for your co-pilot to help adjust things. It’s a very smooth, quiet ride – and gets about 24 MPG city, so you can save on your gas budget aspect of your vacation while still enjoying a mid-sized vehicle!

The same roomy interior (in both front and back seats) as the 2016 was great, and the trunk has plenty of cargo space for any luggage, souvenirs or whatever else you may have to take along (or back) from your trip.

And one more thing – this blue color that I got to drive around Orlando for three days? It’s my new favorite vehicle color, since it was beautiful, bright, shiny with a hint of silver tint to it and just different enough from all the other blue vehicles to make it special. If I’m lucky enough to get a 2017 Mazda CX-5 in the future, I want it in THIS shade!

What do YOU look for most in a vehicle on a trip?

We received discounted passes to Aquaventure courtesy of Atlantis Resort to facilitate this post. All opinions are mine alone. #AtlantisBahamas #BahamasAtHeart

During our recent anniversary trip, our cruise stopped in Nassau, Bahamas for a day. We knew exactly what we wanted to do with our port day – visit the Atlantis Resort! Hubby couldn’t wait to try some of the water slides, while I was eager for the not-so-lazy river. If you’re considering joining in the awesome fun offered here, but not sure exactly what it’s all about, don’t worry – we’re sharing our experience at the Atlantis Resort Bahamas: Our Aquaventure Day so you can decide if you’re family would enjoy it as well.

One great thing about making port at Nassau is that it’s docked, not tendered, so you can just walk on and off the ship. You can even see the Atlantis Resort in the distance from the cruise port!

Once you’re off the ship, it’s just a short walk to an area with plenty of taxis (that have a set rate per person, so no worries about haggling) that will take you on the 15-20 minute drive to the Atlantis Resort.

We were dropped off at the curb, then followed the signs to the admission area  – it was towards the left, outside of the building. They gave us wristbands that were our entrance passes to everything Aquaventure includes – water slides, pools, rivers and beaches, plus the Atlantis ‘excavation’ area. Then we were off on our adventure! We took our time walking through the hotel – checking out the fun decor and AMAZING and GIANT glass sculptures. There’s also plenty of fountains and such near their massive aquarium.

Be sure to explore the aquarium and the ‘excavation’ area – they designed it as if there were remnants of the actual Atlantian culture, complete with models, sculptures, and ‘submarines’ that may have been used for them to travel under water. It’s really cool – and the fish and stingrays were really neat to watch. We noticed at least TWO different types of stingrays, which was fun comparing them.

Once we had made our way through this tunnel area, we went to a locker station to place our belongings. We had waterproof phone lanyards so we could keep our phones and credit card with us (for lunch), so we were able to take photos and such. Lockers ranged in price from about $12ish/$14ish up to just over $20ish I believe. Our medium sized one was about $16. It’s important to note that they don’t take CASH, so be sure to have a card with you. They have towels there that you’re allowed to use, as well. Be sure to check out the maps because there are a TON of different areas – be sure to check out your top priorities first, in case you don’t have time to make it to the other ones.

I wanted to make absolute sure that hubby got to do the Leap of Faith slide – the one that goes almost straight down, then you shoot through a tube in the shark aquarium! Yes, I’ve done it in the past, but this was his first time – he thought it was great fun. Both of us do want to point out that it’s SUPER quick, not even 30 seconds probably, and you don’t really see the sharks while going through the tube because you’re going so fast and there’s water splashing in your face. It’s still a great feeling being able to say you tried it though!

Next to that is the Serpent Slide, which is next to the Leap of Faith. This one allows you to go in a one or two person tube, first through a totally dark enclosed water slide, then coming out to move SLOWLY through a larger tunnel going through the shark area. I like this one because you just glide along in the enclosure, so you have time to look around and actually SEE the sharks swimming in the water on the other side of the glass/tube.

After those two slides, we went over to that not-so-lazy river I told you about – The Current. You’re propelled in tubes (one person or two – we enjoyed the two, since we were on our anniversary trip, after all) with large waves through beautiful rivers, up and down water escalators (you can stay on the tube, no stress), and extreme rapids. There’s plenty of areas to get out, so if you only want to do a section then it’s perfectly fine. We went around a few times, loving the adventurous rapids and rolling waves mixed with the relaxing flow of the slower sections.

During our time on The Current, we stopped for the Power Tower – a very tall building that houses several of the more intense water slides. I chilled in the water by the river while hubby tried these ones, and he said they were a lot of fun! I guess there’s a section along the river we were on that you can get on another water escalator that’ll take you to the top of the tower, so you don’t have to carry your tube all the way up stairs – but we didn’t find it during our time there.

Some of the slides in Power Tower used tubes, while The Abyss was tubeless. Hubby said this was probably the most intense in his opinion, as it drops almost straight down in total darkness, levels out for a bit so you start to relax, then drops again!

There’s actually several places you can choose between to eat (unless your lunch is included in your excursion, I’m not sure how that works), but we were closest to the Riverbend Cafe near the entrance to The Current. It was reasonably priced – about as you would expect from a water park. The pizza I got was about what you’d expect as well – not great, but not awful either – and hubby really enjoyed his wrap. The staff was very friendly and great! Both our meals came with LOTS of fries.

While we focused on more older kid/adult stuff, we did see plenty that young kids could do as well – like this fun water playground! It makes me hopeful that I can bring my whole family here sometime to check out that perspective of Atlantis Resort Aquaventure.

One thing we realized later that we didn’t do but wanted to was The Challenger slide – it’s two slides side-by-side that you race on. They even have a timer board at the bottom of each slide so you can see EXACTLY how fast each person went, and who the real winner was 🙂 I would’ve loved to race hubby, but we’ll just have to prioritize it more next time!

There’s also SEVERAL pools to choose from – some are adult-only, some are reserved just for guests, and some are more shallow and geared towards kids. Basically, they  have something for everyone! Plus it’s neat to be swimming along in a pool with beautiful waterfalls nearby 🙂

We had an absolutely AMAZING time, and agree that it’s one of our funnest days on our trip – we can’t wait to go back again, either as a couple (because it was super great to enjoy together) or as a whole family to see how it’d be for kiddos, too! If you’re considering taking a day to do the Atlantis Resort Aquaventure, both hubby and I highly recommend it – and don’t forget to do the Leap of Faith for bragging rights!

Which slide at Atlantis Resort Bahamas would YOU do first?

Check out our other posts from our cruising fun!

How to Date on a Cruise

5 Common Cruising Myths Debunked!

Why Shorter Cruises are Totally Worth It

I received this Carnival cruise complimentary to help facilitate this post. All opinions are mine alone. #CruisingCarnival

I can’t begin to tell you how much I enjoy writing about our recent anniversary trip, because it’s getting to sort through photos and fun memories for WORK! Not only that, but it took me a long while to be convinced to take my first cruise because of fear or worry, and I don’t want someone else to miss out on a great vacation for the wrong reasons! Today we’ve got 5 Common Cruising Myths Debunked to help you know more of the truth about how amazing cruising is.

1: Interior Rooms are Always Cheaper

So many people are convinced that if they want to keep their vacation as affordable as possible, they have to get an interior room. Okay, so this is true quite a bit of the time – but not always, so be careful so you don’t miss out on some of the other options! For example, sometimes cruise lines will discount remaining cabins that didn’t get filled super low right before the departure date, and since many believe interiors to be cheaper, I’ve noticed tons of times when balconies are now the same price or cheaper than interiors were. Be sure to check prices and discounts, and don’t just set your mind on an interior because you ‘believe’ it’ll save you money. Plus, there could be a space difference in the cabins, or proximity to certain areas or the main dining room, that make it actually more value for your money!

2: Cruises are Too Expensive for Families

I honestly believed this for the longest time, so much so that I actually sat down with a bunch of cruise itinerary prices, other vacation sites and prices, and a full-on spreadsheet to figure it out. Yes, I’m a dork – I love my spreadsheets! When it came down to it, taking your family on a cruise can actually be one of the most affordable and value-to-dollar vacations you could do!

Think about it, you’ve got to pay to get there which is a consideration for any trip. You’ve got hotel – but guess what? With a cruise, you pay your cabin fare – or ‘hotel’ – then the entertainment, food and most things are then included! Other trips you’d still have to have a meal and activities/entertainment/tickets column for expenses. Don’t forget about the included ‘Camp Carnival‘ which is a fun, supervision-provided, activity-filled day camp for the kiddos!

3: I’ll Gain a Lot of Weight

Everyone talks about the ’10 lb. gain’ you’re likely to get from cruises. Now this one CAN be true – after all, you’re surrounded by amazing food, with access any hour of the day, and all you can eat! That’s not even considering the specialty dining options available to you. Gaining 10 pounds in a week-long cruise isn’t a ridiculous thought. Here’s the thing – there’s so many ways to balance out all those calories you’ll be inhaling!

• Take the stairs on the ship instead of always dealing with the elevator (you can see more of the ship this way, too).
• The gym has excellent equipment – and often with a view right out over the ocean! They also offer a variety of fitness classes or even personal training (for an extra fee).
• Every ship I’ve been on has had a jogging (or walking) track, so go take a quick or slow stroll
• Swimming can burn a LOT of calories, as I’m sure the sports court, rock climbing walls, ice skating rinks and other adventurous activities (varies by ship) can

4: I’ll Probably be Sick the Whole Time

Of all my worries, THIS was the worst for me – I get motion sickness super bad, and I heard horror stories of sea sickness. Who wants to be miserable and sick their whole vacation? Sure the heck not me! I’m so glad I gave it a chance, though, because with the help of some Dramamine I had very little issues. If the seas were really rough a few times, I’d get a little ‘eh’, but never have thrown up. The staff on one of our cruises told me that it’s funny how many times they hear people say that they were sure they’d be sick, only to find out they’re just fine. Give it a try to know for sure!

5: Pack Plenty to be Prepared

Before our first cruise, tons of people told me to be sure to pack for a variety of weather, multiple clothing options in case I got wet or sweaty during the day, and several swimsuits. Guess what – I didn’t even use half of what I packed, so wasted some valuable space in our cabin with a ginormous suitcase for no reason!

Yes, you want to be prepared, but don’t stress about having multiple outfits for every single day. Check what the weather will likely be, have a jacket in case of a windy evening, take a nice dress/suit for elegant night(s) if you’ll be participating, and yes I’d recommend taking two swimsuits so one can dry while you wear the other one. I’m not the only one who hates putting on wet swimsuits, am I?

There’s plenty of good packing list ideas for cruises, so search online and use your best judgement. For a week-long cruise, I’ll be honest, it’s not a huge deal to wear the same thing twice (particularly bottoms) so don’t hesitate to mix and match pieces so you’re not packing way too much.

Bonus: You Can’t Fit More Than 3-4 People

Think you can’t go on a cruise with you family because there’s 5 or more of you, so you can’t be in the same room? While getting two joining rooms is definitely an option, it’s by no means the ONLY option for larger groups. There are larger cabins that can fit more – some, I’ve heard, can fit as many as 9 or even 14 in the massive ones! I’d recommend calling a helpful Carnival agent directly to discuss what options your family size has for staying together.

What’s holding YOU back from a fabulous cruise vacation?

Check out our other posts from our Carnival Cruise fun!

How to Date on a Cruise

Why Shorter Cruises are Totally Worth It

Atlantis Resort Bahamas: Our Aquaventure Day