family vacation Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips https://www.thriftymommastips.com/tag/family-vacation/ Travel, Health & Family Thu, 16 Apr 2026 19:54:19 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=7.0.4 https://www.thriftymommastips.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/03/cropped-thrifty_logo_header-32x32.png family vacation Archives — Thrifty Mommas Tips https://www.thriftymommastips.com/tag/family-vacation/ 32 32 77340857 The Harmony of the Seas Cruise Ship – Seven Things You NEED to Know https://www.thriftymommastips.com/the-harmony-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-seven-things-you-need-to-know/ https://www.thriftymommastips.com/the-harmony-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-seven-things-you-need-to-know/#comments Tue, 13 Jun 2017 13:06:08 +0000 https://www.thriftymommastips.com/?p=17019 The Harmony of the Seas Cruise Ship is an amazing and entertaining cruise ship vessel. But there were a few NEED TO KNOW things I couldn’t fit into the first post about our experience cruising with Royal Caribbean earlier this year. It’s only fitting that the biggest cruise ship on the ocean (as of January 2017) The Harmony of the Seas Cruise Ship demand a couple of posts. Most Asked Harmony of the Seas Questions Here are the answers to your most pressing questions about this cruise ship. Is it too big? Will I wait for everything? What kind of room is best when I cruise with the Harmony of the Seas? What age should my children be before I book a cruise on the Harmony of the Seas? As I noted in an earlier post, The Harmony of The Seas cruise ship is a massive vessel. Bigger is not better for everyone. Even if you do fall in love with the boat and the amenities, there are a few quirky things you need to know before booking so that you can get the most out of your cruise. Great Family Travel Option We’ve cruised several times now and love this as an option for family travel. Cruising is an affordable way to travel, especially with younger children. But with any cruise line, or cruise ship, there are a few little things that you really need to be aware of before you book. These seemingly small things can make a big impact. Seven Things You Need to Know Before you Vacation on Harmony of the Seas IS SIZE A FACTOR? This is a massive boat. If you don’t like bigger cruise ships don’t book this one. Sometimes waiting with thousands of people is a PITA. Now let me stress that we rarely had a huge wait for anything important like meals. Service in the dining rooms was incredible. Luggage arrived quickly when boarding and we were on and off the boat pretty quickly too. The design of this boat is clever. Traffic flows on the ship. There are very few bottlenecks. Elevators But there are some things you will wait for as a result of the massive ship’s size. ELEVATORS. You will always wait for elevators on a cruise of this size. In fact, every cruise ship has this issue. Taking the stairs is smart because everyone I know gains weight on a cruise. (Food is unreal typically) Plan to wait the day you board and go to the Muster Stations for the mandatory safety demonstration. Bar drinks are often in high demand so there’s a wait of course especially after excursions. Wait, if and when you want a drink, or if you want to sign up for the drink plan, when you get on board. Make sure you have dining reservations or you will wait. Entertainment is another area where you need some patience. Lineups can be long. Flow-Rider and the Zipline always have a big lineup. AND the character photo opportunities will always have a lineup.  The Harmony of the Seas Cruise Ship The Harmony of the Seas Cruise Ship is a non stop entertaining adventure for all. We did Eastern Caribbean when we traveled with this cruise line in 2017. Our family loved several things about this Harmony of the Seas cruise. Do your research and be prepared for the occasional wait. Pay attention to all of these tips when booking and you will have a much sweeter vacation aboard.

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]]> https://www.thriftymommastips.com/the-harmony-of-the-seas-cruise-ship-seven-things-you-need-to-know/feed/ 9 17019 The Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina, Martin County, Florida https://www.thriftymommastips.com/marriott-resort-hutchinson-island-martin-county-florida/ https://www.thriftymommastips.com/marriott-resort-hutchinson-island-martin-county-florida/#comments Tue, 19 Jul 2016 13:35:23 +0000 https://www.thriftymommastips.com/?p=13205 The Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina is one of the nicest places I’ve ever stayed. The atmosphere is upscale. The location is fantastic and the surroundings are truly gorgeous, but the service here is the star of the show. This June I was invited to do a travel writing gig in Martin County, Florida. I was staying in Indian River County for a couple of days and having a blast trying paddle boarding and kayaking. Quite frankly I lost all track of time and just finished up my activities, when I realized I was expected in Martin County at the Hutchinson Island, Marriott Beach Resort and Marina. Luckily the drive to the Stuart Beach area from Vero Beach area is super straightforward. I tossed all my clothing hastily into my suitcase and headed north. A tropical storm had been winding through Florida when I arrived, but it started to leave shortly after I arrived in Stuart Beach area. That was good, because I was ready to explore. But first, I was hungry. After a speedy check in and a quick refresh in my spacious, immaculate room at the Marriott Resort, Hutchinson Island, I was starving. I accepted the recommendation of the staff at the Marriott and popped into the Baha Grille. I was not disappointed at all. I am not really a white fish girl, but I had a tonne of seafood in Indian River County and figured I would try something a little different. The person who checked me in earlier in the day recommended Grouper and I was ridiculously happy I took him up on that. The Baha Grille was casual with a wide range of dishes and an extensive wine list. The prices are standard for a resort restaurant. This dish was not inexpensive at around $26, but it was so worth it. Grouper in a light mushroom sauce. I never ever in a million years would think of pairing fish with mushrooms. The grouper was moist and perfectly flavourful. I can barely write about it without getting hungry. If ever at the Marriott Resort Hutchinson Island, have the grouper. I had a small appetizer off the chef’s specials menu  consisting of cream cheese won tons. The appetizer was good, but a little bit greasier than I like. The meals also come with a bread service. The food was wonderful and the service was on point. This was the best meal I had in Martin County. The Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina is about 20 minutes from Stuart, the tiny coastal town, voted America’s Happiest Seaside Town 2016 by Coastal Living.com. The resort is also close to Stuart Beach, The Florida Oceanographic Institute, and is within walking distance to the Elliott Museum. It is a short drive from Hobe Sound. My room was in the main building and it faced the pool. It was well decorated, fresh and lovely. There was a balcony overlooking the pool and hot tub area. The second floor room had a large washroom with shower and bath. There was a coffee nook and bar fridge near the entry. Despite my concerns that a pool facing room might be loud at night, all noise ended by 9 p.m. There is ample parking at the Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina. The resort itself is massive and there’s a shuttle there that will take you to the beach or marina. The Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina is halfway between Orlando and Miami. It’s a 200 acre resort on an island bordered by the Atlantic Ocean beaches and the Intracoastal Waterway. The resort features 274 deluxe newly renovated accommodations with 224 guest rooms and 50 suites. The Sandpiper Building is locate directly on the ocean. The resort offers a wide range of activities and it is also very family friendly. I would happily return for a lengthier stay. The location of The Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina is perfection. I was able to use it as home base while exploring the cutest coastal town ever – Stuart, then riding the Stuart Trolley, before visiting Elliott Museum and the Florida Oceanographic. Because of the closeness to Stuart Beach I was able to take a surfing lesson at surfing camp before I left for home. The Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina The pool and hot tub area is beautiful. There is poolside service of course and staff are both friendly and efficient. Hutchinson Island Marriott Beach Resort and Marina is located at 555 NE Ocean BLVD, Stuart, Florida. I was a guest of the Martin County Tourism Board and Visit Florida while in the area and received compensation, flights, meals, accommodations and other perks while there. My opinion is all my own and it is truthful.

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