Life Update & Cruise Prep Mode Activated! 🧳⛴️✏️

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Sorry it’s been a little quiet over here — life decided to throw some curveballs and blessings at the same time. New job, new routine, new schedule… and whew 😅 adjusting has been a journey. With less free time, I am suddenly understanding why some people just pay travel planners and show up. Imagine the luxury of simply arriving with zero research stress!

…Although, let’s be real — I don’t know if I could actually do that. I like knowing what I’m walking into. Maybe one day I'll try an all-inclusive resort experience, but for now cruises feel like the perfect balance: semi-all-inclusive, lots to do, food ready and waiting, and no scrambling to book hotels or hunt for restaurants.

Plus, with the NCL app and the nightly daily cruise newsletter, I still get that little thrill of planning and circling activities like a kid picking summer camp electives. 😂

That said… I do still need to plan our time in port — and it looks like we get long days at each stop — close to 10 full hours! So much potential adventure packed into each port day, and you know we are EXCITED.

And the November weather forecast for Mexico?
Chef’s kiss. Perfect. 🌞🌊

(Disclaimer: Some of the links on here are affiliate links and I may earn if you click or buy on them, AT NO EXTRA cost to you. Hope you find the information here useful! Thanks.) 

✈️ The Wild Ride of Booking Flights

Oh boy, flights. Let me tell you — I had a moment. I knew I should’ve booked back in August when I first saw fares at $250 round-trip per person, but my brain is still living in a world where flights should magically be $100 round-trip. (Spoiler: that era is gone 💸💀)

Fast-forward to now — prices creeping toward $400+ round-trip thanks to holiday travel chaos, airline changes, and the whole “government shutdown” situation looming around travel operations… and I was panicking just a little bit.

BUT! Resourcefulness activated.
Because if there's one thing The Trekking Pawns love almost as much as travel, it's winning a travel deal.

Here’s the flight hack breakdown:

✈️ One-way to San Diego:
Southwest had a sale on points + surprise! We discovered we already had some.
Bought extra points for $60, used them + what we had, and only paid $11 in taxes.
Two tickets secured! 🙌

✈️ Return flights:
Stayed patient, checked prices every single morning.
Opened a OneKey credit card (Expedia’s program):

  • $150 statement credit

  • $300 OneKey points
    Boom → one flight basically covered.

Then got another OneKey card to snag another $400 in points — which covered the second return + extra for future travel. 🎉

Final damage?
About $250 out of pocket for two round-trip tickets during Thanksgiving week.
Not bad for a chaotic juggling act! 🧠💳🤹‍♂️

Did the price drop $30 in points the day after I booked one?
Yes. Did I sigh dramatically?
Also yes. 😆
Win some, lose some!

Lesson learned:
Don’t wait too long on flights around holidays.
Even when the cruise fare was a steal, Thanksgiving air travel comes to collect.

🌅 Next Up: EXCURSION PLANNING!

With flights done and countdown officially on, it’s time to start:

  • Researching adventures in Cabo & Puerto Vallarta & Mazatlan

  • Planning beach days, food stops, and maybe a little tequila tasting 😉

  • Checking packing lists

  • And dreaming about ocean sunsets and breakfast on the balcony ☕

We cannot wait to share the planning process, hacks, and eventually the trip itself with you.

Let the cruise prep officially begin! ⚓💙🇲🇽

— The Trekking Pawns

Stay tuned — and if you've got Mexican Riviera excursion recs, drop them our way!

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