Patti Southard and Wayne Lake opened Casa de Vino 57 about five years ago. From day one, their goal was to make everyone who visited the cozy wine bar tucked away on Treasury Street in St. Augustine feel like friends and family. The Boozy Blondes can attest – they felt so welcome and comfortable chatting with Patti and Wayne, they hung out for three hours after the interview, only dragging themselves away when their husbands said it was getting late and they were coming to pick them up!
While Wayne stuck to water during the interview, Patti enjoyed a glass of sparkling pinot noir rose, and the blondes shared a wine flight, which looked more like a wine tower! They loved the presentation of the flight and were told to drink from the bottom to the top (lighter wines are on the bottom of the flight and the wines get bolder as they go up).
Patti and Wayne got together years ago over their love of wine and dreamed of opening a wine bar. Wayne had years of experience working with wine, and Patti had years of experience drinking wine! Perfect! They found the property at 57 Treasury Street which included a beautiful courtyard and apartment above the downstairs bar. The original structure was the Joaneda House and built in 1806. It is one of the ten oldest structures in St. Augustine on the narrowest street in all of America!
In addition to its boutique wine selections, Casa de Vino 57 also offers beer and wine-based cocktails as well as amazing charcuterie boards with vegan cheese options! They host monthly wine walks and Full Moon Tastings as well as live music Thursdays – Sundays! You can join the Wine Club and schedule private wine tastings.
Be sure to follow Casa de Vino 57 on Facebook and Instagram and keep up with their website to stay in the know for all the fun events!
HAPPY NEW YEAR, Lushes! We are back, ringing in 2023 with Season 2 of the Boozy Blondes Podcast. This season promises more interviews with boozy influencers, owners and brewers, and we can’t wait to share the boozy travels this year has in store for your favorite booze travelers.
Molly and Chrissy are apart for most of the first half of 2023, so they plan to host happy hours with each other to discuss their separate boozy escapades and finds. Tune in to keep up with the adventures, starting with the first episode of Season 2 – episode 028 – releasing January 12, 2023. Chrissy is keeping warm with Brothers Bond bourbon, Owls Brew Boozy Tea, and espresso martinis in chilly Sky Valley, Georgia, while Molly drives south back to sunny Florida after surviving the bitter cold of PA for Christmas.
Special shout outs to the team at Napa South, @chandrasekharkartik and the blondes’ favorite field drinker Tanya! If you have a question for the Boozy Blondes, send a DM to @boozy.blondes on Instagram or email boozyblondespodcast@gmail.com.
They did it! The girls successfully completed Season 1 of the Boozy Blondes Podcast! In this final episode of 2022 they review what went well, where they would like to improve, favorite stops on their adventures and goals for next year.
The DOE is Champagne! Finishing Season 1 calls for a celebration and what better libation than Champagne!
Some fun stats from Season 1:
Instagram Followers: 400+
Listeners: 767 plays across 9 countries over 4 platforms
And some goals for Season 2:
Instagram Followers: prediction!! 1500 followers as of Nov 3, 2023!
Listeners: 1000 listens by the end of 2022
More interviews!
Strategically attracting more booze followers
The girls are extremely grateful for your support and are excited to see where 2023 takes them and this podcast! They are so thankful to have the opportunity to collaborate with and meet boozy friends along this journey and know Season 1 was just the beginning!
An ongoing tradition for the Boozy Blondes is to visit Sky Valley, Georgia, between Christmas and the new year. This episode gives you a raw look into a typical New Year’s Eve celebration during their trip – the annual Tournament of Champions – the favorite Drinking at Home night of the year! This year the group added an extra element to the tournament – Secret Santa onesies! Each player had to wear a onesie chosen by another competitor.
Today there is no DOE. The girls never mention what they are drinking in this episode, but it is very apparent they were overindulging prior to (and during?) recording.
The annual Tournament of Champions involves a bracket-style competition of seven games:
Pool
Shuffleboard
Darts
Foosball
Flip Tac Toe
Blackjack
Asshole
Six competitors go head-to-head to earn points in each game – the player with the most total points at the end wins a coveted spot on the podium. The girls interview the competitors following the 2022 tournament and ask them all the same questions:
Which of the competitors would you choose to battle one on one?
Who had the best onesie?
What game should be added to Tournament of Champions?
Which of the seven games in Tournament of Champions do you play the most in real life?
Who would you trade onesies with?
Listen to this sometimes cringy yet entertaining episode for an uncensored peek into the real world of drinking with the Boozy Blondes, and get to know the other Tournament of Champions competitors a little bit too – Rainer, Joey, Rachel and Phil.
1st place | Joey 2nd place | Chrissy 3rd place | Rachel 4th place | Rainer 5th place | Phil 6th place | Molly
Beware of high-pitched voices!
What are some of your favorite games that would be good for the Boozy Blondes to add to Tournament of Champions for next year? DM the girls on Instagram (@boozy.blondes) with your suggestions!
Wow. Chrissy really has made the podium every year! Impressive!
Get ready, lushes! The Boozy Blondes are sharing their recipe for the best ways to drink at home! Sure, cuddling up with your favorite glass of wine in the best seat in the house qualifies as drinking at home, but this episode takes it to another level. If you’ve been listening to the Boozy Blondes podcast over the past 20-some episodes, you know these girls take their drinking seriously – and always up a notch!
Drinking at Home Recipe (easy!) – 3 parts guests – one hearty serving of libations – a dash of the perfect theme
Mix these together for execution, and voila! Drinking at home just went up a level. The Boozy Blondes have hosted many different themed parties over the years of their friendship and give listeners insight how to recreate some of their faves:
WOW Party – Wine of the World…each guest or couple brings a bottle of wine and dish to share from an assigned country. Put out score cards for wines, and recommend guests bring a food that pairs well with their bottle. Make sampling stations, and enjoy!
Oktoberfest Party – host a night making flower crowns with your friends prior to the event. Create name tags with German names and host a German games competition.
Sports Party – when your favorite team is playing, it’s fun to lean in to the colors. Serve drinks and food that compliment your team’s jerseys!
Crocket Party – this is an oxymoron of a party – it’s a redneck version of croquet in fancy white outfits! Grab those plastic flutes for Champagne, pinkies up while eat tea sandwiches and survive the wickets!
Lockdown during Covid taught the girls to get creative with virtual activities while drinking at home. Virtual Bingo, Beer Pong, Drawful and You Don’t Know Jack were some of the best virtual drinking at home nights.
Yard Game Tournaments are a Boozy Blondes fave! Whether you go all out with team costumes and brackets or just get the gang together to throw horseshoes or bags, a little competition always keeps things interesting! The girls have been team HoboMolecule for at least 15 years now!
Along with yard games, card games and board games add some competition to your drinking at home night. YouTube has a great Power Hour series; the girls especially love the Totally Rad 90s Power Hour!
Hosting a beer tasting at home is a fun way to try new varieties. This has become a tradition for the Boozy Blondes during their annual trip to Sky Valley. Pick out some beers (or ask guests to each bring a six pack), set up sampling stations and download this handy beer tasting sheet! This is a great way to find beers you love – or hate! Be sure to have your camera ready to capture the bitter beer faces!
What are some of your favorite games/themes when drinking at home? Let the Boozy Blondes know in the comments below!
Settle in, lushes! We are crossing the pond and drinking abroad today! We highly recommend this episode if you’re planning a trip to Greece or Italy, or if you’d like to live vicariously through one of the Boozy Blondes and her fabulous trip overseas!
The DOE is aperol spritz (3 parts Champagne, 2 parts aperol, 1 part sparkling water over ice). In Italy spritz is big, made with any aperitif + Champagne + fizzy water. All the locals drink spritzes (especially as a day drink) and most often they are served with crisps (chips) or snack towers. This is your pro tip – order a spritz, it’s the best value – for about 5€ you get a drink and snacks!
Chrissy’s trip spanned over 19 days – and it was full of planes, trains and automobiles. And boats. Her trip was in late March/early April which is typically the off-season in Italy and Greece. During the off-season you can expect a low amount of tourists, it’s easy to get into restaurants, hotel rates are discounted, but the weather is hit or miss and not everything is open. Locals recommend traveling In September.
In this episode Chrissy shares travel tips, favorite bars and differences in the drinking culture as she takes listeners through her adventures in Italy and and cruising through Greece. She visits:
Milan, Italy
Venice, Italy
Padua/Padova, Italy
Verona, Italy
Madonna della Corona, Italy
Bolzano, Italy
Kotor, Montenegro
Mykonos, Greece
Santorini, Greece
Bari, Italy
One drinking culture difference in Italy – the coffee game is strong. Coffee bars are actual bars, and there are different trends for different times of day. In the morning grab coffee and snacks, breakfast pastries or meatballs. Meatballs for breakfast?! This may be the one exception to Molly’s “no morning meat” rule. They sound delish. Don’t get comfy though; locals enjoy their coffee and snacks while standing at the bar and move on. Starting around 11am the coffee bars start serving spritz and chips (crisps) – unlike breakfast, you can sit down for this one. Later in day, around 7 pm-ish is cicchetti (happy hour), then after 8pm, it’s time for wine with dinner.
Chrissy’s favorite bars in Italy:
– Vino Vero (Venice) – Chrissy enjoyed a cooking class in Venice with Lorenzo. (Lorenzo’s house made the favorite bar list too). He recommended his favorite at Vino Vero, Amarone wine.
Chrissy boarded her cruise ship from Venice and immediately noticed a big difference from the cruises the Boozy Blondes frequent in the Caribbean (listen to Episode 013 Booze Cruise for tips to making the most out of your weekend cruise). This particular European cruise was filled with young families, the drink package was not a priority (she was willing to bet she and Phil were the only ones with a drink package – they were ship favorites with the bartenders!), the activities were not in English, and it was a “commuter cruise” – people were boarding and debarking in all the ports. But similar to the Caribbean cruises, the ship docked in beautiful places!
The first stop was Kotor, Montenegro which was so picturesque or rather, Game of Thrones-esque, as Chrissy describes it. There were cats everywhere (they are protected), and Christmas is very big there. Chrissy recommends Caesar’s Wine Bar for the best charcuterie board and inexpensive wine.
The next port was Mykonos – a party place in season, but it was pretty much shut down when Chrissy was there. It reminded her of a little Venice and she visited Mykonos Brewing Company with Yoshi! (This is the only brewery on the island). She recommends Katerina’s Bar on water with great views and Captain’s.
There was one place Chrissy wanted to visit more than anywhere else – Santorini! “I had happy tears the whole time!” she says. While more places were open here than in Mykonos there still weren’t many tourists. If you visit, go to the Meteor Cafe in Oia and the Venetsanos Winery. Guests can take a tour here, and they offer a tasting flight with a meat and cheese board.
The last port was Bari, but Chrissy didn’t get off the boat this day. Perhaps an excuse to go back?
Chrissy’s parting tips in this episode:
You know it’s a long day of travel to get overseas – it helps to have airline club level (check out airline credit card deals if you aren’t currently a member) – long layovers = expensive bar trips otherwise
book First class on trains – she experienced both First and General fares and the ease of logistics and lack of stress in First Class is well worth the price
Pay for the international data plan for phones – download google maps and gps routes to avoid getting lost when there is no service or Internet
When in Venice, splurge for a private water taxi, not a vaparetto (Chrissy describes a vaparetto as a bus on water – it’s only 7 to 15 euro OW or you can buy daily, weekly or monthly passes, whereas a private taxi is about 90 euro but it takes your door to door rather than a random vaparetto stop. When you arrive in Venice, depending where the stop is in relation to your lodging, you may have to drag your luggage through streets quite a ways
Have you traveled to any of these locations? What are some of your must-sees?
Traditionally when you hear “Miami,” your mind instantly goes to palm trees, fashion, expensive cars, South Beach and non-stop parties. But did you know Miami is home to 40 breweries and beer halls nestled among the cute suburbs of its downtown? Miami hosts an often overlooked craft beer scene and the Boozy Blondes tackle a sliver of it in this episode.
The DOE is Vape Life by Tank8 at The Fermentorium in southeastern Wisconsin (hear more about the Fermentorium in Episode 12). Vape Life is a Cotton Candy IPA and the girls’ favorite beer ever! The also cracked cans of delicious Spa Goggles, a 4% ABV gose with cucumber and lime flavors from Ology Brewing in Tallahassee, Florida, since they crushed Vape Life in no time.
So the girls ventured south to Miami for Molly’s birthday. They planned a day-drinking brewery tour day and a Brewers game since they were playing the Miami Marlins. During the drive they stopped halfway to Miami in Sebastian, Florida, at Pareidolia Brewing Company. Pareidolia’s definition according to Miriam Webster is the tendency to perceive a specific, often meaningful image in a random or ambiguous visual pattern // the human ability to see shapes or make pictures out of randomness (like an ink blot test or seeing pictures in clouds). The blondes loved this concept and noticed multiple examples in the decor of the brewery. The logo is a perfect example of a pareidolia – it’s a barrel but it looks like a face!
Pareidolia opened in 2014 and was the first craft brewery in the area. Fun fact, the owners also co-founded the Treasure Coast Wine & Ale Trail: 9 breweries, one winery, one cidery and one meadery! You know the girls want to tackle this trail!
Anyway Pareidolia is family friendly and dog friendly, with a brew room, taproom and outdoor area. They feature live music, beer, wine, seltzer, cider, and food. As you know, food is very important to the Boozy Blondes, so shout out to drinklocalflorida.com who makes it so easy to find breweries with food in different parts of the state.
Before they left, the girls announced the winner of their Coppertail BrewingBeer it Forward contest – congrats to @seang_thatsme for winning a beer courtesy of the Boozy Blondes! Be sure to follow Pareidolia on Facebook and Instagram to keep up with all that’s happening here!
Second stop was Pompano Beach for a Happy Hour booze cruise to Lake Boca. Big thanks to Mike and Colleen, the booze cruise hosts – Mike even listened to Episode 13 (Booze Cruise) so he was prepared for the Boozy Blondes! After spending time on the water the crew stopped at Nauti Dawg Marina Cafe in Lighthouse Point for dinner. They enjoyed pretzels, burgers and grouper Reubens and were impressed by the fantastic service at this waterfront restaurant.
From here it was time to finish the journey south and check in to the hotel. They girls stayed in Brickell, Miami’s financial district and close to Wynwood where the brewery crawl would take place.
Wynwood is a beautiful, trendy suburb of Miami, and the girls definitely did not have enough time here! It’s an art district with over 70 galleries and murals everywhere! First stop in Wynwood was Cerveceria la Tropical – Cuba’s oldest brewery, but one of Miami’s youngest breweries. The girls were blown away when they walked up to this brewery. It’s stunning. Stunning! It’s pet friendly, open and airy with the brewery, tap room, beer garden, stage, kitchen and full bar all on site. Listen to this episode to hear the amazing history of this brewery stemming from its Cuban roots.
Chrissy drank the Mameycita (La Tropocal’s version of a pain killer) and had the Cuban sandwich. Molly enjoyed a flight of Nativo Key Suave IPA (4.5%) which was poured tank to glass, Noche Tropical (4.6% Schwartzbier), Tropicalista IPA (6.9%), and Berry Blush (5% wheat beer). She also had the Fields Forever cocktail (basil infused vodka, guava, strawberry and St. Germain) and ate smashed Brussels and Yucca fries.
The girls begrudgingly pulled themselves away to hit another brewery on their list but definitely want to return to Cerveceria La Tropical soon! Follow them on Facebook and Instagram for events and specials.
While it was difficult to leave La Tropical, the girls were glad they did because their next stop was Veza Sur Brewing, which they also loved! Veza Sur is home to a brewery, taproom and beer garden – and delicious beer and creative beer cocktails! It’s pet friendly, has lots of games and hosts a food truck on site. It’s adorable inside with a giant bookshelf behind the bar displaying hundreds of fun knickknacks.
Chrissy opted for a beer cocktail, Shoot the Moon, a super tart concoction of Veza Sur’s guava sour mixed with fresh Florida citrus, house brewed Campari and mint. Molly again ordered a flight that came with a bonus cafe con flan (5.6% ABV coffee porter topped with flan)! The other beers on her flight were Chismosa Raspberry Wheat Ale (6.4%), Lulo Sour (3.8%), Prickly Pear Sour (6%) and Key Lime Sour (6%). Everything was so good!
Veza Sur offers daily happy hour specials so be sure to follow them on Facebook and Instagram.
Because the girls spent so much time at these two breweries, they were unable to visit any others. They had to get back and changed for the Brewers game at loanDepot Park, home of the Miami Marlins. The girls were impressed by the stadium and really enjoyed the game and atmosphere. Pro tip – if you arrive early hit the Bud bar in left field for $3.05 beers! During the game you can visit the 305 Concession Stand for $3 hot dogs and $5 beers (12oz cans). loanDepot Park is also home to Biscayne Bay Brewing Company!
While not on this trip, Chrissy was able to visit some other great breweries and bars in the Miami area:
3 Sons Brewing in Dania Beach, Florida. 3 Sons boasts “out of the box brewing” offering unique flavors and awesome food! It’s family-run and family friendly. During her visit Chrissy enjoyed Fer Sherbet (7.2% sour), Sour Scoop (8%) and Smooth Ops Pina Colada (6% Smoothie-style Hard Seltzer). She also ordered the ceviche! Has anyone ever has brewery ceviche before? It’s excellent at 3 Sons!
J Wakefield Brewing in Wynwood, Miami. This brewery is perfect for the Boozy Blondes – it offers lots of sours! This brewery is independently owned and used crowd funding to open its first brewery.
So while South Beach is fabulous and fun, the greater Miami area also has lots to offer and the Boozy Blondes and have only begun to scratch the surface. ¡Dale!
Tune in to the Boozy Blondes’ most magical episode! 💫
There is something special about the magic of drinking in the most magical place on earth that keeps bringing them back to the annual EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival. Over the past 15 years or so, the girls counted at least ten trips to the gluttonous festival which holds some of their favorite memories.
The DOE is Imperial Crazy Mona from Tabula Rasa Brewing in Jacksonville, Florida. This Porter is aged in Rye Barrels for 18 months and is 11% – a little strong for these two, which is apparent as they giggle and gush about all the fun EPCOT brings!
The EPCOT International Food & Wine Festival is “a taste tour across six continents, drinking around the world, travel, friends, food, booze – it has it all.” The Disney Food Blog provides tons of information and resources and describes the festival “…featuring incredible special events, informative culinary and beverage demonstrations, celebrity chefs, and delicious Marketplace Food Booths around the park, this annual event is a can’t miss part of the Disney calendar!”
The blondes discuss a brief history of the festival and share their insider tips to make your boozy adventure as amazing as possible. They start by sharing their must-brings to Food & Wine.
Top Things to Bring
Mickey or Minnie Ears – with endless options thanks to Etsy, you can purchase your ears at the park or before you go. Molly recommends the Etsy shop DearestEars for comfy and unique options.
Matching Shirts – again, thank you, Etsy, for endless options of unique, customizable products. There is no end to the Disney Drinking puns (bibbidi, bobbidi, booze…drunkest of them all…tale as old as wine…drinking beauty)! Fun fact – the blondes’ squad wore custom festival tees long before Etsy was a thing!
Food & Wine Passport – trust the boozy experts; it’s very difficult to remember all the delicious food and beverages consumed after a full day at the park. Passports like the one sold in the Etsy shop SansoneStationery are a great way to remember all those calories the next day – and remember what you loved so you can look for those items on your next visit.
Gift Card Wristlet – you can purchase these at select stores inside Epcot. It’s a handy way to hold your money – just swipe at each kiosk!
Backpack – some essential supplies are sun block, Chapstick, water bottles and a light hoodie, but slinging a bag over your shoulders allows your hands to be free to eat or double-fist drinks! Plus you can store any souvenirs you might pick up along the way.
Comfy Shoes – plan on walking A LOT. A full lap around the World Showcase is 1.2 miles – that does not include future world nor walking to your mode of transportation. So be good to your feet!
Sunblock – duh. It’s Florida, the Sunshine State. And most of your day will be spent outside.
A Plan – there is a lot to see and do and eat and drink. Map out your path and must-sees/must-consumes before you go. Plan a timeout spot.
Boozy Blondes Pro Tips
As stated just above – plan a timeout. Make reservations for the middle of your day to take a break from the insanity and outdoor elements.
Avoid the main entrance – it’s really cool to walk into Epcot and see Spaceship Earth, but using the World Showcase entrance in between France and the UK will save you tons of time and hassle.
Get a gift card – even if you don’t want to wear the wristlet, get a gift card and load it with your desired spending limit. Gift cards make it easy to pay and also keep you in check if you’re on a budget. Once you’ve drained the funds, reevaluate – time to go or time to reload?
Buy your Mickey or Minnie ears from Etsy. There are plenty of options at Epcot, but it’s always great to support local businesses, and the blondes have found Etsy options to be more comfortable than those at the park. If you have a Ears shop, please let the Boozy Blondes know! They would love to support your shop! They also want to add Boozy Blondes ears to their collection!
Start later in the day. It’s a long day, and it’s day drinking.
Check out the bar in Morocco. It’s a full bar and when the girls have gone, it hasn’t been very crowded, especially compared to other bars around the World Showcase.
If possible, avoid weekends.
If you can’t do the Food & Wine festival, try the Flower & Garden festival!
Going with a group? Make a theme – it’s fun and it’s easy to find members of your squad when you’re all wearing the same theme.
Pack a hangover recovery kit.
Plan brunch the next day. Yes, the whole point of the Food & Wine festival is to indulge and be gluttonous. But you will be hungry the next day, and brunch is a great way to relax and relive the adventures from the day before.
Wdwnt.com – Chrissy’s favorite Food & Wine app comes from here and all the kiosk menus are posted each year as well.
Please share your tips with the Boozy Blondes so they can continue to enhance their trip to the Food & Wine Festival every year! If you’re able to make a trip to this festival, the 2022 dates are July 14 – November 19.
What could be better than thrill rides, a safari, you best friends and a beer festival?! Not much, according to the Boozy Blondes. That’s why they love the annual Tampa Bay Busch Gardens Bier Fest!
The girls sip on one of their favorite bourbons, Woodford Reserve. There was a special Woodford tasting tent at Bier Fest where the girls definitely spent some time!
So last year, Bier Fest ran on every weekend from August 13 – October 31. The 2022 dates for Bier Fest are only Aug 12 – Sept 5! That’s not even a full month! But unlike 2021, it does not coincide with Howl-o-Scream (much to Molly’s delight). So there is a small window, but if you can make it, GO. The blondes loved it and would absolutely attend again.
With your Busch Gardens admission ticket you have access to Bier Fest. Each item, food or beverage, is sold ala carte. Food ranges from about $6 – $10 per item, and drinks are about $11. BUT! They offer a sampler ticket! This is a must-have. If you listened to the Booze Cruise episode, you’ll remember the girls discussing the drink package. They both love to purchase this ahead of time so the trip is worry-free when it comes to tallying up drink costs. This Busch Gardens Bier Fest Sampler is kind of like that. When purchased, the holder gets a card with a lanyard that gets punched with each sample – food or beverage (note, it’s full size food offerings, but 7oz beer or cocktail samples). Prepay and taste away!
The girls started out slow, hoarding their punches while they rode rides and explored the park, but with one hour to spare they realized they had a lot of drinking to do! As the tents were preparing the close, the girls rushed around collecting samples to fulfill the Sampler – beer, wine, bourbon – they had it all!
Both girls loved the bison sliders – that was the favorite food of the day. Unless you count the sugarcane straws that came with the girls’ mixed drinks. Chrissy ate her straw faster than she drank her drink!
Much of this episode talks about Howl-o-Scream and Halloween Horror Nights – places Chrissy desperately wants to take Molly who is insistent that she will never go. Be sure to listen to this episode if you want to join Chrissy in the “let’s scare the sh!t out of Molly” campaign.
If you are considering visiting Busch Gardens Bier Fest, this episode is a must listen to. The girls talk about the ups and downs of the fest, some of the rides they enjoyed and animals they encountered. If you attend this year, or have in the past, definitely share your experience and pictures with the Boozy Blondes!
In this episode the Boozy Blondes get in vacation mode, sipping their official go-to cruise drinks, talking all things cruising. If you could consider cruising a sport, the girls would take first place every time. Chrissy is an old vet at the cruise game and taught Molly her ways – even though she has a long way to catch up to Chrissy’s experience, Molly is a quick learner and together the girls absolutely crush cruising.
The DOE and official go-to cruise drink is spiced rum and ginger beer. At home, the girls typically use Captain Morgan or Sailor Jerry’s for rum, but they are split on the ginger beer. Chrissy prefers Goya brand for its extra spice and Molly prefers Fever Tree or Q Mixers (because she doesn’t like flavor especially spice).
When on the cruises, the girls go with Kraken rum while the boys love Zacapa. On Chrissy’s group birthday cruise in 2019, the group was known as the Zacapa crew; all the bartenders knew that’s what the group was drinking when they’d walk up to the bars!
For years Molly was convinced she should never step foot on a cruise ship. Every time she was invited, and even times when she had them booked, something would happen that prevented her from going. Finally in 2018 the sun and the stars and the moon aligned, and her butt got on that ship. And she was hooked! “Cruise Molly” is the happiest person you will ever meet, and Chrissy was thrilled because her partner in crime would now scheme with her to get on even more cruises.
So even though the girls are obsessed and highly recommend cruising anytime you can, cruising is not for everyone. While the girls have avoided getting seasick, some people are more sensitive to that. Others feel claustrophobic being stuck on the ship. And there are stereotypes with cruising – the short weekend cruises are non-stop partying benders and the week-long cruises are full of old people. Just remember, it’s what YOU make it.
At time of recording, the girls have only ever cruised on Royal Caribbean (since then, Chrissy has cruised overseas on a different cruise line), and they love it. The following information applies to cruising on Royal Caribbean – the girls aren’t sure if the same rules apply on other cruise lines.
Most if not all cruise lines have a private island, and Royal Caribbean’s CocoCay has really upped its game over the years. In 2019, they opened the newly renovated island. They built a dock all the way to the ship so you no longer have to take a tender (those are not fun) and built cabanas, pools and a water park!
So as Boozy Blondes, the girls are huge fans of purchasing the drink package ahead of time – the deluxe beverage package which includes booze, of course. Before your cruise, watch the website for sales because it’s close to $100/day without any discounts. Having peace of mind when it comes to an all-inclusive experience makes the girls happy, as opposed to keeping track of how many drinks they’ve had and wondering what that final bill will look like at the end of the cruise. The drink package also works on the private island, so you don’t have to pay for your drinks individually there – there are exceptions, like the pineapple drinks. Those are not included. They are super sticky, but make great pictures!
The drink package includes bottled water, coffee, discounts on bottles of wine and tastings too! Speaking of wine, you are also allowed to bring two bottles per stateroom on board with you. Even if you purchase the drink package, it’s nice to have these bottles in your room for while you’re getting ready or relaxing on the balcony. #backupbooze
The girls put together some lists for you – including their favorite things about cruising, pro-tips, packing tips and general things you need to know.
Favorite things:
The fact that you wake up in a new place every day
Great for group trips – everyone does their own booking, can customize to their preferences
It’s a choose your own adventure trip – so many options
The themed parties (provided by ship or you plan one for your group)
All the games – trivia, bingo, casino
Live music
Dinners – gluttonous but so fun and always delicious
Drink package – the girls love getting boozy “for free” (they pay ahead of time, they know)
Pro tips:
Watch for discounts online and purchase packages and excursions before you leave
Bring 2 bottles of wine per stateroom on board
Go to Windjammer in the AM – they sometimes have carts with mimosa and other drinks
Make friends with your servers – they will take excellent care of you and customize your dining experience
Things to know:
Tips/gratuity is included in price of cruise, but bring cash for servers and housekeeping for end of trip
No irons in room – can get laundry service
Some cruises come with drink packages and some offer different tiers
You can reserve event space for private parties – and some rooms are free! Others you pay for with private bar and bartender
For the drink package, all persons in stateroom must buy it if one person does
You can get non-alcohol drink packages
You can order water service to have bottles delivered to your room
Special cruise cups (like the boozy blondes cups above)
Plastic bags for wet clothes
Dry erase boards
Lanyard + hole punch
Command or 3M hooks
Pump hand soap
It’s always good to research your ports before you go. While the cruise line offers excursions, you can find some pretty awesome places on your own. The girls found Rip Ty’d in Nassau on their most recent cruise, and met Christine, the owner, while they were there. Watch for the Behind the Booze episode to launch later this year!
Do you have pro tips for the girls when it comes to cruising? Please share them in the comments!
Boozy Blondes 