Cruise Tips - Home Away from Home

I am on the final day of a Panama Canal cruise on DCL. It has been wonderful, but a small case of homesickness has set in. There are things to which I cannot wait to return. Not that I’ve actually done anything to remedy my bittersweet yearnings but if my shortcomings can help someone else I will not have suffered in vain.

My top five tips to avoid homesickness:

Choose a stateroom that requires you to walk by a guest laundry area. Sounds silly but the humid smell of drying clothes layered with a little fabreeze and bounce is like a quick trip home without sacrificing that evening’s trip to the buffet.
Set up a slide show on your computer or tablet loaded with pictures of the people you’re going to miss.
Sign up for international texting while you’re away. It’s super affordable and my carrier allows unlimited photo and video messages.
Bring a small infuser of your favorite scent. No candles or incense on a ship, but this tip can help mingle your verandah room’s fresh ocean breeze with vanilla patchouli juniper berry surprise.
Bring a t-shirt of hoodie emblazoned with your hometown or alma mater. It starts conversations and helps you make new friends. I stop everyone that has a WI “W” on their t-shirt. Sadly many of them are from Wyoming or Washington, but every once in a while I get lucky.