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Dubai

How to spend 3 days in Dubai with kids

14 expert tips for flying with kids

I knew I'd love Dubai but I wasn't sure how great it would be for kids. The reality is, it's awesome! I'm sharing where we stayed, what we ate, and the cool things we did with the kids. Add it to your bucketlist today.

What to do in Dubai with kids

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🤔 So, what did I really think of our Princess C

🤔 So, what did I really think of our Princess Cruises experience? 🤔

The messages that I’ve been getting from you guys have been 50/50. Half of you want to know where to get my sandals or dresses 🤣 and the other half want to know what I/we thought of the cruise.

So here it is…

Rebel (first time cruiser) says, “I was never sure that cruising was for me, I didn’t think I fit the bill of a ‘cruiser’. Turns out there IS NO BILL! Cruising is for everyone. I’ve never had such a seamless holiday before. Everything was easy, everyone was helpful and those good vibes are contagious. I’m still dreaming about that MedallionClass service!”

And for me, on my 6th cruise, and my first with @princesscruisesau, I was impressed. The one word I think of is luxe. The vibe was chill, the details were considered, the beds are so good you can buy them to have at home, and the internet is the best at sea. Most impressive was the food, from the Horizon Court to the dining rooms, it didn’t skip a beat.

I think what impressed me most was the MedallionClass (the technology we wore as lanyards). Being able to order drinks and food from our phones and have it delivered wherever we were felt completely new age, and everything I want as a tired mum (let me sit here while you bring it to me! Ha!). The keyless entry to our stateroom was never not novel. It was the little things that made a big impression.

I would cruise again with @princesscruises. I’d cruise with girlfriends, and as a couple, and I think my girls would love it too (a slower pace than other cruises we’ve done with kids, but they’d love it all the same).

#ad We traveled as guests of Princess Cruises and @takingshapestyle

My number ONE tip for cruising 🛳️👇 I don'

My number ONE tip for cruising 🛳️👇

I don't know how many cruises you have to do to reach expert level (I did meet someone who had done 27, and I think she wins! 🤣) but I think I've learned a thing or two about life at sea. Even Rebel, who I traveled with, said to me at one point, "HOW DO YOU KNOW ALL THIS STUFF?!"

My answer: I've been cruisin' baby. 🤪

My number one tip? It's this.

Become a cruiser. 👸 Embody it. Embrace it. Enjoy it.

Do I play bingo at 3pm on a weekday? YES I DO.
Do I play trivia and while singing loudly with people I don't know? AB-SO-FREAKING LUTELY I DO.
Do I really need to eat 3 courses in a restaurant with water views? There is no other way.
Do I want to learn about the origins of Australian sparkling wine at 11am on a Thursday? YEP. I do.

I love that with cruising it's 99% all inclusive, so you checkout what's on offer each day, and I, with a highlighter and unbridled enthusiasm, max out the day with everything I want to do. Eat where you like, drink what you want (we got the Princess Plus package which meant for $65 a day our drinks were included - so worth it - plus other extras like fitness classes), and embrace all the fun, because you only live once. Wear your best clothes. Talk to the people.

(Or seriously, pull up a deck chair in The Sanctuary and ignore everyone and the whole world, because sometimes you've gotta do what you wanna do!).

And you're cruisin' baby.

If you've got any other questions about cruising, let me know in the comments! Happy to answer any questions you have!

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Thank you again to @takingshapestyle and @princesscruisesau for hosting us during our trip. I’m wearing the Luxe Summer Tier dress in the first picture. 💕 #cruising #cruiseholiday #australiancruisers #cruiselife #australianholidays

Instagram called me 😮 This is what I learned…

Instagram called me 😮 This is what I learned…👇

I was sitting in Bali when I got a call from an unknown number…

“Hey, this is Steven. I work at Instagram, I was wondering if you were free to chat for 10 minutes.”

Being in Bali I was already questioning everything, (Did I open my mouth in the shower this morning? 👀) so I thought there was really no harm in spending ten minutes on the phone to Steven, real or not (I just knew not to give out my password and he already knew my handle).

Turns out he was legit, and super nice, and he let me pick his brain on all things reels… and now I’m sharing with you. Here’s what he told me when I picked his brain:

1. Consistency is key. Posting once a day is ideal.
2. Be creative. Try something different. It’s the key to success (his words!).
3. Instagram wanted you to use their tools, and they’ll reward us with better engagement (interactive sticks, polls, Q&A).
4. Add captions/subtitles.
5. Follow trends for more exposure (which really means they want you to spend more time on IG researching trends, right? 😜)
6. Be authentic. Be you and be authentic.
7. Be relatable, show authenticity in your content - so that people can relate and see themselves in your reels.
8. Keep it simple. You don’t need to be fancy, and definitely don’t need high production.
9. Reply to comments. It helps with engagement. Duh!

Thanks Steven! Would you believe it if Instagram called you? 🤣  #socialmediatips #instagramtips #socialmediamarketing #socialmediamanager #instagram

OR to take a photo of said menu and then ZOOM in t

OR to take a photo of said menu and then ZOOM in to read it 👀

WHAT HAPPENED TO US? 😩🤣

What I wore on our cruise getaway ✨ I confess,

What I wore on our cruise getaway ✨

I confess, I don't do enough for myself. I wring myself dry for everyone and anyone, and then I never really get to myself. I know I'm not alone. Maybe you do the same?

So, I can't tell you the amount of joy this girls' cruise brought me. I didn't think about home, or the stresses that had kept me up the week before. I got 'concerned' 😜 about fickle things like whether I'd eat two servings of bread at dinner, or if I'd wear black shoes or tan.

I wore make-up. I did my hair. I derived utter joy from dressing up, and feeling good each day. I remembered what that felt like, and I *needed* to remember. With stresses over the past two years, I've gained weight. I feel like I'm dragging my body around. I'm working on it, but instead of scorning myself for where I am, I celebrated my body in clothes that made me feel good in my size 24/26 body.

I feel like this trip is a folded page in a favourite book. A moment in life that I've pinned, highlighted and stored to remember that feeling. This is who I am. This is what it feels like to nurture, love and celebrate who I am, as I am. I will return to this feeling, I will seek it, I will embrace it. 💕

A huge thank you to @takingshapestyle for sending Rebel and I on this trip with @princesscruisesau, and dressing us in the most beautiful pieces.

Scroll on through to see what I wore. I'm a size 24/26, and I'm wearing a size 24 in everything you see. Everything is currently 40% off, but it ends tonight. 😮 (I bought two of the 4th dress - the Luxe Glam Tier Dress - and Rebel bought one too. It is so stunning, and I know I'll wear the shit out of it!).

✨ The best things to do in Hobart ✨ We sailed

✨ The best things to do in Hobart ✨

We sailed into Hobart last week as part of our journey on @princesscruisesau Royal Princess, and we were so excited to be in beautiful Tasmania. When we were planning the trip, we tossed up a whole bunch of excursions, but I knew that had to see MONA, so we chose to self explore.

👉 We pre-booked our ferry to MONA, as well as the MONA entry, and got the first ferry over so that we could Jam Pack our day. We spent about two hours here, but you could easily spend more. It’s absolutely amazing, and I highly recommend it.

👉 After catching a ferry back to town, we went walking to explore and went into @takingshapestyle to try on some clothes and meet the team. Such a vibe!

👉 We then stopped by the oldest pub in Australia for a beer (or two) while we waited for our reservation for lunch. We met people from the ship, had a great chat with everyone in the pub.

👉 For lunch we headed to Pearl + Co so a seafood feast (oysters, cauliflower soup with scallop and fish). Seriously seafood in Tasmania is NEXT LEVEL!

👉 Then we went on the hunt for a scallop pie. We weren’t hungry, but sometimes you’ve got to do what you’ve got to do when in Hobart!

And then we headed back onto Royal Princess to shower and get ready for a night of dinner and dancing… where we finally retired at 3am. 💃💃

Wearing: Taking Shape Luxe Summer Glam Tier Dress (currently 40% off!) and Boiled Wool Coat (down from $299 to $54).  
#princesscruises #royalprincess #royalprincesscruise #cruiseholiday #girlsweekend #mumgetaway #visittasmania #sponsored

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