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Athens photo dump + photo tips (SAVE + SHARE this Athens photo dump + photo tips (SAVE + SHARE this post)! Also get you a tripod, mine is also a selfie stick which I love. It’s literally the single item I use to take our videos and photos 90% of the time. You can set your phone on a timer for photos or use a Bluetooth clicker, I’ll link it in my bio! 

Always shoot with your back camera and with the sun facing you! I personally use Lightroom to edit all of our photos and for videos I edit in splice, VN or capcut.

Last but not least shout out to @vavaasatisfaction for this hair, my girl did that and I’ll def be running this style back!
Things to Do and Where to Eat with 48 Hours in Hou Things to Do and Where to Eat with 48 Hours in Houston with kids #AD @traveltex (SAVE + SHARE this post):

1. Visit the Cockrell Butterfly Garden

2. Explore the Houston Space Center

3. Walk along the paths at the Houston Arboretum & Nature Center

4. Check out all the rooms at Color Factory

5. Eat at @Gatlin’s BBQ (Black-owned) and be sure to arrive early as they close at 6pm

6. Try the Brisket at @TruthBBQ

7. Eat ribs at @thepitroom

Have you been to Houston? What other recommendations do you have? 

#GetYourOwnTripToTexas #NationalBBQMonth
Hello Houston! It’s #NationalBBQMonth so what be Hello Houston! It’s #NationalBBQMonth so what better place to experience it than here. #AD @TravelTex 

We’re excited to eat our hearts through the city! If you live in or have been to Houston, what are your recommendations for BBQ places we have to eat at while here? 

SAVE + SHARE this post for your own foodie trip to Houston #GetYourOwnTripToTexas
24 Hours in Athens (SAVE + SHARE this post): We l 24 Hours in Athens (SAVE + SHARE this post):

We landed at 10:30am the day before boarding our cruise and hit the ground running. The best way to get over jet lag is to get on the current time zone immediately so that meant no time for sleep as we needed to stay up. 

🇬🇷 2:00pm Traditional Greek food tour with @foodaroundathens 

🇬🇷 6:00pm: Walk around the neighborhood of Anafiotika 

🇬🇷 7:00pm: Went to the top of the hill near the Acropolis for sunset

🇬🇷 8:30am: Self-guided Acropolis visit

🇬🇷 10:00am: All about Athen e-bike tour with @athensbybiketours

🇬🇷 1:00pm: Lunch at @hoocut for one of the best gyros we’ve had

🇬🇷 2:30pm: Head to the cruise port!

Yes we’re crazy but also we got right on the time zone and were good to go the rest of the trip plus we made the most of our time in Athens!

Do you hit the ground running if you land in a new time zone during the day to beat jet lag or do you sleep and take time adjusting? We love the app Timeshifter to help with jet lag management!
Athens - Boarding Virgin Voyages - Santorini - Rho Athens - Boarding Virgin Voyages - Santorini - Rhodes - Bodrum - Mykonos

What an amazing sailing it was! 10/10 recommend!

Let me know any questions you have and tag who you want to go on this cruise with!
Couples Posing Ideas (SAVE + SHARE this post): So Couples Posing Ideas (SAVE + SHARE this post): So we absolutely suck at posing but here are some amazing poses @geraldhazizi helped us with during our short photoshoot with him in Santorini. I will be using these as references moving forward lol, I love how they turned out. 

We used my phone and tripod most of the trip to capture images or asked fellow cruisers but I’d say this professional shoot in Santorini was worth it. Our session started at 10am so not super early at all, Gerald knew all the best spots and how to avoid the crowds!

Which pose is your favorite?
Tips for sailing on @VirginVoyages Resilient Lady Tips for sailing on @VirginVoyages Resilient Lady (SAVE + SHARE this post):

1. Download the app, it is essential to make your bookings, see what’s going on during your sail, etc.

2. There are 6 speciality restaurants on board for dinner (these are all included in your voyage at no extra cost 🙌🏾). Reservations open 45 days before sailing & are available from 6pm-10pm. If you can’t get a reservation for the day/time you want, don’t worry there are walk-in spots available and we did this many days when we decided to eat at more than one restaurant a night.

3. Be sure to check out the ship activities prior to sailing to pack appropriately for themed nights. Every sailing has a Scarlet Night where you wear red but our sailing also had a pajama party and 80s party and people really dress up!

4. Virgin Voyages doesn’t offer drink packages but they do offer a Bar Tab. You can purchase $300 in advance and get a $50 bonus and this credit can be used for anyone else in your cabin or even friends/family in another cabin so every person doesn’t need one and you don’t have to use it all on yourself. The drinks are very reasonably priced so just be careful getting too much in advance as you can’t use the credit on anything else on board. Beer is as low as $5, a glass of wine $7 and mixed drinks $9 plus tip is included! Soda and non-pressed juices, tea and regular coffee is free on the ship so you won’t have to spend anything on that!

5. Spa services book quickly and can’t be made until you get on board so head straight to the spa to book any appointments you want and note there is a 24 hour cancellation window so if plans change be sure to cancel in advance or you’ll be charged for the full service.

6. Reservations for a time slot for embarkation are required so check in as soon as possible to snag an early time and enjoy the ship longer!

Listen, a time was had on this cruise! Swipe for a cabin tour, food from some of the restaurants on board, and live music. I have more tips coming in a part 2 so let me know if there is anything specific you want me to cover on my next post! Tap the link in my bio for $200 onboard credit if you book a sailing on any Virgin Voyage!

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6 Ways to Maximize Your Savings When Flying Spirit Airlines

February 16, 2018      Airline Reviews

This post contains affiliate links. If you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small commission at no cost to you. Please see our disclosure policy for more information. All opinions are my own.

two toddler standing at the window of the airport with a spirit airlines plane in the background

Spirit Airlines is the perfect airline for those who love to save money. Why fly other airlines that charge you for bags, food, and other services you aren’t even using? Rather than spending your vacation dollars on getting to your destination spend it on activities at your destination!

On average my family of four saves a minimum of $160 each time we fly Spirit Airlines and it’s been as much as $1,000! With the major improvements they’ve made with their on-time performance I will continue to choose them over other airlines. They are a huge part in how we’re able to take 6-8 vacations a year. I’ll admit my first time flying Spirit I didn’t understand their rules, costing me money. Now that I know better I want to make sure you do too. Here are 6 ways to maximize your savings when flying Spirit Airlines

Buy Your Spirit Airlines Plane Ticket at the Airport

You can save $20.99 on one-way tickets or $41.98 round-trip by purchasing your ticket at Spirit’s counter at the airport. For a family of four it makes your total cost $168 cheaper and well worth the drive to the airport. Go with someone and have them drive around to avoid paying for parking.

It’s important to note is that if you are checking a bag you will not be able to get the cheapest bag price when booking at the airport. Instead of the price offered when booking online you will have to pay the fee offered when checking-in online but before paying at the airport the day of your flight. As the bags are $10 cheaper when bought when booking if you are checking bags this additional fee could eat into your savings of buying your plane ticket at the airport.

Baggage fee list

Pack Light and Buy a Spirit Approved Personal Bag Which Flies Free

The first time I flew Spirit to Aruba I was like many that don’t read the Spirit rules. I got mad because I felt like I was being overcharged and not saving money even though I booked a budget airline. Honestly I just assumed Spirit’s personal sized bag was super tiny. Really there was no way it could fit both my 3 year old daughter and I’s clothing for our 4 day trip, right?

I paid for a carry on bag and then got to the airport to see my mom with a bag she fit all her stuff in that she said she didn’t pay for. It was the size of their free personal item and it was a lot bigger than I imagined. I felt cheated out of my money but it was my own fault for not reading. For our next flight with Spirit I was prepared! I found the perfect bag that met their personal item size restrictions of 18x14x8. I was able to fit all my clothes for our 7 day trip to Costa Rica. Here’s a video of what I packed and how I fit it in the bag.

 

You May Be Interested in Reading: Light Packing Tips


Don’t Pay for Seats on Spirit Airlines

Selecting your seats in advance will cost you a minimum of $5 with some seats costing as much as $24. Instead of choosing your seat let Spirit assign you one at check-in. While this could be a gamble when flying with kids my family has only been assigned seats away from each other once. When we arrived to the airport I let the gate agent know and she relocated us with no hassle, the airlines really don’t want a 3 year old sitting in a different row from their parents.

Spirit Check-In Online

Spirit charges you $10 per person to check-in and get your boarding pass at the ticket counter. There are three ways to avoid this fee:

  1. Download the Spirit App for Android or Apple to check-in. The app allows you to get your boarding pass directly in the app. Just have TSA and the gate agent scan the QR code and you’re set.
  2. Check in online and print your boarding pass.
  3. Check in online and have your boarding pass emailed to you. You’ll scan the QR code at TSA and at the gate to get through.

For the options that allow you to scan the QR code be sure to take a screenshot your code.  This is incase there is no service at the airport and you can’t get into the app or access your email. It’s always better to be safe than sorry especially when a malfunction like that can cost you $10 per person.

Bring Your Own Snacks on the Plane

One complaint I hear often about Spirit Airlines is that they don’t offer free drinks and snacks. Honestly I’d rather save $100+ on my plane ticket than get a small bag of pretzels and drink that is halfway filled with ice. Instead of ordering food/drinks on board bring your own. It’s really easy to throw a homemade sandwich and snacks in your bag and they are allowed through TSA. For drinks, bring an empty water bottle and fill it up once you pass security, many airports have filtered water stations.

Bring Your Own Entertainment

While Spirit doesn’t offer in-flight entertainment yet their planes will soon offer WiFi for a fee. Instead you can bring your laptop or iPad to keep you and your kids busy. Download apps and games that don’t require WiFi to keep you busy. If you have a Netflix account you can also download movies and TV shows ahead of time to watch on the plane. One thing I always travel with is my portable charger to keep my electronics charged in flight.


Spirit Airlines has afforded my family the opportunity to do more things in the destinations we travel too and travel more since we save so much money booking with Spirit vs. other airlines. I hope you’ve learned some other ways to save even when choosing Spirit Airlines.

Disclosure: “Some of the links in this post are affiliate links. This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. The commissions earned helps me offset the costs of running this blog so please support if you choose to purchase, it is much appreciated.”

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Comments

  1. Jasamine Hill says

    March 6, 2018 at 9:02 am

    Great tips! I will def use them the next time I fly. I have never flown with Spirit but now you have me curious lol

  2. Nakeya says

    March 6, 2018 at 11:13 am

    These really are great trips. I flew Spirit when I went to Cabo. The price was great and I followed most of your tips. I didn’t purchase my ticket at the airport, but I did have my boarding pass printedcand took snacks. Spirit does work great when you are prepared.

  3. Diana So says

    March 22, 2018 at 3:05 am

    Wow, I’ve never flown Spirit cos all I hear are complaints from friends and family but this will make me reconsider it when booking flights and the fact I’m about 15-20 minutes away from the airport makes the ticket purchasing in person a big plus! Thanks for the tips.

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Hi! We’re The Hambricks

Hi! We’re The Hambricks

If kids live there, kids can visit! That's our motto and you'll often find us exploring destinations most don't find "kid friendly". We've traveled to 35 countries on 6 continents with our children since they were 10 weeks old and share tips to make it easier and affordable. But mom and dad are people too so we also write about solo travel, baecations and girlfriend getaways.

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