Format: cruise advice

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Top 10 Transpacific Cruise Tips | What We Learned Crossing the Pacific

Thinking of doing a Transpacific Cruise? 🌊
Whether you’re sailing from Hawaii to Sydney (like we did on Royal Caribbean’s Ovation of the Seas) or crossing the Pacific the other way, this ultimate guide is packed with insider advice, lessons learned, and essential tips to help you make the most of your voyage.

We cover everything from packing and budgeting, to shore excursions, entertainment, rough seas, and the unexpected.
If you’re dreaming of a once-in-a-lifetime ocean crossing — this is for you!

💡 What you’ll learn:
✅How to prepare for 2–3 weeks at sea
✅Packing tips and laundry hacks for long cruises
✅Budgeting and drinks package calculators
✅How to plan excursions in Tahiti, Moorea, and Raiatea
✅Why travel insurance is essential
✅Tips for staying healthy and active onboard
✅Cruise community hacks (meetups, themed nights, and pirate pub crawls!)
✅What to do when weather changes plans
✅Why the destination isn’t always the port — it’s the ship itself
✅And how to truly cherish the journey 🌅

Where we visited:
🌴Papeete, Tahiti, French Polynesia
🌴Moorea, French Polynesia
🌴Raiatea, French Polynesia

🥝Auckland New Zealand
🏝️Bay of Islands, New Zealand.
👥 Presented by: Deb & Matt from Deb & Matt Chat
🛳️ Life, Cruise & Travel Adventures from Australia!
📍 Video Chapters:
00:00 Intro
00:22 Transpacific and Relocation Cruising
00:56 TIP 1: Too many cruise sea days?
01:25 Cruise Spa
01:52 Things to do
03:35 Tip 2: Packing for a Transpacific Cruise
03:46 Layers are you Friend
04:34 Cruise Laundry and Clothes washing
06:18 Transpacific Cruise theme nights
06:44 Reduce your baggage weight
07:07 TIP 3 Stay Healthy
07:27 Exhausting Holiday
08:00 Port Day Rush
08:41 Cruising French Polyenisa Tahiti, Mooorea, Raiatea
09:06 Keep walking
09:32 Rough Seas
10:05 How we prepare
10:42 Travel Insurance
11:30 TIP 4 FOOD
11:58 Speciality Dining Treat
15:09 TIP 5 BUDGET
15:45 Look for offers
16:19 Should you buy the cruise Drinks Package
17:01 Drinks Package Calculators
17:45 Know whats included
18:51 TIP 6 The Cruise Community
19:04 Pre-Cruise meetups
19:54 Pirate Pub Crawls
20:57 Get to know the staff
21:36 TIP 7 Excursion Planning
21:56 Research, Research, Research
22:31 LOTS of Tender Ports
23:24 Extended Port Stops
24:45 Magical Moorea, Shore Excursions, Tours
25:21 Papeete French Polynesia Cruise Shore Excursions
25:59 Cruise Port Raiatea
26:30 Pearl Farm Visit Raiatea
27:19 Pack a poncho
27:47 Cruise line contact details
28:44 TIP 8 Entertainment and activities
29:25 Kids on Transpacific Cruise
30:23 Download your Cruise App
32:15 Theme Nights on a Transpacific or Transatlantic Cruise
34:34 Tip 9 Plan for the Unexpected on Cruise
34:54 Weather on a Transpacific Cruise
36:16 Bad Weather and Shore Excursions
38:24 Shore Excursion Break Down – Don’t be late!
38:44 The Destination is your ship
40:06 TIP 10 Cherish The Journey
41:11 Pacific Ocean Sunrise
41:54 Make Memories
42:14 Final Thoughts
42:44 Blooper
42:49 Bonus
42:55 Sailing in to Sydney Harbour

#cruise #cruisevlog #cruisetips #cruiseadvice #cruisehacks #travel #travelcouple #cruiselife #traveladvice #travelhints

Read More

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Oceanview Stateroom E231 Review | Crown Princess Cruise Ship

In this video, we review our Oceanview Stateroom E231 on Crown Princess after staying in it for the second leg of our back-to-back cruise. 🌊🚢

We share our honest thoughts on the good, the not-so-good, and everything in between — from the medallion entry system and lighting to the bathroom setup, shower, and storage.

Highlights include:
✔️ Convenient Medallion entry system (but sometimes with delays)
✔️ Ample storage and wardrobe space
✔️ Oceanview window providing natural light
⚠️ Dim bathroom lighting & issues with the adjustable showerhead
✔️ Comfortable overall stay with pros and cons explained

If you’re considering booking E231 or a similar Oceanview cabin on Crown Princess, this video will give you the real story.

📍 Cabin: E231, Emerald Deck – Oceanview Stateroom
⚓ Ship: Crown Princess, Princess Cruises

👉 Subscribe and follow along with our Crown Princess Back-to-Back Cruise Series — daily vlogs, cabin reviews, and dining experiences!

#CrownPrincess #PrincessCruises #CruiseCabinReview #OceanviewCabin

Read More

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Cruise Ship Dance Competition Crown Princess With Cruise Crazed Fam

discussing the Dance off with @CruiseCrazedFam

👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE!
Your support helps us continue to bring you more fantastic cruise content. 🚢💕
😻💌
You can also follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/debandmattchat/
&
https://www.instagram.com/debandmattchat
🎞️🍿🎬🍿

#cruise #cruisevlog #cruisetips #cruiseadvice #cruisehacks #travel #travelcouple #cruiselife #traveladvice #travelhints

Read More

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Is Crown Grill Worth It? | Crown Princess Specialty Dining Cruise Review

Join us for a specialty dining experience at Crown Grill aboard Crown Princess. 🥩🍷

This video is a full step-by-step review of every course we enjoyed at the ship’s famous steakhouse. From fresh seafood appetizers to salads, bisques, juicy steaks, sides, and decadent desserts, we walk you through the menu and share our honest impressions.

Highlights include:
✔️ King prawns & seafood starters
✔️ Lobster bisque & fresh salads
✔️ Signature steaks (🤔maybe)
✔️ Delicious sides & sauces
✔️ Rich, indulgent desserts

If you’re considering booking Crown Grill on Crown Princess (or any Princess Cruises ship), this review will help you decide if it’s worth the specialty dining fee.

📍 Restaurant: Crown Grill – Specialty Steakhouse
⚓ Ship: Crown Princess, Princess Cruises

👉 Subscribe for more of our Crown Princess Back-to-Back Cruise Series — daily vlogs, cabin reviews, and dining experiences!

#CrownPrincess #PrincessCruises #CrownGrill #SpecialtyDining #CruiseFood

==========
CHAPTERS
==========
00:00 Intro
00:31 Appetizers
00:40 King prawns
01:16 Blue Swimmer Crab Cake
02:13 Soup And Salad
02:23 Blue Iceberg
03:38 Lobster Bisque
04:30 Mains
05:16 Creamed Spinash, Asparagus, Fries
05:36 Strip Steak
06:03 Fliet Mignon
06:28 FAIL Creamed Spinach
07:49 Filet Mignon
08:40 Options for Sides
09:19 Beverages
09:41 WATER FAIL
11:05 Wines
12:41 Desserts
12:59 Rhubarb Cobbler Loaf
13:50 Warm Chocolate Mousse Trifle
15:08 Maybe not so good
15:59 Portion Sizes
16:48 Final thoughts
18:26 Bloopers

Read More

Deb & Matt Chat on YT: Final Day at Sea on Crown Princess | Cruise Activities & Honest Review

It’s our final day at sea on Crown Princess, and we’re making the most of it! 🌊🚢

We start the day with room service breakfast, coffee at the International Café, and check out a range of onboard activities (yes — even Jenga while the ship rocks!). Throughout the day, we explore what Crown Princess has to offer on a sea day, from relaxation to entertainment.

In the evening, we enjoy a delicious dinner at Crown Grill, and then we sit down to share our honest thoughts on Crown Princess and Princess Cruises overall. We talk about who this cruise line is perfect for, and what type of cruiser might enjoy it most.

📍 Itinerary: At Sea – Final Day (Sydney → Brisbane leg)
⚓ Ship: Crown Princess, Princess Cruises

👉 Don’t miss our full Crown Princess Back-to-Back Cruise Series, including cabin reviews, specialty dining, and daily vlogs!

#CruiseVlog #CrownPrincess #PrincessCruises #SeaDay #CrownGrill

👍 Don’t forget to LIKE, SUBSCRIBE, and SHARE!
Your support helps us continue to bring you more fantastic cruise content. 🚢💕
😻💌
You can also follow us on Facebook https://www.facebook.com/debandmattchat/
&
https://www.instagram.com/debandmattchat
🎞️🍿🎬🍿
Checkout out some other videos

Cabin Tour Crown Princess E231
https://youtu.be/ZQ-MTY4ua2A

📽️ Cabin Tour Crown Princess D301
https://youtu.be/z9u9YiY5g20

📽️ Crown Princess Embarkation Day
https://youtu.be/3nvbf31UzXo

📽️ Crown Princess Sabatinis Specialty Dining
https://youtu.be/MlON0NnQMb4

📽️ Crown Princess Dance Off with @CruiseCrazedFam
https://youtu.be/NWj4baawIUI

📽️ Crown Princess Embarkation Day
https://youtu.be/3nvbf31UzXo

==========
CHAPTERS
==========
0:00 Medallion Room Service
1:26 Jenga on a cruise ship
3:29 Staff Creations
4:42 Cruise Trivia
7:42 Disappointing food
8:29 Cruise Games
10:23 Deb wins again
10:55 Charades and Cocktails
13:02 Lido Deck Ice Cream,
13:44 Disaster strikes
15:23 Formal night
16:37 Champagne Waterfall
19:06 Crown Grill
19:33 The Day So Far
23:30 Crown Princess Review

#cruise #cruisevlog #cruisetips #cruiseadvice #cruisehacks #travel #travelcouple #cruiselife #traveladvice #travelhints

Read More