Stitchin’ Heaven Quilting Cruise

Are you a quilter who also loves to travel? If so, you won’t want to miss the opportunity to join a Stitchin’ Heaven Quilting Cruise! Last week, I sailed with Stitchin’ Heaven on Royal Caribbean’s Icon of the Seas, and it was the most memorable vacation I’ve ever had.

Image contains a group of quilters in red shirts holding up two finished quilts, standing on the 5th deck of the Icon of the Seas.

First, let’s talk about the quilting part! Our itinerary consisted of two full “at sea” days where we were able to receive instruction and work on our quilt projects, as well as four port days where we could explore and do excursions in Costa Maya, Roatan, Cozumel, and CocoCay.

Each Quilting Cruise features two quilt projects and two instructors. When you sign up, you can choose whether you’d like to work on both quilt tops or just one during your week at sea. I wasn’t sure if I’d have time to finish both, so I decided to make the Calypso Carnival Quilt by Reeze Hanson. The other featured quilt on our particular cruise was Stellar Magic Quilt by April Jaehn, which is a super-fun optical illusion. While you do have the option of bringing your own fabric, Stitchin’ Heaven has quilt kits available for purchase and I cannot recommend them highly enough! My kit had everything I needed for the quilt top inside, already pre-cut. It saved me a ton of time, and cutting is my least favorite part.

Image contains Amy’s hand holding the Calypso Carnival Quilt Kit. A Bernina sewing machine is in the background.

Each quilter had a work station that included a Bernina B 475 Quilter’s Edition machine, and we were trained on the basics of how to use it. We also had several ironing and cutting stations for everyone to share (you can bring your own mini irons, too). Oh, and we each got a really fun “SHAG Bag” that contained a special t-shirt, a tumbler, pins, a wall hanging project kit, and more.

Image contains a smiling woman sitting at a sewing machine and holding up a partly finished quilt top.

Dana and Dawn from Stitchin’ Heaven were so helpful and encouraging, no matter whether we needed tips on threading the machine or had to do some “reverse sewing” aka seam ripping. They were ready to solve every problem with a smile. Plus, they’re cruising pros, so they could also answer a lot of our questions about the ship.

Image contains two smiling women holding a book, Quilting for Everyone.

Not only did we have two full days set aside for sewing, the conference room was open to us 24/7 so that we could pop in and work literally any time. After checking out the port in the morning, I often went to the conference room in the afternoon to sew (and “sew-cialize”), and so did many of my new friends. Some of the folks who were real night owls even stayed up until 1 AM working on their quilt tops together! In the evenings, there were fun activities too for those who wanted to participate, including April and Reeze’s trunk shows, and April’s husband’s session about caring for your machine.

Image contains a woman and a man, each holding an identical finished quilt top.

I did successfully finish my quilt top, and it was the first one I’ve made using the “on point” technique. I also learned a few helpful tips about pressing and cutting from Reeze’s instructions. Now, I just need to do the quilting and binding at home, and it’ll be ready to use. I did spread it out on the bed in our stateroom just for fun…I think Royal Caribbean should start using quilts, don’t you?

Image contains a cruise ship state room with a window. The bed is covered with a colorful quilt top.

As for the ship, the Icon of the Seas surely lives up to its name. Having never been on a cruise before, my husband and I weren’t quite sure what to expect, but this wildly exceeded any expectations we had. From the incredible shows (we were so impressed with the Aqua Action show in particular), to the delicious food, the stunning views, and the friendly crew, every single part of the experience was memorable in the best possible way. The eighth deck had a beautiful open air “Central Park” area, and the fifth floor had Starbucks plus all kinds of shops and activities. Deck 17 was full of pools and the tastiest pretzel bites you ever did eat…plus soft serve ice cream. The 14th deck had the most stunning indoor observation area, plus the Aqua Dome, and all you can eat mac and cheese…and that’s just the beginning. We found so many favorite spots on the ship, and believe it or not, it never really felt crowded even with 7,000 people on board.

Image contains a man and woman standing in front of the Icon of the Seas cruise ship.

At ports, I got to meet flamingos in Mexico, taste chocolate in Honduras, and spend a day on the beautiful beaches of CocoCay, all while my friends and family back home were getting a snowstorm.

Image contains a woman in a blue dress standing in front of a flock of flamingos.

Plus, I got to meet so many wonderful quilters from all across the country – Michigan, Texas, Ohio, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and more. It was so much fun to hear their stories and to support and help each other as we worked on our projects.

Image contains two smiling women at a sewing machine.

The only thing about this cruise that I have to complain about is that they made us get off the ship and go home when it was over (although my new friends, the Starbucks baristas, tried to hide me behind the counter). From start to finish, this experience was one I will never forget. I’m already missing it and I hope to go again sooner rather than later. If you are at all interested in quilting and you enjoy new places and experiences, I cannot encourage you enough to sign up for one of these Quilting Cruises! You will love every minute.

Stitchin’ Heaven cruises to all kinds of destinations, including the Caribbean, Mexico, Alaska, and Canada. They also have land-based events at their retreat center in Texas and Sewcations at other locations like Charleston, SC. Be sure to check out all the info on their website and find the trip that’s best for you. Whichever cruise or sewcation you choose, it’s going to be an unforgettable adventure.

Be sure to check out my Facebook page, Instagram, and/or YouTube for more photos and videos from our trip! Happy quilting!