Hi Posse peeps. So, I also have quite by accident landed myself a 10 Day South Pacific Cruise mid February! Yes, you read that right. I know. My life is blessed by good fortune and this is one of those incredibly magic happenstances. You may know that I run a Club Trivia Night company. We produce weekly Trivia Nights in a few Hotels, Pubs & Clubs across Sydney toasted by Drag Queens. It’s a really fun way to spend an evening with your mates or family, have some dinner, a laugh and be all together doing something fun. There’s also the chance to win prizes.
South Pacific Cruise
Anyway, one of the families that has played with me for years bought their whole family tickets for a South Pacific Cruise on a very Ra-Cha-Cha cruise liner in February as a family holiday. What a sensational surprise. Men’s room and Women’s room. Unfortunately when they told the family in a big celebration the son said that he was NOT GOING! There was no way he was going and could not think of anything worse than a family cruise holiday. So there they were, spare ticket, who’d be the most fun to cruise with? Yep, you guessed it. PORTIA!!
So they have asked me to come fill their spare bed, will NOT let me pay a cent and are being totally unreasonable about that. In return I’ve told them I’ll bring my drag and host two Trivia Nights for the family and friends. What I haven’t told you yet is that the rest of the bunch at that Trivia Night were so excited that a few more families have bought tickets and are coming too. I think there are 5 or 6 groups. It’s going to be hilarious.
South Pacific Cruise: What Fragrances To Take?
So, I’ve never been on a cruise before. It’s 10 nights, cruising at the end of the Southern Hemisphere’s summer and will be gloriously warm and balmy. There are different nights on the cruise but I don’t know exactly what they all are yet. HELP!!!! I’m thinking if you give me some good ideas I can go to Surrender To Chance and het some 5ml Roller Balls of them to go with my Eau des Merveilles.
Give me 3 fragrances you would take on a South Pacific Cruiseplease.
Portia xxxx
I hope you have a wonderful time! My first thought was something with coconut in it, like Debaser by D. S. & Durga. I feel like Dries Van Noten par Frederic Malle would be nice, too. Oooh, what about Neela Vermeire’s Ashoka! I’d also wear something like Hermes 24, Faubourg.
Whatever you wear, you will be fabulous. Don’t forget your sunscreen, you don’t want your holiday ruined by a sunburn.
Great advice Tatiana,
I have purchased 50+ sunscreen for the trip.
Yes, I love Ashoka and it’s great in the heat. I worry about taking my FB though.
Portia xx
I don’t know who got luckier and will have the most fun — them or you! What a marvelous trip!
For frags, on a cruise, as the drag-queen-in-residence, I say go big or go home! Carnal Flower, Fracas, Bandit, vintage Coco, vintage Rochas Femme, SL’s Fleur d’Oranger.
You are totally going to rock that shit!
Aha! Some Coco might be EXACTLY the elegant evening frag I’m after. Excellent choice HeidiC.
Yes, the trip sounds completely fabulous, very excited.
Portia xx
Definitely Chanel Boy. Ormonde Jayne Frangipani, too.
Heya RICKYREBARCO,
I am heavily leaning in the BOY direction.
Portia xx
LOL! Why am I NOT surprised! You would be MY choice as well – you are just SO MUCH FREAKIN’ FUN!!! Have a great time, darlin’.
My choice for Summer is GO BIG! I would take Carnal Flower and Amouage Tribute Attar – but I would apply them somewhere other than the shared room – just sayin’ 😉
Have a phenomenal time, sweetie!
xoxoxoA
HA HA HA! I think they might not invite me back if I start scaring the staff with my supersonic frag choices.
I will smile when applying anything now while on board and be laughing about this Musette.
Portia xx
What fun! Have a wonderful time! I like all of the suggestions here, and would add Serge Lutens Vierge de Fer for its floral, jasmine-y goodness.
OOOOH Great idea MaggieCat.
Portia xx
Congratulations! How amazing!
I experienced some very similar lucky circumstances recently and got invited to a Mediterranean cruise this spring. Seven days from Venice to Korfu, Athens, Dubrovnik and then back to Venice. I’ve just started to ponder what perfumes to bring and decided that if I’m going on a luxury cruise then I’m going all out and bringing the gems! Luxury for luxury! I wanna feel like royalty! 😉
Definitely bringing something vintage… Maybe Mitsouko, I really love Mitsouko when it’s warm out. And then I’m not me without some skanky floral, so I’m bringing Jovoy Lys Epona. Lastly I need something darker, so I’ll be bringing Mona di Orio Cuir, since it’s dark and lovely and does well in hot temps.
Woo Hoo! How freaking lucky are we?
Mitsouko is heaven and I have truckloads of it here. Goes with EVERYTHING!
Lovely choice.
Portia xx
You are going to have so much fun!!! Especially with your friends coming along, too! Yay for you!!
I guess I would bring some of my summer favorites. Annees Folles, Yesterday Haze, Dilettante, Rubj VdE, Bruno Acampora Musc, Battito d’Ali, and Risque. Maybe some M or Naxos for evenings. Have fun!!!
WOW Tora,
The only one I own even a decant of in that list is Bruno Acampora Musc. What a fab list.
Portia xx
Samsara, Pichola, Nightingale!
SAMSARA! Great idea jenbat!
Portia xx
That would be my number one if I ever go on a cruise! Plus you just got some in Korea, no?
Ahhh, that sounds so exciting! It’s been a while since I’ve been on a cruise (okay, a year and a half) and then we went to the Greek islands. I had a wonderful time.
Anywho, if it were me I would probably bring Gardez-Moi by Jovoy (I think you know this one), Songes EdP, Fils de Dieu….
Can I list more?
Okay then: Philosykos Eau de Mandarine Ambree (and in my dreams MdO Tubereuse and Bombay Bling!)
You’ll have to forgive me- it’s still so deeply cold here and I haven’t worn my warm weather things in ages!
Hey Connie,
Great choices. I am a Premier Figuer by L’Artisan, Promenade des Anglaise by Guerlain and Ashoka by Neela Vermeire creations for fig person. Excellent reminder for those.
Songes…. maybe Eau de Sud by Goutal instead? Both wonderful ideas.
Portia xx
Now that is serendipity! What fun! I’d take Guerlain Eau Fleurs de Cedrat, Jungle Gardenia or its nearest dupe, and Etat Libre’s True Lust. Those 3 would cover everything, for me.
Hey Taxi,
Three I don’t know. Interesting choices. I’ll go look.
Portia xx
Wow! What a fabulous treat and good on you to make it doubly good for hosting Trivia Night which may become a trend on cruises! The trivia event in a Holland America cruise happens every day at 4PM in the Crow’s Nest (library, bar, cafe and windows that overllook the sail direction) and is very well attended
If I were you, I would bring Chanel No. 5 (any formulation) for dinners, especially for formal nights, Atelier Cologne Cedrat Enivrant (great in the heat and mugginess and you won’t knock anyone out with the fumes and finally, any Guerlain you like to wear in the heat that transitions nicely from casual to elegant (Vetiver?). Have a wonderful time, dear Portia!
Hey there Hajusuuri,
There will be other Trivia events on board, we are going to do it privately for the crew we’re travelling with.
I have been thinking of maybe taking CHANEL Boy.
Portia xx
Wow, Portia I’m so excited for you!!! Will you be stopping off in the Polynesian Islands? I dream of going there one day. But in the meantime I can live vicariously through you. How wonderful.
As for perfume, I think you might have Frangipani by Ormonde Jayne? Also how about Songes from Annick Goutal and Manoi di Tahiti by Yves Rocher which was recommended by a perfumer to Densye of Grain de Musc.
Can’t wait to hear all about it next month!
TBH Tara I’m not sure of the itinerary. Somewhere in the pacific for 10 nights so I’m thinking we might go to Tonga, Fiji, um…. dunno really.
Portia xx
Well, that’s a fantastic surprise! I’m sure you’ll have a great time, wooo-hoooo…! I suggest you take PdN Eau Mixte for the day, Ulrich Lang’s Apsu for the afternoon and Amouage Epic for the evenings.
Neither of which I’ve tried yet Neva,
OOOOH So exciting. If you love them I will definitely grab some ml.
Portia xx
How wondeful, Portia! Sounds like you all are going to have some serious fun!! My picks:
Sables
M. Micalef Ylang
Guerlain Vétiver
Funny you should mention Sables Solace, I was just given 10ml of the older version. It’s fabulous.
Portia xxx
How fun! For some reason 10 Corso Como is my go-to beachy scent, and I like the saltiness of TDC Sel de Vetiver too for warm weather 🙂
Hey Nemo,
I love 10 CC too but it was never getting the love it deserved here so I sold it.
TDC Sel de Vetiver is excellent, I have a 10ml Travel of it.
Portia xx
Oh Tara,
I didn’t read your reply until after I posted. Le Labo Ylang 49 is so sultry and smokey. I love how it blooms in the heat. May be a better choice than the L’huere Bleue for the same occaision. Great call!
I like to layer Tarifa by Keiko Mecheri to my summer citrus perfumes. It is orange and spices. It takes a light and breezy scent to a more sensual level. You will probably have a formal night in the so a big classic would be nice. I like L’heure Bleue for the Neroli and sandalwood. It is so mysterious to me. It has that burned wax candle smell that I adore. Some may say it is too formal or better suited to cooler weather but I imagine feeling quite lux on the bridge at dusk at “the blue hour” with the seabreeze blowing your hair. I am getting a bit romantic! 🙂 Third, something BIG! A big white floral or a Tom Ford knockout like Shanghai Lily or Black Orchid- something bold and unapologetic. Bon Voyage! Thank you for letting me live vicariously.
Hey Brandi,
L’heure Bleue is a wonderful choice, totally unexpected and perfect.
Portia xx
Sounds fabulous! My southern hemisphere summer scents are Miss Balmain, Le Labo Ylang 49 and Guerlain Terracotta.
Hey TaraC,
Very nice choices. I have the Terracotta here, it would be a wonderful chance to wear it.
Portia xx
I would probably go with Worth Courtesan, no 19 edt and maybe vintage Bal or some Lyric. Gotta have 2 light ones and either a slutty perfume or a heavy hitter. The cruise sounds like fun!
Hi Eldarwen22,
I LOVE Courtesan, great choice, also Bal = yummy.
Thanks,
Portia xx
No scent suggestions just yet but CONGRATULATIONS! You will absolutely have a blast and so will the rest of the bunch going! What a wonderful happenstance…no doubt, you deserve it!
Hey GRANDMAGAGA/TERESA,
I still can’t quite believe I’m going.
Portia xx