Sometimes the most productive thing you can do for your career is step completely away from it.
In late December, my bf and I boarded the Carnival Radiance for a five-day cruise from Long Beach to Cabo San Lucas and Ensenada, and what started as a vacation quickly became a creative reset I didn’t realize I needed.
As a hair artist and creative entrepreneur, my life usually moves fast.. clients, content, ideas, deadlines. This trip slowed everything down in the best possible way and reminded me why travel is such an essential part of my creative process.
And of course, traveling gives me the freedom to experiment with fashion in a way that feels playful, intuitive, and completely my own.
Day 1: Sailing Out of Long Beach — Leaving the Noise Behind
We departed Saturday, December 20, watching the California coastline fade into the horizon. There’s something symbolic about physically leaving land. Emails stop mattering, timelines soften, and your nervous system finally exhales.
That first night onboard is always about transition: unpacking, sunset views, cocktails, and letting the idea of “doing” dissolve into simply being.
For someone whose career revolves around aesthetics, mood, and energy, I could already feel inspiration creeping back in.
Cruise Tip: You can pay extra for WIFI or you can choose to go off grid like me. Either way, walky-talkies are a must have to keep everyone you came with safe and connected.
Day 2: At Sea — Where Creativity Breathes
Our first full day was spent entirely at sea, which might be my favorite part of cruising.
No schedule. No expectations. Just ocean, light, movement, and space.
I drank coffee and ate unlimited food while staring at endless blue, wandered the ship, people-watched, and let ideas drift in without pressure. As an artist, this kind of mental white space is everything — it’s where new concepts, colors, and visions quietly form.
At night, the ocean felt infinite and grounding, reminding me that creativity doesn’t need to be rushed. It needs room.
Day 3: Cabo San Lucas — Color, Texture & Tequila
Cabo was vibrant, loud, warm, and full of texture — basically a visual dream.
We ate lunch at The Office right on the beach, our feet in the sand, ordering lobster, oysters, ceviche, and the best tortilla soup I’ve ever had in my life. Add tequila, sun, and ocean air, and suddenly everything feels richer, colors brighter, and flavors deeper.
Later, we went jet skiing, slicing through open water with the coastline behind us. That mix of adrenaline and freedom felt incredibly aligned with the way I approach my work — bold, intuitive, and a little wild.
Cabo reminded me how much environment influences creativity, whether you’re designing hair, building a brand, or shaping a life.
Day 4: Another Sea Day — Integration Mode
After Cabo, we returned to the sea for another full day onboard, which felt like a soft integration period.
Less stimulation, more reflection.
I spent time thinking about my career, my goals, and how travel continuously informs my artistic vision from color palettes inspired by sunsets to the way movement and freedom show up in my work behind the chair.
Cruise days like this reinforce something I deeply believe: rest isn’t separate from success, it’s part of it.
Day 5: Ensenada — Markets, Tacos & Grounded Beauty
Ensenada brought a completely different energy — colorful, busy, grounded, and alive.
We explored on a tour, wandered markets, shopped for handmade pieces, and ate incredible tacos and fresh clams. The beauty here was raw and real, not curated, just lived-in.
As someone who specializes in effortless, dimensional beauty, Ensenada felt like a reminder that the most impactful aesthetics often come from authenticity, not perfection.
And yes… more tequila.
Day 6: Returning to Long Beach — Changed, Subtly
We returned to Long Beach the following morning — relaxed, sun-kissed, and creatively refueled.
There’s something different about coming home after traveling by sea. It feels like you didn’t just visit new places but you accessed a slower, clearer version of yourself.
Why Travel Matters to My Career
This trip wasn’t about checking boxes or doing everything. It was about presence, connection, letting inspiration come naturally and celebrating life.
As a hair artist and creative, travel feeds my work in ways that education alone can’t through color, culture, movement, and emotion. Experiences like this directly influence how I show up behind the chair, how I create, and how I guide others in their own creative journeys.
Sometimes the most powerful reset isn’t a new technique but a new horizon.
Final Thoughts
If you’re craving rest, romance, inspiration, and just enough adventure, a five-day Carnival Radiance cruise to Cabo and Ensenada is a beautiful way to step out of routine and back into yourself. Who says you cant go on a cruise in your 20’s? Unlimited free food, unlimited entertainment and unlimited inspiration.
I came home calmer, clearer, and creatively charged and that’s a win in every sense
Aly | Los Angeles & Dana Point Hair Artist 