CRUISE
TIPS
THE BASICS
If you fly to a cruise embarkation port, book a
flight that
would
arrive at least a few hours before, preferably- a day earlier due to
possible flight delays. In case of a flight delay, inform your cruise
line about it. Cruise departure may postponed in case if several
passenger arrive late. On some occasions, the cruise company can help
you with flying
to the next port of call where you will be able to catch up with your
ship.
Learn from your cruise provider about any necessary cruise
forms
and fill them in. In some cases, cruise lines provide such service
online.
Alcohol
drinks will cost you extra money, except if you
are cruising with a luxury, "all inclusive" cruise line.
Your
dining
options onboard will vary from eating at a restaurant with assigned
seating times, pizza parlors, buffets, specialty restaurants and room
dining service. Major cruise lines can accommodate different dietary
requests, enquire about available options prior to your departure.
If you you cruising with small children, check if the cruise ship
provides in-room
babysitting
service. Study the cruise line's policy on babysitting and other family
services.
Would you like to pamper yourself with an all-inclusive luxury
treatment? Check out
Silversea
Cruises,
Crystal,
Oceania,
Regent
Seven Seas and
Seabourn
Cruises which often include all soft drinks, cocktails, tips
and some complimentary
shore excursions.
You can find our easy-to-compare list of all major cruise lines on our
Cruise
Reviews page.
CHOOSING
A CABIN
There are few basic details about classification of staterooms on a
cruise ship.
ROOM CAPACITY:
Single
cabin accomodates a single person. Usually has a single or a double bed.
Double
cabin accomodates two people. Has either two single or double
beds, or one queen (king) size bed.
Triple/Quad
cabin accomodates three or four passengers. The third and fourth person
can sleep on a sofa, or on a folding bed.
ROOM LOCATION AND COMFORT:
Inside
cabin has no window or view.
Oceanview
cabin provides an oceanview through a porthole or window.
Mini-suite
is a larger oceanview cabin with separate sitting and sleeping
areas. They often come with a private balcony.
Suite
stateroom provides the highest grade of accommodations
with separate sleeping and living areas, wet bar,
walk-in closets
and luxury bathrooms with jet tubs. Suites are usually the
first
category to sell out on all cruises.
BEST CABIN FOR YOU?
This will depend totally on your personal preferences, number of
passengers, your travel budget and available cabin types.
If you plan to spend more time outside of your room, we recommend you
to book an
inside
cabin for the sake of practicality and saving money. For
those who need to see daylight in a stateroom and value viewing
pleasures, we recommend purchasing an oceanview cabin. If you value
comfort, a few extra amentities and extra space over price, take a
mini-suite or a suite.
Check the plan of your ship decks and find out potential
noise problem
areas. Avoid booking a cabin near/above/below sun decks, swimming
pools, lounges, promenade decks, kitchens, dining rooms, staircases,
elevators and bars.
CRUISE
PACKING TIPS
Every
cruise line has a certain
dress
code. Usually, formal means tuxedo or dark
suit for men, and an evening gown or cocktail dress for women.
Informal dress includes jacket and slacks for men, and a dress
or pant suit for
women. Casual could be slacks and a sport shirt or capris and a blouse.
Call your cruise provider to check the
dress code details. Your cruise papers describe how many
formal nights to expect and when.
If you are planning some
sports
activities, find out what equipment can be rented out at
the cruise ship, as well as their rental rates to
determine if it is worth to bring your own sports equipment.
If you are taking your
children
on a cruise, learn about available stroller rentals. Do not forget to
pack enough diapers, baby food, and prescription medications for your
kids.
Find out what
electricity
standard is used on your ship and determine if you need
an an
adapter plug and a
voltage converter accordingly.
Enquire about a
mini-safe
for your valuables.
For more
tips on packing for a cruise visit our
Cruise
Packing List.
SHORE
EXCURSIONS
Do some homework. There are many resources on the Internet allowing you
to learn about different tourist spots and various activities along
your cruise route. Many cruise lines put up detailed lists of available
shore
excursions on their web sites, so you can book the ones that you like
months before your departure. Shore excursions can also be
booked while onboard of a cruise ship. Your third option is to use
independent tour operators in ports of call, which is often
the least expensive method, but it requires more of your effort and
time, provides more opportunities, but less security and organization.
HEALTH
AND MEDICAL TIPS
Most cruise lines employ onboard doctors and nurses to take care of
health problems. There is also a supply of common medications onboard.
Usually, you are asked to pay your medical bill before the cruise's
end. Even a simple visit to the medical unit can be very expensive. If
you have a
travel
insurance, which we strongly recommend, submit their
claim upon arrival home.
Motion
sickness occurs when the body is subjected to
accelerations of
movement in different directions or under conditions where visual
contact with the actual outside horizon is lost. The balance center of
the inner ear then sends information to the brain that conflicts with
the visual clues of apparently standing still in the interior cabin of
a ship. The usual
symptoms
are dizziness, fatigue, and nausea which may progress to vomiting. Try
to sit as close
to the middle of the vessel as possible, face forward and look straight
ahead at the horizon. Choose the lowest level you can find.
There are certain steps you can take to help prevent
foodborne illnesses. First,
all meat, eggs and seafood should be properly cooked to kill many types
of
bacteria. Raw fruit and vegetables washed with regular tap
water (not drinkable) cause many cases of stomach problems. If you
begin to feel sick or
develop a fever, rest and drink tea or purified water. Most cases of
traveler’s diarrhea clear up within a few days. Make sure to
wear a hat, drink plenty of fluids starting before you start to feel
thirsty, and if you feel worn out, queasy, or over-full during the day,
take a 1-2 hour nap.
IMODIUM and
PEPTO-BISMOL help in most cases.
You may also find helpful our generall
health
tips for travelers. Buy products for travel health and
comfort: first-aid-kits, over-the-counter medicine for jet lag and
motion sickness, insect repellents, sleep masks, travel ear plugs, neck
rests, sunglasses and sun protection lotions at our
online
store. They will keep you stay healthy and comfortable when
you travel.
PERSONAL
SECURITY AND SAFETY
Do not leave money, jewelry and other valuable items lying around in
your cabin. Keep them in the cabin's safe instead. Lock the
door before going to bed. Protect your cabin key. Do not invite
strangers into your cabin. Avoid "Crew only" areas of the ship.
Do no't get drunk.
Make two copies of your travel documents and credit cards. Leave one on
the ship and take another with you when go ashore.
Check out our general
safety
tips for travelers. Buy such popular personal safety and
security items as intruder alarms, luggage tags and locks, money belts,
neck puches, and many more at our
online
store.
USEFUL
LINKS:
Cruise
Lines - popular cruise lines highlighted.
Cruise
Reviews - convenient comparison table for all major cruise
lines.
Cruise
Travel - main web page with resources on cruise travel.
Cruise
Destinations - most popular cruise destinations detailed.
Cruise
Types - best honeymoon, wedding, luxury and single cruises.
Cruise
Packing List - clothes and items recommended for a cruise.
