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That’s why we’ve taken the time to round up a boatload of tips — 57 to be exact — that will help you know better about what to expect come cruise day. I belong to a number of them, including the Royal Caribbean Cruises group, the COPs (Cruisers Opinion Page) group and the Holland America Line Fans group. I've met some wonderful people in these groups, some of whom have become my longtime friends on Facebook. There's nothing more jammed than a cruise ship buffet on embarkation day. To avoid the first-day buffet crowds, head to whatever secondary dining option is available. Sometimes, a ship will open one of its table-served eateries for lunch on embarkation day.
Bring your own drinks on board
Hair dryers are standard equipment in all cabins, just like in a hotel room. That means you can leave yours at home and save some space in your bags. The only time you’ll need to bring your own is if you have a special type of hair dryer that you just have to use. The in-cabin hair dryer is one of those small hotel-style ones that isn’t terribly powerful, but is plenty for a week at sea. Yes, credit cards are accepted, especially in the more touristy areas of port cities. It’s still preferable to pay for most things in cash for security purposes.
Family Vacations on Spectrum of the Seas
The cruise ports thrive on tourism and they make it as easy as possible for foreign tourists to get around. Practically everyone you encounter will speak English, so you can leave the Spanish dictionary at home. On the ship the games are the same, but the payouts are usually worse. For example, on most ships blackjack pays 6-to-5 instead of the usual 3-to-2. Craps games heavily limit the amount of odds bets you can make. Head to the casino, enjoy yourself, but don’t think you’re getting a great deal.
Bring drink flavor pouches for free drinks
From the tallest slide at sea to spellbinding ice-skating performances, our adventure-packed fleet offers thrilling activities, world-class dining and incredible entertainment. With that in mind, we've put together a basic (but comprehensive) cruise packing list, including the clothes you'll need as well as the odds and ends you'll want with you as well. Read on for our beginner's guide to packing for a cruise. For guidance on what to wear on your cruise, be sure to keep the cruise line's dress code in mind, which typically includes casual and formal attire. Check out our guide to cruise line dress codes for more clothing tips.
Book directly with the cruise line to cut out the middleman in case there is an issue with your reservation. If you don’t know what cruise line you want to sail, then an aggregator like Expedia can search multiple lines at once. Now, this doesn’t go for specialty restaurants that are a fee. If you eat there you’re expected to sign the bill, and the gratuity is tacked onto the price.
Once you shut the door and turn out the lights, it’s pitch black. Bring along a nightlight to plug in to provide some light for the room. Want to get a little frisky with your partner in the fresh air?
Planning a Mini-Vacation from Los Angeles
If you search for parking lots near the port, you can usually find independent lots that are nearly as convenient, but at a sharp discount to parking at the port. These lots almost always offer a free shuttle to drop you off right at the ship as well. This makes it a great way to try dishes that are out of your comfort zone.
European cruises, in particular, can be port-intensive, with lots of touring, so you want to be refreshed and ready to hit the ground running right after the cruise begins. In short, there is a level of service on cruise ships that is relatively rare in the travel world — at least if you look at like-for-like properties and ships at similar price points. An entry-level cruise ship is likely to have a higher level of service than an entry-level hotel. A luxury cruise ship is likely to be even more over-the-top than a luxury hotel.
The Best Family Vacation On Explorer of The Seas
It will mean you spend less of your vacation waiting around and more time enjoying your trip. Not only does it come in handy should you need to leave the ship early due to an emergency, but it can also save you time. These days many ports use facial recognition matched with your passport for entering the country. Those with birth certificates sometimes still wait in line to be checked by an officer.
Put frankly, if you can’t have a good time, it’s your own fault. No matter what time of day, however, you’ll be able to find quiet spots on the ship. The promenades on lower decks tend to be less busy, as do the outdoor areas at the ends of the ship. The pool deck in general is also largely quiet in the evening and nighttime.
And it just doesn’t feel right to hang out poolside without a drink in your hand. The steward will introduce themselves on your first day on the ship, and you can let them know anything you might need. Don’t hesitate to ask if you want something to make your cruise better, or if you have any questions about how things work. Many passengers opt for a balcony cabin, and it’s hard to argue with that plan. While it is a little pricier than the cheapest interior cabins, having your own private balcony is a nice feature. Balconies are normally small, but enough for two chairs and a small table.
What most people don’t realize is that showing up later actually lets you board faster in many cases. We like to get to the port about an hour before the boarding window closes and find no lines. It usually only takes about minutes to get checked-in and board, all without having to fight huge crowds. Realize that with thousands of people on a cruise ship, the elevators can get overwhelmed, making stops on every deck going both up and down. That means it can take a while for the elevator to reach your floor. And since you have to buy the package for every day of your cruise, that means you have to drink that much every single day you are on your ship — even when you are in a port of call.
LEFT WONDERING: Will Going On A Cruise Kill The Earth? - The Lever
LEFT WONDERING: Will Going On A Cruise Kill The Earth?.
Posted: Fri, 20 Oct 2023 07:00:00 GMT [source]
In addition to our expert articles and reviews, you can join the Cruise Critic boards community, which has an entire section dedicated to new cruisers. There, you'll find answers to your burning questions and can discuss all things cruising with first-timers and seasoned cruisers alike. To help you get started, we added a few tips from our existing members below. Whether you're interested in a cruise for couples, kid-friendly cruise, river cruise or an adults-only cruise, there are plenty of options for all travelers. Ok, no one would confuse travel by cruise ship with the speed of traveling by plane. But considering that a ship is roughly as long as the Empire State Building is tall and has about as many rooms as The Mirage in Las Vegas, the fact they can move at all is impressive.
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