107 Best Cruise Tips, Tricks, Secrets, and Freebies
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Maximize your cruise vacation with the best restaurants when sailing on Spectrum of the Seas. Find the free places to eat as well as fine dining options. Planning to set sail from one of the Florida cruise ports? Whether you sail from Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Orlando, these tips will help you plan. Are you looking for a romantic escape, a family getaway, or the perfect way to celebrate a milestone occasion?
Family Vacations on Navigator of the Seas
Compression cubes are perfect for squeezing more into your luggage, while hanging washbags mean you can store toiletries vertically, rather than cluttering the bathroom. If you’re traveling as a multigenerational group, be creative with the configuration of your accommodation. For example, parents and grandparents would appreciate a private veranda, while kids could have an inside stateroom across the corridor. If something goes wrong, an agent can help rectify the situation faster than you may be able to if you go it alone. Most make their money via commissions from the cruise lines. Leppert calls it “the best of the best” advice to go with a travel advisor.
✔ Decide Your Itinerary & Book\n
If you want to get a good buzz going, check out the bars and restaurants in the area. Many of them not only have cheap drinks every day, but offer drink specials to entice cruisers to stop in. If you plan on drinking, get your fill in port and then walk back to the cruise ship that afternoon/evening. It’s a lot cheaper to pay $2-3 bucks for a beer in port compared to $7-9 on the ship.
Yes, There’s a Hair Dryer in Your Cabin
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. Everything you'll need on a cruise -- food, fun and cabins -- is neatly arranged in apps, maps on the ships and daily programming flyers delivered to your room. And while cruise lines are more than eager to market their shore excursions to you, they don't always do the best job of telling you exactly what to see or do in ports of call.
Wear Sandals With Thick Tread Around the Ship
A major convenience of taking a cruise is the sheer variety of amenities and experiences you have to choose from that can fit any family, couple or group of friends. From neighboring rooms conjoined by a central door to extra sleeping options like sofas, Pullman beds or cribs—Royal Caribbean will make sure your squad has room to roam. If you’re looking to up the ante, consider the one-of-a-kind Ultimate Family Suite (that accommodates up to eight people!) on board our latest, Symphony of the Seas.
The Best Cruise Insurance Plans of April 2024 - MarketWatch
The Best Cruise Insurance Plans of April 2024.
Posted: Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:00:00 GMT [source]
Your balcony isn’t as private as you think
This includes travel to and from the cruise port, the actual cruise itself, and activities while ashore in ports of call. Finally, be sure to read our Set Sail Guide, that details everything you need to know, from checking in, what to pack and more before your cruise. ✔ Download our app on your phone to start planning your vacation, complete online check-in, browse shore excursions, and more. Like our Oasis Class Wonder of the Seas℠ and Icon Class Icon of the Seas℠ — the biggest, boldest ships to ever set sail. Our fleet has 28 thrilling ships, each delivering bold onboard thrills, world-class dining, jaw-dropping entertainment, and incredible accommodations.
Get seasick? Get a cabin in the middle of the boat, as low as possible
As a general rule, large heavy bags are good to check, but always have a carry-on with important items like medicines, your passport, and a change of clothes for the first day. Doing this allows you to fill out required forms, attach a credit card to your account, and more ahead of time. It will greatly speed up the time in the terminal and allow you to board faster. One thing to note is that many ports of call have welcome areas right at the end of the dock.
In fact, you should force yourself to try to not do it all. Sit on your balcony, if you have one, and just stare out at the ocean for a couple of hours. If you only follow one piece of advice in this story, it should be this one. It is the only way to ensure you won't miss your ship — something that happens to cruisers more often than you would think.
Drawbacks of a direct booking
With 4,000 cruise passengers trying to go up and down on more than a dozen decks, elevators are constantly busy, no matter the time of day. That’s why you should always wait to enter only after people have gotten out. It’s polite, but it also makes getting on and off much easier.
Sure, it’s a nice feeling knowing that your cruise is bought and paid for, but it also puts you at risk if there is a price drop. That’s why when you board the ship, you should either turn your phone completely off or turn it on airplane mode to where it doesn’t use up data (but can still connect to wi-fi). It’s the simplest way to make sure there are no big surprises when you get your next phone bill. There is no better way to save money on your cruise parking and getting to the port than with this tip. See our list of hotels in every port with cruise shuttles, including Miami hotels with shuttles to the cruise port. When searching for a cruise with children, check to make sure they have children’s programs that your children will enjoy.
The porters removed his bag and he never saw it again. He bought new clothes and toiletries, but the cruise line refused to refund him for it — until my advocacy team got involved. In the end, there may be no correct answer for everyone. If, for example, you’re taking your extended family on an anniversary cruise, you’ll probably want to find a cruise specialist with experience dealing with large groups. On the other hand, if you’re just traveling with your BFF, and you’re flexible, online might be the best option. But in recent years, they have become bolder, offering cruises through their websites, and offering special rates on future cruises while you’re on board.
Considering that a non-alcoholic drink can cost $3-4 bucks each on a cruise ship (plus gratuity!) you can save a big chunk of change by bringing your own. Every Caribbean port will have some exclusive beach clubs with hammocks and drink service, but they usually charge an entry fee. Instead, do some research (or ask a taxi) on where the free beaches are. You might have to deal with more people, but nothing beats having a day on a world-class beach without having to spend a dime. If you’ve already paid for the entire trip, you lose some of that leverage. Even if this happens, still give the cruise line a call and ask for the lower price.
A departure time of noon or later gives you plenty of time so you don’t have to stress if there is a delay getting to the airport. Try not to Schedule a Flight Home Before NoonEach year millions of cruise passengers fly into port cities to start their cruise. Some people will get off within 15 minutes of the ship letting passengers exit while others might not get their turn to leave until 2-3 hours after arrival. Copy of Your Passport/Birth CertificateFor sure you need your real passport or birth certificate with you. But we suggest keeping them in the cabin safe during your trip so that they are secure.
Often, independent tours will be more intimate than the tours offered directly through cruise lines. They might go to the same sites but in a small van instead of a big motorcoach. You might have six or eight other people on a tour with you instead of nearly 40. If your traveling group is big enough, you might even book a private tour just for your friends and family with an independent tour operator. Find Caribbean vacation ideas to maximize your time and fun on a seven-night Caribbean cruise, including ideas for port planning and shore excursions.
If you’re the sort of person who likes a deal, look at sailing on an older ship. Even if an older ship and a newer ship sail the same itinerary, the fares on the older ship will be dramatically lower. We use this tip to sail way more than we could on only new ships. Are you planning to drive in for your cruise and need a place to stay?
This often includes shops, restaurants, and spots to book excursions if you haven’t already. If you don’t feel like going anywhere, these spots offer something to do off the ship. Specialty (extra charge) restaurants offer up more intimate dining, with smaller venues and usually need reservations. Just like on land, the specialty restaurants can vary from Asian to Mexican to Italian, and of course, the ever popular steakhouse. During the trip your cabin will be serviced by the room steward. Each day they will make up the room and deliver things like the daily schedule.
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