blog post

 First Time Cruise Tips

 

So, you're going on a cruise!   Visions of stunning sunsets, unlimited gastric delights and a week of relaxation and entertainment are certainly dancing through your head.  You are bound to have a wonderful time whether you read these tips or not, but if you do, you might save time and money, bring the right clothes, know where to go when and generally enrich your experience!

 

Packing for Your Cruise

 

The first consideration when preparing for your cruise is, of course, the destination!  Packing for Alaska is quite different than packing for theCaribbean.   A South American itinerary which sails around Cape Horn is a combination of the two.  

 

• Find the average temperatures and precipitation for your ports of call in the month of your travel and then pack accordingly.   Note that even in a warm climate, the air conditioning on board can be chilly in some places, especially at night.   It's always a good idea to layer clothing for changing conditions, inside or out.   Check out the World Climate and Climate Zone websites for average temperatures and rainfall.

 

 

On Board Dress Varies Between Night and Day 

 

Night Time.  The major cruise lines designate a few nights of your cruise as formal nights.  Formal night is a maritime tradition dating back to the early ocean liner days.  There is something magical about a lighted ship on a dark sea with tuxedos and gowns milling about!    Many see it as a rare opportunity in our casual society to dress up for a special evening.   Nowadays, a tuxedo isn't required, a suit will do.  For women, a formal gown, cocktail or dressy dress are all appropriate.  You will see a mixture of these styles on formal night.   If you don't feel like dressing up, most ships have one or more alternative dining options that don't require the dressy code.   All ships do like you to clean up a bit for night time on board no matter where you are.   For the non-formal nights usually a collared shirt and slacks for men and skirt or slacks for women is appropriate.    Swimming suits, shorts and jeans are usually not allowed in dining rooms during the evening, but recently some cruise lines seem to have caved in on the jeans issue.  Some cruise web sites now state that nice jeans are fine for casual nights as long as they are not worn, torn or sloppy.  Best to check the "Before your Cruise" page of your cruise line web site for their suggestions. 

 

Day Time.  Just about anything goes in any part of the ship, including dining rooms during the day, as long as it is not an uncovered swimming suit.  That is of course, okay at the pool!   

 

As all of the cruise lines have a little different policy (Norwegian and Carnival are the most lax) I have provided links to the "Know Before You Go" pages of the Big 6 cruise lines below.   These links include lots of information that you'll want to read about before you go, including dress codes.

 

 

• Laundry Services

Self Service.   Because of the risk of fire, no personal irons are allowed on board cruise ships.  Steamers are usually allowed but there is an easier solution for some clothes.  I take a small spray bottle to fill with water when I get on board.  Then I lay out my wrinkled clothes, spot spray the wrinkles, smooth with a wash cloth and hang to dry.  This works pretty well on cotton and most cotton blends.    (The clothes need to start out pressed before packing…this wouldn't work very well on a completely wrinkled item.)  Some ships (including Princess, Carnival and some Holland America) have self-service laundry rooms, with washers, dryers and irons.   Note that Royal Caribbean, Celebrity and most Norwegian ships do not have self-service laundry facilities.    

 

Ship Laundry Service.  All ships have professional laundry services and will wash, dry clean and iron clothing for you.  There will be a price list for these services, usually attached to a bag and hanger in the closet.    (Plan on a couple of dollars per item for ironing and a little more for cleaning.)  Fill out the desired services on the form, put the clothes in the bag and give to your stateroom attendant.  You will usually have your clothes back within 48 hours or 24 if you pay extra for express service.  You might find it easier to budget for ironing and save on prep time at home!

 

• Pants or shorts with pockets or a small bag are helpful when you want to get around the ship without taking a bag or purse to carry your room card, etc.  I found a small zippered pouch that clips onto my pants waist.  I keep my room key in it when jogging around the deck as I don't have pockets in my jogging shorts.  I also take a small bag with a long strap that can go across my shoulder.  It's lightweight and just big enough to carry my glasses, sunglasses, camera and chapstick. 

 

• All the big ships today have nice gyms with free-weights, jogging and other exercise machines.  With all the food you will be eating, it's nice to know you can work it off!  Bring your exercise clothes and clean exercise shoes for the gym.

 

• Rain Gear.  If average rainfall for your month of travel shows any rain, be prepared with a raincoat with hood or a poncho.  There are cheap lightweight ponchos that fold up very small to fit in a purse or pocket.  A compact umbrella is good for a downpour, but not much help in the wind.   With the combination of an umbrella and lightweight raincoat or poncho, you'll be ready for whatever hits you and will still be able to enjoy what you came to enjoy!  This advice is essential for Alaska or  tropical climates at certain times of the year.

 

• Stick to one color scheme so you don't have to bring too many clothes.  If several shirts match a few different pants or skirts, and they all match one or two pairs of shoes, you're all good.  I usually stick with outfits that match either my brown or black shoes and bags.

 

• You don't need to bring a hair dryer as they are almost always supplied in the staterooms.  If you will have a hotel stay in a foreign port, don't count on hairdryers being supplied unless it is a 4 or 5 star property.  I usually bring a very compact travel hairdryer anyway…just in case.  (I rarely use it, but there has been occasion.)

 

• Make sure you have one or two good pair of walking shoes for touring.  If you have trouble being on your feet all day it usually helps to change shoes each day.  Make sure you have correct support for your feet type and that the arch is comfortable and in the right place.  Bring band-aids for the possible blister.  It will save you if that happens!!

 

• Sea Sickness.  Although today's ships are usually equipped with stabilizers that substantially cut down on motion, if you are prone to motion sickness you'll want to be prepared for that possibility.   As a motion sickness sufferer myself, I've tried many different remedies.  Read about them here.

 

• There are many convenient travel items offered on the internet today and some may benefit you.  Compression stockings to reduce swelling on airplanes, compact pill containers for vitamins and non-prescription drugs, motion sickness remedies, theft-proof  over the shoulder hand bags, portable door alarms, air fresheners, luggage and bags, etc.  Check out Magellan’s  and  luggageguru.com.

 

• Make Copies of All Your Documents.   Make three copies of your passports (the first two pages) and an extra copy of your cruise boarding pass as well as your flight itinerary, hotel, car rental, etc.  Keep your passport, boarding pass and other documentation in an envelope or pouch in your carry-on luggage.   The copies you can put in your checked luggage.   It is a good idea to leave one copy of all those things (especially passports) with someone at home.  If your passport gets lost or stolen it is much easier to get it replaced if you have that copy or if someone else can get it to you.    In lieu of leaving a copy with someone at home, you can scan it and email to yourself.  Nowadays you can find the internet just about anywhere!

 

• Save your airline’s reservation phone number in your cell phone.   If you have problems with a delayed flight and connection you’ll want to call the airline before going to the airport desk.  Most of the time this is the quickest way to resolve your problem.  While everybody else is standing in line, the smart ones are on the phone!

 

Getting to the Port

 

Plan to arrive at the port well ahead of the scheduled departure time.  Most cruise lines now require you to be on board at least 90 minutes before departure or at least 2 hours prior if you have not completed all of the immigration information on line. 

 

Give yourself a good buffer in case you have any kind of delay.   (Flight delay or cancellation, traffic accident, traffic jams, etc.)    If you are flying across the country you will need to fly in a day earlier to make sure you are there!  The exception to this would be if you purchase your air through the cruise line.  The cruise line will usually take care of you (hold the ship or get you to the next port) if your flight is delayed.

 

On the day of ship departure, a check-in window is specified but you can usually board an hour or two prior to the stated time.

 

• If you have purchased ship transfers from the cruise line, look for the cruise line representative in the baggage claim area.  That will be the person holding the cruise line sign.   This person will have a list that should have your name on it.  You will be sent to a bus with many other people and taken to the cruise ship terminal.   You don't need to know anything…you will be shown where you need to go.  This is the advantage to purchasing transfers from the cruise line!  If you haven't pre-purchased transfers from the cruise line you can sometimes purchase the transfer at the airport if the bus isn't full.

 

• If you take a cab to the port, be sure to tell the cab driver the name of the ship.  Some ports have multiple ships in port on the same day and there may be several different entry points.  Cab drivers are generally knowledgeable enough to know where your ship is docked.  To be safe, get the pier number where the ship will be docked before you leave home.  If there is more than one cruise port location in town (for example, Seattle), make sure you know which one to go to.   You should be dropped off close to the embarkation area and porters will be there to take your bags.  It is customary to tip them a dollar or two per bag.

 

• If you are driving to a port in the U.S. there is usually a parking lot at or by the cruise ship terminal (there are a few exceptions).  Rates range from $10 to $15 per day.   After you park your car, there will be porters nearby to take your luggage.  You can get directions to the pier at your cruise line's website at the links below.

 

Luggage

 

Be sure to attach the cruise line tag!

 

Before you arrive at the pier, be sure you have the cruise line luggage tags filled out and attached to your bags.   If you have purchased ship transfers to the port, you will want to attach the cruise line luggage tags before your flight.  If not, do not attach the cruise line luggage tags until you get to the pier.   Cruise lines used to mail out luggage tags, but nowadays most have you print them out from the cruise line's web site.  If you don’t have luggage tags prior to arriving at the pier, you will be able to get them from the porters.  Be sure that your full name and stateroom number are written on the luggage tags!   (Don't make it too easy for your bags to get lost.)   You can lock your bags before giving them to the porters.  Even though your bags will need to go through security, you usually are not required to leave them unlocked. 

 

Ship Luggage Option

 

Some cruise lines actually have options now to have your luggage picked up at home and delivered to the ship.  I met some folks who did that on my cruise in South America.  They didn't see their luggage until half way through the cruise.   It's a great idea and I'm sure it works well most of the time.  However, I personally feel more comfortable when I at least get a glimpse of my luggage a few times before I get to my destination.  Reducing the number of possibilities for luggage to get way-laid seems like a prudent course of action.   Even though travel insurance does cover this potentiality, nothing beats having your own stuff!

 

When you Arrive at the Port

 

However you arrive at the port, you will be relieved of your luggage by a porter before you head into the terminal building.  Make sure that you keep a carry-on bag with anything you will need for the next few hours until your luggage is delivered to your stateroom.  (It is usually left in the hallway outside your door.)  There is nothing quite worse than watching your luggage go out of sight and then remembering that your passport is in it so make sure NOT to pack your cruise boarding document, passport, medications and anything else you will need for the next several hours.   Most luggage is delivered within a few hours but can take longer.  It is customary to tip the porters about $1 or 2 per bag.

 

Checking-in

 

Okay, so you need to know that the most fun part of cruising is not embarkation, by a long shot!   But rest assured it will get a lot better as soon as you actually step foot on the ship!    Depending on different factors, it is quite probable that you will be standing in a long line to check-in.  Have patience; be jolly…remember you're on vacation!   When you get to the check-in desk, hopefully you will have already completed the pre-registration information on line.  Otherwise you will need to complete the form.  Have your passport and boarding pass ready.  You will also need to produce the credit card that will be used for your shipboard account.   (There is a cashless system on board.  Anything you purchase will be put on your shipboard account, which will then be charged to your credit card at the end of the cruise.)

 

Make sure you have proper identification!  On some itineraries that depart and return to the same U.S. port (called 'closed loop sailings'), you may not be required to have a passport.  A certified copy (raised seal) of your birth certificate and driver's license or other government issued photo ID may suffice.  However, it is still highly advisable to have a passport because if you get stuck out of the country (illness, accident, missing the ship, etc.) you would need a passport to fly back in to the U.S.!  Nowadays, it is highly advisable for everyone to have a passport when traveling outside of the country.   Your passport should be valid for six months after your return date.  Double and triple check that you have proper identification as you won't be getting on the ship without it!

 

Ship ID/Room Key/Ship Credit Card.  You will be given a ship card which serves as your room key, ship identification and your ship "credit card".   You will need to produce it when you leave the ship in port and again to get back onto the ship.  Your picture will be taken before you board for the first time.  Every time you re-enter the ship thereafter your ID card will be inserted into a machine that will bring up your picture.  Your picture had better match your face and then you will be admitted back onboard!    All onboard purchases will be made with this card.  There is no cash payment on board.  This is quite an important little card so don't treatit too casually!  If you do happen to lose it while on board, though, don't panic.  Go to the reception desk with your ID and they will give you another one.  If you lose it off the ship, you probably should do a little panicking and get back to the ship as soon as possible to start the verification process of who you really are!  (Make sure to always carry some ID ashore, a driver's license or copy of your passport.)

 

Boarding the Ship (Embarkation)

 

If you have boarded the ship very early, you may not be able to access your cabin right away.  The previous cruisers debarked just a few hours before you embarked.  The crew, although very speedy, usually can't clean the whole ship this fast.   Lunch will be ready in the buffet (on one of the top decks) and you can hang out by the pool and some of the lounges.  An announcement will be made when the cabins are ready.   If you have boarded after the announced boarding time, you can go straight to your cabin.   At any rate you’ll be told when you board what the situation is.

 

In times gone by, when you boarded the ship there was always someone to show you to your stateroom.  This is rarely the case anymore on the major cruise lines.  However, there will always be someone to point you in the right direction.  Even so, it's a good idea for you to study up on the location of your stateroom before you get onboard.    (Look over the ship deck plan on the cruise line web site or brochure.)  Memorize the name and/or number of your deck and the approximate location (fore or aft) of your cabin.   All decks have placards by the stairs and elevators stating the deck number, port or starboard side of ship and arrows pointing fore or aft (forward or rear).   You should be able to find your cabin without too much trouble by checking these signs.   "Port" is the left side of the ship and "Starboard" is the right side of the ship as you are facing “forward” towards the front of the ship.  The way I remember this is that 'port' and 'left' have the same number of letters.  Like a hotel, arrows will point the way to specific cabin numbers.

 

 

 

Get Acquainted with the Ship

 

The first afternoon is a great time to wander around and discover what is where on the ship.  Most of today's ships are large enough that it will take a few days and sometimes a week to be completely familiar with the lay-out.   It will help immensely though to get your bearings on the first day.   You can do that while waiting for your luggage to show up.  Ask at the Reception desk for a deck plan.  They usually have them but don’t always give them out without asking.     Once your luggage is delivered you'll want to unpack and get organized.   Most cabins are small but have well organized and ample space for your belongings in the closets and drawers.   If you usually like to keep your clothes in your suitcase, forget it!  There will be no room for suitcases if you also want to move around your room.  After unpacking, your suitcases will fit nicely under the raised beds.

 

Muster Drill

 

On the first day, usually just before sailing, a 'muster drill' will be held.  This drill is a practice of what you would do in case of an emergency at sea.  It only takes about 20 minutes and all passengers are required to attend.  There will be announcements well before the drill takes place alerting you to when the drill will take place and where to go.  You'll need to take your life jacket, which is in your closet.    On the back of your stateroom door there should be a map showing where your muster station is located.   There will be ship personnel stationed at every staircase directing you to the correct location.  Once at the station you usually stand or sit around and wait for a while, then the captain will come on the loud speaker with some instructions.  A life vest demonstration will be given and you will put on your life vest.  Role is taken and you'll then be released back to pre-muster drill revelry.  It's good to have a practice of what you'll need to do in case of emergency.   Rarely would you need to do it in real life, but there are those rare occasions…so pay attention!

 

Dining Options

 

The one thing you probably already know about a cruise is that you are not about to starve!   The dining opportunities offered just keeps getting better and better.   Even though there are very few times during the day and well into the night that you cannot get food in a restaurant or café, there is always room service.   If you are worried about weight gain you may want to do a little dieting in preparation for your cruise.  You certainly don't want to be dieting on the cruise…that would be silly!   One thing you can do on the cruise to counter your calorie intake is to take the stairs as much as possible (that's great exercise on a large ship!) and visit the gym.  You can also do a lot of walking in port.  All part of the fun anyway, so it all works together!   Let's dig into cruise ship dining!

 

Dinner    

 

The scheduled dining seating is another maritime tradition that is still clinging to life on most ships, but is rapidly losing ground.   For years there were only two options for dinner, early or late!  Dinner in the main dining room is still a seated four or five course fine dining affair, but the rest is changing.   Norwegian Cruise Line broke with tradition some years ago and now has no scheduled dining at all.  A few years later Princess introduced "Anytime Dining" as an additional option to scheduled dining.   Now HollandAmerica offers "As You Wish Dining", Royal Caribbean has "My Time Dining", Celebrity introduced "Celebrity Select Dining", and Carnival finally caved in with "Your Time Dining".   All except Norwegian have also kept the option of the traditional early and late fixed dining times.    Now you can choose early, late or flexible dining on most ships, as long as the options are all available at the time of booking.   

 

So what do you choose?  The pros of scheduled dining are that you will have the same waiters and dining companions each evening.   This can be quite a plus if the waiters are good and the companions are enjoyable.  Your waiters learn your likes and dislikes and you may find them bringing you something extra you didn't ask for because you had asked for it the previous night.  Those are the kind of touches that can only happen if you have scheduled dining.  If you are sailing with a large group and wish to dine together every night, a fixed dining time is a great way to go.  As everyone may go their separate ways during the day, it's great to meet together in the evening, same time, same place, without additional fuss.

 

With a fixed dining schedule you are not completely restricted.  You can choose a different dining venue any evening.   The buffet restaurant will be open for dinner (sometimes converted to an order taker restaurant for dinner) and most ships have one or more alternative restaurants.   There is always room service as well.

 

If you were not able to confirm your choice of dining times before sailing, you'll want to visit the Maitre'd soon after boarding.  There will most likely be several other passengers also wanting to see him.  Go to one of the main dining rooms (not the buffet) to ask for him.   He will usually be set up in a room close to the dining room.

 

The cons of scheduled dining are that you may not care for your dining companions or your waiters and you'll be stuck with them.  (You can actually go see the Maitre'd to change your table if this is the case.)  The other con to a fixed dining time is that it may not work with your planned or unplanned activities every day.

 

If you do choose fixed dining, which is best…early sitting or late?  This depends on many factors, including your dining preference, the ship's itinerary and the things you like to do onboard.   Even though 8 PM is rather late for many people to eat, if you can handle it, there may be some reasons you would want to.  Many times the itinerary calls for the ship to depart from a port during the early seating.  If you are in the dining room eating during this time you will miss one of the magical elements of cruising…being out on deck while the ship is sailing away.   Many times it is close to sunset and the scenery of the diminishing city is striking!  Also, early evening is a nice time to sit in the hot tub, work out at the gym or walk around the deck, especially if you have been in port all day.   Most gyms and pools are closed by 8 PM or so.

 

So what are the benefits of flexible dining?    I like the fact that we can dine by ourselves or choose to sit with others.  We have met a variety of interesting people this way.  The ones we especially enjoyed, ended up dining with us again as we ran into them onboard.  We like having the option of eating early if we are famished or late if we want to get a nap or swim in before dinner.    We love to be on deck for sailing away and like to arrange dinner around that or around a particular show we want to see.  We, therefore, have chosen flexible dining for our last few cruises, with the exception of the family reunion cruise.

 

The alternative restaurants are specialty restaurants that offer a superior dining experience.  They usually charge a cover of $10 - $40 per person.   (Norwegian Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean's new mega ships have many dining options and about half of them are included in the price of the cruise, the others charging a cover.)  You can also order room service, which is a great option after an exhausting day in port or if you have a balcony.   Room service is usually free of charge, but do tip the waiter a few dollars at the time of service.  Some cruise lines recommend that you make reservations for alternative restaurants in advance if you'd like a certain day.  Some allow you to reserve prior to boarding the ship and others require you to wait until you are onboard.  Many times the cover charge for alternative restaurants is half-price on embarkation day as that is typically a slow day.  Check the newsletter in your cabin when you get on board to see if that is the case.

 

 

Breakfast and Lunch.  

 

There are no reserved dining times for breakfast and lunch in any restaurants.  The dining room will generally be open for a two hour window during breakfast and lunch.  The buffet restaurants on most ships are now open almost continuously the whole day.  Be sure to check the dining times though as they only serve full meals during certain times.  For example, between 6:30 AM and 7:30 AM the buffet may only serve light breakfast items and introduces more choices later in the morning.  A snack is usually available in the afternoon.  Most people tend to eat breakfast and lunch at the buffet and dinner in the dining room, us included.  We try on to eat at least one breakfast and one lunch in the dining room per cruise…just for some variety.

 

Another Dining Tip: Ask and Ye Shall Receive.  Even though you may not see it on the menu or in the buffet line, if there is something you really want, ask and you just might get it.   Ship personnel really do try their best to please so give it a try.   

 

A favorite feature of some ships is a complimentary ice cream station.  Right about 2:00 or 3:00 in the afternoon that starts sounding really good.  We were disappointed on our last cruise to find a specialty ice cream bar (with extra charge) instead of a complimentary one.  It wasn't until the last few days of this 14 day cruise that we realized they served complimentary ice cream every day in the buffet from 2 to 4 PM!  So if your ship doesn't have a free ice cream station, be sure to ask at the buffet if they will be serving ice cream in the afternoon on a regular basis!

 

What about the mid-night buffet?  The days of the midnight buffet have also gone by the way side.  There will usually be some food available at the buffet restaurant late at night and once a week there may be a special chocolate, sushi, or some other specialty buffet.  These specialty buffets include beautifully carved and arranged offerings.  The first pass through these buffets may be for picture taking only, with the second pass for the eating!  Keep a watch on your daily bulletin!

 

How Do We Know What's Going On?  In your stateroom will be a newsletter, outlining the activities and schedules of the day.    From then on you will receive a newsletter each evening with an outline of the following day's activities as well as important shipboard information.  It will always state the dress code for dinner.  Be sure to at least glance over it every night so you'll be aware of activities, shows and lectures you don't want to miss, as well as be informed of important shipboard information.  I always try to bring a highlighter to highlight things I want to remember.  Otherwise, there is so much information that I am likely to forget.

 

Gratuities.   Tipping is another tradition that has changed because of the flexible dining now offered on most ships.  It used to be that on the last day of the cruise, one would tip the cabin steward, dining room waiter and assistant waiter and head waiter.   We would put the gratuity in an envelope and give it to our waiters or steward and thank them for their wonderful service.  Nowadays, because of flexible dining, you may have several different waiters during your cruise.  So most tipping is now automatically added to the shipboard account at $9.75 to $12 per person per day for your cabin steward, dining room staff and others.  (Up to $15 per day if you are in a suite.)   You can go to the reception desk to adjust the gratuities if you want to.  RoyalCaribbean and Celebrity actually require you to pre-pay gratuities (before the cruise) if you choose flexible dining.  If you choose scheduled dining on Royal and Celebrity, you have the option to give gratuities yourself.    

 

Bar Drinks (including soft drinks).  Any drinks that are not complimentary (alcohol and soft drinks, mainly) usually have a 15% gratuity automatically added to the bill.  Just pay the bartender or waiter with your room card and it’s all done.

 

Room Service.  As many times as I’ve asked I’ve never received a clear answer about whether room service waiters receive a portion of tips from the wait staff tipping pool.  To be safe I always give them a couple of dollars at the time of service.

 

Other than that, if you feel you have been given excellent service, you are free to tip extra at will.   Ship personnel work for 6 to 10 month stints, 12 to 16 hour days with only a day off every now and then.   It's nice to show your appreciation for a hard job which they usually perform with a perennial smile!

 

Ports of Call.  What to do? 

 

Shore Excursions are offered by the cruise lines for all ports of call.  Most cruise lines allow you to book excursions in advance on their website.  You can also book them on the ship at the Shore Excursion Desk.  The more popular excursions may sell out so if you have your heart set on one, best to book it in advance.   There are other companies offering shore excursions at a lower price and usually in smaller groups.  Once of the advantages of booking with the ship is that if the excursion is delayed they won’t sail without you!  This is a nice feature that I experienced inConstantaRomania.  The excursion was a new one which was bungled quite badly.  We got back to the ship very late, about a half-hour after we should have sailed.  But there she was waiting for us when we pulled in! 

 

There are a few companies that offer shore excursions for usually a bit less than the cruise lines and they guarantee they’ll get you back to the ship on time or get you to the next port.   Click on ShoreTrips excursions for your specific ship and sailing date.  You can book right online!

 

You may decide to venture out on your own instead of booking an excursion.  Taxi drivers in foreign ports usually wait by the piers and you can hire them for a determined amount of time to your destination of choosing or ask them to show you around the city.   They would prefer to do this rather than just drop you off somewhere.  The price usually needs to be negotiated and will vary according to your destination.  Some will want to charge per person but others per cab.   Be sure you negotiate the price before you get in.   Don’t pay them until the end (or pay half if they drop you somewhere and the rest after they have picked you up and taken you back).

 

Communications to the Outside World.  

 

• Ship to Shore phone service.  There is Ship to Shore phone service on all ships.   You can find the ship's number on their website so you can give it to your family in case of emergency.   It's quite expensive ($7.95 per minute) so it's not for chatting.

 

• Many ships now offer a roaming cell network while at sea.  This may work for you if you have a cell service and phone that work overseas.  Some work for texting, if not for voice calls.  Check with your cell phone provider.

 

• Internet.  All ships have internet services; some have wireless options that allow you to use your own computer in your stateroom or specific hot spots around the ship.  The service is expensive.  A cheaper alternative is to find an Internet Café in port.   Try looking at http://www.cybercafe.com/.    

 

Disembarkation

 

All good things must come to an end.  At some point during your cruise you'll receive a debarkation questionnaire asking for your transportation plans after the cruise.  Depending upon your responses you will be placed in a departure group.  Those with the earliest flights out will be in the first group and so on.  If you neglect to complete the form, you will be placed in one of the latest groups.  You will be asked to put your packed luggage outside of your stateroom by midnight or so the night before departure.  The luggage will be collected and you'll find it in the terminal the next morning after debarking.

 

Cruise Terminology Decoder

 

Aft                               Towards the rear of the ship

Balcony Cabin             Cabin with outdoor balcony

Berth                           Slip for ship to dock or bed for passenger

Bow                             Front of Ship

Bridge                         Navigational Command Post

Cabin                          Your room on board.  Also known as your stateroom

Cabin Steward             Person who cleans your room everyday and takes care of your needs

Debark                        Same as disembark

Disembarkation          Leaving the ship

Embarkation                Boarding the ship

Fore                             Forward most tip of ship

Forward                        Towards the front of the ship

Funnel                          Ship's Smokestack

Galley                          Ship's kitchen

Gangplank                   Moveable bridge used to board and debark ship

Gangway                      Doorway to the gangplank

Heading                       The direction in which the ship is traveling, usually in terms of a compass

Inside Cabin                Cabin in ship's interior with no window

Knot                             Nautical mile per hour, about 15% faster than one mile per hour

Leeward                       Side of ship opposite from the side the wind is blowing

Mid-ships                     Middle or close to middle section of the ship

Muster Drill                  Drill to practice emergency gathering and evacuation from ship

Muster Station             Your designated spot to muster in case of emergency

Ocean view Cabin        Cabin with a picture window

Outside Cabin              Cabin with a porthole or picture window

Pilot                             Local pilot will come aboard to bring the ship into and out of a port

Pitch                            Movement of ship from forward to back

Port                             The left side of the ship as you are facing forward

Ports of Call                 Ports that will be visited on your cruise

Porter                          Worker who moves your luggage

Porthole                       Small round window

Promenade Deck          Outside walking deck or inside public deck

Roll                               Movement of ship from side to side

Shore Excursion           Land tour offered by cruise line

Side Thrusters             Water jets to push away from dock.  No tug required

Stabilizers                    Hydraulic activated underwater fins to minimize ship's roll

Starboard                     The right side of the ship as you are facing forward

Stateroom                    Fancy word for cabin

Stern                            Rear most tip of the ship

Suite                            Larger and more comfortable than basic cabin.  Most have balconies.

Transfer                       Method of getting between airport, port or hotel

Tug                              Tug boat used to pull ship away from dock

Windward                     Side of ship that wind is blowing into

 

Links to Specific Cruise Line Q and A's

 

  

Princess

 

http://www.princess.com/learn/answer/index.jsp

 

RoyalCaribbean

 

http://www.royalcaribbean.com/beforeyouboard/travelGuidelines.do;jsessionid=0000g5dbB_SMu--AeuvAZsl3Khg:13hldil87?cS=NAVBAR

 

Celebrity Cruises

 

http://www.celebritycruises.com/beforeyourcruise/topThumbDblThumb.do;jsessionid=0000pv2KqmM195Ee9oqvMSfxzUw:12hdebcnj?pagename=before_your_cruise&cS=NAVBAR

 

Carnival

 

http://www.carnival.com/CMS/FAQs/FAQLanding.aspx?icid=CC_Footer_88

 

HollandAmerica

 

http://www.hollandamerica.com/cruise-vacation-planning/PlanningAndAdvice.action?tabName=Cruise+Preparation

 

Norwegian

 

http://www.ncl.com/nclweb/cruiser/cmsPages.html?pageId=FAQ

 

 

Categories: Cruise Tips