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Cruise Line Tips |
Since cruises are, by their very nature, all-inclusive, it’s important that you find one to suit your preferences. By consulting with your travel agent, you’ll find the perfect vacation.
* The length of the cruise: 3-day weekend, 4-day midweek, week long, 10-day, or one month, or several months if you wish. There are also 2-day cruises or some for just a few hours of gambling in international waters. There are combinations and packages of every kind to suit your time constraints – or lack thereof.
* Destination: Wherever you want to go, there’s a cruise going there if there’s water: The Caribbean, the Pacific coasts of the western states, Mexico and Alaska, Trans-Atlantic or Pacific, the canals of France, the Greek Islands, and the Mediterranean.
* Style, itineraries, and flavor: Different cruise lines cater to certain markets and clientele. Some have themes such as country or big band.
* Activities: equipped gyms and exercise classes, live entertainment, movie theater, gambling in the casino, dancing in the lounge, simply lie on the deck and tan, scheduled activities, onboard lectures. .
* Budget: You’ll find cruises to fit almost any budget. Your travel agent can find you special deals and discounts.
* Demographics: age group, singles, couples, or families
* Atmosphere: posh and elegant, exciting and active, family activities
* Accommodations: the size of the ship, its staterooms and cabins, a veranda or balcony off your room, the location of your cabin, a large and heavily populated ship or a smaller, intimate one, smoke free areas and restaurants and rooms.
* Shore excursions: fun, sports, educational, ecotourism, sightseeing, historical, arts and crafts, shopping
* Ports of call
* Food: accommodating special dietary needs, the times of the meals, meal seatings, seating arrangements, themes of meals, restaurants on board
* Travel agents will supply you with all the brochures you can handle to do your research, including all the facilities each offers.
* Decide what you’re looking for on this vacation. Do you want to just relax and get away from it all? A romantic getaway? A party-hearty atmosphere?
* Ask some of your friends if they’ve been on a cruise. Did they like it? Do you like what they like?
* Your travel agent can tell you about the cruise line’s reputation for quality cuisine, menu and customer service, as well as its safety and cleanliness record.
* Have your travel agent book you a cruise that specializes on solo travelers or one that has special, lower single rate.
* Come cruise lines offer a “ single share” program. They’ll find a roommate for you, so you not only share the room, but the double occupancy rate. If you consider travel an opportunity for adventure and new experiences, you may find this fun. Who knows, you might meet your next best friend. The flip side could be that the person they find has nothing in common with you and you’re stuck with someone who makes you uncomfortable. If they are unable to find you a roommate, they may still offer the cabin at a lower rate.
While everything from your cabin, your meals, your refreshments and entertainment are included, there are extra items you need to budget for:
* Taxes, surcharges, and fees, including airport and handling fees, departure taxes and port charges. Be sure to verify with your travel agent which are included in your cruise rate.
* Check with your travel agent to verify if alcoholic beverages, bottle water or soft drinks are included in your cruise rate.
* If your cruise package doesn’t include airline tickets and ground transfers, you’ll have to figure these expenses into your budget.
* If you have to stay at a hotel before or after your cruise, you’ll have to pay for the cost of the hotel, ground transportation and meals.
* While in port you’re on your own and will have the expense of taxis, entertainment/activities.
* Some shore excursions are not included in your cruise rate. Verify with your travel agent.
* Give yourself a budget for shopping both on and off the ship.
* Buy travel insurance to cover cruise cancellation and medical coverage.
* Bring tipping money. When you pack, you can pack some singles in each of your pants pockets, so you won’t have to bring out your purse or wallet every time a tip is required.
* Budget for such onboard extras as gambling, spa services, photos, ship-to-shore calls, etc.
* Your travel agent knows the ins and outs of all the discounts available and can find you the best rate for your cruise.
* Plan your cruise at least 120 days out from your sailing date.
* You can save money by cruising during the off season.
* Give your travel agent any discounts or coupons you have that will apply to the cost of the cruise.
* Your credit card company may offer a special discount if you use its card with a particular cruise line. Also, if you pay for the entire cruise in advance, instead of just the standard deposit, you may get a discount from the cruise line.
* Pack as if you were staying at a resort hotel. Read the cruise literature on recommended dress.
* If there’s going to be at theme night or talent show, pack to be prepared.
* No matter where your destination, bring a sweater or a jacket to protect against the chill of the deck at night or the air-conditioning.
* Pack comfortable rubber-soled shoes for moving around on deck.
* Bring a pocket calculator with you to figure the rates of exchange at your various ports of call.
* Bring a white T-shirt to protect your back from sunburn if you’re going to snorkeling.
* Bring some drinking straw to use for drinking out of cans or bottles while at port.
* Casual attire is the rule for almost your entire cruise, but bring some more formal attire for dining at the captain’s table, or the last night’s gala. Either a dark suite or white jacket black tie or tuxedo optional (some cruise lines rent them) and cocktail ensembles or dresses.
* Pack any items of value, such as cash, traveler’s checks, credit cards, jewelry, medication, travel documents, and a list of everything in your checked luggage.
* Pack a change of clothes, because your luggage often won’t be delivered to your cabin until after your first dinner.
* Just in case your flight’s delayed or your luggage doesn’t arrive with you, pack everything you’d need to get you through a 24-houi period.
* Be tip-ready: have one-dollar bills both in your carry-on bag and all your pockets. You don’t want to be pulling out a big wad of bills.
If you’re still at the airport, notify the airline immediately. Since you’ve made a list of everything in your checked bags and have it in your carry-on, you can have them make a copy of your list for your claim.
If the cruise line was responsible for transferring your luggage, and it’s not on the ship with you, notify the cruise line.
* You’ll receive an information packet from your travel agent that should list the ship’s satellite communications telephone number. Leave this at home with the person who’s looking after your home just in case there’s an emergency. Leave them the name of the cruise line, the ship’s name and itinerary. Stress emergency; these calls are very expensive.
* If you choose to stay in contact with those at home, try to schedule your calls when you’re in port and use a calling card.
* Many ships have computers that you can access the Internet. If you do not have an email account with a service on the World Wide Web, get one before you leave.
* You may also find a cyber café in some ports.
* Avoid the crowds. Find out from your cruise line what is the earliest you can board the ship on the day of departure. Use this time to confirm your seating assignment, sign up for activities, and enjoy the complimentary lunch.
* Depending on how much luggage you have and where you’re cabin is, you may want to use a porter to carry your bags on board. If you do it yourself, you’ll have the benefit of being all unpacked and enjoying the ship already while other guests are still waiting for theirs.
* Find your cabin steward, your new best friend for the cruise, to show you how things work.
* If your meal seating confirmation is in your cabin, go check them out. If you’re not happy, see the Maitre d’.
* The lifeboat drills are on the first day, before sailing. You don’t want to miss these. Check the schedule.
* If you plan on taking advantage of extra cruise services, such as the salon and spa or babysitting service, find them and sign up for the times you wish.
* If you want to take shore excursions, sign up as soon as possible before they get sold out.
* If you want to get a free or discounted upgrade, see the Purser’s office to see if they can accommodate you. You may need to pay by cash or travelers’ checks, so be prepared.
* While all crew members on most ships speak English, it may not be their native tongue, so speak clearly and make your requests or questions simple.
* For purchases made onboard, most cruise lines will set up a tab, using an imprint of your credit card. You can then “charge” items and receive a bill at the end of your cruise. Be sure to keep all your signed receipts to verify your purchases against the tab.
* Another way to pay for onboard purchases is to use your credit card, U.S. dollars, if it sails from a U.S. port, or travelers’ checks.
* Check your cruise line’s policy on writing personal checks.
* If a passenger ship sails from a U.S. port, even under a foreign flag, it must pass U.S. Coast Guard inspection standards. Any ship that spends time sailing out of a U.S. port must pass these very stringent standards. If you’re planning on sailing out of a foreign port, such as Athens, be sure to check the safety reputation of that cruise line and that ship.
* Any ship that carries 13 or more passengers and sails from a U.S. port at anytime during the year is subject to two unannounced sanitation inspection, part of the CDCs Vessel Sanitation Program. Visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Web site, www.cdc.gov/nceh/programs/sanit/vsp/scores/scores.htmto find out the score your ship received. The maximum score is 100 points, and any score above 86 is considered acceptable. Check the scores over a long period of time.
* The sanitation inspection evaluates the following:
* Water supplies, distribution and storage
* Food storage, preparation and service
* Potential for contamination of food and water
* Practice and personal hygiene of employees
* General cleanliness and physical conditions
* Training program in environmental and public health concerns
* Make certain there are enough life jackets in your cabin for everyone. If you need more, ask the cabin steward.
* Don’t skip the ship’s lifeboat drill. Pay attention, especially to the best route from your cabin to the fire exits and lifeboats.
* Decks can be slick and you may not have your sea legs, so always use the handrails.
* Use alcohol in moderation, especially until after you get your sea legs.
* If you smoke, please smoke only in designated areas and use the proper receptacle for your cigar and cigarette butts.
* Never leave your cabin door unlocked.
* Don’t leave valuables, including cash, anywhere but in the ship’s safety deposit boxes or the safe in your cabin.
* Never leave cash in your room
* If your cabin has bunk beds, use the provided ladder.
* Know how to contact your cabin steward.
* Keep your cabin number to yourself.
* If you go on a cruise-line-sponsored shore excursion, you should be relatively safe. However, it you decide to go it along, take these suggestions to heart.
* Research the country you’ll be visiting about local customs, crime rate, etc. Visit travel.state.gov/travel_warnings.html, The U.S. State Department’s Travel Warning and Consular Information Web page, and www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/country.html, the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency’s country listing with detailed information on foreign countries.
* Don’t be a magnet for thieves. Try not to look too conspicuous and flashy, and never display a lot of cash.
* Stay away from narrow alleys and poorly lit streets.
* Avoid being surrounded by crowds of people.
* Put your money in your front pocket and an empty wallet in your back pocket, or place a thick rubber band around your wallet before placing it in your pocket. It’ll make it difficult for a pickpocket to take it without your knowledge.
* Carry your purse under your arm, or carry your money under your clothes or in a money belt or holster-type carrier.
* Learn the tricks of the pickpocket’s trade. They thrive on distractions.
* Watch out for getting bumped by someone, or having someone spill something on you , or someone pointing out a spot on your clothing.
* Keep your eye and your hands on your money when someone approaches you for help or directions.
* Avoid being surrounded by groups of children. Remember Fagin.
* Avoid getting into trouble with the locals by knowing the laws and the obeying them, by learning the customs and respecting them, and dress conservatively.
* Remember, you’re on vacation. Slow down.
* When taking photographs be very careful of taking pictures of military or police operations or facilities; public demonstrations, places where signs are posted “no photos, ” or of cultural and religious events.
* If you get into trouble with the local law enforcement at port, you’re pretty much at their mercy. You might not have the same protections that the U.S. provides. If you are arrested, ask that the U.S. Embassy or Consulate be notified and ask to speak to their representative. This is why it’s a good idea to have a list of such on your person. U.S. officials can arrange an attorney for you, secure any supplies you might need and alert your traveling companion and the people back home about your trouble. Since the U.S. Embassy or Consulate has no real authority to intervene in another country’s internal criminal matters, they can make only suggestions.
* Thanks to the size and improving technology of the ships cruising today, modern weather tracking devices, and preventative medications available, seasickness is not much of a problem for most people. If you’re prone to seasickness, take the following precautions.
* Book an inside cabin that’s mid-ship on a lower level
* Have a cabin that has beds parallel to the length of the ship.
* Have your doctor prescribe preventative medications before you leave.
* Try one of those acupressure wrist bracelets. It works for some people.
* Avoid alcohol to reduce the symptoms of motion sickness.
* If you should happen to get sick onboard, your ship will most likely have an infirmary with a doctor and nurse on staff with 24-hour availability.
* If you have pre-existing conditions, notify the cruise line in advance of booking to see if they can provide the medical attention if necessary.
* Check into getting trip insurance to help cover the costs of reaching proper medical care if needed. Be sure to read the fine print to find out its policies regarding what’s covered, what are the exclusions and about pre-existing conditions.
* If you have food allergies, request a special diet or alert the chefs. Ask your server about the ingredients.
* Before you leave, at least six weeks out, check out what diseases are prevalent in the area you’ll be visiting and get whatever inoculations your physician recommends.
* A visit to the dentist a few weeks before you go is a good idea. Just to be sure you won’t have a toothache to ruin your vacation.
* Be careful what you eat and drink. Taking enzymatic acidophilus before and during your trip can save you some upset.
* Drink only bottled or boiled water and carbonated soft drinks in the port country. Remember that you don’t know where the ice in your drink originated. Don’t drink iced drinks in port.
* Wipe off the tops of bottles and cans, or use a drinking straw you brought along.
* Avoid raw foods.
* Brush your teeth with only bottled water and keep your mouth shut in the shower.
* Carry all your health information with you (Your doctor can help you with some of these.)
* Your insurance company’s name
* Trip insurance contact information
* Contact person in case of an emergency
* Your blood type
* A list of current medications and their generic equivalents
* A list of allergies, including foods and drugs
* A list of immunization and their dates
* A basic description of your past and present medical conditions, including past hospitalizations and any current conditions
* Consider joining Medic Alert or IAMAT, the International Association for Medical Assistance to Travelers.
* Know the local customs about negotiating the price of an item.
* Make sure you’re familiar with their return and exchange policies. Charging large purchases to your credit card can save you a lot of grief.
* Make sure that whatever logo imprinted item you buy is real. If it’s fake, it’ll be confiscated when you return to the U.S.
* Some items, especially antiques, works of art or items of cultural significance, require a special export license.
* Taxes can be much higher in some countries.
* While you’ll see many “duty free” shops, they may offer items that are free from duty where they’re sold, but not according to U.S. Customs guidelines for taxation when you return. Visit www.customs.treas.gov/travel/know.htm to learn about declarations, duty free exemptions, prohibited and restricted articles and procedures for shipping items back to the U.S.
* Caveat Emptor: While there are some great buys to be had, make sure you’re getting good value. Stick with names you know and buy those products that are not fake/counterfeit.
* To find out restrictions about bringing, food, plants, or animal products into the U.S. visit www.aphis.usda.gov/oa/travel.html. For pets, visit www.customs.ustreas.gov/travel/pet.htm
Handling Customer Service Issues Onboard
* If it’s a problem with the dining room, speak with the Maitre d’.
* If it’s a problem with something about your cabin, speak with your cabin steward.
* Any problems other than these, speak to the ship’s purser.
* To get the best solution, explain the problem clearly and calmly and ask that it be fixed. If you think you have a satisfactory solution to the problem, suggest it to whomever you’re speaking with.
* Allow for a reasonable response time, considering the nature of the problem.
* If you feel you’re not receiving a satisfactory response, ask to see a supervisor, or whoever else is up the ladder of command.
* If you’re still unhappy, contact the cruise line’s customer service department.
Some cruise lines provide you with envelopes for you to put tips in and pass out, along with their guide to tipping. Here are some rules of thumb:
* Give airport skycaps at least $1.00 for each bag they carry.
* Give porters at the cruise ship’s loading area at least a $1.00 for each bag.
* For cabin stewards and waiters, proffer between $3 to $3.50 a day per passenger
* For servers or busboys, offer between $1.50 to $2.50 a day per passenger
* Depending on how helpful they’ve been, tip the maitre d’ between $2 and $10 per day per passenger.
* Check your bar and lounge tabs to see if a standard 15% tip has been added. If you thought the service was excellent, add accordingly.
* Check your cabin closets, drawers, bathroom hooks, etc. for any loose items. Be sure to check the cabin safe for any valuables you forgot you placed there. Remember to pack your valuables in your carry-on.
* After you’ve packed everything, leave your bags outside your cabin door if you’re having the cruise line transfer your luggage. If you plan to carry your bags off the ship, keep them inside your cabin.
* Don’t forget to leave out your traveling ensemble, and pack extra clothing and items in case your flight is delayed.
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