Seven Tips To Enhance Your Next Cruise
- Date: 2008-10-07 - Word Count: 1069
Share This!
A cruise is a great vacation value, but there are ways that people booking a cruise (even seasoned travelers) can diminish their overall cruise experience. Likewise, even people new to cruising can enhance the cruise experience by following certain guidelines. Here are seven ways to get the most from your cruise.
First - Travel with a like-minded partner or friends. Most cruise ships are like Noah's Ark: people get on in pairs or in groups. While cruise lines will gladly allow you to cruise solo, it is not the best way to enjoy a cruise. Not only will you sometimes feel awkward during dining or cruise ship activities, you also get slapped with a surcharge since all cruising is based on double (or more) occupancy rates.
Furthermore, travel with compatible people. If you like to party, don't decide to go on a cruise with a tee-totaler or a recovering drinker. Whether you are a sun bather or a casino denizen, you are going to have your best time if you travel with people who share your interests and values.
Second - Board your ship as early as you can and take any tours of the vessel or facilities that are offered. Most ships allow you to board many hours before the ship sets sail and during that time you may be offered free tours of the ship, the spa, and so on. Although they aren't going to be the highlight of your vacation, these tours help you get oriented and can give you a glimpse of facilities on-board that you may have not known about.
If you can't get an official tour, try to walk through the ship systematically. This will help you get your bearings plus you may find out about lounges, snack bars, clubs, meeting rooms, or other areas that you might not have known about.
On a recent cruise, I found out on the tour that the cruise ship had a guarantee program for purchases made in port. If you bought merchandise from certain recognized stores, the cruise line would guarantee them providing you filled out certain paperwork and turned it in to the onboard shopper. It was a great tip, and I never would have known about it had I not taken the pre-sailing tour of the ship.
Third - Do everything. This may sound counterintuitive to most cruise fanatics, who seek unstructured time and the opportunity to just lounge around and do nothing. Actually, most cruise directors will tell you the best cruises are those in which you really attempt to try and do everything offered.
This means you should extend yourself a bit. Sample the dancing, casinos, the pools, on-board games, art auctions, spa services, bingo, shows, and fine dining. Even if you don't normally do those things, the more you try to take advantage of all that is offered, the more fun you'll have.
Fourth - Don't overeat. While some people do take cruises to gorge themselves, this is usually a rookie mistake. It may sound counter-intuitive to avoid overindulging on a cruise ship, since most cruises really emphasize the wonderful food they offer. But here's how to handle it.
Do enjoy yourself. Order what you love. Chances are that cruise ships will offer it, whether it's steak or lobster, ice cream or pizza, eggs benedict at sunrise, or chocolate decadence at midnight. Do, by all means, eat the foods you love.
But don't stuff yourself. You'll wind up feeling miserable during the cruise and fat after you get off the boat.
When in doubt, pass on food. Why? Because on a cruise ship, you're never more than a few minutes away from the next opportunity to eat. Sample all you can, but don't eat too much of any one thing and say no to a lot of the food and drink offered.
You'll wind up feeling fitter and stronger and you'll really enjoy what you do eat.
Fifth - Drink water. That's good advice anywhere, but most of us forget about it on vacation, particularly on a cruise. Furthermore, if you drink alcohol or spend a lot of time in a hot climate, your need for water increases so you need even more water to avoid dehydration.
Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, aches and pains, and digestive disturbances. Why ruin your vacation? Drink lots and lots of water. It's available just about anywhere beverages are offered on a cruise ship and bottled water is typically brought every morning to your cabin.
Sixth - Protect your skin. Even if you cruise to Antarctica, you will still need sunscreen. The sun's intensity is amplified by the water's reflection, so ramp up your sunscreen protection for a cruise. Put on sunscreen when you go to the pool or beach or even if you're just sitting on deck in the shade.
If you do get burned, use some of the after-burn products on the market. They should be available on board ship if you don't bring your own. Whatever you do, protect any burned skin from further sun exposure. If you get a burn on top of an existing sunburn, you can do serious damage to your skin and may even require medical intervention.
Seventh - Don't be cruise-stupid. That's a term I made up for a behavior I frequently observe on cruise ships. For some reason, being on a cruise makes some people act foolishly or recklessly and do things they would never normally do. Maybe it's the unreal experience of being on a cruise ship.
On a cruise ship, people wait on you. Everything is nice and clean. You don't have to do any work at all. Everybody seems happy. After all, you never have to pull out your wallet, wash a dish, or make a bed. It doesn't take long before the cruise experience literally becomes "another world."
Some folks take that as a cue to start behaving irresponsibly and sometimes they get hurt. I'm not trying to minimize anyone's pain or say that the bad events are deserved, but let's face it. People who start acting recklessly sometimes get hurt.
If you decide to pretend you're a gymnast and balance on the guard rail, you just might fall off. If you leave your purse or wallet unattended in a public area, you can get robbed. If you decide to get roaring drunk in some foreign port of call and act like an idiot, you can wind up in a mess of trouble.
Observe the same good, common sense tactics you use on land or in your everyday life.
First - Travel with a like-minded partner or friends. Most cruise ships are like Noah's Ark: people get on in pairs or in groups. While cruise lines will gladly allow you to cruise solo, it is not the best way to enjoy a cruise. Not only will you sometimes feel awkward during dining or cruise ship activities, you also get slapped with a surcharge since all cruising is based on double (or more) occupancy rates.
Furthermore, travel with compatible people. If you like to party, don't decide to go on a cruise with a tee-totaler or a recovering drinker. Whether you are a sun bather or a casino denizen, you are going to have your best time if you travel with people who share your interests and values.
Second - Board your ship as early as you can and take any tours of the vessel or facilities that are offered. Most ships allow you to board many hours before the ship sets sail and during that time you may be offered free tours of the ship, the spa, and so on. Although they aren't going to be the highlight of your vacation, these tours help you get oriented and can give you a glimpse of facilities on-board that you may have not known about.
If you can't get an official tour, try to walk through the ship systematically. This will help you get your bearings plus you may find out about lounges, snack bars, clubs, meeting rooms, or other areas that you might not have known about.
On a recent cruise, I found out on the tour that the cruise ship had a guarantee program for purchases made in port. If you bought merchandise from certain recognized stores, the cruise line would guarantee them providing you filled out certain paperwork and turned it in to the onboard shopper. It was a great tip, and I never would have known about it had I not taken the pre-sailing tour of the ship.
Third - Do everything. This may sound counterintuitive to most cruise fanatics, who seek unstructured time and the opportunity to just lounge around and do nothing. Actually, most cruise directors will tell you the best cruises are those in which you really attempt to try and do everything offered.
This means you should extend yourself a bit. Sample the dancing, casinos, the pools, on-board games, art auctions, spa services, bingo, shows, and fine dining. Even if you don't normally do those things, the more you try to take advantage of all that is offered, the more fun you'll have.
Fourth - Don't overeat. While some people do take cruises to gorge themselves, this is usually a rookie mistake. It may sound counter-intuitive to avoid overindulging on a cruise ship, since most cruises really emphasize the wonderful food they offer. But here's how to handle it.
Do enjoy yourself. Order what you love. Chances are that cruise ships will offer it, whether it's steak or lobster, ice cream or pizza, eggs benedict at sunrise, or chocolate decadence at midnight. Do, by all means, eat the foods you love.
But don't stuff yourself. You'll wind up feeling miserable during the cruise and fat after you get off the boat.
When in doubt, pass on food. Why? Because on a cruise ship, you're never more than a few minutes away from the next opportunity to eat. Sample all you can, but don't eat too much of any one thing and say no to a lot of the food and drink offered.
You'll wind up feeling fitter and stronger and you'll really enjoy what you do eat.
Fifth - Drink water. That's good advice anywhere, but most of us forget about it on vacation, particularly on a cruise. Furthermore, if you drink alcohol or spend a lot of time in a hot climate, your need for water increases so you need even more water to avoid dehydration.
Even mild dehydration can cause headaches, aches and pains, and digestive disturbances. Why ruin your vacation? Drink lots and lots of water. It's available just about anywhere beverages are offered on a cruise ship and bottled water is typically brought every morning to your cabin.
Sixth - Protect your skin. Even if you cruise to Antarctica, you will still need sunscreen. The sun's intensity is amplified by the water's reflection, so ramp up your sunscreen protection for a cruise. Put on sunscreen when you go to the pool or beach or even if you're just sitting on deck in the shade.
If you do get burned, use some of the after-burn products on the market. They should be available on board ship if you don't bring your own. Whatever you do, protect any burned skin from further sun exposure. If you get a burn on top of an existing sunburn, you can do serious damage to your skin and may even require medical intervention.
Seventh - Don't be cruise-stupid. That's a term I made up for a behavior I frequently observe on cruise ships. For some reason, being on a cruise makes some people act foolishly or recklessly and do things they would never normally do. Maybe it's the unreal experience of being on a cruise ship.
On a cruise ship, people wait on you. Everything is nice and clean. You don't have to do any work at all. Everybody seems happy. After all, you never have to pull out your wallet, wash a dish, or make a bed. It doesn't take long before the cruise experience literally becomes "another world."
Some folks take that as a cue to start behaving irresponsibly and sometimes they get hurt. I'm not trying to minimize anyone's pain or say that the bad events are deserved, but let's face it. People who start acting recklessly sometimes get hurt.
If you decide to pretend you're a gymnast and balance on the guard rail, you just might fall off. If you leave your purse or wallet unattended in a public area, you can get robbed. If you decide to get roaring drunk in some foreign port of call and act like an idiot, you can wind up in a mess of trouble.
Observe the same good, common sense tactics you use on land or in your everyday life.
Related Tags: cruise, cruise vacation, cruise tips, cruise ship, tips for cruising
Ten Things to Consider Before You Book Your Cruise is a great short report available at www.thecruise-shopper.com/sign_up.html . Check it out now, while supplies last. It's free. This article was written by Mandy Karlik, a frequent contributor to TheCruise-Shopper.com. Your Article Search Directory : Find in Articles
Recent articles in this category:
- A History Of Cunard Cruises
A Nova Scotia businessman, Samuel Cunard, founded the Cunard Shipping Line in 1840. The line was ina - Cunard's Queen Elizabeth - A Very British Affair
Whilst there has been ongoing speculation and media hype surrounding Cunard Cruises newest and world - Dining On Cunard Cruises
When it comes to fine dining Cunard Cruises are committed to making every one of their onboard resta - Queen Elizabeth, The Newcomer To The Cunard Fleet
Which two 'Royals 'are expecting the arrival of a new queen? Sounds like a 'Weakest Link' question, - 3 Popular Destinations For European Cruises
Vacations are a time to relax, enjoy yourself, see the world, and experience things you wouldn't ord - Experience The Vacation Of Lifetime With Celebrity Cruises!
Are you interested in celebrity cruises this summer? Celebrity cruise line is fun of life time, whic - Cruise Vacationing With The Family
How to deal with the family on a cruise ship tripIn normal circumstances we will all admit that we l - Cruise Onboard Activities
Staying on a ship for few days seems boring as nothing to do but here are some of the activities you - Dining Onboard Oasis Of The Seas
It seems only fitting that Royal Caribbean's largest and deservedly the most extravagant Cruise Line - All About Last Minute Cruises
Cruise vacations are in great demand and cruisers are increasing in number every year. The cruising
Most viewed articles in this category:
- Cruise Free As A Speaker - Simply Speak About Information You Already Know
Yes, you can cruise free by simply speaking about information you already know. There is a simple ei - Take a Caribbean Dream Cruise Vacation
Some people just need a vacation. When you close your eyes and see white sandy beaches and sparkling - Exotic Caribbean Cruise Ship Vacations and Excursions: Southern Caribbean
Perhaps the most tropical atmosphere for a cruise vacation is along the southern Caribbean. Scenery - How to Build Your Own Boat!
STUDY NOTES FOR 12' 16' & 19' DOLPHIN BOATSImportant information on building your own boat!From time - Caribbean Cruise Routes
The Caribbean Islands are some of the best cruise destinations in the world. With over 50 islands to - Alaskan Cruise Information
Each year over 250,000 people take a cruise around Alaskan shores. In the last few years, Alaskan cr - Princesses To Be Christened Together
A unique duel christening is set to take place of two new Princess Cruises liners next year. Princes - Cruise Ships 2007 - The Best of the Best
If you like the biggest of everything, then the new Royal Caribbean International cruise ship is for - Caribbean Cruise Lines Activity Guide: Exotic Shoretrips and Excursions
Exotic beaches and cultures are some of the benefits of a cruise ship shore activity. First settled - Cruise Ship Wedding Packages: Where to Tie the Knot
If you are planning on a wedding at sea, there are some things you should know. Because ships are re