Planning a Cruise? Here are 5 Tips

St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

Planning a Cruise? 
Here are 5 Tips

Having sailed aboard 4 different cruise liners to the Caribbean, Central, and South America, I've come to learn a few things that save me time and unnecessary head ache. Here are some pointers for when you book your cruise:

1  Choosing your cabin.

What's your goal for the trip? If you want to see the sights, wander the ship, enjoy the amenities, then you probably aren't going to spend much time in your cabin. A good choice would be to book the cheaper cabins with no window or with only a portal window. They are the least expensive and are just as comfortable as the more expensive cabins only smaller.

If your goal is to rest, read a book, do some quiet activities, then by all means up grade to a balcony. I won't travel a cruise unless I can get a balcony. I love to see the sights, shop, wander the ship, but when I want a quiet place to put my feet up, I retire to the balcony. The rooms are comfortable and a little more roomy than the above mentioned cabins but they also cost more. Believe me they are worth the price.

Finally there is the suite which also has the balcony. They look wonderful and may be a good investment if you are traveling with several children and need extra room. They are the most expensive cabins but might be worth looking into as they have special privileges that come with them.

All cruise lines allow you to choose your cabin on line so look at the ship design to find where want to be. Hint: avoid the rear of the ship, engines can be loud!

2 Planning Shore Excursions

Sloth Sanctuary 

When you book your cruise be sure and book your shore excursions at the same time. They often fill up before you get on the ship so don't miss out on a great adventure by booking late. Always book with the cruise line don't go out on the pier and book with an unknown entity. The cruise lines take extra care to keep people safe. Also, they guarantee not to sail until you return. Yes, they cost extra but they are worth it. If you go to Panama on Holland America take the tour of the sloth sanctuary. 

Many ports of call have activities to do on shore that don't cost you extra like a walking tour of the city, shopping, or beaches. Some have absolutely nothing to do so if you don't book a shore excursion, you may want to stay on the ship. 

The ship has activities going on all day and there's always food, pools, and the casino to keep you busy. We usually book an excursion every other day so not to get to tired.

3 Boarding and Debarking

Boarding and debarking is long, tedious, and very tiring but safety is important. The cruise lines work hard to protect their passengers and get them on and off the ship with as little inconvenience as possible. So wear comfortable clothes and shoes because it is a long process. You can expedite the process if you sign in on line before you go. They will ask for a credit card when you sign in because you can't use cash on the ship. At debarking, if they give you the option of walking your bag off yourself or paying for them to take it off, do yourself a favor and pay the fee. Above all else be patient.

4 Staying Healthy

There are several ways to keep yourself healthy while on board. First, bring some disinfectant wipes and wipe down the following areas in your cabin when you first walk in: the on board phone, TV changer, door knobs, and drawer handles. These are areas that may get over looked when the cabin is cleaned. Also, bring your hand sanitizer with you at all times. Apply the sanitizer after using rails in hall, elevators, or stairs. Use only paper cups in bathrooms and wash hands often.

5 Be Adventurous 

Finally, don't spend all that money on a cruise to exotic faraway lands and do nothing but sit all day. Each day the cruise line will drop off a calendar of events for the day so even is you are at sea there will be dozens of entertaining events to try. Explore every inch of the ship. We waited to explore one ship until the last day, that's when we found an adults only area with a out door covered lounge that we could have enjoyed for a week. 

So as you get ready to sail remember to think ahead of what you want out of your cruise. Take your time choosing your cabin. Preview all the shore excursions on the cruise line web site before you choose one. Use common sense to keep well and don't waste a moment. Get out explore the island or nation you have chosen to sail to. Get to know the culture, the people, the history, try the local food. Shop for hand made items from the natives. You won't regret it. You will bring back many memories and stories to tell for years to come.

Have questions about cruising? Drop me an email: fromdeesdesk@gmail.com