Looking for Cruise Advice?

Show all answers

Time travler

Leave the soap and shampoo at home. The cruise ships have that in your cabin unless you want something very special. The things you will wear most of the time are shorts, t shirts, and sandals and swim wear. So leave jeans and sweaters home. Don't bring a beach Towel either. The cruise ships has those too. Pack as light as possible for you will find that a lot of clothes are not necessary. A sun hat would be good too. Also the first few days, actually time yourself in the sun.Like on day one do just 45 minutes. Then if your OK, do 1 hour the next day. I have seen too many people fall asleep in the sun and just fry even with sun screen.

Michael

What I should bring?
--------------------------------------...

For personal use, you should bring these items: belts, pajamas, a robe, slippers, a jacket or sweater, bathing suits, hats and if applicable, gloves. If you love your hair dryer you'd better bring it. The one on the ship probably won't be as powerful.

When selecting clothes for cruise trips take a few minutes to consider the ports of call you'll be visiting and imagine the activities. (Will it be buggy at any of those ports? Don't forget to throw DEET in with your toiletries.) Pack a small medical kit of Band-Aids, antacid and aspirin too. You can get these onboard, but if you need them you'll appreciate having them at your fingertips.

What I should expect on the cruise?
--------------------------------------...

- Talk: Youâ€™re on board a ship for several days with hundreds, if not thousands, of people whom you have never before met. So get to know them. Getting to know your shipmates can be the most enjoyable part of any cruise!

- Learn: Learning is a lifelong experience, and thereâ€™s no reason to take a break from it on your cruise! Many cruise lines offer on-board talks and lectures on a huge range of topics from resident experts who are available for a drink and a chat afterward.

- Play: Tennis, bowling, pool, shuffleboard, climbing â€“ yes, there are a huge range of sports and games you can play aboard ship. For most of them you can hire the appropriate equipment on board. Some ships are even equipped with golf driving facilities

More ...

Well, the whole point of a Cruise is to kick back and relax â€“ enjoy yourself, have fun, meet new people, enjoy great food, drink and entertainment. In short, the number one tip is: have fun!

If you have any question, feel free to post it on uCruiser forum http://www.ucruiser.com/

-Michael

roro

I went on a cruise in March and discovered that we waaayyyy over packed. You end up just wanting to wear what is comfortable. They should have a hair dryer and soap and all that there. Take an extra suitcase to take all the stuff you buy back home. We went on a 7 day on Royal. I don't know if our card works the same as yours, but our ship card was directly tied in with our credit card. You use it for anything on the ship and you can keep track of your balance from your tv. On the last day they slip your bill under the door and if you have any problems you can call the desk. Otherwise you do nothing and it is charged to your credit card when your cruise is over.
Always make sure you have a watch in case the time on land is different than "ship time". Also take motion sickness armbands. Even people who don't usually get carsick may find themselves sick on a ship. If you rent a scooter or anything on land, always get the insurance. We got ripped off in Mexico. You won't really need cash on the ship but its handy on the island, though most places take credit.
As long as you make sure your back on the boat on time, it'll be great no matter what. Have fun!

Isabelle

Hi,

I've seen you already got great advice and information!

For the excursions, if you book them on the ship through your cruise line, it will be added to your Cruise line card.
You can also book them in advance online and than you just use a credit card. Hope this helps!

You'll have a great time, I went on a Royal Caribbean Cruise as well. You can read about it at http://www.isabellestravelguide.com/review-cruise-tree.html

Happy Cruising,
Isabelle from Isabelle's Travel Guide

- What I should bring?

Check out http://cruisediva.com/tips_archive.htm and even browse other pages on Linda Coffman's site. She has a suggested packing list as well.

- What I should expect on the cruise?

That you will not be bored unless you try. Expect that you cannot do everything the cruise has to offer but that is why you go back.

- The cruise-cards you get, that hold your money on it, I was wondering if you get the money back, if it hasn't been all used up?

I didn't read the other answers so you may have found this already but if you are using cash, most cruise lines require a minimum amount to put down on your "sail & sign" card (Carnival's name for the card.) The deposit depends on the duration of your cruise. 2-4 days is a $100 deposit, 5-8 days is a $200 deposit, and 9+ days is $350. Any unused portion of your deposit is returned to you as a check from the cruise line. Depending on the ship, you could get the check on your last night on the cruise or it will be mailed to your home. Conversely, if you approach your deposit during your cruise, the purser's desk will ask you to come down and add more money but you don't have to (but they will deny any more charges.)

Enter Your Message or Comment

User Name:
User Email:
Post a comment: