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I have been on more than 15 cruises with several cruise lines and even have 4 more book right now. They are perfectly safe and really enjoyable. You will not fall overboard; the railing around the ship are at least elbow high. The people who have gone over recently were either doing something they shouldn't and fell over, or wanted to commit suicide.
Cruises are one of THE best vacations you can take. Once you are on ship the staff caters to you, its whatever you want. There is something to do all day every day. When you arrive at the port to check in you (each passenger) will have an on board charge account set up and will receive a key card which will serve as your room key, charge card for anything you buy on ship (i.e.,drinks, souvenir, photos, tours, etc.) and its also your pass to get on and off ship in each port. When you first board the ship the security personnel will have you insert your key card into a scanner and then will take a photo of you that is included in the magnetic strip on the card. Each time you get off ship you will need this key card and many times also a photo ID (passport or driver's license). This card allows them to keep an accurate track of all passengers entering and/or leaving the ship. Infants and small children may be required to wear an ID bracelet (like in the hospital) in lieu of carry a card.
Each day of your cruise you will receive in your cabin a "newsletter" listing the time, place and particulars of everything happening for you on ship. There are generally activities like demonstrations of ice carvings, napkin folding and towel folding, and cooking demonstrations.. There will be organized games and other activities around the pools. In the evenings there are shows, one show for those with an early dinner seating and another (same show) for those who eat late. There is always free food available. Usually there is a place in ship where you can go get something. Or, you can always just pick up the phone in your cabin and order from the room service menu (food is free). If you want, you can order breakfast room service.
The ship (unless you are on Disney) will have a casino with slots and table games. Some ships have movie theaters, generally small but nice, and you can also see movies in your cabin. They have ATM’s and a purser’s desk where you can cash a check or exchange currency if you need to. There is a tour and activities desk so you can schedule land tours and activities.
There are free morning exercise programs, stretching and walking, etc, and on some you can pay for other things like Spinning. The ship will have a gym so you can go workout, usually any time from 6:00 AM to late at night. There is usually a walking/running track on one of the decks also. Some ships leave the gym open all night. They call the gyms Spa because they do promote getting pampered with things like wraps and massages with aroma therapy. They will also generally have a beauty salon to do hair and nails. These latter you must pay for.
There are always pools. Some ships have more than one and the newer ships generally have an indoor pool as well as outdoor ones and all of these have hot tubs. There is generally a basketball court on the top deck, a place for scuffle board, and a mini-golf course. The newer Royal Caribbean ships have a rock climbing wall, roller blading and ice skating, and the newest ones has a place for water surfing called the Flow Rider.
There are places on ships to play cards and board games, and the cards and games are provided. If you want to just sit and read, there’s a library where you can bring your books or select one from the shelf. Ships have internet cafes and some offer WIFI if you bring your prefer to use your computer in your cabin (some ships offer notebooks for rent).
There are cocktail lounges that feature a variety of music. Some have a piano bar with jazz. There is usually a disco that starts after 10:00 PM each night and last until everyone leave. On certain days ships will have special activities like a chocolate lovers buffet, or a midnight deck party .
Some people worry about getting sea sick, but the ships being used these days have automated stabilizers which minimize the rocking. The larger ships cut through the water so easy that you don’t even feel like you are moving. When there is bad weather the cruise lines will steer around and away from it, sometimes changing the order of port stops. Also, the ships generally move overnight and dock in the mornings so you don’t feel much movement. Consequently, your chances of getting sea sick are minimal. There is generally less motion than on an airplane. If you do get
sick, all ships have a doctor and they will dispense sea sick medicines. If you are prone to motion sickness, just get pills or a patch from your own doctor before you go, or go to a boating store and get a sea sickness bracelet.
The dress on ship is casual all day until 6:00PM. So take swim wear, shorts, sandals, beach shoes, your snorkel equipment if you have it, sun glasses and sun screen, lotions, a cap or big hat for the sun, a book if you are a reader, your music player, sneakers and clothes to workout in if you like to use the gym, your camera, and other personal toiletries. After 6:00 PM they request that you wear "sports casual" attire. That's attire that you would expect a person to wear in a business office, shirt with a collar, slacks, skirt, blouse, etc. You can still wear shorts and swim wear in the pools and spas but not in public areas like dining rooms and restaurants, show rooms, bars, casino, etc. Most 7-day cruises have two formal nights when you can wear your best stuff and get pictures taken, and maybe meet the ship’s Captain. The formal nights are REQUESTED not required attire. But most people do dress up in a tux for men and a long dress (any color) for women. Some men just wear a suit and tie and some women wear a nice dress but not a gown. You will not be denied access to the dining room or anything else if you choose not to dress up. (we usually take off the formal stuff after dinner and pictures anyway).
The price of a cruise includes your cabin, all of the shows, and use of all of the facilities; all meals and snacks all day and night. There are places on ship where you can go to breakfast, lunch and dinner and midnight buffets and all of the food is free. There is generally a room service menu that you can order from 24/7 and that food is free (you should tip the delivery person a couple dollars). But that does not include all drinks. The ships provide coffee, tea, milk, juices, and drinks like lemonade and punch for free. BUT, you must pay for soft drinks (usually about $1.50) and all alcoholic beverages including beer and wine. |
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