Whatever floats your boat! 3 14-10

Whatever Floats Your Boat
by Mark and Janet Novotny

Why A Cruise?
Best value for your vacation dollar, ninety eight percent satisfaction rating, and
JUST PLAIN FUN!
Now this sounds like a commercial but, after seventeen cruises we still look forward to the next.

Let’s Talk Basics… Determine what you like to do on your vacations and pick the cruise for you. If it’s golfing...all cruise lines have golf
available at most ports of call. There is a company that has a golf professional working on the cruise ships for lessons and making sure your island golf
experience is excellent. If it ’s seeing new places, your moving luxury resort takes you there without repacking your luggage. If you like lying around
the pool, grab a deck chair next to the calypso band and have the waiter bring you another cold drink. We have found that anything we would want is
available in one form or another.
Cruises are about 85% inclusive, meaning most of your expense is known before you leave home. Alcoholic drinks, optional shore excursions, service
tips, and travel to and from the origination port remains. The rest is charged to your room account by using your Sail and Sign Card, which is secured
by a credit card or cash deposit before you get on the ship. You will need cash/travelers checks or credit cards for shopping and services when you
leave the ship at your ports of call.
The only time you need cash after getting on the ship is for some bingo games, and shipboard entertainers that may have available CD’s, tip your
service sta ff at the end of the cruise. Most cruise lines offer to include or pre-pay your tips when you purchase your cabin. You may now include the
prepay tips on your sign & sail card! Even with pre pay tips-- when we get exceptional service…we kick in a little extra. The Cabin Steward, Waiter,
Assistant Waiter are the main three for tipping, the Head Waiter and Maitre'D, and others are left to your discretion depending on the services they
provide. Budget about $10.00 per person per day.
To Give You An Idea What Is Included With Your Fare... An international service staff servicing your stateroom 2-3 times a day A full
service restaurant staff assigned to your table consisting of a head waiter, waiter, assistant waiter, wine steward, and bar service. Food…24 hours a
day. Various options: room service, casual buffet/pizza bar, sandwich deli, or restaurant (casual to formal dress) for a four course evening meal. Full
service breakfast and lunch are also served in the restaurants. Captain's cocktail party on formal night. Children's programs and activities from
infant to age 15. (Without children, we did not realize how impressive the programs are until we read the information package.) Having children
should not stop you from a cruise...the kids have a blast!
Use of All Ship's Faculties… The pools, deck chairs and towels, work out room, jogging track, library with board games, lounges with nightly
entertainment from piano bar, disco, ballroom style dancing. All of the shows are free and change nightly. Normally t hey have a couple of Las Vegas
style productions or comedians. All something you would see in an entertainment resort and pay $25-$100 per person. Newer ships have a pool-side
jumbo-tron movie screen serving popcorn and hotdogs. They show scenic photographs throughout the day and movies, music videos, or sporting
events after dark.
If that doesn't keep you busy, here are a few activities from our last adventure. Arts and crafts, ice carving demonstration, morning trivia, dance class,
bridge players meet, golf putting contest, table tennis tournament, keep fit class, pool games and pool sliding board, port of call shopping talks art
auctions, and bingo.
Oh, by the way...you haven't left the ship yet! Every port of call will have multiple excursions from which to choose. Snorkel, scuba, sight seeing,
booze cruises, shopping extravaganza, nature tours, walking or bicycle tours are charged to your Sail and Sign Card. Prices range from $23 to $450 per
person. Most are in the $35-$200 range and last from 1 to 7 h ours. Round-trip transportation is provided from and to the ship.
Other services that you will charge to your account are spa activities. Basically, overall pampering such as facials, messages, and hairstyling. Drinks…
everything from beer to champagne and all of the exotics in between. Prices are typical upscale bar/restaurant prices. Bud Light $4.95 to Foster's Oil
Can $6.95. All drink service is charged to your account with a 15% tip charge included. Exotic drink of the day in a souvenir glass for $7.50. Coffee
and tea are free.
The Down Side To Cruising… Going back to work. Waiting in line… This is a moving, self-contained hotel; there can be as many as 4,000
passengers and crew on the mega liners. Waiting in line is a way of life on a ship. If you lik e to spend time in a town and explore every nook and
cranny to partake of the local cuisine you will not have enough time to do this in port. If the weather turns bad the itinerary will change or excursions
will be canceled. Cruises can become expensive if you go crazy for the entire week. One couple we know ran up a $1000 bar tab on a 7 -day.
The Up Side To Cruising… Service to rival five star resorts at a fraction of the cost. Gourmet meals every evening if you choose. The brief
stop at each port gives us a quick overview to determine if we would like to plan a longer vacation to this area. A chance to do your own thing and
not worry about the family, they are in safe surroundings doing their own thing. If you want something, JUST ASK.
Safety on board the ship…with recent news coverage of people going missing off of cruise ships it is worth mentioning, the deck rails are about 42”
off the deck (Between waist and chest high.) I would find it impossible (for myself) to accidentally fall off a ship! I guess if I were drunk and tried to
sit on the railing (I would have to stand on something) I may fall off, but common sense and a good partner would eliminate that from happening.
The ship security will close all outside common areas if the wind or the high seas would create a safety issue. Your stateroom will have an electric
safe for you to store your valuables while on board. Leave your cash, passport, jewelry, and other valuables in the safe unless you are actively using
them. (Once again, good safety practices while traveling.)

Booking the Right Cruise
You’ve decided to try a cruise. Now what? Check your vacation availability and your bank account. These will be your limiting factors. Cruises
range from three days to around the world 107-day marathons. "Junkets" are shorter in length but usually sail to a Bahamas casino and bring you back.
These are good for quick getaways but we do not consider them a vacation cruise.
It is interesting to note that cruises are referred to by the number of days when in fact it is the number of nights on the ship. If you are really
apprehensive, a three or four day is our recommendation. Don't commit to more than 7 days if you think you will hate it. A three-day will leave Friday
and return Monday; these tend to be less expensive since they are shorter. These will use only 2 vacation days if travel plans fall into place. It is normal
to have them stop in one or two ports for excursions and shopping.
Four-night cruises leave on Monday and return on Friday, also excellent as a starter cruise. It will use 5 vacation days and will give you the weekend
before to pack and the weekend after to unpack. These will have a couple of stops, a fun day at sea, or a stop at a private island. Four-day cruises
leaving on Monday give you an o pportunity to extend your trip and stay in the port city the weekend before or after.
Now, with that said, forget about the day of the week. You will be able to find a cruise leaving on any day of the week. The trick is finding a cruise
with the itinerary that you want and the price you can afford. Your first cruise tends to be more expensive because of overloading on souvenirs, gifts,
and excursions.
Where to Start… Go to your travel agent and pick up brochures. We start with brochures then, we go “on line”. There will be several cruise lines
with various destinations. If you can already answer length of trip, price, and dates, the agent will eliminate the cruises that won't work for you.
Extremely flexible travel dates can add options but also add confusion when making the final decision.
Destinations…Decide exactly where you would like to go on your SECOND cruise. Your first trip is filled with so much excitement and amazement
it really won't matter where you go.
Picking the Ship… For your first cruise, let the agent do the work. Ships are rated in displacement tonnage. From 36,000 tons, guest capacity
1,022 to 225,282 gross tons and maximum guest capacity of 6,296. Smaller sailing schooners are available but the ship is lower on our travel priorities.
Some of the newer ships are too large to ‘port’ at the pier. They anchor off shore and “tender (shuttle)” you to shore by smaller people mover boats
or the lifeboats. The first time we used the lifeboats I was surprised! Until I thought about it…It is the perfect opportunity to do the weekly testing of
the lifeboats, it is a perfect training opportunity for crew promotions to “Lifeboat Captain”. And, in the event of a real emergency, the passengers
would be more comfortable since they have been in the lifeboats before!. Great idea!
Pricing… Cruise Tip... A travel agent that books cruises only will often have the best deals because the cruise lines offer special incentives based on sales
volume.
Look at the prices on any ship. Now, pick your chin up off the floor and realize that these prices are set more than year in advance and they are NOT
what you will pay! The prices are like airline tickets and will change based on demand. Make sure to look for port charges and taxes. Airfare and
transfers are optional so check airfare rates before booking.

Two Thoughts On Booking:
Book Late… “The ship will sail if you are on it or not and they will almost give the room away to get you on board.” They sometimes do this
because they will make money from the casino, drinking, and shopping on board. The personnel are already there and they will maximize efficiency.
The problem is if it is a good selling cruise the prices will not come down or may be sold out. If you have a particular ship, itinerary, or cabin preference
they may not be available. Also, if you are not within driving distance to the port city, airfare may wipe out any cruise savings. And full payment is
due at the time of booking.
Book Early... You pick your ship, itinerary, and cabin. The price is locked in when you make your deposit. Final payment is due 45-90 days before
departure. Good agents check prices regularly, if your price comes down, it will be deducted before final payment. If you book an open category (no
specific room) the cruise line may resell your room, you get an upgrade to a more expensive room FREE. The more you cruise the more often this
happens as a thank you for being a repeat customer. We have received one, two, and three category upgrades at check-in. Groups should book early to
“lock –in” the cabins you want.
Insurance... Book early...get the insurance. You can get a full refund if an emergency arises, less the insurance cost. If you book airfare separately
from the cruise line book insurance with and independent travel insurance broker so your airfare will be included. Insurance through the cruise line
will only cover what is booked through the cruise line.
Late booking...no insurance. You risk losing everything but we consider late booking 21 days or less before departure, at that point your plans should
be fixed. Our preference has been book early, get insurance, select the perfect room, or take the free upgrades.
Deposits… The lines will need a deposit of usually $250.00 to $500.00 per person to hold the room depending on th e length of the cruise. If you
choose insurance with the cruise line, it will be due at booking. Insurance cost will vary depending on the company. It is based on amount of coverage
and age of the traveler, usually from $35-$100 per person will do. If you are booking with a group the agent will give you the dates for deposits and
final payment.
Deadlines… If you find out about your friends group trip after the deadline don't panic. This does not mean you will not be able to
go on the cruise with your friends! It just means that the guaranteed rate for that group may no longer be valid and the block of rooms have been
released for public sale. Just call the travel agent booking the group and book the trip at the current rate. By using the same booking number of the
group your agent can match the incidentals as close as possible.

Picking Your Stateroom… all stateroom prices are based on double occupancy. If you travel alone you will pay 150%-200% of the rate quote. If
you have a family and would "bunk-it" the third and fourth guests really get inexpensive. I have heard as low as $99.00 per person on a 7 night.

The price of the stateroom is based on LOCATION! The higher in the ship the higher the rate. Outside cabins with verandas or suites are also more
expensive. Our recommendation is: short cruises or many ports of call...get an inside cabin and spend the savings on excursions. Longer cruises with
multiple days at sea get an outside cabin so you can gaze at the ocean while your roommates are dressing for dinner. Many ships have balcony
staterooms, we have fallen in love with the aft stateroom with a balcony. You are over the wake of the ship with a more open feel on the balcony. A
past cruise our group booked the five aft balcony cabins mid ship over the wake! CRUISE WARNING once you have sailed on a balcony cabin you
may never return to an interior or outside cabin again! The newest ships actually have interior balconies overlooking the atrium or an interior
‘Central Park’. Balcony Update: Some newer liners have uncovered balconies and bump-outs. If privacy is a major concern do your research
before pocking the balcony. It may be difficult because travel agents may not know about the actual ship configuration for each room unless
you specifically ask/

Noise and Motion… There is low-level noise from the engines, other passengers, and fun activity around the ship. If you check the deck plans and
stay away from the common corridors, elevators, lounges, nightclubs, and casino, your nightly disturbances will be minimized. If you are having fun
using the lounges, nightclubs, and casino it won't matter where you book your room. The aft balcony stateroom has slightly more noise because of
the prop -wash.

All ships have stabilizers (Big retractable fins below the waterline.) to reduce side-to-side rocking. Even with that...YOU ARE ON A TRAVELING
HOTEL; there can be considerable vibration from the engines (A riding lawnmower vibrates more!) and feel swaying. If you are oversensitive to
motion book something close to the center of the ship and as low as possible. The farther away from the center the more amplified the movement feels.
If you believe you will have a problem, contact your doctor before leaving. Some passengers get prescribed medication; use the medicated patch, or
pressure point wristbands. As I get older I am becoming more sensitive to motion but have not experienced any sickness on any of my fifteen cruises.
(Except for that booze cruise, 7 Margaritas and a shot of Tequila before lunch.)

Full Service Din ner…Early or late seating? Attire: casual, cruise casual, or formal. It is listed daily in the ship's newspaper. THIS IS DINING.
Turn time is about 11/2 -2 hours.Early starts at about 6:15 the tables are then cleaned and reset for late dinner at about 8:15 where it starts all over
again with another group. Dress shorts are permitted in this restaurant. That is, you get the wine list if desired, a menu, choose an appetizer, a salad,
an entree, another menu...choose dessert, coffee. You can also have bar service offered to you for an after dinner brandy or cognac. If you get freaked
out about dining with strangers...request a small table. We request a large table; the ‘strangers’ become friends after we meet. If you get paired with
someone you don’t click wit h at a small table you have something to laugh about for the rest of your life. Cruise tip… If you try something you do not
like JUST ASK for something else and they will bring it to you. If you cannot decide between two items, pick both, they will bring you one, when
you are finished, they bring you another one. Like Dessert? Pick two, pick three. JUST ASK for what you want. Table record 22 desserts plus
two cakes for an 8-top!

Over the last couple of years there has been a noticeable decline in dining decorum and attire in the dining room. It seems sad that guys must wear
jeans and baseball caps to upscale dining. If you just can’t leave the jeans and baseball caps for a few hours per night just move to the casual buffet.
Newer or refurbished ships are offering a supper club dining experience. For a $30.00 per person up-charge plus tip on your sail & sign card you can
experience fine dining of a 5-course gourmet meal in elegantly casual attire. The fare is gourmet, seafood and aged steaks with service to rival the top
restaurants in the world. Schedule dinner taking 2 to 2-1/2 hours and reservations will be required. For those of you who are very VERY particular
about the way your steak is cooked, go to the supper club to dine. Full service dinner can have meals prepared for 800 guests at one time and your
steak may not be exactly the way you love it. The servers will try to get it as close as possible but, the very rare steak request may become rare to
medium rare by the time the server walks the 150 feet from the galley back to your table. Don’t scar the rest of us for life and complain about a
perfectly good steak.

Norwegian Cruise Line is promoting “Freestyle Cruising”. This means you have several restaurants on the ship and will pick the restaurant and the
time you want to dine. We have not experienced this type of cruising yet. Other cruise lines are offering ‘Dine Anytime’. A section of the main
restaurant or the second level is serving the same menu as traditional dining only you make a reservation for a particular time from 6:15 -9:30. You
will not have there same table each night or the same waiters but it may fit into your schedule better. If you are traveling with children...our
recommendation is early seating around 6:15pm or dine anytime.

Other considerations before you choose. Your life on the ship …if you like to burn the midnight oil and sleep late. Eat early...see the nightly show,
drink at the bar, walk the deck in the moonlight, eat at the midnight buffet, dance at the disco, hit the casino... and retire in the wee hours of the
morning.

If you want the "Early Risers" coffee and Danish starting at 6:30am on deck after your morning run, pick what works best for you. There are
commonly one or two shows nightly. The same show is often performed for both dinner times. One thought to consider...early dinner means getting
ready about 5:00pm. This may work into your schedule if you are not concerned with watching the sunset or the ship leave the pier.

Buffet dining… We use the buffet as quick meals to get back to the fun! (Some cruise lines offer 24-hour pizzeria and soft serve ice cream.)
Breakfast, lunch, and snacks, to minimize any transmitted illnesses you may be asked to use the provided hand sanitizer before proceeding to the food
stations. The battery operated motion activated dispenser is really cool.

If you need an out of control afternoon snack most ships have a gourmet shop that sells gourmet coffees, espresso, pastries, and milk shakes at a
reasonable price, milkshakes or 8 -layer carrot cake for $2.50. Early appetizer before dinner…some ships offer sushi. This is free of charge and not
the over the top expensive at a specialty restaurant. But, it is worth trying if you have never tried sushi before. Remember sushi is about preparation
and presentation of bite size items, it does not necessarily have raw fish. Try it, it is part of the experience of cruising.

What Happens Next?
Well, if you booked late...list what you need to take, blow the dust off your luggage and start to pack.

If you booked early… investigate, plan, and dream. You have the luxury of time to investigate what you want to do on your cruise. Remember…
WHATEVER FLOATS YOUR BOAT!

Cruise tip... you will need 2 forms of ID. Driver’s license and either a raised seal copy of your birth certificate, or passport. Starting in 2007 ALL travel
including car & bus will have to have a passport to get back in the U.S. Passports will run $145.00 and will take 4-6 weeks to receive by mail. Check with
the U.S. StateDepartment for the most updated regulations.

Booking Excursions… Space is limited on excursions and filled first come, first serve. Most cruise lines offer excursion booking “online” after
you have made your final payment. Print off a copy of the excursio ns offered for your cruise itinerary then peruse it at your leisure then book
“online”. About 35% of the passengers have their excursions booked before getting on the ship.
Investigate the web site from the cruise line. Look for the ship, itinerary, sailing date, and the destination port(s) of call for excursions. Most of the
time they are listed by location with several day trips to choose. Read the description and sometimes the appropriate fee. If you cannot find it on the
website contact your travel agent to get a copy of the excursions they will be offering. They should also come with your cruise documents if available.
If you have booked your trip early and cannot print your excursions for your cruise, try this--find your itinerary on the same ship if possible. Find the
closest sailing date and try to print that listing. For the most part the excursions do not change for your destinations-- that will give you a head start
looking at excursions. As a last resort email the cruise line, they will get back to you with the information you request.
Cruise tip... When traveling as a group, have an “excursions” party. It is a great chance to get together and get excited about your cruise. The
most difficult decisions to make are what excursions to go on. Remember, this is your vacation , if you are not completely excited about an
excursion…break up the group. You can talk about your adventures at dinner and compare notes. Remember…(The same rule applies to cruising
as it does for amusement parks) it is very difficult to keep more than Six people together at one time and keep everyone happy.
Now Plan Ahead… If you want to scuba dive, see what is offered at each stop. If every stop has scuba, pick the best one or take them all. You have
time to learn how to scuba and become certified before you go. Some excursions will teach scuba, but personally we feel more comfortable learning in a
swimming pool locally to become certified. Remember excursions will provide all of your basic equipment and transportation, and remember to take
your certification card with you. Most scuba excursions will require it.
If you want to snorkel...pick a trip. Booze Cruise Tip… Snorkel first; Booze second . If you have never snorkeled, you will receive instructions (it
is very easy). We have snorkeled several times, many without guides and several times with a guide. The down side to a guide...If you are
uncomfortable in the water or out of shape, a guide can be a challenge. A guide snorkels every day so you quickly feel someone slipped in an
Olympic Gold Medal Winner. Guided snorkel swims resemble the beginning of the Ironman Triathlon with a group chasing Michael Phelps. The
upside... is the guide knows what to look for, where to find it, and will dive down to chase it into the open for you to see it. (No sea monsters of
course.) The guide took the best underwater pictures with our camera. Underwater camera tip… Buy them at home! They cost less than half of what
you will pay at the resort or on the ship. (See also carry-on luggage.) Underwater camera update…we have gone digital! We purchased a moderately
priced digital camera and the matching underwater housing. One camera for both land and sea, without the film (X-Ray) worries. Newer digital
cameras are now waterproof to 30 feet! No need for that bulky underwater housing.
We have only mentioned cruise line supported excursions to this point. We prefer these because the cruise lines research the trips before adding them
to their list. They also send staff to get comments back from participants and will drop a bad excursion. A previous cruise dropped a port of call because
of unfavorable comments from passengers that did not feel safe. The ship will not sail without you if you are on a cruise line supported excursion. Four
people we met while on the ship were exploring ‘on their own’ and had to have a police escort back to the ship to catch it before it sailed. That doesn’t
always happen!
If you cannot decide… wait for the excursion talk on ship, they discuss excursion basics show photographs and you can ask questions at the end.
Cruise tip... If you have done your homework and know what excursion you want; fill in the request “in line” or as soon as possible after you board
the ship! The Excursions Desk is where you submit your excursion requests and have your questions answered. Your excursion tickets are
delivered to your stateroom before you reach port. The meeting time and location will be printed on the tickets or in the ships paper of daily activities.
Have you noticed you will be wearing a bathing suit? If you do not feel comfortable being seen in a swimsuit you have time to make a decision. Diet
if you want (Most people don't try to gain weight before a cruise, they do that on the cruise.) or realize that you are perfect the way you are and going to
have a great time on vacation. On a cruise, your looks do not matter and everyone is going to have a good time. Trivia... Most swimming pools are
seawater and drained nightly.
Realistically, it takes about three days on a ship for everyone to feel comfortable. It takes longer than that to remember you need to go up or down for
the dining room. During the entire trip you will turn the wrong way fore and aft (nautical terms for front and back of the ship). (Funny Story… 13 th
cruise; day 4 of 5, we got lost going to our assigned table for dinner. Don't worry...it happens to everyone.) If someone tells you they have never
turned the wrong way on a ship they are lying to you.

Ship Board Information…It sounds funny, but most of the printed information and tickets will be slid under your door on older ships. (If you let your
roommate go into the room first you can laugh at them when they step on the "mail".) Newer ships have mailboxes at your door. The ships newspaper
will be delivered, or can be picked up at the Purser's desk and at most of the bars. (We keep a copy with us at all times since it tells us what is
happening on the ship every minute.) Shipboard information is sometimes available on your room TV depending on the age of your ship.

Getting Off the Ship… Check the ships paper to see if you need more than one form of I.D. when going ashore. We use the S & S Card
Mandatory and our Driver’s License. Remember cash and/or credit card for those on shore bargains. If you have t raveled extensively and have a
sense of adventure you may strike out on your own to explore by taxi or local sightseeing vendors. Remember, if you have a problem, miss the ship, or
have a bad experience, the cruise line has no ability to help you. Safety tip… Keep a copy of the ship’s newspaper with you when you go on shore. It
has emergency contact information in if you miss the ship. Newer feature…hand sanitizer is provided for your use when returning on some
ships, and when in the eating areas.

The Pu rser's Desk is the actual organizational hub of the ship. If you need information, start there. Also cashing checks, billing, payments,
comments, complaints, lost luggage, lost items, anything happening on the ship (other than navigation) will at some point go through the Purser's Desk.
Upgraded ships will have the ability to check your bill in your cabin on TV using the remote.

What and When to Buy… We want to talk about clothing. Six months ahead is too early to pack, but is time to plan. Since most of us cruise in
the winter you might need to get new summer attire. Sundresses, swim wear, summer suits and jackets, surf mocs, deck shoes, or even tuxedos.
Looking for these items in December is ridiculous. If you can find it “out of season” it will be expensive. So, start looking in the summer when they
have specials or end of season close outs. Tuxedos will be sold from rental shops and sometimes on sale only once a year. If you are in the market for a
tux call around and keep your eyes open for the sales. You can rent tuxedos on shore and take them with you or rent one on the ship.
Fun in the Sun… On a cruise you are most likely to be in the sun. The closer you go to the equator the greater the burn potential. Nothing could be
worse than getting bad sunburn the first day of a seven-day cruise. We pack SPF 4, 8, &15 water proof and sweat proof. Higher SPF's for more
sensitive areas. Pack what works best for you and purchase it late in the summer to take advantage of sales. Cruise tip...Tan thru swimsuits becom e
see through when wet. Some cruise ships have tops-optional sunbathing decks. They are usually at the front of the ship and wind protected. (The areas
are children and camera prohibited.)
Tan lines… Ladies, plan ahead and pick your formal wear early and find a swimsuit with straps that will match your gown. We overhear more
complaints from female passengers about tan lines in their formal photos. If you keep your summer tan going into the winter the problem will be
reduced.
If you plan on sunbathing for an extended period of time, an option that we tried was a tanning package at a tanning salon. We tanned for six
weeks at the recommended exposure and are able to eliminate painful sunburn on the trip. There are precautions with bed tanning so check with your
doctor. If you are over 6 feet tall a bed can be difficult, you might try a standup booth where available. The first time is unique so don't just buy a big
package, buy a single trial session. “I always thought a fat guy shouldn't jump into a glass coffin but I was wrong. It is warm, cozy, and relaxing.
Janet was right."
Weight Management… If completing an extensive weight management program a cruise can be difficult. There are food enticements 24 hours a
day. The cruise lines understand this and always have low fat, low calorie items available. The items will be on the menu marked separately and then
grouped together if you want to eat low-cal. We prefer to diet early and almost throw caution to the wind on our vacation.
To combat this overindulgence, we walk everywhere we can and do not take the elevators. On days at sea we exercise either in the workout room or
walk the track and deck. In any case you can expect to gain some weight around a pound a day seems to be the average. Cruise Tip… Plan ahead and
wear those tight clothes beginning of the cruise and hold the baggies for the end.
Formal Nights…There is at least one formal night on each cruise. It usually starts with the Captain’s reception where there is $1.00 off drink
pricing and the Captain introduces the exec. Past cruisers reception is where you can meet and greet the Captain and the Exec Staff, have cocktails
and Hors d'oeuvres to the sound of the ship’s show band. Multiple pictures are taken, a Formal Dinner, and ending with the Gala Midnight Buffet. A
photo opportunity is provided about a half an hour to an hour before the buffet. Cruise tip... See the Gala buffet, it’s impressive. Update! The Gala
buffet is being phased out on some cruise lines. It takes hundreds of hours to prepare for just an hour of buffet. If your ship still offers a Gala
Buffet make sure you see it while it still exists.
Attire on formal nights for males will be suits, dinner jackets, and tuxedos. Females will wear evening gowns, cocktail dresses, party dresses, or lavish
pantsuits. (We've even seen reincarnated bridesmaid's dresses) There are formal portraits taken (Free of Charge) at multiple locations on the ship this
evening. One honeymooning couple came to formal night dinner in a Wedding Gown and Full Marine Parade Dress (This tends to wake up a full
dining room.)
Photographs… Cruise Tip...Every time a ship's photographer wants to take your picture...HAVE IT TAKEN. Take advantage of low cost
professional photography. It doesn't cost you anything until you purchase it. Prices range from $8.00 to $20.00 depending on size. Photo albums are
also available. If you buy the 8x10, reprints or wallet size can be ordered. We pick the best pictures to buy and turn in the rest to feed the shredder. The
photographers are salaried and do not get a commission on sales. It is not high pressure to buy. If you want a special picture taken...tell them.
The ships video crew tapes the ships activities and some excursions. They have ‘dailys’, which can be purchased unedited (these are the ones that will
be seen on the TV in your room.) and an edited version of the entire cruise. The price will vary so stop by the video desk for details.

Casino/game room… While at sea the casino will be open. Slot machines open at 8:00am, the rest at noo n...until early morning. The game room is
open 24 hours. We spent more money in the game room than the casino. Typically, there is an ATM machine near the casino. The casino may close in
port due to local regulations. If you do not know how to play...just ask during a slow period of the day or take the free gaming lessons offered at the
beginning of the cruise. They are always happy to teach someone how to spend money. You can use cash or your Sail and Sign Card.
Bingo… Offered several times per cruise and you may or may not need cash to buy the cards. (It depends on the ship.) For scratch off lottery tickets
you will need cash.
Art Auctions…Also offered several times per cruise. Read the fine print when you get your number. Some prints do not come with shipping or the
beautiful frame. If you are a collector you can get some great deals. Remember it is an auction and some items are available on shore for less.
Buying Booze…Depending on port of call and location you can buy duty free/tax free. This is also available on the ship. The amount of duty free
liquor per person varies depending on the cruise. Usually 1 to 2 liters per person duty free, equals 2-4 liters per couple. If you want to stock your bar,
buy booze on vacation. If you go over your limit… list it for customs and pay the percent duty tax. It is still less expensive than in the U.S. Remember you

may not be able to use it as a carry-on in the airplane. (151 Rum is now considered explosive and cannot be taken on a plane.) Cruise lines will hold it for you on
board the ship and deliver it to your room the last day of the cruise. Some cruise lines will now let you purchase a bottle of your favorite potent potable and
charge a ‘corking fee’. This can be $7.00 or more but it will still be less expensive than purchasing it at home and risk breaking it smuggling it on the ship.

Final Prep Checklist and Tips
TSA 3-1-1… 3- ounce or smaller containers, 1-Clear quart size zip top bag, 1-bag per person. TSA WILL hand search your checked luggage... TSA no w
prefers clothes to be folded instead of rolled to speed the luggage searching process New Security update: Film for cameras and disposable underwater
cameras must be carried on and you must request it to be hand searched! Updated x-ray equipment used for checked luggage can render your film unusable.
It is time for your final checklist. The most important items on your list are your cruise documents (Fill out your information on line before you leave.)
which you will receive a few weeks before sailing and two forms of identification (Passport mentioned earlier), a credit card, or enough cash for a
cash account on the ship. Now don't forget your traveling companion especially if it is your spouse (Or you will never hear the end if it!). General Travel Tip...
Carry small bills. This makes Taxicabs, Tips, and miscellaneous purchases easier (approximately $100.OO cash and the rest is in traveler's checks.) Check your
transfer vouchers to see if they include a prepaid gratuity for the driver. And watch for the signs around the pier, every porter is asking for a tip but the signs may
read “ the porters are salaried and tipping is not necessary”. In any case, keep the small bills handy for exceptional service or if you are trying to keep the luggage
of a large group together.
Carry Ons… You will need to have what you think you will wear in the afternoon and for dinner the first night packed in your carry on. Your luggage will be
tagged and delivered to your stateroom sometime in the late afternoon or early evening. Sometimes it will not reach you until after your dinner (especially if you get
an upgrade at check-in, and early dining) so, plan ahead with your carry on. Remember your personal items and sunscreen Sweat proof and Waterproof. Packing
tip...List everything before packing, organize by complete outfits. It is difficult to find the unpacked half-slip in the middle of a cruise. After years of travel we
now have a standard travel list we have created on the computer, we modify it for each trip.
Clothing… Casual shorts or swim suits during the day and casual (Golf Attire) at night. In the event they slide in an elegantly casual night have a tie or sports
jacket on hand. Cruise tip...If you are traveling directly from a national conference (like we do), most of your dinner attire will already be packed. Formal attire
for formal nights that would be a suit or tuxedo for men and evening gowns, cocktail dresses, party dresses, or lavish pant suits for women. Have a lightweight
jacket and sweatshirt with you as well. When you are on deck late in the evening the wind can be quite chilly even though the temperature is above 70°.
At the cruise terminal… Have all of your luggage tagged as required after the airport and before you get to the pier. Have all cruise documents filled out and
ready to sign them at the check-in desk. Pay attention; be ready to move when the cruise staff tells you they are ready. Get there as early as possible if you are
driving to the pier. The lines are short, causing less confusion. Cruise Tip... Getting on the ship early will let you explore the ship and get a feel for everything
hours ahead of everyone else. You may not be able to get to your cabin until a specified time.
Getting on the ship… Remember you will be traveling with several thousand people. Follow the instructions of the cruise staff helping you get on the ship.
Miami Carnival Upgrade: If you have completed your boarding information “on line” they have added kiosks to make things move along faster. You can
scan your passports as well as your credit card. You will get a printout to pick up your room keys and finish security to get on the ship. Make sure you keep
your ID’s ready to be checked several times. They will follow almost the same procedures as getting on a plane. Be ready for shoes and belts off for metal
detector screenings.
Waiting Line Management… The lines can become very aggravating if you let them. DON' T LET THEM!!! Breakfast buffet or made-to-order lines…
(Omelets, Pasta, Etc.). These lines can be long and a 10-minute wait is not uncommon. Divide and conquer… Send your roommate to get the drinks and
other breakfast stuff while you place two orders (yours and theirs), this way the entire meal will be hot at the same time!
Room Service… There will be a menu in the room with other important ship information. Also continental breakfast cards to be filled out and left outside the
door for the next morning. Pick a time window and it will be delivered to your room. We chose 7:30am to 8:30am...it arrived at 7:29am. You will need cash to
tip the room service steward.
Getting Around The Ship… Your room will have a pocket size layout of the ship. Keep it with you the first couple of days. At each elevator and
stairway there is a deck layout. Remember your room number...Even numbered rooms will be on one side of the ship and odds on the other. You will turn the
wrong way, so look for even or odd when you get to the floor. Cruise Tip... “TIME SAVER “… if you are physically able, use the stairs. Depending on the ship
layout, elevators can kill a day. It once took over 35 minutes to get from deck 11 to deck 1 (a 5 minute walk). Previously, we set limits, three decks up and
unlimited down. Now we use the stairs as exercise.
Make your life easier… The TV on a ship is getting much better. The channels fade in and out until they are lost (cable is not possible). The channels may
be from another part of the country than where you are traveling (Most are from Denver). (Recent run movies are played in several languages throughout
the day.) Besides, before you leave home set your VCR, and get out on deck. Take a portable disk player or MP3 with assorted favorites. Take one of those
nifty carry bags per person 'the ones vendors give you at trade shows', they are great for beach excursions, sunning on deck and shopping in port. Also, take a
large insulated cup for tea or water (beer, wine, shots…whatever) on deck. They are double in size and will keep your drinks cold much longer.
On The Ship… Days at sea…Deck chairs are everywhere so you can pretty much count on getting one somewhere. Don’t save a chair for a long period of
time that is against cruise etiquette. If you need to leave it for a short time and want to return...The working rule of thumb is leave the deck towel on the chair
and fold the back down, tell the people sitting next to you that you will be back, or leave a book. If you just leave the towel, the deck steward will take the towel
to be laundered and you will lose your chair. If you are done with the chair PLACE THE TOWEL IN THE CART TO BE LAUNDERED! This releases
chairs and towels for other passengers. ( Most recent developments…the deck and excursion towels are the same and delivered to your stateroom at the
beginning of the cruise. These are yours to use for the entire cruise. If you need another one while on deck you will be asked for you sail & sign card to
“deposit on your account for the towel”. When you return the towel it will be taken off your account. If your towel is wet from an excursion, just ask the
cabin attendant to replace it with a clean one. LEAVE THEM IN YOUR ROOM WHEN YOU LEAVE! If not, you will be charged full price for a
souvenir towel that is old and used! If you love the towels your cabin steward will deliver a new one for you to take home!!!

Bar service is everywhere! Tips are automatically included at a 15% rate, if you want out of control bar service just tell the server to check with you on their
rounds and hand them $2.00. This is the tip equivalent of 4 drinks… Trust me the server will find you wherever you are.
$$$ Bar Service Money Savers $$$… Wine drinkers...If you enjoy wine with dinner buy the entire bottle and your wine steward will save the rest of
the bottle for the next evening (lines are offering a wine package for the trip)! If you are a Wine Snob… remember the ship rocks and vibrates…the killer of
quality expensive wine. Buy and drink the GOOD STUFF on shore or at home! Beer guzzlers… buy beer by the bucket (4 cans) in ice and it will save you some
money! Foof Drinkers (Exotics)… Daily drink specials… keep the glass. Some are plastic and some are glass… (We have multiple sets of both!) If you do not
want the glass it is about half price and half the size. You might be better off getting a double size drink and keep the glass! If you are fussy about styles and
colors check with the bartender and they can tell you which bar has a particular style of glass. Rule of thumb… Outside bar service will be plastic… inside will
be glass, look for schooner and hurricane styles. Soft Drink Cards… Some lines offer unlimited soft drink cards… see your cruise ship bartender for more
details.
$$$$$$ ADDITIONAL Bar Service Money Savers $$$$$$… Check with your cruise agent and send yourself a bon voyage gift. We try to send
ourselves our favorite soda (most ships are Coke Ships), beer, wine, champagne, Crown Royal, Rum, etc…(next cruise we will check into the corking
fee and try that route.) Most cruse lines will let you carry on one bottle of wine per person per cruise.
Luggage… The last full day, your luggage must be packed and placed in the hallway for pick-up. Make sure you have something to wear the next day in your
carry-on. Do not pack the airline tickets or other transportation vouchers. DO NOT leave your booze in the hall with your luggage or you will have paid for a big
hall party.
The Final Bill… The final bill will be slid under your door the final evening. If you have a problem (we never have) go to the Purser's Desk. Cruise tip…
Sometime the day before, we cash in multip le travelers checks. The cash is used for the tip envelopes for exceptional service and the rest we put on our room
account.
Debarkation: go to the talk and watch the replay on TV. It will give you valuable information about customs, how to leave the ship, and where to get your
luggage. They call by the color of your luggage tag so keep it on until you leave the ship. Don’t try to smuggle, it will spoil your vacation!
Cruise tip... Plan ahead...Talk about the cruise and what you like and dislike. It is often we plan our next cruise on or right after a cruise.

Hope To See You On Deck!

Whatever floats your boat! 3 14-10

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