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Questions Frequently Asked by our future cruise travelers.
Will I get bored on the ship?
It is almost impossible to get board on a cruise ship. Activities are scheduled all day long and into the late evening. Some of these activities include pool activities, sports, bingo, casino gaming, Broadway shows, wine tastings, dance lessons, live entertainment, fitness centers, etc. The larger ships tend to have more on-board activities than the smaller ships. Of course when you are in port, there are many shore excursions to enjoy.
Will I get seasick?
It is unlikely that you will notice any motion on a large cruise ship, even if you are sensitive to motion in automobiles or airplanes. All ships today have stabilizers to smooth the ride. Some cruises sail calmer waters than others. Caribbean and Alaska cruises enjoy smoother sailings than say Bermuda. If seas do get rough, there are many preventative medications available on board from the medical center.
Are there activities for children on a cruise?
Most all cruise lines offer programs for children. Many offer special teen and pre-teen scheduled activities. The larger ships almost always include a video arcade, kids disco or other designated "kids area". Disney Cruise Line of course offers some of the best children programs available. Cruises are a great way for families to travel and see a variety of countries and ports. Some ships also offer babysitting services and daycare centers.
Do I need to tip? If so, how much?
Tipping is, of course a matter of individual preference. But there are guidelines. A general rule of thumb is to plan for about $10 per person per day. Some cruise lines include an automatic charge in your bill for all tipping. In some cases this is optional.
Will I need a passport?
All U.S. and Canadian citizens must travel with proof of citizenship, which is a valid passport, or birth certificate (complete with raised seal, not a photocopy) with a picture identification, or a certified naturalization certificate with picture identification. Any state government issued drivers license or other form of picture identification should be acceptable.
Non-U.S. citizens who are residing in the United States are required to travel with their Alien Registration Card (Green Card) and valid passports. All others must have valid passports and necessary visas at embarkation. You should consult with your travel agent for more information if necessary.
Can I call home from the ship?
Most all ships provide Ship to Shore telephone service from your stateroom. Ship to Shore rates apply so you may want to limit your conversations.
Are medical services available?
Virtually every major cruise ship will have a staffed medical facility to handle emergencies. If you suffer from a medical condition, make sure you inform one of our travel agents when you are booking to make sure the ship on which you are cruising can handle your needs.
What should I pack?
Generally speaking, cruise travel is very casual during the day and casual to formal in the evenings. This can vary depending on the itinerary. Caribbean, Hawaiian, Alaskan cruises are more informal while Transatlantic, Mediterranean and European cruises tend to be a little more formal. This can also vary from cruise line to cruise line and ship to ship.
There are usually 1 to 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise, only 1 on 3 & 4 night cruises. The rest of the time is typically very casual. Even on "non-formal" nights, men should wear a collared shirt to dinner and slacks or skirts for the ladies.
Men should always pack one dark suit which will usually suffice even on "formal night." You can take a tuxedo if you have one, or you can rent one on-board (most ships offer this service). Tuxedos are generally not "required". Ladies can take cocktail dresses or a full length formal.
How much will it cost?
One of the most attractive features of a cruise vacation is the value for the price. Even more expensive cruises are a good value for the money. You can spend anywhere from $300 for a 3-night cruise to over $35,000 for a suite on a 30-day cruise or longer.
No matter how much you spend, you pay one price that covers virtually everything: meals, accommodations, taxes, on-board entertainment and in some cases, airfare. The only extras are shore excursions, liquor, tips and incidentals (photos, etc.). However on some of the up-scale cruise line, even these extras are included.
There is no question that a cruise is the most affordable way to travel. Let's compare a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean at around $1300 pp (including airfare) with a 7-night trip to Hawaii. In Hawaii, a hotel comparable to your cabin on the ship will be at least $250 per night (that's $1,750 to start), your airfare from most cities will be at least $600 per person (An additional $1,200), and meals in Hawaii to rival that of the cruise ship will easily be $100 per day per person (another $1,400). That is $2,175 per person compared to $1,300 and we haven't even talked about entertainment.
That means that a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean is at least 40% less than a 7-night trip to Hawaii!
What's included in the price of the cruise?
Just about everything! All your meals are included, all accommodations, all shipboard entertainment, all taxes and in some cases your airfare and ground transportation to and from the port is included. You must pay for extras such as liquor, shore excursions, gratuities, photos, incidentals, gambling, etc. However on some up-scale ships some of this is included too.
What about sightseeing when in port?
Your ship will typically arrive in port early in the morning at which time you are free to go ashore. In most cases, you will be back on board the ship by 4:00pm to 7:00pm. This gives you more than enough time to enjoy one of the cruise lines' shore excursions, or, go off on your own to do some shopping, sightseeing, swimming, scuba diving, etc.
We recommend you use the cruise ship sponsored tours and excursions. In some ports, when you debark from the ship, local sightseeing companies will be waiting to temp you with their own tour. Take our word for it, while these tours may be safe and in some cases quite good, it is always a safe bet to stick with your cruise ship's recommendation. You don't want to left on shore when the ship leaves.
Can I get/send e-mail while onboard the ship?
Yes. Most all ships do have a business center complete with computers connected to the Internet. The Cruise lines vary on their prices, but range from $.25 to $1 a minute. Most offer direct access to AOL, Microsoft HotMail, Yahoo Mail, and other applications. If you have a laptop onboard, you can make a ship-to-shore call to dial into your Internet provider, but the charges can get very expensive.
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