Cabo San Lucas
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10 Pro Tips for Making the Best of Your Cruise!

Cruising can be very exciting, and a lot of fun. After cruising a lot we came out with some great tips to make your cruise even better:

Choose the right itinerary for you!

If you’ve never cruised before, you might not know how much or how little you will enjoy it. For that reason, be picky and choose carefully.  As a Cruises tips for first timer, I suggest starting with a 7-night itinerary. That way, if you don’t like it, you’re only on board seven days.  Of course, if you’re a seasoned cruiser and enjoy it as much as I do, 2 – 3 week itineraries are just right for most.

Some people prefer a port-intensive itinerary, other passengers prefer cruises with a lot of sea days. This is totally up to. I personally like a mix of the two lots of ports with some sea days in between.

Passengers that like port-intensive cruise will love cruising in the Mediterranean, Baltic Sea, or the Caribbean. Passengers that prefer a lot of relaxing sea days the best itineraries are: Hawaii, South America, and Transatlantic cruises.

Grand Cayman

If you Are Prone to Motion Sickness

If you are prone to motion sickness, stick to itineraries where the seas are generally calm.  Alaska and the Caribbean are very popular for this reason.  The Tasmanian sea, or Cape Horn, for example, might not be the best choice for those who get seasick also, if you have a seasickness problem, book a cabin that is in the middle of the ship and on a lower deck where you’ll have less motion.

Book a balcony cabin for your first cruise

Even though they are more expensive, if you never cruised before, you might feel a bit claustrophobic in an inside cabin. Try to book a cabin in the middle of the ship and on a lower deck where you won’t feel the movement of the boat as much. For tips on choosing a cabin check this article.

Sunset on the Balcony

Familiarize yourself with the ship at embarkation!

On embarkation day, after you unpacked, walk around the ship few times, get familiar with the decks. Check which of the pool is the best, check where the main dining room is, check where the lounges are. This will ensure you won’t spend too much time looking for places on board.

Don’t overpack

Closets in the cabins are not very big and sometimes (especially inside cabins) there is no room to leave big suitcases. Pack strategically, don’t bring your full closet. Keep in mind that on the ocean even in a warm climate, the weather is unpredictable always pack a sweater or a light jacket. If you want more cruise packing tips here is an article about that.

Make sure to check what to pack for the cruise, on the crise line website before departure. That way you won’t pack unnecessary items or you won’t forget that formal dress that you might need.

Don’t try to do everything

There is always a lot to do on a cruise, but if you try to do everything, and you are afraid of missing something, you will stress out for nothing. Keep in mind it is ok to relax. Tip: when you receive your daily program, mark few things that you really want to, and take a picture of it with your phone so that you can refer back to it later.

The drinking package is not a marathon!

It’s not unusual to see people getting sick after day two because they drank too much in order to get the drinking package worth it! Remember if by day two you are sick and your cruise is only 7 days, half of your holiday is ruined! The same rule applies to the buffet! Pace yourself, especially if you are cruising in a very warm climate. Keep yourself hydrated with a lot of water.

Specialty restaurants are great date nights

Some ships, nowadays, offer a lot of different specialty restaurants that have extra charges. Most of the time are themed restaurants (ie: Italians, Japanese, fusion, etc.). The quality of the food however is usually very similar to the one in the main dining room. For that reason, there is no need to spend more money on dinner. The only big difference is the smaller ambiance and the more attentive service and different menu items. For that reason, they are perfect for a special occasion or a date night. Another tip regarding specialty restaurants is before you make a reservation, check the menu in the main dining room (it is usually posted in several areas around the ship for the all-day), that way you are sure you won’t miss anything.

Dinner Time

Keep shopping on board for the last day

If you see something you like at the gift shop or in one the shop onboard, don’t buy it on embarkation day. There is always a big sale at the end of the cruise buy it then it will be cheaper. On top of that every cruise, usually, has a big sale on the last sea day. Check it out; you might find the same item you wanted on day one fifty percent cheaper.

Do some research about your ports before your cruise.

Read about your ports of call in advance. This will help you decide if you want to do an excursion or not in each port. If you decide on a tour, it will help you decide which one. Keep in mind that some ports (especially in the Med, Northern Europe, and Asia) are great cities to explore; there is no need for an excursion. Book your excursion as soon as possible. Some of the best ones are sold out even before sailing. Check your cruise portal at home a few weeks before departure and book the excursion. Don’t leave it until the last minute.

Bonus tip!

If you’re not sure, ask your fellow passengers: on each cruise, there are always passengers that have cruised a lot. If you’re not sure or you need some tips, ask them, you never know you might end up making a new friend!

I hope these tips are helpful and there will be more soon.

Happy Cruising

PS:  Don’t forget your Gadgets! This article is our most popular as it covers all the best gadgets to take on board, to make your life easier!

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