Cruise Around The World: 20 Best Things To Know
Cruise Around The World: 20 Best Things To Know
Cruise around the world! In January 2019 we was lucky enough to enjoy a cruise in the United Arab Emirates and Oman. The cruise lasted 7 days, departing from Dubai to Abu Dhabi, Khasab, Muscat and then back to Dubai. We were very excited about this cruise but it would be nice to know certain things before you will get on board. We are writing this article for you, dear travel lover!
If you want to go on a cruise and you need some advices, or if you want to go on a cruise but you are a little afraid of a disaster, as it was in the past with Costa Concordia cruise ship, maybe this article will help you overcome your fear. You can try to go on your first cruise with a big company like Royal Caribbean or Carnival.
1. Do not forget to take your meds
If you often suffer from heartburn, indigestion, sea sickness, migraines or feel a cold coming on prior to boarding, pack whatever medication or vitamins you think you will need. Otherwise, purchasing these things from the ships pharmacy will cost you. Don’t take any risks and be prepared for any situation.
2. Avoid the crowds, show up later
People used to traveling via plane may find this suggestion totally foreign and counterintuitive. Arriving late to your boarding just seems wrong. Nevertheless, in this case, the fact is that arriving late means avoiding standing in a huge crowd of people since most cruise ships reportedly board and disembark on similar schedules.
3. Higher cabin equals less queasiness
While it is not common knowledge, in general, the higher up your cruise cabin is located, the less you will feel any potential effects of seasickness. If you have ever suffered from car sickness and/or are sensitive to the motion of the ocean then you know how that feeling can negatively impact on any vacation.
If you end up in a lower level you can pack ginger candies, ginger tea, ginger ale, or pieces of dried ginger to actively battle any nausea you may potentially feel.
4. Consider the plan that’s “all-inclusive”
“All-inclusive” sounds a bit pricey. However, when you crunch the numbers on the cost of a drink and meals for a week or two onboard, you will probably discover that “all-inclusive” is actually a good idea that will save you money. The all-inclusive option means you don’t have to worry about your budget while on the ship.
5. Sometimes you’re allowed to bring your own food
Travelers who have dietary issues might want to skip the all-inclusive option. If you are on a strict diet then you should look into cruises that permit passengers to bring their own food on board. In other words, pack a cooler and head for the dock.
6. Room service is available
If you partied too hard the previous night and cannot pull on your pants to have breakfast, most cruise ships have room service available. If your meals are included with your ticket, there probably will not be any extra charge.
7. Pack a small day bag
It could take some time before you are given the OK to enter your room. So it can be a help to have a small day bag. You can pack medication, sunscreen, a book, a bathing suit ,sunglasses or anything else you cannot possibly go without for a couple of hours.
8. Avoid onboard souvenirs
The souvenirs on board did not seem special and were very expensive compared to those you can buy from your land trips. Also you will have to pay money so you can have professional photos on board. Is better for you to invest in a good quality camera and take the photos by yourself, for free.
9. Beware of betting machines, roulette, lottery and mechanical games
Every night, there was a lottery draw on our boat. We bought some tickets just for fun, but I don’t think we should have taken it at all. Nobody won any prize in those 7 days. Be careful with roulette or mechanical games, which only bring you losses.
10. Check the shops: Cruise around the world
Although most people think that stores have very expensive products, it is not so. Every day, on our ship were different special offers for sunglasses, bags, shoes, jewelry or watches. We took advantage of some of them. We bought quality watches with 70% discount and we were happy with our purchase.
11. Dress codes
People who are new to cruises pack in such a way that makes the most of space in a suitcase. While that might be good, when it comes to cruises you have to keep in mind that they often have specific dress codes that they enforce at mealtimes.
You may be refused admittance to the dining room if you are wearing flip-flops, torn jeans or even Nike sneakers. Pack so that you can mix and match your casual daytime clothes with your evening wear. Men can manage with long pants and a button-down shirt. Women can manage with a little black dress and nice strap sandals.
12. Some cabins have no windows
The price you have to pay for a cruise differs, depending on what type of room you choose. That’s why you have to be careful if all the rooms have windows or not. Sometimes the cheapest option is not the best, because I think you want to see something on the window when you stay in the room. Maybe you’ll be as lucky as we were. We paid for an ordinary room with windows, but we got a room with a balcony. Even now we don’t know why, but it was great to take the little breakfast on the balcony of our cabin.
13. Take the stairs as often as possible
Usually, during the hours when breakfast, lunch and dinner are served the elevators are very crowded. It is better to use the stairs.
14. Many cruise ships have laundry rooms
Are you a light packer but you’re concerned about the dress code? You can still manage to pack light and have that casual/elegant mixture if you’re willing to take time to do the laundry. Some cruise ships actually have onboard laundromats.
15. Internet is expensive
Shut off your smartphone. Turn your data off. Roaming is expensive because signals generally bounce off the cruise ship company’s satellite. Additionally, your phone company might hit you with an additional fee too.
16.Captain's dinner
I advise you not to miss the captain’s dinner. We were very pleased with this, especially since the captain came from the country where we were born. We had the opportunity to talk a little with him, we had a dinner with special goodies but we also tasted a very good cake that night.
17. Earn if tips are included
Currently most companies have the tip included in the cruise price, but in the past it was not so. You had to pay extra per day/per person, a certain amount for the tip. And now there are some companies that do not have the tip included so pay attention at the details when you order the cruise.
18. Planning is required
Before any vacation, we try to plan our trips. In most cases, when you don’t plan ahead, you will pay much more on the spot. We have traveled to many countries, and every time we was glad that we ordered everything on time. On a cruise ship the situation is even worse, because you will have to buy trips from them and it costs almost double, than if you bought trips from the internet before.
We recommend Viator and Get You Guide. The two websites helped us to save a lot of money. For example: In our cruise in Dubai we paid for the tour of old and new Dubai, Dubai Mall, Dubai Marina and Souk, Burj Khalifa entrance 124 th floor and entrance at Atlantis Aquarium 80 euros/person, while the people that bought the tickets from the ship, paid for the same ticket 140 euros/person.
19. Do not forget to explore the ship
On our first day at sea, we decided to explore the ship and we are very happy that we did it. You will find wonderful places to take pictures, but you will also be amazed at how beautiful and elegant everything is: gym, room playground for children and especially disco, theater and opera.
20. You will not be bored
If you want to visit these amazing places and you need to find the perfect Vacation Package, Tours, Hotels, Flights or Car rental just click on the links bellow!
If you have never been on a cruise before you might think being on a ship for days at a time will bore you.
The truth is, a lot of effort is made to entertain passengers. You will be offered the opportunity to engage in such activities as dance parties, daytime pool-side competitions, late night clubs, games, gambling and more.
I hope this article was helpful and maybe now you are more determined to go on a cruise. Please tell us if these tips were helpful in a comment. What other advice would you add to our list of tips?
You can book your next cruise here. You will find some amazing deals!
