Cruise Tips and Tricks
You picked a cruise, got to port safely and now you are onboard waiting for the boat to leave the shore. It’s time to eat, drink, and make merry. The below tips will help make your trip flawless without breaking the bank.
Deck Out Your Cabin
You decided to save money on the room and chose an interior stateroom. An interior room, while small, can be made into a relaxing retreat for your vacation. The walls in cruise ships are almost always metal, so bring some magnetic hooks to help with storage and organization. If you are a feeling a little more whimsical, pack a small dry erase board and markers. This can be used to as a daily wall planner or put it on the outside of the room to leave messages for friends and family that may have traveled with you. There will usually be just a few outlets in each room, so bring portable power adapter or wireless battery that you can charge each day and can be carried with you. This can be especially helpful when you go ashore, so you don’t have to search for an outlet in a restaurant or bar. Always download the cruise line’s app. It can be used while in airplane mode and can communicate with anyone else who has it as well as a providing a calendar of each day’s events or deals.
Feeling Queasy?
If you feel nervous about getting seasick or hit a rough patch of ocean on your voyage these tips will put you at ease. Green apples and crackers can help soothe your stomach and are available free of charge. Most cruise lines offer complementary room service so you can even have it delivered right to you. Any nausea drugs such as Dramamine can be purchased at one of the shops onboard if you feel you need something stronger.
Class Up Your First Night
Try to eat at one of the specialty restaurants the first night of the voyage. People will usually want to eat in the dining room the first night and the restaurants will offer deals to get people in that first night. Its not uncommon to receive a complementary bottle of wine or a discount on that first night. If you are leaving from a Texas port, you will have to wait until the ship gets out of national waters for any drink package you purchased to start, so this can be a cheap way of getting a buzz the first night of your trip.
Food, Food, and More Food!
So much food is included with your ticket, and you can eat as little or as much as you want. You can order as many entrees as you want at the dining room, and usually the waiter will give you a cover if you want to take any leftovers back to your cabin. This can be a nice way to avoid the lines at the buffet and take some classy leftovers for later. Some late-night chocolate lava cake can be especially delicious or a cheese and fruit plate for after a show or dancing the night away at the club. Cruise lines are all about giving you the best service, so let your server know of any dietary restrictions and they can almost always provide you with something delicious that fits your diet.
Booze Cruise for Cheap
Ready to get your drink on, but have sticker shock when you go to one of the cruise bars? Don’t panic. If you want to have more than 3 drinks per day, looking into purchasing a drink package from the cruise line can be a good way to save money overall. If you purchase the drink package when you book, you can usually save as much as 10%. However, those packages may not offer everything you want or not include top shelf options. In that case, liquor tastings at the liquor shops, complimentary champagne at any art auctions or The Captain’s Night and tasting events or competitions can be a great way to get free or discounted booze.
Staying Fit on Vacation
Having delicious food around you everyday can make it easy to pack on a few pounds. Not to worry! Cruise ships usually have at least ten floors, so taking the stairs everywhere can work off that extra piece of cake or late-night pizza. Also, the gym is included at no extra cost, so you won’t have any trouble maintaining any workout regimen you had before your trip. If being outside is more your thing, most ships will have a track that takes you around the outside of the boat.
Internet
These days we are all are glued to our phones and checking social media. If you can’t go a few days without Instagram or Twitter, look into the Wi-Fi packages that the cruise line offers. However, if you can unplug a few days at a time, once you get into port you will have cell service and have full access to your data without paying the cruise line. Make sure your phone company does not charge extra for international calls or texting should you be out the U.S.
