First Time Cruising

Beware First Time Cruisers Not All Inclusives Mean All Inclusive

dayat — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 14:29:59 +0000

People going out on their first Caribbean have a lot to look forward to and a lot to take in. A cruise vacation is a great, economical way to see many places in a single journey and only have to unpack once. The reason a cruise is so economical is because of all of the things that are included in the cost of the cruise. For one price you get your lodging, your meals, most beverage, things to do, places to go and shows to see.

Some Items Not Included

As a first time cruiser you might fall into the thinking that your cruise is “ALL INCLUSIVE.” Some lines even say they are just that. However it’s usually not exactly “ALL” inclusive. Things like cocktails, specialty deserts, specialty coffee, spa services, photos, steak houses & more will not be included in the cost of your ticket. Even some things that you might think would be included, like a visit to the infirmary, is not going to be included.

So just be prepared. Budget for it. Some of these things you will want to do. Having your picture taken or a trip to the spa is just something you have to do to complete your cruise experience. That’s not to say you won’t enjoy your cruise if you don’t take part in these activities, but unless you only want to drink water, tea, coffee, lemonade & apple juice, you’ll want to make sure you have your bar card ready.

Tips On Saving Money

There are some cruise lines out there that do actually do “ALL” inclusives if you look around, but there are some ways to save a buck or two on some of these extras. Some cruise lines do have a soda card which will provide you with unlimited soda throughout your cruise. The spa will usually offer big discounts on treatments that are delivered while the ship is in port since there are less people on board. The bars will have drink specials or a drink of the day at a reduced rate. So if you keep your eyes and ears open you’ll be able to find a deal. Read the ship’s newsletter each day and listen for announcements. Sometimes to drive in more business the spa will make special deals over the PA system only.

So be ready with your cruise card. Just keep an eye on your budget cause it is pretty easy to spend more money on the cruise then you did to take the cruise.

First Time Cruisers Information About Dinner Choices

dayat — Wed, 05 Apr 2023 14:29:38 +0000

So you are a first time cruiser and you are planning your trip to the Caribbean for a cruise vacation. You are looking at whatever cruise line you are choosing and thinking to yourself which dining option is going to be the best for me?

Depending on the cruise line you will have many options but one that seems to be on the way out is the traditional cruise dining where you are placed at a table at an assigned time. Usually early seating, around 6pm or late seating which is around 8pm.

Many experienced cruises have their own opinions about which is better or why you shouldn’t do the traditional dining at all. Some will like the early seating because they prefer to eat early. It makes sense, but other reasons for choosing the earlier seating like you like to go to bed early, you want more time out on the promenade for nightlife, etc. Late seating will mean you don’t have to come back from the ports as early to get ready for dinner. You’ll find that everyone will have their pluses and minuses about each one.

The Drawback

On the negative side, many people will tell you not to choose the traditional because they don’t want to be forced to eat at a certain time every night with people they don’t know. If you are a first time cruiser, I would recommend to you not to allow yourself to be influenced by this and make your own opinion. I, like many, actually do enjoy the structure of eating at the same time each night and when you are introduced to your tablemates on the first day of the cruise, you never know who you will meet and the friendships you will make.

The Benefits

Many people who have met as tablemates on a cruise will keep in touch and stay friends for years to come. Some even find a way to cruise together again on future cruises. This is part of what the cruise experience. All though some cruise lines have done away with the traditional dining, other cruise lines still hold onto it while offering you other choices as well.

So if you are trying to decide which dining experience to choose, I would recommend that you at least try the traditional dining. If you find it’s not for you, well you can always go with one of the alternatives. One thing is for sure, you’ll never go hungry when you take a cruise.

Hi my name is Frederick, I love to cruise. The Caribbean is my favorite place to cruise as well as a destination trip. I have over 39 years of travel experience

First Time Cruise – Caribbean Cruises Considered

dayat — Sat, 04 Mar 2023 17:20:04 +0000

There are significant choices for Caribbean Cruises and some of the mega ships are truly incredible, entire cities afloat, with everything you could ever want or think of. 5-Star service, recreation, gyms, pools, massage, games, sunbathing, top restaurants, and well you name it. Plus, just take a look at some of the wonderful destinations on some of the cruise choices, it’s enough to make your head spin. Sometimes it is so strenuous to go through all the choices that by the time you are done, well, you’ll need a cruise.The Caribbean is considered one of the best places to take a cruise and the islanders love the tourist trade which thrives on shoppers and travelers. Worried about getting sea-sick? Don’t because these ships are so enormous that you feel like you are in a giant building, after all it is literally a city afloat. The most awesome thing about these cruises is the costs are so low, in fact, it is almost cheaper to go on a perpetual cruise than to live anywhere, especially if you shop for the best deals, that include the most features.If you are going on your first excursion and get-away and you are not sure where to go, I would like to recommend that you try a Caribbean Cruise from one of the larger cruise lines and pick one with the best cruise reviews online from former cruise customers, then consider how much you can budget for your first time cruise, sign-up, show up and enjoy the spectacular beauty known only to the Caribbean!

Tips for First Time Cruise Travellers

dayat — Sat, 04 Feb 2023 17:20:38 +0000

In any holiday, planning and looking forward to it is part of the fun. Cruising holidays are certainly no exception.The first question that comes to the mind to the first time cruise travellers is what to pack.Even though the answer to this question varies dramatically according to the location and time of the year we can provide one simple guideline: Do not over-pack. On average first time cruisers pack twice the amount of items that they need. It is always recommendable to elaborate a list of items and then stick to it. Some travellers tend to fall in the temptation of packing loads of shoes; it is very important to avoid this temptation as they take out loads of luggage space. Bringing one pair of walking shoes, one pair of casual shoes and one pair of dressy shoes is more than enough.Some items which are worth remembering are:
- Moisturized wipes: These are very useful while on shore excursions
- Night light to place in the bathroom. This item will come handy to the passengers in the inside cabins.
- Sun glasses and sun cream
- Pack wrinkle free clothes: Just in case the ship has not got any ironing room as the laundry costs tend to be quite expensive.
- Do not pack too many t shirts as you are quite likely to purchase more either onboard or in any of the places you visit.Other important recommendation is to never pack cash, traveller’s checks or any valuable items in the check in luggage.It is very important to bear in mind that the embarkation process is a very hectic time to all the cruise personnel therefore we can make the process easier and quicker for them by making sure that we keep all the cruised documents handy.Most cruised provide a cruise card that makes the function of a charge card; it is recommendable to monitor the balance regularly specially if travelling on a budget.It is important to remember that most cruises do not give the option to pay with personal checks and not all of them will include an ATM machine though most of them will. Before making any telephone call you should always check the cost as sometimes they can be quite expensive. It is always worth finding out in advance about the roaming feature with your mobile phone operator. Buying a calling card is an option that can save you a considerable amount of money.Nowadays cruises offer a wide range of shore activities and excursions, it always pays off to reserve early as the most popular cruises tend to be sold within the first two days of the cruise. It is important to get to know the cruise staff early as they have a great knowledge of the activities on offer so they are able to provide sound advice.Finally for those who tend to get seasick it is important to avoid looking out of the window and remember to pack anti-seasick tablets, by taking half a douse you will avoid feeling drowsy.

First Time Cruising With Carnival Spirit

dayat — Thu, 05 Jan 2023 09:57:55 +0000

The Carnival cruise line is an amazing fleet of luxury cruise trips that caters for all types of cruisers. Families, couples and groups of friends of all ages are made welcome on board their ships and the entertainment is catered for all.The Carnival fleet currently contains 22 ships that are found world-wide and most popular in the Caribbean. Some of the ship names include the legend, victory, glory, pride, destiny, dream and the paradise.Carnival finally made its move into Australian waters offering short trips on the east coast of Australia but also to the beautiful South Pacific Islands.Currently only the Carnival Spirit departs from Sydney Australia and this is the ship I was privileged enough to experience. The Carnival Legend will soon be arriving to Australia shortly as well.There are 10 levels on the Carnival Spirit which includes a number of restaurants, day spa, a gym, 2 main pools for all ages and an adults only area which includes a pool and Jacuzzi too.The entire ship is decked out with magnificent artworks, structures and paintings particularly in the Grand Atrium which has a multi-level painting which is around 6 levels high.What makes this the Carnival Spirit stand out and makes the appeal for both kids and the young at heart is its 50 foot water slide known as the Green Thunder. This is located on deck 10 and counts down from 3. The waterslide is so fast I couldn’t even tell you if the platform dropped or pulled back or what.The restaurants on board are all paid for within your cruise ticket price all except the steak house restaurant called Noveau. It cost $35 per person to eat here and it is well worth the price as you get 3 courses of the best quality meats. Make sure you walk in hungry these meals are massive.The main restaurant is also 3 courses and table service and just about all the wait staff are extroverts, fun and a little bit crazy all in the name of fun. After dinner is mostly served there may be a song and/or dance by the wait staff which helps lift the mood for the evening fun times.There are also plenty of bars found around the ship which includes a karaoke bar, pool bars, the casino, Shanghai bar, the grand atrium and the waiters walking around the decks coming directly to you for orders.Lastly the entertainment on board is also worth checking out most of which are performed in the Pharaoh’s Palace which is found on deck 2, 3 and 4. Here you will get to see magicians, hypnotists, dancers, big band concerts and more.Directly below the palace is the Punch-liner Comedy Club where 4 to 5 comics perform most of which includes an adult’s only show.All in all the Carnival Spirit lived up to its reputation and makes the trip as comfortable and as entertaining as possible. I would definitely book with Carnival again and would highly recommend it for any first time cruisers.