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One tip from cruise experts is to plan on rising early on at least one day to enjoy the spectacular views and peacefulness of sunrise on the ship's top deck. // Photo by Princess Cruises |
Cruises, whether it’s a traveler’s first experience or a veteran passenger’s 15th voyage, always offer different and unique experiences each time. Besides familiarizing yourself with your itinerary, it’s important for guests to know all that their ship offers in terms of amenities, programs, on board services and information at all the ports of call. Carnival Corporation recently spoke to a variety of cruise professionals on how to make sure that your cruise is as successful as possible; here are the top 10 cruise tips the experts came up with.
Ask a lot of questions – Jasper Wolthuis, hotel general manager on the Coral Princess, says that crews on board the ships have passenger’s best interests at heart, so no question is too big or too small. “Passengers shouldn’t be shy about asking any crew member if they have a question. We can help maximize your time onboard,” Wolthuis told Carnival. If you really want the best experience possible, don’t be afraid to ask any question that comes to mind. The crew literally lives on the ship you’re vacationing on, so chances are they know the answer to any question you can come up with.
Read the daily newsletter – Start each morning with a cup of coffee and a glance over your ship's onboard daily newsletter. The newsletter delivered to the staterooms each evening includes a full list of activities and entertainment happening the following day. Information on festivities, contests, lectures, dress codes, dining times, sales on board and more will likely all be listed in the newsletter, so taking a few minutes each morning to plan your day can really help maximize achieving everything your group wants to while onboard.
Experience a sunrise and sunset – You haven’t seen a sunrise or a sunset until you’re looking out over the vast, blank oceans that the cruise ships sail on. It truly seems like something out of a painting when you’re looking out at just the sun and its reflection over the horizon. “Getting up at dawn in a destination such as Alaska is not only impressively peaceful but also brings your best opportunity to spot whales and other wildlife,” said Adam Gorst, hotel general manager on Princess Cruises’ Emerald Princess, so grab a cup of coffee or an evening cocktail and head to the ship’s deck for the experience.
Advise the ship on special needs – Again, the ship’s crew is here to ensure you have the best time possible, and that includes assisting in all needs possible. It’s always best to alert the cruise line as far in advance as possible so they can accommodate as many requests as they can; this includes any mobility restrictions, health issues, allergies, dietary needs and requests. Experts told Carnival that almost anything can be accommodated with advanced planning, so avoid any last minute scrambles if they can be planned ahead of time.
Plan to try new things – Plan to make the most of what’s made available to you during your vacation. On your cruise, you’ll likely be exposed to new places, dining choices and activities you haven’t tried before. Alyn Baker, hotel general manager of P&O Cruises’ Azura, says that part of the fun of cruising is the experimenting. “You only get out of a cruise what you put into it,” Baker told Carnival. “So why not try to learn something new such as juggling or ballroom dancing, or attending a lecture by a guest speaker.”
Map out days in port – Don’t wait until you arrive at a port to ask what there is to do there, says Jessica Schumann, hotel director of Holland America Line’s Noordam. There is plenty of information available online or in travel books to educate travelers on upcoming destinations. Once onboard, find port experts who can offer further advice on activities to do online. A good way to get to know other passengers is also by asking if they’ve been to a certain destination before. Often, many of them have and can offer insider tips on what makes that particular destination great. Make the most of your time by planning ahead.
DON’T MISS THE SHIP – This might seem self-explanatory, but believe it or not it has happened plenty of times before. It’s important to listen to shipboard announcements and note what time to be back onboard (times are often posted in the daily newsletter and at the gangway) so you don’t run into any problems. If you’re going off on your own, make it a point to know how to access the ship’s onsite port agent if any issues arise.
Consider a pre-cruise overnight – If you have time, most embarkation cities are great places to visit. Especially when traveling long distances, consider arriving a day or two before your ship sails. Besides exploring an additional destination, arriving a few days early allows for a restful nights sleep the night prior to boarding the ship, so travelers aren’t exhausted or jet-lagged by the time they arrive to embark. Cruise lines like Carnival, Princess and Holland America offer tours of New York City on itineraries out of the Port of New York, so see if your line offers a pre-cruise tour or overnight package prior to your departure.
Pre-book everything you can – To avoid missing an opportunity, try to book as much in advance as possible. Hotel director of the Carnival Sunshine Freddy Esquivel told Carnival he advises using a pre booking option whenever available, whether it be for sure excursions, specialty dining or spa reservations. Booking in advance is a definite time saver and often guarantees spots on tours and amenities that often sell out. “Rather than standing in line at the shore excursion desk, enjoy more time by the pool and doing other fun stuff [by booking ahead],” Esquivel said.
Take time to explore the ship – Often when cruising people forget about the giant amenity right underneath them. Some travelers get so hyper-focused on the itinerary and destinations that they forget to explore the very vessel taking them to those spots. Part of the joy of cruising is what is made available to passengers onboard when they’re not off exploring the destinations. Take time to explore the ship top to bottom on one of your first full days on board to make sure you’re not missing anything that you want to experience!