A Cheat Sheet for Making the Most of Your Cruise! #cruisehacks (Part 2)

Here is the continuation of our cruise hacks! Remember, if you have any more ideas, leave a comment and let me know! (Disclaimer, I have only been on Carnival Cruises, let me know if there is anything different that must be included in this post).

Drink/Soda Card:  In my opinion is not worth it. Come on, you're going to be in your bathing suit most of the day, do you really need that gaseous drink to make you look more bloated? The sun bathing will be dehydrating, you will need WATER, not soda. But okay, I'll get off my soap box. If you have an addiction, then go for it. Now this card does NOT include alcohol and this is where the cruises get you. Alcohol is so expensive! The waiters will be walking around with delicious-looking drinks and you will rack up an incredible tab by the end of the day. I'm not sure if you can buy alcohol at the ports of call and bring it on the ship.

Housekeeping: You will almost always have the same housekeepers throughout your trip. These people are from countries around the world, so get to know them! Many of them are working to earn money to support their families at home. Once again, tip them well, treat them with the respect they deserve, and they will take extra care of you and get you everything you need! Most nights you will come back to an artistic towel sculpture waiting for you on your turned back bed.

Days at Sea: Days at Sea can be treacherous for some people because they dislike being "trapped" on a boat. However, cruise lines have absolutely FANTASTIC activities scheduled to cure just that! From fitness rooms with group exercise classes, spas, outdoor track/basketball court/climbing wall, to fantastic pools with slides, etc!

If those activities don't suit your fancy, dance classes (two-step, ballroom, salsa) are sometimes offered during the day. The Duty Free store on the ship offers a nice shopping experience. Also, raffles are always taking place alongside bingo.....Now these are not only fun, but worth it! My mom won TWO, yes I said TWO free cruises! One through a raffle, the other through Bingo! You can only imagine the excitement that erupted from my large family (mom, dad, brother, brother's family of 5 kids, my sister, and me). IT was a great time.

Go see the spectacular culinary showcases that are offered. For one, you get to see a part of the gigantic kitchens, two, these people are artists!!!!!! It's AMAZING what they can do (plus you can thank them for creating your delicious meals every night).

Mealtimes: Depending on the size of your party, you may be seated at a table with other travelers for mealtimes. This is a great chance to meet some interesting people! You will definitely be seeing them every night of your cruise, so be friendly and get to know them! Your table will be assigned a waiter who will serve you every time you eat a meal at the formal dining room. Tip generously and treat this person with the respect s/he deserves, and you may get an extra steak, shrimp, or melting chocolate lava cake (OMG by far my fav dessert).

You have the ability to eat breakfast and dinner in the"formal" dining room, where you will sit at a set table and your waiter will take your orders. Or you have the choice of having breakfast (if you get up in time) and lunch at the less formal cafeteria-style area. Don't expect anything spectacular besides the common breakfast foods and typical "kid-type" lunch foods, including hamburgers, hot dogs, etc. At night, a pizzeria normally opens up, and sometimes crepes or other kind of "dessert" may be featured.

Nightlife: You may be thinking, what night life? But yes, there is nighttime entertainment!!! The shows and productions the dance troupe puts on in the main theater are high quality (I seriously considered auditioning, but didn't think I could spend nine months on a ship). Drinks are served during the show!

If this kind of entertainment doesn't appeal to you, visit the many bars on the ship. From piano bars to nightclubs, you'll find it all. Different themed bars call for different drinks! After the shows are finished, many times the dancers will join passengers at the nightclubs to let off some steam. I dare you to dance with them, or just have a conversation.

And of course, I cannot overlook, the casinos!!!!!!!!!!!! If this is your cup of tea, you can stay here all day and all night!

At the end of your night of dancing, room service is often open late, so get yourself a PB&J and a glass of water to avoid a hangover and be refreshed for the next morning!

At the end of your trip, getting your luggage is a little stressful and takes a long time. Be patient. Irate people just make things worse.

These are the #cruisehacks I have for you so far! If you have any more that your think should be included, leave a comment!

A Cheat Sheet for Making the Most of Your Cruise! #cruisehacks (Part One)

As spring break rolls around and this awful weather keeps sticking around, many people are escaping Jack Frost by going on cruises! I've been on several cruises in the Caribbean and would like to share some things I learned/wish I knew before my first cruise. (Disclaimer, I've only been on Carnival Cruises...)

Carnival Cruise in Cozumel (circa 2008)

Cheapest Cabin: The cheapest room are those that are on the lowest passenger deck on the "inside" (meaning no windows or decks). In my opinion these are the best cabins mostly because I'm the type of traveler who rarely spends any time in my room. Just to sleep, shower, and get ready. On a cruise, you will spend most of your time out on the sunny, warm deck or doing excursions or other activities at the designated ports of call. Sign up for a cruise liner's email list to get last minute deals! If you are a spontaneous traveler, I've heard you can walk up to the ship the night before or morning of and get fantastic deals (since the cruises always try to fill to capacity), although you may run the risk of there being no available rooms, too.

Preparation: Be sure to pack Dramamine or some kind of seasickness medicine. Depending on the size of the ship, you may feel it move slightly more. Look at the schedule to see the evening events. Most cruises do a formal night, so a nice dress or suit may need to be included on your packing list.

Check-in/First Day: Just like an airport, checking in for the cruise creates long lines. Being irritable doesn't make any line go faster. Be prepared with all necessary documents before you step up to the counter. Get there early! That way you can start enjoying all the fantastic amenities a cruise ship has to offer.
When you get on, don't get too comfortable any certain place because you will be called in to a safety meeting and you MUST wear your life vest. Just so you know, depending on the deck your cabin is depends where you will meet.
On the first cruise I went on, I was not aware it takes quite awhile to get your luggage delivered to your room. So while the experienced cruisers were already sun bathing on the deck, I was inside waiting for my bag. Lesson learned! Pack a small carry-on sized bag with all sun bathing essentials: bathing suit, flip flops, sunscreen, hat, book, and a relaxed attitude.

Excursions:  On the first day, the main deck will be packed with people wanting to sign up for excursions. On the first cruise vacation I went on with my family, we didn't know which excursions were offered, the price, etc. etc., so we not only took time to look through the pamphlet to choose, but then we (meaning my awesome dad), got stuck in the very long line to sign up. Also, availability may be an issue if you wait too long. Once again, taking away time from being able to enjoy the sun!!!! Excursions are a hit or miss. They are definitely over-priced, however, they are less of a hassle and they may be worth the convenience if you are needing that.
OR, you can do some research ahead of time about the ports of call, hustle out to town and find a taxi to go on your own excursion that YOU planned. My family chose to do this on one of the cruises and it resulted in an excellent day at the beach!
Always remember, don't put yourself in a situation that will make you a victim. If it looks sketchy, it probably is.

(Part 2 to come soon!)