All You Need to Know About a Cruise Holiday

Taking a cruise can be a brilliant way to enjoy a holiday – either with a family, a couple or with a group of friends.

If you haven’t been on a cruise before, you may have questions as to whether it will suit your needs. The beauty of a cruise, either on a river or the ocean, is that you have your hotel come with you wherever you go, virtually any request can be catered for on board, and you only have to unpack once!

The other bonus of a cruising holiday is that everything can be arranged before you leave – it’s a one stop shop that you can tailor to your needs with a travel agent, saving you a huge amount of time sourcing accommodation, food and activities.

Modern ships are like floating resorts, you can be as involved as you choose to be with the on board entertainment and community and there are plenty of opportunities to go ashore and explore.

Generally during a 7-12 night cruise, you will only spend two full days cruising at sea, and the other days will be spent in ports of call.

Accommodation

On board one today’s ships you can expect every comfort imaginable. Depending on your budget, you can choose twin beds, double beds or complete suites. Everything you would expect to find in a land based hotel or resort is likely to be available on board a ship.

The private bathrooms come fully equipped, including a range of travel sized toiletries. Cabins also generally have a tv with movie channels, some have satellite telephones and internet and a safe. Most ships also have 24 hour room service. As with a hotel, ships have cabin attendants on hand to service your cabin.

When you are booking your cruise, ask about the cabin options – an inside cabin is on the inside of the ship with no natural lights, an outside cabin has a window or porthole, a balcony cabin is on the outside of the deck, on a higher deck with a private balcony. A suite cabin can come in various sizes but will have a separate living area, bar, larger balcony and other amenities. A penthouse suite is the ultimate in luxury with every possible amenity available. Some ships have personal butlers for this type of accommodation. Availability is limited as there are only a few of these cabin types on most ships.

Disabled passengers can be catered for in a number of the cabins, but this request must be discussed with your travel agent.

Dining

Surveys of returning cruise passengers show that the food onboard is one of the top reasons people return. The perception from inexperienced cruisers is that because three meals a day are pre-paid, that they will all be buffet style. Not so. Many ships have the option of dining in the main restaurant, the café or alfresco on the deck. Many different cuisines are represented and special requests can usually be accommodated.

Activities and Entertainment

The onboard activities are often designed around the make up of the passengers for that particular cruise, so there is something for everyone. There is no pressure to participate. You can simply relax by the pool, read a book and do your own thing. You can expect to find a gym, exercise classes, indoor and/or outdoor swimming pools, spa pools, exercise track, board games, table tennis, card games, ship library, computer room/internet café, shuffle board, golf driving range, cooking lessons, cocktail making classes, line or ballroom dancing classes, trivia (with prizes), ship board Olympics, health & spa facilities, shopping arcade, duty free shops aboard. Many of the pre-organised activities are available on “at sea” days and are a good way to meet other passengers and make new friends. Some activities may incur a charge.

Kids Club

Kids Club are available on most cruise ships today and are included in your fare. They are well organized into age groups and have qualified youth counsellors employed to look after the children. Ships are designed with children in mind and there is often a dedicated children’s space. Your little darlings may even find ice skating or rock climbing walls! The kids club is an excellent service so that parents (and grandparents!) have a chance to unwind alone, with the added benefit that children will make friends and be well stimulated. Facilities will differ depending on the cruise line you choose.

For evenings, a minder or babysitting service is also available at a minimal charge.

Comfort

The fear of motion sickness can put people off a cruise holiday. If you suffer from motion sickness choose a destination that is known for its calmer waters, (i.e. Alaska, Caribbean and Mediterranean)

. However today’s ships are so large and well stabilised, and have the latest satellite navigation equipment so they can steer clear of severe weather conditions.

There are also many preventative options available; motion sickness tablets (including herbal), medicated patches, pressure bands or prescription options. If in doubt, see your doctor for the best option for you.

Dress Code

One of the highlights of a cruise can be the formal nights – the Captain will host a welcome and farewell party. It is a wonderful excuse to throw on some glad rags, but you can choose how dressy you’d like to be.

At any other time, generally tidy attire is fine in the restaurants and common areas.

Excursions

Shore excursions are pre-organised tours & sightseeing options that you purchase onboard for when your ship is in a port of call. Every ship has a “Shore Ex” desk with qualified staff who can advise you of different excursions available, what’s best to do and generally help you with information on the particular region your ship is visiting. Shore excursions can only be booked onboard your ship however some cruise lines allow you to pre-book & pay for excursions online. Shore excursions are not compulsory, you are free to go ashore and return to the ship as many times as you like.

Cashless Society

The majority of ships operate a “cashless society” onboard. When you embark at the beginning of your cruise holiday, the purser will take an imprint of your credit card and all purchases where ever they may be onboard will be put against your cabin account. Onboard purchases may include beverages (excluding filter coffee, tea and water) casino, health & spa facilities, Duty Free & onboard shops, photographer, ship’s doctor, some alternative restaurants and shore excursions.

Health

By law every ship must have a qualified doctor & nurses onboard. Cruise lines take passengers safety & health very seriously. There are extensive medical facilities onboard however with obvious limitations. Ships have been known to deviate from course to disembark passengers who may require additional medical attention.

Gratuities

It depends on which cruise line you book as to how the gratuity system operates. Some cruise lines ask that passengers wait until the end of the cruise & discreetly leave an envelope in your cabin in which to place the appropriate amount. Some cruise lines state that the fare you have paid includes gratuities. Some cruise lines ask that you pre-pay the gratuities with your cruise fare prior to your holiday departure.