Cruising Into Calm
Mascari, Brooke. October 22nd, 2024
Research shows that traveling and vacationing can be very healing and beneficial to the body-mind system. Stepping away from the daily grind allows us to break free from repetitive stressors, offering a much-needed reset. This change of scenery can rejuvenate our mental clarity, enhance emotional well-being, and even boost physical health. Engaging with new environments stimulates creativity, inspiring fresh perspectives and ideas. By immersing ourselves in diverse cultures and experiences, we can recharge our spirits and foster a sense of connection, ultimately leading to a more balanced and vibrant life.
However, we have all been on trips that made us feel more stressed and worse off than before going on the trip. Going on a cruise can certainly be one of those experiences! With port parking, flights, check-ins, crowds, and sometimes too many drunk guests, cruises can become a chaotic and stressful experience. However, they can also be a very fun, relaxing, exciting, explorative, and beneficial experience!
Allow me (someone who has been on 3 recent cruises and taken extensive notes on tips and tricks during these cruises) to share these helpful tips so you can go on your next cruise as seamlessly and effortlessly as possible! I am a huge supporter of regular traveling and vacationing. Exploring and experiencing different cultures and parts of the world is profoundly wonderful and something I greatly recommend. However, I am not a fan of chaos and stress! So I love preparing and learning the many ways to travel with peace and calm so I can extract the highest amount of pleasure from each trip I take!
Let’s dive into the tips!
Before the Cruise
Get the cruise app! Often the cruise line will have an app to utilize for planning and booking excursions, package info for drinks or wifi, and get all the details for the cruise. Within the app, check and see what the schedule will be for attire as well. There are often Formal Nights or a specific color to wear for dinner and it is fun to be a part of this; with everyone on board matching or dressed formally!
When it comes to booking your cruise, calling the cruise line and booking with a rep is the way to go. A rep will be able to tell you all the information you need to know, get you the best discounts, help you figure out transportation (shuttling and parking, etc.), and even get you free room upgrades. If your cruise is for a special occasion, a rep can even have your room decorated and prepared for you! None of these things are possible by just booking the cruise online.
Try to get a room that is on the starboard side of the ship; not the port side. This will allow you to get better views of the countries and landscapes rather than just the port… unless you would like to see the port instead! Some people love to see the hustle and bustle of the port activities.
Booking a cruise a year in advance can often save you money. Especially if you cruise in January or February as these tend to be off-season months.
If flying to the port, fly in one day or more early, to ensure flight delays don’t cause you to miss your cruise.
Get a room that is lower in the ship, rather than high up on the ship. This will help you not feel movement as much and can help you get better sleep at night. We also like to get a room that is toward the middle of the ship for the same reason. We have also had rooms toward the front of the ship as well, and being toward the front isn’t bad. Being in the back of the ship, and on a low level can certainly cause you to feel the ocean movement. The smaller the ship, often the more movement you will feel.
We have never recommended purchasing internet or wifi packages, but if this is something you require, purchase that before the cruise from the app as this will save you money in comparison to purchasing on board when prices are higher.
The same thing goes for excursions; do some research and purchase your excursions before the cruise to get discounted prices. The prices are almost always 10-20% more once on board the cruise.
Cruising during August-September can result in some bad weather and intense heat. Depending on where you cruise to, we have found December-February to be the best months for cruising.
Arrival
Try to purchase parking from the cruise app, before arrival day. This makes for an easier and more seamless parking experience rather than trying to figure out parking that day with crowds and traffic.
Arrive at the port early / choose early check-in. The earlier the better. This gives you time to get checked in and get familiar with the ship before the ship gets full of passengers. On a super massive ship, it can take some time to get used to the layout. This is why we like to get on board sooner rather than later to help us get used to the layout of the ship.
When it comes to checking your bags or carrying them on, just keep in mind that there are benefits and downfalls to both. The downfall to carrying your bags is that you may have to carry them up and down many stairs until your rooms are available. You may have to wait several hours before your room is available to you, so you will have to keep your luggage with you for the entirety of that time. A downfall to checking your luggage, however, is that you may have to wait a while to get your luggage. Keep in mind that these cruise lines will be transporting and managing (literally) thousands of suitcases and bags. This might mean that you will not receive your suitcase for several hours after you have access to your room and you could find yourself waiting for needed items.
Once the cruise departs/takes off from the origin port city, you will be considered in International Waters and there will be no taxes on any purchases you make while on board. This includes food and merchandise. Many people buy watches, jewelry, and high-end purses exclusively from the name-brand stores on board for this reason. While you are still at the port before departure, keep in mind that anything you buy will be taxed. So it might be a good idea to wait and purchase any food or items once the cruise is departing and in International Waters. If buying something expensive, not paying tax could save you quite a bit of money!
Internal rooms on board are not bad, but having an external room with a window or balcony is great. Especially if someone in your room is prone to motion sickness or sea sickness. Having a balcony is great as it allows you to look out and get your bearings when needed.
Make sure your phone service provider has international coverage or that this is part of your plan before taking your phone off airplane mode while visiting other countries. You don’t want to get home after an awesome trip only to see that you have been charged an arm and a leg for just a few moments of cellular data while in another country.
While on board
Choosing to pay gratuities beforehand/lumped into the cost of the cruise is a great idea, but bringing extra cash to tip servers and crew is excellent. The crew that we have had the opportunity to get to know have always been outstanding and we were more than willing to tip extra for their kindness and expertise.
There are often many restaurants and foods for purchase on cruise ships. We have never found this to be worth the extra cost as there is often an abundance of free food on the ship available at all times.
It can be very much worth it to purchase a drink package if the drink package is a good price. Do the math before purchasing, but if you could easily drink multiple water bottles as well as several specialty drinks or alcoholic drinks each day, it may be worth it to purchase the drink package. If you are not someone who cares much for specialty water, coffee, or other beverages, it may not be worth it to buy the drink package and it may be better to get what the cruise line offers for free. If you do the math and it turns out that you would need to drink 20-30 drinks a day to get your money’s worth (which is probably humanly impossible), it’s best not to get the drink package and just purchase any specialty drinks you would like.
If you are on a cruise line that uses a Seapass or Cruise Card while on board, just remember that every time it is scanned (at dinner or a restaurant) it is charged to your account/bank that is linked to the card. Keep in mind that gratuities are often taken with each scan of the card if not previously paid for.
When it comes to dinners at the dining halls (which we always enjoy and recommend) we have found that choosing “My Time” dining is the best option. This ensures that you do not have a designated dining time and you and your party can arrive at dinner when ready. This is especially useful for excursion days when there may be things going on later into the evening that may cause you to lose your dining time.
If you are someone who does not like excursions and wants a designated dining time, we have found that earlier dinners are best as this allows you to go see any shows or comedies that often start around 6-7 pm and can get missed by later dining times. The shows provided on the cruise will more than likely be very well done; at least that has been our experience so far. We have always been impressed by the professionalism of the performers on each of the cruises we have been on.
If you, at some point during your cruise, grow tired of being around a lot of people; mornings are the most peaceful time on a cruise. Awaking early to watch the sunrise, drink some coffee, get breakfast, walk the track, or get a gym workout in; and you will be one of the only people active at these times.
Excursions
It is not necessary to purchase an excursion at each port location/country you go to. At many ports, you have the freedom to leave the ship and walk around at your leisure. However, if you are going to a dangerous place, ie. a country known for violence, it may be best to purchase an excursion to ensure that you are with a trustworthy guide. This is assuming you are interested in seeing the country or exploring the culture (which we highly recommend if you can). Some locations that we have been to (Nassau, Bahamas, and Costa Maya, Mexico for example) were not the best locations to get off the ship and simply explore the port areas. Reasons being: locals trying to hassle you, the area being dirty with trash and not safe to walk, or the area seeming dangerous. In areas like this, we recommend purchasing an excursion to get away from the port and be able to experience and appreciate the country and local beauty rather than being stuck in a bad and busy area (many people go to ports to sell and trade and it can become very busy and dangerous).
Excursions can sometimes be pricey, but they are a wonderful opportunity and ensure you get to see and experience what you want in a place that you may not be able to visit or explore again; at least in such an easy way.
Bring small dollar bills if you are interested in bartering at local markets in some countries. Do not be afraid to barter for souvenirs or items you want to purchase. In many countries, bartering is very common and expected, so you are welcome to barter with the locals at the markets.
It is recommended to purchase cigars or alcohol from port cities. Sometimes these items (mostly alcohol) will be confiscated by the cruise line for the duration of the cruise, but they will be returned to you upon your departure. Keep in mind how you will transport these items back home if you are flying! We have never had cigars confiscated, and it is fun to try locally-made cigars from Central and South America if you cruise to these areas. There are always smoking areas on the decks.
It is common for cruise lines to own part of the ports where the ship docks. This being the case, if you are interested in purchasing souvenirs, see if it is safe for you to get out of the cruise-owned portions of the port and get to the local markets. This allows you to purchase often handmade and better quality items while also helping local families and economies.
Room
Bring magnets (the exterior of doors and walls are often magnetic) or decorations for the room/suite/cabin door!
Bring a fanny pack or a small bag. Something easy to carry for long periods. This will come in handy and you’ll thank me later! Or you can bring a lanyard to keep your room key and cruise pass easily accessible.
Bring a sleeping mask to help you get your best sleep and avoid any lights from halls keeping you awake at night.
Bring a power strip to charge phones, plug-in electric items, and use for hair driers, etc. There is often only one outlet in the rooms/cabins.
Bring your vitamins and supplements to keep your immunity high! You will be in contact with an enormous amount of different people on your cruise and it can be common to catch a sickness. You don’t want this! So do what you can to stay healthy, sleep well, and be prepared with your favorite wellness items.
Departure
If there are items or souvenirs that you want to purchase on board, it is a great idea to wait until the last day to purchase them. There are often “Last Day” sales offered that can be 50% off or more than what the price was on arrival day. This includes spas, massages, and retail stores on board.
Try to plan or choose to be the first off the ship on Departure day. While on board, it doesn’t seem like a cruise ship holds 4,000-6,000 passengers, but on departure day when everyone is getting off the boat, it will suddenly become very obvious how many people are on board. Being stuck in a crowd of 6,000 people waiting in lines and trying to exit the gangway, can be the definition of chaos and stress! Try to avoid that if you can.
Awaken early on departure day so you can grab some breakfast and coffee before the cruise becomes crowded as everyone gets ready to get off the ship.
To conclude:
Although this information might seem overwhelming, planning and preparing for your cruise can greatly impact your enjoyment while on board and during your excursions. Don’t be stressed; be prepared! If you have questions, call your cruise line and the reps will be more than happy to help and direct you so you can feel confident about your trip.
Traveling has an endless amount of rewards and wonderful experiences to offer. Have fun and enjoy each moment on your cruise! If things don’t go as planned, that is completely normal and ok. Sometimes we just have to go with the flow and make the best of the fun and unexpected moments of life!
Love and blessings on your travels and have the best time!
