Annie Binns | Life in the Fun Lane

I love cruising. I think it’s the most brilliant form of travel ever invented. To date, I’ve taken six cruises on three different cruise lines. I’ve traveled from three to seven days and explored Mexico, Belize, Bahamas, Bermuda and the Eastern and Western Caribbean. I’ve heard you can take a cruise to Alaska but for me, vacations need to include sun and sand and water that won’t turn my snorkel into a popsicle.

I’ve cruised with family and friends, and twice by myself. I lived closer to a port city, I’d cruise a lot more. A good deal on a cruise can be less than half the cost of a land-locked vacation, and twice the convenience.

What to pack. The cruise line will give you plenty of suggestions about packing. Here are some of the things you don’t want to forget:

• A flashy suitcase. At the end of the trip your suitcase will be in a large room with 1273 other suitcases. No conveyor belt, no luggage leisurely moving past you. This may be the only time in your life that you wish you had huge pink pom-poms tied to your bags.
• A travel coffee mug and a reusable water bottle. If you drink more than one small cup of coffee in the morning, and having the travel mug handy means you don’t have to keep getting up for more. Same with the water bottle later in the day!
• A sweater or a jacket. Yes, even if you think there is no way you’ll possibly need it! Every cruise I’ve taken to warm locations has had at least one day of chilly weather. I learned this lesson the hard way by spending $80 in the gift shop for a sweatshirt.
• BYOB. The inclusive-nature of cruising does not include alcoholic beverages. It is against ship policy to bring more than a bottle or two of wine (check with your cruise line) on board. It’s a common, but risky, practice to "sneak" alcohol on board in checked luggage. Some cruise lines allow you to purchase alcohol at port and bring it back to your room, but most will hold your liquor purchases until the end of the cruise.

Getting there. Unless you are very, very confident that you can arrive at the port several hours before the ship leaves, plan to arrive in the port city one night early. If you miss the boat, your only choice is to find a flight to the first destination and meet up with the ship. It’s a lot cheaper to show up a day early and spend the night in a local hotel. The cruise line will book the hotel as part of your package, and usually offer you a shuttle service to the port in the morning. You can save some money by booking your own room and taking a cab.

Excursions.  In most cases you can research and even book your shore excursions before you ever get on the boat. If you can’t book until you board, then have your first and second choices ready and hit the excursion desk as soon as you’ve found your room and a cold beverage. Popular excursions that have limited room (for example, deep sea fishing) will sell out!

Seasickness. If you are feeling woozy, try to go out on deck or near a window and focus on the horizon. Also, remember that it’s natural to feel a bit of motion sickness on the first few days of your trip if you are a new cruiser. A cola and soda crackers will take the edge off and Dramamine® will make you feel like a new person.

Laundry. On most cruise ships, there is at least one laundry room. You don’t have to pack everything you own – just pack enough to get halfway through the trip, and then do a load of laundry.

Destination debarkation: When you arrive at your destination, there is usually a long line of people waiting to get off the boat. They gather in the stairwells while waiting for Customs to clear the ship. If you have not booked an early-departing excursion, just wait up on deck and enjoy yourself – 20 minutes after they announce the ship has cleared customs, THEN go downstairs and the lines will be gone!

If you’ve been on a cruise, what are some of your best tips?  If you’ve never been on a cruise, what questions do you have?  I’ll add these to my next cruising post (and give you credit, of course!) 

Tags cruise cruising travel