Cruise Spotlight: What do you need to know about Cruising?
First off, to put you at ease about the writer of this blog let me tell you about myself. I have been on nine cruises and have booked my 10th for a second trip to Alaska next year. A cruise is like no other vacation. You can truly choose to totally relax or stay busy from sun up to sun down. It is by far the most relaxing vacation you can take in my opinion. You are waited on the entire cruise. Where can you get your room cleaned twice a day and at night have a turn down with a towel animal in your room?
When you start looking for a cruise you will see ads stating the cruise is at a particular dollar amount. Make sure when you receive a quote it includes all hidden cost. All cruises have taxes, port fees and non-commisionable rates. Additionally, you pay a gratituity per day per person. Right now the gratuity rate can range from $13.50 per person per day and up. It is highly recommended to use a travel agent. They can walk you through each step to make sure you have a fabulous vacation. Depending on the type of room you have it can be more. Keep in mind that children do not get a special rate. However, the third and fourth person in the room cruise for a lot less.
Choosing the right cabin can also make your cruise more enjoyable. The middle of the ship is the best location to be. The sooner you book your room the best location you will be able to have. I recommend to not have a room right by an elevator where you can hear the people. Depending on your activity level, you may want to be close to an elevator but not right next to you. Make sure you have rooms above and below you. You could end up with a room underneath the casino or disco.
Finally, what you hear about most is the food. Food is the number one reason people enjoy cruising. You can go to dinner and order one of everything on the menu if you want to. Then if you are hungry, an hour later you can head to the lido deck and eat from various buffets. Oh yeah, by the way at the end of the night you can order room service. Cruises are getting to where they are charging for certain items on the room service menu. When I cruised on the Carnival Sunshine in October last year, there was still plenty to order from that did not cost. It is recommended to tip the room service waiters when they bring your food. A couple of dollars is usually a general tip for room service.
Carol Cooper is an independent contractor for Fairytale Adventures Travel Agency. Carol specializes in Carnival Cruises, Sandals, and Beaches vacations for couples, families, and multigenerational families. You can reach Carol on her Facebook page or at Carol@fairytaleadv.com.
