What To Know Before You Go: First Time Cruisers Don't Be Losers
If you are a first time cruiser like myself don't be a loser. Understand there are many things to consider before booking your first cruise.
Essentials To Pack: At least one of each or more no need to pack too many outfits ( i packed so many looks I thought I was going to wear in 7days and just wasted space n my suitcase)
Your own body wash and body lotion
Pair of sneakers
One sandal/flip-flop
Sunscreen
Formal Attire
Workout or comfortable lounge wear
Swim shoes
Waterproof bag
Travel journal
Book to read
Waterproof camera
Tip 1.) Book in advance don't wait until last minute before you decide. You want to prepare your finances and make sure you have enough spending money. Cruises are ridiculously expensive. But you must be a wise spender.
Tip 2.) Choosing a ship to sail with is extremely important. Ships are built with all sorts of amenities. Such as clubs and lounges, Gift shops, restaurants, activities on board and more. You want to make sure you are getting what you pay for. Do your research before sailing. Many ships run into accidents and incidents. Be aware of such happenings because bad mishaps and can spoil the reputation of the ship being that it is no longer deemed safe.
Tip 3.) Oceanside View or regular stateroom. I'm telling you guys this from experience. If you have a rom with a balcony you will not regret paying extra. we spent most of our time in the room watching the waves crash up against the ship. we got t see when the ship would dock and sail away from each Island first hand. Yet, me being low-key claustrophobic and I would need t rom to breathe. I couldn't imagine being in a room with no window or balcony. I would probably have a panic attack.
Tip 4.) Beware of the gratuities. I cannot stress this enough. Yes when on board your meals are all inclusive in the price you pay for your trip at booking. Yet gratuity is what hits you unexpectedly. The ship we traveled with, Freedom of The seas, charges $12.95 gratuity everyday per person in the room. My boyfriend and I caught on super quick. In the beginning of our trip they told us room service was free. Ehh, no I beg to differ, every time you order room service they charge you an extra $12.95 on top of the room gratuity. Do not take advantage of this and be blind sided by the end of the trip your account will be at $1,000.
Tip 5.) Food options are unlimited yes! On the other hand, you get the option of have "My time" dinner and the option of having a set time. My time simply put is you can go to diner anytime. Yet you still have to make a reservation for the time you want to go. Please note that the main dining rom is not the only option t or place to eat. The first night on the cruise I explained this in "What to do On A Cruise For Two." We encounter an uncomfortable situation causing my boyfriend to walk out and go to our room early. This dining room known as "Galileo's" is fancy but the meal was not satisfying. Again when you eat dinner in the finer dining areas you must pay gratuity. To add, on "Formal nights," shorts are not allowed to be worn. If you didn't pack any fancy dress pants then you cannot go in. Such a bummer, I know right! Just kidding, your Plan B is actually better than Plan A.
It wasn't until the second day we discovered the "Windjammer," a buffet style setting. With a beautiful view of the ocean and there is more elbow room. Oh my goodness the space is real. I cannot say the same for the main dining area. The food is more than mouth watering and the service is better on Deck 11 in the Windjammer.
Tip 6.) Is the beverage package worth it? After breakfast, lunch and dinner are finished, you have the option of getting free cups of water at restaurants on the lower decks. You get a snack, plus tea, and coffee which is nice. They are also open 24/7. I personally didn't like the way the cups smelled. But I was not spending money on a beverage package. Unnecessary $8 a day for the basic package that goes higher if you add alcohol. Don't forget 18% gratuity is added to each beverage package. If you can afford the drink deals then drink up. Yet if you are like myself and bae who booked shore excursions and wanted to shop, than it is a no go.
Tip 7.) Are shore excursions necessary? My answer is no, but why would you want to travel on a Caribbean cruise to stay in the ship all day. It is more so about the experience and the adventure. on this trip there were two out of the four shore excursions that did not meet my expectations. In Haiti spending $18 on a floating mat was not necessary. We thought we had to book an excursion on each island. we picked the cheapest thing we could find. Yet, we could have just relaxed in the beach chairs and swam without a floating mat.
Make sure to chose the excursion that fits your budget. Yes it will get charged to your sea pas card but you don't want to run into payment issues in the end. Zip lining in Haiti would have been fun but to pricey for couples on a budget. It's about balance, if you chose two expensive excursions than chose two affordable ones.
In addition, I don't recommend doing "The Glass Bottom Boat Tour." If you are a young couple, you can chose to swim the dolphins or an exciting tour. The staff and crew for this tour were fantastic and knowledgeable as well as friendly. Then again, this tour is for families and elderly individuals that want to relax and do something informative. If you're a thrill seeker that excursion offered in Grand Cayman Island is not the one to pick.
Tip 8.) WiFi. The price for WiFi was different from the price we were told on the phone. The price for WiFi if purchase through a travel agent before boarding the cruise was two hundred dollars. When we got to the ship we knew things would probably be a bit cheaper on the ship if we waited. Therefore the price was one hundred and five dollars instead of the two hundred. Which included only two devices to have WiFi. I brought my laptop along to blog on the cruise. I had already linked the WiFi to my phone and it would not allow me to link my laptop even if the WiFi was of on my phone. We realized that the information given over the phone was not the same response when we spoke to guest services on the ship. In result, the WiFi wasn't that strong. It took forever to load and would turn of at random moments.
Tip 9.) Be that annoying guest until all of your questions are properly answered. Just don't be rude. The crew may not tell you everything this is why you have to ask. Thank God my boyfriend is always hyped up about certain things. Because I can bepassive and let things slip by without knowing. Yes, the line may be long at guest services, however it moves fast. You want make sure all information is clear. They are open 24/7
Tip 10.) Settle your accounts before the last day. Before you board the ship you are given a sea-pass card. This sea-pass card is given to you with all of your information and trip stay embedded into it. You can review account statements, pay for meals and purchase gift shop merchandise. This is also how shore excursions are booked. It is your room key and kind of like your form of identification while on the cruise. Don't lose it! Your life depends on it.
You have a credit/debit card linked to the sea-pass card. However the person's name on the room and the card used to book everything is the primary account holder. If you want to have a separate accounts even if sharing a room then you must let them know ahead of time. This can cause confusion. The primary account holder will be charged for all of the expenses on the trip. The good thing about the sea pas card is that your debit card linked to it doesn't get charged after each transaction. You will have a balance at the end of the trip and that debit card on file will be charged on the last day.
That is why it is very important to know the details of your account as you are on board. Monitoring your expenses is very significant to you and the other guests you are traveling with, You account can be reviewed in your stateroom on the television, super convenient.
Disclaimer: Make sure you are early to the airport in order to make it in time for check in. Book an early flight arriving and an early flight departing. Unless you are a local and wan to spent more time on the ship or at the pier. Then an early flight departing is not necessary.
If you want to know more visit Royal Caribbean Site.