Cruise FAQ
Potential cruisers have some great questions when it comes to sailing on these mega-ships for the first time. Most of the questions come from the misconceptions they have heard about cruising. To give you more insight on the mega-ship cruise experience, we have answered some of the most common questions that are asked by travelers who have never sailed.
1) Is cruising a good value and what is included/not included in the price?
2) Are all cruise ships the same and how do I know which cruise ship is the right one for me?
3) What are the required documents to be able to board the ship?
4) Will I get seasick?
5) Will I get bored or feel confined on the ship?
6) Won’t I get fat on the cruise?
7) Will I be able to stay in touch with my family and friends onshore?
1) Is cruising a good value and what is included/not included in the price?
Cruising is the best vacation value for your money! Almost everything is included in the price – from your accommodations, to daily meals, to activities on board and entertainment, you simply cannot beat the value that a cruise vacation gives you. All government taxes and fees are additional (unless otherwise noted) and your airfare and ground transportation to and from the port.
We highly recommend against booking airfare directly with the cruise line as it tends to be much more expensive. If needed, we will help you book your individual and group air transportation with some of the major online retailers and we always recommend getting to your port city the day before the cruise ships sets sail. This way you do not have to worry about any flight cancellations or delays enroute to your cruise port.
As for additional costs on the cruise, you must pay for the alcohol you drink onboard, shore excursions, spa treatments, gratuities, photos, incidentals, gambling, and anything else that is not listed as included in your cruise voyage fare. Please note that all these costs are optional excluding the gratuities. The gratuity charge per day varies by cruise line but on average you can expect to spend $10 per day for the services that you receive, both in your stateroom and for dining and entertaintment. You can choose to reduce or increase this based on your cruise experience.
2) Are all cruise ships the same and how do I know which cruise ship is the right one for me?
None of the cruise ships are exactly the same. There are many cruise lines in existence today and each one of them are different, and each of the ships within their fleet are different, to a certain extent. All cruise ships come in a variety of personalities and sizes - you’ll find big ships, small ships, luxury ships, family ships, and so on. For the services that we offer, we primarily focus on the big and family ships.
To best help you determine which ship is the right one for you, please contact us via email or give us a call at (425) 205-9911 and we will have a conversation with you about your personality, your lifestyle, your interests, your needs and wants for the cruise, and from there, we will identify the perfect cruise line and the perfect cruise ship for you.
3) What are the required documents to be able to board the ship?
In addition to your cruise documents and depending on your destination, a proof of citizenship will be required. A current and valid passport is required for getting onboard the ship. If you do not have a U.S. or Canadian passport, you will need to get in touch with your local department of immigration for proper identification requirements. Please note that a Driver’s License is not sufficient proof of citizenship.
For more information on the current requirements for traveling abroad, please visit the U.S. Department of State’s website, http://travel.state.gov/
It is very rare. All mega-ships today are so well stabilized that most of the time you won’t even notice that you are moving! The sailing on the open waters is as smooth as ever and you will most likely go through the entire cruise without getting motion sickness. Just to be safe though, we advise you to bring along Dramamine to eliminate the potential of motion discomfort. These medications are also available onboard. We also advise that if you do have a tendency to get motion sickness, to book a cabin somewhere in the middle of the ship, where there is less overall movement when the ship is sailing.
If there is a problem onboard, all ships have a doctor and nurse who will be able to assist you. Just remember that their charges can get expensive and it would be best to avoid them if at all possible. Take any prescription drugs with you on board and always make sure to place these medications in your carry-on bags. Also one important tip that is often overlooked is to try to get your mind off being seasick as your mental mindset plays a big role in how you feel.
5) Will I get bored or feel confined on the ship?
No way! Getting bored on a cruise ship is impossible as there is way too much to do. Being on a ship gives you a feeling of total freedom that no land-based resort can come close to offering. Cruise ships are called, in case you had not known, “floating resorts” and they come with all the choices that a resort offers and more. If you are concerned of being bored however, make sure you choose one of the larger ships (with over 2,000 passengers), as they have more activities and options available to do onboard. Fortunately with the services we offer, these are the cruise lines and ships that we are teamed up with.
Nowadays, most all mega-ships have an incredible amount of activities that start from the morning sunrise and continue on through midnight into the late hours. Activities from bingo, casino gambling, wine tasting, playing sports, dancing, Karaoke, fitness, spa treatments, shore excursions, talent contests, parties and the list goes on and on. You can even simply bypass all those activities and take a nice book and relax out on the pool deck with an ice cold umbrella drink. It’s your vacation, you are free to do whatever you want. And believe us, you will have plenty of options – they are neverending as a matter of fact!
6) Won’t I get fat on the cruise?
We know the rumor out there is that the average person gains an incredible amount of weight while on their cruise but that couldn’t be further from the truth. Fact is, when you’re onboard, you have a choice. A choice of how much to eat, what to eat, and when to eat. It’s clearly up to you. We admit that it’s hard to resist those temptations of a chocolate dessert or the incredible 24-hour pizzaria, but this is where you come in and make the decision.
The good news is that for those who are watching calories, be assured that there will be low-fat options available on the menus and even some healthy choices at the buffets. In addition to eating healthy, remember that all mega-ships have state-of-the-art fitness centers available to you at no charge. You can even walk or jog around the various decks while taking in the fresh ocean air. And some ships even have basketball courts, volleyball courts and rock climbing walls where you can burn off a few more calories. In the end, just remember, you do have a choice.
7) Will I be able to stay in touch with my family and friends onshore?
You bet! You can make phone calls from the phone in your cabin (however it’s incredibly expensive so you may want to limit your conversations) and from your cell phone (roaming charges will apply). Most ships today have Internet cafes so you can stay in touch with your friends via email and browse the Internet. Keep in mind that it will be less expensive to use the Internet while you are in port however the convenience of using the Internet while you are at sea is worth the price.
There are many packages that the cruise line will offer to you which you can pre-purchase by the minute, hour , or length of the cruise. You can even bring your laptop as many of the newer ships are equipped with WiFi capabilities. However before you bring your pricey possession on your trip, you will want to double check with the cruise line that the ship you are sailing on has this capability.
If there are any other questions you have regarding your upcoming cruise or a potential cruise vacation, please contact us via email or reach us directly at (425) 205-9911.
