Cruising 101

 

"If we are always arriving and departing, it is also true that we are eternally anchored.  One's destinatin is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things."

Henry Miller
 

Holland America ship in port in Quebec

 

Cabo San Lucas

My husband and I took our first cruise about 15 years ago.  I had just become a travel agent with AAA.  As a fairly new employee I didn't have much vacation time accrued, but we hadn't been away together for awhile, so I felt we could take a week and have a vacation.  I found the cruise through the agency.  It was a re-positioning cruise, which is always less money.  They are moving the ship from one location to another and prefer to do that with a full ship of passengers, so they offer these cruises for slightly less money.  This particular cruise was re-positioning from the Caribbean to do the Alaska run for the summer.   The entire re-postioning took about 30 days, but we only did one week of the move, so our portion was from Acapulco to Los Angeles, with stops in Zihuatanejo, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan, Cabo and then into LA.  We had a one-way fare to Acapulco and another short flight from LA back to San Diego.

Having never taken a cruise before, I was not sure what to expect.  I knew we would not be in any port for very long, just a quick chance to explore and then back on the ship.  I worried that I would be bored sitting on a ship.  And when I told my husband we were doing the trip, he seemed less than excited.  He had retired from the Navy, so he'd been on ships before - large gray floaty things, and they didn't really excite him.  But he was willing to give it a try.

Me in the ships casino

We enjoyed our first cruise, and have been cruising ever since, whenever we can.  My husband found out that it was certainly nothing like his navy experience, and I discovered that there was no way a person could get bored on a cruise ship. 

There are many things to decide before you take your first cruise.  For example, there are many different cruise lines, and cruise ships.  There are huge mega ships, large ships and smaller ships.  There are ocean cruises and river cruises.  There are many destinations to choose from, as well as what type of room you want to be in.  I would like to go over some of those things here.

Deciding what cruise line and what type of ship is right for you
There are many cruise lines to choose from.  Some of the things that will determine which one is the right fit for you are - price, your age, are you traveling with children, and destination.  Of the major cruise lines here in the USA, the most expensive cruises will be with Seaborn or Crystal.  The least expensive will be Carnival or Norwegian Cruise Line.  But there are quite a few that are in the middle, such as Princess, Celebrity, Disney, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America.  All of these cruise lines are excellent, and you will have a nice cruise.  They may not be quite as luxurious as Crystal or Seaborn, but unless you have travelled on one of those, you will feel like you are in the lap of luxury.

Carnival Ship

Age will play a part in the cruise you select.  If you are young, and particularly if you have small children traveling with you, then you will probably be more interested in traveling with others your age, and with other families.  Carnival is known for catering to a younger crowd.  They are known for their children's program onboard,  and they are very family friendly.  I have taken a Carnival Cruise and I was worried that everyone would be much younger than me, and there would be children everywhere.  I actually had a great time.  Yes, there were quite a few younger than me, but not all were.  And the children were so busy with the activities planned for them, that they were not a problem.  Carnival is on the economical side, and they are not quite up to the standards of some of the other cruiselines, such as Holland America, but it was quite enjoyable.

Disney Ship in Key West, Florida

Another cruiseline to consider if you have children with you, is Disney.  They are a little more upscale than Carnival and they go to quite a few different destinations, and definitly cater to young families with children.  And if you go to the Caribbean, you can combine it into one package that includes Disney World. 

If your children are teenagers, you might want to consider a Royal Caribbean Cruise.  Their ships have all sorts of fun activities onboard, including a rock climbing wall, and a surf pool where you can learn to surf on the ship.


Small ship in Glacier Bay, Alaska

When looking at taking a cruise you should also consider the type of ship you will be on.  Some of the new ships are huge mega ships.  You are in a giant hotel on the water.  The mega ships certainly have everything on board.  But some of the medium size ships have more personality to them.  And you may get to know a few more people on a slightly smaller ship.  And there are some quite small ships.   If you are going to Alaska you may want to consider a smaller ship.  The smaller ships can get in closer to the glaciers and into areas where the larger ships cannot go.  They have comfortable accomodations, and all of their rooms have at least a window, there are no inside rooms.  Usually the small ships carry less than 200 persons onboard.

View from our balcony on the Yangtze River Cruise

Another option is the river cruise.  Instead of going on a big ship out into the ocean, you might decide to make your first cruise on a river.  There are many options here in the USA as well as all over the world.  There are cruises on the Columbia River, the Mississippi and the St. Lawrence River.  All of Europe's major rivers have cruise boats.  My girlfriend and I did a cruise on the Yangtze River in China.  There are cruises on the Amazon and the Nile.  Lots of options to choose from.  And the boats that are on the rivers are smaller and you will make lots of friends with the other passengers.  And while cruising you can actually watch the scenery go by, as opposed to just watching the ocean.  River cruises tend to be more adults, and very few children, although you can bring them on a river cruise.  They are not geared toward activites for children, so if you have small children you may want to leave them at home, or wait until they are older to take a river cruise.

So when deciding on which cruise you want to go on, first decide where you want to go, what kind of activities you are interested in, then choose the cruise line that best fits your needs, whether it is for the family or for you and your significant other.

Safety Issues
In the past year or so there has been some discussion on whether cruise ships are safe.  They actually have less accidents than almost any other form of transportation.  But when one does sink, such as the Costa ship did last year, it makes headlines.  This was a very rare occurence though, and while I suppose it could happen again, it is not that likely. 

Bringing the lifeboat back on board during a drill

When we took our cruise this past September, the crew on board had a drill while we were on shore leave.  They were practicing what to do in an emergency.  I'm sure that the cruise lines all take safety issues very seriously and in case of an accident they would be pretty organized.  We also had to go through a life-boat drill before we left port.

The other safety issue, which is one I would worry about more, is illness.  Every year you hear about cruise ships that have a portion of their passengers get ill with Norovirus.  This is a real worry for many people.  They are afraid to cruise because of this.  It is a problem, there is no denying that.  But it is not just cruise ships.  This virus hits anywhere that there are large groups of people.  You have as much chance getting it at any buffet line.  Think of the big buffets in Las Vegas.  They sometimes have the problem too.  My mom lives in a retirement home, and eats in their dining room.  They have had the virus there, and I worry about her coming into contact with it.  You hear about it more with a cruise, simply because the media plays it up.  I would say, take precautions, such as using the spray-on antiseptic onboard, but don't let it stop you from going.  The cruise lines take more precautions against this virus than any other place, and the chances of your getting sick aren't that high.  And you could get sick at home just as well.  Yes, it would be a shame if you spent all that money on a vacation and was sick the whole time, but there are no guarantees in life, and this could always happen on any kind of vacation you take.  We can't let what might happen decide how we are going to live our lives.

Accomodations

Our Room on Holland America's Maasdam

A cabin on a ship has limited space, so don't pack too much stuff.  They are actually quite nice rooms, with a small bathroom, a closet, a sitting area and a bed.  What you will have to decide when you book the cruise, is what kind of room you want.  The inside cabins are the least expensive.  By inside, that means it is on the interior of the ship, with no window.  There will be the illusion of a window, usually an area with a curtain drawn across to make you feel like the window is there.  The next category up will have a window where you can look out at the sea. 

Outside our Lanai Room
Which is also the Promenade
 

The cabin we stayed in on our last cruise, was a lanai room.  The room had a sliding glass door which opened onto the Promenade Deck.  There were nice wooden chaise lounges outside that were reserved for our room, we had the lounge pads in our room, which we could take out.  I really liked this room.  It was not a private balcony, we had people walking by our room, but they couldn't see in because the windows were tinted.  We checked to see if anyone could see in, and they couldn't - even with the lights on.  We got to know our neighbors while sitting out in the deck chairs, and we would all gather out there as the ship sailed away from port.  The stewards came around with the liquour cart, and we could even get a drink while sitting out on the deck.  We chatted with other passengers who were strolling the promenade deck and made new friends that way.

You can also get a room with a private balcony.  The  balcony is not large, and not really that private, as there will be other balconys next to yours, but it is fenced off and only you can use that balcony.  There will be chairs to sit in, and you can watch the view from your own space.  This is nice if you are doing a cruise, such as Alaska, which has views to watch, or if you like to just sit and watch the ocean.  Actually, we noticed that most people didn't use their private balconies on the Alaska cruise.  They preferred to be up on the main deck where they could walk around to different sides of the ship and see everything.

There are also suites available, which are a lot more expensive.  Some of these suites even come with your own private butler.  They have living rooms and separate bedrooms.  You can go on a cruise in quite luxurious accomadations, if you want to pay the price.

Ports of Call

Alaska from the deck of our ship

When deciding what cruise to take, probably the main consideration will be, where the ship is going.  Not everyone wants to take a Caribbean Cruise.  It is hard for me to comprehend, but not everyone is in love with the beach.  Maybe your dream destination is Alaska.  So, you need to decide where you want to go, and then pick the cruise that best fits your dream.  Even on Alaska cruises, there are different itineraries, different ports of call.  You have to decide what things you want to see. 

Tenders taking passengers ashore

Also, to be considered is if the ship will actually be in port, or will be tendered out.  By tendered out, that means that you will have to get into one of the life boats and be taken to shore.  If you have mobility issues, this can be more difficult.  You may want to be on a ship that will be pulling into the ports of call.  The other thing with being tendered is that it takes a lot longer to get everyone to shore, and back again, which means less time in port.  You can usually find out from your travel agent whether the ships will be in port at all of their destinations.  That doesn't mean that things can't change at the last minute if there is a problem at the port, but usually they know in advance where they will be.

What to Expect on Board the Ship
I have never been bored spending a day on a cruise ship.  Almost all cruises have at least one day where you are at sea all day.  But there is so much to do, I don't know how anyone would get bored.

My friend Bonnie & I at a Cooking Class on the Maasdam

Each day you will receive a newsletter in your room, which will tell you what there is to do that day.  If you are in port, you will probably be heading there first thing.  You may have even booked an excursion.  But you are not required to go ashore.  Everyday, whether in port or not, there is a list of things to keep you busy all day.  There are fitness classes, Tai Chi & Yoga classes.  There are lectures about your port of call and what to see and do.  There are hands-on cooking classes and cooking demonstrations.  Flower arranging classes, computer classes, photography classes, dance classes, bingo, pub trivia, and every night there is a show in the showroom.  You can book a massage at the spa, have an acupuncture treatment or get your hair or nails done.  Or you can go for a swim in the pool, or a soak in the hot tub. How could one get bored?

TIP:  As soon as you get on board the ship there are some things you should do.  If you have open dining, then you should make a reservation in the dining room for the time you would like to eat.  The main dining times fill up fast.  You can always walk in and wait to be seated, but it is nice to have that reservation.  We made a reservation for 6:30PM for every night we were on board, it was the perfect time, giving us time to eat before the 8PM show, but also time after we boarded the ship so that we were not rushing.  Also, the first day, if there are any shore excursions that are a "must do", then you should book them.  They sometimes sell out of excursions, and if it really is a "must do" then don't take a chance. You can also make those reservations through the computer before you even board the ship - something else to keep in mind.  If you want an appointment to get your hair done, manicure or a massage on the day of the formal dinner, or a day when the ship is at sea, those appointments also fill up fast, so the sooner you make the appointment, the better chance you have of getting it.

A word about all of those classes and other activities.  Many of them are free, but there is a cost associated with many of them.  Spa treatments can be especially pricey, compared to the cost at home to get the same thing.  But you are on vacation, and sometimes you feel like splurging.  Remember though that the shipboard account does add up fast.

Your Shipboard Account
Speaking about shipboard accounts, when you get on the cruise you will have registered your credit card.  Everything you buy, will go on your account. You do not use cash onboard.  If you get a bottle of wine to go with dinner, or a martini at the bar or a soft drink, it goes on your account.  If you sign up for an excursion, or a cooking class, or play bingo, it will go on your account.  Also, most cruise ships have a tipping policy, which usually averages around $12 per day - per person.  That tip will be added directly to your account.  At the end of the cruise, that tip will be split between the people who cleaned your room and waited on you in the dining room.  You can ask them to change the amount, up or down, and they will, but most people just go with what they charge.  Just be aware of how much is going on your account, so that you won't be surprised at the end.  You can always request a copy half way through the cruise, so that you can see where you are.

TIP:  Most cruise lines now sell a drink card.  You can purchase it the first day and it will give you a pretty good discount on your alcoholic drinks or your soft drinks.  If you plan on having wine every night and also other alcoholic drinks, you might want to look into getting this card the first day.  If you have kids who drink a lot of soft drinks, you can get a card that only covers soft drinks, and it will save you money.

Dining Options - Open seating vs. Assigned

Midnight Chocolate Buffet

It is true that you can eat 24 hours a day on board a cruise ship.  And they have something for just about everyone.  There is the main dining rooms, there is the buffet, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner and has a large variety of foods to choose from.  There is usually a grill set up near the pool that serves hamburgers, pizza, and tacos.  You can order from room service and there is no extra charge for that.  One night during the cruise they will probably set up a late-night buffet of chocolate and other desserts.  However, as much as I love sweets, the thought of eating chocolate at almost midnight is too much for me.  It is a beautiful display that is fun to go see, but if I ate chocolate that late, I'd be wired all night and would never get to sleep.  I am sure there are those that do eat it though.

When you book your cruise you will be asked about what your dining preference is.  You can sign up for open seating or you can request assigned seating.  If you go with assigned, then you will have a table reserved for you at either the early seating (which is at 5:45PM on most ships) or late seating (which is usually 8PM).  You can request a small table for just your party, or be seated with a large group of other people, but it will be the same each night. 


George & I Dressed for Dinner on the Formal Night

If you opt for open seating then you will make your own reservations each night, and you will be sitting with different people each night.  You can choose the time you wish to dine.  On this last cruise, we opted for the open dining, and we asked our steward if he would reserve us a table each night at 6:30PM.  He had it waiting for us each night.  We were traveling with another couple, but we requested the table be for 8.  We met 2 other couples and invited them to join us, so we did have the same group each night, but at the time we preferred, and the group we picked.  This can be a good option.  We did make this request as soon as we got on board. If we had waited, there would not have been a table available at the time we wanted.

Also, people always wonder how dressed up they have to be on the formal nights.  Well, you should not wear jeans that night.  Jeans are acceptable for more casual nights, shorts are never acceptable in the dining room.  But for formal nights you should dress a little nicer.  Most women now wear dressy slacks and a very nice jacket or sparkly top.  Men usually wear sports jackets or suits with a tie.  You will even see men in tuxedos and women in long dresses, but that is no longer the norm.  It is getting less formal all the time.

Why Do I Cruise
Since that first cruise I have cruised many times.  Why?  Because I have found cruising to be a relaxing, stress-free and fun travel experience.  Part of it has to do with the sense of peace I get from being on the water, whether it is the ocean or a river.   And part of it is because from the moment I board the vessel I feel pampered and taken care of.  The crew is friendly and at my beck and call.  While on the ship there are lots of fun activities to do, or I can do nothing at all.  Just sit in a deck chair and watch the ocean or the scenery, or visit with other passengers.   And I can explore new places and I only have to unpack once.   So next time you want to get away, why not consider taking a cruise, I think you will enjoy it.


Cruising on the Danube in Germany