How to go on a cruise
How I did it: My mother and I needed a vacation. It had been years since we had gone anywhere to just relax. One day, we decided to throw caution to the wind and booked a cruise. We had no idea what we were doing, we just knew that we wanted to get out of Texas for a while.
We booked our cruise on Travelocity, who provided us with airfare and transfers to the embarkation port. The airfare was a bit pricey, but to handle all of our arrangements at once, we paid it. It proved to be the easiest course of action for us as it was our first cruise. We traveled Carnival for their reputation of a relaxed environment and that is what we got. Great service and a great vacation.
Our itinerary was an 8-day cruise with ports of call in San Juan, PR; St. Thomas USVI; St. Johns, Antigua; Tortola, BVI; and Nassau, Bahamas. Most people may find a longer cruise to be a daunting choice for their first time, but for us it was perfect. We were completely satisfied with our vacation before we even reached our first port of call!
Lessons & tips: 1. Know before you go! Research as much as possible about the ports of call you will be visiting, the good and the bad. What currency is accepted in the ports you will be visiting? What are the averages for cab fares or rates for drivers per hour? Are there any special events or holidays that are unique to the ports you are visiting that you will be present for? Are there any special customs requirements or allowances for the ports you are visiting?
2. Travel smartly with documentation. Depending on your cruise and the ports you will be visiting, you may or my not be required to have your passport. These rules are changing, so in the future it may be required to travel with it, but if it is not necessary, do not leave the ship with it. Always carry photocopies of your identification, and in some ports of call, a basic license and ship identification is all that's necessary to gain entry back to the docks.
3. Plan your visits ahead. Plan to pay above the base price for your trip to go on shore excursions, or research your visit for each port of call. Don't plan to wing it when you get off the boat. Exploring is nice, but without a gameplan, you'll end up wasting your limited time in each port. Shore excursions are pricey, but guaranteed to deliver you to and from the port to ensure your boat doesn't leave without you. Pay attention to your ship's departure times: they will leave without you.
4. Plan your communication. Satellite calls and internet service are expensive on board. If your mobile carrier has an international plan, purchase it for the time you are gone. Most carriers will prorate the monthly fee for the period of time you are gone, and you'll probably save that money on your first call home. If you end up traveling to a port that is still a US territory, some carriers treat these as domestic calls. Check with your carrier for more information.
5. Register your credit cards before you go. Let your credit card companies/banks know when and where you are travelling so your theft and fraud prevention services don't leave you stranded overseas with limited access to funds. You can also register all of your credit cards with certain major cards in case you lose them for immediate notification to all creditors and fraud prevention services. Also keep a written record of your card numbers and expiration dates safe in your stateroom.
6. Pack light. This is a tough one for many people, but the lighter you pack, the easier it is to get on and off the ship. Take only what you absolutely need. There are usually laundry and dry cleaning services on board. Pricey, but useful when limited on space. Don't forget to leave room in your bags for items purchased abroad.
7. Have fun! The ship and its staff are there to cater to you to make sure you have a good vacation, don't accept anything less. Explore your ship day and night, get to know it well, it is your miniature floating city for your vacation. Take advantage of the great food at the buffets, but at least once go to the main dining hall and enjoy the formal dinner. You'll be glad you did.
Resources: Travelocity - helped us guarantee our choice of room, a decent price, scheduled airfare, and appropriate transfers from terminal to port.
Carnival - our choice for cruise line. They live up to their nickname of The Fun Ship. Friendly staff and a relaxed environment.
