Going on a cruise: life hacks for beginners

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

A sea voyage is a lot of cities and countries. It's fresh air and constant boldness, and a cruise ship is like a five-star hotel. If you are planning to go on a cruise soon, then read this article carefully. You will find a lot of useful things.

A cruise is not just a journey. This is an adventure! A classic cruise is fresh sea air, a luxurious liner, dozens of countries and cities. Although there are river and even rail cruises, sea cruises are the most popular.

In summer, they most often travel along the Mediterranean Sea, in autumn, transatlantic liners ply the Caribbean Sea, and in winter they dock on the shores of Asian countries.

Cruise programs vary, but there is always a certain number of hours a tourist spends at an intermediate port. How to properly dispose of them? How do I prepare for my trip? And what if you get seasick? We have prepared some tips for newcomers to sea travel.

Choosing a cruise

Carefully study the cruise offer: the experience and reputation of the company, reviews about a particular route and vessel.

Be attentive to detail. What services are included in the cruise price? What is the onboard catering system? (Maybe you need a specialized children's menu.) What entertainment is on board: SPA center, tennis court, gym, etc.? Is there a “mandatory tip”? What are the cabins: with or without windows, with balconies?

Also, before buying tickets, carefully study the cruise program: where it starts, where it ends, in which ports there will be overnight stay. This will save you from disappointments like: "All my life I dreamed of seeing the Acropolis, but the ship arrived in Athens late at night and only for a few hours."

Remember that sometimes due to force majeure (for example, bad weather) the schedule may change.

Preparing for a cruise

Start preparing for your cruise immediately after purchasing the tour. This will allow you to "catch" cheap air tickets and book hotels, car rental, excursions and so on in advance.

In addition, there should be a temporary supply of visas and other documents (if you are doing this yourself, and not through a cruise company).

We draw up a schedule

The ship's anchorage time is the most important thing on a cruise. As a rule, it is known for a long time, so you can create an hourly schedule for each parking lot.

De facto at the disposal of the tourist is 2–2, 5 hours less than stated in the schedule. Firstly, you need to be on board an hour and a half before sailing. Due to the delay of the passenger, the departure is unlikely to be delayed: parking in the port costs a lot of money. Secondly, they are not released from the ship immediately and it is not always possible to get out first. It can take from 30 minutes to an hour to get to the ladder in turn.

Be sure to check if the ship will moor at the pier or dock in the roadstead. In the latter case, passengers are transported to the shore by a special vessel. This can take quite a long time.

There is a special service for tracking ships. Using it, you can, for example, determine which berth your liner is at.

It is important to include in the schedule not only the time to visit a particular object, but also snacks in a cafe, rest, buying souvenirs and other little things that sometimes eat up more than one hour.

Laying routes

Cruise companies offer tourists their own entertainment program: a sightseeing tour of the coastal city or, for example, a bus trip to a particular attraction. But it is often more profitable to take "local" excursions.

1. - a portal dedicated to cruises. There you can find a personal guide who will introduce you to the city.
2. On, and there are many one-day tours offered. Moreover, you can choose entertainment to your liking: someone is closer to a gastronomic voyage through the wineries of the area, while someone prefers active recreation (rafting or a walk on ATVs).

Tourists who prefer, need to draw up a detailed plan. First, explore what attractions are in a particular city and surroundings. Choose the most interesting for you and mark them on the map. Find out how far from each other they are, whether you can move between them on foot, or you will have to use public transport (taxis, rental services). Try to keep the first and last objects near the port.

Explore the opening hours of museums, palaces and other attractions. Otherwise, by including the object in your route, you can run into a technical day or restoration.

For ease of planning, use. For example, Tripit not only creates route maps, but can also alert your friends on social networks about your movements. This is handy if you plan to cross paths with someone you know while on a cruise.

Collecting things

The longer the trip, the wider the suitcase. The cruise can last for several weeks. But this does not mean that you need a lot of luggage.

Cabins are generally small, and the larger the bags, the more problematic to accommodate them. Some of the items can be checked into the storage room, if there is one on the ship.

You should not take dishes, hairdryer and towels with you: as a rule, all this is on the boat. But a travel first aid kit is almost a must-have. Medications at the ship's infirmary are usually paid and very expensive. Scissors, thread and a needle, and cosmetics are also useful (not the case when you can buy it locally).

As for clothing, be sure to bring a sports uniform if you plan to go to the gym on board (you won't be allowed to go without it), as well as a jacket or jacket (it gets chilly on deck at night). As in the hotel, the restaurant on the ship is usually not allowed in a "negligee", no T-shirt or swimsuit.

In addition, ladies should take a couple of cocktail dresses with them, and men - a suit or tailcoat. They will come in handy if you want to go to the theater or to a concert during one of the stops, as well as if there are banquet parties on board.

Explore what events will take place in a particular city during your stay there. If you want to attend a concert or performance, then buy tickets in advance.

For excursions, especially on foot, it is better to choose comfortable clothes and shoes.

Fight seasickness

Kinetosis, or motion sickness, is nausea and motion sickness due to monotonous fluctuations. It can manifest itself not only at sea, but also in land transport.

If you know that you have a weak vestibular apparatus, take care in advance of special means to combat seasickness. The pills are most effective. There are also plasters and bracelets. But they say they have a purely psychological effect.

If you are seasick, take a stateroom in the middle of the ship and on the lower decks. Upstairs it shakes noticeably harder.

Also try to spend more time on the open deck on the leeward side. The horizon line is visible there, which facilitates the attacks of the disease.

Now you know how to prepare for a sea voyage. And if you still think cruising is expensive, read our post on how you can save money on a cruise.

Anything to add? Welcome to comments! Tell us how you prepared for your cruise.