 Cruising, in my opinion, is one of the best vacation options. You board the ship, unpack and visit fantastic destinations all while eating great food and enjoying fun entertainment. Whether you want to destination focused cruise, fun filled party cruise or just pure relaxation, there is something for you. Cruise can be different than a land vacation as you are boarding a ship to sail on the ocean so there are different things you should know. Check out my list of 8 things you should know.  1. You will need to make sure you have proper documentation. Depending on the home port and ports of call, most cruises allow you to use a birth certificate and Driver License but a passport is always recommended. Now of course, this is strictly the policy for US Citizens, for other countries you will need to check with the embassy. 2. Dining on a ship can be confusing as the times and options can vary by cruise line. For the most part, cruise lines offer three options for dining time for the main dining room and of course specialty dining. Options include traditional dining, early or late and My Time Dining. Almost every ship has specialty dining venues from steak, to seafood, to Asian fusion to Italian and can vary in price. Most of the time, you can make reservations ahead of your cruise but if not, make them when you get on board. Some do not require reservations like Bonsai Sushi on Carnival ships.  3. Remember you are on a moving ship on the ocean so be mindful when you walk. And do not climb on railings or furniture on deck as a small shift could send you overboard 4. Gratuities are always a big question for some as it does add to your cruise cost. You have a few options when it comes to paying your gratuities. First, depending on the line and type of cabin, gratuities can run from $15 to $20 Per Day Per Guest. These can be pre-paid prior to your cruise allowing you to pay it ahead of time. If you don’t prepay them, they will be added to your onboard account and will be on your final bill. Some will even remove them from the onboard account and distribute cash. This is completely up to you. When you get into River Cruising and some of the luxury lines, gratuities are often included. 5. A cruise ship is, apart from the casino, a cashless venue. When you complete your online check in prior to your cruise, you will set up an on-board account with a credit card. You can wait, and do it on board with cash but there are some drawbacks to that. Once you are on board, your sail and sign card will be at your stateroom in an envelope. This will be used as your door key and to spend money on board whether at the shops, bar, pretty much anywhere.  6 Know the cruise language. For directions you might hear, forward, aft, midship or maybe port and starboard. Forward is the front of the ship, aft is the back and of course midship is the middle of the ship. Port is the left side facing forward and starboard is the right side facing forward. You might hear embarkation and debarkation, this is boarding the ship at the start and getting off the ship at the end of the cruise. 7 Embarkation Day can be a little crazy as everyone is getting to the port and boarding at the same time. You might find the buffet and other areas busy but not to worry, it thins out right after sail away. Be sure to arrive at your assigned arrival time and simply pack your patience. 8. What cruise line and ship to choose can be a difficult one but my job is to make that selection easier. Do you have kids traveling? Have you sailed before and prefer a certain line? How much can you spend? Where do you want to cruise from and too? These are questions that help narrow down the options. For more information on cruising email me, [email protected] or complete my inquiry form and we can set up a call. 
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