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Cruising Cruise for Newbies and Skeptics

Time for true confessions: I love sailing because I love life at sea, visiting foreign ports, and because I believe it offers the most value for my travel dollar. That DO NOT to love? However, I know that some people are skeptical about taking a cruise. If it’s you, read on because there are a few things you need to know to be sure your cruise will be a success.

Cruises require some common sense planning and exercise. Do both, and you will probably enjoy your cruise very much and want to book another one that leaves as soon as possible. If you are not sure you will like the cruise experience, consider booking a 2-3 or 4-5 day mini-cruise. If you find out that you really don’t like it, you won’t have to pay too much money out of pocket and you will soon be in mainland one more time. If I was worried that I would not be able to enjoy my first cruise, I would avoid booking anything for 4 or 5 days. On the other hand, if you’re sure that cruising is for you, book a week-long trip just to be safe. Once you’ve taken your first cruise and decided that you love it, you can start making plans for your next (and longer) cruise. If you are like me, you will be eagerly awaiting your next cruise. In fact, you may not even want to get off the boat!

Budget cruise for the novice cruiser

Most of us work hard for our vacation dollars and we don’t want to waste them. If you are unsure whether you want to go on a cruise, it is even more important to make sure you are not spending money unnecessarily. One way to avoid paying too much for your first cruise is to search the newspapers for bargains or surf the web. Also, try to book early if you can, as this will not only guarantee a cheaper rate, but also help you get cabin upgrades – more value for your cruise dollar! Experienced and budget-conscious cruisers know they can get a real bargain sailing during the off-season. However, in the Caribbean low season it turns out to be hurricane season. Consequently, if you are a newbie (and skeptical) cruiser, I would recommend that you avoid hurricane season. Instead, consider one of the many repositioning cruises because these also offer considerable savings over peak season rates.

Are you an “Innie” or an “Outie”?

One of the (few?) Mistakes I made on my first cruise was getting swept up in the romance of the sea. I was convinced that I would spend a lot of time looking from behind my cabin window. I guess I would have if I had spent some time in my outside cabin! However, it turned out that the only time I was there was to sleep, wash and change clothes. The rest of the time, I was enjoying the many amenities the ship offers, definitely NOT in my cabin! The bottom line is this: If you are unsure about cruising AND are on a budget, skip the outside cabin, book the inside one and Save your money!

Dinner at sea for the novice cruise

In my opinion, one of the best things about a cruise is that you can choose to be as active or inactive as you like. Nobody forces you to do anything. YOU set your own itinerary by participating in as many (or as few) onboard activities as you want.

One of those activities is eating! You can eat from morning to night if you wish. The midnight buffet is not to be missed. However, if you are a newbie cruiser, I suggest you be a bit cautious about how much (and what) you eat. For the entire cruise? No way! Wait and see how your body reacts to the movement of the sea. If you have no adverse reactions, dive in and eat your fill! Secondly …

Seasickness and the rookie cruise

Although modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers that minimize the movements of the ships, there are people who still get seasick. What if you are one of them? This is what happened to me and what I did about it.

I am the type of person who sometimes feels a little dizzy when traveling by car or on certain types of seas. On the first night of my first cruise, the sea was quite rough and the movement of the ship made me feel a bit uncomfortable, but I took one of my motion sickness pills and put on my special wrist bands (designed to combat seasickness). sea ​​and air). ). Another precaution I took was to stay on deck and be as active as possible. Most important of all, I avoided looking down and reading. Also, I kept my eyes on the horizon. Consequently, the sensation soon subsided and he was fine. The next day, I had my sea legs and I never had to worry about it again. If you get seasick, try doing what I did and see if it doesn’t help.

Medical care, travel insurance and novice cruises

Seasickness is not the only disease that can affect the cruise. Novice cruisers are sometimes reassured knowing that onboard medical care is available in the event of illness or injury. However, many people do not realize that the medical care available on a ship is Not free. It is DO NOT part of your rate. If you need medical attention while on board the ship, you will have to pay more for it. If your own medical plan does not cover you while on your cruise, you will have to pay for your own medical care out of your own pocket. OUCH !!! The alternative is to have good quality travel insurance that covers your medical, dental and other expenses in the event of illness or accident.

If you are unsure where you can get quality and reliable travel insurance, visit Travel Insurance Central ([http://www.travel-insurance-central.com]). That site is a source for information on travel insurance, including cruise insurance, and shows where you can get multiple quotes from a variety of trusted travel insurance companies. Once you’ve invested in a good travel insurance policy, you can relax on your cruise knowing that any accident or illness, rather than being a financial disaster that ruins the trip, will simply be a nasty glitch in a wonderful experience.

Visiting foreign ports for the novice cruise

It’s easy to get caught sailing the seas and visiting different ports of call. However, novice cruise ships are sometimes unaware of this important point: while at sea, you are subject to the rules and regulations of your cruise line, but when you arrive in port and disembark, the ship has no jurisdiction over you. . It also cannot offer you any protection while you are on the ground. Neither is his own government! You are now in a foreign country and subject to the laws of that nation. Consequently, it is essential to be familiar with the laws of the country you are visiting AND to respect them.

A few years ago, the son of a friend of mine was unaware of that fact, and while visiting a Mexican port on a family cruise ship, he decided it would be a good idea to urinate in public. Unfortunately for him, the police officers watching him disagreed, and the chase began! Since the boy was in good physical condition, he was able to leave the police behind and get back on board the ship a few steps before them and “disappear”. This was fortunate for him AND for his parents, who would have had to choose between setting sail on the departing cruise ship and staying in port to get their son out of jail. This could have been the end of a dream vacation and the beginning of a real nightmare!

Sailing is a great way to spend a vacation because once you’re on board, you only need to focus on one thing: having as much fun as possible. Your floating hotel takes you from one exotic destination to another, and all you have to do is stay on board and leave the driving to the captain and crew. Following the suggestions I mentioned, you should have a great trip, come home refreshed and relaxed, and wonder why it took you so long to finally take your first cruise.