Cruising Tips
My extended family, which includes my parents and sister’s family, recently booked a cruise. This is my sister’s first cruise and she had a lot of questions. I thought I would answer her questions here for other travelers. We sailed with Royal Caribbean, but most of the questions pertain to any cruise.
How many does your room sleep?
We picked a cabin (ship talk for room) that sleeps 4. Most of the cabins sleep up to 4, but some cabins sleep up to 6, while suites can sleep even more. Suites are not in our price range, so regular cabin for 4 it was. The Royal Caribbean website will allow you to search for 4 people. If you want 5+ in a room, call to get availability & book.
What kind of cabin should we get?
Totally up to you.
My parents book Interior cabins. They like to save a few $ and only sleep in the room. They are out and about in the ship except when changing or sleeping.
My family like Oceanview cabins. We get a porthole window to see out. We have 3 boys, so not sure about horseplay if we had a balcony. This typically puts us on a lower deck, but we are still able to see the ocean rushing past.
My sister’s family selected a Balcony cabin. They have older kids and wanted to be able to have a private outdoor area. They liked opening the door and having fresh airflow.
Are there add-ons after the cost of the cabin?
Yes. After the cabin cost, you have gratuities added per person per day of the cruise. You can prepay these or pay at the end of the cruise.
You can add on a drink package. There are many to choose from, which are per person per day. When trying to figure out whether you want a drink package remember that all drinks are “bar prices.” Beers cost around $8 and mixed drink can be $14 each. If you don’t have a package, options are juices, coffee, and water.
Excursions in port are extra. You can select a ship excursion or organize one yourself for your port days. The ship excursions will guarantee that the ship waits for your group before departing. Our last cruise our snorkel excursion’s boat was just pulling up to the dock at all-aboard time. We rushed to get back to the ship. Everyone else on our boat was doing the same thing, but we didn’t worry that we would be left behind. If you do your own thing make sure you get back on time!
Internet packages are extra. My family does not use internet on ship. I like disconnecting for the duration of the cruise. If you can’t disconnect, the packages are per device for the duration of the cruise.
Food… My family enjoys the buffet for breakfast & lunch and “Main Dining” every night for dinner, all of which is included with your cabin. Depending on your ship, snack shacks or other restaurants may be included with your cabin – just ask.
Specialty restaurants are not included with your cabin price. If you are a foodie you may want to try out the different specialty restaurants onboard. Check you ship to see what kind of restaurants are available and make reservations. My last ship had a Steakhouse, Sushi, Italian, and Brazilian restaurants.
When should I schedule my flights to the cruise port?
I like to have my flight to the cruise port arrive the day before, then book a hotel either near the airport or the port for the night. I want to ensure that I make it to my vacation even if there are delays. Recently, my family was delayed for about 3 hours on our way to Tampa, FL. We arrived in Tampa in the evening, which meant that we didn’t get to look around or explore this city, but we still had plenty of time before our cruise. I know people who book an extra early flight that gets in on the cruise departure day. I guess you hope any delays won’t affect you. I can’t take that kind of stress.
I fly home on the last day of the cruise. I catch a taxi/User/Lyft from the port to the airport. I try to find a flight early afternoon. I don’t mind sitting around an airport for a few hours. You can ask your cruise line the earliest time for a flight out, which will probably be 11am or noon.
Is there a dress code?
Check your cruise line for the dinner dress code. Royal Caribbean has a “Formal Night” for dinner where my family dresses up in slacks and ties. Some guests choose to wear ball gowns and tuxedos for “Formal Night.” Most nights I wear a dress and the rest of the family wear slacks and a polo shirt, like we were going out to a nice restaurant at home. Casual nights we wear whatever we have on for the day (assuming that the clothes are dry). Often this is the first night of the cruise when we may not have gotten our bags unpacked yet. Do not feel that you need to dress for every theme night, for example white night, tropical night, or formal night.
How much cash should I bring?
I bring enough money to tip for tour guides and cruise staff for good service (this is optional but appreciated). There is an ATM on board, so I don’t worry about running out of money. Keep in mind that the added service charge on the ship ATM can be pricey (my last one was $6.50). My bank reimburses us for ATM service fees, so it doesn’t bother me, but be aware.
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