Questions Answers,
Hints Tips
to enhance your Cruise Experience
Table of Contents:
What
will be in my document packet ?
How
do I get from airport to the ship ?
Im
driving , where do I park ?
Do
I need a passport
Are
credit cards accepted on the ship ?
Are travelers
checks accepted on board ?
Whats
included ?
Whats
not included ?
How
much luggage can I take ?
Why
do I need a carry-on bag?
What
do I wear?
What
other things should I be sure to pack ?
Packing
tips
When
you board the ship
When
do we eat ?
Who
do I tip ?
Optional shore
excursions
Tell
me about the last night on board
The
last day
What
are sea-bands?
Is
insurance recommended ?
How
can my family reach me ?
Is it too late to book
another cabin ?
What will be in
my document packet ?
You will receive your
cruise tickets, cruise baggage tags ,and necessary forms
to be completed before the cruise. Airline tickets and a
flight schedule as well as transfer vouchers/instructions
from to/from Airport/Pier providing you purchased them with
your Traveland-cruise vacation.
Top
of page
How do I get from airport to the ship ?
If you purchased an
air/cruise program, then round trip airport-pier and pier-airport
transfers are generally included in your package. You will
be met by the a cruise lines representative at the arrival
gate or baggage claim area. Follow Their instructions on
claiming your luggage and making the transfer. Some cruise
lines will transfer your luggage automatically from the
plane you will not need to collect your bags .
Top
of page
I'm driving ,where
do I park ?
There are parking facilities
located across the street from the pier at most ports .Parking
in Florida generally ranges from $6-$8 per day .We have
a map available for those that will be driving to the port.
Top
of page
Do I need a passport ?
For most cruises to
the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico, Alaska, Canada and Bermuda,
US Citizens will need a proof of citizenship. This
proof should be a state certified original or copy of your
birth certificate with a raised seal, in addition to a picture
ID A valid passport may be taken in lieu of the above. Please
notify us immediately if you are not a US Citizen.
When Traveling to other
destinations a passport or visa may be required . Be sure
to refer to your Cruise brochure and discuss this with your
cruise counselor .
If you are under 18
years of age and traveling to Mexico without one or both
your parents, a notarized letter authorizing your travel
to Mexico is required . Please ask for details on: Traveling
to Mexico with children
A military ID or a driver's
license alone is NOT sufficient.
Top
of page
Are credit
cards accepted on the ship ?
Most major credit cards
are accepted on board . Most cruise lines will give you
a charge card once you arrive on board .You will be able
to charge your shipboard purchases to your room just like
you do at a hotel .The cruise line will take an imprint
of your credit card once you arrive on board .They will
total your account the final night your cruise and give
you a copy of your purchases. Your total bill can be settled
by this credit card. When you order a bar beverage ,soft
drink ,or wine ,a 15% gratuity is automatically added to
your account on most cruise lines .
Top
of page
Are travelers checks accepted
on board ?
Yes travelers checks
are accepted on most ships. These can be cashed at the purser's
Desk on board .
Top
of page
What's Included ?
- Accommodations
- Eight meals and snacks each
day
- Entertainment and most activities
on board the ship
- Port taxes and charges
- Airport/Pier Transfers If you
purchased the Air/Sea package (a complete package arranged
by the Cruise Line), your round trip airfare and round trip
airport -ship transfers are included .
Top
of page
What's Not Included ?
-
Soft drinks and bar beverages (special
kid's card for unlimited soft drinks is available on some
cruise lines )
-
Optional Shore excursions
-
Massages , Salon Services (hair,
nails, facials )
-
Souvenirs
-
Tips And Gratuities - 15% automatically
added to all bar services please check before you over-tip
-
Gambling
Top
of page
What Do I Wear?
Cruising has become
somewhat casual during the day : shorts, tops, wind-breaker,
swimsuits , cover-ups ,comfortable walking shoes , hat or
visor , etc. At night, there will be a combination of casual
, dressy, and formal evenings. Expect one formal night with
a 3/4 night cruise : two formal nights on a 7 day cruise,
three formal nights on a 10 night cruise .
Formal : Cocktail
dress for the ladies , dark suit or tuxedo for the gentleman
. Tuxedos are not required on most 3/4/7 night cruises .
Dressy or semiformal :
Dresses or pantsuits for the ladies , sports coat and /or
tie for the gentlemen. Casual
: Pants and top for the ladies ,open collared golf shirt
and slacks for the gentlemen .
Alaska Cruisers: The
secret to dressing in Alaska is to layer your clothes :
Warm up suits, turtlenecks, sweaters, long underwear or
silks, wool socks , mittens, gloves with leather strips,
ear muffs, hat, leather ( vs. canvas) tennis shoes or comfortable
walking shoes , lined jacket with hood, raincoat, small
umbrella, etc. The weather can also be quite warm . Take
a pair of shorts just in case.
Top
of page
How much luggage
can I take ?
Each person is allowed
up to 200 pounds on the ship . If you are flying ,you are
limited to two pieces of checked bags per person and 2 carryon
bags per person .
Top
of page
What other things
should I be sure to pack ?
-
Camera, film (one roll per day ),
extra batteries.
-
Fanny pack vs. a purse
-
Highlighters (to highlight daily
activity)
-
Sunglasses
-
Suntan lotion, sunscreen, lotion,
lip-gloss, chap stick
-
Hat, visor
-
Aqua-socks - for beach and snorkeling
-
A duffel bag or carry on bag
-
Plastic bag for wet swimsuits
-
Travel clock
-
Instant tea or lemonade for your
cabin
-
Medications and prescriptions
-
Additional fold up bag to bring
home your purchases
-
Umbrella and binoculars for Alaska
cruises (one pair per person)
-
Cover -up for swim-wear
- Shawl ,blazer or sweater for
chilly public areas on the ship
Top
of page
Why do I need
a carryon bag ?
Once you arrive at the
ship, the cruise porters will take your large luggage and
have them delivered to your cabin. You should expect to
receive them approximately 4-6 hours later. You will take
your carry on bag on board the ship with you. Include items
you may need such as : prescriptions, makeup, change of
clothes (T-shirt ,shorts, tennis shoes ,swimsuit), camera,
hat or visor, etc.
In some cases you will
be traveling from a cold weather climate to a worm weather
climate or the opposite - consider packing a comfortable
change of cloth in your carryon to suite the climate you
are traveling to.
Top
of page
Packing
tips
Split Packing: Most travelers pack
their belongings in a his & hers suitcases. Consider split
packing a life saver practice in the event your bags are
lost/stolen or late arrivals. Rather than packing all your
belonging in one suitcase, pack half your clothes in the one
suitcase and the other half in another suitcase. In the event
that your suitcase is lost/stolen/late-arrival, you will have
at least half of your clothes. Remember to pack matching outfits
in each suitcase. Example: if you are taking 2 suites
- pack the matching jacket/pants, shirt, tie and shoes in
one suite in suitcase # 1. Pack the second suite matching
jacket/pants shirt tie and shoes in suitcase # 2.
Color
coordinated your outfits. Choose outfits that can be mixed
for greater variety and less packing.
Top
of page
When you board the
ship.
Cruise ships are floating
resorts, with many facilities activities bars lounges restaurants
and clubs. Obtain a deck plan and make plans to explore
the ship special places. To avoid the need to carry cash
on board the ship, you will be asked to register for on
board spending. Announcements will be made for the processing
locations on board the ship.
If you plan to take
advantages of the Spa and Salon facilities on board the
ship, it is recommended to make your reservation as soon
as possible. The Salon and Spa will do their best to accommodate
all the passengers on board the ship. If you make your plan
and reservation early you will be able to schedule the most
convenient time for you. Make the salon and the spa one
of your first stops on your exploration tour. Reserve your
massage, hair dresser appointment, and then continue your
exploration.
Some cruise lines
place your dining room assignment in your cabin. Your dining
room assignment is for the entire length of the cruise.
If you plan to change your dining assignment you should
do so as soon as you board the ship. Go to the pursers office
and request to change your assignment. The purser and the
dining room manager will be available to assist in making
changes.
Top
of page
When do we eat ?
Breakfast and lunch
are served in the main dining room at your specified time
and in the indoor /outdoor cafe located on one of the upper
decks . The cafe usually serves a buffet for a longer period
of time .
Approximate hours for
breakfast are 7:30am-10am and lunch 11:30am-1:30pm. Please
refer to the designated times on your daily activity sheet
once on board .
Dinner is served in
the Main Dining Room. Most cruise ships can not accommodate
all the passengers in one dining room seating and will assign
you to either the Main seating 6:30pm-8:00pm or the
Late seating 8:30pm-10pm This is an event in itself
. Don't miss it ! Most ships offer 24 hour complimentary
room service . A small tip is recommended.
In addition to the main
usual Breakfast Lunch and Dinner most cruises will have
early-bird dining, after noon snacks and a lavish midnight-buffet.
Top
of page
Optional
shore excursions
Optional shore excursions
will be offered to you on board the ship. Some cruise lines
provide a list of shore
excursions with your
documents. Please review them in advance. Costs range from
$16-$80 For the Caribbean : $35-$200 For Alaska $20-$150
for Hawaii : and $50-$400 for other international Cruises
. Half day and full day tours are offered. You generally
spend 4-8 hours at each port . You may opt to take a 1/2
day tour and enjoy the island on your own for the other
1/2 day . You can enjoy a full day touring, a full day on
your own , spend the day on the ship relaxing or taking
advantage of the ship's activities. So many terrific choices!
Some shore excursions are very popular and have limited
capacity, be sure to register easily to ensure your participation.
Once on board the cruise
line will give you a daily activity sheet with all the options
available to you. They will have handouts on the shore excursions
offered ,as well as a shore Talk the day before you arrive
at the next port of call .These shore Talks are very informative
. The cruise staff will tell you what to buy ,where to shop
,where the best places are ,details on their shore excursions,
what kind of transportation to use while on the island,
the cost for cabs ,and answer any questions you may have.
Be sure to attend these informative meetings.
Top
of page
Who do I tip ?
There are 4 people you
will normally extend tips/gratuities to on the last night
of your cruise Recommended amounts (you may tip more /less
at your discretion ):
| Room Steward |
$10.50 |
$14.00 |
$24.50 |
$35.00 |
| Waiter |
$10.50 |
$14.00 |
$24.50 |
$35.00 |
| Bus Boy |
$4.50 |
$6.00 |
$10.50 |
$15.00 |
| Head Waiter |
$5.00 |
$5.00 |
$8.00 |
$16.00 |
|
$39.00 |
$39.00 |
$67.50 |
$101.00 |
Delta Queen Steamboat and other
luxury cruises suggest different tipping guidelines . You'll
love this convenience . We suggest you get four white
envelopes from home , put the suggested amounts in each
, and label them . Tuck these in your luggage. On The last
night , cruise passengers will be running around the ship
looking for change . You will be prepared in advance
Please note : Some cruise
have established gratuities guidelines. For convenience
purposes they will include it on your final check-out bill.
You can dispute the amount and follow the traditional tip
giving methods using the envelopes. You may adjust the amounts
as well. You need to be aware not to DOUBLE TIP.
Top
of page
Tell me about
the last night on board
Distribute the gratuities
envelopes to the right people at dinner time, and your Room
Steward afterwards. You will be asked to place your luggage
outside your cabin after midnight. This is when your carry
on luggage will come in handy again. Keep it in the room
with you to carry your personal items off the ship the following
morning. Your shaver, makeup, hair dryer and a change of
clothes for the next day. Keep your proof of citizenship
out with you. You will need it for the customs officer.
Top
of page
The last day
Be sure to attend the
informative debarkation talk the day before you disembark
. This will be very helpful in making sure you take advantage
of every convenience available to you .
You will enjoy breakfast
on the ship, and have a chance to go through customs before
disembarking. After this, you will have until 9:30AM-10:30aM
to relax on board until the entire ship has cleared customs.
Take a favorite book with you for the last morning on board
the ship. Announcements will be made when you can disembark
the ship .
Please pay attention
to your return flight, remember that you need to be at the
airport 1 to 2 hours prior to flight departure. Make sure
you disembark in time to reach the airport on time.
Top
of page
What aresea-bands
?
Sea-bands are a set
of wristbands that you can wear around your wrist to avoid
motion discomfort. There is no medicine involved . The bands
have a little ball in them that applies gentle pressure
against the nerves in the inside part of your wrist . The
slight pressure has an accu-pressure type effect. These
are available at our office for $15 per pair . One pair
is good for one person as you wear one on your wrist . They
can be used repeatedly and last forever .
Cabin Stewards or the
doctor on board usually have motion sickness pills. Don't
hesitate to ask if you need them .
Top
of page
Is insurance recommended ?
We highly recommend the purchase
of insurance . If you did not purchase insurance with your
cruise vacation, we have insurance available through the
Insurance Afiliates , an excellent
worldwide insurance company .
insurance protects you if you
have to cancel for an unexpected, medical reason for yourself
or an immediate family member, as well as some other unforeseen
circumstances. It generally costs $5.50 for every $100 of
coverage needed. For example: $1,000.00 coverage costs $55.00.
Insurance protects you if your
luggage is lost, stolen, or damaged . Costs range from $10.00-$50.00
per person for $500-$2000 of coverage .
insurance
is also available . Please refer to our Insurance Brochure
.Call us for additional information and insurance details.
Top
of page
How can my family
reach me ?
Your family and
friends may reach you by calling the high seas operator
: 800-Sea-Call. They need to know your ship name
.Cabin number is optional . The cost is approximately $17-$22
per minute. You may call home from the ship at an approximate
rate of $17-$22 per minute .It is usually less expensive
to call from shore.
Is it too late to
book another cabin ?
It may not be too late
. Let us know if you have any friends or family members
who may want to join you on your cruise.
Top
of page |
