dejamakan

Hilton "Blue Lagoon" Miami. Very nice and walking distance to activities. Stay there for our Miami cruises.

Almost every one says bring less clothing and shoes and bring more $ money. A lot of people say bring a lot of small bills. I'm getting ready to take my first cruise and have to ask, how much $$$ are we talking? If most stuff is chargedvto your ship to shore card on the boat aNd gratuities are pre billed I'm wondering how much cash should I bring???? Sorry for sounding dumb but want to be prepared. Thanks

We drive from Georgia to the port and like to dress for every occasion. We take everything we want for all conditions (shoes, gowns, suits) and enjoy the elegant pictures after dinner. The amount of cash you'll need will depend on your drinking, shopping, gambling, and spending habits. We usually spend an average of $500 but we are not drinkers nor do we go to the casino. Enjoy your first of many cruises *smile*

I wish I'd known then . . .

 

1. To book early and check for price drops often. This gets you the best choice of rooms (and all rooms, even within the same category, aren't equal -- some locations are better than others, some offer a better balcony for the same price).

 

2. To pack lightly. No one (except you) cares what you're wearing during the day; it makes living in a small room easier, and it makes self-disembarkation possible. There are always a couple threads on this board about lost luggage/valuables -- being able to manage it yourself is a worthwhile goal. Do pack plenty of swim suits and cover ups -- you'll spend more time wearing those than anything else.

 

3. To avoid ship's excursions. They're over-priced and over-sized. You can get much better quality for a bargain price -- and don't believe the "you'll be left behind on an island" scare tactic". You can read a wristwatch, right?

 

4. To feel that you don't have to do it all. You can have a great time onboard without spending extra, without attending events, etc. Do as much (or as little) as you wish.

 

5. To pack all the small necessities you're likely to need. A bottle of Neosporin or asprin onboard will probably run you $10. A disposable waterproof camera will be close to $20. Don't over-pack junk that you're not going to need (I've never yet found a use for an extension cord or duct tape), but do pack realistically for all the small things you're likely to need.

 

6. To buy travel insurance. Don't go through the cruise line -- you can buy it less expensively elsewhere -- but do buy it. Having been forced to cancel a cruise only days beforehand, I can promise you that I cried enough WITHOUT losing the money I'd paid for the tickets.

 

7. To arrive in the port city (or within an hour's drive) the night before the cruise embarks. This is the cheapest insurance you can get. Even for those of us who are close enough to drive to our ports, so many things could set us back a couple hours and prevent us from meeting our ship. This is absolutely a set-in-stone gotta-do-it rule. If, for some reason, I couldn't get to my port a day ahead, I'd choose a different cruise at a different time.

 

8. To eat lightly onboard. The first time I cruised, I was a little surprised at the small portions they served in the dining room . . . but I quickly realized that I wasn't used to eating an appetizer . . . and a salad . . . or a soup . . . and bread . . . and an entree . . . and at that first meal, I was simply too stuffed to eat dessert. What a tragedy! Now I choose EITHER an appetizer OR a soup OR a salad . . . and an entree . . . and the dessert. I skip the bread entirely, judging it to be nothing I can't get at home. I can't manage it all -- or, at least, I can't manage it all comfortably.

 

9. To discuss your expectations ahead of time with your traveling companions, especially if those companions are children. Be sure that everyone else is on the same page as far as spending, sleeping in vs. seeing the sunset, shore excursions, etc. It's better to hash these things out ahead of time rather than to assume that everyone has the same plans you do.

 

10. To mail a package to myself at the first-night hotel, a package containing all my toiletries. It completely eliminates the problem of flying with liquids. Last summer I picked up a $14 pre-paid mailer (stuff as much as you want into that package) that held my family of four's toiletries for three weeks. (It was packed tightly, but it had everything from shaving cream to sunscreen.) I called a couple days ahead and verified that it was waiting for us at our first night hotel. So much easier than bothering with the 3-ounces and ziplocks. This plan also allowed my husband to have his pocket knife.

I have read most of this board and this is the BEST of them all!! Thanks

Have you been communicating with my wife?? This is one of the things she looks forward to...lol