"I wish I knew before..."

[zena88]

Research your ports ahead of time, and reserve private excursions. Never take a ship's excursion -- the financial savings are nice, but the real perk is the smaller groups. :(

 

Never say "never"- I've got an upcoming excursion on RC where I pay $49. for an entire day (7 1/2 hours!!!) snorkeling from a catamaran WITH drinks AND food! You can't beat that with a STICK!!! There ARE very reasonable excursions available and you can't beat the peace of mind of knowing that the ship will NEVER leave without you if an issue arrises. (otherwise Mrs. Pete- great review!) Generally speaking: Let that inner child out!! Have that dessert, that exotic martini, sleep in, fudge on going to the gym, dance all night if you want to and don't worry about only getting 4 hours sleep before that port day. Yes pictures are expensive, but I always say that you only pay for them once, and I can look at them and show them off till I die! Have FUN!!!:D

[Ring of Gold]

I disagree. I've had family formal portraits taken at Department stores and OlMi and always spent $200 plus some, whether I liked them all or not. At about $22 a pop, and never buying the ones you don't like, I think they are a bargain. I usually decide I have enough and won't buy, but get them taken everywhere. Then I usually find one that I like enough to buy--it's just over the price of a bingo card! Have them taken everywhere. Only buy the one(s) you want. Remember when you are 80 you will wish you had a picture of the younger, better looking you at THIS age.

 

Carnival sells frames that match, but any craft store sells matte. I've never had a problem with that.

 

I have to disagree with this. The crew lives in quarters smaller than the inside cabins for the passengers, and they share them with another person. They don't have room for extra tee shirts or other knick knacks from your hometown. Of course they're going to thank you for it, but odds are, it ends up in the trash, because they just don't have the space for it. Can you imagine how stuffed their rooms would be if everyone brought them a shirt or souvenir from their hometown?

 

My tip is money talks. If you liked the service someone gave you, cash is the best gift. Also be sure to fill out your comment cards, they get promotions and raises based on the comments you write.

 

Hmm. I like the "personal touch", so I really liked the gift idea.... Maybe a the note and candy (which will be eaten and not take up room) or a slightly smaller gift and a few dollars so they can ship it to family back home? Or, (since I imagine they send packages home to family anyway) something small that they could include in their own package without any trouble?

 

I like the concept, can see the potential problems in execution, and would like to see more ideas on how to make this one work...!

[NWHairGal]

Good tips! I agree with a lot of these. My last cruise I did pack 1/2 of what I thought I'd need, and then STILL was able to take 1/2 of THAT out and STILL didn't wear everything I packed. (remember, you usually wear your favorites over and over and over anyway and NOBODY notices!) I did pack 1 comfortable "evening" shoe that doubled for formal nights and was sooooo happy that it worked out just fine and I didn't have to deal with packing so many shoes. (Although, I'll admit, it's HARD NOT to pack extras) I just packed 1 black pair of slacks for evenings and 3 tops to mix and match the evenings and still felt fine on our 10 day cruise. I found that a tankinni was my favorite (pack 2) and then I could just wear a universal flowing skirt over it I was ready for shopping OR the beach (and easier to use the restroom than a 1 piece!) Pack clothes pins and a bungee cord. The bungee can hold a balcony door open if need be, OR stretch across something in your room/balcony to double as a clothes line. We've taken a few cruises now and until this last one, always had an inside room.......my thoughts on that.....you DON'T spend much time in your INSIDE room.....but when you have a balcony......you DO spend more time relaxing in the quietness of your balcony.......WE'LL NEVER GO BACK TO AN INSIDE ROOM (personal preference now!). If you have an inside room, bring a night light....it's pitch black in there! A small digital alarm clock can fit the bill of a mini-night light AND wake you up in time for port days. There are usually no clocks in your room...at all! We like to pack one of those closet "hanging-shelf" organizers to put our smaller items in, that can't hang up, then we save our drawer space for sunscreen, sunglasses...etc. Don't impulsively buy the soda cards right away. Figure out the cost per soda that you will drink possibly in a day, and see if it works out in your favor. We've been stung 2x by impulsively buying these as soon as we boarded and we're FINALLY learning to walk away. You can always purchase a card the 2nd day (or later) after you've done the math and you think you'll get your money out of it....my hubby does...I do not! DO look up local excursions on Cruise Critic before your cruise and book some that have been suggested. They are ALWAYS better and less expensive than the ships! (That's the one WE wish WE knew before our first cruise!!) Do dine with others, you will meet people and hear of other experiences they've had. It makes the cruise, we feel, more interesting.

 

Most importantly.....be patient. You are not the only person/couple on the ship. They are trying their best so DON'T sweat the small stuff! It WON'T go perfectly as planned, so roll with it. If need be, tell someone in charge who can fix the matter so you're not stewing the whole trip. Then let it go! Remember you are on vacation and enjoy each day, because soon it will be over and you'll have a great memory for a lifetime!

[Ring of Gold]

Instead I used a small cross body purse that held a water bottle, small wallet, etc.

 

This may sound odd, but I took an old hard case birth control package. It was the perfect size to hold credit cards, ID, ship ID, and a few dollars in cash. It's small, fits in your pocket so you don't have to carry bulk around and worry about setting it down and forgetting it, and doesn't look like something you'd use for a wallet so I like to think it's safer than a wallet!Then I made sure I had shorts, etc w/ pockets (one pair even had zipper pockets so I knew it wouldn't get lost - that was great during our river float tour in Jamaica!)

[Shelbyjane56]

 

One bottle per adult... can open with in room for free (don't forget corkscrew) or in dining room for a fee.

 

 

We were on the Dream in july for our sons wedding on the beach in St thomas..we had quite a few people who sailed with us, from family to guest....We had ALOT!!!! of wine between all of us...we were not charged a fee at all for the wine we took turns bringing wine to dinner! So its not written in stone that there is a corking fee all the time :)

[Shelbyjane56]

I just love to share with newbies some of my ideas and suggestions for that first cruise. But remember, you never stop learning. I've been on about 15 cruises and am STILL learning great things from the wonderful folks who post on these message boards.

 

Take a light-weight sweater or windbreaker (or just a long-sleeve blouse). Even in a warm climate, chilly winds can blow out on the decks and the AC in some places on the ship can be quit cold. Take a small fold-up umbrella & a tote bag to take on shore with you. We got caught in a rain storm in Aruba and were so glad that I had put the umbrella in the tote when we left the ship! I take several little packages of antibacterial wipes to wipe down surfaces in the cabin...like the TV remote, light switches, drawer pulls, bathroom door handle, any surface that has been touched by multiple people before you...better safe than sorry! Put one package in your tote when you go on shore too; you never know what you might want to wipe down while you're out & about. I also take my eye glasses prescription with me, tucked away safely in my wallet. Just in case something happened to my glasses, I would at lease have the information necessary to get new ones made. I've never had to actually use the information, but it's there if needed. Binoculars (small pair) are a great thing to have also. There will be many occasions when you will want to use them from the outside decks. I take a small roll of duct take and scotch tape. It's amazing the uses you'll find for them! When I zip my bag us to check at the airport (or at the pier if not flying) I lock the zipper ends together with an electrical tie. Works great for security, and if your bag is one of the lucky ones chosen for inspection, it's easy for them to cut it off. I take a small bottle of Downy Wrinkle-Release. It's great for getting wrinkles out of some things after being packed in a suitcase.

 

Someone mentioned about night lights and not being able to find a place to plug them in. I too am a night light user when away from home, and on a cruise ship by far the best thing to do is leave your bathroom light on, close the door, and sufficient light shines beneath the door. Works great!

 

Hair dryers and shampoo are provided in each cabin so don't waste suitcase space packing these. Seasick medicine is available free at the Purser's desk; all you have to do is ask.

 

Hope these suggestions are helpful...ave a great cruise!!!!!!

 

kruzkween

 

 

Some great ideas kruzkween, but not all cruise lines hand out free sea sickness meds, for that matter some wont even give you a free bandaid, so come with a small medical kit, with a little of this and that

[Grimo]

Why do you tip for room service on a cruise ship?

[eolyn]

Bring a watch with an alarm -- the rooms don't have alarm clocks.

[lovetotravel62]

Buy the drink package only if you plan to be around the pool a lot. Otherwise, it really isn't worth it.

 

Buy a bottle of wine rather than a glass. It is less expensive, and the sommelier will keep the wine for you for another night.

 

Have the cabin steward clear out your mini bar so you can use it for your own food.

 

Check on your dinning arrangements right away to be sure you are where you want to be and with the number of people you want to be with.

 

Do your research on the ports before you sign up for tours. You can do many of them on your own. Often there are hop-on-hop-off bus tours right at the port.

 

You don't really need a balcony. Spend your money on other things.

 

Wait until the last night to buy your pictures. Then you can decide which ones you really want.

 

Relax and have fun. You can't do it all!

[mlbcruiser]

Those little booklights sold in bookstores that bend & easily fold (to about 1 1/2") long are great to keep on your nightstand to use as a nightlight in case you need one during the night. (There is never an outlet in the bathroom, so keep that in mind.) You just flip them open and it's like a little flashlight. Good in case you have to look for something or don't want to crash into a desk chair on your way to the bathroom in the middle of the night!

 

Also, a small, lightweight, travel alarm clock is nice as well, since cell phones often do not work.

[tamanthap]

Love cruising!! Here are my suggestions:

 

1. Carry on bathing suit/sunscreen and change of clothes in case there's a luggage delay

 

2. I bring a single serve coffee press along with my favorite coffee, truly a comfort from home to enjoy each morning

 

3. Just because they offer all that food, all those meals doesn't mean you have to eat that much - use the gym and spa

 

4. Ladies especially...bring a sweater...they use AC all through the ship and it can get chilly on the inside, even if its not outside

 

5. Find out the local tastes and shopping/entertainment ideas online for each port before the cruise. This will save you money and you'll get to experience the ports in a much more realistic light.

[patticake1129]

Why do you tip for room service on a cruise ship?

 

My family usually tips $1.00 per plate, so if two of us order then $2.00 etc.

 

I always bring a spare pair of eye glasses, can't read anything without them. Have to be able to read whatever book I bring along, and of course, all the menus and the daily newsletter.

[johneeo]

My family usually tips $1.00 per plate, so if two of us order then $2.00 etc.

 

I always bring a spare pair of eye glasses, can't read anything without them. Have to be able to read whatever book I bring along, and of course, all the menus and the daily newsletter.

 

I also bring a BIG magnifying glass.

[tknurse]

These are all great tips that even after having been on 7 cruises and the next one is leaving this weekend and I have not packed yet (!), I totally agree with the creamer if you're a Starbucks fan. When we sailed thru Panama Canal and were on board 13 days, the "specialty" coffees got expensive. Now as you cruise the same line, you will earn these perks as we will by the time we cruise to Alaska next year. For this trip I bought powdered creamer in my favorite flavor and will enjoy it daily on my balcony after room service delivers my AM pot! Should save me about $6 a day I can spend pn something else. Oh, don't buy the can coolies on board the ships gift shop. After a few months of use, the imprint is completely gone and left with a plain colored holder with no meaning. Also, on the cruise line we use, the "Sprinkles" is just as good and included rather than Ben and Jerry's! Do bring fewer clothes (one of the reasons it's 1 day before I left and I have no panic factor!) and I bring a small bottle of laundry soap(our cruise line does not have on board laundry you can do yourself) and wear things at the beginninig of the week that dry quickly and a quick rinse in the sink and hand it in the shower and you have clean clothes(works well on long cruises!) If not, spend the $5 on the bag of laundry they offer once a week and jam it full!!!

Above all relax, enjoy the beauty of a different part of the world and be grateful you have the means to enjoy a wonderful vacation!

[nanook21]

Here's a tip from a poster on another board that I found very useful, for those who like to take LOTS of pictures (and you should!). This poster had the misfortune of accidentally erasing 3 days of pics by hitting the wrong buttons on his camera.

 

The tip..... stock up on inexpensive 1G memory cards for your camera, and use 1 for each day (or 2), then swap it out, label it, and store until you get home. Or if you also happen to have a small laptop with you, download the pics onto your laptop for safekeeping. Nothing worse than losing your fabulous holiday pics.

[jereza]

I have only been on three cruises but each one was great.

Each cruise I wish I would have remembered to bring a magnet for the outside door. The doors are metal so a magnet would make my room so much easier to find.... especially after the disco!

Sit for as many of those photos as you want. You don't have to buy any of them, but we have had some excellent photos taken by these photographers.

Seek out and pre-tip (in cash) your steward. You will have great service and you will get whatever you need fast. This is on top of the set gratuity.

Find a bar and bartender/waiter you enjoy. Come back to that bar at a set time (cocktail hour maybe?) each day. Get to know the staff as people. Ask about their home, etc.

If you order a bottle of wine at dinner you don't have to drink it all. They will save it or you can take it to your room.

Don't buy food like sandwiches, fruit at ports. They won't let it on.

Research the ports. Don't automatically book thru the ship.

Don't be afraid to sit with people at dinner/breakfasts. You can make some new friends.

Don't obsess over what you look like in a swim suit. You'll see all types of bodies.

Go to the shows

If you don't care for water (and sometimes the ship water tastes different) bring those individual flavor packets

This hint may get some people's hackles up: If you want to get liquor on board, put clear liquor in a large water bottle and just walk onboard with it. Put amber colored liquor in regular flavored (ie not mint flavored) Listerine bottle.

[Andre1960]

I have tried the any time dinner, this is a new dinner facilities. They have dinning room open from 5:30 to 10:00, you just have to show up at the time you want and they will assign you a table, from only you or match you with some other. Hope my next cruise will have this option it was great. :rolleyes:

[colonialinnkeeper]

--Pack hand sanitizer and towelettes and use often, both on the ship and off

--Explore the ship early so you can find those special nooks for reading, a quite glass of wine, a place on deck that isn't too windy, too crowded

--When doing excursions on your own plan to go to the farthest place first and work your way back to the ship for your other stops

--Zip lock baggies to tuck under your swimsuit to put valuables in or to put snacks into when you go off ship for the day

--Post It Notes to leave messages for cabin steward or yourself

--Look for "specials" on the first day if you plan to sign up for the internet; other specials are sometimes posted in the daily paper

[shelovescruising]

Check to see if the cruise line has hair dryer in each room...royal does but I,m taking a carnival cruise for the first time and was told the cabins do not have hair dryer...

Bring a cc..some safes are opened with a card...

Get your pass port early..wait times can be long

Do bring your dl as well

Fannie bag is great to use when you leave the ship

If driving check for toll roads and bring change

You can get on earlier than they tell you, eat lunch on boat, dress comfortable you will not get you luggage till after 2....

Ask your room attendant for extra hangers if you need them

Do bring a air freshener for bathroom..after a couple of days, they have an oder.

Bring your toothbrush in a enclosed container, no place to put it but in a cabinet

Do not bring shampoo, but if you need conditioner, bring that

Do not bring beach towels they are furnished

Bring a bag to keep dirty clothes in..if you do not p

LAN on washing them

Bring a clock for room, there is none

Hang clothes to wear in the shower area and wrinkles fall out

Most cruise lines will not let you bring a steamer for clothes on board

Some cruise line chg a fee for room service after midnight, royal does

 

Put something colorful on your luggage so you can find it quicker

 

Have a great time and if you plan on sleeping in late...put your do not disturb sign out

[rusty12345]

I absolutly love this thread. I read every single comment and replys. I learned so much from so many people. I tend to travel light and am a vetern traveler having traveled as a backpacker pretty much all over the world.

 

I have never taken a cruise so was reading the differnt things I might consider taking on cruises and I really do appreate all of it. I had never considered a power strip for example and am thinking about it. Also Highliters mini-s are a good idea. One of the favorites I read was about taking envelopes with two one dollar bills in them like one for each day of the cruise. Also including some candy, somthing from home. For example I am from and live in Alaska so I could take a Alaska Magazine and place it under the envelope on the first day. I would also include money in the envelope as well. I appreate learning that a lot of crews like magazines and I could offer that from my home.

 

I do appreate all the suggestions and if some people like to pack heavy and enjoy it that way thats great. I like to pack trim and slim as it where but still pack things like a small first aide kit. I always pack a small first aide kit that actually stays in my small purse I use every single day. It has bandaides,Antiseptic wipes, Adhesive bandages, a couple of Midol. It goes every where I go and ive used it a lot.

 

I appreate all the suggetions and tips and people taking time to write them. I think its great to read them all and get the ideas. I dont think its neccesary to demean or make fun of other peoples helpful suggestions.

 

I also loved the one about a small spray bottle for by the pool. I think thats a great idea. Being from Alaska Im going to work very hard not to get over heated.

 

Also is thier a way to check if we get a fridge in our rooms? Do we check the cruiseline website? I want a fridge and although I dont drink alcohol at all. I want to be able to store juices and cold water in thier and plan to have all the alcohol removed from fridges.

 

Also is the drink card worth it? I like a couple of diet cokes a day and if the cups are small then that might make a drink card worth it.

 

I also plan to prepay all tips so that i dont have to think about or worry about it. Also can we prepay cash before the cruise like send a MO or have it taken right off my Debit card before the cruise? I want to do it that way.

 

Thanks all for answering any questions and thanks all for the tips. Thier was tons of great tips I dident mention that ive now learned.

 

Im also planning my parents anniversy cruise for them so all these tips are great for them,

 

Adri :)

 

Hi, I have an ans. for you about the prepaid drink cards, My suggestion is that you do not buy a soda drink card because you can usually pick up soda's in ports you will be stopping at and that is the cheapest way to go . I have had a soda card and I found in order to make it pay for me I was drinking too many sodas a dayl Of course it was very convient to have the card because you could go anywhere on the ship and ask for a soda, with the soda's in your room you had to go to your room to get one. You did not say what size ship you were saililng on so again it might be easiser to have a card if you don't want to travel all over the ship to get a drink. I do like the coffee cards however becauses I found out my husband and I do not lilke coffee the ships have but you have to pay for speciality coffees and those that are not liquid coffee that they serve. you can have brewed coffee with the card.

 

have fun on you trip. We will be going on a 28day cruise in the near future and I am very interested in all the information on thiss tread even though i have been on about 30 cruises.

[rusty12345]

I, too, am a first time cruiser but I have done a lot of research and have been reading these boards for a while now. So, I have learned a lot.

I think whether or not you will have a fridge in your room depends on a couple things. One, your particular cruise line and, two,your type of cabin. You should check your cruiseline's website and look at the amenities for your chosen cabin category. If you can't find anything listed, you can always call either the cruise line or, if you have one, your TA.

The drink card usually entitles you to 20 sodas which are half a can of soda each.

You should check your cruiseline's website to see if you can purchase onboard credit before your cruise. In any case, when you do your online check in, before you receive your cruise documents, you will have to either register a credit card on which the cruiseline will place a certain, per person, daily hold. This hold is not placed until the day of sailing and at the end of your cruise, your card is only charged for actual purchases and not the entire hold amount. If you are sailing for 7 days , and the hold amount is $60 a day, then the total will be $420 for the week per person. You can also opt to pay cash upfront when you board. If you should exceed this cash amount, you can always add more to it. You can always inquire at the purser's desk about your account throughout your cruise to keep track of your spending. You can also catch and correct any mistakes on your account and not find them on the last day of your cruise and, avoid a long wait.

I wish you the best and happy cruising.

 

My drink cards for soda was unlimited amount on all the days at sea. Also the coffee card was unlilmited for brewed coffee but had a limit of 15 . This was on a 18 day cruise with Princess. Princess was also giving out 2 for 1 drink cards to some people thru their travel agents. (LILke AAA. Check this out

[rusty12345]

For a cruise in Europe, do they conduct business and charge you in Dollars or Euro? What do they prefer for tips? And - what kind of cash is used in the Casino - or given to you when you get cash there off your SeaPass? (Royal Carribean)

 

Thanks!

 

I bellieve they charge you and conduct business in dollars on RCCL. The casino's use dollars also. Some cruise ships they have different computers on that you can charge the amount to your sea pass if you are using the slot machines. I believe you can also use dollars on the tables for the tokens. I bellieve on some ships you can trade your $$$ for euro's which is what we do when we go overseas. we have also changed our dollars at the airport when we arrive in a foreign city. enchange rate is not very good so we only change a little bit at a time.

[rusty12345]

Although I've been on two cruises, I found this thread to be quite helpful! I particularly would like to shout out to the person who suggested the white noise app on the iPhone. I normally sleep with a fan on, and my BFF, who is my cruise partner this time around (poor DH gets to stay home by himself) likes a fan too. I was afraid she was going to suggest turning on the tv for noise - well, that would keep me up all night. So I downloaded the white noise app and hopefully will get used to it in time for our cruise.

 

The things I must pack have been mentioned - particularly the over the door shoe organizer. DH & I found that to be very practical to keep all our bathroom stuff in, and keep the counters clean. Royal Caribbean doesn't offer a whole lot of bathroom space in the E1 and D1 cabins. I took highlighters the first time and never used them, so they stayed home the second cruise.

 

One thing I have added to my travel sewing kit: when I bring stuff back from the dry cleaners I take the safety pins and pin them into the lining of my carryon bag. I usually have a half dozen there, in varying sizes. More often than not, they stay there. But a couple times I have been very happy to be able to put a quick fix on a wardrobe malfunction. That's not just a cruise thing, though, that's a travel anywhere idea.

 

I also make sure to pack a couple packets of sink-size Woolite or laundry soap (I have found sink size packets of Tide... once... sure would like to find them again). But in case of a spill or whatnot, or avoiding the $20 laundry bag in mid-week, I can get some undies at least washed in the bathroom sink. Then I use the line RCI has in the showers to dry them with the handy-dandy plastic clothespins I've packed. Not a whole packet of them.... about 8-10 only.

 

I have found it is just as easy to use shampoo to clean your underware or other things in the bathroom sinks so you might save some space in you luggage this way. I will be taking some of my own soap to use for big laundry as my cruise is 28 days long and I can only pack under 50 lbs in one suitcase or pay for second bag (I might as well use the laundry service on board ship. and pack less)

[rusty12345]

Just having finished my first cruise, let me add my $.02

 

1. I'm sure this varies by cruise line, but on RC's Brilliance, they are not strict at ALL about dress codes. I saw plenty of people in shorts in the dining room on casual nights, and on "formal" nights, there were men in polo shirts, button downs with no tie, and women in cotton dresses. Several of my cruising companions were disappointed that they went out and bought special clothes for the cruise when it clearly wasn't necessary.

 

2. The advice to bring a 1 to 6 outlet converter is golden--and note on RC's Brilliance the outlets are oriented sideways, so our 1 to 3 adapters that expand normal outlets sideways did not plug in.

 

3. Visiting a different city for one day, every day is EXHAUSTING. I couldn't believe how tired I got--grab sleep where you can because it'll catch up with you!

 

4. Sometimes the photo department will let you gather up your photos and put them in a folder with your name to keep them organized--we didn't find out this was an option til the last day when we were scrambling to try to find all of our pictures, so ask when you first arrive.

 

5. People on here keep saying bring fewer clothes--I have to disagree with that. I wore every single thing I brought, and I was worried I'd overpacked. Keep in mind that on port days, you are likely going to want two outfits because one will get sweaty during the day--and you're not going to want to re-wear that one! It's more realistic to think you'll repeat dinner outfits, but definitely bring at least one outfit for every day and don't plan to repeat shirts you wear in port, at least not in the Mediterranean in August!

 

6. "Comfortable walking shoes" have an entirely different meaning in normal life than on a cruise. Sandals that are fine for strolling around the mall for an hour or two are completely different from shoes that will hold up over an entire day of walking miles and miles up and down hills, stairs, dirt, and puddles. Keep this in mind when deciding what to pack. And oh, NEVER walk 10+ miles in pleather closed-toed shoes.

 

7. It's totally possible to do all the ports of call on your own. I ended up doing this but was nervous about it, and it was totally fine. Get Rick Steves guidebooks to European cities if your itinerary includes them--his practical tips are so valuable and he includes great walking tours that basically enable you to be your own tour guide.

 

I have a suggestion also about the comfortable walking shoes. Even if you have comfortable walking shoes, and I do, I found I was still getting blisters on my toes so my solution to this is to use vasaline before putting on my socks on the mornings I am planning to walk miles and miles etc. So something else to add to the things that you might find necessary to enjoy your cruise.

[HNLGAL]

Awesome advice.... well worth reading and re-reading!

Thanks for sharing.

 

Go alone....we have so much more fun that way & meet more of others on the ship.

 

Don't rebook excursions....rain!!!!!!!!!

 

pack, then take out half...you won't wear it.

 

take a power strip and air freshener. (yes, it is a small bathroom)

 

bring wine, water & soda on board

 

pre buy drink coupons & prepay grats

 

inside rooms are A-OK. Unless you love a balcony...we don't need one. we are NEVER in the room.

 

tip generously.

 

let people out of the elevator before you try to get on.

 

wear rubber soled shoes on deck....lots of slip & falls.

 

eat whatever you want....it comes right off after the cruise. They use lots of salt.

 

The cruise shampoos work fine...the wind will mess your hair anyways.

 

the pool water is cold and the hot tubs lukewarm, at best.

 

take a multi outlet cord

 

try a porthole.....they are neat.

 

make love often...keeps the hubby cheerful.