Information Desk
Below is a list of Frequently Asked Questions by future cruise
travelers.
Are there activities for children on a
cruise?
Most cruise lines offer programs for children. Many offer special teen
and pre-teen scheduled activities. The larger ships almost always
include a video arcade, kids disco or other designated "kids
area".
Cruises are a great way for families to travel and see a variety of
countries and ports.
Some ships also offer babysitting services and daycare centers.
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Will I get seasick?
It is unlikely that you will notice any motion on a large cruise ship,
even if you are sensitive to motion in automobiles or airplanes. All
ships today have stabilizers to smooth the ride. Some cruises sail
calmer waters than others. Caribbean and Alaska cruises enjoy smoother
sailings than say Bermuda. If seas do get rough, there are many
preventative medications available on board.
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Do I have to participate in scheduled
activities or can I just relax?
There are dozens of activities going on all over the ship every day. One
the best ones can be "doing nothing at all". Relaxation is
what attracts many people to cruise travel. Every ship has one or more
pools that you can lay around with a good book, most have a library and
several lounges where you can sit and relax by yourself or with friends.
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Do I have to tip? If so, how much?
Tipping is up to you. Generally speaking, $7.00 to $9.00 per day/per
person should take care of your waiter, bus boy and cabin steward. Other
ship personnel can be tipped at your discretion. There are a few cruise
lines that have a "no tipping" policy.
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Will I need a passport?
All U.S. and Canadian citizens must travel with proof of citizenship,
which is a valid passport, or birth certificate (complete with raised
seal, not a photocopy) with a picture identification, or a certified
naturalization certificate with picture identification. Any state
government issued drivers license or other form of picture
identification should be acceptable.
Non-U.S. citizens who are residing in the United States are required
to travel with their Alien Registration Card (Green Card) and valid
passports. All others must have valid passports and necessary visas at
embarkation. You should consult with your travel agent for more
information if necessary.
Can I call home from the ship?
Many of the newer or recently refurbished ships provide Ship to Shore
telephone service. On some ships you can call from your stateroom. Ship
to Shore rates apply so you may want to limit your conversations.
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Are medical services
available?
Virtually every major cruise ship will have a staffed medical facility
to handle emergencies. If you suffer from a medical condition, check
with your travel agent before booking to make sure the ship on which you
are cruising can handle your needs.
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Will I get bored?
That is very unlikely! However, if you are concerned about having enough
to do, choose one of the larger ships (40,000 tons and above), they will
typically have more activities due to the sheer numbers of people on
board.
Most ships have dozens of planned and spontaneous activities going
from sunrise to way past midnight. Pool activities, sports, bingo,
casino, wine tastings, dance lessons, dancing, karoake, live
entertainment, movies, television, fitness centers, shore excursions,
talent contests, masquerade parties, Captain's party, country western
night, just to name a few!
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What should I pack?
Generally speaking, cruise travel is very casual during the day and
casual to formal in the evenings. This can vary depending on the
itinerary. Caribbean, Hawaiian, Alaskan cruises are more informal while
Transatlantic, Mediterranean and European cruises tend to be a little
more formal. This can also vary from cruise line to cruise line and ship
to ship.
Princess Cruise Line would probably lean toward formal whereas
Carnival will tend to be more informal and casual. There is no real hard
and fast rule, however, here's a try.
Men should always pack one dark suit which will usually suffice even
on "formal night." You can take a tuxedo, but we recommend
that you rent one on board the ship (most ships offer this service)
unless you own one and just want the extra baggage. Tuxedos are
generally not "required".
Ladies can take cocktail dresses or a full length formal.
There are usually 1 to 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise, only 1 on
3 & 4 night cruises. The rest of the time is typically very casual.
Even on "non-formal" nights, men should wear a collared shirt
to dinner and slacks or skirts for the ladies.
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How much will it cost?
One of the most attractive features of a cruise vacation is the
price. Even more expensive cruises are a good value for the money. You
can spend anywhere from $400 for a 3-night Bahamas cruise to $30,000 for
a suite on a 30-day cruise to Africa!
No matter how much you spend, you pay one price that covers virtually
everything: meals, accommodations, taxes, on-board entertainment and in
some cases, airfare! The only extras are shore excursions, liquor, tips
and incidentals (photos, etc.).
Undoubtedly, a cruise is the most affordable way to travel. Compare a
7-night cruise to the Caribbean at around $1300 pp (including airfare)
with a 7-night trip to Hawaii. In Hawaii, a hotel comparable to your
cabin on the ship will be at least $150 per night (that's $1,000 right
there!), your airfare from most cities will be at least $600, and meals
in Hawaii to rival that of the cruise ship will easily be $100 per day
per person (another $700!). That is $2,300 per person compared to $1,300
and we haven't even talked about entertainment!
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What is included in the price of
the cruise?
Just about everything! All your meals are included (and there are
usually about 7 or 8 per day from which to choose), all accommodations,
all shipboard entertainment, all taxes and in some cases your airfare
and ground transportation to and from the port is included.
You must pay for extras such as liquor, shore excursions, gratuities,
photos, incidentals, gambling, etc.
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What about sightseeing when
in port?
Your ship will typically arrive in port early in the morning at which
time you are free to go ashore. In most cases, you will be back on board
the ship by 5:00pm to 7:00pm. This gives you more than enough time to
enjoy one of the cruise lines' shore excursions, or, go off on your own
to do some shopping, sightseeing, swimming, scuba diving, etc.
We highly recommend the cruise ship sponsored tours and excursions.
In some ports, when you debark from the ship, local sightseeing
companies (in some cases a local with a van) will be waiting to temp you
with their own tour. Take our word for it, while these tours may be safe
and in some cases quite good, it is always a safe bet to stick with your
cruise ship's recommendation.
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Can I get/send e-mail while onboard the
ship?
Many of the newer ships do have a business center complete with
computers connected to the Internet. Some charge as little at $16 an
hour for computer time and you can get your e-mail using Microsoft
HotMail or Yahoo Mail. Check with your cruise line for availability of
these services.
If you have a laptop onboard, you can make a ship-to-shore call to
dial into your Internet provider, but at $8 to $10 per minute it can get
very expensive.
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