Cruise Travel Tips

• Although a passbook or passcard is recommended, you can cruise with a birth certificate and photo ID if your cruise is leaving a US port and returning to that same US port.
  
  • Arrive at your departure port a day ahead of schedule 
  • Older ships are way cheaper to cruise on  
  • Download the cruise app. This app will have everything you need to get around the ship, the daily calendar of activities and shows, your spending account and the hours of operations onboard of restaurants, shops, bars, and pools. 
  • Pay off your cruise as slow as possible 
  • Many hotels near the port will offer free (or discounted) cruise parking and/or shuttles to the ship. Also, many off-port parking is a lot cheaper than parking on site at the port. 
  • Bring your own drinks on board. Many first-time cruisers assume they can't bring their own drinks on board a ship. But many lines will allow this, usually with some limits. It's one way to save money when cruising, as drink prices on ships can be high. At Royal Caribbean, the bring-your-own allowance is one bottle of wine or Champagne per passenger at boarding. You can also bring up to a dozen standard cans, bottles or cartons of nonalcoholic drinks per cabin. Always double check with your cruise line.
  • Don't tip twice for drinks and spa treatments. Most cruise ships now automatically add a gratuity to bar bills, often in the amount of 18% to 20% of the total. Such automatic gratuities are also becoming more common in ship spas. But many first-time cruisers don't know this and write in a hefty tip at the "additional tip" line on bills at cruise ship bars and spas. Be sure to ask if a gratuity has already been included before adding another 15% or 20% to the total. Otherwise, you may end up tipping twice. 
  • Be sure to check your onboard account regularly 
  • American dollars are widely accepted in cruise ports. Don’t worry if you don’t have pesos, or any other local currency. In Caribbean cruise ports American dollars are widely accepted (and often preferred). That’s a huge help for cruise passengers who don’t have to worry about having different currencies as they go from port to port. Credit cards are also accepted in many places, but we suggest cash for most transactions. 
  • In the main dining room, you can order more than one appetizer, entrées or desserts. Can’t choose between the chicken or the fish? Don’t stress out. Order both. Most people don’t realize it, but you can order as much as you want in the main dining room (or other restaurants). If you just want to try something new and you find you don’t like it, the dining staff will bring you something else with no problems. You can also get food to-go to take back to your cabin. 
  • Breakfast and lunch are also served in the main dining room. Everyone knows about dinner in the main dining room… but they usually eat the buffet for lunch and breakfast. If you want something higher quality, head to the main dining room instead of the buffet. They serve both meals, but with much smaller crowds. Best of all, the food is usually better as well, since it’s made fresh. 
  •  Free room service is becoming a thing of the past. It used to be free on a cruise ship, but the lines have moved toward a charge for room service. While many lines have some things for free like continental breakfast, they often now charge per item or a flat fee (order all you want for one price). 
  • You can drink anywhere. Unlike in many cities and towns, there's no law on cruise ships saying you can't walk around in public areas with an open beverage container. You can carry your beer or glass of wine with you wherever you go on a ship, and no one will say a thing. 
  • When you’re done eating or drinking just leave your dishes on the table and leave. An attendant will be around to clean up. 

   

  • Don’t worry about cash on board, keep it in the safe in your cabin; everything is paid through your room key (seapass card). Your seapass card will be in a sealed envelope at your cabin door. This “key” is like a credit card that you’ll slide into your cabin door to unlock it. But it does a lot more. It’s also linked to your shipboard account, and you’ll use your room key just like a credit card to charge items to your account. No matter if you’re buying a drink or a souvenir on one of the ships, you’ll use this card to pay. The only time you’ll use cash is when you are off the ship in port or the casino. This is much more convenient than having to carry around dollars. Just be sure to keep a close hold on your card! 
  • Don’t even think about being late for the ship.  As a first-time cruiser, don’t let this happen to you. The departure times for port days aren’t suggestions. Always stay on ship time. You should be back on board by that time and not a moment later. I’m always back on the ship at least an hour before departure time. The last thing you want to do is be a “pier runner” or worse, miss the ship altogether. If you miss the ship, you WILL be responsible for getting home or to the next port of call to catch up with the ship. Just don’t be LATE. 
  • When shopping in the port, WAIT, do it just before getting back on the ship. Venders are more likely to negotiate prices. Venders go home after the ship leaves, they’ll bargain to get their extra sales in. This is where the small bills come in handy. They don’t like making change. Some will say they’re going to go get change and don’t come back. Some will bundle items to get a little more. 
  • The ship’s shops have sales every night. Times will be posted in the app calendar. The ship does have a duty-free stop with liquor and cigarettes. Good deals. Note any liquor purchased in the shops or at port they will hold it until the last night of the cruise and then deliver it to your cabin. 
  • When doing an excursion, it is cheaper to buy from a third party. I have used many with no issues but there are risks. Always negotiate a price. Crime can accrue. Always be aware of your surroundings. If it gets cancelled you may not get a refund. If you’re late to the ship will not wait for you. If you buy an excursion through the ship, it is guaranteed. The ship HAS to wait for you if the excursion runs behind. If for some reason it’s cancelled, the ship will refund it back. 
  • You will probably be told to put your phone on airplane mode. If you pay a month-to-month service (prepay) like I do. I never turn my phone on airplane mode because I have unlimited and can’t occur extra charges. If you have a contract phone then definitely put it on airplane mode so you don’t get a huge roaming bill. 
  • At the ports there are many places with free wifi. The ship also has wifi but it will cost you. If you must have it, buy a plan for one device and everyone can take turns. It’s because one device means one device at a time. Just share the id and password with those you want. The free wifi that the ship offers to everyone is just for getting on the app while on the ship. 
  • If you need to use the ATM on the ship, think again. It’s expensive. Instead go to the casino. Put your seapass card in the slot machine, there’s a menu that you can charge cash to your account. Once it goes through onto the machine, cash out. Take the slip to the cashier and cash it. There are no atm fees doing this and will save you money. 
  • Smoking and vaping are only allowed on one side of the ship on the outer decks and the casino. Smoking in cabins and on balconies are prohibited. Look for designated areas. 
  • Any drink packages are valid and carry over on Royal Caribbean’s private islands like CocoCay Island.
  • You don’t have to pay the gratuities that the cruise ship automatically charges to your account. Simply go to the customer service desk and ask to have those charges removed. Tell them that you tip as you go. They will remove them from your charge account with no problem. Wait to do this on the second day of cruise. You can also ask to have this done for everyone in the cabin. 
  • If you get a drink package you will have to go to any bar on the first day to get your souvenir tumbler. They use to put them in your cabin but now you have to ask for them. These tumblers are the only tumblers that work in the soda kiosk onboard the ship. 
  • Pool towels are free to use on and off the ship. Be sure to return it to the towel station or they will charge you $25 ea for any not returned. You can change it out for a new one anytime. I’ll get 2 in the morning, change them out for dry ones throughout the day and return at the end of each day. 
  • Lanyards are great to use for your seapass card. Less likely to lose it when it’s around your neck. If you do lose it, go to customer service immediately so they can deactivate it and issue you a new one. That way if someone finds it, they can’t charge anything to it.  
  • If you get friendly with a bartender or bar waiter like asking about themselves just getting to know them kind of thing and use them often to get your drinks, you will get stronger drinks. 
  • When at a port, venders can get pushy for you to look at their shop or to buy something. Get use to saying “No, thank you” or pretending your deaf. Watch for some that will come up to you offering you something for free but yet ask for a donation. Believe me nothing is free from these venders. No need to be rude unless they are. The ports are their main source of income. 
  • If you’re feeling under the weather (seasick), ask for a sliced green apple. The crew swear by it and it works. 
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