Archive for the ‘Cruise Tips’ Category
Seven Steps That Will Take You on a Great World Cruise
You should pay some close attention to the following steps before you begin packing your bags. If you spend some time doing the planning, your world cruise will definitely be all that you can imagine.
Step 1:
Consider how much money you have to spend when you think about the cruise. The fares for a world cruise can range from around sixty dollars a day up to one hundred and twenty dollars per day. You should plan on spending from four weeks to ten weeks on the cruise unless you decide to go with a shorter package that is around three or four weeks long. You will see twenty seven different nations or maybe even five different continents. Check your funds to ensure that you have enough money to pay for the diving trip in the Great Barrier Reef in Australia or to experience the gorgeous French Polynesian area. The landscapes in China are simply breathtaking and Hong Kong offers great shopping experiencing so be prepared to spend some money.
Step 2:
Be sure to locate the closest world cruise line that can be found near to your home. It should not be too difficult because there are world cruise agencies and companies in nearly all of the major cities in the almost all of the major countries. You can find this information and more online and also find out the dates that are scheduled for future cruises.
Step 3:
Where in the world have you always wanted to experience? You could already know where you want to visit so as you flip through the travel books, make note of the destinations and then book your trip as early as you possibly can. The travel agents can give you information that deals specifically with world cruises.
Step 4:
It can be a very important decision as to when you will be taking your dream cruise. You can guarantee yourself beautiful weather while you are on the cruise ship and can also get some heft discounts if you plan your trip at the best time. If you can find the time during off season times you can get the trip for a much lower price by taking advantage of the discounts. You have to be flexible and available to cruise during those times though. There could also be additional, and pretty substantial, fees if you are traveling alone and want to have a cabin all to yourself. The additional fees can be from ten to one hundred percent more per person for a private cabin.
Step 5:
You should plan on spending ninety to one hundred twenty days on the world cruise that you chose. If you cannot spend that much time on a cruise then you should consider the shorter options in the cruises. This is why you should defiantly have a good idea about how much time you can spend on your world cruise. You can definitely find a cruise that will fit into your schedule.
Step 6:
Be sure to protect yourself medically before you take the cruise. You should have your immunizations up to date prior to making your cruise. Check with your insurance agent to be sure that you have medical coverage while you are on board. These things can be very important because you will be mingling with people from all areas of the world that may have come on board with an illness or may have caught an illness while they are on the trip.
Step 7:
Finally, you should spend some time developing friendships with the other passengers on the world cruise. You will be spending a long amount of time on the boat with them so creating friendships or at least being cordial with them will make your experience a much more positive one. The world cruise is a place that creates friendships that can last a lifetime.
Kelly has a passion for cruises and loves writing about new Disney Caribbean Cruises and the Caribbean Celebrity Cruise
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To Tip or Not – Cruise Etiquette
The issue of tipping can cause a lot of problems, usually as a direct result of a lack of understanding or clear communication. This is not helped by the fact that policies and expectations on tipping vary widely depending on which cruise line company you are traveling with and even, in some cases, which ship you are going on.
Often it used to be the case that passengers would tip each waiter, waitress or steward a small amount each time they did some kind of service, but then found out later that 15% had been added to the bill anyway for gratuities. In this way, the passengers ended up paying twice, and it can certainly add up to a considerable sum of money, especially since many cruises are ten to fourteen days.
Some companies make it clear that no tips are expected, but that instead there is a 15% gratuity charge on each bought service. Of course, this does mean that if your steward provides you with an excellent service you are quite free to tip him or her at the end of the cruise. As a usually guide, tipping is considered to be in the region of 1.50 pounds per person per day. There are some cruise line companies that don’t include gratuities but also don’t expect tips. Instead, they add a 5 pounds charge per person per day to the cruise, and this is then divided between the restaurant staff, the stewards and waiters. Again, you are more than free to add your own tip, but this reduces the expectation and helps clear up the matter so that people know where they are.
Having said all that, it is still the case that you are likely to expect a slightly higher level of service, and a slightly more prompt one, if you are known as someone who tips. Word will spread, and it is important for you to bear in mind whether the additional cost is worth it for a very slightly sharpened service.
An alternative way of managing this which a few companies have started doing is to have a single pot of tips that are automatically included in the overall cost, but that passengers have the chance to vote for their favorite steward or waiter. In this way, you can still reward those staff you feel have provided an exceptional service, but not directly from your pocket. Those staff who receive the most votes win a proportion, or greater proportion of the overall funds available for tipping.
As you can see, the schemes and rules are very varied, and it is not easy to tell in advance what the advice will be. If in doubt, it is always best to contact the cruise line and ask. Often, you’ll find that you will be given literature which will offer you specific advice regarding this, usually to be found in a section of ‘frequently asked questions’ Make sure you look at this in advance and query anything you’re not sure of. If this is your first cruise you are likely to be somewhat flummoxed by the varied expectations, and if this is not your first cruise, you may be unsure as to the expectations since it will have varied so much in the past. Don’t assume, ask, if in any doubt at all.
Victor Epand is an expert consultant about luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping. You will find the best marketplace for luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping at these sites for bags, luggage, cruises, etiquette and tipping.
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