Pros

The per-day base cost for mainstream cruises is almost always lower than for independent travel.

Because the cost of transportation, food, accommodations and nightly entertainment is known and paid in advance, you can budget properly.

You can’t beat the convenience and efficiency of sleeping while you travel to your next destination.

A cruise is like a road trip, but you don’t have to keep packing and unpacking along the way.  

You can probably find at least a hundred cruise itineraries. Today you can visit any continent on earth, including Antarctica, by cruise ship.

Another convenience is that you can explore several ports of call and enjoy what they have to offer, returning to a prepared meal and your cozy stateroom at the end of the day.

Is there a port you want to explore thoroughly? Find an itinerary that begins and ends at that port and spend a few days there before or after the cruise.

Did you discover a port of call you couldn’t get enough of? Make that your next vacation destination.

Cruising can accommodate a family with vastly different interests, providing a variety of on-board experiences.

If someone gets on your nerves, there’s plenty of room on a big ship to spend some time alone.

Special rates for Seniors are often offered to travelers aged 55 or older, and most cruise lines offer excursions specifically designed for those who have limited mobility.

Cons

Because cruise ships rely wholly on satellites for internet access, it tends to be quite a bit slower than the internet at home.

You have a limited amount of time away from the ship,

Furthermore, when you go on shore excursions with fellow travelers you are likely to be frustrated and inconvenienced by inconsiderate behavior and failure to follow instructions.

If you venture off the ship on your own and don’t get back before it leaves port, you will be left behind.

Drinks tend to be more expensive on a cruise ship. Consequently, unless you plan to drink quite a bit of alcohol, cruise drink packages can be very pricey. Also, there is a likelihood that if you buy a package, everyone else of legal drinking age in your cabin is required to purchase one as well!

Prices are based on double occupancy. Even if you’re traveling alone the travel provider ensures they will make their anticipated revenue as if you brought a travel companion. As a result, the cost can be staggering.

Solo Travelers

Knowing that the number of solo travelers has increased dramatically, cruise lines are wisely taking steps to make themselves attractive to this growing market:

– Norwegian Cruise Line was the first to build staterooms and common areas specifically for the single cruiser. However, the limited number of such staterooms results in them being booked early, and the cost is still considerably higher than what is charged for shared accommodations.

– A Solo Cruiser Discount with reduced single supplements for regular staterooms (meaning you’ll pay less than double the cruise fare) is offered by some cruise lines, but only on select cruises and staterooms… the least desired ones.

– Of course, there is nothing stopping you from finding any stateroom you want and booking it. Generally, you’ll pay twice the cruise fare, but you’ll always only pay taxes and stateroom gratuities for one. However, the reality is that in addition to paying the cost of accommodations for two, you’ll also be paying the cost of dining for two.

Be sure about shore tours

Check the cruise itinerary and ship’s excursions before you leave home and work out which ones are easy and cheaper to organize yourself. The main thing to remember is that if you’re delayed on a ship-organised tour, the ship will wait for you. If you’re on your own, it won’t.

HOWEVER, with few exceptions you can book the exact same tour off the boat, as you can on the boat. And you can often do so for a cheaper price because the cruise line will not be taking its cut. Either way, the timing remains the same. Everyone in the industry has been trained to time their activities around the cruise ship schedules, every day. With that said, if a tour operator warns that a certain departure time will not work for your boat, don’t take any chances.

You should certainly do your research when selecting your tours, as sometimes “Exclusive to us” can mean something as simple as adding a meaningless 10-minute activity to the end of a regular tour. Only the price has been changed!

Discrepancies

Some cruise lines impose additional weight or age limits beyond those of the tour company. This most often happens to families with small children. The family will go on an excursion and leave 1 or 2 of the small ones behind because they didn’t meet the age or weight limit.  Then they get there and find out that everyone could have come, because the operator’s limits are lower.

If the tour you want is sold out, try checking with smaller agencies or the tour operator directly. The cruise ship may have filled their allocation, while the actual tour still has spots available.

Along with limiting the number of spots available, cruise lines and tour operators also collaborate on the departure times that are offered. This means that one ship might offer a certain excursion only at 7:30 am, while another offers it only at 10 am.  Check with smaller outfits or the tour company itself to see if there is still space on other departures. This is often the case for everything except the most popular tours.

Other things to do in advance

Grab an early-bird fare. Many lines offer bonuses such as free flights and on-board credits when you book and pay several months in advance. You also have the benefit of booking your preferred cabin, and if you’re planning a family cruise during school holidays, always the busiest times, booking at least six months ahead is almost essential.

Join cruise line and travel agency emailing lists. You’ll receive weekly, daily, last-minute and past-passenger deals that have a short booking window. If you have a flexible schedule and can take off for a cruise at short notice, there are some amazing bargains to be had.

Pre-book everything you can. It’s cheaper.  Internet, shore excursions, water, gratuities, spa passes/treatments, etc.  If you don’t prepay gratuities, they will be charged to your credit card in US$ along with a service charge.

Ensure you have travel health insurance (and perhaps cancellation insurance).  As an added precaution check with the cruise line before you buy tickets to ensure they have high standards for their on-board medical personnel. Are their doctors properly licensed?

Plan enough transportation time before and after the cruise. Arrive in the departure city at least a day in advance. Similarly, don’t book early flights home the day the cruise ends because you may not be able to get to the airport in time

Consider putting funds into your shipboard account ahead of time to avoid exchange rates and credit card fees.

Be aware of all the rules. Pay attention to prohibited items, as they will be taken away from you.

Things to take with you

Don’t over-pack.  Make carefully considered lists based on past experiences.  Determine if there will a formal evening. If there is, decide if you want to attend it.

Take your passport! You won’t get far without it.

It is unlikely you will see your luggage for several hours after boarding the ship, so fill a backpack with anything you may need (valuables, passport, medicines, a change of clothes, motion sickness prevention items, sunscreen, etc.)

Bring cash (in small bills) for tips, casino, purchases in ports, etc. 

Prepare to prevent sunburn by packing sunscreen, a hat, etc.    

Bring your own refillable bottle and top it up with water from the tap – it’s as pure as you’ll find anywhere, and free.

Take along some Ziplock bags so you can pack some fruit and sandwiches to eat when you disembark at ports of call… assuming that is allowed by customs.  Sometimes packed lunches are encouraged; other times they are prohibited.

Remember to take international adapters, charged power packs and phone or laptop chargers.

On the ship

Be in control of gratuities. On most mainstream cruise lines, the automatic gratuity charge can be disputed and adjusted. Just ask at the front desk. You can then decide how much to pay and to whom you will provide a tip in cash.  On most luxury lines (such as Crystal, Regent, Seabourn and Silversea), gratuities are folded into the fare and are mandatory. In both instances, the gratuities are divided among staff, including those who work behind-the-scenes and may not have direct contact with guests during their stay.

Take the muster drill seriously. Everyone must be accounted for and participate before the ship leaves port.  Being late will inconvenience fellow travelers; not showing up will result in you being located and removed from the ship.

Raise a concern if you have one. The cruise line will try to make it right and compensate you for any inconvenience you may have suffered… so long as you’re not a jerk or impossible to please.

Make friends with the cruise director, as they often give away free stuff… even a free cruise!

…to the on-board photographers who will snap you getting on and off the ship, during dinner and on gala nights. Same goes for souvenir cocktail glasses. Will they be anything but dust collectors at home?

Don’t expect to win anything in the on-board casinos because the odds are even more against you than usual.  There are no regulated pay-out percentages like there are on land casinos.

Put your cell phone in airplane mode to avoid roaming charges.  Turn off your cellular signature!

Set your cell phone (or watch) to ship time and then disable your clock’s auto update.  Downloading the ships app onto your phone would also be helpful.

In your stateroom

Store your luggage (and dirty laundry) under the beds.

Run your fingers over the keyboard after entering your combination if using a safe in your room. This will remove fingerprints and avoid theft by people who may steal your passport and valuables.

Wash your hands frequently. Carry anti-bacterial gel and be prepared to be required to use it before eating at the buffet.

In the dining room

Ask for something else if you don’t like something you’ve been served.  The cruise lines want you to be happy.

Know that you can ask for more food in the dining room if there is something on the menu that really appeals to you.  Lots of people do.

Don’t overeat or you will gain weight and your clothes will no longer fit unless you are able work off the extra pounds in the gym or by walking the ship’s perimeter repeatedly, every day. Using only stairwells, never elevators, is another way to enjoy the food without it hanging around you afterward.

Don’t drink too much on the ship or you’ll risk being “jailed” in the brig … or confined to your room.

On shore

If you drink too much at ports, you might miss the ship. 

Connecting to Wi-Fi at ports puts you at risk. Your passwords and personal data may be stolen by scammers.

Set your cell phone’s alarm to when it is time to head back on board.

However, don’t feel obligated to get off at every port. Sometimes it is nice to have an empty space all to yourself.

Similarly, you must leave your room at the end of the cruise, but not necessarily the ship. You may stay on board for quite some time if you need or want to do so.

Prepare for motion sickness

1. Stay hydrated.  Drink a lot of water the night before getting onto the ship and avoid coffee and alcohol.

2. Don’t go to sea on an empty stomach but avoid greasy food.

3. Use preventive measures such as a patch or non-drowsy Bonine, Gravol or Dramamine as directed before the ship starts moving.

4. Pressure point devices, peppermint tea or essential oil might also work for you.

5. If you start to feel queasy go on deck and look at the horizon so that your eyes and ears are getting the same message OR go to the lowest level, mid-ship, where movement is minimized.