Cruise FAQ's: Handy Reference for Beginners

[Jason]

Here's a list of frequently asked questions to hopefully ease some of your cruising worries and help you better prepare for your trip.

Do I need a passport?

U.S. citizens need passports to depart or enter the United States and to enter or depart foreign countries. There are exceptions, which include short-term travel to Mexico, Canada and certain Caribbean countries, where a U.S. birth certificate or other proof of citizenship will do. For specific information on the country you plan to visit, contact your cruise line or travel agent. You can also find out about entry requirements by visiting pueblo.gsa.gov.

How much spending money do I need?

Depending on how economical you want your vacation to be, it can vary. You will need to plan to tip the staff (room attendant and service staff at the restaurants) on the last night. The average is about $10 per person (including children) per day. This covers all of the service staff. The cruise lines will include this information in your ticket packet and most will charge the tips to your shipboard account, unless you prefer to tip in cash. It's not recommended to carry large amounts of cash. We recommend only enough cash to pay for parking at the dock and tips for the porters -- it's safer to use a credit card while traveling. In fact, most cruise lines do not take cash on board. Overall, for a seven-day cruise, you should plan for $100 in parking, $2 per bag for porters and $250 in tips. Other than these extras, most everything is included in your cruise.

There are several things you can do ahead of time to make your vacation more enjoyable:

Start by talking with your family about what they would like to do while the ship is in port. If they want to do a shore excursion, book it in advance with the cruise line. A lot of times there's a long line to reserve them once on board and sometimes they sell out.

Plan to bring at least $150 in cash to pay for parking and porter tips and charge any other expenses on your credit card.

Call the cruise line and ask if there are any restaurants that charge an extra fee and what you need to do for reservations. Disney, for example, has a restaurant called Palos that is $10 extra per person. It's for adults only and it's worth it. Disney has so many repeat cruisers who know about this that you have to be on time when you board the ship and go immediately to a designated lounge to make a reservation. Carnival's new ships and Royal Caribbean also offer these types of dining options.

Call ahead to ask about babysitting and children's activities. Find out what you need to do when you board. Most ships require you to attend an orientation on the first day of the cruise if you plan to have your children participate in the activities.

What should I plan to pack?

Plan to pack the types of cloths you would wear at a nice resort. A cruise ship is like a floating hotel (only better). You'll need casual clothes during the day, swimsuits and coverups, nice slacks at dinner and formal wear (a nice suit and tie or cocktail dress) for one or two nights. It can get chilly at night, so a light sweater is a good idea. Plus, don't forget the sunscreen and any medication you need. Otherwise, bring the basic essentials -- the cruise lines don't have a limit on luggage, but most of the cabins are small and there's not a lot of storage space. For families with small children, make sure to bring an umbrella stroller for the days at port. Most cruise lines, in fact, all of the new ships, have hair dryers and provide soap, shampoo and lotion.

How is the food and what is OK to wear to dinner?

The food is outstanding and it's available around the clock. Most cruise lines have similar dress policies -- dressy resort wear, which means khakis and collared shirts for men, nice slacks or skirts for women. Without exception, shorts and jeans are not permitted in the dining room, although Disney is more tolerant than most lines. And, there are one or two nights that are formal -- a nice suit and tie for men and cocktail dresses for women. Tuxedos are not mandatory.

Can I request special dietary meals?

Yes, most all of the cruise lines are very accommodating for guests with special dietary needs.

Which is better for dinner, early seating or late seating?

If you want to really enjoy the onboard entertainment after dinner you should consider the early seating, which is usually between 6-6:30 p.m. If you want more time during the day to spend at the ports of call, consider the late seating at 8-8:30 p.m. You can always grab a snack while you're out shopping. Either way, keep in mind that dinner can take up to two hours, so if you choose the late seating you will finish your meal around 10:15 p.m.

Do cruise lines welcome families with kids?

Thirty-two percent of cruises are booked by families with children and most cruise lines have tons of activities designed to keep children of all ages busy and having fun. Most all cruise lines also offer some form of babysitting, but Disney's Wonder and Magic offer the best services in the industry. In Port Canaveral your best bets are Carnival, Royal Caribbean and Disney.

Is becoming sea sick common?

Newer ships have huge stabilizers that prevent the ship from swaying, which is what causes passengers to feel ill. Most passengers do not experience symptoms of sea sickness, however, if you're worried about it, all drug stores carry motion sickness tablets that you can pack and bring with you. Your doctor can also prescribe a patch that is worn behind your ear, and there is 24-hour medical care on board, where they can also administer a shot that will relieve the symptoms.

When is hurricane season?

Hurricane season runs from June 1 through the end of November, however, most hurricanes historically have occurred late August through November. Don't let this deter you, though. Ships very rarely cancel because of weather. They are equipped with state-of-the-art equipment and can steer the ship around the weather. In fact, some of the best rates are offered during this timeframe.

Source: Orlando Sentintel

[rogue]

Also, the The Official CruiseCrazies Packing List which you can get to by using the Navigation bar to the right, is an excellent tool for not only first-timers, but even for the experienced cruiser. :grin:

[TechKnowBabble]

I have a question concerning the packing list....specifically the quoted text below...

• Bring an old, outdated member card from a store that has a magnetic strip on the back. Instead of using your credit card to lock and unlock the cabin safe, you can use this instead. This way, you won't have to carry around any credit cards around with you all the time. After all, ships don't use credit cards: They bill all onboard purchases to your sail and sign card's account.

On Royal Caribbean the safe in the cabins you punched in a numeric code you selected. Are Celebrity's safes different? I am not understanding what you need a credit card for the safe.

Thanks for further clarification

[JoeyandDavid]

Celebrity also requires a person digital code

[teacp]

On Carnival we use a credit card.......You can use any card as long as it has a magnetic strip but you must use the same card to open the safe as you used to close it. I used my Kroger card for this purpose......

[JoeyandDavid]

This is a great post Jason!

Thank you! May I suggest putting a sticky to this post for a few weeks with all the first time cruisers showing up recently it may help some.

Just an idea :grin:

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[Jason]

Great idea, Joey and David. Just pinned the topic as a sticky.

[OceanAngel]

Good Info here

[JohnG]

I think the info regarding only needing cash for tips an parking and porter tips ignores the fact that when you are in foreign ports you will need cash for taxis, and often for admission to parks, museums, and other tourist venues. Also, many souvenir shops will not take credit cards, or have a minimum purchase requirement for using a credit card.

However, you can use your credit card at an ATM ashore, but all payment will be in the local currency, so you need to get just enough or have difficulty exchanging any left over for USD.

[SmooCruise]

good info. May I add something? My hubby is prone to motion sickness. On our cruise last year he decided to try ginger tablets instead of the usual motion sickness meds. Our cruise was pretty rocky but he didn't once feel ill. He started taking the tablets a couple of days before the cruise and then throughout our cruise. One in the morning and one in the evening. We went on a "Pirate Ship" excursion in Puerto Vallarta. We had already been warned that the pirate ship could be quite rocky. So I decided to take the ginger pills to be extra safe. I had no problems with sea sickness....AND I found that the ginger helped keep me....how shall we say this politely.....regular. I'm prone to being "irregular" when traveling. So I continued taking it for the rest of the cruise and found it kept everything running smoothly!

SOOO....the point of this rambling post is that if you want a good seasick med AND digestive aid to boot try the ginger tablets. You can get them at any store that carrys vitamins and stuff.