Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #4 - you only have to unpack once!

 Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #4 - you only have to unpack once!

When we vacationed growing up, we always drove everywhere we went, and usually tried to get to 2 or 3 different cities in one trip, which meant packing the car when we left, unpacking the car when we got to the first place, unpacking your suitcase if we were staying a couple of nights (or just living out of the suitcase if not), packing the suitcase again in the morning, packing the car up and heading to the next stop… lather, rinse, repeat….  

One thing I love about cruising, when you drop your suitcase off on the pier with the porter, you don’t have to worry about lugging it to your room, they bring it to your door, you bring it in and unpack it ONE TIME!  There is usually plenty of storage space in the room for all of your clothes (even if you over pack like I always seem to do!) .

The saddest part about a cruise is that last night, when you have to make sure your bags are packed and outside of your door for the staff to come by and pick it up for you.  You know that it’s truly coming to an end soon… 

Sorry, I don't have any pictures of my suit cases while on a ship, as they are normally stored under the beds, and pictures of my clothes are not too exciting, so I tend to skip taking them... Instead, I'll try and offer up some packing tips, and some items to pack that you might not think of, but that might come in handy on your next cruise!

First thing I always recommend, as I said in an earlier "reasons I love to cruise" is a Highlighter.  When you get the next day's activity delivered to your room, you can go over it and highlight those activities that you think you might like to attend, and kind of plan out your whole day.  There might be an early trivia, or a slot pull in the casino.  And don't forget Bingo!  If you pack a different color highlighter for each person, you can all mark the events you want to attend, and then you'll almost always know where to find someone that isn't with you! (although most cruise lines now have apps available that you can download to your phone, and you can instant message each other as well..)

Next thing I recommend, depending on where you are sailing to, is to pack some magnets and possibly a map of the area you are sailing.  When I sailed to Alaska, it was great to have a map on the wall to see where we were, relative to the land, since you can pretty much see land the entire trip.  They do have a channel on the TV that shows where you're currently sailing, but it's more fun (at least for me) to see where were're heading!  

Princess also gave us a map of the glaciers in Glacier Bay and College Fjords, so when we were inside Glacier Bay National Park, we knew which glacier we were seeing, since the naturalist's microphone wasn't working very well.  It also helped when I was taking my photos, I took a picture of the city, or the glacier name on the map before taking any photos for that day, and when I went back through my photos, I knew which glacier/city I was looking at.

Another nice thing to pack if you're one of those people who gets up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and you don't want to be blinded by the light inside, is to pack a little battery operated tea light, and leave it on inside the bathroom.  The cabins get pretty dark at night, (or during the day if you have the curtains closed) and when you flip on that light in the bathroom, it can be pretty harsh!  Having this little bit of ambient light on can save you from being wide awake! 

One more thing I recommend packing is some kind of bag that you can take to shore with you. Depending on where you're sailing to, you're more than likely going to be on shore for at least a couple of days, and if you're heading somewhere warm, where there's a beach, you'll need to take towels with you, or somewhere that it might rain, you'll want to pack some rain gear. A simple backpack is always a great idea to have with you, as it makes it much easier to take along items you may need, or pack some snacks (as long as they are sealed containers, don't try to take fresh food off the ships!) and some bottles of water.  We like to take along a refillable water bottle that we can fill up with ice and water before we leave, and then we have cold water on our excursion. 

The list of things to pack could really be an endless list, especially if you are going somewhere that the weather could be not so pleasant all the time, (Alaska, New England/Canada, Norwegian Fjords etc.) Just pack what you think you'll need, and then take about 10% of that out of your suitcase before you leave! 😉

I know I can totally relate to this link here... Enjoy! 

Packing....

Let me know what your "must pack" items are for a cruise!

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #5 Night time entertainment

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #5 Night time entertainment

Motown Review Coral Princess Feb 2017

I admit, most of the cruises I've been on, I'm in bed by 11pm, since for some reason, I'm not able to sleep past around 5:30am, I want to see the sun rise over the ocean, or in the port cities we are visiting.  I have been able to experience some of the night life onboard however, and it is usually top notch!  From the Comedians to the Broadway caliber shows, not to mention the musicians on board, you can usually find something to keep you entertained after an amazing meal at sea! 

The Comedian on the Coral Princess Feb 2017 had me laughing hard! 

Most cruise lines offer some sort of nightly entertainment after the dinner hour in the main theater. 

I've seen Legally Blonde,  Blue Man Group, Multiple comedians and Singers, Dancing groups, as well as "the Voice at Sea".  

Roston the steel pan man! Coral Princess Feb 2017. He was amazing! 

There is typically other entertainment found throughout the ship in the smaller lounges and the atrium. From reggae bands to steel pan artists, Dueling Pianos and of course Karaoke. 

The stage for Cirque Dreams on the Norwegian Epic

You may have a game show or a murder mystery to try and solve, or be entertained by the dancers and band. 

Murder Mystery Trivia on Coral Princess

Depending on the cruise line, you might be able to see a different show every night, and sometimes the comedian will perform multiple shows throughout the week, just in case you missed one of his shows.  

Final round of "the Voice of the Seas" on Coral Princess Feb 2017

There is usually some kind of party going on up on the Lido deck each night, as long as the weather is nice, or some lines show movies under the stars each night.  

Movies Under the Stars onboard the Coral Princess Feb 2017

     

The Disco Dance Party on board the Norwegian Epic

   

The Glow Party on board the Norwegian Getaway! 

I’ve also gotten an astronomy lesson which was incredible. When the lights went off on the ship, the stars lit up the sky. Everyone gasped and it was truly a site I’ve never seen before.  

waiting for the Star Gazing to begin on the Coral Princess  Feb 2017

If you're able to stay up late enough after all of the fun activities throughout the day, make sure you take in a show or two, enjoy a drink in one of the lounges and listen to the musicians, or pick up the mic for Karaoke! Enjoying the nightlife is half the fun on a cruise vacation!!

Corey the Cruise Director getting everyone ready for the Motown Review Coral Princess Feb 2017

Jamroc Reggae Band on the Norwegian Getaway May 2014

What kind of entertainment are you looking for?  Let me know, and I'll get you booked on the right cruise line! 

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #6 there's always something to do on board

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #6 there's always something to do on board

One of the best things about cruising is all the activities you can partake in. The cruise lines have a great staff of people working tirelessly to put together activities to keep you entertained morning, noon and night. From Art Auctions, where you can see some limited edition works, to Origami where you can learn to fold paper into a boat, or a hat,

to salsa dancing lessons. 

There's also bingo, 

Lots of different kinds of Trivia

and of course the casino. 

For those sun worshipers amongst us, there is usually something fun to be found out on the Lido deck pool side. Whether it's a "Sexiest Legs" contest, or pool volleyball, you can almost always find something to have fun at!  

Of course there are also plenty of places on the ship to relax, and get away from the crowd.  Most cruise lines offer an "Adults only" area of the ship to unwind and enjoy some peace and quiet. Sometimes these areas cost a bit extra, but some people think the quiet is worth it.

Many ships also offer a library where many books are available to borrow during your voyage, as well as a game room, where you can meet up with friends, new or old, and play card or board games. There are usually jigsaw puzzles and word puzzles available as well. 

It's not always just about the fun and excitement either. Sometimes the cruise lines will bring on experts in the destinations you are visiting, and provide you with a lot of interesting facts and stories, and offer some tips on what to look out for on your port visits. If you're taking your kids on a cruise vacation, they can learn quite a bit of interesting information to take back to their friends in school! Education while on vacation! 

Whatever events you are looking for, you should be able to find it onboard the ship.  Keep an eye out for your daily schedule, usually delivered to your room the night before, and plan out your day to make sure you get to do as many activities as possible! 

One tip I always tell new cruisers, - make sure you take a highlighter (or 2 or 3 depending on how many people are traveling) so you can highlight the activities you want to do each day. You can get multiple copies of the schedule, and each person can highlight their own interests. It helps to know where someone might be found on the ship.  - Bonus to that is the highlighters can be used as your Bingo Marker, if you're into playing Bingo! No need to buy one of the ship's markers! 

Let me know what kind of on board activities you like to do, and I'll help match you up with the cruise line that best fits your interests! 

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #7- the staff are amazing!

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #7-  the staff are amazing!

the captain of the Coral Princess on formal night

Working onboard a cruise ship is an amazing opportunity to see the world, and meet some amazing people, but it is HARD WORK.  These people work non-stop to make sure you get what you ask for.

From the security team that scan your card to let you board the ship, to the Captain of the ship  and everyone in between, the cruise ships usually run like a "well oiled machine"! 

Scott the Cruise director on Norwegian Getaway April 2016

The staff onboard are there to make sure you have the vacation of a lifetime.  Nearly all reasonable requests will be met, and if they aren’t able to get something you request, they’ll try as hard as they can to get the next best thing! 

The people who work tirelessly to make sure you have a great trip, do so with a smile on their face, and a great story to tell, if you’re interested. I have not come across too many staff members who don’t seem to genuinely love their jobs, and if they don’t, then they are amazing actors!  

the server at Moderno on the NCL Getaway always had a smile on her face. The food was delicious too!

The cruise lines build in an auto gratuity that most passengers gladly pay, however there are some that will remove this from their onboard account, and pay directly to the staff.  In my personal opinion, that may be taking money directly out of someone’s pocket since not all of the staff that benefit from the auto gratuity interact directly with the passengers (someone has to wash all the dishes we use, and do all the laundry so we all have clean sheets and towels every day…)  Some people even bring little trinkets, or gifts from their home towns for their room stewards as an added "Thank you!" for doing a great job. 

the hotel staff demonstrating how they make those adorable towel animals onboard the NCL Getaway!

  If you’re able to do a ships tour (most lines offer some sort of “behind the scenes” tour for a fee, and most of the time for a limited number of passengers), I would recommend going, as you get to see the ins and outs of how a cruise ship operates. Most will take you into the galley, onto the bridge and into some behind the scenes places that not many others get to visit. I’ve heard it is well worth the money and very memorable. 

Corey the Cruise Director on the Coral Princess Feb 2017

Make sure you fill out the comment cards and give your kudos to those crew members that went above and beyond to make your cruise amazing! The cruise lines take those seriously, and the crew members can get some pretty nice rewards, like some free internet or phone time from the cruise line,  a free shore day (when the ship is docked, they can go ashore instead of having to stay onboard and work) and some can even earn a free cruise for family members, which I would think would be the ultimate prize, since their contracts are typically 6-9 months or longer, and the communication isn't the easiest when you're out in the middle of the ocean. Being away from their family for that long is probably very difficult, so any opportunities they have to see them would be great. Just remember, those people work hard to make sure you enjoy every detail of your vacation, so make sure you thank them, and give them a smile back!

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #8 - Food is included in the price, so you can try new and exciting things!

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #8 - Food is included in the price, so you can try new and exciting things!

one of my favorite desserts ever! It was part of the Chocolate experience on board the Star Princess in Alaska. 

From the minute you step onboard the ship, there is amazing food available to you, and almost all of it is included in your fare!   With several dining options available, if you are ever hungry while on a cruise ship, it's your own fault!  

the food is almost too beautiful to eat! 

Most cruise lines offer traditional dining, where you go to the same dining room, same table and same server each night of your trip. This is a great option if you are cruising with a larger group, and you want to meet up to talk about your adventures for the day.  

Escargot.  The first time I ever tried it was on a cruise ship. Why not experience something that is included? It was delicious!

It’s also a great option if you want to meet new people, as you can be seated at a table of strangers and develop a great friendship.  

So our waiter brought out a big plate of crab legs for our whole table to share, and we all also ordered another main dish when we were sailing in Alaska! Yum!

Of course this also means that you may get seated with a few people who may not mix personality wise with you, which is where the alternate options come in… 

Lobster night usually falls on one of the Formal nights onboard Princess, It was delicious!

Many ships offer a buffet for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and sometimes even a late night snack. The Buffet is typically not as formal as the dining room, and you can choose to eat alone, or ask someone if you can join them.  Some lines offer different theme nights in the buffet, or cater to the local food of the areas you are traveling to. You can try new & exotic cuisine, or stick to what you know and like.  

of course you can always get meat and potatoes! New York Strip steak was great! 

If you're on the ocean, the fish has to be great right?!  I haven't had a bad dish yet!

Muscles on the high sea.

There are also usually a variety of upcharge venues available on board, where the cuisine is more specialized and you have to pay a cover charge.  If you’re celebrating something, or maybe have a bit of on board credit, this is a great way to have a special dinner one night.

NCL Getaway Teppanyaki grill. Well worth the cover charge! The chef was amazing and the food was devine!

the end result was absolutely delicious!

One thing to keep in mind on a cruise ship, you can ask for as much as you want! If you want to order 3 appetizers, 3 main dishes and 3 desserts,  Go ahead!  Indulge yourself, just don’t blame anyone else if you come back from your trip and none of your clothes fit!

Baked Alaska in where else? Alaska!  onboard the Star Princess

This Pistachio dream dessert was amazing!

Top 10 reasons I love to cruise... #9 The accommodations are great!

The top 10 reasons I love to cruise-  #9

The accommodations are great!

Who wouldn't love to wake up to this view each morning?!

Cruise ships are floating hotels.  The newer ships that are coming out now are able to hold over 5,000 passengers, and usually have over 1,500 crew members living onboard as well.  The cruise lines want to make you as comfortable as possible, and offer a wide variety of room types to keep everyone happy and comfortable. 

Some cruise lines offer rooms for a solo passenger as well, which helps if you’re traveling and can’t find someone to join you.  They usually have some sort of lounge area where the solo travelers can meet up and plan their day with others. The rooms are the perfect size for one traveler, and don't cost double what a normal room would cost. (If you book on a cruise line that doesn't offer solo travel rates, you would pay what is known as a "Single Supplement". The supplement can be anywhere from 150%-200% of the per person fare depending on which line you are sailing on. Sometimes the cruise lines will run a "no single supplement" offer to get more people on the ship, so if you're a solo traveler, keep your eye out for those offers, as you'll end up with twice the space since you're not sharing your room with someone.)  Here are a few pictures of one of the solo rooms on the Norwegian Epic, along with the Solo Lounge. 

the bed is a double bed, plenty of room for one!

the bathroom area- shower on the right, toilet on the left.

the Studio Lounge on the Norwegian Epic - great place to meet up with other solo guests and plan your day. They have a nightly meet up in there as well, where a Cruise Director staff member hosts games and other activities to get everyone together. They also will make reservations for dinner each night, and you get the VIP treatment!

There are inside state rooms, which are typically the smallest rooms available on the ships. This also means they are the most affordable. If you like total darkness when you sleep, an inside cabin is just what you need.   

If you’re like me, and a bit claustrophobic, you have a few other options. The next category of room you can book is an Ocean View. These rooms are located on the outside of the ship and offer a window to the ocean. Some ships have just a smaller port hole (or two) while others offer a large picture window, sometimes with a window seat built in. These rooms are also quite affordable, and are typically located on the lower floors, close to Sea Level.  If you’re ever caught in a storm, or experiencing “rough” seas, looking out your window could get pretty interesting.  Some Ships do have Ocean View cabins available on the “Promenade” deck, which means there may be an exterior walkway right outside your window. When you’re picking your cabin, make sure to look on the deck plans to see what is nearby! 

This Ocean View on the Carnival Splendor was a large picture window. There was no window seat, but it let in quite a bit of sunlight each day. It was close to the gangway when we were in port, so when we got on and off the ship, it was rather convenient.

our towel animal enjoying the view of the ocean passing by.

If you’d like to “splurge” a bit and have your own private retreat, you can book a balcony room. These rooms are typically located on the mid to higher floors, which means you may be able to feel the “motion of the ocean” a bit more, but unless there is a decent sized storm going on, you don’t even notice it.  The balcony rooms typically have more room to move around, and of course, offer that little slice of Ocean Front right outside your door. 

The Norwegian Getaway Aft balcony room. Behind the curtain was our balcony, which I used every day several times, and would wind down out there every night before bed.

the balcony rooms on the Norwegian Getaway have a seating area, which converts into a bed for a 3rd passenger. I got the pleasure of sleeping on the couch on our first trip on the Getaway and it was actually pretty comfortable.

The Aft balcony on the Norwegian Getaway on floor 9 had plenty of room available for you!  Great place to relax and enjoy the sound of the ocean!

On the Star Princess, in Alaska, the balcony was a great place to watch the amazing scenery go past. You were never far from shore, and always had a different view!

The Star Princess balcony rooms include 2 twin beds, which can be converted to a Queen,  a desk area and a club chair. The balcony also had 2 chairs and a small table 

Most cruise lines have several types of mini-suite/suite rooms as well, which tend to be a bit more room available,  usually have more lavish furnishings and some even come with a Concierge and Butler service.  Some suites have multi bedrooms, and can sleep multiple people,  have their own private balconies and even may have private areas on the ship that you can only access with a suite key card. May Suite guests also get priority embarkation on the first day of the cruise, as well as priority disembarkation on the last day.  If your ship has to use tender boats to get to shore in a port city, if you’re a suite guest, you’ll likely get priority tender tickets as well.  These amenities come with a price though, as many suites (full suites, not usually the mini-suites) can sometimes cost 3 to 4 times what a balcony cabin may cost.  If you’ve got the money to book it, go for it and experience the suite life! 

One of the Haven Aft Balcony rooms on the Norwegian Getaway. The balcony was enormous, and you had a view of both the aft of the ship, as well as the starboard side. Cushions on the loungers and a dining table available.



 So which room would you like to book for your cruise vacation?  Let me know, and I'll find you a great deal!