Take advantage of lessons and lectures – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

Many cruise ships offer free lectures and lessons, and they regularly bring aboard one or more specialists to educate guests.

When on my own cruise, my favorite lecturer was the wildlife expert. He spent a week aboard the ship, lecturing once a day or more. During his discussions, he talked about animals native to the ports we were about to visit. His discussions were fun and didn’t feel at all like “school.”

Ultimately, he helped make my shore excursions much more fun. Learning about what I was seeing while ashore made my adventure all the more enjoyable.

How to lose weight on a cruise – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

Avoid the elevators, and use the stairs.

Ships have lots of decks with lots of stairwells – and stairs. But don’t think of them as stairs; think of them as giant, sea-going step-climbers.

Bonus: These step-climbers are carpeted and surrounded by museum-quality art!

Tip the maître d’ upon embarkation – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

While dining in the main dining room is an experience not to be missed, dining with a group of three or four other couples is an experience most of us can do without. For those wanting a romantic dinner with their partner, you’ll quickly realize the tables for two are in high demand.

Upon embarkation, introduce yourself to the maître d’ and let him know of any special occasions you may be celebrating. Don’t forget to let the maître d’ know that you would appreciate a table for two — and offer him a gratuity for his time and consideration.

Say yes to the balcony – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

My husband and I decided that the best way to start our marriage was a honeymoon in the Bahamas.

One of the decisions that we had to make when booking our cruise was whether or no to pay extra for the balcony room. We booked the balcony grantee, which meant that we didn’t know exactly where our room would be but we were guaranteed to have a balcony.

It was so romantic to have our own balcony, and we spent a lot of our time at sea there. The price was not much more than the ocean view, but it was worth every penny!

Read more: Pay for windows – Cruise tip
Counterpoint: Get the smallest rooms – Cruise tip

Selecting the perfect shore excursions – Cruise tip

by Gadling Staff on

I took the vacation of a lifetime last summer on an Alaskan cruise. Before I selected my shore excursions, I attended an informative session put on by the shore excursion staff. It was totally free to attend.

During the presentation, they showed me slides regarding the excursions and offered an excellent overview the hundred-plus shore excursions available throughout the cruise.

I was so inspired by the informative session that I went immediately to the shore excursion office to register for my excursions. I was not disappointed in a single shore excursion that I signed up for during the cruise!

Related: Purchase your excursions onboard – Cruise tip
Counterpoint: Research, and get off the beaten (excursion) path – Cruise tip