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

Read signs in Japan, even if you don’t know Japanese – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

Afraid to visit Japan because you can’t read the signs? Are you intimidated by all the Kanji? Don’t worry! First, buy a Nintendo DS, and then, buy a Japanese/English dictionary cartridge called: Kanji Sonomama Rakubiki Jiten.

No matter how bad your Kanji stroke order is, and no matter how sloppy your handwriting, this dictionary helps you read Kanji in a light and compact way. After you write the character, it will show you the various English translations.

It also breaks down the Kanji into hiragana and katakana for a simple read for those with limited Japanese language training.

Blog it or Facebook it or Tweet it or … – Road trip tip

by Gadling Staff on

Let friends and family share in your road trip adventure by posting details along the way via your blog, Facebook, Twitter or other social media site. People at home are curious about your adventures, and seeing your update may trigger a memory or suggestion they have to improve your trip.

With a smartphone such as the Apple iPhone, Motorola Droid or Research in Motion’s BlackBerry, it’s a snap to post a status update of your trip or take and upload a photo or video of a roadside attraction. Smartphone Facebook apps and apps such as Bloglive make it easy to upload your content.

Of course, don’t do any of this while driving. Wait until you’re stopped, or have a passenger do the posting.

Make a scrapbook travel diary – International travel tip

by Gadling Staff on

The worst part of getting home from an awesome vacation is figuring out what to do with all the papers, brochures, receipts, unique candy wrappers, news articles, postcards, and other things that have accumulated in your bags along the way. So next time, just bring some tape and scissors with you and paste those items in your diary or Moleskine as you travel.

It’s a great way to pass time waiting for your next bus or sitting on a train. Once home, you’ll open up your travel journal and have all sorts of colorful memories to share.