Cruising Tips and Tricks

Like many things in life, there are tips and tricks to making the most of a cruise vacation. You could figure them out on your own, but it’s much quicker and easier to ask your Cruise Holidays personal cruise expert to share some of his or her in-depth knowledge. To get you started, here are a few of our favorite insider tips:

Specialty Restaurants. On the first night of a cruise, most passengers are still getting familiar with the ship, and most choose to eat in the main dining room; so, it’s a good time to try a specialty restaurant that you may have trouble getting in to on other nights. Some cruise lines even offer specialty dining discounts or complimentary wine on the first night.

Spa. As with specialty restaurants, the first day is a great time to visit the spa and perhaps score a discount. Plus, you’ll begin your cruise with a more relaxed outlook!

Wine. If you enjoy a glass of wine with dinner but would rather pay per-bottle than per-glass prices, go ahead and purchase a bottle of your favorite. The waiter can mark the bottle with your cabin number and store it for the next evening (even if you dine in a different spot onboard).

Green Apples. If you find yourself feeling unexpectedly queasy, you may just need a little time to adjust to the motion of the ship. Call room service and ask for green apples (a cure recommended by many experienced crew members and passengers). That may be all you need, but if not, other seasickness remedies are usually available at the purser’s desk at no charge.

Mattress Toppers. Cruise ship beds are generally very comfortable, but if yours is too firm for your taste, some ships can provide an “egg crate” foam topper, or different varieties of pillows. Just ask your cabin steward.

Dining. Cruise ship chefs are accustomed to accommodating special requests, so go ahead and ask if an entrée can be prepared in a different way, if you can have two appetizers instead of an entrée, or if you can have an appetizer-sized portion of an entrée, which can be a great way to try new foods.

For more tips like these, ask your personal cruise expert; and, chat with some of the experienced cruisers you’ll meet on board!