10 Things Not To Do On A Cruise Ship

Whether it's your first time cruising or you're a veteran of the seas, cruise lines may be a bit tricky to decode. It goes without saying, the biggest cruise ships are like moving cities, filled with dining establishments, lounges, shows, spas, and other extras to enjoy on your expedition. That being said, it's easy to get sucked into the endless variety of options, meaning you can kill time and money on some costly gimmicks if you don't know better. Follow this advice on what not to do, and your next cruise will be a truly relaxing encounter.

1. Don't Overindulge on the Specialty Eating Establishments
Recently, a growing number of celebrity cooks have entered the gangway, installing sea-based expansions of their land-based empires, and the effects are decidedly mixed. The fanfare and price (averaging about $30--$40 per person for a 3 course meal) of many of these entrees do not always equal the worth provided. Why pay up to $40 when the menus at the included dining rooms are equally as economical? The major dining-room is included in the regular fare and offers a rotating menu, often with big-ticket selections, for example, lobster night and filet mignon. Shockingly, you'll find the quality on par with the specialty dining establishments and a standard of service met throughout the ship. While a night or 2 in a specialty restaurant provides a nice change of scenery, don't pass your limit sampling all of them.

2. Don't Book Spa Treatments Onboard
The very first day on any cruise is always the craziest for the spa, as hundreds of men and women attempt to schedule massages, facial treatments, and other specialized treatments. Research the spa's services and make your reservation beforehand, just before boarding, to guarantee placement and avoid the long queue that forms at the reception desk. If you're shopping for some extended relaxation for the duration of your voyage, decide on a spa pass, but because quantities are limited, make the reservation prior to boarding.

3. If a Concert is Sold Out, Don't Worry
You can only plan so much on a sea trip before it starts to feel stressful. With mainstage comedy shows, concerts, and Broadway-style performances onboard, most cruise lines push you to reserve your spot ahead of time, usually requiring guests to stand in long lines to make reservations. Take comfort in knowing that for all of these must-see events, impulsiveness is encouraged with a standby line that forms about a half hour prior to curtain. These temporary lines are practically a guarantee into the night's entertainment, as a large portion of those who have reserved their spot are absences. Don't fret because you didn't book beforehand; grab a cocktail and relax in the queue.

4. Don't Be Fooled By the Exercise Center
The fitness facilities on cruises often feature state-of-the-art exercise equipment and panoramic views of the sea. It's good to take note that the fitness instructors available are there to sell the cruise's health products. Stay skeptical of the health regimes and any sort of secret to a much healthier being. The major goal is get you to buy into very expensive health programs that often tout extreme fat loss and wellness through natural herbal supplements. Spend your money on a fitness class instead and save your skepticism for a local trainer or nutritional expert.

5. Don't Skip Breakfast in the Morning
Throughout your excursion, the smartest way to arrange for a wake-up call is to obtain room service the night prior-- easiest on a printed menu to specify specialty requests. Your custom omelet and fresh baked sweets start the day off right as you're awoken by a knock on your cabin door. Note that room service is cut off the morning of arrival at your last port. When you arrive at your last destination, take note of the breakfast selections and seize the opportunity for one last meal. Unfortunately, you can't take any food off the ship, per customs regulations, so be sure to gobble up enough onboard.

6. Don't Restrict Yourself to Shore Excursions
Colorful leaflets and brochures fill each ship with attractive excursions that promise adventure, exploration, and discovery within the span of several hours. Often overpriced and underwhelming, it's usually the beach tours that vary widest in value. While all ports are unique, many in the Caribbean dock a few miles from the more popular beaches. Seek out the sand on your own accord with the help of a locally governed taxi cab, lined up at the port for a fraction of the cost of a guided tour (and be sure to make arrangements with your driver for a return ride after your fun ends). It is crucial to note that when you buy into the formal cruise excursions, the cruise doesn't depart until you're on board-- not the same policy when you venture off on your own. Just be sure to keep an eye on the time and anticipate rush hour traffic.



7. Don't Shop in Port Shops
Brought to life upon the cruise ship's arrival, port cities thrive on the thousands of tourists that leap off the ship demanding fine jewelry, souvenirs, and a taste of local bargaining. Well-tread salesmen know the score and have a predisposition for fabricating truths to make the sale. For the best prices on gifts and local goods, avoid the inner-port shops, as their premium rent costs are passed on to the potential customer. Seek out stalls and shops in the town hall for a wider variety of genuine goods at lower prices.



8. Don't Leave Your Balcony Door Open
It's nice to have a balcony in your room-- you can take in the sunrise and sunset, enjoy room service waterside, and get the most ideal views of the day's port in privacy. When you're not in the cabin or when you're going to bed for the night, make sure you shut your balcony door. The lull of the waves might be difficult to resist, there is a real risk in leaving the doors open as insects, bad weather, and wind tunnels can be dangerous. It's an industry criterion that balcony doors remain shut for those reasons, aside from preventing wasted energy.

9. Don't Play Bingo
Age-old cruise ship endeavors such as shuffleboard, ping-pong, and hot tubs remain steadfast musts on every cruise. A word to the pennywise: Many ships' bingo affairs have lost their charm. Ushering in a new era of technologically advanced gaming, many ships have installed electronic bingo game cards that function automatically. With the machine taking control of your board, the players listlessly sit there, expecting their machine to alert them of a winning card. Effortless, and remarkably expensive per game, you're better taking the money you'd invest in bingo and playing it in the casino, where there's a lively atmosphere and the high-tech slot machines grow more interactive by the year.

10. Don't Get Your Teeth Whitened
Among the many enticing spa treatments that are standard on every voyage, watch out for the teeth-whitening bundles that assure to brighten your smile. There's conjecture over their effectiveness, but more importantly, the bleach used can affect your gums' sensitivity for several days after the treatment. With weakened gums, cruise enjoyment plummets as the endless food options become painful to take in. If you're seeking out a quick cosmetic fix at the spa, opt for one of the eyebrow specialists to transform your face, or a spray tan that will supply a healthy-looking base for your skin.

Cruise Discounts - Six Ways to Save Money

When planning any vacation, we all want to find the very best value possible. This is no different when planning a cruise vacation. Finding-- and getting-- cruise discounts is not that difficult. Not all cruise discounts however will give you the best value.

What is important to you in a vacation cruise is not necessarily what is important to me or anyone else. The discount you get offered may be for a cruise, cruise line, or stateroom that doesn't interest you. Sure, the price is right but if you get full enjoyment, where is the value? If you are flexible or if you simply want to 'get-away-from-it-all' then any discount will be a good one for you.

We have identified six different ways that cruise discounts are offered. One is sure to be right for you.

Early Booking Discounts

This type of discount is available from most cruise lines and for most itineraries. If you book before a certain date, the cruise line offers a special discount price for your vacation. Now these discounts may not be the 'best prices' you can get but by booking early you will most often get the cruise you want, on the cruise ship you desire, and the itinerary of interest, in the stateroom or suite of your choice. All of these items combined can make this type of vacation discount the very best value for your cruise. You may say that if you wait, with the cruise ships being so large these days, you can get exactly what you want. Be forewarned! Cruises do sell out.

Last Minute Discounts

This is by far the riskiest discount to plan on. If your preferred cruise sells out, you're stuck without that cruise vacation. If you would prefer a balcony stateroom, all that may be available at the time could be inside rooms. However, having said all of that, these discounts can at times provide the very best pricing. If you are flexible in itinerary, cruise ship, vacation date, and stateroom preference, perhaps this is your best bet.

Group Booking Discounts

If you can generate some interest in your planned cruise vacation with others, you could qualify for a 'group rate'. Not all cruise lines would offer this-- or any other-- discount but it is certainly worth pursuing. The rates again may not be as low as for a last minute cruise discount but you can get in early enough to ensure that you get the preferences listed above.



Low Season Discounts

Should your vacation schedule fall into one of the 'low seasons' for cruise vacations, you would be in luck. In the Caribbean for example, the so-called 'Hurricane season' provides many great cruise rates for potential passengers. Now I know that 'summer season' is a better name for it from a marketing standpoint but we may as well call it like it is. On a cruise, should a major storm happen, cruise ships can divert to calmer waters. Today's cruise ships can out-run storms. If you were to be in a resort on a land-based vacation, you would have no choice but to flee or take cover.

Value Added Cruise Pricing

This type of 'discount' does not change the price of the cruise itself. It does however give guests specials additions and 'perks'. One such added value could be stateroom upgrades-- you pay for a certain category of stateroom and the cruise line automatically bumps you up into the next category. Another common value-added feature is an on-board credit. In this case, the cruise line adds a credit to your stateroom account that can be used while on your vacation. Other perks can include free logo-wear or a bottle of wine in your stateroom.

Previous Cruisers Discounts

For first-time cruisers, this type of discount will be un-attainable. But next cruise on the same cruise line, you may be offered many different specials that you may find attractive. These could include free upgrades and on-board credits as detailed above.

Whether you take advantage of any of the possible discounts available for cruise vacations, one thing is certain. A cruise aboard one of the magnificent cruise ships will be an experience to cherish!

For more information on cruises and special cruise pricing, check us out at http://www.bestcruisesecrets.com

Your Guide to Caribbean Cruises

Preparing to go on a Caribbean cruise? You have to make a decision two factors ahead of time-- when you're going and where. Read on for useful info that can help you make those choices. Many individuals say that the Caribbean islands are most effectively delighted in during summer season, but remember that Caribbean cruises during this moment are often jam stuffed. This is when families, tour teams, as well as business assemblies favor to visit the islands, so if you're preparing to join the pack, be sure to book your boat trip in advance. The average cruise length is about seven days. If you want to enjoy big discount rates, though, then attempt Caribbean boat trips during the fall. Prices are considerably reduced (often half the normal rate), and also you typically do not have to wait eligible slots to liberate. When determining between Eastern or Western Caribbean, your decision should depend upon what you intend to do throughout the program of the boat trip. As a basic quick guide, you need to choose a Western Caribbean boat trip if you would like to invest more time cruising (instead of taking place land for various other tasks). Western Caribbean cruises start in either in New Orleans, Texas, or Florida, then make their way to Palaya del Carmen in Mexico, the Caymans, Jamaica, the Dominican Republic, and Costa Rica, amongst lots of various other destinations. There are several things to do in a Western Caribbean boat trip, and toping the crowd favorite are trips of the Mayan damages. If you want to do more purchasing, however, then you could take pleasure in an Eastern Caribbean boat trip a lot better. In this manner, you reach view the shopping areas and great seasides of the Bahamas as well as Puerto Rico (to name a few). If you can not make a decision, it might be a smart idea to get guide publications to Caribbean cruises. Many books provide you terrific insight on the schedule as well as the cruise liner to tally with your goals and also interests.