Earl and I are back on terra firma after spending ten days on a ship in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, visiting various ports of call and basking in the warm, friendly sun and eighty-degree weather. It’s not hard to take. Especially when we returned to promises of five inches of snow tonight.
Every time we cruise, I relive the enjoyment of my first experience aboard a Princess ship. And every time we cruise, I also learn additional tips that make each experience unique. Here are some tidbits garnered from five cruises in five years.
Use a travel agent who specializes in cruise tours. Ours, Scott Will of The Cruise Consultants, worked aboard the ships for several years prior to forming his company. He knows the ins and outs; he can get good pricing; he can tell you what kind of people you’ll be rubbing elbows with, and what the benefits of a certain ship or cruise are.
One thing I’ve learned from Scott is that a cabin (or stateroom, if you prefer the fancier word) that is located near the stairs that go from the top to the bottom of the ship is desirable. In fact, it is a major asset in weight control, as Earl and I never take an elevator when we’re going from one activity to the next. Yesterday, Earl announced that he had lost three pounds on this vacation, something I’m sure not many cruisers can say.
The 24-hour buffet is usually mobbed at regular mealtimes – breakfast, lunch, dinner – but if you can visit at odd hours, you can enjoy excellent fare with no lines. If you eat in the main dining rooms, you can purchase a bottle of wine one evening and the server will keep it for tomorrow night if you can’t finish it. However, it’s cheaper to order a bottle of wine or your favorite alcohol and have it delivered to your stateroom than it is to order drinks by the glass around the ship.
It’s a good idea to purchase a latte card if you’re addicted to Starbucks. You pay for ten lattes but get another five free.
Taking an early plane home means you get off the ship in the first group to disembark, and you arrive at the airport before the departing hoards and also before those arriving to take your place begin to fly in.
We only take carry-on luggage; it’s amazing how much you can squeeze into a wheelie when you’re packing summer clothing in January. I have noticed, however, that dirty clothes take up more space than clean ones.
The price of clothing and accessories in the onboard stores goes down as the cruise heads for home. Sales abound. So if you need an extra pair of shorts or swim trunks, buy them later rather than earlier. You can also ship things home if you buy more than your carry-on holds.
One thing I have not found a helpful tip about is how to accept when the cruise is over and you have to return to the real world. We’ve unpacked; we’ve looked at our pictures; we’ve even studied our Visa bill for damages. But it isn’t the same thing as being there.
I guess we’ll just have to book another cruise and have it to look forward to.
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