Thinking About Cruising?

Okay, you've decided to think about cruising.  Maybe you've seen other people come back from a cruise and they've ranted and raved about it.  Or maybe you've seen lots of commercials and you are ready to think about the possibility.

I'll tell you one thing right off, you either love cruises or you hate them.  There's really not any in-between.  When it comes to spending your hard-earned cash on a vacation, you definitely want it to be something you LOVE!  But, if you've never been on one, be open to the possibility of trying it.

Answers to Common Cruise Concerns:

1.  Will I get seasick?  Will I "feel" the ship moving?

• It depends.  My husband is someone who is highly sensitive to motion sickness; very small boats and even some roller coaster rides make him nauseated.  However, on our first cruise, he recalls feeling the ship rocking side to side. But after two-three days, he doesn't remember feeling it too much.
• If you suffer from motion sickness, or you think you might be susceptible on the ship, get a room as close to center in the ship as possible.  Also, the direction your bed faces is important too.  If your bed is facing the sides of the ship, then while you sleep you will feel the rocking side-to-side.  However, if you get a bed that is facing either front or back, then the rocking motion is greatly reduced.
• You will feel the ship moving the most in the very front of the ship (theaters) and in the back (where the pools/buffets are).
• If in doubt, talk to your family doctor and request a prescription for an anti-nausea medication.  Or, ask a pharmacist and get something over-the-counter.
• The larger the ship, the less you will feel.  During inclement weather, if the seas get a little rocky, you will definitely feel the movement of the ship.
• If you experience motion sickness on the ship, there is a nurse's station where you can get anti-nausea medication.

2.  How do you afford to do them?

• Whatever you do, DO NOT PUT YOUR CRUISE ON A CREDIT CARD!  You will be paying for the vacation for weeks, possibly months, after you get home. It's not fun to come home from a great vacation only to deal with the stress of paying for the cruise on credit.
• Cruise lines require a deposit per person for the cruise.  Book the cruise 6 months to a year in advance, depending on your finances, for how long it would take you to pay if off in cash.  After you pay off the cruise with monthly installments, set aside the cash for spending on the ship.
• This may mean that you won't be able to take the cruise till the following summer, but hey, you'll thank me that you did it this way.  
• We charged our first cruise and spending cash on a credit card, and regretted it for about a year.  After that, we were smart about how we vacationed.  I recommend opening a cash account on board instead of using a credit card.  Cruise lines require a minimum cash deposit for on-board accounts.  Again, this will lessen the likelihood that you will come home on vacation stressed by credit card bills.  DO take a credit card for emergency purchases only. (I.e., getting stranded in a foreign country; breaking a leg while riding a horse, etc.)
• Tips and gratuities are posted automatically to your on-board account. Set money aside early to plan for this.  It is recommended to pay $10 per day per person.  You may pay for tips/gratuities up front, and you may also request that the amount be raised/lowered depending on your cruise experience.  This is handled through the concierge on board.
• There are "off season" times for cruising.  The months of May, June, July, & August are peak months for warm destinations (Caribbean, Mexico, Bahamas, etc.).  Meaning they are more expensive due to the weather.  The most affordable months to go are February, September, & October.  These months have no major holidays and the weather is still amazing in the southern hemisphere.

3.  Should we take our kids?

• This also depends on your family.  Most cruise lines have become savvy to the vacation needs of working families, so almost all cruise lines have some sort of children's programs so they will have plenty of things to do during the day on the ship, then you can spend dinner time as a family and attend the shows together.
• There are lots of different excursions that are good for kids as well.
• I do not recommend taking children who are not yet potty trained.  It can be done, but imagine being at Six Flags or Disney World with a very small child (baby or infant) for 4-7 days.  It can be done, but you may not get much relaxation out of your vacation.

4.  When do you find the time to go?

• Planning for your vacation is so important!  After our first one in 2007, we made it a point to plan in advance to take our cruise.  I am a teacher and my husband works full time as well. So we had to look at our calendar in advance and select a time we thought was best.
• We recommend taking a 4-5 day cruise first.  This will help you determine if it fits your personal vacation style, and it's easier to plan around.
• Try to find a cruise that either starts or ends on a weekend.  This will allow you to use fewer vacation days.

5.  How do we book a cruise?

• After researching cruises online, call the cruise line directly.  We recommend going straight through the company, and not an individual agent.  Cruise Line Agents have more access to reservation information and are typically more expertise on the different ships and staterooms.

Okay!  Enough thinking!  Time to do some research!