For most of my life I believed that a cruise vacation was something I couldn’t even dream of.
Then, I heard about some friends who were taking cruises every summer. One summer I even heard about 4 different groups (family & friends) who had gone or were going on a cruise that summer.
I was totally surprised. What did they know that I didn’t?
Talk about being green! I was like Angela Brown in her blog post, Diary of a First-time Cruiser, when she wrote that there was so much she didn’t know, she didn’t know what to ask.
It was time to start finding out how these friends and family members were able to do it, and what they did on the cruises.
First, I did some reading up on cruising so I could appear a little intelligent, then asked a friend about the cruise she and her husband took. Here’s the short version of that interview.
Joyce: What cruise line did you use?
Connie: We went with Princess Cruise Line.
Joyce: What documentation did you need? (ID, passport. . .?)
Connie: We needed a valid passport.
Joyce: Were you required to have any vaccinations?
Connie: You should phone your local health district concerning vaccinations.
Joyce: Did you book an air/cruise package?
Connie: I booked our own air but you can buy the air ticket with the cruise line.
Joyce: Why did you chose to get your own flight?
Connie: I got our flights because we wanted to go in early and go to Sea world.
Joyce: Did the cruise line provide transportation to the ship and back again?
Connie: The cruise line does provide transfers to and from the airport at a cost.
Joyce: What was the check-in process like?
Connie: The security to get on the ship is much the same as airport security. They do not go through your bags but your bags do go through an x-ray machine to see what is inside them. You have to show your boarding pass and they put it under a scanner and you show id to make sure that you are the right person and on the right ship. Once you receive your key, you can go to your room.
Joyce: How many restaurants on board?
Connie: There were 7 restaurants on board.
Joyce: Were the meals at set times?
Connie: You can book set times for eating or you can go to the buffet, the grill or do anytime dining. There is one restaurant that is set time for dining and the rest is as you come.
Joyce: Were you required to dress formally for dinner?
Connie: They do have formal nights while you are on the cruise. They also have casual nights. You can dress formal if you like or you can go to the buffet or one of the other restaurants.
Joyce: What kind of clothes did you need?
Connie: We took dresses and capris for me and suit and tie and then casual clothes for Terry.
Joyce: Was your cabin like a closet or did it have some space? Were you inside or outside, and would you book the same next time?
Connie: Our cabin was an inside cabin. It had a queen bed, a 9-drawer dresser and a large closet. It also had a bathroom with a shower and vanity. We preferred the inside because it was nice and dark and there was no clock so we did not know what time it was and we could sleep in if we wanted to.
Joyce: Were you expected to tip or was the service charge included in the cost?
Connie: Tipping was added onto your bill at the end of your cruise. We were charged 10.50 per day per person in the cabin for everyone. The only one that we tipped extra was our cabin steward because he did whatever we asked.
Joyce: Did you sign up for any of the scheduled activities at ports of call?
Connie: We did not sign up for any excursions.
Joyce: How easy is it to do your own thing rather than pay for the scheduled excursions?
Connie: There are lots of things to do without doing excursions. We went walking and exploring on our own. There are a lot of cabs and buses waiting for people to get off the ship.
Joyce: Were the port charges included in your fare?
Connie: You receive one price from the cruise line and it includes taxes, port charges and the cruise.
Joyce: What did soda cost on board?
Connie: A can of soda was $2.03 taxes included.
Joyce: What extra amenities were available?
Connie: There was an exercise room, salon, spa, tuxedo & dress rentals, Broadway type shows, comedians, specialty coffee shop, library, Art Auction.
Joyce: What was the security like on board?
Connie: The security was very noticeable because we went during spring break.
Joyce: Anything else you want to ad?
Connie: Cruising is very good because you unpack once and never have to move. But, you also get to explore different locations and see if you like them and maybe go back for longer stays.
That interview was just the tip of the iceberg. My interest was piqued and I was on a mission to learn how to get a luxury cruise vacation at an affordable price.
I found out how! And today I’m sharing my findings with you!
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