Is it your first time?
Patti Pietschmann
Whether you’re a teenager, millennial or senior citizen
taking your first cruise, you really need to clip and save this tip
sheet.
Patti Pietschmann
- Is there a laundry or cleaners on board. Yes almost every ship offers both or at least one and some have free self-service laundries (Crystal and Silversea).
- Are there hairdryers, yes and if not in your cabin you can request one.
- Is there Wifi, yes. It does cost however except on some ships such as Silversea, all Regent Seven Seas, Crystal suites and penthouse deck staterooms. Most lines offer packages that bring the cost down and it’s a good idea if you expect to use the service often. Speed is always a major factor at sea where it moves at a snail’s pace often, especially on big ships with thousands of people on the web at once.
- Is everything included in the fare I paid? Not necessarily and only on cruise lines that indicate they are “all inclusive” such as Crystal, Seabourn, Regent Seven Seas, and Silverseas. On all of those you get all drinks and your tips picked up. On Regent Seven Seas you even get air, transfers, WiFi and more. On other lines such as Princess, Holland America, Carnival, Cunard, Celebrity etc. you are charged for drinks (even water), specialty coffees (espresso etc),tips which are charged to your account, and everything but meals and entertainment.
- Is there a spa or fitness center. Yes on nearly every new ship there is both, fitness center use is always free but some lines charge for yoga, Pilates and spinning, but do give you a few workouts free.
- Will I get seasick? Well that depends on if you have a propensity for it. If you do the ship has pills and there are gadgets you can buy before your cruise. Ships often rock especially during hurricane season. So be prepared.
Ahoy seafarers! Before you embark on that cruise ship, take this lesson in nautical lingo.
1. A ship is always refer to in the feminine as a ‘she’ or a ‘her’ etc. Sorry dudes it's just the way it is.2. The Bridge is different than the Brig an you really want to be on the former rather than the latter because the bridge is the raised, transverse platform where the captain navigates the ship. The brig is where naughty people are locked up.
3. Aft is to the back or rear.
4. Port is to the left and not something to drink.
5. Starboard is right and doesn't mean a celebrity has boarded the ship.6. Leeward means out of the wind.
7. Bow is the front of the boat--but when on board never call it a "boat" always say "ship" because that's the way the captain prefers his vessel to be called, and it's only proper.
8. Even keel--we're not talking you being on a even keel, but the rather the ship when it is steady and hopefully verticle.
9. Hull is the frame and body of the vessel.10. Knot is how a ship's speed is measured and is equal to one nautical mile an hour.
11. Screw--no this doesn't mean what you think, it's the
ship's propeller, and "twin screw" also doesn't mean what you might
think, two sisters are not involved here, this means double propellers.
12. Manifest is the invoice of everyone and thing on board
from the Captain down to the cargo. It's important information when a
ship enters or leaves a port.
13. Tender, this isn't money but a small boat that takes
passengers to and from shore when the ship is anchored off shore, which
happens when the port is too small, or croweded to abide the vessel.
14. Pitch, not a ball toss, but rather th rise and fall of the ship's bow.
15. Running lights doesn't mean speeding through
intersection. This is an international law that requires certin lights
to be turned on between sunrise and sunset when the ship's in motion.
Hopefully next time you're on a cruise you'll know what is
meant when someone says, "screw," "her", "tender", "pitch", and all the
other nautical lingo above.
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