thanks so much for your amazing tips! All of them are relevant for me. Just booked the NCL Bliss Mex Riv Oct 31 2023. The tip about chair hogs. "whoda thought?" and watching cruise TV instead of wasting time at a presentation. thank you. the best one by far is the one about previous cruises "roll calls". that is a fantastic idea. Cant wait ! Kathy from Vancouver Canada ❤
Love the Facebook groups for the different cruises. They are helpful and informative. Lots of new cruisers ask questions, and I love to help them out with information.
Jamie, my husband and I are new cruisers and going on our first cruise at the end of August on the Carnival Horizon. Prior to actually making reservations, I did and continue to do so much research. I can't believe how much there is to know. Thankfully, there is some amazing cruise content like this to help educate and prepare us for a great cruise. Ty 😊
And I think a very important tip and it gets more important every year. CHECK FOR BED BUGS, just like any other hotel/motel they’re a lot of different people from different places staying in the same room you’re staying in. Also they throw all your luggage together at the terminal take the extra time when you first get there to do a quick check.
Lizmillan1 good for you. I took my mother on our very first cruise June 2019. She was 62 years old. All my life I heard her say some day she wanted to take a cruise. 2018 I finally said why not now. Booked everything a year out so I could save every spare penny. Got a part time job to help pay for the cruise since the full time job paid the bills. Now we plan on cruising once a year as long as we can. Do check out the talks like the morning show with the cruise director and the shopping show in person. They give free things like dinner at specialty restaurants, shore excursions, and jewelry. Enjoy yourself.
Yeah, I remember on my first cruise, this was a Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise--I regret not joining their early-morning "exercise" club where every day you get a stamp for participating in something physical, such as running around the perimeter of the deck, or playing a game of basketball, or joining in for calisthenics or yoga, etc. On the last day of the cruise, you can turn in your completed record and receive a free Norwegian Cruise Line t-shirt identified as one of the members of the work-out club. I hadn't noticed that on the "newspaper" until half-way through the cruise, and by that time it was too late. And another thing like that on that same cruise was getting a souvenir for filling up a card with stamps for getting a drink at each and every bar and lounge that they had on ship. That 's the kind of fun I like, but I didn't have the foresight to join that until it was too late to catch up. You mentioned long lines prior to entertainment, MSC makes you reserve in advance for the main entertainment and therefore there are no terrible lines. On-line, MSC got a lot of complaints for that system, but I found that it was a very good idea. And their shows were outstanding, so yes, of course you would want to make sure you had a spot in there. They had three showings per day, so I think everybody would be able to see every show if they planned ahead and made sure to make reservations--I just booked every single one of them on the first hour I stepped on board the ship.. Although there is nothing to make people follow this, the one thing I dislike more than even poolside lounge hogs is the people who waste so much food at the buffets. I saw so many people taking about three times the food than they could possibly eat. When I took exercise walks around all the decks, I would see empty table after table with trays left with piles of taken but not eaten food, that crew members had to later dispose of. That raises the cost of cruising for people like you and me.
@@gennakale My first few cruises I just left the suitcases open on the floor lol imagine using closets!?! Now I have the kids with me so we pack every little nook lol
I'm about to go on my 6th and 7th cruises in 2020, and 2021 and in all my years of cruising your pro tip at the very end was the first time I've heard of that and IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SMART!!!! OMG Thank you!!!
Enjoy your cruise. I also want to add the crowds after Muster drill. Too many people waiting fora few elevators. Let everyone go ahead of you and get a drink .
Nancy Kerstetter we , after the muster drill, stayed behind to chat and decide what to do during the going away party. If the cabin is just you or just two, the cabin should be Ok.
Cyndi R., yup, as long as you’re not faced with climbing more than 9 flights of stairs to get to your stateroom on top of the ship! Then, you’ll truly prefer to wait a little and use that elevator 😊👍😊!
Great pointers and information that new cruisers will benefit from! Totally agree about the port info/shopping talks, I went to one of those that lasted an hour but felt like three. I didn't want to be rude and walk out but I'll never go to another!
I love cruising too. Waiting at the elevators is a pain also. I was just on the Carnival Horizon and they had touchscreen elevators that directed you to what elevator to use. Everyone was always waiting for their elevator. Luckily our cabin was near the middle of the ship so we took the stairs a lot.
Imagine our first cruise was in 1986, 34 years ago, in those days, they didn’t have tours, all we did was come out of the ship and ask around the locals where to go. The first was NCL Skyward, I don’t remember how many passengers were on the ship, but it was so nice.
My first cruise was an inside cabin. The last four cruises we had aft facing balcony lots of room. Next cruise we are getting a suite. If you book early you can get a great deal on suites.
Re: Overpacking A friend used to say, "When you travel, it doesn't matter how many outfits you pack; you'll end up wearing the same three things." LOL! Not too far from the truth! Me personally: I always prepay gratuities, and buy an alcohol package. Even though I'm not a "big drinker," just having that much free time is going to lead to more drinking than I thought, and I want to enjoy my drinks without worrying about what my total is "now." Since the drink package includes tips, but I don't want the server to put me on "ignore," I tip an extra $1-2. And-- very important -- on the empty line on the ticket for adding tips, I carefully print "PAID CASH" and keep my copy of the receipt for myself. Not that anyone would ever be sneaky and add their own preferred amount, but -- if I've taken up all the space, well. . .
I've done two cruises so far, both on the same ship, Carnival Legend..I've only cruised in Australian waters and to New Zealand..l don't remember tipping AT ALL on these cruises nor do l remember any gratuities on the bill, mind you, they may have been there and l didn't realise..my next cruise is to New Caledonia on the Carnival Splendor, just out of Australian waters, can anybody tell me if cruise ships operating in my area expect tipping to be done..?? Australia does not have a tipping culture..
@@grandmasmagic3858 Whatever works for you! I'm sure the multi-national crew is accustomed to the multi-national tipping habits of various cruisers. Having come up within a tipping society, I feel an obligation of sorts. That plus, I have worked for tips, and they were crucial to add to my teeny-tiny paycheck (nowhere near "minimum wage.")
Carol Taylor Hey, Carol! I am 65 years old. When I was about 34, I worked for Olive Garden a few months (which is no longer owned by the same corporation.). Back then server base pay was $2.00/hour for all the “side work” (sweeping floor, rolling silverware in napkins, prepping and stacking bread baskets with napkins.). And though meal prices have certainly increased in 30+ years (and tips are earned from that direct customer se4vice) the cost restaurants pay for the same side work has increased by.... 10 cents? What’s the base.pay for servers today? $2.10? AND... I was required to arrive and start work 10 minutes BEFORE I was allowed to clock in. Imagine all those staff members working 10 minutes for free every day and how much that saved the restaurant. Isn’t that (shouldn’t that?) be illegal?
The chair hogs are the worst. As a first time cruiser this was probably the biggest disappointment for me. I could never find 3 chairs for my family to sit out on the deck and when I told the towel guy that there were no chairs nothing was done about it. Hundreds of chairs with towels. After that we didn’t even try going back to the deck. Luckily we had a lot of excursions scheduled and hardly spend any time on the ship unless it was a sea day. At night we had specialty dining and shows scheduled so we didn’t have much time to just sit around at the deck anyhow. Great tips. I also found that watching some cruisers packing video’s provided us with great tips on what to bring on your cruise. We were well prepared and didn’t over pack.
This is my favorite travel channel. I love cruising. We used to be very faithful Carnival cruisers. Now we love Disney. My first cruise I did not know about the gratuity and port charges. I was devastated. Now I pay it in advance. Love that Disney includes sodas for free too.
Great info! Something else that I found on my first cruise was passengers already swimming in the pool when we got there! I was astonished. We couldn’t even go to the staterooms yet. Bring a swimsuit in your carry on. That is the trick!
Here is what I learned from my Royal Caribbean recent cruise. 1. If you can afford it(check the price difference from what you are paying) I suggest a suit upgrade to a Grand Suit or higher. Why you ask? 1. Priority boarding, luggage on last day. 2. Priority/reserve seating at the shows and the pool...no chair hogs to worry about. 3. Priority tender tickets for ports that require(lines can be long upon arrival to port). 4. Daily happy hour for 3.5 hrs in concierge lounge with free drinks/snacks. 5. Wine/champagne upon arrival or during cruise. 6. Larger stateroom/balcony.
Only been a couple of cruises, but here are some things I’ve learned. Use soft/duffle bags when possible. Save the regular case for things that shouldn’t be squished like shampoo, make-up, electronics, etc. You can roll all the bags up and store them in the one case. A huge space saver and much easier on your back! Also take photos of anything valuable. Jewelry, electronics with serial and model number and so on. Then email them to yourself. Just in case, you know? You can sometimes buy an international phone card. Unless you have a GREAT cell plan, calls can be a killer. As can notifications! SHUT OFF MOBILE DATA AND PUT YOUR CELL ON AIRPLANE MODE! Depending on your plan, of course. Double and triple check with you carrier and get it in writing if possible. A list of all medications, prescription or over counter, is important. Many lines will have that on the info forms you must fill out. 😊
Sandra Myers Thank you Sandra for sharing these invaluable tips with all of us, inexperienced cruisers out there! Be healthy, stay safe and when you get the chance to share one more of your experience advices , please do- we’re all awaiting for them and appreciative!😁👍😁
Just want to thank you for a very informative posting. My husband and I are not new cruisers BUT we don't cruise every year. Things change from year to year, like the size of the ships for one. Your suggestion to turn on the TV was great. I would never have thought of that as a place to learn about what's going on. I will try to remember all you suggested and take that advise with me on our 15 day cruise to Hawaii in February 2020. Thanks again.
On my first family cruise, I didn’t know about the automatic tips - 2 adults and 2 kids and it added up. But the kids had sailed for free so I didn’t get upset.
@steve bartley Can you tell me more about this? I'm a family of four and we're in the very early stages of planning a cruise. I had no idea about the tipping thing. Ugh. Such a pain in the ass.
The pre-tipping is the way to go. Then if your room attendant or dinner servers go above and beyond for the week a little extra on the last full day is just fine.
I want to thank Sharon at Sea and her crew.. Jamie and Matthew. I appreciate your honest and direct videos and port reviews. There is a lot of noise on youtube for vacation blogs, and your content is anything but Noise. We began our first cruise experience in 2012. We had no idea we would end up as involved and inspired, as we have become in such a short time. We were Not vacation enthusiasts before that. We have had remarkable vacations, met amazing people along the way- visited ports and countries we never thought was possible. We have come to value that time, our cruise vacation time in a new light of self awareness and appreciation of other people and places.. so worth the effort and money. That is what we have. Great experiences in life. And your content helps us keep this agenda, current.
On my first cruise, over 30 years ago. I was disappointed they didn’t throw streamers overboard when you left the port at the bon voyage party, like they always showed on the tv show “Love Boat” lOL!
I've done 12 cruises and for the first 7, I either bought, or was upgraded to a balcony cabin. My last cruise was in an interior cabin. Considering how little time I spend in the cabin, an inside cabin was fine. Now, I'd never pay for a balcony, I'd rather spend the money on shore excursions or booze.
I didn't have to deal with any of these issues on my first cruise. I know when I boarded the ship, I was expecting stuff like this to happen, but I didn't have any issues with Viking. Now Viking isn't for everyone, but it was the most informative and relaxing cruise I could have imagined, but you have to be willing to pay a little extra for it.
A new tip that I have never heard before this video is to join a cruise FB group for the PREVIOUS cruise. I love that idea, thanks! Going on my 3rd cruise this April!
That's a good video presentation and excellent for new cruisers. We have been cruising for many years with various lines, but prefer the ships that are about 2000 passengers or max 3000. The larger ships are more fun for younger families where there are lost of entertainment for them. The packing we learnt, but in the early days we did dress up for the more formal nights. These days we do not and prefer the more Country Casual dress code, but limiting any swimwear to the buffet restaurant, where shorts are preferred. The other restaurants have strict rules on slacks and polo shirts for the men, dresses or casual for ladies. We have always gone for larger room space and the suites have just that. The last 6 cruises have been with Oceania Cruises, where the Penthouses are very good. There are also several restaurants and the deck space is ample. Other lines we have been with where tips are included have been paid, but on two of those we had it withdrawn and prefer to tip certain people now, particularly as we no longer drink, so wine waiters dont get anything from us. We also pre-book all excursions before the trip. It saves disappointment when they could be filled up. We are booked up for June, but yesterday had a message to say we could cancel up to 48 hours before the cruise for any reason and get 100% cruise credit. That is for the Virus scare at present, which is really looking after customers. Good luck and happy cruising.
This video is so informative, so well presented...bravo! We’re going on Carnival Horizon in beginning of March of 2020 and can’t wait to experience as much as we possibly can with our children. And will definitely keep in mind all of these valuable tips to try to get the most fun of the entire cruise. Thank you!
Awesome tip about checking the Facebook group for the cruise just prior to yours. I never would have thought of that. Thanks ! New subscriber. Loving watching your videos so far.
first time when we cruised ocean, disappointment was that most destinations are two, three hours one way from port, meaning you either book excursions or buy train tickets and museums tickets way ahead of time : paris ( le havre ), florence ( livorno, la spezia), rome vatican ( civitavecchia), granada or cordoba ( malaga, motril , almeria), seville ( cadiz, huelva), figueres ( palamos), brussels ( zeebrugge or antwerp ), london ( southampton, harwich or dover ), mont st michel ( cherbourg, st malo), berlin potsdam ( warnemuende),
Ive been following your channel for a bit now. First time cruiser here, in 14 days.. going to Cozumel! I will def keep in mind all tips and secrets you gave. My friend and I are naturally early risers, so hopefully we can get to the deck and have great seating
Hey there Just cruised on Symphony of the Seas and the balcony cabin I had for me and the wife was actually a good size...And I got the Alcohol package and a Specialty restaurant...Wasn't bad at all... Will be going on another cruise in the future...Thx for the info, Bro
How would you rate this ship and its adventures? On a scale of 1:10? What time is lights out at night time? Like the narrator here is saying about the hidden fees etc, what was your tips and gratuity charges after your cruise ends? Could you dispute these charges like he said? Could you pay the $14.00 per day upfront before so you don't have to deal with it after? And lastly for that cruise on the SOTS, in your particular cabin(if you could name) what was the cost for that 7 days cruise all inclusive for you and your wife? Thanks.
We always get an aft balcony cabin. My fiancé likes to sleep until about 7 and I wake up about 5 so I sit on the balcony and figure out our activities for the day! It’s one of my favorite parts of cruising.
I wake up and go get a couple of cups of coffee watch the sunrise and make a couple of laps of a basically empty ship because few people are up at that tome. Then go wake the family and plan the day.
Warning for the long lines on upper decks, wear lots of sunblock or rash guard. Take off all your jewelry, watches, glasses, hats... because you will have to leave them behind on the slides, zipline...
Jamie, thanks for the great list. After 7 cruises I still learned a couple of things. I love the tip of asking questions in Facebook groups for the cruise that just got back (for the cruise you are going on.) I will definitely use that in the future. Unfortunately I cannot use that on my next cruise as it is a rare cruise round trip from LA to Hawaii. The question I cannot get an answer to is "how cold will it be in the south pacific during the 5 sea days?" Thanks again for your great Vlogs.
I just finished my first cruise. I experienced every one of these issues. My largest gripe is there were activities that required reservations. Like laser tag for the kids. The reservations were full within hours of the first day and then people just never showed up. The staff wouldn’t allow us to participate without a reservation even when there were no shows for those who did make a reservation. Really frustrating. And I had no idea I needed to prioritize reservations when I first boarded the ship.
Cyndi Rothrock I don’t know what you are going on about. Everything was included. I didn’t mention a single thing that was not included. The policy of not allowing people to take the place of a “no show” is not in the paperwork nor would I expect it to be.
@Cyndi Rothrock Ok, and the reason I posted what I did was to help others to be informed. I honestly don't know if I would have read fine print to this level of detail even if they had it.
On my first cruise, to Hawaii in 1964, the shower and toilet were in the same compartment. You kind of straddled the toilet while showering and there was water everywhere!
I think saving a chair for a person not there is chair porking. when i get out of pool i just assume a chair with a towell on it is provided for comfort by staff and t there to soak up water so as to keep deck dry and slip free..
My tip for the pool is . try the deck above the pool deck useally has more chairs or try other pool other then the main one. On princess alot of the ships have a pool on the back of the ship and ncl has an adult area with hot tubs and a water fall not a pool but you can still get a drink and a chair
make sure you choose your best mode of travel: ocean cruise, river cruise, train package, bus tour, independent travel, do your math. consider excursions essential unless you do extensive research on actual distance of port from advertised city, my specialty is europe but applies elsewhere.
Great video. I've never cruised and as a single don't want to pay a single supplement or join a singles group to get a better deal. I'm something of a loner and like to do my own thing. Can you shed some light on cruising for singles who don't want to join groups? Thank you.
Paul Connors - Norwegian has solo studio cabins on their newer ships. No singles supplement, or groups required. www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/solo-cruising
My problem isn't taking clothes, it's taking stuff to do. It was ok when I just wanted to read, because I could just load my Kindle, but when I started knitting and embroidery it was tough finding a project that would keep me occupied but wouldn't mean three bags full of wool and thread.
You can stick the deck chairs! I managed to sit in one for about half an hour before it just killed my back. Damned uncomfortable, to say nothing of hot and sticky. Yeah, nah, pass on that!
cruise excursions allow you to skip visas for russia st Petersburg, turkey for example, many times vietnam, cambodia, india(?) , allow you to avoid language barriers , if you prefer, sometimes transport only option guarantees you will make it back to ship on time but otherwise free to explore, along with skip crowd tickets to popular attractions: uffizi, vatican, alhambra, louvre or orsay, sagrada familia, last supper etc
Hi thanks for your feed back, we were going to book our first cruise but after watching your you tube videos we have decided that it appears to be a lot of hidden costs forced apon you. Not for us as it appears from your comments also you have to split up daily to enjoy the basics, example recently we attended an event where person in the cue in front of us was a teacher who was holding a space for her 50 students who got the last seats available this sounds like what happens on cruises from your comments re pool seats, restaurants etc. Thanks for making us aware of these first time issues
We are going on our first cruise and it would cost me $1000 more for my hubby & I to have a balcony….that’s a lot of money and I just can’t justify paying that. It’s almost one third of the price of my cruise (with drinks, tips, & wi-fi) and I would rathe use the money towards my air fare, excursions and specialty dining. Just my opinion of course and btw the balcony doesn’t cost the cruise line anything so that’s free money for them.
1. The size of the cabin 2. No room to relax on the pool deck 3. 'Everything' is not included in the price (and cruise line puts holds on your credit card) 4. Always something you want to do but didn't find out about until the cruise was nearly over 5. Long lines you get stuck in for food, shows etc.
I'm often asked about cruising, because I've been cruising carnival twice a year for 6 years. "Platinum here I come" I always suggest first timers to take the key west and cozumel cruise. It's short and cheap. This way you can form your own opinion bases on experience. What cruise do you suggest and your favorite?
Never mind new cruisers. We are going on our 13th but on a proper US ship for the first time - we went on a mini cruise from Fort Lauderdale 16 years ago. Since then it has been UK based cruise lines, some on Marella (part of TUI) - they have ex Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships refurbished for the UK market (Splendour of the Seas for example). They are all inclusive including tips, the activities are UK centric. In February we will be on Quantum of the Seas for 9 days sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong and we are having to do all the work you say. The drinks - cough!!! Gratuities! The ship is very Asian focussed so that will be a change. RUclips content such as yours is great to help understand what you will be doing and what to expect.
Thank you! Going on our first cruise on The Sky Princess Baltics 11 day in June 2020. This was really helpful. I can plan or mentally prepare for all of these. So excited!!
Thanks Jamie awesome tips. I'm cruising in Jan. First vacation for JUST my hubby and myself since our 2001 honeymoon cruise. I'm definitely going to have my hubby watch this. I'm kind of addicted to watching Sharon at sea as well as other cruise videos. Thanks again.
I have looked at other cruise lines. Was going to book the Joy. Until- I saw... their lower category cabins. To get something comparable to Carnival- my 7 day cruise would jump up- considerably. And we are talking, Interior to Interior, and Ocean View to Ocean View. When I look at the whole package... I will stay with Carnival and be happy with the large cabin space they have offered, pre- Mardi Gras. There, they did do some shrinky dink business in cabin sizing.
Mary Frehulfer, I honestly won't care about the size of the cabin because, as Jamie said, I'll be out and about enjoying the ship and won't use the cabin for much of anything but showering, changing, storing my stuff, catching a nap here and there, and maybe ordering some room service.
milano ( genova, portofino or savona etc) , plus most interesting cities in land are not available for ocean cruise, whereas river cruises you actually reach the actual advertised city or at least a suburb. vienna budapest danube, main wuerzburg nuernberg, elbe dresden prague berlin, etc
Here are mine: 1. When all costs are taken into account, the cost per day is much more than flying to a couple of land based resorts. 2. Obnoxious passengers 3. CoconaVirus, Gastro floating petrie dish 4. Subject to itinerary changes with no compensation 5. Having to pay months in advance.
Another way is to go on cruisecritic . Com. Sign on and search roll calls to find your cruise. Plenty of people on there and they have cruise critic meet ups.
Thank you so much for this! You are spot on! I'm glad this video exists. I have family and friends that haven't taken a cruise. This is perfect information!! Thanks Guys!
Wow Carnival has double feature movies every night on the liddos big screen. Im there most nights for at least one movie if not both. Also I have a preteen son and we love the pools and water parks.
LOL! I dont consider myself to be a "loner", but when I go to the Lido Deck & see ALL those PEOPLE, I usually look 👀 but keep on walking thru, 👣 & end up back in my balcony cabin to "relax"! Too many people all "packed" in those lounge chairs around the pool! Seems like it's hundreds of people out there!!! 😲
@@jamesnelson7731 Movies are always ones that I have seen. I did spend time at the Lido when it's a Disney cruise...at night....because they have some cool pirate parties and fireworks at the sea. But hanging around the pool all day seems like a waste of time. The cruise pool is the least of the attractions on my priority list...lol. In 25 years I can't remember ever getting into a cruise pool. Hot tub yes....a few times....always at night.
@@Dangic23 ---- I've often seen the movies too, but sometimes they show things I haven't seen. The hot tube is what worries me. I keep hearing stories of people contracting flesh eating viruses and stuff from them. Also I dont hang around the lido all day. We do other things and excursions. FloRiding is hard. Made embarrassing videos falling.
Me either. I like to keep busy the whole time I'm on vacation, drives my husband crazy. I spend sea days going from activity to activity. Love the trivia even though I usually suck at it. LOL
The biggest thing that surprised me was that some things are not included. Like water and soda. I can totally understand having dining locations that cost extra. If they didn’t you could never get into them but water should be included.
My new cruising disappointments: -- Poorly placed library/game room areas. I can't tell you how many ships have put it right next to the atrium when its supposed to be a quiet, relaxing spot on board. -- Muster Drill complainers. It's a necessary drill, nobody likes it...So, just suck it up and deal with it quietly people. Even now that I am a seasoned cruiser, it annoys me. -- Cruise-Run Excursions.The best and most affordable excursions I've been on have been independently-run, but I didn't realize that when I was new. --The size of the pools. They are tiny. Especially considering how many people are on board and want to utilize them.
Side note: I rarely take the elevator on a cruise ship.I would personally rather walk up or down the stairs (especially at times I know they will be a crush). There are plenty of grandmas and disabled folks on the ship who need them way more than I do.
Seems like a lot of stuff to remember while your supposed to be on vacation. I've never been on a cruise and at 45 years old now it doesn't even sound enjoyable.
Seems like a lot of hurry up and get there early and get your spot type of BS. Other than the cheap price compared to staying in a hotel or VRBO; I can't see why they are popular.
@@Christmaspuss1 it was 7 Days of mindless mirth. Not my thing. The live music was pretty cheesy. There were brief moments of enjoyment squashed in between hectic going here and there.
I've been on 2 cruise going on my 3rd April 19 2021 on the navigator of the sea. There was only 3 things that i found annoying but avoidable. 1.If you Get to the ship early say around 11 or 12. When u check your bags in your bags may not arrive to your room till 3 or 4. So PACK a bathing suite to carry with you when u boarded the ship!!!! Or anything u my need. 2. The mustard drill is annoying ! Arrive a little late ( dont be that guy and be super late). Your ready to party and get your vacation on and you have to spend 10-20 min packed in with everyone in the heat. To listen to there safety procedures. Make sure you bring 2 drinks ! Double fisting always gets me threw it much easier 😉. 3. The gratuity at the end of the cruise. It sucks but if u no exactly how much u will be charged u wont be surprised. NOW SOME HELPFUL TIPS LOL 1. Get room by the elevator. The ship is BIG and walking down those halls at the end of at long day starts to suck. 2.Get the drink package! Trust me its worth it. Paying 20+ dollars for 2 Miami vice can add up quick. Plus even if your not a big drinker u can try all there cool drinks. And belive me when i say u will drink alot more then you think. They have so many cool and great teasting drinks. 3. Put on sun block. Nothing worse then a sun burn on vacation. Been there done that it sucks!!! 4. Call for price drops. !!! Just got a price drop for 175$ off my cruis hopefully more price drops will come. 5. Ask for for extra entrees at dinner The first night. Its free and why not try everything. Tip your waiter 20$ at the end of the night and you wont even have to ask the rest of the trip. He will just bring out extra food. 6. Dont for get to try the buffet for dinner. It was quick and easy plus the was actually pretty good. 7. When you get a drink ask for a bottle water. Me and my wife always sure a bottle every 2-3 drinks. Makes us last the whole cruise with no hang overs. 8. Book your arrival flight for early in the morning as possible. You can start boarding around 1030 -11am. Dont arrive at 2pm and be all in a rush. And be worried about delays or traffic. 9. Book your departing flight for 2pm or later. Everyone is trying to rush off the ship first thing in the morning its crazy give your self time to eat breakfast on the ship and not be in a rush.
I am going on a cruise in October on Royl Caribbean. The more I listen to these videos, the more o like Viking . Yes, I know they don't have all the fun things as other cruises, but we pay one fee and that i cludes everything. Drink packages are only $25.00 a day.
Very good advice....but be careful joining Facebook groups and telling anyone when you're not going to be home. Assholes love to peruse places like FB or blogs and find people stupid enough to tell the entire world when and where they will be for a week or two, while their home is empty! Post your pictures and blogs about your cruise AFTER YOU GET HOME!!! Not while you're away.
One tip I learned. I put cash on a gift card. I was thinking hey when I get to my gift card amount that’s it. I got 200 dollar bill. They said I went over my gift card amount.
Those talks like shopping often have give aways. My first cruise I won free dinner for 2 at the steak house at the morning show withering the CD. The shopping talk gave a Leo diamond necklace. Shore excursions were given away. Lots of things.
There are also facebook pages for a certain cruise line. For example, I am on the Princess Cruises page. It's not for a specific sailing, but everything about that line.
thanks so much for your amazing tips! All of them are relevant for me. Just booked the NCL Bliss Mex Riv Oct 31 2023. The tip about chair hogs. "whoda thought?" and watching cruise TV instead of wasting time at a presentation. thank you. the best one by far is the one about previous cruises "roll calls". that is a fantastic idea. Cant wait ! Kathy from Vancouver Canada ❤
Love the Facebook groups for the different cruises. They are helpful and informative. Lots of new cruisers ask questions, and I love to help them out with information.
Jamie, my husband and I are new cruisers and going on our first cruise at the end of August on the Carnival Horizon. Prior to actually making reservations, I did and continue to do so much research. I can't believe how much there is to know. Thankfully, there is some amazing cruise content like this to help educate and prepare us for a great cruise. Ty 😊
And I think a very important tip and it gets more important every year. CHECK FOR BED BUGS, just like any other hotel/motel they’re a lot of different people from different places staying in the same room you’re staying in. Also they throw all your luggage together at the terminal take the extra time when you first get there to do a quick check.
Thanks for the tips, at age 64 going on my first cruise to Alaska July/20.
Why age 64? I'm 12 and I went on my first cruise when i was 9
Nikko Gonzo , life happened,between raising the bambino’s , being in the military😂
@@lizmillan1 ohhhhhh my bad 😅😂😂😂😂
I've cruised to Alaska via Celebrity cruise line in May and bundle up, it WAS FREEZING when on deck.
Lizmillan1 good for you. I took my mother on our very first cruise June 2019. She was 62 years old. All my life I heard her say some day she wanted to take a cruise. 2018 I finally said why not now. Booked everything a year out so I could save every spare penny. Got a part time job to help pay for the cruise since the full time job paid the bills. Now we plan on cruising once a year as long as we can. Do check out the talks like the morning show with the cruise director and the shopping show in person. They give free things like dinner at specialty restaurants, shore excursions, and jewelry. Enjoy yourself.
Yeah, I remember on my first cruise, this was a Norwegian Cruise Line Cruise--I regret not joining their early-morning "exercise" club where every day you get a stamp for participating in something physical, such as running around the perimeter of the deck, or playing a game of basketball, or joining in for calisthenics or yoga, etc. On the last day of the cruise, you can turn in your completed record and receive a free Norwegian Cruise Line t-shirt identified as one of the members of the work-out club. I hadn't noticed that on the "newspaper" until half-way through the cruise, and by that time it was too late. And another thing like that on that same cruise was getting a souvenir for filling up a card with stamps for getting a drink at each and every bar and lounge that they had on ship. That 's the kind of fun I like, but I didn't have the foresight to join that until it was too late to catch up.
You mentioned long lines prior to entertainment, MSC makes you reserve in advance for the main entertainment and therefore there are no terrible lines. On-line, MSC got a lot of complaints for that system, but I found that it was a very good idea. And their shows were outstanding, so yes, of course you would want to make sure you had a spot in there. They had three showings per day, so I think everybody would be able to see every show if they planned ahead and made sure to make reservations--I just booked every single one of them on the first hour I stepped on board the ship..
Although there is nothing to make people follow this, the one thing I dislike more than even poolside lounge hogs is the people who waste so much food at the buffets. I saw so many people taking about three times the food than they could possibly eat. When I took exercise walks around all the decks, I would see empty table after table with trays left with piles of taken but not eaten food, that crew members had to later dispose of. That raises the cost of cruising for people like you and me.
First cruise in 33 days. This is the best video I’ve watched. The others were informative, but this was awesome! Thanks
Always use the stairs going down. You'll save 3 hours of your life over 5 days!
Me too where u going
Chair Hogs are THE WORST!! One of our biggest surprises is finding it continues onto the private islands at those pools as well!
Great tips!!
JJ Cruise, shouldn't really be a surprise that it carries onto the private islands seeing how it's the same people doing it on the ship.
Tony Hinojosa True! We just hoped with the more space there would have been more chance for chairs!! - but nope 😂
Cyndi Rothrock haha!! Cyndi, we literally laughed out loud reading this comment. Though I do wish RC would be more proactive on watching-out for us 😁
When you get to your room utilize the closet space, put your clothes and stuff in there. It’ll help you find things and keep your room neat.
Genna Kale that’s what it’s for?
Thomas Horsman but people tend to not utilize them as much as they should
@@gennakale My first few cruises I just left the suitcases open on the floor lol imagine using closets!?! Now I have the kids with me so we pack every little nook lol
I'm about to go on my 6th and 7th cruises in 2020, and 2021 and in all my years of cruising your pro tip at the very end was the first time I've heard of that and IT IS SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO SMART!!!! OMG Thank you!!!
I used less than half of the items I brought on my 2 week cruise, definitely a good point about removing some stuff
Enjoy your cruise. I also want to add the crowds after Muster drill. Too many people waiting fora few elevators. Let everyone go ahead of you and get a drink .
Right, and for that matter elevators in general lol
Nancy Kerstetter we , after the muster drill, stayed behind to chat and decide what to do during the going away party. If the cabin is just you or just two, the cabin should be Ok.
Great great advice!!
Cyndi Rothrock Absolutely!!! 😃
Cyndi R., yup, as long as you’re not faced with climbing more than 9 flights of stairs to get to your stateroom on top of the ship! Then, you’ll truly prefer to wait a little and use that elevator 😊👍😊!
I remember the early cruises as being filled with excitement, and wonder. Everything was so new!
that was a great video :) you had things that no other you tube cruise video has covered, lovely to hear something different :)
Good advice. Although holding 2 other chairs for an untold of amount of time until your family gets there in the morning is also being a chair hog.
Great pointers and information that new cruisers will benefit from! Totally agree about the port info/shopping talks, I went to one of those that lasted an hour but felt like three. I didn't want to be rude and walk out but I'll never go to another!
Cruisers do love to talk, I've learned so much.
I love cruising too. Waiting at the elevators is a pain also. I was just on the Carnival Horizon and they had touchscreen elevators that directed you to what elevator to use. Everyone was always waiting for their elevator. Luckily our cabin was near the middle of the ship so we took the stairs a lot.
James Nelson I went in September and we didn’t have that
Imagine our first cruise was in 1986, 34 years ago, in those days, they didn’t have tours, all we did was come out of the ship and ask around the locals where to go. The first was NCL Skyward, I don’t remember how many passengers were on the ship, but it was so nice.
Thank you for the tip about joining the FB group of the same cruise a month earlier. Great idea!
My first cruise was an inside cabin. The last four cruises we had aft facing balcony lots of room. Next cruise we are getting a suite. If you book early you can get a great deal on suites.
Explain what is a suit and how is it any different from your inside cabin, except and apart from the price?
Going on my first cruise on the carnival magic in may. I appreciate the tip and advice.
Re: Overpacking
A friend used to say, "When you travel, it doesn't matter how many outfits you pack; you'll end up wearing the same three things."
LOL!
Not too far from the truth!
Me personally: I always prepay gratuities, and buy an alcohol package. Even though I'm not a "big drinker," just having that much free time is going to lead to more drinking than I thought, and I want to enjoy my drinks without worrying about what my total is "now."
Since the drink package includes tips, but I don't want the server to put me on "ignore," I tip an extra $1-2. And-- very important -- on the empty line on the ticket for adding tips, I carefully print "PAID CASH" and keep my copy of the receipt for myself. Not that anyone would ever be sneaky and add their own preferred amount, but -- if I've taken up all the space, well. . .
I've done two cruises so far, both on the same ship, Carnival Legend..I've only cruised in Australian waters and to New Zealand..l don't remember tipping AT ALL on these cruises nor do l remember any gratuities on the bill, mind you, they may have been there and l didn't realise..my next cruise is to New Caledonia on the Carnival Splendor, just out of Australian waters, can anybody tell me if cruise ships operating in my area expect tipping to be done..?? Australia does not have a tipping culture..
@@grandmasmagic3858 Whatever works for you! I'm sure the multi-national crew is accustomed to the multi-national tipping habits of various cruisers.
Having come up within a tipping society, I feel an obligation of sorts. That plus, I have worked for tips, and they were crucial to add to my teeny-tiny paycheck (nowhere near "minimum wage.")
Carol Taylor
Hey, Carol! I am 65 years old. When I was about 34, I worked for Olive Garden a few months (which is no longer owned by the same corporation.). Back then server base pay was $2.00/hour for all the “side work” (sweeping floor, rolling silverware in napkins, prepping and stacking bread baskets with napkins.). And though meal prices have certainly increased in 30+ years (and tips are earned from that direct customer se4vice) the cost restaurants pay for the same side work has increased by.... 10 cents? What’s the base.pay for servers today? $2.10? AND... I was required to arrive and start work 10 minutes BEFORE I was allowed to clock in. Imagine all those staff members working 10 minutes for free every day and how much that saved the restaurant. Isn’t that (shouldn’t that?) be illegal?
The chair hogs are the worst. As a first time cruiser this was probably the biggest disappointment for me. I could never find 3 chairs for my family to sit out on the deck and when I told the towel guy that there were no chairs nothing was done about it. Hundreds of chairs with towels. After that we didn’t even try going back to the deck. Luckily we had a lot of excursions scheduled and hardly spend any time on the ship unless it was a sea day. At night we had specialty dining and shows scheduled so we didn’t have much time to just sit around at the deck anyhow.
Great tips. I also found that watching some cruisers packing video’s provided us with great tips on what to bring on your cruise. We were well prepared and didn’t over pack.
This is my favorite travel channel. I love cruising. We used to be very faithful Carnival cruisers. Now we love Disney. My first cruise I did not know about the gratuity and port charges. I was devastated. Now I pay it in advance. Love that Disney includes sodas for free too.
Thank you so much...
Great info! Something else that I found on my first cruise was passengers already swimming in the pool when we got there! I was astonished. We couldn’t even go to the staterooms yet. Bring a swimsuit in your carry on. That is the trick!
Here is what I learned from my Royal Caribbean recent cruise. 1. If you can afford it(check the price difference from what you are paying) I suggest a suit upgrade to a Grand Suit or higher. Why you ask? 1. Priority boarding, luggage on last day. 2. Priority/reserve seating at the shows and the pool...no chair hogs to worry about. 3. Priority tender tickets for ports that require(lines can be long upon arrival to port). 4. Daily happy hour for 3.5 hrs in concierge lounge with free drinks/snacks. 5. Wine/champagne upon arrival or during cruise. 6. Larger stateroom/balcony.
Only been a couple of cruises, but here are some things I’ve learned. Use soft/duffle bags when possible. Save the regular case for things that shouldn’t be squished like shampoo, make-up, electronics, etc. You can roll all the bags up and store them in the one case. A huge space saver and much easier on your back! Also take photos of anything valuable. Jewelry, electronics with serial and model number and so on. Then email them to yourself. Just in case, you know? You can sometimes buy an international phone card. Unless you have a GREAT cell plan, calls can be a killer. As can notifications! SHUT OFF MOBILE DATA AND PUT YOUR CELL ON AIRPLANE MODE! Depending on your plan, of course. Double and triple check with you carrier and get it in writing if possible. A list of all medications, prescription or over counter, is important. Many lines will have that on the info forms you must fill out. 😊
Sandra Myers
Thank you Sandra for sharing these invaluable tips with all of us, inexperienced cruisers out there!
Be healthy, stay safe and when you get the chance to share one more of your experience advices , please do- we’re all awaiting for them and appreciative!😁👍😁
Just want to thank you for a very informative posting. My husband and I are not new cruisers BUT we don't cruise every year. Things change from year to year, like the size of the ships for one. Your suggestion to turn on the TV was great. I would never have thought of that as a place to learn about what's going on. I will try to remember all you suggested and take that advise with me on our 15 day cruise to Hawaii in February 2020. Thanks again.
On my first family cruise, I didn’t know about the automatic tips - 2 adults and 2 kids and it added up. But the kids had sailed for free so I didn’t get upset.
@steve bartley Can you tell me more about this? I'm a family of four and we're in the very early stages of planning a cruise. I had no idea about the tipping thing. Ugh. Such a pain in the ass.
The pre-tipping is the way to go. Then if your room attendant or dinner servers go above and beyond for the week a little extra on the last full day is just fine.
I want to thank Sharon at Sea and her crew.. Jamie and Matthew. I appreciate your honest and direct videos and port reviews. There is a lot of noise on youtube for vacation blogs, and your content is anything but Noise. We began our first cruise experience in 2012. We had no idea we would end up as involved and inspired, as we have become in such a short time. We were Not vacation enthusiasts before that. We have had remarkable vacations, met amazing people along the way- visited ports and countries we never thought was possible. We have come to value that time, our cruise vacation time in a new light of self awareness and appreciation of other people and places.. so worth the effort and money. That is what we have. Great experiences in life. And your content helps us keep this agenda, current.
On my first cruise, over 30 years ago. I was disappointed they didn’t throw streamers overboard when you left the port at the bon voyage party, like they always showed on the tv show “Love Boat” lOL!
That would be littering in the ocean and is a huge no no.
S M this made me laugh ty
This made me smile
😂😂
I've done 12 cruises and for the first 7, I either bought, or was upgraded to a balcony cabin. My last cruise was in an interior cabin. Considering how little time I spend in the cabin, an inside cabin was fine. Now, I'd never pay for a balcony, I'd rather spend the money on shore excursions or booze.
Wow. I learned something new and informative. Thanks much.
I didn't have to deal with any of these issues on my first cruise. I know when I boarded the ship, I was expecting stuff like this to happen, but I didn't have any issues with Viking. Now Viking isn't for everyone, but it was the most informative and relaxing cruise I could have imagined, but you have to be willing to pay a little extra for it.
A new tip that I have never heard before this video is to join a cruise FB group for the PREVIOUS cruise. I love that idea, thanks! Going on my 3rd cruise this April!
Love your pro tip!! Never thought to look for people who just got off the ship. Brilliant
I go to the port shopping talks for the raffles and the stuff they sometimes throw into the audience
That's a good video presentation and excellent for new cruisers. We have been cruising for many years with various lines, but prefer the ships that are about 2000 passengers or max 3000. The larger ships are more fun for younger families where there are lost of entertainment for them. The packing we learnt, but in the early days we did dress up for the more formal nights. These days we do not and prefer the more Country Casual dress code, but limiting any swimwear to the buffet restaurant, where shorts are preferred. The other restaurants have strict rules on slacks and polo shirts for the men, dresses or casual for ladies. We have always gone for larger room space and the suites have just that. The last 6 cruises have been with Oceania Cruises, where the Penthouses are very good. There are also several restaurants and the deck space is ample. Other lines we have been with where tips are included have been paid, but on two of those we had it withdrawn and prefer to tip certain people now, particularly as we no longer drink, so wine waiters dont get anything from us. We also pre-book all excursions before the trip. It saves disappointment when they could be filled up. We are booked up for June, but yesterday had a message to say we could cancel up to 48 hours before the cruise for any reason and get 100% cruise credit. That is for the Virus scare at present, which is really looking after customers. Good luck and happy cruising.
This video is so informative, so well presented...bravo!
We’re going on Carnival Horizon in beginning of March of 2020 and can’t wait to experience as much as we possibly can with our children. And will definitely keep in mind all of these valuable tips to try to get the most fun of the entire cruise. Thank you!
Awesome tip about checking the Facebook group for the cruise just prior to yours. I never would have thought of that. Thanks ! New subscriber. Loving watching your videos so far.
first time when we cruised ocean, disappointment was that most destinations are two, three hours one way from port, meaning you either book excursions or buy train tickets and museums tickets way ahead of time : paris ( le havre ), florence ( livorno, la spezia), rome vatican ( civitavecchia), granada or cordoba ( malaga, motril , almeria), seville ( cadiz, huelva), figueres ( palamos), brussels ( zeebrugge or antwerp ), london ( southampton, harwich or dover ), mont st michel ( cherbourg, st malo), berlin potsdam ( warnemuende),
What about NOT MISSING the Muster Drill too..? That would be a real bummer, as you'd have to go to the secondary one in the next few days...
Great info! Definitely pack your patience and look for alternatives to crowded times/events.
Ive been following your channel for a bit now. First time cruiser here, in 14 days.. going to Cozumel! I will def keep in mind all tips and secrets you gave. My friend and I are naturally early risers, so hopefully we can get to the deck and have great seating
I avoid the pool deck like the plaque...but if I hung out there I would "self monitor" chairs for sure!!!
Hey there
Just cruised on Symphony of the Seas and the balcony cabin I had for me and the wife was actually a good size...And I got the Alcohol package and a Specialty restaurant...Wasn't bad at all... Will be going on another cruise in the future...Thx for the info, Bro
How would you rate this ship and its adventures? On a scale of 1:10?
What time is lights out at night time?
Like the narrator here is saying about the hidden fees etc, what was your tips and gratuity charges after your cruise ends? Could you dispute these charges like he said? Could you pay the $14.00 per day upfront before so you don't have to deal with it after?
And lastly for that cruise on the SOTS, in your particular cabin(if you could name) what was the cost for that 7 days cruise all inclusive for you and your wife?
Thanks.
We always get an aft balcony cabin. My fiancé likes to sleep until about 7 and I wake up about 5 so I sit on the balcony and figure out our activities for the day! It’s one of my favorite parts of cruising.
I wake up and go get a couple of cups of coffee watch the sunrise and make a couple of laps of a basically empty ship because few people are up at that tome. Then go wake the family and plan the day.
Warning for the long lines on upper decks, wear lots of sunblock or rash guard. Take off all your jewelry, watches, glasses, hats... because you will have to leave them behind on the slides, zipline...
Jamie, thanks for the great list. After 7 cruises I still learned a couple of things. I love the tip of asking questions in Facebook groups for the cruise that just got back (for the cruise you are going on.) I will definitely use that in the future. Unfortunately I cannot use that on my next cruise as it is a rare cruise round trip from LA to Hawaii. The question I cannot get an answer to is "how cold will it be in the south pacific during the 5 sea days?" Thanks again for your great Vlogs.
Paul Voelker It can vary of course, but usually warm, take a jacket to go on deck, due to wind.
@@chriswilliams6568 Chris, thanks for the advice. I'll take a wind breaker and a hoodie too.
I just finished my first cruise. I experienced every one of these issues.
My largest gripe is there were activities that required reservations. Like laser tag for the kids. The reservations were full within hours of the first day and then people just never showed up. The staff wouldn’t allow us to participate without a reservation even when there were no shows for those who did make a reservation. Really frustrating. And I had no idea I needed to prioritize reservations when I first boarded the ship.
Cyndi Rothrock I don’t know what you are going on about. Everything was included. I didn’t mention a single thing that was not included. The policy of not allowing people to take the place of a “no show” is not in the paperwork nor would I expect it to be.
Cyndi Rothrock what would the rule say? We are jerks and won’t let people participate even when we have room?
@Cyndi Rothrock Ok, and the reason I posted what I did was to help others to be informed. I honestly don't know if I would have read fine print to this level of detail even if they had it.
I appreciate Jaime’s perspective. Very enjoyable. Great job!
Great info. Several things you mentioned are the first time I’ve heard about them.
On my first cruise, to Hawaii in 1964, the shower and toilet were in the same compartment. You kind of straddled the toilet while showering and there was water everywhere!
🤮
I think saving a chair for a person not there is chair porking. when i get out of pool i just assume a chair with a towell on it is provided for comfort by staff and t there to soak up water so as to keep deck dry and slip free..
My tip for the pool is . try the deck above the pool deck useally has more chairs or try other pool other then the main one. On princess alot of the ships have a pool on the back of the ship and ncl has an adult area with hot tubs and a water fall not a pool but you can still get a drink and a chair
make sure you choose your best mode of travel: ocean cruise, river cruise, train package, bus tour, independent travel, do your math. consider excursions essential unless you do extensive research on actual distance of port from advertised city, my specialty is europe but applies elsewhere.
Chair hogging is ok if you're saving them for friends or family! ha! make your own rules, dude!
Boblobblaw88 that’s not okay. That’s just you sucking, but idc because there’s always available chairs in the adults only section.
I believe he said he's in one, not back in bed or at breakfast
Great video. I've never cruised and as a single don't want to pay a single supplement or join a singles group to get a better deal. I'm something of a loner and like to do my own thing. Can you shed some light on cruising for singles who don't want to join groups? Thank you.
Paul Connors - Norwegian has solo studio cabins on their newer ships. No singles supplement, or groups required. www.ncl.com/freestyle-cruise/solo-cruising
My problem isn't taking clothes, it's taking stuff to do. It was ok when I just wanted to read, because I could just load my Kindle, but when I started knitting and embroidery it was tough finding a project that would keep me occupied but wouldn't mean three bags full of wool and thread.
I enjoy watching you and Sharon.You guys really know how to have fun!
I've met some wonderful people while waiting in line-you can make the most it!
I know, I have made great friends in lines specifically in amusement parks (universal studios)
You can stick the deck chairs! I managed to sit in one for about half an hour before it just killed my back. Damned uncomfortable, to say nothing of hot and sticky. Yeah, nah, pass on that!
The one area I always avoid is the pool area. Crowded. Noisy. No thanks!
cruise excursions allow you to skip visas for russia st Petersburg, turkey for example, many times vietnam, cambodia, india(?) , allow you to avoid language barriers , if you prefer, sometimes transport only option guarantees you will make it back to ship on time but otherwise free to explore, along with skip crowd tickets to popular attractions: uffizi, vatican, alhambra, louvre or orsay, sagrada familia, last supper etc
Hi thanks for your feed back, we were going to book our first cruise but after watching your you tube videos we have decided that it appears to be a lot of hidden costs forced apon you. Not for us as it appears from your comments also you have to split up daily to enjoy the basics, example recently we attended an event where person in the cue in front of us was a teacher who was holding a space for her 50 students who got the last seats available this sounds like what happens on cruises from your comments re pool seats, restaurants etc.
Thanks for making us aware of these first time issues
We are going on our first cruise and it would cost me $1000 more for my hubby & I to have a balcony….that’s a lot of money and I just can’t justify paying that. It’s almost one third of the price of my cruise (with drinks, tips, & wi-fi) and I would rathe use the money towards my air fare, excursions and specialty dining. Just my opinion of course and btw the balcony doesn’t cost the cruise line anything so that’s free money for them.
1. The size of the cabin
2. No room to relax on the pool deck
3. 'Everything' is not included in the price (and cruise line puts holds on your credit card)
4. Always something you want to do but didn't find out about until the cruise was nearly over
5. Long lines you get stuck in for food, shows etc.
I'm often asked about cruising, because I've been cruising carnival twice a year for 6 years. "Platinum here I come"
I always suggest first timers to take the key west and cozumel cruise. It's short and cheap. This way you can form your own opinion bases on experience.
What cruise do you suggest and your favorite?
Never mind new cruisers. We are going on our 13th but on a proper US ship for the first time - we went on a mini cruise from Fort Lauderdale 16 years ago. Since then it has been UK based cruise lines, some on Marella (part of TUI) - they have ex Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships refurbished for the UK market (Splendour of the Seas for example). They are all inclusive including tips, the activities are UK centric. In February we will be on Quantum of the Seas for 9 days sailing from Singapore to Hong Kong and we are having to do all the work you say. The drinks - cough!!! Gratuities! The ship is very Asian focussed so that will be a change.
RUclips content such as yours is great to help understand what you will be doing and what to expect.
Thank you! Going on our first cruise on The Sky Princess Baltics 11 day in June 2020. This was really helpful. I can plan or mentally prepare for all of these. So excited!!
Thanks Jamie awesome tips. I'm cruising in Jan. First vacation for JUST my hubby and myself since our 2001 honeymoon cruise. I'm definitely going to have my hubby watch this. I'm kind of addicted to watching Sharon at sea as well as other cruise videos. Thanks again.
Enjoy your cruise....
Good thing I know a bit about how ships are built, and why the cabins are so small, so I won't be disappointed in the cabin size.
I have looked at other cruise lines. Was going to book the Joy. Until- I saw... their lower category cabins. To get something comparable to Carnival- my 7 day cruise would jump up- considerably. And we are talking, Interior to Interior, and Ocean View to Ocean View. When I look at the whole package... I will stay with Carnival and be happy with the large cabin space they have offered, pre- Mardi Gras. There, they did do some shrinky dink business in cabin sizing.
Mary Frehulfer, I honestly won't care about the size of the cabin because, as Jamie said, I'll be out and about enjoying the ship and won't use the cabin for much of anything but showering, changing, storing my stuff, catching a nap here and there, and maybe ordering some room service.
hate to say it but all i can focus on is the zakk wylde guitar on the wall
milano ( genova, portofino or savona etc) , plus most interesting cities in land are not available for ocean cruise, whereas river cruises you actually reach the actual advertised city or at least a suburb. vienna budapest danube, main wuerzburg nuernberg, elbe dresden prague berlin, etc
Here are mine:
1. When all costs are taken into account, the cost per day is much more than flying to a couple of land based resorts.
2. Obnoxious passengers
3. CoconaVirus, Gastro floating petrie dish
4. Subject to itinerary changes with no compensation
5. Having to pay months in advance.
Another way is to go on cruisecritic . Com. Sign on and search roll calls to find your cruise. Plenty of people on there and they have cruise critic meet ups.
Charisse Scully Well, they promise meet ups but don’t deliver 🤷♀️
Thank you so much for this! You are spot on! I'm glad this video exists. I have family and friends that haven't taken a cruise. This is perfect information!! Thanks Guys!
I've been cruising since 1994....never have spent time at Lido deck other than a morning run.
Wow Carnival has double feature movies every night on the liddos big screen. Im there most nights for at least one movie if not both. Also I have a preteen son and we love the pools and water parks.
LOL! I dont consider myself to be a "loner", but when I go to the Lido Deck & see ALL those PEOPLE, I usually look 👀 but keep on walking thru, 👣 & end up back in my balcony cabin to "relax"! Too many people all "packed" in those lounge chairs around the pool! Seems like it's hundreds of people out there!!! 😲
@@jamesnelson7731
Movies are always ones that I have seen.
I did spend time at the Lido when it's a Disney cruise...at night....because they have some cool pirate parties and fireworks at the sea.
But hanging around the pool all day seems like a waste of time.
The cruise pool is the least of the attractions on my priority list...lol.
In 25 years I can't remember ever getting into a cruise pool.
Hot tub yes....a few times....always at night.
@@Dangic23 ---- I've often seen the movies too, but sometimes they show things I haven't seen. The hot tube is what worries me. I keep hearing stories of people contracting flesh eating viruses and stuff from them. Also I dont hang around the lido all day. We do other things and excursions. FloRiding is hard. Made embarrassing videos falling.
Me either. I like to keep busy the whole time I'm on vacation, drives my husband crazy. I spend sea days going from activity to activity. Love the trivia even though I usually suck at it. LOL
The biggest thing that surprised me was that some things are not included. Like water and soda.
I can totally understand having dining locations that cost extra. If they didn’t you could never get into them but water should be included.
davva360 they have free water just not in bottles
davva360 tap water on a ship is sterilized and filtered. It’s great water. Soda is bad for your health. Drink water.
Love all your videos with great tips!
Good Job Jaime. The more stuff you bring the more stuff you have to organize and keep track of. I like that you save pool loungers for your family.
already on a facebook of our date but great idea to go on one a month before i go. cool
Excellent pro-tip, Jamie!! I’m going to go join a cruise group for a month before my next cruise.
May will be first time on a cruise . Thanks for heads up.
I like this channel. I've seen a few now and I really like your presentation. Just subbed. Thank you.
Great list, Jamie!! Very thorough.
My new cruising disappointments:
-- Poorly placed library/game room areas. I can't tell you how many ships have put it right next to the atrium when its supposed to be a quiet, relaxing spot on board.
-- Muster Drill complainers. It's a necessary drill, nobody likes it...So, just suck it up and deal with it quietly people. Even now that I am a seasoned cruiser, it annoys me.
-- Cruise-Run Excursions.The best and most affordable excursions I've been on have been independently-run, but I didn't realize that when I was new.
--The size of the pools. They are tiny. Especially considering how many people are on board and want to utilize them.
Side note: I rarely take the elevator on a cruise ship.I would personally rather walk up or down the stairs (especially at times I know they will be a crush). There are plenty of grandmas and disabled folks on the ship who need them way more than I do.
Seems like a lot of stuff to remember while your supposed to be on vacation. I've never been on a cruise and at 45 years old now it doesn't even sound enjoyable.
Just got back from our first and last Cruise. It was information overload and the opposite of relaxing.
Seems like a lot of hurry up and get there early and get your spot type of BS. Other than the cheap price compared to staying in a hotel or VRBO; I can't see why they are popular.
@@Christmaspuss1 it was 7 Days of mindless mirth. Not my thing. The live music was pretty cheesy. There were brief moments of enjoyment squashed in between hectic going here and there.
@@formerfundienowfree4235 It's a lot better if you go on a smaller cruise line that has less kids like Holland America is an awesome line.
@@alliesd8122 the kids weren't the problem. I don't even remember seeing very many kids.
I've been on 2 cruise going on my 3rd April 19 2021 on the navigator of the sea. There was only 3 things that i found annoying but avoidable.
1.If you Get to the ship early say around 11 or 12. When u check your bags in your bags may not arrive to your room till 3 or 4. So PACK a bathing suite to carry with you when u boarded the ship!!!! Or anything u my need.
2. The mustard drill is annoying ! Arrive a little late ( dont be that guy and be super late). Your ready to party and get your vacation on and you have to spend 10-20 min packed in with everyone in the heat. To listen to there safety procedures. Make sure you bring 2 drinks ! Double fisting always gets me threw it much easier 😉.
3. The gratuity at the end of the cruise. It sucks but if u no exactly how much u will be charged u wont be surprised.
NOW SOME HELPFUL TIPS LOL
1. Get room by the elevator. The ship is BIG and walking down those halls at the end of at long day starts to suck.
2.Get the drink package! Trust me its worth it. Paying 20+ dollars for 2 Miami vice can add up quick. Plus even if your not a big drinker u can try all there cool drinks. And belive me when i say u will drink alot more then you think. They have so many cool and great teasting drinks.
3. Put on sun block. Nothing worse then a sun burn on vacation. Been there done that it sucks!!!
4. Call for price drops. !!! Just got a price drop for 175$ off my cruis hopefully more price drops will come.
5. Ask for for extra entrees at dinner The first night. Its free and why not try everything. Tip your waiter 20$ at the end of the night and you wont even have to ask the rest of the trip. He will just bring out extra food.
6. Dont for get to try the buffet for dinner. It was quick and easy plus the was actually pretty good.
7. When you get a drink ask for a bottle water. Me and my wife always sure a bottle every 2-3 drinks. Makes us last the whole cruise with no hang overs.
8. Book your arrival flight for early in the morning as possible. You can start boarding around 1030 -11am. Dont arrive at 2pm and be all in a rush. And be worried about delays or traffic.
9. Book your departing flight for 2pm or later. Everyone is trying to rush off the ship first thing in the morning its crazy give your self time to eat breakfast on the ship and not be in a rush.
I am going on a cruise in October on Royl Caribbean. The more I listen to these videos, the more o like Viking . Yes, I know they don't have all the fun things as other cruises, but we pay one fee and that i cludes everything. Drink packages are only $25.00 a day.
Over pack all the time lol we love a balcony looking at the water love junior suites
Megaships and long queues go hand in hand and it really takes the shine off cruising. I'll stick to the 3,000 passenger ships thanks.
Great advice. More fun and let's face it all the Caribbean ports are pretty close to the same.
Very good advice....but be careful joining Facebook groups and telling anyone when you're not going to be home. Assholes love to peruse places like FB or blogs and find people stupid enough to tell the entire world when and where they will be for a week or two, while their home is empty! Post your pictures and blogs about your cruise AFTER YOU GET HOME!!! Not while you're away.
Thanks for the tips. Our first cruise is in Jan 2020. So excited!
Me too! I leave Jan 6th on the victory 🙂
Nice! We're going on the Conquest Jan 18th.
Conquest is an old ship
Has the best itinerary we wanted plus it doesn't have a huge appeal for kids which is a plus for us on this cruise.
@@amandak6986 how was your cruise?
One tip I learned. I put cash on a gift card. I was thinking hey when I get to my gift card amount that’s it. I got 200 dollar bill. They said I went over my gift card amount.
Good practical advice
Those talks like shopping often have give aways. My first cruise I won free dinner for 2 at the steak house at the morning show withering the CD. The shopping talk gave a Leo diamond necklace. Shore excursions were given away. Lots of things.
europe no excursions needed: amsterdam, copenhagen, stockholm, helsinki, tallinn, riga, naples, athens , venice, barcelona.... edinburgh, glasgow, dublin....
There are also facebook pages for a certain cruise line. For example, I am on the Princess Cruises page. It's not for a specific sailing, but everything about that line.
Wow! Great information. I'm a new cruiser. Live in California. Flying to Ft. Lauderdale and cruising through the Caribbean for 7 days in March