US Cruising

My cousin and very good friend, Bryan or ‘Roo’ as we like to call him went on a cruise many years ago (20 odd years) with his wife to be. We were lucky enough to go on a cruise for the first time in June 2012. We sailed on one of the Royal Caribbean ships, Freedom of the Seas. We couldn’t believe how great it was (I’ll tell you more below). We were definitely going to cruise again. When we got back from our trip, I caught up with Roo and said to him I can’t believe you haven’t been on a cruise since. Maybe the experience was different, maybe it’s not having enough time or money to go again. I never really asked but I couldn’t understand why they had not gone on another cruise since. (I will ask them if i remember!)

For me and my family, the experience was different. I/we had been bitten by the bug……. The cruise bug! It was awesome! We had so much to do on the ship from watching shows to playing bingo to swimming in one of the pools to ice skating. We could sing a few karaoke tunes, dance in the disco/nightclub or shop. It was truly an amazing experience but that was only the start. The food……..oh the food, breakfast, lunch and dinner are all included in the fare and it’s unbelievable what you get. There were plenty of different places to eat and each place was an experience. Dinner was always a favorite and the food was as good as you would get in any fancy restaurant. The service was also just awesome and you should see the formal nights, a night where you dress up really nicely and go to dinner. (Learn formal night tips below). How can it get any better? Well how about having your room cleaned and made up for you in the morning and then have the beds ready for you when you go to sleep, everyday! Any request was greeted with a smile and nothing was ever an issue. Awesome! but it doesn’t stop there. How about waking up in a new country/port every second day. A private island one day, a shopper’s paradise the next (Jewelry prices are incredible) and throw in plenty of shore excursions to choose from (Shore excursions need to paid for but you could go to the beach and enjoy the day without spending a cent). You want more……….. Well, if you have kids, they look after them for you, entertain them, play with them and they’re with other kids their age. They get the royal treatment and that means more time for you and your other half to do as you please. It’s included in the price as well! So what was bad about the cruise? The absolute worst part of the cruise was getting off and not knowing when we’d be back. Well, we were able to take our next cruise a bit over a year later, again an awesome experience and had our last cruise in January 2015. I said it above, i’ve been bitten by the cruise bug. Can’t wait for cruise number 4!!

I hope you feel my excitement, my pleasure and the joy we got from our first cruise and subsequent cruises. I know people who are reading this that have cruised would be in most cases smiling, nodding their heads and agreeing with me. It’s a wonderful experience. If you haven’t cruised then put this on your holiday bucket list.

Ok, so now that you’ve fallen in love with cruising as well, it’s now time to decide when, where and with who. I spoke to a couple we met on the ship and they were frequent cruises. I asked if they were loyal to Royal Caribbean. They said they went where the deals were and they had similar experiences on other ships. I would guess that any cruise line would offer a great trip but the experiences would be slightly different. I’m pretty loyal so it’s Royal Caribbean for me but it’s also the only cruise company I’ve been on. I’m open to others but will probably always travel on Royal Caribbean if they are available. Where to? The Caribbean is a fantastic destination but i would think any destination would be a great experience and as for when, either wait for a great deal or check out prices and let that be your decider. My advice is go. I’m pretty sure you won’t be disappointed!!

Tips for cruising

Book early as there are good deals to be had
If you have the flexibility, look at last minute deals as you can get some incredible prices.
Overseas cruises can be dirt cheap especially in the quieter seasons compared to cruises in Australia.
Subscribe to cruise websites so you can educate yourself on pricing, different excursions and hear about specials that come up.
Pre book gratuities (gratuities are tips for the waiters and cabin staff). If it’s not already done at the time of the booking, include it and get it out of the way . That way, you won’t have to worry about paying it at the end of your cruise.
Don’t be afraid to book directly with the cruise line. They have everything set up on their websites which is very easy to follow.
Duty free shopping on the ship is a must if you are into your perfumes and jewelry. Tax and duty free and in the case of Royal Caribbean, they guarantee to match any lower price but you will also have great shopping in some of the ports.
Attend a shopping port information session on the ship or tune in to the tv channel that plays it. You will learn a lot from it.
If you plan to go on a shore excursion, it would be better to book early. You can do it prior to your departure
On the Royal Caribbean and for most cruise lines, you can purchase drink packages either prior or at the start of the cruise. The soft drink package includes as much soft drink as you can drink for whole cruise. If you are going as a family, get it for the kids and get them to get you drinks. There are other packages as well so have a look and see which one suits your needs. It may be a case where it is better to buy as you go but if you are in for a good time, then go a package.
Pack light as no doubt you will buy heaps
For formal nights, bring a pair of pants, shoes and a dressy shirt at a minimum and girls, dresses or formal ware is the go!