A bit over a year ago, I published a video about things that smart cruise passengers
always do on their cruise.
And it turned out to be a massive hit, with nearly a million views.
Now, I'm back with a dozen MORE things that smart cruise passengers do for their trip...
and these might even be better than the original list.
Trust me, they are all things that you'll want to know for your next cruise, so let's
dive in.
Everyone knows that airfare can rise and fall, but did you know that cruise fare does as
well?
The good news is that the swings in price aren't as common -- or dramatic -- as you
see with the airlines, but it can happen and the price difference can end up being a decent
chunk of change.
That's why smart cruise passengers don't just buy their cruise and forget it... they check
back occasionally -- maybe once a month -- to see if there has been a price drop.
If there is one, then you want to contact the cruise line and ask about the difference.
Your success in getting the money back can depend on the type of fare, but I've personally
been refunded price differences as onboard credit, and all it took was a short phone
call to the cruise line to explain the situation.
Maybe someone can help me out in the comments, but why is there always such a long line at
Guest Services at the start of the cruise?
To this day I can't figure it out.
Now, going to talk to Guest Services?
Sure, there's usually one thing or another that you'll occasionally need to speak with
them about.
But smart passengers know that the desk is open literally around the clock.
You can go at 2 in the morning or 2 in the afternoon.
And seemingly every trip there's a long line that first afternoon and evening, and by the
next morning, hardly anyone is there.
That's why it's much smarter to just wait a bit if you need to talk to Guest Services.
Go enjoy your vacation instead of spending time in line and just come back later.
Smart cruise passengers know to match the type of cabin they have with the cruise they
are taking.
Take an example of a three-day cruise from Miami.
It's short, it's going to have a party atmosphere, and you're going to spend a lot of time outside
the room on the pool deck or in port.
In that case, what's the point of paying extra for a balcony cabin?
If you want to, sure, but it doesn't make a lot of sense.
Compare that with a 7-day cruise to Alaska.
Here, there's constantly scenery to see, no matter if you're in port or not.
You're also going to be on the ship a lot more with more downtime.
In that case, being in an interior cabin instead of something with a view doesn't make much
sense.
That's why you want to consider the sort of cruise you're taking when thinking about the
cabin you buy.
The two go hand in hand.
Why on earth would you bring a shoe organizer, wet wipes, or a nightlight on a cruise?
If you've taken a few cruises, then you likely know why.
These items -- and plenty more -- can come in very handy on a cruise.
Take the shoe organizer.
There's nothing better for keeping all the small things you bring like sunscreen, glasses,
chargers, and more, organized and not cluttering up a small room.
Wet wipes?
Trust me, the scratchy one-ply toilet paper provided on a cruise just doesn't cut it.
And that nightlight is helpful if you're in a very dark interior cabin.
For a full list of things to pack that you may not think about, look for the link in
the description.
There's a lot of funny items you can bring that are worth their weight in gold.
Now no one will fault you for wanting to get to the port first thing.
After all, who doesn't want to get their vacation started?
But unless you have special status that gives priority boarding, it's a smart idea to wait
until later in the day to board.
What you'll often find is that showing up to the terminal right at boarding finds a
place that's busy and hectic.
You're fighting through traffic and people, and standing in long lines to get checked
in.
Instead, if you wait until later in the boarding window, things are much calmer and can even
be almost empty.
One other perk?
Boarding early can mean your cabin isn't ready yet, so you've got to walk around the ship
with your luggage.
Board later and you can go immediately to your room and drop off your things before
you go explore.
Years ago, the cruise ship was always considered the way of getting you from port to port to
where you could explore.
Over the decades things have definitely changed, and smart cruise passengers realize that while
you may go to exotic ports, for many trips -- especially around the Caribbean -- the
ship is the destination.
After all, ships have transformed to offer everything from Broadway shows to roller coasters.
And there can be dramatic differences between new ships and old.
That means you should place emphasis on finding the right cruise ship for you.
If you like peace and quiet and a lot of calm, then those older ships will help you have
a better vacation.
The vibe is much more subdued.
If you want non-stop things to do, then you want the newer ships that have the latest
and greatest but they can also feel much busier.
No matter what you prefer, it's smart to think about what you want before you book.
Go against the grain (eat at odd times, go other places)
I mentioned before about showing up later to board faster.
That actually ties into something that's a bigger trend that clever passengers do, in
that they go against the grain of what the larger crowds will do.
Let's face it, there are a lot of people on a modern cruise ship.
And that can cause headaches, whether it be having to wait to be seated to being in a
crowded port to even finding a chair around the pool.
That's where going against the grain is smart.
Instead of eating at 7 p.m., eating earlier in the evening or later means smaller crowds.
Instead of trying to be the first off the ship when it docks, waiting for a little bit
can make getting off much easier.
And instead of heading to the main pool deck during an afternoon at sea, going to a spot
forward or aft can usually be less crowded making it easier to find a chair and relax.
Going against the grain does take a little work, but it can make the difference between
a good trip and a great trip.
Smart passengers -- or just those that have sailed multiple cruise lines -- know that
each line has its own personality.
So yes, there are definite differences between lines.
But apart from luxury lines versus the mass market cruise lines that cater to everyone,
experienced cruises know that about 80% of the experience is largely the same.
Between the pool, days at sea, the cabins, and the service, there's a lot that's very
similar no matter which line you sail.
That's important because if you're the type that is looking for deals, then being flexible
with cruise lines is one of the best ways to save.
I'm not saying you can't have some lines you won't sail, but keeping your options open
is smart given the similar experiences.
Over the years there's been a big change in how cruises are sold.
It used to be that you have the fare, but then you are hit with extra charges for drink
packages, wi-fi, gratuities, and specialty restaurants.
Now many are offering bundles -- or more all-inclusive offers -- that are proving popular.
With this, you pay more but you also get a number of items like drink packages and wi-fi
included in the fare.
What many have discovered is that these can be great deals if you plan to buy the extras
anyway.
Yes, they cost more, but it's usually sold for less than if you book the base fare and
then added them on.
Smart passengers know not to automatically dismiss these deals.
If you've watched Cruzely's videos about casino games on cruise ships, then you're already
keen to what I'm going to share.
If not, smart cruisers know that all those different games offered in a cruise casino
may not be what they appear at first glance.
Head to a cruise casino and you'll see stuff you don't see anywhere else.
I'm talking about the crane games with cash prizes... coin pusher games... and games like
keymaster where you have to line up a key with a hole to win money.
But while these games may look like they are all skill, there is still luck involved.
For instance, that crane game.
It's not just putting the crane in the right position to pick up money, but the crane itself
is set to only offer enough force to pick up occasionally.
So even if you're perfectly on the right spot, it may not mean you win.
Remember, it's a casino so the odds are in the house's favor.
Now typical people don't pay attention to cruising every single day.
But those that do know that the inflation we've all seen on land has made its way to
sea as well.
And seemingly once a week you hear about one cruise line or the other raising a price anywhere
from gratuity charges to drink packages to Internet fees.
That's why if you're a smart cruiser, you make sure that as soon as you know you're
going to book some sort of package you go ahead and do it.
I've mentioned in other videos that there are almost always discounts for booking early
but you also lock in a cost in case there is a price increase between now and when you
sail.
It's the same thing with prepaying gratuities.
If you've prepaid and the cost of the daily gratuity goes up, you'll be grandfathered
in at the lower rate.
One of the smartest things you can do?
Take advantage of what the cruise line allows for drinks.
Now, you can't bring beer or liquor on board.
But most allow you to bring on a bottle of wine or champagne per adult in the cabin.
Others allow you to bring on non-alcoholic drinks like sodas, juices, or teas.
This is a place where you definitely want to take advantage.
On a cruise ship, a soda is about $3.
That means bringing on a 12-pack is roughly $40 worth.
A glass of wine can be $8-12 bucks, meaning that bottle you can bring is worth even more.
And all that is on top of being able to bring aboard the brands that you like.
For example, Carnival is a Pepsi-only cruise line, meaning Coca-Cola drinkers are out of
luck.
Now before you go, I'm interested in what you think is always smart to do on a cruise
to have a better trip.
So many cruises will see this, so sharing what you know is super helpful to them.
And as always, if you enjoyed this, please consider subscribing.
And for my tips and info on cruising, be sure to visit Cruzely.com.
Until next time, happy sailing.