Cruising? It’s never too early to start planning
your dream cruise using these 7 Cruise Tips.

We had a wonderful experience cruising to Alaska on Princess Cruises. We made our reservations five months in advance of our departure which was plenty of time to save money, make adjustments, explore excursions, and get excited for our trip.

Five years later, we are getting ready to cruise on Princess again, this time a Baltic Cruise on the Regal Princess. Again, we made our reservations 5 months out as it worked so well last time in planning all we want to do.

In order to insure the best cruise experience possible, we are making our final preparations with these cruise tips in mind: 

Tips For A Fabulous Cruise

1. Bring a power strip. I can’t take full credit for this  cruise tip idea. My husband read about it on line before we left. It sure made our electronic life a lot easier. In the cabins, there are limited outlets and they aren’t in the most convenient locations. Having our own power strip allowed us to manage our various recharging needs for our cell phones, cameras, and lap top computer. Not to mention, being able to use the blow dryer and flat iron when the bathroom was being occupied.
2. Get an internet package. I know, you’re saying you are on vacation and you want to be as far away as possible from your “tapped in” world. But emergencies come up, some responsibilities still need a looky-lu or two, and maybe you just want to share real time on your social media channels all the fun you are having (which is exactly what this blogger did!!). We even ended up enjoying an impromptu Google+ hangout with our kids while we were sailing. This cruise tip allows you the freedom to use your technology when and where you want and is also a great stress reliever because you won’t get caught with unexpected fees.
3. Learn your ship. All cruisers have to attend a mandatory safety talk in their muster station upon sailing. After that, it is a good time to walk the ship and see what is available on board. Acquaint yourself with the different amenities and say “hi” to all the different crew members along the way. Chances are, you will be running in to them again on your voyage.  Our cabin on our Alaska cruise was located mid-ship which ended up being an excellent location. We were close to the stairs, close to the dining rooms and shopping, right at the heart of the ship. Best location ever. A great cruise tip for safety and to be comfortable knowing where everything is on board right from the start.

4. Eat. Eat. Eat. All I ever heard before our trip was, “Beware of the food.” Not because it wasn’t good but rather the opposite: it was all too good!!!  While you may be tempted to over eat, it is possible to eat — and eat well — without going too crazy. By all means, take advantage of the all the different offerings. Try new foods and dishes. When else will you have the opportunity to explore so many fine cuisines and take advantage of the expertise of world renown chefs in one location? Portions are smaller, no one is making you eat everything on your plate, and there are plenty of healthy choices to balance it all out. Trade off eating at the different food venues: buffet, food stations, and assigned dining room tables. My favorites? The sugar free and not so sugar free desserts, the pizza station, and the soft ice cream station not to mention the delicious night time dining options.

5.Stay fit. There are lots of choices to exercise on board and it is a cruise tip that can also help you with number 4. Bring workout clothes and tennis shoes so you can take advantage of the free gym or classes that are offered for a nominal fee. Walk along the outside decks, especially when you have sea days. On deck seven of our Alaska cruise ship, walking 2 and 5/8 laps around the deck equaled one mile. Avoid the elevators and take the stairs whenever possible. We stuck to this rule up until the last day. That alone provided a regular, semi-strenuous workout.
6. Participate in the activities. The cruise director and their staff are professionals in planning and promoting all kinds of activities that enhance your cruise experience. There are lectures on topics associated with your ports of call, Hollywood worthy stage shows, lounges with entertainment, dancing, shopping, and tours on different aspects of the ship. A library features a wide selection of books to borrow in case you forgot something to read or are looking for something new and different. The game room is stocked with all kinds of board games and card games. We did bring our own deck of cards which made it handy to just plop down anywhere for a quick game.

7. Make New Friends. We like to cruise with another couple. On our Alaska cruise, we traveled with some good friends from home. On our Baltic cruise, we are going with my husband’s brother and his wife. Just because we are bringing friends along doesn’t mean we have to be exclusive to ourselves. This cruise tip is a reminder that with over 2,000 passengers on the ship, there are 2,000 opportunities to meet new and interesting fellow travelers.

One morning on our Alaska cruise, we had a late breakfast. Our friends had already eaten so we were on our own. The two of us sat down at a large table near the window and we were soon asked by an older foursome– the Elders and the Fuersts — if they could join us. In our conversation, we learned that these two couples were from the Chicago area and had met each other at church years ago when they were raising their families.

Mr. Fuerst, was a pioneer in developing municipal water parks. He engineered the first zero depth pools–the kind where it is shallow enough to gradually walk in to the pool, like at the beach. These pools replaced the Olympic sized ones of our youth which were great for swimming laps or taking high dives but not so friendly for a family outing.

The zero depth pools were the forerunners to city run water slides and water playgrounds that we take our kids and grand kids to today. It was these innovations that Mr. Fuerst and his company developed that put water in motion and made water really fun!!!

I met another interesting couple on one of my journeys up the nine flights of stairs to the food court on the Alaska cruise. They were observing the same “no elevator” rule that I had. Clive and Jill were from New Zealand!!!! Clive owns a construction company, and one of his suppliers paid for 150 of their loyal customers–including Clive and Jill–to come on this cruise. It was their 16th trip abroad sponsored by this company. In case you want to know, it took Clive and Jill fourteen hours on a plane to arrive at our boarding destination, Vancouver, Canada!! They had a trip before the trip!!!  Such a great added benefit to the cruise: getting to meet new people and learn from their personal histories.

I hope you find these tips handy as you plan your future cruise.

Do you have any other cruise tips to add?