Considering the cruise wisdom I’ve heard and written about, here are seven bad cruise pieces you should never take, or at least consider with caution.
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Always book a boat tour
This tip is influenced by cruise line propaganda that tries to scare first-timers by warning that the ship won’t wait for late tours that aren’t booked on the ship. It is true that a delay in your flight may prevent you from sailing out of port, but there are many ways to prevent this from happening.
Choose a half-day tour or tell the operator that you must be at the pier 1-2 hours before sailing. This creates room for delay. If you’re concerned about venturing on your own, look for a tour operator vetted by other travelers and industry groups to ensure safety and reliability.
Booking an independent tour is often cheaper, smaller, more personal and more customizable than a ship-sponsored excursion. maybe you can. Don’t miss the independent option entirely.
Related: Ship-sponsored shore excursions and independent shore excursions on your cruise: which should you book?
DO NOT BOOK A SHIP TOUR
Conversely, some experienced cruisers boast that they have never taken a boat tour and encourage them to take a taxi tour or find an independent tour provider. These are good tips, but boat tours are an excellent option in some situations and should not be ruled out.
Returning to our previous point, if you are considering a full-day tour that ventures into neighboring cities and countryside (such as a trip from Livorno Port to Florence), there is a safety net to know that you are making the most of your time. may be required. Go ashore without risking the ship leaving without you. The same principle applies even if you simply don’t know the timing, such as whether you’ll be able to return from that island beach in time.
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Beginner travelers who are not comfortable researching or booking independent tours in a foreign country should rely on ship tours as a quick source of port activity. It’s much easier to book a tour of a new port by boat than to spend a day at sea researching independent options.
Book the inside cabin as you won’t be spending time there
I see what people are trying to do with this advice. Why spend money on equipment you don’t use? But here’s the problem. Everyone spends their time sleeping in cabins. I also hate sleeping in rooms without natural light.
If this is not the case, you should probably follow this advice. But for me and most of us (or the kids we travel with) sleeping in a pitch black room with zero natural light is a bit creepy. To make matters worse, it’s equally dark at 3am and 3pm both times, making it incredibly difficult to wake up in the morning when you can’t tell the difference.
Even if you don’t intend to spend a lot of time in the cabin, consider whether it’s worth going without natural light to save money.
RELATED: Cabins Inside and Out: Which Affordable Cruise Room is Best for You?
Book your cruise over a year in advance
We recommend booking early, but this is not the worst cruise advice. You’ll want to book one of these unique suites or limited supply family or solo cabins before they sell out. It just happens and it’s not always the best price.
The future cannot be predicted. I’m not sure if your sail date and cabin category will be coveted. We don’t know what events in the world might cause sailing to be particularly popular or empty. I’ve also heard from travelers who booked sailing (even wedding cruises) well in advance to start the cruise for a full charter of the ship or a rescheduled dry dock.
Cruise liners should not assume that the first price is always the lowest (it could be). If you’re flexible with cabin types and locations, you can always find great deals.
RELATED: 8 Hot Cruises You Should Book At Least A Year, Sometimes Two Years Ago
board the ship late to avoid the queue
If you’re sailing on a megaship and can’t handle the lines, you’re picking the wrong vacation.
This advice is bad for several reasons. First, many cruise lines now stagger guest arrivals by allocating arrival times. That means you’ll experience fewer crashes early on, giving you less time to arrive later.
Plus, the earlier you get on board, the longer you can enjoy the ship. less people around. All cruise passengers must go through boarding procedures, but after boarding, they are scattered. Board early to avoid queues at the spa desk, kids club sign-in, or excursion desks. These lines only get longer as the afternoon of embarkation progresses. So you’re just swapping one column for another.
RELATED: 27 Dos and Don’ts for a Cruise Ship Embarkation Day
Save money by purchasing beverage packages
This cruise advice is only useful for the most heavy drinkers. For the average Joe, who enjoys a cocktail or two on vacation, and a glass of wine at dinner, his expensive cruise ship drink package doesn’t make financial sense.
For example, Carnival Cheers! Beverage packages purchased prior to the cruise are $59.95 per person per day. An 18% gratuity will be added as with drinks purchased a la carte on board. Cocktails range from $10.50 to $12.50 a glass. Therefore, you should drink 5-6 cups daily to make ends meet. to get more value.
do you think i drink that much? Can you drink so much even if you spend all day at the port? What if you booked an all-inclusive beach break excursion with unlimited drinks? Can you drink 6? What if you like beer and need to drink at least 8 every day?
If your answer is yes to all, follow our advice and buy a beverage package. If the answer is no, then this advice won’t help and you can save money by purchasing drinks a la carte.
RELATED: Are Cruise Line Drink Packages Worth the Price? What You Need to Know Before You Buy
Pack the door organizer for more storage
Nearly every packing hack article I’ve read urges you to pack your cruiser with an over-the-door shoe organizer and hang it over your bathroom door to create extra storage space for sunscreen, flip flops, and other small items. I don’t know anyone who actually does this.
First, door organizers are not always compact. Plus, cruise companies really don’t want you to damage your door with the associated metal hangers. At least once every year, I think this will get knocked off and all the items will fly away.
Finally, most cruise ships these days have plenty of shelves and drawers for small items that fit in door organizers. What I always struggle to find is clothes and large items like snorkel gear that don’t fit in the organizer. Also, no one in my family puts their shoes anywhere other than in the middle of the floor. So I don’t think the organizer really does what it’s supposed to do, keeping your shoes neatly arranged.
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