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The Tyler Group: Top Tips From World's Best Cruisers10 Years AgoTop
Tips From the World's Best Cruisers
How do
you choose the perfect cabin, make your own porthole, and never, ever get lost
at sea? The winners of our World's Best Cruiser contest
spill their time-tested cruising secrets.
MEET OUR EXPERTS
We
recently asked readers to stake their claim to the title World's Best Cruiser.
After 11,000 votes from BT readers, it was clear that Martha and Ken Wiseman of
Romeoville, Ill., had made a watertight case: The retired educators have hit
almost 350 ports on nearly 70 cruises in the past 38 years. "In 1973, we
met a couple who had just gotten off a cruise," Martha says. "Our
eyes lit up as they described it -- and we never looked back!"
1. CHOOSE YOUR CABIN WISELY
Choosing
a cabin is all about location, location, location. Check the ship's layout
online before booking, and opt for a room with passenger floors above and below
you. You don't want to try to sleep right under the disco, the casino, or the
running track.
2. PACK SMARTLY
Most
cruise lines offer certain drinks for free -- juice, lemonade, iced tea,
coffee, milk, tea -- but you'll have to pay for soda. If you're a caffeine
addict, pack a bottle or two. Unlike on a plane, you won't have to worry about
paying for the added weight.
3. PLAN YOUR SCHEDULE
For
fire-safety reasons, cabins don't have their own irons. Don't wait until the
last minute to tackle your evening wardrobe. You can find shared irons down the
hall in the laundry room, but lines often form before mealtimes. Opt for
off-hours (like mornings).
4. WAKE UP EARLY
It's
easy to lose track of time in a windowless interior cabin. Before going to
sleep, tune into the ship's bridge-camera channel for real-time videos of the
front (or bow) of the boat. The screen will act like a virtual porthole, and
you'll rise and shine with the sunrise.
5. GET YOUR EMAIL WITHOUT
PAYING ROAMING CHARGES
Internet
phone services like Vonage can be programmed to send transcribed voice mails to
your email in-box. That way, you can check your home answering machine quickly
at an Internet cafe without paying insane roaming fees on your cell. The
transcriptions won't always be perfect, but you'll get the gist.
6. KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR TOWELS
Don't
assume you can save a spot at the pool with your towel. Cruise lines give you
one pool towel at the start of the cruise. If you don't have it (or a cleaned
trade-in) at the end, you'll get charged. If you let it out of your sight, you
run the risk of losing it or having it stolen by a fellow cruiser.
7. KNOW WHEN TO PREPARE FOR
ROUGH SEAS
If
your tablecloth is wet at dinner, you should prepare for rough seas. Restaurant
staffers have been known to slightly dampen the tablecloth to keep plates and
glasses from sliding.
8. FIND LOST BAGS
If the
porters haven't delivered your luggage to your door by the first night of the
cruise, check what our experts call the "naughty room." Security will
store any bags containing contraband (like candles, alcohol, or coffeemakers)
in this centralized location until you come claim it. You'll be able to pick up
your bag on the first night, but banned items will not be returned until the
end of the trip.
9. FIX UP YOUR ROOM
Make
your cabin homier by packing a small collapsible vase and a bouquet of flowers.
10. TAKE BETTER PICTURES
If you
go directly from the air-conditioned ship out onto the open-air deck (which is
usually warmer and more humid in most cruise destinations), your camera's lens
is likely to fog up. Warm the camera with your cabin's hairdryer on a low
setting or briefly leave it out on your balcony so it can acclimate to the
weather.
11. COMMUNICATE WITH YOUR CABIN
MATES
If you
even manage to get a cell signal while at sea, your roaming charges will be
outrageous. To communicate with your cabin mates, leave Post-it Notes on your
door detailing where you'll be throughout the day.
12. FIND YOUR WAY ON ANY SHIP
If you
get lost on a ship, remember that most share a common layout. The lido-deck
buffet restaurant, for example, will almost always be in the back to
accommodate comfortable outdoor seating in the least windy part of the ship,
while the lounge/theater will be in the front because wind is not a factor (there
are no windows). |