All Aboard: 5 Tips For Your Next Cruise

Taking a cruise stands apart as the ideal vacation getaway. You’ll board a luxury ship where complete strangers will cater to your every whim. You’ll feel like royalty the entire time you’re onboard. If you’re not already planning a romantic vacation, you should be. Here are five tips for your next cruise.

Pack Light

While you’re onboard, you don’t want to pack your room with too much stuff. Even if you splurge on the finest accommodations on the cruise, your room will still be only a few hundred square feet. If you select an interior room, it could be smaller than a dorm room. Every extra item you pack is something you’ll spend the week tripping over. Plan ahead by taking the smallest luggage possible for your trip. The extra space will make a huge difference, especially when you’re getting dressed in the morning.

Packing light isn’t difficult. All you need to understand is the difference between a cruise and a regular vacation. Ordinarily, if you planned to spend a lot of time getting sun and swimming, you’d need beach towels. Cruise ships offer a constant supply of these bulky items, so you don’t need to bring your own. You should also resist the urge to pack a few books. Instead, plan to read them off your smaller, more portable smart device. Every little bit counts.

Don’t Forget Your Phone

Given the above, you’ll want to bring your phone. Your trusty iPhone 6s Plus will do more than keep you connected with your friends and family while on vacation. You can also have the ease of knowing that your phone bill won’t be outrageous when you get home, because T-Mobile offers great deals for travelers, including no roaming charges. It’ll also enhance your trip as long as you install the right apps first. The most important one is the app for your cruise ship. It’ll contain valuable information about the ship’s daily itinerary plus detailed instructions and tips for maximizing your time onboard.

You should also download programs that will allow you to store flight information and other travel plans. If you’re traveling to a foreign country, apps that translate languages and calculate currency are also a great idea. Finally, remember that you’ll spend several nights staring at the stars. Download Star Walk 2 to maximize the view every evening.

Carry Cash

Even if your cruise is all-inclusive, you’ll still have expenses. For instance, you’ll want to tip for good service. Your maid will expect it even if the cruise line indicates otherwise. Similarly, you may need to hail a taxi or grab an http://uber.comUber while you’re visiting the various ports during your cruise. Along those lines, you’ll want cash to make a few quick purchases. Any time you’re going ashore, you should consider getting a currency exchange so you can negotiate in local money rather than American dollars.

Eat Healthy

You’re probably snickering at the thought of this. You’ll of course indulge in the many tasty treats on your cruise, especially if your meals are included in the ticket price. Cruise lines offer some of the most decadent cuisine on the planet, and you’ll want to savor the flavors.

What you should keep in mind is the lesson you learned as a kid on Halloween: too much candy means an upset tummy. The same rule applies to eating on a cruise. Eat, drink, and be merry, but try to do so in moderation. You don’t want to spend any of your expensive vacation time suffering from stomach cramps, hangovers, or even worse maladies. Enjoy yourself, but don’t overdo it.

Plan Your Day

While on vacation, you’ll want to keep your options open. A bit of planning will actually help, and not hurt, in this regard. You already have the ship’s itinerary on your smartphone. Take a look at the various activities available each day. Consider which ones you might have some interest in doing, and use this information as a loose guide about how to divide your hours. If you know there are a lot of fun activities in the afternoon, take it easy in the morning, or vice versa. That way, you won’t overdo it but you will feel fulfilled all day.

Cruises are ideal vacations. You can relax and savor all the joys of life at sea. Simply follow the tips above to guarantee a once-in-a-lifetime adventure.