MARITIME MONDAYS • CRUISE TIPS
CRUISE TIPS
The little things can change the whole voyage. These are practical lessons, overlooked details and simple ideas designed to help you spend less time figuring things out and more time enjoying where you are.
START HERE
CRUISE BETTER.
NOTICE MORE.
You do not need to memorize a hundred rules before you sail. You just need the right information at the right time. Cruise Tips is organized around the journey, from the days before you leave home to the morning you walk off the ship.
WHY THIS DEPARTMENT EXISTS
THE TIP IS NOT THE MEMORY.
A good cruise tip should disappear after it has done its job. It saves you a little time, prevents a little frustration or points you toward something you might have missed. Then it gets out of the way so you can make the memory yourself.
FROM MARITIME MONDAYS • THE OCEAN IS FOR EVERYONE EDITION
THE PRICE TAG VS. THE FINAL BILL
A fair cruise comparison looks beyond the advertised fare. Here are three ways to see what a seven-night vacation for two will really cost.
Start with the same dates, departure port, itinerary length, guest count and cabin category where possible. A balcony on one ship is not automatically equivalent to a balcony on another. Check the cancellation and deposit terms, too.
Calculate the base trip with mandatory taxes, port expenses and applicable service charges. Then calculate the trip you would actually take, adding drinks, Wi-Fi, specialty dining, excursions and transportation. Avoid double-counting benefits already included in your fare.
Some travelers use every bundled benefit; others are happier buying a few extras individually. Compare the final amount against the spaces, activities, dining and service you will really enjoy, not somebody else’s idea of the best cruise.
Terry’s Cruise Tip: The best cruise value is not necessarily the lowest price. It is the experience you want at a total price you are comfortable paying.
Packages, availability, inclusions and prices vary by sailing. Verify current terms with the cruise line before booking.
FIND WHAT YOU NEED
THE VOYAGE, STEP BY STEP
BEFORE YOU SAIL
Documents, packing, apps, reservations and the decisions worth making before embarkation day.
EMBARKATION DAY
Boarding, muster, first-day strategy and how to start the cruise without starting it stressed.
AROUND THE SHIP
Navigation, elevators, quiet spots, entertainment and the small details that make a big ship easier to understand.
FOOD & DINING
Buffets, dining rooms, specialty restaurants, room service and knowing when the obvious choice is not the best one.
CABIN LIFE
Storage, power, balconies, comfort and the things you learn after living in a very small room at sea.
PORTS & EXCURSIONS
Getting ashore, getting back, planning your day and leaving enough room for the unexpected.
TECHNOLOGY
Ship apps, Wi-Fi, phones, messaging and staying connected without letting technology run the vacation.
FAMILIES
Kids clubs, safety, schedules and practical ways to make a family cruise work for everyone.
COMING HOME
Disembarkation, luggage, breakfast and making the final morning feel like part of the trip instead of an evacuation.
THE PERMANENT LIBRARY
ALL CRUISE TIPS
connectivity
Price Connectivity for Every Device and Every Day
Before purchasing internet, check whether the ship charges per device or per person, whether you can switch devices, how many days you will need service and whether your cellular provider covers the ship. Compare the total for your actual devices and users, not a single advertised daily rate.
connectivity
AT&T at Sea: Know Which Pass You Have
AT&T offers different cruise-related roaming options depending on plan and eligibility. The quoted daily price may apply per line, for a defined 24-hour period, and only on supported ships. Confirm your specific plan and vessel with AT&T. Land-based roaming and shipboard cellular service can be billed differently.
connectivity
Cruise Wi-Fi vs. Cellular: Start With the Right Question
Ship Wi-Fi uses the ship’s onboard network; cellular roaming at sea uses maritime cellular service and may be charged separately. Airplane mode with Wi-Fi enabled is the safest way to avoid unintended cellular roaming while using purchased ship Wi-Fi. Confirm your phone’s settings before sailing.
Before You Sail
Calculate the Upgrade Value
Compare the cost of drinks, dining, Wi-Fi or a premium experience with how much you will realistically use it.
Before You Sail
Use What Your Fare Includes
Meals, shows, pools and onboard activities may already be covered. Explore included options before paying for upgrades.
Before You Sail
Compare the Whole Cruise Price
The advertised fare is not the whole vacation cost. Check taxes, port expenses, gratuities, transport and the extras you actually plan to buy.
Around the Ship
Extra Cash Can Still Mean Something
Leaving the automatic gratuity in place does not prevent you from recognizing exceptional service personally. Terry leaves the standard gratuities intact and may add cash when someone truly makes the trip better.
Around the Ship
Address Bad Service While You Are Aboard
If something is wrong, give the ship a chance to fix it. Speak with the appropriate supervisor or Guest Services before removing a pooled service charge. On many lines, that pool supports more people than the one interaction that disappointed you.
Around the Ship
Look Beyond the People You See
Your stateroom attendant, server and bartender are only the visible edge of a much larger operation. Laundry, galley prep, dishwashing, overnight cleaning, stocking, sanitation and hotel operations help make the cruise work around the clock.
Ports & Excursions
Know What Costs Extra
Private destination does not mean everything is included. Check waterparks, beach clubs, cabanas, activities, specialty food and drinks before you sail. Beverage-package rules vary by cruise line, so verify the current official policy before your sailing.
YES — MSC Ocean Cay: Premium Extra works ashore. MSC says its Non-Alcoholic Package is not accepted on private islands. CHECK MSC POLICY ↗
YES — Royal Caribbean Perfect Day at CocoCay: Royal Caribbean beverage packages purchased onboard or through My Royal Cruise are active on the island. CHECK ROYAL CARIBBEAN POLICY ↗
YES — NCL Great Stirrup Cay: Free at Sea unlimited open bar applies across the island, including Great Tides Waterpark. CHECK NCL POLICY ↗
NO — Carnival Celebration Key: CHEERS! and other onboard drink packages do not extend ashore. CHECK CARNIVAL POLICY ↗
NO — RelaxAway, Half Moon Cay: Carnival says CHEERS! does not extend ashore. CHECK CARNIVAL POLICY ↗
N/A — Disney Castaway Cay & Lookout Cay: Disney does not use an unlimited onboard alcoholic drink package like the lines above. Fountain soft drinks are included at island drink stations; specialty and alcoholic drinks cost extra. CHECK DISNEY ISLAND INCLUSIONS ↗
Policies can change. Terry Cruises links to the cruise lines so you can verify the current rule for your sailing.Ports & Excursions
Build Your Island Day Before You Arrive
Private destinations are getting large enough that you can lose time deciding after you walk ashore. Before the visit, decide what matters most: beach, pool, waterpark, snorkeling, adults-only relaxation or family activities.
Ports & Excursions
Don’t Automatically Book an Excursion
At a private or exclusive destination, first check what your cruise fare already includes. Beach access, loungers, food, transportation and activities vary by cruise line. Know what is already yours before paying to add more.
planning
Treat an Inaugural Sailing Like an Inaugural Sailing
The first voyage of a brand-new ship can be exciting, but it is different from boarding a ship that has already completed months of normal service. If being first matters to you, enjoy the milestone. If predictability matters more, consider giving a new ship a little time to settle into its routines before you book.
planning
Compare Capacity, Not Just Ship Size
Gross tonnage tells you about the volume of a ship, but it does not tell you how crowded the ship will feel. When comparing new ships, look at passenger capacity alongside size, public-space design and the number of venues. Bigger does not automatically mean more crowded, and smaller does not automatically mean quieter.
planning
Learn the Four Big New-Ship Milestones
When you follow a future cruise ship, four milestones tell you where it really is in the process: keel laying begins physical assembly, float-out puts the hull in the water, sea trials test the ship at sea, and delivery transfers the finished vessel to the cruise line. Knowing the difference makes future-ship news much easier…
Around the Ship
Recognize Great Service While You’re Still Onboard
If someone makes your cruise better, remember their name and say so. Use the ship’s feedback tools or mention them to a supervisor while you are still aboard. A sincere compliment is worth giving while the person who earned it can still receive it.
Around the Ship
Ask the Crew What They Recommend
Crew members spend months aboard the ship. Ask what meal they would not miss, where they would watch sailaway or what quiet corner deserves a look. You may discover something no deck plan could have shown you.
Cabin Life
Learn Your Cabin Steward’s Name
Your cabin steward is one of the people you may see most often during the voyage. Learn their name, introduce yourself and treat the relationship like what it is: two people sharing part of the same week at sea.
Around the Ship
Look Behind You
Everyone looks toward the destination. Sometimes the best view on the ship is the wake disappearing behind it.
Around the Ship
Learn the Ship in Thirds
Forward. Midship. Aft. Once you know which end of the ship you are on, deck numbers and venue signs suddenly become much more useful.
Food & Dining
Take the Lap
Before loading your plate on the first buffet visit, walk the whole thing. Cruise-ship buffets are larger and more varied than they first appear, and breakfast may be arranged differently from lunch or dinner.
THE TERRY CRUISES COMMUNITY
ASK A CRUISER.
Got a question? Someone here may have sailed it before. Ask about ships, cabins, ports, dining, excursions, packing or anything else about cruising. Terry and other cruisers can join the conversation.
HOW IT WORKS
You ask. Questions are held briefly for moderation.
We talk. Terry and other cruisers can reply once the question is published.
We keep the good stuff. Useful community knowledge may become a verified Terry Cruises tip, ship guide or destination note.
THE COMMUNITY LIBRARY
ASKED & ANSWERED
Questions from cruisers. Answers from the community. These conversations have been kept here so the next cruiser can benefit from what someone else already asked.
← CLOSE THE LIBRARYTHE TERRY CRUISES COMMUNITY
BEEN ON A CRUISE LATELY?
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Your experience may help another cruiser discover something they would have otherwise missed.