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
Food & Dining
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.
ASKED & ANSWERED
Questions from cruisers. Answers from the community.
OPEN THE LIBRARY →THE TERRY CRUISES COMMUNITY
BEEN ON A CRUISE LATELY?
We want you to share your experience with us.
This is a place to share your cruise photos and stories. Show us your ship, your cabin, a favorite meal, a memorable excursion, a hidden spot you discovered, or one of those moments you will always remember.
Your experience may help another cruiser discover something they would have otherwise missed.