Feature

Everyone pictures their cruise vacation with blue skies, calm seas and a drink in hand. You’re planning to relax and rejuvenate while sailing on a cruise. No one wants to think about some of the unpleasant things they might encounter while on a cruise.

Cruising is the best way to take a much-needed vacation, but you might encounter some surprisingly nasty problems. Those new to cruising might be surprised by a few of the gross things that you can experience on your cruise. If you cruise often, you likely already know about these problems.

The Caribbean is one of the most popular cruise destinations not just for its white stands and crystal clear waters, but because there are activities that everyone can enjoy. 

You do not have to go to the Caribbean and just lounge on the beach; although, you certainly can do just that! No matter what you choose to do, you will want to ensure that you get the best cruise shore excursion value. 

For some people, cruising is a once-a-year type of vacation that is meticulously planned and highly-anticipated.

However, I am not one of those people.

Within the last year, I’ve cruised more than I ever imagined was possible. In 2022, I took 10 cruises to 12 different countries, including incredible destinations like Portugal, Alaska, Israel and the Canary Islands.

My husband and I greatly value traveling - it’s one of the things we love most to do together. As such, we prioritize our savings to align with our travel goals.

Living in Florida certainly has its perks, such as the sugary, white sand beaches and unbeatable weather year-round. As a Florida resident myself, it almost feels like a vacation that never ends (except when I have to panic-purchase bottled water and gasoline during hurricane warnings).

But, some of the not-so-obvious perks of living in Florida include living close to major tourist attractions, such as Walt Disney World, Universal Studios and the world’s busiest cruise ports. 

How does tipping on a cruise work? Are tips included? Should you carry cash around to tip individual crew members? Should I prepay gratuities or not?

These are all common questions for someone looking into booking a cruise for the first time. Without doing the proper research, you may be shocked when you receive your statement at the end of your vacation. 

While booking the right cruise ship is essential to making sure that you have a great vacation, you also need to think about how you are going to spend your days in port. The destinations are just as important as the ship! 

Once you have placed the deposit, you can start to talk with your travel party about what kinds of excursions everyone wants to do. If you are going to Jamaica, maybe you will want to spend the day at Dunns River Falls. Perhaps you would rather find a culturally immersive tour. The options are endless! 

When preparing for your next cruise, you should make sure that purchasing a cruise layard is on your list of things to do. 

Cruise 101 is knowing that your plastic cruise card will be your lifeline once you board the ship; there will not be any need to carry around cash, other forms of identification, or credit cards. 

The world watched in horror and disbelief as a novel coronavirus spread like wildfire onboard the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Yokohama, Japan. An illness that once seemed to only plague one region of the world quickly spread around the globe - leading to an unprecedented halt of the travel industry.

Other cruise lines started to deal with localized outbreaks, which garnered more media attention that no other sector in the travel industry had to deal with.

Today, cruise lines are constantly striving to outdo themselves. They want ships that are bigger, better, and more technologically advanced than anything else at sea. Of course, the definition of "bigger and better" varies from cruise line to cruise line. Regardless, they want their ships appeal to all cruisers by packing them full of different fun activities.