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| Every year more people are discovering the value
of the all-inclusive nature of a cruise vacation. Many of those people
will return to cruising again and again because they enjoy the many
luxuries provided by the package the Cruise Line has put together
for them. But, because there are many differences in the types of
cruises available and a cruise is an all-inclusive package it becomes
very important that you pick the right cruise for you. It’s all or
nothing, so you’ll want to do a little research to find out if the
"all" in their package is just what you are looking for
in a vacation. This is where we can help. |
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| PICKING A CRUISE |
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How long are cruises?
Where do cruises go?
Once you pick a region, aren’t many
of the cruises offered within that region the same?
Since the cabins are built for two
or more people, can I go on a Cruise if I’m by myself?
Will the type of cruise I pick really
make a difference in my vacation?
How can I find the best cruise for
me?
What factors should I consider to help
me decide which cruise to pick?
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| BUDGETING FOR YOUR CRUISE |
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How will I know
how much to budget for my entire cruise vacation?
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| GETTING THE BEST CRUISE PRICE |
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How can I get
a good cruise rate?
What types of special discount programs
are available?
Do I have to book early to get a good
deal?
Do cruises ever go on sale?
Are there any deals to encourage me
to go on my first cruise?
Are there any discount programs available
for frequent cruisers?
What is a repositioning cruise?
How could going on a repositioning
cruise save me money?
How can I get the most for my money
on a short cruise?
Does it matter how I pay for my cruise?
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| FOOD ON A CRUISE |
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When people return
from a cruise they often talk about the meals, what’s the deal?
Does the quality of food vary between
the Cruise Lines?
Can the Cruise Line handle my special
dietary needs?
With all the different meals, how
will I know when to eat?
What if I can’t make it to my scheduled
mealtime?
Which meal seating should I choose?
What are my choices when picking my
table preference?
How do I know which size table is
best for me to request?
How does the Cruise Line figure out
the seating arrangements?
How will I know which seating I have
been assigned?
What if I don’t like my meal seating
assignment time?
What if I don’t like my table companions?
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| CRUISE ACTIVITIES |
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What is there
to do on a Cruise Ship while the ship is at sea?
If there are all these things to keep
me busy, then how will I know what is going on when and where?
Do I have to participate in all the
activities?
What is a theme cruise?
Would I enjoy a theme cruise?
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| PICKING PORTS AND SHORE EXCURSIONS |
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Since cruises
can go to different ports, how will I know how to pick the one
I’ll enjoy the most?
How can I find tourist information
on the ports that my cruise will visit?
How much do the shore excursions cost?
How do I find out about the shore
excursions?
What do I need to know about the shore
excursions?
Do I have to take a shore excursion
to make it to port?
Can I stay on board the ship while
it is in port?
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| SHIP INFORMATION |
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What do I need
to know about the ship before I book my cruise?
Aren’t all the ships within a certain
Cruise Line the same, you know sister ships?
Why do I need to know the overall
size of the ship? Isn’t it the bigger the better?
Why do I need to know when the ship
was launched or refurbished?
Are there smoke free areas on the
ship?
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| FIRST, SECOND, OR THIRD CLASS? |
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Are the ships
still divided by class?
If there aren’t classes, then how
come there is such a variety in rates?
If I can get the same food and entertainment
as the people in the expensive cabins, then shouldn’t everyone
book the cheapest cabins? I won’t be in my cabin much anyway,
right?
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| PICKING YOUR CABIN |
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How does knowing
the age of a ship effect my cabin choice?
What else besides size is important
to your cabin choice?
Why is the location of the cabin important?
What should I know before I pay for
a view?
What should I know before I pay for
a veranda?
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| GETTING THERE |
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What is an Air/Sea
cruise?
How does an Air/Sea Cruise work?
Should I book my plane ticket with
my cruise or buy them separately?
What are the advantages of buying
Air/Sea Cruise package?
What are the disadvantages of buying
the Air/Sea Cruise package?
Where can I find information on
airports so that it will be easier for me to see where I'll be
meeting the Cruise Line's personnel?
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| SECURING YOUR TRAVEL PLANS |
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What happens
if a hurricane blows up around the time of my cruise?
What is Trip Insurance?
Should I buy the Trip Insurance?
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| BOOKING YOUR CRUISE |
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What will I
need to know to book my cruise?
Do I need to go through the cruise
packet they will send me?
Do I need to confirm my reservation?
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| DOCUMENTATION |
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What type of I.D.
will I need to get on the ship?
Will I need a passport?
Where can I get a passport?
Where can I find online passport information?
What will I need to get my passport?
What is a visa?
Will I need a visa?
How can I find out if I will need a
passport or visa for my trip?
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| PACKING FOR YOUR CRUISE |
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What do I need
to pack?
Aren’t cruise ships really formal?
Will I need any formal clothes?
What should I pack in my carry-on
bags?
What do I do if I can’t find my luggage?
Read our Packing Tips section
for help with packing.
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| STAYING IN TOUCH WITH THE OUTSIDE WORLD |
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How can people
contact me while I’m on the ship?
How can I keep in touch with the outside
world while on the ship?
How can I get access to the Internet
when I travel?
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| DAY OF THE CRUISE - BON VOYAGE |
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Does it help
to arrive to the ship early on my sail date?
Should I carry on my own bags or let
the porters do it?
What should I do when I first get
on board?
Any chance for an upgrade at the last
minute?
How do I deal with the ship’s multinational
crew?
How do I pay for things on board the
ship?
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| CRUISE SAFETY |
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Why does it matter
if the ship sails out of a U.S. port?
How can I find out about my ship’s
sanitation record?
How can I increase my safety while
aboard the ship?
How can I improve my safety in the
cabin?
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| PROTECTING YOUR HEALTH |
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Don’t a lot
of people get seasick on cruises?
How can I avoid getting seasick?
What if I get sick while on my cruise?
How can I protect myself from traveler’s
diarrhea while at port?
How can I protect my health when
I travel?
What health information should I
carry with me?
Where can I find information that
will help keep me healthy while I’m traveling?
Where can I find information that
could help me to receive proper medical care while I’m traveling?
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| STAYING SAFE WHILE AT PORT |
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What should
I know about shore excursions and safety?
How can I protect my safety while
at port?
Where can I find information on issues
that will effect my safety while I’m traveling?
How can I avoid being the victim
of a pickpocket?
What are some of the pickpocket’s
tricks?
How can I avoid getting into trouble
with the locals?
What happens if I get into trouble
with the law while at port?
Who can I contact if I get in trouble
abroad?
How can the U.S. Government help
me if I get into trouble abroad?
Read our Foreign Travel section
for help with staying safe abroad.
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| SHOPPING WHILE AT PORT |
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What should I
know about shopping abroad?
Shopping in port, what does Caveat
Emptor mean?
Where can I get quick access to cash
while I’m traveling?
Where can I get help in understanding
all the U.S. Customs Service regulations?
Where can I find information about
the restrictions for bringing food, plants, animal products or
pets into the U.S.?
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| CUSTOMER SERVICE ISSUES |
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What should I
do if I have a problem with the facilities or service aboard the
ship?
What information should I have if
I need to contact the Cruise Line’s customer service department?
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| TIPPING |
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How much should
I tip?
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| TIME TO GO HOME |
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How do I get
my luggage off the ship?
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