General Tips When Going on a Cruise:
- Do not forget to bring your birth certificate and a picture ID when boarding a ship. You should bring your passport as well, in case you visit a port that requires one. Also passport will be required in case of an emergency, as you'll have to return to home port by air.
- Seasickness could ruin your cruise. So if you're prone to seasickness, be sure to take necessary steps to prevent it. Remember, there is nothing you can do once you get seasick. You can try off the counter or prescription medicine, wristbands that prevent seasickness by generating pressure on your wrist. You can also try patches but they can make you drowsy. If you don't want to take drugs, you could try ginger tea -- it's supposed to help.
- Wearing comfortable shoes while sightseeing will help you keep your feet and legs pain-free. Get the ones with non-slip soles, as the ship's deck is usually wet and slippery from being washed down. You should also bring a pair of water shoes.
- Bring a sweater with you. Even if you go to the Caribbean, the nights can get cold, and they usually turn on the air conditioner too cold, to keep everyone awake after eating big dinner meal.
- Make sure to bring sun block, with SPF of at least 30. The sun in the tropics is very hot and can give you really bad sunburn in just minutes of exposure. So, apply your suntan lotion regularly.
- Use the safe provided in your cabin, it's free of charge. The chances of getting your valuables stolen by the crew are minimal -- they would get fired and sent home immediately, but you shouldn't tempt them.
- Do not call home. You got on a cruise to get away from all the things going on at home, so why should you burden yourself with them? There's nothing you can do anyway, being somewhere in the middle of the ocean.
- Organize your time well. There are so many things to do on a cruise, don't even try to do all of them, you won't be able to. So relax, you're on a vacation.
