tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-55394207016112133952026-07-24T08:59:04.054+03:00Contain advice about everything from where to gather information to how to evaluate cruise-ship featuresUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger97125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-34832925368596020342012-03-08T15:40:00.000+02:002012-03-08T15:40:50.975+02:00

Most ships provide nondenominational religious services on Sundays and religious holidays, and a number offer daily Catholic masses and Friday-evening Jewish services. The kind of service held depends upon the clergy the cruise line invites on board. Religious services are usually held in the library, the theater, or one of the private lounges, although a few ships have actual chapels.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-5703122061069514642012-03-07T16:28:00.000+02:002012-03-07T16:28:47.999+02:00

Most ships provide nondenominational religious services on Sundays and religious holidays, and a number offer daily Catholic masses and Friday-evening Jewish services. The kind of service held depends upon the clergy the cruise line invites on board. Religious services are usually held in the library, the theater, or one of the private lounges, although a few ships have actual chapels.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-29284147475640289282012-03-06T10:38:00.000+02:002012-03-06T10:38:36.871+02:00

Quality medical care at sea is another important safety issue. All big ships are equipped with medical infirmaries to handle minor emergencies. However, these should not be confused with hospitals. Unlike with fire safety, there are no international standards governing medical facilities or personnel aboard cruise ships although the American Medical Association has recommended that such standards

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-47391546264695987422012-02-26T23:45:00.000+02:002012-02-26T23:45:29.326+02:00

The most common minor medical problems confronting cruise passengers are seasickness and gastrointestinal distress. Modern cruise ships, unlike their earlier transatlantic predecessors, are relatively motion-free vessels with computer-controlled stabilizers, and they usually sail in comparatively calm waters. If, however, you do feel queasy, you can always get seasickness pills aboard ship. (Many

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-139453324668923712009-01-21T05:39:00.005+02:002012-02-21T15:34:48.127+02:00

Some say the most important aspect of a cruise is your destination. Some say it's the itinerary. Others say it's the cruise line. They're all wrong.The most important choice you'll make when choosing a cruise is the ship.Here's why: Whatever ship you choose will be your home for seven days or more. The ship you choose will determine what kinds of sleeping quarters you'll have, what kind of food

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-2951079272194859952009-01-21T01:26:00.003+02:002012-04-16T00:04:53.783+03:00

Ship TalkLove Boat or Family Feud?Popular Cruise Honeymoons

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-6504486833002896132009-01-21T00:15:00.002+02:002012-03-07T10:29:37.376+02:00

The greatest danger facing cruise-ship passengers is fire. All cruise lines must meet certain international standards for fire safety. The rules that went into effect in October 1997 require that ships have sprinkler systems, smoke detectors, and other safety features. In November 2000, the International Council of Cruise Lines (ICCL) announced that audible smoke alarms would be installed in all

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-56987047960592635202009-01-21T00:13:00.003+02:002012-03-09T12:17:10.221+02:00

The staff photographer, a near-universal fixture on cruise ships, records every memorable, photogenic moment. The thousands of photos snapped over the course of a cruise are displayed publicly in special cases every morning and are offered for sale. If you want a special photo or a portrait, the photographer is usually happy to oblige.Many passengers choose to have a formal portrait taken before

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-48629669130013639742009-01-21T00:09:00.002+02:002012-03-12T12:38:43.304+02:00

All but the smallest ships and shortest cruises offer laundry services -- full-service, self-service, or both. Use of machines is generally free, although some ships charge for detergent, use of the machines, or both. Valet laundry service includes cabin pickup and delivery and usually takes 24 hours. Most ships also offer dry-cleaning services.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-57457381950996838872009-01-21T00:07:00.002+02:002012-03-12T12:38:43.309+02:00

A small number of ships have no room service at all, except when the ship's doctor orders it for an ailing passenger. Many offer only breakfast (Continental on some, full on others), while others provide no more than a limited menu at certain hours of the day. Most, however, have certain selections that you can order at any time. Some luxury ships have unlimited round-the-clock room service.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-74319336935125342282009-01-21T00:05:00.002+02:002012-03-13T13:14:05.771+02:00

Many vessels designate certain decks for fitness walks and may post the number of laps per mile. Fitness instructors may lead daily walks around the Promenade Deck. A number of ships discourage jogging and running on the decks or ask that no one take fitness walks before 8 AM or after 10 PM, so as not to disturb passengers in cabins. With the advent of the megaship, walking and jogging have in

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-71424327528896725632009-01-21T00:03:00.002+02:002012-03-20T12:10:11.596+02:00

Most newer ships and some older ones have well-equipped fitness centers, many with massage, sauna, and whirlpools. An upper-deck fitness center often has a view of the sea; an inside, lower-deck health club is often dark and small unless it is equipped with an indoor pool or beauty salon.Many ships have full-service exercise rooms with bodybuilding equipment, stationary bicycles, rowing machines,

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-90092157365952930682009-01-21T00:01:00.002+02:002012-03-20T12:10:11.600+02:00

The top deck is usually called the Sun Deck or Sports Deck. On some ships this is where you'll find the pool or whirlpool; on others it is dedicated to volleyball, table tennis, shuffleboard, and other sports. A number of ships have paddle-tennis courts, and a few have golf driving ranges. (Skeet shooting is fast becoming a thing of the past on cruise ships; when available it's usually offered at

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-88858690404887586312009-01-20T23:59:00.006+02:002012-04-03T04:41:35.843+03:00

All but the smallest ships have at least one pool, some of them elaborate affairs with water slides or retractable roofs; hot tubs and whirlpools are quite common.Pools may be filled with fresh or salt water; some ships have one of each. While in port or during rough weather, the pools are usually emptied or covered with canvas. Many are too narrow or too short to allow swimmers more than a few

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-31711220496662732012009-01-20T23:59:00.005+02:002012-04-03T04:41:35.835+03:00

The daily high-stakes bingo games are even more popular than the casinos. You can play for as little as a dollar a card. Most ships have a bingo game with a jackpot that snowballs throughout the cruise into hundreds or even thousands of dollars.Another popular cruise pastime is the so-called "horse race": Fictional horses are auctioned off to "owners." Individual passengers can buy a horse or

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-21476160387231347402009-01-20T23:57:00.002+02:002012-04-03T04:41:35.829+03:00

Most ships have a game or card room with card tables and board games. These rooms are for serious players and are often the site of friendly round-robin competitions and tournaments. Most ships furnish everything for free (cards, chips, games, and so forth), but a few charge $1 or more for each deck of cards. Be aware that professional cardsharps and hustlers have been fleecing ship passengers

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-33349820802573690812009-01-20T23:56:00.002+02:002012-04-03T04:41:35.838+03:00

Once a ship is 12 miles off American shores, it is in international waters and gambling is permitted. (Some "cruises to nowhere," in fact, are little more than sailing casinos.) All ocean liners, as well as many cruise yachts and motor-sailing ships, have casinos. Larger vessels usually provide such table games as poker, baccarat, blackjack, roulette, and craps. On most ships the maximum bet is $

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-75301237136968960102009-01-20T23:55:00.002+02:002012-03-31T23:02:59.725+03:00

Some ships may offer a lecture series featuring expert speakers. You can attend the lectures in person (usually they're held in the main lounge) or watch them on your in-cabin TV. These lectures can be the highlight of your cruise, providing insight into your next port of call. They can also be (and often are) nothing more than shopping talks.If enrichment is high on your list of cruise

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-59491316881123410552009-01-20T23:52:00.002+02:002012-03-31T23:02:59.718+03:00

All but the smallest vessels have a room for screening movies. On older ships and some newer ones, this is often a genuine cinema-style movie theater. On other ships, it may be just a multipurpose room. The films are frequently one or two months past their first release but not yet available on videotape or cable TV. Films rated "R" are edited to minimize sex and violence. On a weeklong voyage, a

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-30618823127002474082009-01-20T23:51:00.002+02:002012-03-31T23:02:59.715+03:00

On ocean liners, the main entertainment lounge or showroom schedules nightly musical revues, magic acts, comedy performances, and variety shows. During the rest of the day the room is used for group activities, such as shore-excursion talks or bingo games.Generally, the larger the ship, the bigger and more impressive the productions. Newer ships have elaborate showrooms that often span two decks.

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-63849194331656808302009-01-20T23:49:00.002+02:002012-03-31T23:02:59.722+03:00

Many cruise lines publish a daily schedule of events, listing all of your entertainment options. It becomes the equivalent of your daily newspaper, delivered to your cabin every evening.You will probably want to get a sense of what a typical day on board will be like before you sail. To see a sample daily events schedule, it's possible to call the cruise line and request a recent copy of the

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-80940531161343156122009-01-20T23:46:00.002+02:002012-03-31T23:02:59.728+03:00

Ships bars, whether adjacent to the pool or attached to one of the lounges, tend to be their social centers. Except on a handful of luxury-class ships where everything is included in the ticket price, bars operate on a pay-as-it's-poured basis. Rather than demand cash after every round, however, most ships allow passengers to charge drinks to their accounts. On most ships, drinks range from $3-$5

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-41275842543249695962009-01-20T23:43:00.002+02:002012-04-03T04:41:35.841+03:00

It is both a privilege and a marvelous experience to be invited to dine one evening at the captain's table. Although some seats are given to celebrities, repeat passengers, and passengers in the most expensive suites, other invitations are given at random to ordinary passengers. Any passenger can request an invitation from the chief steward or the hotel manager, although there is no guarantee you

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-30644467277331003882009-01-20T23:41:00.002+02:002012-04-03T04:41:35.832+03:00

Most ships offering cruises out of U.S. ports serve food geared to the American palate, but there are also theme dinners featuring the cuisine of a particular country. Some European ships, especially smaller vessels, may offer a particular cuisine throughout the cruise -- Scandinavian, German, Italian, or Greek, perhaps -- depending on the ship's or the crew's nationality. Aboard all cruise ships

Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5539420701611213395.post-7616467461117621792009-01-20T23:39:00.002+02:002012-04-16T00:04:53.882+03:00

When it comes to your dining-table assignment, you should have options on four important points: early or late seating; smoking or non-smoking section (if smoking is allowed in the dining room); a table for two, four, six, or eight; and special dietary needs. When you receive your cruise documents, you will usually receive a card asking for your dining preferences. Fill this out and return it to

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