We are going on a cruise: life hacking for beginners

Cruise is not just a trip. It's an adventure! Classic Cruise - a fresh sea air, a chic liner, dozens of countries and cities. Although there is a river, and even rail cruises, sea - the most popular.

Summer often travel across the Mediterranean Sea, in the autumn of transatlantic liners ply the Caribbean Sea, and in winter are approaching the shores of the Asian countries.

cruise program vary, but there are always a certain number of hours that a tourist spends at an intermediate port. How to manage them? How to prepare for the trip? And what to do if you are swayed? We have prepared some tips for newcomers to sea travel.

Choosing a cruise

Carefully review the cruise offer: experience and reputation of the company, reviews about a particular route and the ship.

Be attentive to detail. What services are included in the cruise price? What's on board power supply system? (It may be that you need a dedicated children's menu.) What fun is on board: SPA-center, tennis court, gym and so on? Is there a "mandatory tip"? What are the cabins: with or without windows, with a balcony?

Also, before buying tickets, please read the cruise program: where it starts, where it ends, in which ports will overnight stay. This will save from disappointments like "All my life I wanted to see the Acropolis, but in Athens the ship arrived late at night and only a few hours."

Remember that sometimes due to force majeure (eg bad weather) the schedule may change.

Preparing for cruise

Begin preparations for the cruise immediately after buying the tour. This will allow "catch" cheap airline tickets and advance booking hotels, car rental, excursions and so on.

In addition, to be a temporary supply of the issue of visas and other documents (if you are doing this on their own, rather than through the cruise company).

schedule

parking time vessel - the most important thing on a cruise. As a rule, it is well known, so can you need to make an hourly schedule for each parking space.

De facto possession of the tourist 2-2.5 hours less than stated in the schedule. Firstly, you need to be on board for an hour and a half before departure. Due to the late arrival of passengers carried is unlikely to delay: parking in the port costs money. Secondly, the release of the ship and did not immediately come out first does not always work. Way up the ladder in a queue can take from 30 minutes to an hour.

Be sure to check whether the ship is moored at the dock or stand on the roads. In the latter case, the passenger is delivered ashore a special ship. It may take quite some time.

To track the ships have a special service Marinetraffic.com. With it, you can, for example, to determine at what berth worth your ship.

The schedule is important to include not only the time to visit this or that object, but also a snack in the cafe, leisure, purchase souvenirs and other little things, sometimes eating up more than one hour.

plot a route

Cruise companies offer tourists its entertainment program: guided tour of the coastal city, or, for example, a bus ride to a particular attractions. But it is often more advantageous to take the "local" tour.

1. CruiseCritic.com - portal dedicated to the cruise. There you can find a personal guide who will introduce you to the city.
2. On Viator.com, ShoreTrips.com and ShoreExcursionsGroup.com It offers many tours one day. And you can choose the entertainment for everyone: someone closer to a gastronomic trip around the wineries areas, while others prefer active holidays (rafting or ride a quad bike).

Tourists prefer independent travel, You must draw up a detailed plan. To start learn what attractions there are in a particular city and the surrounding area. Choose the most interesting for you and mark them on the map. Find out how far apart they are, whether it is possible to move between them on foot and have to use public transportation (taxi, rental services). Try to keep the first and last objects were near the port.

Learn the schedule of museums, palaces and other attractions. Otherwise, include the object in your itinerary, you can run into a technical day or restoration.

For the convenience of planning, use applications. For example, not only is Tripit route maps, but also can notify your driving friends in social networks. This is useful if you are planning to cross with someone of your friends during a stop on a cruise.

collect things

The longer the journey, the greater the suitcase. Cruise can last for several weeks. But this does not mean that you need a lot of luggage.

Cabins are usually small, and the larger bags, the more problematical their place. Some of the things you can put into a locker, if any on the ship.

Do not take with dishes, hair dryer and towels: as a rule, it's all there on the ship. But the road first aid kit - this is almost must-have. Medication in the infirmary on the ship usually paid and very not cheap. Also handy scissors, thread with a needle and cosmetics (not the case when you can buy on the spot).

As for clothes, be sure to take with them in shape if you plan to go to the gym on board (without it will not be allowed), as well as a jacket or coat (on the deck at night is cool). Like the hotel, the restaurant on the ship are usually not allowed in the "Nude", without a shirt or in a bathing suit.

In addition, the ladies should take with a couple of cocktail dresses, and men - a suit or suit. They will be useful to you if you want to go to the theater or a concert at one of the stops, and if the board will be banquet party.

Examine what events will be held in a particular city during your stay there. If you want to visit any concert or show, then buy tickets in advance.

For excursions, especially on foot, it is better to choose comfortable clothes and shoes.

We are struggling with seasickness

Kinetoses, or motion sickness - nausea and motion sickness is due to monotonous vibrations. It can occur not only at sea but also in land transport.

If you know that you have a weak vestibular system, think in advance about special funds to combat seasickness. The most effective pills. There are also patches and bracelets. But they say they have a purely psychological effect.

If you are swayed by the sea, take a cabin amidships on the lower deck. Upstairs shakes noticeably stronger.

Also, try to spend more time on the open deck to the lee side. We'll see the horizon line, which facilitates the attacks of the disease.

Now that you know how to prepare for a sea voyage. And if you still think that a cruise - it's expensive, read our post about how you can save on a cruise.

How to buy tickets for a cruise and save

Have something to add? Welcome in the comments! Tell us how you are preparing for your cruise.