What to expect when cruising week two

LIFE ON BOARD

Every day you will receive a ship newspaper and the ship's day sheet. The day sheet will list everything that is happening onboard that day, including whether the evening meal will be formal or casual. Have fun reading it and planning your day or just recycle it and plan to do nothing!

A word about the ship photographer, you will be photographed as you enter the ship and many other times during your vacation. Imagine walking down a secluded path on a private beach in paradise, turning a corner and nearly bumping into the ship photographer! He's everywhere, ready to snap pictures to record your journey. Every evening you can go to the photograph gallery and view your photos. If you like them, you can buy them. If not, just leave them there and eventually they will disappear. There is no obligation when you let the photographer take your picture. These pictures are usually excellent and are a great way to save your memories.

TIPPING

Tipping may vary from ship to ship but the cruise lines are good about letting you know what they expect. Here is the most common approach: gratuities are added automatically to your onboard account up front. Most cruise lines add $10 per day per person for gratuities. If you feel you received better service than expected, you can tip more.

In most cases you are expected to tip your cabin steward, waiter and assistant waiter. Everyone else is optional. Usually bar tabs include gratuities, but if you have a wonderful bar server who took the time to form a relationship with you, you can tip them too! You can usually find tipping information regarding your particular ship on-line, in a brochure, or just call us and we'll get it for you! It is good to know what to expect so you can have the cash with you beforehand if that is the ship policy.
Another important thing happens the last night. Read on.

DISEMBARKATION
Darn, the dreaded day is going to arrive, despite your best efforts to ignore it! Disembarkation actually starts the night before. If you didn't guarantee your onboard account with a credit card, you must pay off your onboard account. If you have used a credit card, this is just like express checkout in a hotel, nothing to do. You must also leave your packed suitcases outside your cabin door to be taken by the stewards to prepare for disembarkation. Be sure to keep the nightclothes you will sleep in, your clothes for the trip home, and anything you will need to get ready in the morning. Be sure you have a carry-on that can hold these items, as you will not see your suitcases again until you are off the ship.
In the morning you will have one last wonderful breakfast and then you will leave your cabin for good. Make yourself comfortable in any one of the public lounges until the number or color you have been given is called. If you have one of the earlier flights, you will be called quickly. If you are driving, staying for a post-cruise vacation, or have an evening flight, you will be one of the last to disembark. Please remember that you may be out of your room for an hour or two before you disembark. When your number is called, you will disembark and go into the terminal where you will find your luggage. Finding your luggage has been organized. The luggage has color-coded tags, and you find the row with your color and locate your bag. Putting something bright or obvious (such as ribbon) on your bag is also a good idea. Another good idea is to wrap your bag handle with colored duck tape; this will not get pulled off. You will find the tape a good option for the cruise and the air travel.