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We always used to book balconies. After about 8-10 cruises we realised how little we actually sat out there. All our cruises since then, have been inside cabins. We do not miss the balcony and we sleep like babies in the dark inside cabins. This saves money and allows us to cruise more often.
Same here, I now always book an inside cabin. Great sleep between the darkness and the gentle ship movement (I book forward and high since I like the movement).
We did an inside cabin on our last cruise and we loved it too. Always stayed cold in the cabin, we slept very well (I have severe sleep apnea so that was a huge plus for me), and since I like to gamble, I was able to get a free interior cabin and perks on the three cruises I have booked (no balcony offers...lol). Our next voyage is mid-December...can't wait!
Always travel with a passport! If you have to fly home in an emergency, you can’t fly on a birth certificate alone. So a passport will allow you to fly.
@Stllno In the US, if you're taking a cruise from the US, and your ship comes back to the US Technically, you can use your birth certificate. But if you have to evacuate or are left in port, or even if something happens to the ship. A passenger needs a passport, for those scenarios.
In March our embarkation time was 1:30. Our hotel only offered transportation at 1030-1100. This was in Orlando, so we arrived in Port Canaveral around 1130. I approached one of the RC employees to ask if there was a shady spot to sit to wait on our assigned time. She smiled and said, "Come on in!" We were on board 15 mins later! ❤
We drove to Port Canaveral from Virginia for Thanksgiving cruise in 2022, but I am starting to research cruises for my grandson's HS graduation in 2026, and this time we want to fly. If the cruise sets that up is it still a day ahead?
Along with the cold medicine, don't for get the Anti Diarrheal medicine as well. Eating different different food can really be a jolt to your system. I too enjoyed the balcony having my coffee on my Alaskan cruise.
A tip I learned from my last cruise is to consider booking specialty dining for embarkation day. We did this because it was a special day for us and found the restaurant much less than full. As a result we enjoyed special attention from the staff and a quiet relaxed environment.
You should’ve made it 16 things, add travel insurance to the list. We don’t consider it an option but a necessity. It covers so many things that are out of your control but most importantly it has medical coverage. By and large your health insurance or Medicare or Medicaid doesn’t cover you outside the US. What are you going to do if something arises, you are responsible for the bill. Nice to have the coverage. Again, if can afford to cruise you can afford travel insurance.
My wife and I are planning our first cruise for next summer. We decided a balcony is best because we deal with some social anxieties. We want our room to be a safe space for us and don’t want to feel claustrophobic.
You definitely need a balcony for an Alaska cruise. I just went there in May and one day I felt sick and was able to view the glaciers from my bed because we had a balcony cabin.
Last Alaska, I booked an unobstructed ocean view stateroom. Alaska is one of two itineraries where I think window, if not a balcony, is worth it, the other being Norway.
Most of the time, if there are no lines or crowds, your check in time doesn't apply. I think they give the times to regulate flow, in case there are excessive crowds.
In regards to AC, we were ready to "disembark" on our first cruise due to the AC so to speak, but it had nothing to do with not knowing how the AC worked. It simply did NOT work at all. Mind you, we first thought it had to do with needing time to cool the cabin, so we went out for dinner, ready to call afterward if it was still an issue. By the time we returned, guest services had already called us and told us they solved the issue. Apparently our cabin attendents had noted the problem as well and called guest services to deal with it. My tip, talk with your cabin attendent and check whether it is broken or you are doing something wrong ;)
Get.the.passport!! I realize US people typically do not have one but seriously, why leave the country without one? I would not consider cruising without a passport (book NOT the card).
I completely disagree! One thing I love about port intensive itineraries is waking early and enjoying my coffee on my balcony as we come into the new port, hopefully one day after the last. Especially if it's as the sun is coming up.
The luggage tags holders are so convenient, you can have them all set and ready to go inside your carry-on. I say attach them once you get checked into your hotel. Nothing worse than getting lucky enough to run into an available luggage handler and realize you haven't attached your tags! 😬
I love going to the MDR for breakfast. You mostly get the same food but I’m just not a fan of buffets. You usually have to fight for a table then one person has to stay while others get their food and then that one person is just sitting down when everyone else is about finished. At the MDR you can get a seat & be in a more relaxed environment.
@@kenyattaclay7666That’s why I love the balcony. I have my coffee & since my hubby is an early riser, he gets my breakfast & relax on balcony w my Baileys coffee😉& my breakfast 💙
Put previous comment on wrong post😂. What I wanted to ask is I always see people eating eggs Benedict in the MDR, never have seen it in buffet… is that correct? Thanks, much appreciated 🩵
We always have a balcony. I always find time to relax, read, write about the daily activities, or just to hear the ship cut through the water. Everything that you suggest are spot on!
I always book a balcony cabin no matter what the weather is going to be because I always stand outside with the appropriate weather gear. I also always fly in a day early to reduce the stress of the airlines having problems. I also use a passport no matter where I go. This way I have no problems. Great video as always. ❤😊
Our main reason to cruise is the ship movements, especially at night. The heavier the movement the more we like it because it is so nice to sleep with and the dining areas are not as crowded.
We found we had never slept better than when the ship was slightly rocking. I couldn't believe how much better both my wife and I slept! I didn't expect that!
Research. Research. Research. Get on cruise app or site and look all those things up. Call them if have questions. Ilana every single thing you cited is correct! Passport only should be the rule even for children. A few otc meds for everything, as impossible to get on ship and in many ports and why waste precious time. Your Cruise Planner has proven so helpful on my last 3 cruises so I didnt forget details. You havent addressed cruise arranging flights and transports but I am now doing that as they are responsible to get me to ship and get me home no matter what. Thanks for your great organization.
When I was younger and had less money, always booked an inside. I have claustrophobia and on my first cruise decades ago I slept on deck with my life jacket and glasses on! Don’t think they would let you do that nowadays. Now that I’m older and saved money - always do a balcony: claustrophobia, need fresh air, loved watching what is going on outside, like watching the port pilots coming on/off the ship, looking for whales, having breakfast or a glass of wine before dinner, reading on the balcony while my spouse sleeps, catching those amazing sunrises 🌅 without having to get dressed and go to some other deck…🤗☀️🚢 That being said, I typically book 2-2.5 years in ADVANCE, and many times my balcony ends up to be less money than the inside. 😊
Our first cruise was years ago and I didn’t book a balcony cabin just a window. From then on we always have balcony cabins. Most of the time we use it a lot and it’s great for taking great pictures. Even when on our last Alaska cruise it was windy, cold and rainy a couple days. We were still out there and made good use of the ships provided blankets. We love a balcony!
If you already have a passport, bring it! It's the superior document. Most passports are good in most countries. Sometimes (not always), visa requirements are waived if you arrive with a cruise ship and leave with it.
I once left my cold medicine at home and paid dearly for it in a port. $20 for a small pack! I now have a packing list that I reuse for every trip. Also, the reuseable luggage tags are great, just don't place them on your bags until just before you arrive at the port. I've seen them on bags at the airport, they just are as durable as they seem. One last comment, do a little research on your ports of call. On our "ABC" island trip, there was a national holiday on one of the islands and just about everything in port was closed. Enjoy!
Yes! Bring pharmacy items to offer relief for a variety of ailments! I came down with an upper respiratory situation onboard a cruise to Alaska just two weeks ago. In Skagway there was a pharmacy and when I went to see what I could find to help myself the little place was packed with people suffering from the same thing I was from different ships. Then my seatmate from MSP to Vancouver came in the little pharmacy! She was sick just like me! I spent about 25.00 on a bottle of Amazon daytime and a bottle of nighttime stuff like the name brand. I left them behind for my sweet cabin guys in case they got what I had. Am cruising again in Sept and will be better prepared. I still had a great time but spent 24 hrs in the bed.
I feel, once you go balcony, it’s hard to go back, even if it’s cold. I’m always out on the balcony either reading or people watching while in port. We always bring the whole medicine cabinet on every cruise. There was no checking of boarding times for our past two cruises on NCL and Carnival.
I agree that even if you love balconies it’s not always a good use of your money. Last cruise we sailed out of NY on a 10 day cruise over Thanksgiving and we only got to use the balcony 1 day. Between cold weather and sea being rough it was not conducive to going outside. And the 1 nice sea day we had we spent on the serenity deck! 😅 live and learn!
Ilanna Thanks for your hard work to produce so many excellent videos about cruising. I enjoyed and learned many tips and traps that you have presented in your many videos. I appreciate your professionalism in content and presentation. Being older, I typically cruise with Princess and might look at Holland Americal. I might want to have information about selecting a Travel agency. I usually book directly with the company. The only miserable cruise I had was the first one, which was just a 3 day "booze cruise", which was many years ago. I am surprised I book other cruises since. Now I really enjoy cruising and meeting the passengers and crew from so many countries. Thanks again for you work and skill. Happy Cruising!
Last August when we went on a cruise, they did not check our embarkation time. I don’t remember what our time was but we were about an hour early and they checked us in anyway. Very thankful for that!
Our first cruise, 23 years ago, we had no idea that the main dining room was part of our package. We went one night, and freaked out a little that there was no prices so we "bought" the bare minimum and then went to the buffet. It burns me that when we AUDIABLY wondered where the prices were on the menu while the staff waited for us to order, that we weren't informed that it was included. We lived off of pizza mainly that week, as a result. Also, for the next cruise 12 years later, I took a pant suit for my outfit for formal night. It was a really nice one, too, since I don't wear dresses. I went to the dining room and was told that I couldnt' go in wearing the pant suit. The next night, the people we were sitting with asked where we were the previous night, and after I told them, we were told that there were people, including some at the table, who wore SHORTS to the dining room on formal night. So know that answers from one person may be vastly different than another. Even on the same cruise!!
I call BS on your story. It is always stated in the cruise info that all meals, except for specialty dining, are included in the price.....plus no cruise staff member will correct a woman for wearing a dressy pant suit. That is sexist against the law.
I love your thoughts on balcony cabins. I meet so many people who tell me that the only way to cruise is in a balcony, but I simply don't agree - I use a balcony lots if the weather's great, but really not much at all in colder weather. For those cruises, I'm more than happy saving the cash and staying on the inside of the ship!
You'll love it! Especially when you wake up in the morning and have the complimentary continental breakfast on the balcony. Be SURE to get an inexpensive pair of binoculars to scan the shorelines for wildlife while cruising. We took our first Alaska cruise last year on Ruby Princess and just loved it. Hopefully your cruise includes Glacier Bay.
Good tips, Ilana. We have had our embarkation time checked on our Carnival cruises & have had to wait in line when we arrived a little early. Good tip on the AC. As, I believe you have noted, infinity balconies on Celebrity shut off your AC when the window is down. On room choice, we have found that interior works for us as I am an early bird riser. I can slip out quietly & enjoy a coffee & sea views while my spouse has a little sleep-in with minimal disruption. (No curtain opening bringing in extra light, door opening or sliding and deck chair movement on the balcony, etc.). Really enjoy your videos & always try to keep up even as long time cruisers.
You’re right, I think it depends on the cruise line, or rather individual ships. Some you can get on as you arrive; others you wait in a holding area until your boarding time is called. I’ve experienced both on the same cruise line but different ships 🤷🏾♀️
Regarding cold medicine - Anytime I’m going to be traveling, I start taking airborne at least 5 days in advance and then throughout the trip. Ever since I started doing this, I’ve not gotten sick on vacations☺️
I just cruised on RC around Spain and Italy, and here’s a tip from our experience. If you book a tour or excursion that’s not officially offered by the cruise line, be sure to look into the debarkation process at the port. We had a private tour booked at 9:00, and the gangways opened at the port at around 8:00. It was supposedly just a 15-20 minute taxi ride to where we were supposed to meet for the tour, so we assumed (incorrectly) that we’d have plenty of time. However, it took over an hour and a half to just GET a taxi once off the ship. The debarkation area was poorly designed and very disorganized. There was a very long line of people trying to get taxis and the process was extremely slow and inefficient. We missed our tour and ended up going to a local beach instead.😮
We always get a balcony and I will sit out there in a blanket if needed. Love that space to read, think and breathe freely. One of my pet peeves, however, is the smokers who use their balcony to smoke. I will be a Karen about that! I have some breathing issues and it can literally be a danger for me when folks break that rule.
I cruise Princess and my boarding time has never been enforced. I do travel with a scooter, so perhaps those of us with special needs are not held to boarding times. I've never waited, always have someone from the port/cruise line helping me, and I'm onboard in minutes.
I think a big one for first-time cruisers is, do not be rude to the staff, they are all home sick due to the fact they are away from their families for so long
We prefer balcony cabins and consider the difference in price well worth it. Many times we are sailing into port early in the morning. So we can just get up and watch as we sail in. We've never had a problem or question about our embarcation time on any of our cruises.
Excellent information as usual! We booked a balcony for a Mediterranean cruise and for a Panama cruise. We didn’t use the balcony at all in the Mediterranean because we were running around in port every day but one. We used the balcony only to dry our laundry on the Panama cruise because it was so hot and humid (November). But we did love looking out the balcony door when we were in the cabin. I booked a picture window cabin for an upcoming Alaska cruise, but I am bidding to upgrade to a balcony; the posted price for a balcony was almost double the picture window price. Your tip about refaring is bang on! We reduced our fare on the Panama cruise by almost $2k before we paid, and we got a credit to the next cruise of $1.1k and a cabin upgrade after we paid.
Going through customs on debarkation day goes MUCH faster with a passport. The group in front of us on our last cruise was directed to a long line whereas we just had our faces scanned and were on our way.
All very good tips information Ilana. For us a balcony is a must. I know people are happy with ocean view cabins, just not my choice. Yes passports should be a must have ti go on a cruise. Know a friend who was denied boarding with just birth certificate. Yes our last cruise we arrived very early due to the transfer from the hotel & no one had an issue with us embarking early. We were suite class so that may have played a role in their not saying anything. Happy cruising Ilana!
Just call your doctor and tell them you are going on a cruise and get some prescription motion sickness patches. First cruise we went on, our (at the time) 7 year old stayed seasick almost the entire cruise and it was terrible. Every other cruise, we have gotten the prescription patches and had zero issues with seasickness.
Personally, I will always book a balcony cabin just for the peace when desired, regardless of cruise length or itinerary. The extra cost is well worth it for my sanity😊
Sorry, I love balconies and all my cruises are in balcony cabin…if you have many ports better since is fun to peek the arrival and departure…even in cold climate I take balconies.
For me a balcony is essential. I take cold meds and a prescription from my Doc in case I develop bronchitis-a recurring problem. No matter what the seas I bring seasick meds. My next cruise is in Egypt on Avalon. We are restricted to one piece of luggage only-read your cruise docs
These are very good tips. We are about to go on our second cruise ever, and Life Well Cruised helped us enjoy our first cruise so much more than we could have if we'd not watched this channel. I think one of the best tips is not only to reserve as early as possible, but also PLEASE check the physical demands before you by an excursion. We were on an excursion people with limited mobility held us up on a walking tour and demanded the tour guide wait for them as they found alternate routes and complained of having to go up steps.
Most new cruisers try to book embarkation times early in the day to get an edge on bording. However I reserve a later time in the day to avoid the waiting and standing in lines with the earlier embarkation time passengers. My last cruise was on NCL from Boston, I arrived at the port at 11:30 am and was in the main dining room for lunch in less than 45 Minutes.
On arriving a day early, I would suggest that as a minimum. It is your chance to see something in the port of embarkation, and if you plan on being in town a couple of days early, you have a day to do some touristy stuff. And even if you are only in town the day before, won't get snagged by flight delays because your plane is late. Also, you can wake up relaxed and ready to face the day. And, if your port of debarkation is different from the port of embarkation, would plan for a night or two at the end of the cruise too, just to do some touristy stuff there as well.
On the passport, be aware of the expiration date. If it’s less than six months out from the time that you are coming back you might have issues getting back into whatever your home country is. Also, if you are doing an international cruise you should double check to make sure you don’t wed to get a visa before you travel. The last time I checked if you’re from North America you don’t need one to go to another North American country or the Caribbean. The same should be true for most Western European countries but you should still always double check just in case.
You are right about balconies, Alaska, you definitely want one, but I took the Freedom OTS 4 night cruise in a balcony cabin & went outside 3 times. In September it’s just too hot in the Caribbean to enjoy it. I’m now going on my first TransAtlantic cruise in a balcony cabin, I’m not sure how it will be, but I will let y’all know when I’m back in November.
This will be our first balcony stateroom we've done and I'm excited. We usually do ocean view or interior but wanted to splurge. I'm excited to see how it is ❤
On Carnival, they told us to only board when it was your time but it is not enforced. This frustrated me as a rule follower! The same thing happened at Half Moon Cay and we waited almost an hour to get passes to leave the ship first just to have a free for all. I enjoyed everything else!
We just got back from a 3 week cruise and heard tons of complaints from people with balcony cabins because the fog horn was going off all night for a majority of the cruise. We were happy to have an oceanview cabin where we didn't hear the fog horn. People in balcony cabins said it made it hard for them to sleep even when their balcony doors were closed.
We tip our stateroom attendants very well because we request so much!😅 A medical refrigerator is needed to store my antibiotics. We request a fan before they run out. Then, we ask for matress toppers, 4 extra pillows and 2 extra blankets.😊
I’ve been on 45 cruises. And you are right, I can’t remember the last time they checked my checkin time. I do try to go SOMEtime around my assigned time, just out of courtesy!
Yes! Refare! We cruise a lot now we have made it to retirement and love it. We currently have 14 cruises booked, since the beginning of this year I have refared 8 of them, some as many as 3 times. Because when you refare you may lose perks such as OBC, I have saved us $4416 and that is after subtracting lost perks. It is worth the time to keep an eye on those fares. The travel agent never notifies me of fare drops, due to using special rates, loyalty upgrades and so forth the algorithm doesn't seem to catch price drops. We will use that $4400 to take another cruise or two, or pay for some shore excursions. Even refared our train trip to our next port.
Great tips! One other thought is regarding birth certificates vs passport. We were on a cruise once and a lady at our table got badly hurt while on an excursion. She was with three other ladies, and they all needed to fly home with their injured friend. The problem was that the injured one of them was traveling with a birth certificate and she couldn't fly from Honduras without a passport. It caused HUGE problems for them. Her son flew out and had to deal with a lot of red tape before he could bring his mother home.
We have not had them checking for embarkation times. Friendly tip, make sure at least some of your cold meds are non drowsy! I have even taken to bringing some antibiotics with.
Cruise out of LA in November. The only people who were not getting checked for embarkation were Haven. There were some disappointed folks when they found out they were 3 hours early. 😳
I love your tips! Best is arriving the day before. My family started doing that after the shutdown and that was the best thing ever. We got to explore the port town before the cruise and found out we could book excursions for that day through the cruise line or other tour companies🤯 I have some mobility issues on the ship and I can’t walk long distances on excursions anymore so I rent a mobile scooter for my cruise.
I love my tag covers but when I have discovered I have forgotten them the new tags don’t need cutting they use the extra paper to strengthen, but you’ll need tape or a stapler😇 As for check in time I have seen lines because times had not been arrived. Since I was in a wheelchair I was pulled out and told I didn’t need to wait. I protested, but they said it was fine. This has happened mostly in Miami. The other cruise I left on, from the US, I have enough status to sometimes get me in early. Mostly, I get to sit in priority seats based on status. Yes, I arrive early because hotels want me checked out and shuttles want to pick me up after they’ve just dropped off people they’ve picked up. Last time out of Bayonne the shuttle was a bit late, but they called to tell me that the debarkation had been over an hour late starting. I was fine sitting in the lobby rather than standing trying to give luggage to the workers and then waiting for the checkin to open. On Royal especially, I liked to be really early at the buffet as it was difficult to find a place where I could use a scooter. We usually finish quickly, so others can have the seats too. Tip to new cruisers, and some older ones. When staying in an interior cabin turn the bridge channel on, mute it if you hate the music. There you will find that there is a bridge camera showing the outside and maybe some of the front of the ship. Voila, you now have daylight, assuming it’s daytime, so you don’t lose track of time, and you can tell whether you need an umbrella or if it’s just overcast. The other trick is most lines put their public announcement broadcasts on the channel so you don’t have to run to the door to hear bingo starts in 15 minutes, or that you are skipping your next port! This works better if at least the tv is already turned on!
I didn't get off of my 30 day cruise because it looked like we were a long way from the town and standing waiting for the crowd to move along was just something i couldn't do as i have a bad back. I did enjoy going to the movie though and that was enough for me. 30days onboard was actually pretty awesome and i'll likely do that again if i happen to cruise again.
What a great idea. We pack a “Covid kit” that we get from a pharmacy, for a just in case. We were on a Hawaii cruise and half the ship got a respiratory thing. Totally wished I had it then!
@@anncooper4578 Hi Ann, I’ve had my answer deleted twice. I didn’t want you to think I wasn’t answering the question. I would just suggest asking your doctor if they can recommend.
Having now needed an accessible cabin, I was thrilled that it had a balcony. I barely used it. And it was the same on the next cruise. Save your money and just get an outside cabin.
We get emails from Celebrity stating sales are on and to call to get the sale on what we already have purchased. We saved over $200.00 on a bunch of things. It’s great Celebrity does this for us
#1 Balcony, "Bugs". If in the tropic and you don't like Mosquitoes. You might want to skip the Balcony. BONUS Tip: Check your Daily Planner either paper or App. for any changes in times or locations of on-board events. We've showed up for a lecture or program to find out it had been moved up and hour and missed it.
