European Cruises

Archive for the ‘Cruise Planning’ Category

With so many other exciting and wonderful things to think about when going on a cruise one can sometimes overlook the sleeping accommodation, namely the cabin. You may get to choose a cabin you like. Remember a European tour has much to offer by architecture on and off the water so you may want to consider a balcony stateroom. You may figure that you are going to be so busy in all the activities that you will not be spending time in your cabin so it does not matter. You may find that you are in your cabin more than you think, and besides you want to enjoy the luxury afforded in accommodation as well as the ship itself. At first you may find it a little overwhelming at the selection of cabins you may be able choose.

To begin with there are inside cabins. These have no windows and are located in the inside corridors. They are usually less expensive than the outside ones because of not having a window. Some people feel confined or claustrophobic in these cabins so you need to decide how important a window to you is.

The outside cabins are along the outside wall of the ship and all have windows. Now here to you will find some variation. The windows could be a small porthole or a full window. Then make sure, if you are opting for a cabin with a window that you are going to be able to see out of it. Often you cannot see out the windows because of ship equipment. Then to be just a little more elite there are some outside cabins that have a balcony called veranda cabins or balcony cabins. It is wonderful to be able to sit out at night under the stars and take in the odor of the salt water. These cabins are pricier than the others are. In addition, you want to remember that in a sense with the larger windows and balcony you are sacrificing some of your privacy.

Then at the top of the list are the suites. They have separate bedrooms, larger private decks. In some cases, they have more than one bathroom, and if you really want to be extravagant, you can have your own butler.

Do not automatically assume that stepping up to a higher cabin category is going to be a lot more expensive. Check out the pricing of the various categories. You may be pleasantly surprised that going up to the next level is still within your budget. People often picture cabins as being little cubbyholes. In fact, they average about 175 square feet, which is half the size of a regular hotel room. Most of the cabin comes with all the same amenities that you would find in a hotel room with the exception of a bathtub.

If you hear the term berth that means the bed, you will be sleeping in. The styles vary according to the size of the cabin and there are many variations of these. 

 So, it is best to look at your budget and go for the best cabin you can afford, see if you can find some information on the net or ask friends who may have had a vacation on the cruise ship you want to book already and ask for advice. 

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There is nothing worse then just about to board your cruise ship and getting the feeling like you have forgotten something. You can eliminate this unpleasantness by making a list as soon as you are ready to start packing. Do your packing early. Do not leave it until the last minute. If you leave yourself lots of time then you can go out and purchase any items that you will need. Ideally make a complete list of everything you are going to take, then open your suitcase and tuck it over to one side of the room with your list. Then you can take your time over several days to leisurely pack, and check off your list as you go.

Do a checklist for each person that is going on the cruise. Do not make the mistake of doing one major list for everybody, this gets overwhelming.

 So what are you going to take with you on your cruise?

First thing you want to be sure of is that you have all of the necessary paperwork, such as your passport, cruise tickets, medical records if required. Check to see that you have your personal identification, and home telephone emergency numbers. It is a good idea to have the name of your health care professional as well. As much as we hate to think of anything-unfortunate happening, things can go wrong. If you were to get sick, the country officials would have a way of getting your medical information if need be.

Next, make sure any medications that you require are packed, and that you have enough of a supply to last you through your cruise, as well as a few days extra supply.  See if there are medications that you cannot take into the countries you are going also. If there are, you may need to have a letter from your Doctor.

Therefore, now its time to get down to packing the fun stuff, which are your cruise clothes. Remember that you are just going on a vacation not moving away from home. You need to do a bit of strategic planning here to determine what you are going to take. The first thing you need to be aware of what is the climate going to be where you are going. Then the appropriate clothing for that climate is what you will base your clothing on. Really put some effort into clothes coordination at this time, and you will be amazed at just how light your luggage is. For example, take neutral colored pants and skirts. Then pick tops that you can wear with each. That way you can may several different outfits with just a few different color combinations. One top with the two pair pants or two different skirts would be a good combination.

If you plan your wardrobe, so one item will work with several others it cuts down on your packing. This means having only what you require yet flexible enough in your choices. 

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