The 7 Things Smart Cruise Passengers ALWAYS Do

Is it possible to take a service animal on a cruise?

Bring magnetic hooks because the walls are made of steel so you have much more availability to hang up clothes or bathing suits.

Excellent info keep em coming!!!!

Awesome tips! A personal preference is the balconies on the back of the ship. Such beautiful views. We love to watch the sunrise or sunset together ❤

Treat everyone like you would like to be treated and respected. And life would be more enjoyable.

Great video as usual, very sensible info, re drinks packages, we always find it odd that on our NCL’s included drinks package which is unlimited in volume up to $15 per drink/ cocktail/wine and it covers 99% of all drinks but we are charged for sparkling water which is not included 😁. Getting smart now and order club soda’s instead! One question, if anyone can help - we usually deal with the UK NCL rep when booking etc is it still better to choose a cruise travel agent, are they really independent? 🥰🏴󠁧󠁢󠁳󠁣󠁴󠁿🇬🇧

One tip you gave I cannot agree with based on my personal experience. I booked a TA crossing on the Queen Mary 2. Because it was my first time visiting the UK, I asked a Travel Agent to make the hotel and travel arrangements for when we arrive in Southampton. Cunard canceled the voyage three months prior to the sailing date (due to Covid). I immediately informed the travel agent to cancel the hotels and land transportation bookings. She told me that it would cost about $1000 in penalties. I have never heard of a hotel or limousine company not allowing cancellations three months in advance. That was the first and last time I used a travel agent. I have always made my own travel arrangements and I have never made such a stupid mistake of making non-cancelable bookings, especially in 2021 when things were so uncertain due to Covid. When we made the trip six months later, I did my own bookings and found cheaper hotels. That’s because I don’t work on commission when I book my own holiday.

As a smoker, I choose a stateroom closest to the smoking area.

We drink perhaps one glass of wine per week so we will not be choosing the drinks package. But it looks like one must choose a 'package' for all other types of beverages as well. My question is: What can we drink without buying any package at all?

Thanks!

Problem with the insurance is that you can't book it too much ahead of time. I booked a cruise in August 2023 for April 2024 and looked at many different insurance website, either dedicated cruise insurance which is what I prefer or travel insurance with a cruise cover included, the furthest I can get the insurance is 90 days before my cruise, but most of the websites will only go to 30 days. That is for the UK, I don't know if this may be different in other countries. If someone knows any insurer that is different please let me know. I am looking for a year insurance not just single trip.
My tip would be ALWAYS to use a credit card to pay for at least part of the cruise, you get much greater protection when you are spending banks money and not your own. I pay for EVERYTHING with a credit card and then pay it off. It paid off big time when few years back I had holiday cancelled and the holiday provider didn't want to refund the money, my credit card provider gave a full refund in the matter of days without the need to go via insurance. I had some other refunds on purchases over the years when seller couldn't prove something was even posted to me etc. Obviously never spend money you don't have etc but if you are going to buy it anyway use a credit cards (plus we also had free flights with BA for using their CC so it's an extra bonus).

We tipped our room attendant in the middle of our cruise. They deserved their tip big time.

How about Costco cruises

Just today I paid an extra $220 to move my "guaranteed cabin" because I easily get sea sick and they had me all the way in the front. I'll never book the guarantee again. I gotta get a middle cabin or I'm afraid I'll spend the whole 11 days on my bathroom floor. 😅

I really love how this guy is the defintion of a Boomer

Only one I would challenge (and to be fair you did walk back on it slightly) is that Smart cruisers book a balcony. If your budget runs to 'cruise line allocated' balcony OR self chosen mid ships, cabins all round and equidistant rule but inside then I am going for that Inside. (And use the savings on a Spa package, thermal suite, or the spa deck)

it has become more and apparent taking the so called vaccine is risky in its self never mind
short term inconveniences/restrictions on the cruise, i for one am not prepared to risk a long term
vaccine injury.

I'm currently learning the hard way that I should have used a travel agent. The couple of times that I've called, I've been on hold for a long time and then end up speaking with someone who is clearly just reading a script.

Took an upgrade, never again😂. Paid $1200, ended up under the bistro, worst 12 days ever, chairs scraping from 5:30 am to 10pm. Learnt my lesson, always choose a cabin surrounded by others.

Travel Agent usage and dental first aid kit - best takeaways from this video!

I have found being a pansexual bisexual homosexual can be a bit of a mess. They don’t know how to identify me as.

Gary your advice is always genuine with no bias. Can you please review the latest Princess drink packages. Being a non drinker like yourself, they have added coffee to alcohol package. Do they still have the coffee cards. Thank you.

shehhhshual. Lol !!

Pool pumps are a big one.

Wonderful tips! Thank you 🙏

Know what you can bring on board. If you can bring cans of soda on I bet you they are cheaper at Walmart than the gouged price they are on the ship.

No extra charge for my NCL COVID…..

I am getting ready to book a cruise on Seabourn. The agent I'm working with has a room that she stayed in on the ship I will be on. It is next to the elevator which scares me. She insists that it is quiet and you can't hear the elevator at all. This seems bad to me but since she stayed in the room. It is on the Ovation and in a Veranda on Deck 8. On another note, I noticed that the cancel for any reason insurance (third party not through cruise line) doesn't cover 48 before the ship sets sail. Am I missing something?

I would say I'm somewhat agree with your tips. Except for the room picking, I and my family prefer to pick the toorm closer to end of the ship so it will be away from loud areas or some group of tourists returning back to their room when I'm sleeping. With this, I prefer to have a cabin that shares the wall with other cabin only 1 side. This way I might have noisy neighbors only on 1 side

We will not travel on any system nor will we visit any country that still mandates health rules that have been proven to be utter bullshit regarding covid.

how do you no how many drinks you want in a day ?????? and whats wrong with drinking water

Always travel with a power strip with a lot of outlets. You will be everyone's best friend and will always have access to outlets to charge your devices.

excellent ideas. a good agent and travel insurance are a must - they are invaluable when the need arises. always arrive the day before or even 2 days if you are departing from an interesting area. Agree w/selecting the cabin, I'm not too picky if the room is a little forward or aft - but you don't want to be near any noisy ares. I do however love the aft suites as they are larger on many ships, more private and have huge decks. Suites at the front of the ship can be very windy.

Cruises look like miserable experiences.

Pleas suggest a uk cruise agent

Regardless of what “cruise dude’ tells you….choose small, high end cruise lines for best experience. My experience.

Middle of the ship, middle in all three dimensions to minimize heaving in heavy seas. Minimize pitching distance up and down, minimize rolling distance and minimize yawing distance.

Finally, someone who discusses real tips and not stupid "duping the system" type tricks that don't work.

My father sold cruises for a decade and his best piece of advice to all his clients was planning in advance. He always recommended to pick and pay for your cruise 9-10 months out from the cruise. As the departure date come closer, the cruise line will begin to upgrade passengers by the date the cruise was fully paid for, meaning they’ve collected interest on your cash. 😅. I booked a Celebrity cruise to Alaska, booked an outside cabin, ended up in a Royal Suite. We then booked a Panama cruise with Celebrity, got upgraded to a royal suite, but the suite was booked for a renovation during that cruise and we ended up in the Penthouse suite. ❤ that’s my tip for cruising.

Great video as always, I'm just 3 weeks away now and I got the Have it All with HAL, 12 day cruise, cost me about 600 for the HIA. Now without flagging myself as an alcoholic, I do enjoy a drink and would not even think twice about having 7+ drinks per day in the evening (maybe not every night for a 12 day cruise but most for sure!)
When you factor in the shore excursion credit, the WIFI package and the speciality dinning, the drinks package probably is costing me less than 300 for 12 days.....so about 25 per day which means I should easily have saved money

Let your credit/bank cards know in advance so your dont have problems with your charges

Some people decorate their room door to make it easier for them/friends to find it

If you are able to book your excursions/dinner reservations in advance as soon as possible so you dont miss anything

You may need to print out luggage tags in advance

You may want to bring a notebook so that you can record important info and have your daily schedule written out in advance

Make a travel folder/large envelope for your trip and it will make your trip easier as you go

Some cruise lines have solo cabins

Any items your are not sure of bringing aboard on your trip - ask your cruise line in advance

Some ships allow friends onboard the day you leave - check with your ship - they may be able to get a quick tour