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Fanmail Friday: February 13th Edition

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 13, 2009 · Leave a Comment

I asked my parents to get a Carnival cruise for a graduation present. I was supposed to go with my best friend, minus the parents, but we are both only 18. My mom says that you need to be 21 to go on a cruise by yourself. Is this true?

The short answer would be, yes you need to either be 21 years of age or if you are younger you need to be accompanied by someone over the age of 25 on a Carnival cruise. This goes for most of the major cruise lines. However, some cruise lines do allow 18 year olds to cruise alone. Off the top of my head Cruise West, Cunard, Oceania, Seven Seas Cruises, Star Clippers and P&O will allow you to cruise by yourself even if you are only eighteen years of age. There are others but those are the ones that I am aware of at the moment.

If I slip the Captain of the ship a hundred dollar bill, will he let me steer the ship for a while?

LOL, you have to be kidding me, right. If so, congrats you made me smile. If not than I suggest you seek professional help. Today’s cruise ships cost upwards of five hundred million dollars. While you could try, I highly doubt a hundred dollars is going to get you behind the wheel. However, if you slip me a hundred dollar bill, I’ll let you drive my Hyundai.

In the past, I have always brought a case of bottled water with me when I cruise. This was a great way to save money while in port, but now that I am older I no longer feel like being bothered lugging it onboard. Is the ship’s water safe to drink?

Believe it or not, the ship’s water is probably safer to drink than the tap water at your house. Through the use of reverse osmosis and/or distillation, drinking water is created right on the ship. In short, today’s cruise ships have self contained water treatment plants right onboard. The only problem is the tap water isn’t very cold so plan on filling up a couple of bottles to put into the refrigerator the night before your shore excursion.

Protecting Yourself From Pickpockets While in Port

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment

pickpocket12112006 Protecting Yourself From Pickpockets While in Port

Chances are if you are going on a cruise, you plan to disembark to visit one or more ports of call. Although these ports are beautiful and exciting they have a dark side, they are full of “The Bad Guys”. Now, these bad guys do not look or act the same but one thing they do have in common is seeing you as prey. One of their favorite ways to victimize their prey is pick pocketing. While there is absolutely no way to be 100 percent safe from being pick pocketed, there are measures you can take to lessen the chances of it happening to you. I’ve listed some of the best tips I can think of to lessen the chances that you will be “The Bad Guys” next victim.

Be extremely cautious in crowded areas - “The Bad Guys” tend to congregate in crowded “tourist traps”, where they can operate as just a face in the crowd. Here they can use any one of their favorite tactics like bumping into you as they lift your wallet. They will often work in teams where one person will get your attention and distract you while the other victimizes you. Always demand that others respect your personal space, and do not allow under any circumstance strangers to touch you or approach you too closely.

Do not dress to impress – Many tourists (for some reason) think they should dress up when they are visiting ports. First of all, the best way to dress for exploring a port is with comfort in mind. Secondly, even if the diamond earrings you are wearing are actually one-carat cubic zirconias, “The Bad Guys” see you as an ATM. Do yourself a favor and save the flash for formal night aboard the ship.

Avoid letting others see where you keep your money – “The Bad Guys” are always on the lookout for new victims. Even if you aren’t aware that you are flashing your cash rest assured “The Bad Guys” have noticed. Whether in a store or at a vendor on a side street be discrete when paying. You should be the only one that knows exactly where you stash your cash.

Leave the wallet or purse on the ship – Store your money in a money belt, pouch or one of those wallets that hangs from your neck. However, if you must carry a wallet, keep it in your front pocket secured with a rubber band or attached to a chain. I like to use one of those hanging wallets, which I usually am also holding in my hand. I never planned to do it that way it just instinctively feels right.

Attempt to blend in with the locals – Nothing says rob me like a big floppy hat, a t-shirt with the logo of your college alma mater and a camera around the neck. While remaining comfortable try to dress like the locals dress. Although they probably won’t mistake you as one of their own, you may be able to fly under the radar by looking like someone who at least resides in the area.

Be confident – Even if you are new to traveling, act as if you have been there before. Walk with purpose and do not stop to talk to strangers. “The Bad Guys” thrive on taking advantage of insecure and confused tourists. Many times, they view seasoned travelers as too much of a risk. Just like lions on the Serengeti, “The Bad Guys” are experts at picking out the weak gazelles to prey on.

Keep your backup information somewhere safe – This isn’t really a preventative tip, it’s more about damage control. If you are ever unfortunate enough to become the victim of a pickpocket, it is much easier to minimize the damage if you have copies of your information as well as the necessary contact numbers.

Be aware and listen to your instincts – When it comes to safety the best weapon you have is your instinct. Always remember if something doesn’t feel right, it probably is not. Keep your eyes and ears open and always be aware of your surroundings. If the hairs on the back of your neck start to stand up or you gut tells you something is off, remove yourself from the situation immediately.

Do not ever think it cannot happen to you – Probably the most important piece of advice I can give you on how to avoid pickpockets is to remember that it can happen to you. In fact, I would imagine that if you travel enough, it would (at some point) happen to you. We may read a couple of articles or purchase a couple of gadgets to help prevent being pick pocketed but “The Bad Guys” work 24 hours a day at perfecting their craft. Don’t think for a moment that you are smarter than they are.

Relax you are on vacation – Although it is every travelers duty to educate themselves on ways to thwart “The Bad Guys”, never forget that you are on vacation. The only thing that ruins a vacation faster than the bad guys is the constant fear of “The Bad Guys”.

Ten Over-looked Items I Never Cruise Without

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 10, 2009 · 2 Comments

We all bring allong things like Mp3 players, paperback books and extra socks when we cruise. So, I figured I would make a list of things to bring along that are a little more offbeat. Here is a list of ten things that I like to bring along when I cruise, maybe you will find a use for a couple of them on your next vacation.

Hand Sanitizer – Hygiene is very important. While we all attempt to be as clean as possible, in some ports it is a bit harder than others to maintain our usual standards. This is where personal sized hand sanitizer comes in handy. The bottles are small enough to be carried in a pocket and it proves to be invaluable in places where proper facilities aren’t up to code.

Water Shoes – Not all beaches are created equal, in fact some are down right rugged. Carrying water shoes affords me the ability to deal with almost any type of terrain. They are especially useful on some of the coral beaches that make up some of the best snorkeling spots in the Caribbean. Although I would love for all beaches to be as powdery soft as Eagle Beach in Aruba, most are not so be prepared.

Water Wallet – Chances are you will be visiting one or more ports that feature beaches. If this is the case, a water wallet is essential. It helps you keep all of your important belongings (money, identification, etc.) dry even while you are getting wet. Personally, I am a snorkel-aholic something that would not be possible without my water wallet.

Extra Memory Card – I take pictures of everything. Although I have a memory card that allows me to take hundreds of photos as well as a couple of hour’s worth of movies, at times that is not enough. Even if it were enough storage, I find that an extra memory card allows me to have the piece of mind to snap pictures of any and everything I run across without the need to be selective.

Stain Stick – accidents happen no matter where we are, and for these moments, a stain stick/pen comes in handy. While I will say most of my cruise wardrobe is comprised of t-shirts, I must say I would hate to ruin one of my nicer dress shirts due to a dining room accident. Carrying a stain stick allows me to deal with any dining room sloppiness immediately, before the stain sets.

Downey Wrinkle Release – I have yet to perfect the technique of packing that allows me to not have to worry about wrinkled clothing. As I said most of my cruise clothing consists of t-shirts but for formal nights, I do like to look my best. I have found that using Downey Wrinkle Release and hanging my clothes in the bathroom while I take a hot shower works wonders. Its not quite as good as bringing along a steamer but it is cheap, portable and convenient.

Travel Alarm Clock – This is especially important if you are staying in an inside room, where the suns natural light doesn’t always alert you of the time of day. I like to get up early to get out to experience ports and a travel alarm clock is the most convenient way I have found to keep on schedule. Other methods people use are wake-up calls (which sometimes fail) and ordering an early room service to serve as a wake-up call. I prefer the alarm clock as it gives me the greatest control.

Collapsible Laundry Basket – Although its not always possible, I do like to keep my cabin as neat and orderly as possible. I find that a collapsible laundry basket gives me an out of the way place to put my worn clothes. I simply put over in a corner of my room or closet and toss my clothes in there when I am done wearing them. It really helps me cut down on the clutter and I have even received words of appreciateion from my cabin steward.

Over the counter meds – I always make sure to bring along a bottle of Tylenol, Tums and Imodium just in case illness hits. Purchasing these items in the ships shops can get very expensive and waiting to buy them in port isn’t always an option. I find that picking up a few of these things before I leave home gives me greater peace of mind. In fact, I have even made friends because I was the guy at the dining room table that had antacid. I also make sure I grab some seasick prevention medication and bug spray just in case.

Dollar Bills – Although the ship operates on a cashless basis and most purchases made in port will be in large sums it is very convenient to have a wad of dollar bills. I use them as tips for porters, room service, taxi’s and any other situation where I may feel the need to slip someone a couple of dollars. Additionally, I think its important to not have to pull out large bills in local marketplaces where vendors may not have change for that fifty dollar bill.

Do you have any must have items you bring along on your cruises that others may be interested in? If so maybe you would like to leave a comment letting us know what they are.