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Ten Great Ways to Spend a Day at Sea

Written by T.I. Cruiser on May 3, 2012 · Leave a Comment

So many people think that a cruise ship is just a method of transportation that takes passengers from one destination to another. The problem for those people is that most cruise ships don’t spend every day of the cruise in a port. Sometimes it will be necessary for a cruise ship to spend a day at sea when transitioning from one area to another. For example, the Celebrity Solstice leaves from Barcelona, Spain and then docks in Dubrovnik, Croatia. Covering that distance by cruise ship means that passengers will have to deal with 2 days at sea before reaching Dubrovnik. Passengers that like being on board the ship have no problems with the 2 sea days but a large portion of cruise ship passengers consider sea days a necessary evil.

So how does someone that considers sea days a chore go about enjoying themselves? My advice is to use your time on board to discover that the ship is not just transportation but also an essential part of your much larger vacation; complete with some very unique advantages. Here is my list of ten things cruise passengers can do to enjoy a relaxing day at sea.

1. Read a book – This is all about relaxation. In my experience there are few things that refresh the mind more effectively than getting lost in a great book. Sea days are an incredible opportunity to just sit back and do some quality reading. I prefer finding a quiet spot in the outdoor space of a lower deck, so I’m not disturbed. The crash of the waves and freshness of the air provide an ideal environment. If you reach a point where it feels like you are the only person on the ship, you’ll know you are doing it right. I never travel without my Kindle which gives me access to my entire collection of books so I can always find something that fits my mood.

2. Make Friends in the Hot tub – When I’m not reading I’m probably relaxing in the hot tub, relaxing. I’m not the most social person but for some reason I undergo a transformation once I enter the hot tub. It could be an effect of the bubbles, being out in the sun or the Mojitos I more than likely imbibed; whatever the reason it’s just a great place to meet people. I have probably met more people in the hot tub than any other place on the ship.

3. Day drink – In our normal lives we have to be responsible but when on a cruise vacation, why bother. If you want to have a drink at 10 am on a Tuesday (something you would never do in real life), have at it. The ship is doing the work of moving you from point A to point B and there is nothing you have to do; no kids to pick up, or conference calls to take. This opportunity doesn’t present itself all that often so you might as well take advantage of it.

4. Have Lunch in the Main Dining Room – Not all ships serve lunch in the main dining room and even the ones who do typically only serve on days at sea. Take the opportunity of your sea days to extend the same great service you receive in the dining room at dinner time, into the earlier portion of your day. In fact, if you hit the dining room for all three meals in the same day, it really gives you the feeling of staying at an ultra-luxury resort.

5. Take a Nap – How often do you really get to take a nap during your regular life? If you are like me the answer is probably, almost never. The great thing about vacation is the normal rules don’t apply. There is no house work, yard work or errands to run when you are on vacation. In fact, the only job you have while on vacation is to enjoy yourself. So, if you decide you want to take a nap you can do so, free of guilt, since there is nothing else that needs to be done. It’s your vacation, spend it however you want.

6. Walk the Track – Even the most careful cruiser probably takes in many more calories than they would if not on vacation. Doing a couple of laps around the lido deck jogging track can go a long way towards helping you get over (at least) the guilt of that chocolate melting cake you had last night. You don’t have to jog when on the track, walking is just fine. If the Lido deck track isn’t to your liking, sometimes it’s nice to just stroll around the ship, taking the stairs instead of the elevators. The overall effect is the same only the method used is different.

7. Play Trivia – Not that I am very good at it, but I am a confessed trivia-holic. Sometimes it’s fun to find out just how little you know about so many things. Trivia games give me the opportunity to be exposed to ideas that I normally wouldn’t ever even consider. Geography, history, music and just about anything else has entire niches that you may have an intense interest in but have never been exposed to. Also, since you tend to play in teams, trivia is another great place to meet new people. In many cases you may be well-versed in one area and your partners, experts in another. This leads to conversations and stories that collectively go a long way to enhancing your individual cruise experience.

8. Go to a lecture – There are so many special interest lectures that take place over the course of your typical cruise. We get caught up in doing and seeing so many things that sometimes we neglect the opportunities to learn on board the ship. Photography, history, technology, arts and crafts, cooking, wine tasting or even learning to play casino games are all subjects you can learn a great deal about for free. The only commitment you have to make is an hour of your time. I find “days at sea” a great opportunity to expand my horizons.

9. Take a tour of the ship – Cruise ships usually offer a behind the scenes tour on sea days. These tours are a unique way to be exposed to parts of the ship that most passengers don’t ever get a chance to sea. Behind the scenes tours do cost money and are in available in limited supply, but definitely go on my list as something every cruiser should do once.

10. Absolutely nothing – Like I said numerous times, it’s your vacation so spend it however you’d like. In fact, if you just want to sit around and do nothing, it’s perfectly acceptable.

Wrinkle Free Packing: Men’s Suit, Shirt and Pants

Written by T.I. Cruiser on February 21, 2012 · Leave a Comment

One of the issues I have to deal with while cruising is that I actually enjoy formal nights. I understand that not everyone does formal night (and even less as time goes by), but I don’t dress up all that often so I don’t like to pass up my opportunities. The problem I have is I live in the Northeast United States meaning, for most cruises I have to fly to the port of embarkation. I’m sure that many of you know what a pain packing formal clothes can be when catching a flight is a necessity. This is especially true when you are a guy and you have to pack a suit.

Sure you could always rent a tuxedo on board the cruise ship for formal nights, but I also have a decent array of really nice suits that get almost no use. So it just makes sense for me to pack my own suit for the cruise. My own suits are not only my style, but also fit like a glove (relatively speaking), two characteristics that can’t be overlooked. So how does one overcome the fact that it is nearly impossible to pack a suit without having it turn out wrinkled and nasty looking?

My top tips for packing aren’t nearly as awe-inspiring as the video but here are my top tips for packing for a cruise.

Do not over-pack: If you cram as many items into your suitcase as humanly possible, other than exceeding the luggage weight allowance the only thing you will accomplish is wrinkling every article of clothing you bring. Always pack less than you think you will need, not only will lighter packing result in less clutter for your cabin it will also help keep your clothing wrinkle free.
Use plastic bags: One thing that I’ve learned over the years is that friction causes wrinkling. That is one of the reasons why dry-cleaning bags are made of plastic, to reduce wrinkling. Now I’m not saying all clothes should be placed in plastic bags, I don’t care if my in port or poolside clothes get wrinkled. However, I do like my evening wear to be relatively unwrinkled so they get individual plastic bags. It really does help keep your clothing in the same condition they were in before you put them in the suitcase.
You will want some clothes to be wrinkle-free while others aren’t so high on the priority scale. Those clothing items not high in priority should be rolled rather than folded to keep them as pristine as possible. I’m speaking mainly about T-shirts, shorts and jeans when I talk about rolling your clothing.
When packing the actual suitcase you will want to place the neatly folded and packaged items in the center of the bag. Around the outer edges you will want to place the rolled items around the folded and packaged items. Any empty spaces should be filled with socks and undergarments. While shoes and other heavier items should be placed at the bottom of a suitcase (bottom position while the suitcase is being stood up) so as to not wrinkle the more delicate items.

Hopefully, with these tips you will be able to stay wrinkle free on your next cruise. Now, obviously everyone has there on tips and tricks on packing and how to remain wrinkle-free and feel free to share yours in the comments.

Mailbag Monday: November 21, 2011 Edition

Written by T.I. Cruiser on November 21, 2011 · Leave a Comment

I only have one question this week for Mailbag Monday. Today, I have a question from someone trying to make plans for what to do while in port. This reader is worried about the chances of “missing the boat” while on a shore excursion.

Do you get enough time to really enjoy the each port when you take a cruise? Or do you feel like you are being rushed since you aren’t going to want to take a chance on missing the ship?

While I wouldn’t say I feel rushed when taking a cruise, the prospect of missing the ship always will play a part in what you are able to do in port. Obviously since there is a definitive start/stop time to duration of time you have in port so you do have to plan accordingly. This narrow window of time often leads to you having to make some tough choices. For instance, you will probably need to choose between taking a trip to historic monument or a trip to the waterfalls; as there won’t be enough time for both.

Even though many of the places cruise ships travel to don’t have huge areas of land, transportation to different spots on the same island is often the limiting factor. Most areas cruise ships visit don’t have the transportation infrastructure we enjoy in most areas of North America. For instance, if you are in the Caribbean getting from point A to point B the may take a while due to the substandard transportation infrastructure of the area. It is not uncommon to have to circumnavigate the perimeter of an entire island to “point B” as there is no direct route to that destination. So, instead of a 15 mile trip taking less than a half-hour as it typically would at home, it make take three or four times (or even more) as long in a less developed area of the world.

Then there are the choices that need to be made between shore excursions. While shore excursions are an excellent way to be able to multiple things on an island (assuming that money is not the main roadblock) time will surely still present a problem. Personally, I am a fan of independent shore excursions since I like the smaller group sizes and ability for the excursion itself to be tailored to my individual needs. However there is one area in which the shore excursions offered by the cruise lines have no equal, the ability to eliminate the worry of getting back to the ship from the equation.

By booking a shore excursion through the ship you are guaranteed passage back to the ship even if your excursion runs into problems while trying to get you back to the ship. Since the agreement you make when booking an excursion through the cruise line is with the cruise ship not the actual provider the ship won’t leave you stranded. Secondly these ship-sponsored excursions tend to be very regimented which naturally leads to them being able to “keep the trains running on time”.

Although the actual people running the individual excursions are based in the area you are visiting they are contracted through the cruise lines therefore they are acting as agents of the cruise line. In return for the inside track to an endless stream of customers the providers of the cruise lines a share of the profits and dependability. Since reliability is paramount once a provider proves to be unreliable cruise lines won’t hesitate to find someone who can deliver. Since being connected with the cruise is the ultimate sales funnel there is no greater motivation to maintaining that relationship. When you combine this reliability with the guarantee that you will not “miss the boat” if you want to do multiple things in one day, ship-sponsored cruise excursions are the safest best.

I hope this answered your question while also providing some useful information for anyone else who may have this same question in the future. If anyone else has any questions you need answered please visit my contact page and I’ll be happy to answer any questions.