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Fanmail Friday: January 9th Edition

Written by T.I. Cruiser on January 9, 2009 · Leave a Comment

I am taking a Caribbean cruise and would like to know if I will need any special vaccinations?

While some people will tell you to have vaccinations for things like malaria, typhoid and all sorts of other shots, I have never had any special vaccinations when traveling in the Caribbean. The only advice I can give you is to be sure you are up to date on your tetanus shot (but that’s for life in general not just cruising). Other than that, the only thing I can say is that it is advisable to get both a Hepatitis A and Hepatitis B vaccination whenever you are traveling. While some parts of the Caribbean aren’t quite what we are used to roughing it in Tortola is a far cry from an African Safari.

I keep being told to watch out for rip tides while swimming. What is a riptide and what should I do if caught in one?

A riptide is a type of current that occurs when water from a breaking wave is pushed sideways by oncoming waves. This water continues to move sideways until something in the underwater topography such as a channel between sandbars allows the water to flow back away from the shore. This current flows significantly stronger than what is normal and can pull swimmers out to sea. Generally speaking, riptides aren’t very wide and flow perpendicular to the shore. If you are ever caught in a rip tide the best thing to do is swim parallel (right or left) to the shore. Once you are out of its pull, you will be able to swim back to the shore. The best way to avoid them is to pay attention to what other swimmers are doing as well as any signage that may be present. A couple of tips that should always be used are to be informed of the swimming conditions and to never swim alone.

Do cruise ships give dance lessons? I would like to learn how to dance but I have two left feet?

The short answer would be that most cruise ships do have dance lessons. However, I have to warn you that they aren’t necessarily what you think. Although some of the more upscale cruise lines do have professional dance instructors, most likely the dance lessons will be given by off duty entertainers and won’t resemble anything you would find at Arthur Murray. At best, you will get a very basic lesson in ballroom or Latin, but its also possible that the Macarena will be the subject of the day.

Fanmail Friday: November 21st Edition

Written by T.I. Cruiser on November 21, 2008 · Leave a Comment

Are you able to use a cell-phone while on the Cruise ship?

Sure, you can use your cell-phone while on a cruise ship and while in port. Just be forewarned the rates are usually very high. While at your port of departure you will probably be sending the signal through one of the towers located there. You can also use your cell-phone in ports if your provider has service there. While on the ship you can use your cell-phone via the ships towers but the calls are very expensive. If I need to make a call home, I usually wait until I am in port where the calls will be much cheaper.

Do I have to pay extra for the fitness center on the cruise ship?

The short answer is no, you don’t have to pay for the fitness center. The fitness centers on cruise ships offer free weights as well as a variety of equipment like Stairmasters, ellipticals and treadmills. Additionally you can use the saunas, steam rooms and hot tubs. If you choose to enroll in exercise classes like Yoga, Pilates or Spinning you will have to pay an additional fee. Spa services such as massages and other treatments are a separate are completely separate category of services and do cost extra.

Can you watch Monday Night Football on a cruise ship?

Modern cruise ships are equipped with satellite television. In cabin television offerings usually include ESPN, which broadcasts Monday Night Football. If for some reason your cabin does not have ESPN, chances are there is a sports bar somewhere on the ship that will be airing Monday Night Football.

Avoiding Seasickness on Cruises

Written by T.I. Cruiser on November 13, 2008 · 1 Comment

We all work hard and one of the rewards of working hard is being able to go on exotic cruise vacations. The last thing you want is to ruin your cruise by getting seasick. Those of you who have never been on a cruise will most likely cite the possibility of the mal de mer (or sea sickness) as the number one reason for not going. Those who have been on cruises have most likely experienced it at least once.

While seasickness isn’t terminal, no one likes the idea of being nauseous and crampy while vacation. In a nutshell, seasickness is a conflict between your senses where your inner ear equilibrium tells your body you are moving even though your eyes tell your brain you are stationary. This conflict of the senses causes the loss of balance, nausea, headaches and maybe even vomiting. In short, it makes you completely miserable.

Let me assure you that on today’s ships sea sickness isn’t nearly as likely to happen as it used to be, thanks to a couple of things. First of all modern cruise ships are so large that most of the time you will not be able to tell you are at sea. Secondly, modern cruise ships are equipped with stabilizers, which help to keep the ship level (more or less). That isn’t to say seasickness no longer occurs. Anyone who has been sea sick before knows it is nearly impossible to overcome once you are afflicted. Let’s go over some of the things that can be done to stop seasickness from happening.

Preventing Sea Sickness

Ship Cabin Position: The absolute best place for you to book your cabin to stave off the mal der mer is the middle of the ship, on a deck midway up the ship. It may also be wise to get an outside view cabin so that you have a view of the horizon. The cabin position keeps you near the most stable part of the ship while the outside view helps keep your equilibrium and senses on the same page.

Seasickness Preventative Drugs: Many seasickness pills are available over the counter including Gravol, Bonine, and Dramamine. In order to be effective they should be taken before the onset of seasickness. I don’t ever get seasick but that doesn’t keep me from bringing Bonine along on the trip, just in case. If you forget to stock up before cruising don’t worry it will be available on board the ship.

Seasickness Patches: Small Scopolamine patches that look a like small band aids are available to prevent the onset of the mal de mer. These patches are placed behind the ear. They are among the most common prescription drugs for seasickness

Seasickness Wristbands: I have seen people wearing Sea Band, QueazAway and Accu-band wristbands to prevent seasickness. The way these wristbands work is by a simple form of acupuncture. The wristbands apply pressure to a spot approximately an inch and a half above your wrist on the under side of your arm.

Holistic Treatments: Some people believe crystallized ginger will prevent seasickness. I have personally never used it (but then again I don’t get seasick). The recommended dosage of ginger is 1 gram. Ginger Ale can also help as long as it actually contains ginger (which most mainstream brands no longer list as an ingredient).

It is a common belief that only those with a weak constitution develop seasickness. This is absolutely false anyone, no matter how physically or mentally fit can be afflicted. The best thing we can do is take precautions to prevent its onset since nothing can be done once you are sick. It is my hope that this information will assure you that the mal de mer never ruins your dream vacation.