Shore excursions are an optional way to see or experience different things during a time when a cruise ship is docked in ports of call. Typically, shore excursions cost extra and can range in prices. There are a variety of different types of excursions ranging from swimming with dolphins to sightseeing & shopping. You can book a shore excursion through your cruise line or independently. 

Tips For Choosing A Shore Excursion:
1.   Make sure the price of the shore excursion fits in your budget.
2.   Make sure you are able to meet the recommended requirements for the excursion.
3.   Make sure you have enough time in port to do the excursion and anything else that you want to do while docked in the port of call.
4.    Make sure you know what time you will have to disembark the ship in the port of call to get to your excursion on-time.
5.    Make sure you know what the weather will be like in the port before purchasing your shore excursion.   If the weather is going to bad you might not want to do a water related excursion.


Deals On Shore Excursions - Possible, But Not Likely:
1.  Try to book on the first day. This will increase your chances of getting the time and excursion that you want.  Also ask the shore excursion if your cruise line offers a first day special.  
2.  If you earned an onboard credit you should be able to apply this towards a shore excursion's price.


Stick To A Cruise Line & Ship Sponsored Shore Excursion:
            You probably have heard that non-ship sponsored shore excursions are cheaper.  I would in almost all cases agree with that statement.  However, purchasing the ship sponsored shore excursions is the better way to go.   Here are some reasons:
-   The chances of the ship waiting for you are increased if your excursion is delayed.  Or the ship will pay for you to get to the next port.
-   If your excursion gets cancelled you can get a refund easily from the cruise line instead of having to work with a third party company. 

        On your cruise ship, your stateroom is like a hotel room. This is where you will sleep, shower, get dressed, and relax after a day of cruising. For these reasons, your stateroom is important to the overall cruise experience you have. This blog post will address some general stateroom tips for all staterooms and tips for balcony staterooms.

Tips For All Staterooms:
1.  Get to know your stateroom steward/stewardess. They will be serving you on your cruise vacation and take care of your stateroom during the cruise.  On the first day or early in the cruise when the attendant introduces themselves learn what times they will be servicing your room & how you can contact them. 
2.  If your cruise ship has a mini-bar in the stateroom make sure you understand the procedures and fees associated with the mini-bar.  If you don't plan on using the mini bar and have children make sure they know not to touch the mini-bar. 
3.  Return all towels to the stateroom by the designated time. If you don't you could be billed for the towels or get charged a late fee. 
4.  Keep the volume of your TV low so you don't disturb other guests. The walls are usually thin and the people on both sides of your room can hear what is going on in your room if you are loud.
5.  If your room has a safe use a combination that you will remember, but others cannot easily guess.
6.  Lock & bolt your stateroom at night to prevent anyone from entering the stateroom.
7.  Don't open door for strangers.  Don't let children open the door without an adult permission.
8.  Use the peephole to see who is at the door.
9.  Lock valuables in the safe.
10.  Don't leave children unattended in the stateroom, regardless of whether you have or do not have a balcony.

Tips For Staterooms With Balconies:
1.  Test the water temperature before exposing skin to prevent scalding.
2.  Don't flush bulky objects down the toilet  This is against most cruise line's policies and may clog your toilet  To get your toilet unclogged you will have to explain to the crew why it is clogged and might even have to wait a long time before it gets unclogged.
3.  Hold on to your jewelry. If you accidentally flush a valuable down the toilet it might be hard for a crew member to retrieve it from pipes.
4.  Leave used towels on the floor and fresh towels on the rack.  
5.  Use caution to prevent slipping in the bathroom.


Tips For Stateroom Bathrooms:

1.  Test the water temperature before exposing skin to prevent scalding.
2.  Don't flush bulky objects down the toilet  This is against most cruise line's policies and may clog your toilet  To get your toilet unclogged you will have to explain to the crew why it is clogged and might even have to wait a long time before it gets unclogged.
3.  Hold on to your jewelry  If you accidently flush a valuable down the toilet it might be hard for a crew member to retrieve it from pipes.
4.  Leave used towels on the floor and fresh towels on the rack.  
5.  Use caution to prevent slipping in the bathroom.

        Once I am able to go my cabin I drop off my carry-on bags and literature I have collected from already being onboard. I don't stay in the cabin long, but I do come back periodically to see if my luggage has arrived.  Expect your luggage to arrive close to sailing or shortly after.  If you are lucky it will arrive earlier.  When my luggage arrives I quickly unpack it and then continue enjoying the cruise. Sometime during the first day your stateroom steward/stewardess will most likely come by and introduce themselves and meet you. If you have a special request this might be a good time to let the steward know so they can plan accordingly. 
         Before the ship sets sail there is a required safety drill for all guests.  Each cabin is assigned a muster station that you will have to report to in the event of an emergency.  Go to your muster station when the direction is given from the PA system.  Bringing your lifejacket depends on the cruise line and ship.  Usually there is no photography, videoing, food, drink, or cell phone usage allowed during the drill.  I have heard of passengers getting ticketed by the Coast Guard for doing those things during the drill. I don't think that is the way anyone would want to start a cruise.  Since the drill is required don't even think about hiding.  Stateroom stewards check every cruise cabin, every balcony, and under the beds in the room.  Some stateroom stewards stick something in the key slot on the cabin door to know the room has been checked. Not attending the drill could result in you and your cabin mates getting kicked off the ship without refund.  Or another consequence that could occur is that you hold the drill up for everyone else. Whenever someone holds up the drill they become very unpopular onboard.  Overall, the safety drill is for the benefit of all passengers so you know they usually become very unpopular onboard.  The safety is for the benefit of all of the passengers so you will know what to do in the event of an emergency. Take it seriously even though it may seem like a waste of time. The muster station drill is my least favorite part of the cruise vacation. 
          After the drill you will most likely be setting sail!  You are on vacation and what you do next depends on you.  Most passengers usually attend a sail-a-way party (depending on the ship and line) and many also line the outside decks to watch the scenery go by as the ship departs from port.

Please keep in mind that everybody's first day of the cruise will vary.  This may not reflect all cruise lines & ships. However, there are some characteristics that most cruise's first day will share.

            Before you can start checking out cruise lines, ships, rates, and itineraries, you need to have a basic idea of what you are planning on doing.  Write down the destination you want to travel to, how many people you are booking, how many rooms you think you will need, when you want to go (dates), and where you want to depart from. Once you get an idea of where you think you want to go and what departure port you want to depart from start looking at different cruise line websites to see where the company has ships located, the length of days offered, and what destinations the home-ported ships travel to. I suggest writing down any important information, dates of departure for ships you are interested in, and any itineraries that interest you.  While you are researching a potential itinerary look up reviews for ships and destinations.  Reviews other people have written can be helpful, but remember reviews can be subjective and may not always contain true information.


Before Booking - Check & Compare Rates For Cruises You Are Interested In Often:
                   I check rates for cruises I am interested in almost daily and have noticed the rates are always changing. I suggest checking the rate for the cruise you want daily. Depending on the cruise line, even after you have booked, you might be able to get a price match for a lower rate on your cabin if you find a lower rate. In those cases it can pay to check the rates daily! However, be careful not to procrastinate on booking your cruise because rates typically get more expensive as the sailing gets closer (not always) and space is limited onboard the ship. Whenever I check rates I write down the date & time and price for what I am looking at and then keep comparing to look for price differences.

Making Your Decision Of Which Cruise Line & Ship To Sail:
                To book you need to narrow down your cruise selection to one cruise line, one ship, and one date. Here are some factors that may play an impact in your final decision. 
1. Amenities The Ship Offers -  Make sure the ship has the features you want. I suggest verifying what the ship has on the cruise line's website and from a third party source (make sure it is trustworthy). 
2. Guests With Disabilities -  If someone in your group/party has a disability make sure the cruise line & ship can accommodate them. You might want to consider getting information from the cruise line in writing, instead of by phone or travel agent. Most cruise ships have special rooms for guests with disabilities that may have features and layouts that regular cabins don't have. Make sure you verify the room you selected can accommodate the guest with a disability.
3.  Itinerary & Length -  The itinerary a ship will travel is important to many cruisers. This can include a ship's homeport as well as port of calls. Some cruisers want to travel to many ports of call, while others just want a short getaway that may include only one port. 

Looking For Discounts and Special Rates:
                Besides checking rates daily to determine the price, look for discounts and special rates. Some cruise lines run sales on off-season times, offer category upgrades in some sales, and much more. Also look for rates that apply to residents of certain states.  For example, if I live in Nebraska my cruise line of interest could be offering a discount for Nebraska residents on New Orleans sailings. That example is hypothetical and is only  meant to serve as an example for this website. Also look for past guest discounts, group discounts, frequent flyer mileage discounts, senior citizen discounts, military, teachers, or public service official discounts. Some cruise lines offer more discounts than others, but it never hurts to look and see what discounts your cruise line offers.

Misc. Booking Tips You Should Keep In Mind:
               1.   Before and after booking make sure you know documentation requirements for your cruise. If you need to get certain identification/documentation items in order to cruise make sure you get these items well in advance before cruising.
               2.   I suggest you try to keep a written record of everything.  Keep a copy of your booking confirmation, cruise selections, and billing information.  If you have any credits that were applied to your booking keep a record of the applying of credits.  

       Anticipating and looking forward to taking an Alaska cruise can be an exciting, but a stressful time. There are often things a cruiser can forget to do because it escapes his or her mind. Also, many cruisers are stressed not knowing how to prepare for an Alaska cruise. The goal of this blog post is to help you remember to take care of certain things before your cruise and have a time estimate of when you should be taking care of these things. Please keep in mind that everyone's timetable and deadlines will vary, which means this is only a general estimation.

Right After Booking Your Cruise or Land Tour:
          After booking your cruise vacation or land tour, no matter how long until your vacation, make sure you save a copy of your confirmations.  You should also keep any receipts or records of deposits or vacation payments.  Ask your cruise line or travel agent for some important deadlines that apply to you.  These deadlines could be things such as final payments, cancellation deadline, etc. 

Right After Booking Any Flights or Transfers:
            If you book airfare or transfers you should also save a copy of your confirmations and payments. I recommend booking these around the same time you book your cruise, if possible. Do not procrastinate booking airfare or transfers because if the dates & times you need fill up quickly you might find yourself in an undesirable situation. 

Applying For Proper Government Photo ID:
           You will most likely need to have certain documentation or photo id to travel.  Ask your cruise line what type of travel documentation you will need or visit a state or country's website to find more information about valid identification.  Never assume that something will be accepted.  Always research and check in advance to make sure that you have correct documentation.  Apply for required photo id or documentation in advance.  I recommend that you apply for these items at least sixth months in advance.  Give yourself plenty of time to receive these items and time for processing.  Not having proper documentation or photo id could cause you to be turned away from your cruise. 

About 3 Months To Cruising:
    -   Keep important dates that you have researched or learned about in mind and act on dates that are approaching.
    -   Make sure you have all travel documentation & id requirements.  If you don't have these things apply as soon as possible.
    -   Make sure you have secured any transfers, airfare, and lodging that you will need pre or post cruise vacation.  Keep a copy of confirmations for transfers, airfare, and lodging as a proof of purchase to try to prevent any problems that may occur with reservations. 
    -   Don't neglect any payments or forget about important dates.
    -   Talk to your travel agent, travel professional, or cruise line to see if you are eligible for any price drops. 
    -   Research your Alaska cruise's ports of call and start getting ideas for shore excursions or things you want to do while your ship is docked in port.

About 1 Month To Cruising:
     -  Make sure you are taking care of or have taken care of important deadlines, dates, etc.
    -  Verify again that you have all of your travel documentation and IDs ready.  If you don't you might still have time to apply.  Sometimes there are ways to get documentation expedited for an extra fee.  If there is a delay you could risk not having your required items in time to cruise.
    -    Start writing a packing list and thinking about what you will need.
    -    Be checking your bookings online, if your cruise line offers this, to make sure nothing has changed. 
    -    Continue researching your cruise ship, Alaska ports of call, and anything else related to your vacation.

When to Start Packing: 
The time that you start packing is up to you!  When I cruise I start by writing a packing list about one month ahead of the cruise.  I think about what I will & may need for the cruise vacation.  About 2 weeks prior to the cruise vacation I start putting some items in a dedicated corner that will be packed later.  About a week before the cruise I have my suitcase out and in my packing corner.  One or two days prior to the cruise I put my items into a suitcase and cross them off my list to make sure I don't forget anything.  
    -  Try to stay organized with your packing and create a list.
    -   Cross items off your list when they are packed so you know what you have. 
    -   Don't forget your basic toiletries and necessary medications. 
    -   Check your cruise line's website for prohibited items that cannot be packed or brought on the cruise.

One To Two Days Prior To Leaving:    
        -  Finalize your packing and verify again that you have your travel documentation. 
        -   Don't forget to pack your camera, batteries, and/or a battery charger!  I usually start charging my camera's batteries about two days ahead and I also pack a battery charger for during the cruise. 
        -  Have your mail stopped if nobody is going to come by and collect it.  You might want to consider having a trusted neighbor pick up your mail & hold it for you while you are gone.  If you don't have a trusted neighbor you can try to have the postal service hold your mail. 
        -   Keep packing and thinking of things that you want to bring.

Before Leaving The House: 
    -  Make sure have water faucets off, stove off, appliances off, and valuables secured and hidden.
      Note:  Some people turn off their water or basic utilities before leaving.  If you are one of these people that do this don't forget to follow your routine!
    -  Make sure you lock all doors and windows and turn on your security alarm, if applicable.
    -  Make sure you take all luggage, documentation, and anything else you will need.
    -  Unplug electronics from the plugs as a precaution in the event a power surge occurs while you are gone.
    -  Leave excited for your Alaska cruise!

        Eight years ago today, on July 5, 2007, I took my first cruise onboard the Carnival Ecstasy (at the time M/S Ecstasy). When I first stepped onboard the ship, I was lost and had no idea what to expect. Throughout the early part of the cruise it was a challenge knowing the front of the ship from the back and getting from place to place. As the cruise progressed, I learned my way around the ship and fell in love with cruising. After this cruise I was ready to sail again because cruising was my new favorite type of vacation. My interest in cruising and the cruise industry has exponentially increased since my first cruise. I had no idea eight years ago that I would be creating a cruise guide website!
Here are the things I did not know when I first cruised:



#1:  You Don't Have To Book A Shore Excursion
                On my first cruise an announcement was made on the first day telling us shore excursions were selling out faster than expected for the voyage and excursions were practically the only thing to do in a port of call. Shore excursions are not the only thing to do in a port of call. Most ports have a variety of shops and things to do without booking a shore excursion. However, shore excursions can be a fun way to experience the port of call you are visiting!

#2:  The Muster Station Drill Is Actually Important
              It felt like 100 degrees in Galveston the day my first cruise departed. I was zoned to the only outside muster station on the ship and got to burn while listening to the safety announcements. On this cruise, we had to wear our lifejackets, which made the heat feel worse. Due to my first muster station drill experience, I often discounted the importance of the muster station drill. This drill contains information that has the ability to save your life. No matter how hot or cramped you are during the drill, always listen!

#3:  Using The Stairs Is A Good Form of Exercise on A Cruise
               Throughout my first cruise the elevators appeared to be the most popular form of transporting passengers from deck to deck. During my first cruise, we got fed up waiting for the ship's elevators so we took the stairs to get to our destination quicker. The extra stair climbing is a great way to start burning off food calories. 

#4:  Cruise Ships Sail Long Periods Of Time Before Getting A Rest
              Most cruise ships sail daily for years before getting a break. This means as you get off your cruise ship more passengers will get on the same day. The crew members onboard work hard on these turnaround days to insure the ship is clean for the new embarking passengers. After years of sailing, the cruise ship will often go out of service for a few weeks to get maintenance, upgrades, or some type of work done in drydock.  After drydock, most cruise ships will resume non-stop cruises.

              Many people enjoy cruising because of the seemingly endless buffet of food available onboard the ship. On a Carnival Cruise you can find a variety of food selections in the buffet as well as in the main dining room. Most of Carnival's ships have very similar food offerings, with the exception that some ships have different menus and special dining options. The food served onboard can vary by Carnival ship. This blog post is dedicated to sharing foods you should make an effort to try, if they offered, on your next Carnival Cruise.

Warm Chocolate Melting Cake
        Carnival's Warm Chocolate Melting Cake dish is served in the main dining room for dinner. This dish is typically available on the menu each night of the cruise in the main dining room. If prepared correctly, the upper part of the dish is solid chocolate cake and directly below is a large melted warm chocolate. 

Warning: This food item can be addicting as well as very filling.

Key Lime Pie
            Typically, on the second day of the cruise, Carnival will serve Key Lime Pie in the buffet. In my opinion, this is the best dessert served in the buffet out of any days of the cruise.

Shrimp & Fries
           On some Carnival ships, in the main dining room, you may see a main course named "Shrimp & Fries". This is always something I get when I see it offered. Typically, this dish comes with shrimp, french fries, a slice of watermelon, and a bowl of ketchup. While this is a greasy meal, it is extremely tasty! 

Pastrami on Rye Sandwich
              All Carnival ships have a deli in or near the buffet. While the deli offers a variety of sandwiches, one of the many popular options is the Pastrami on Rye sandwich. This sandwich contains pastrami meat, mustard, cheese (depending on the crew member making it), and rye bread. The sandwich is usually grilled and served warm.

Turkey Wrap Sandwich
           The Turkey Wraps sandwiches served by Carnival's deli are also delicious. The way the turkey wrap sandwiches are created can vary by crew member, but the sandwich typically contains turkey, lettuce, tomato, and a tortilla. This sandwich is on the deli menu's cold item section.

            There are many other great foods you can try while onboard your Carnival Cruise. This post only contains my suggestions and preferences of things I think others may enjoy on their own cruise.