Cruise tips: What not to do on your first voyage – USA Today

x

Embed

x

Share

CLOSE

Thinking about taking your first cruise? Ask yourself these five questions before making a decision. Scott Craven/The Republic
Wochit

There’s something to be said for constantly being within walking distance of free food while traveling.

And that something is, “This probably won’t turn out well.”

With each trip to the Lido Deck — and there were many visits — I’d snag a burger or pizza or handful of cookies without even thinking.

Vacation + socially acceptable handouts =  blameless overindulgence.

That lack of willpower was just one of several mistakes I made as a rookie cruiser.

Believing the greatest service I can provide is living a life that’s a warning to others, here are the six rookie mistakes committed on a recent seven-day Alaska cruise on a Carnival ship:

► Laughing at the handful of passengers cradling 12-packs of Mountain Dew as they boarded. It was less about the savings (onboard soft drinks were $3 a pop) and more about the convenience of in-room refreshments. There may not have been a stigma to bringing your own beverages (the cruise line limits each person to 12 cans or bottles), but each time we saw the Dew cradlers, we called them “the soda people.”

► Second-guessing our choice of stateroom, wondering if it was worth the extra expense to have a window rather than opt for a much cheaper interior room. One peek inside a windowless, claustrophobic cabin was enough to convince me the ocean view was worth its weight in soda.

► Failing to note various fees. Each time I used my cruise-issued card to pay for each drink, I added a few bucks for a tip without glancing at the receipt. Four days into the cruise, I noticed a 15% gratuity had been automatically added. With that in mind, I carefully examined the final bill and noted it included substantial gratuities for various attendants and servers. Had I not seen that tally, I would have left behind a tip as we departed.

► Initially ignoring the warning text from my cell provider that I was in very expensive service territory. I switched off my cell signal when my phone sent another reminder, preventing a costly bill. It took a few hours for me to digitally detox (no texts or social media), but soon it felt good to be off the grid.

► Overpacking. I didn’t wear half the clothes I brought (excluding underwear, falling a bit short). Nor did I need the hiking boots I’d brought for off-ship excursions. The Alaskan and Canadian trails were tamer than expected, not surprising since tours were aimed at people eating free food all week.

► Speaking of free food, it’s worth mentioning overeating again. By the fourth day, I’d learned to eat smaller meals in between frequent snacks. Breakfast, for example, was down to one pancake (rather than a stack), one strip of bacon (rather than a pile), and one Danish (rather than as many as the plastic tongs could hold). A daily visit to the gym didn’t hurt. Or help.