Time 2 Cruise

The majority of cruise ships offer the ability to use your cell phone while at sea. The way it works is by a cell tower located on the ship beaming the calls to a satellite , basically turning your standard cell phone into a satellite phone while on the ship. On most ships the system now works with both GSM & CDMA phones for voice calls made and received . Internet, e-mail, and text messaging may or may not work depending on the cell carrier. The system will only be operable when the ships are at sea. When in port the on board system will be turned off, allowing people to use the land based cell towers, so you need to know if your phone will work in the locations being visited if you plan on using your phone on land as well. Currently most carriers are charging around $2.49 - 4.99 per minute plus a toll charge per call while at sea. You may want to check with your provider about missed calls. I have heard but cannot confirm that incoming calls that go to voicemail may be charge...

Last week, I discussed three ways to book a cruise however, I only touched on online booking agencies, mentioning the big names. There are many good agencies that do business mainly online that were neglected in that post. Here are a few tips on finding the right online agency: Make sure they are a member of CLIA (Cruise Line International Associattion) and in good standing. Check the company out at the Better Business Bureau. Don't just look at the number of complaints, but look to see how many were resolved. Only deal with an online agency that can be contacted by phone as well as email. Try to find a physical address for the company on the site. Read the small print. Good online agencies disclose what is included either above or below the prices.

Norwegian Cruise Lines started this program. Basically , on a standard cruise vacation, if you want to eat in the dining room, you go at your assigned time, and sit with other guests that were assigned the same table. With freestyle dining there are no set times or table mates . NCL ships have as many as 13 different restaurants on board offering different cuisine. But now, other cruise lines are looking into adding a freestyle or anytime option on some of their ships. Holland America is in the process of rolling out there program called "as you wish" and Princess has a program where you can have dinner on your balcony (for a small fee of course). I see the dining options becoming a trend among most if not all the cruise lines as they try to cater to what the people want. A side note on the NCL program: Reservations are required at some of the more popular restaurants on board and some also have an added fee.

The average cruise ship, on average, costs around ½ a billion dollars to build. Royal Caribbean has a ship on order, due to be finished in fall 2009, capable of carrying 5400 passengers, at a cost of 1.25 billion dollars. It takes between two to four years to build a ship. A modern cruise ship goes through somewhere between 100 and 200 gallons of fuel for every nautical mile when moving. This does not include fuel that is used while in port, to keep the generators that are responsible for all the electrical on board. On any given sailing, there will be 1 crew member on board a cruise ship for every 2 to 3 passengers (depends on ship size and cruise line), with many of the crew doing work behind the scenes that keep everything running smoothly. Modern cruise ships in U.S. waters are required to carry survival craft (lifeboats, rafts) with seating capacity that exceeds the maximum capacity of the ship itself. A drill is required for all sailings to familiarize passengers with the loca...

From the article here , it looks like Carnival fans will have some new destinations to choose from. With ports of call in Brazil, Argentina, Chile, and a few others, the Carnival Splendor will be offering 14 to 18 day cruises in the beginning of 2009, before it moves the Long Beach to do 7 day Mexican Riviera runs displacing the Carnival Pride which will move to San Diego for 8 day Riviera runs. The west coast has become a hot commodity for Carnival. They currently have the Carnival Pride doing year long 7 days out of Long Beach, the Carnival Spirit doing three different itineraries depending on time of year (including Alaska, Mexico and Hawaii), the Paradise doing 3 and 4 day baja cruises, and most recently the Elation moving to San Diego to do 4 and 5 day runs to Cabo San Lucas.

According to the article here , Disney Cruise Line is looking for other ports for its two current ships, and the two ships on order which will double the fleet by 2012. This doesn't mean that Disney will abandon Port Canaveral all together, but looks to increase the number of ports that will be available for sailings. This will be a plus for fans of the the line who would like to see more cruises take place from other ports with newer destinations as well. Currently the Disney cruises out of Canaveral with both ships, with one doing some cruises out of the west coast as well as the Mediterranean.

A new contract, retroactive to October of last year has been signed between the Port of New Orleans and Carnival Cruise Lines to keep the Carnival ships visiting. The contract has an option for another 2 year extension renewal to carry over into 2010. More information on the contract and what it means to the city of New Orleans can be found here .

Eleven days after the union threatened to go on strike, a deal was made. Both sides have agreed on a new deal. Had the deal not been made, it could have cost the shipping industry Billions of dollars with the amount of import and export that the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach deal with. This also will put the cruise industry at ease. Altho it has not been mentioned during the almost two week standoff, the cruise industry relies on the same longshoreman that would have honored the picket lines. Details of the tentative contract can be found here .

OK. You have been looking around the Internet, and this site, and want to go on a cruise. The first question to ask yourself is how do I decide. It sounds like a simple question, but it can be broken down into some things to think about. Is price an important factor? If yes, mainstream lines should top your list such as Carnival or Royal Caribbean. Also, this would be an indication you may want to do some shopping around and be more flexible with dates. Some really good deals can be found on dates that the cruise lines consider the least appealing. How many days can you a lot to your vacation? Cruise vacations range from 3 short trips that only visit one port to trips that are weeks long. IF you only have a set amount of time, and small window in which to take a cruise, it will decrease the options available, and in some cases increase the cost of the cruise. For example people that only have vacation around spring break will find the cost of the shorter cruises can be just as ...

How many formal nights are there, and how formal are they? How many? The number of formal nights may differ by particular sailing or cruise line but here is the norm: One formal night on sailings of five days or less Two formal nights on sailings of six to 12 days And I would suggest contacting the cruise line on longer cruises. How formal? Again, depends on the cruise line and in some cases where the ship sails from. If the dress of others is important, you may want to consider a higher end cruise line. While mainstream lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean suggest a tux or dark suit and tie for men and evening gown or cocktail dress for the ladies, the enforcement of the rule is not always a high priority. The thing to remember is, this is not just a night to dress up, but a night to get some pretty snazzy professional looking pictures taken. And if the dressing up thing is not for you there are alternative dining options on board. Tip for the husbands that don't like to dr...

Lets face it, the majority of us don't live near a cruise terminal. This means either a long drive, or flying. Here are a few cruise related tips for flying. Fly in a day early if possible: You would hate to have a delay at the airport cause you to miss the ship. Living on the West coast, we fly in early for all cruises out of the East. This also gives us a chance to experience the city we depart from. Rethink how you pack: A big concern for many people is lost luggage. An airline is more apt to lose one piece of luggage over losing every piece of luggage in a set. Don't pack all of one persons belongings in one bag, but share the load between bags. Another thing to do is, make one of your carry on bags a clothes bag. A few days clothes will be comforting if the airline is trying to get your luggage to the next port to meet you which may be a day or two out. Buy insurance: Insurance is a good thing just for the fact that you are investing good money on the vacation. ...

It was talked about recently on the cruise critic forums about the possibility of this happening. According to " The Cruise Ship Report " the smoking ban will become effective after the first of the year on the majority of RCCL ships, with the entire fleet following the ban by summer of 2008. Smoking will not however be banned on balconies. I have to agree with the article. It looks like a win-lose situation for non smokers. While the thought of getting a cabin that wasn't previously occupied by a smoker will be a welcomed change for many, the ability to smoke on the balcony will still be a sticking point.

While on board, there are a few terms that you will hear used. Below are some of the most com on ones used with non nautical definitions. Aft - Near the rear of the Ship Bridge - Where the ship's speed and direction is controlled Cabin - Passengers "hotel" room on board Deck - Floor. Decks can be referred to by number or a name (i.e. Main Deck or Deck 4) Forward - Near the front of the ship Galley - Kitchen Muster - Boat drill. All passengers on a cruise ship must complete the muster drill Naut - Short for nautical mile - approx. 1 and 1/8 of a mile. Port - Left side of the Ship (tip: port and left both have 4 letters) Starboard - Right side of the ship Tender - Smaller vessel used to ferry passengers to land when the ship is to large to dock. A little history on "port" and "starboard": It has been said that in Viking days, the rudder used to steer the ship was put on the right side of the ship. This became the Steer Board (later to become starbo...

We all have them. Our electronic toys that we just don't want to leave at home. The laptops, ipods, and even video game systems seem to find their way into the luggage before clothes do for some people. Game systems you ask? Yes. You know kids, or husbands want to bring that Xbox or Wii with them on vacation, the question is can they. While some ships do have TVs with the RCA hookups in the front, not all do. Because the ship is a moving vessel, the TV is usually bolted down, so finding out what type of hookups are in the back is not an easy quest. Also, if considering bringing anything that you hook up to the TV, you may need to bring an extension cord because the location of the TV may not be close to the outlet in the room. One last thing to think about (and this holds true for all your electronics) is that a ship is generating its own electricity, and you don't know what kind of surge could happen. Reading the fine print, you will find out that the cruise line does not have...

For the first time cruiser, wondering how to stay in contact while on board the ship is a perfectly understandable question. Unlike in the movies from the 1970s, you don't have to go to the bridge and have the captain radio land. Some people are surprised to find that there will actually be a phone in the cabin, internet service on board, and on many ships your cell phone may work. Here is a little information on all three: In Cabin phone: Expensive, at $5-$7 per minute or more but in an emergency, thinking about the cost is not a priority. Internet Service: Usually a small area or room with 8-20 terminals. Much cheaper than the phone, but not cheap. Packages vary by cruise line. Most will offer a per minute rate for those not wanting to purchase a bulk minute package. Printing is available usually for a per page fee as well. Also take note that some cruise lines will charge a one time activation fee the first time you use the internet. Cell Phones: Yes it is true, SOME cell phone ...

Most cruise lines offer group booking perks. Groups start at 8 cabins (based on 2 people per cabin). These perks vary from shipboard credit, free gifts, or discounts on the cost of the cruise. Sometimes families, businesses, and reunions are organized in order to qualify for these perks. Often, cruisers book through a travel agent and then use posting boards such as cruisecritic.com to let people know that they are organizing a group cruise with all the pertinent information on the upcoming cruise and how to join the "group." These groups can grow large which adds to the excitement when on board. Another type of group is a theme cruise group. These can range from cruising with your favorite music star, to scrap booking. If you can think of a group activity, there is probably someone planing a group cruise for them somewhere. Be sure to come back to Time2Cruise as we will be posting information on our next group cruise soon.

Since launched in 1967 the QE 2 has put enough sea miles on her to have traveled to the moon and back over 13 times. But after 40 years in service, Cunard is going to retire her at the end of the 2008 season. Farewell Voyages are currently on sale now. With the anticipation of the retirement, Cunard will be launching the Queen Victoria, entering service later this year. In retirement, she will become a first class hotel at The Palm Jumeirah . If you are not familiar with The Palm Jumeirah , it is a man made engineering marvel in Dubai. This island oasis is built in the the shape of a palm tree jetting off the coast. It is so large that it can be seen from the space station.

Gambling is one of the many forms of entertainment you will find on board. Altho , you can use your card (for a fee) the casino is one place on board where cash is used. The casino on board will have many of your favorite games available, such as craps, poker, blackjack, roulette, and plenty of slot machines. Gaming lessons are often offered on many of the games, usually prior to the casino opening for the day. Games like craps and roulette, will have similar if not exactly the same odds as on land, however you will find many variations of the card games. Slot machines on board while modern have not kept up with land based casinos, and many will still accept coins (for some people this is a plus especially if you don't like the new paper based systems in Vegas and other land based casinos) along with paper money. Tournaments are a fun way to interact with the casino. For a small entry fee, black jack, and slot tournaments are held a number of times during the cruise for cash ...

Smoking is allowed on board in designated areas. Someone may correct me on this, but last time I checked, there is no such thing as a non smoking cabin. Many lines do not advertise that smoking is allowed in the rooms, but don't state otherwise either. As for the other designated areas, on many ships, its in certain bars, the casino, and certain areas on deck. These areas will vary from ship to ship. One rule that stays the same among all cruise lines is the rule against throwing cigarette butts overboard. For one its polluting, and another is that most times, the cigarette usually will be sucked back on board on a different level of the ship which can be dangerous. Carnival had the Paradise, which was a 100% non smoking ship, but that was changed after the ship stopped moving from port to port and started using California as a home port. With the way regulations are changing in many states, its only a matter of time before the cruise industry starts to rethink its policies...

Sticking to one particular company over another has its perks. Going back just a second time leads to things like past guest discounts and and invitations to past guest party with free drinks. Start hitting the five and even 10 cruise mark and the perks get better. These perks can be anything from coupon books that give you discounts on board for things like drinks and souvenirs to priority when requesting dining times, and debarkation. Some cruise lines even have different color cards that distinguish you from first time cruisers. The draw back of cruise line loyalty is simply that you don't get to experience what some other lines have to offer. For many, this is a trade off they are willing to make.

Picking a travel agency may not sound like a big deal, but for some it can be. There are three kind of agencies to pick from. First is the "brick and mortar" agency, where they have an office you can visit and most of the contact is either in person or by phone. The second is the online agencies. The third is the cruise lines in house booking agents. Each have pros and cons as always. Brick and Mortar Pros: Its nice to be able to talk to a person. Most questions you may have can be addressed quickly. Making changes can be easier (sometimes). Some agents can get deals that you wont find elsewhere. Building a relationship with your travel agent can pay of on future vacation deals.Many brick and mortar agencies also have web pages to help with frequently asked questions that may not require making a phone call, Cons: Many agents specialize. Having an agent that normally does land based vacations help book a cruise may not be any more informed than you. With large...

These are my 5 things that I have seen people wish they had after getting on board. They are simple, but at the same time simple to not think about until you need/want them. Night light - Necessity for inside cabins, but comes in handy for any cabin. Just imagine the middle of the night trip to the bathroom. You turn on the light switch and a flood of industrial fluorescent light fills the room, hurting your eyes. Power strip - You will find that the cabin will usually only have 1 outlet, normally located near the desk/dressing table. A power strip or outlet expander (we have a small 1 to 3 version found at the local grocery store) comes in handy. Binoculars - These fall under the "why didn't I think to bring" category that first time you up on deck and spot another ship or pod of whales off in the distance. Watch - In the age of cell phones, many people just don't wear watches anymore. You learn when visiting port, that the ship does not always go by the sam...

Most addicted cruisers will agree with me on this one. There really is only three seasons. Booking season Cruising season Can't wait to book my next cruise season Booking season starts the moment after the booking in made. Activities during this season include, but are not limited to, day counting, weight management, swimsuit shopping , watching the mail for the documents, and trying to find out everything you can about destinations and the ship. While this season tends to feel slow, there is a mystic surrounding the anticipation of embarkation day will soon be here. Cruising season is like the first day of summer vacation as a kid. It's the most anticipated but at the same time the shortest. It starts with a flood of ideas and thoughts, from what to do first to did we forget anything. The next thing you know, your standing in line for embarkation. Once on board, its time to run around, explore, and visit the buffet! Then, just like childhood, you get hit with chores. ...

Most cruises are NOT all inclusive. If they were, the price of the cruise would be much higher. Here are my 10 things one should know costs extra. They are in no particular order. Most are costs that get added to your on board account to be settled at the end of the cruise but a couple do require cash. Soda - can be purchased by can/bottle/glass depending on the line, and many lines offer a soda pass (in the form of a card or sticker) that for one price will allow unlimited soda for the duration. Laundry mat - Not a big deal if you never need it, but there are washers and dryers on board. They usually take quarters and run about $1 a load each. Duty free shops - You will find jewelry, watches, clothes, souvenirs, alcohol, gum, aspirin etc.. here. Some things are awesome deals (alcohol by the bottle) and some are not. Alcohol - Ok , most people know this one, and if soda is gonna cost, you know the alcohol would. There are occasions on board when drinks are free, such as the welcome ab...

We are cruising with a small group on a four day cruise to Cabo San Lucas in December. More than half of the group have never been on a cruise before and the subject of sea sickness has come up. More importantly, the question of how to deal with it came up. There are plenty of prescription, over the counter, and other remedies to choose from, but do they really work? Thankfully the Mythbusters , took on the task of seeing what works. Both the over the counter pharmaceutical drugs and the ginger pills worked. We learned about ginger pills about three years ago, tried it, and have taken ginger pills with us on every cruise we have taken since. In the past we have Dramamine (off the shelf motion sickness med) but with these kind of drugs, they left us drowsy, and shouldn't be taken with alcohol, and that's not going to work on our vacation. I have talked to people that wear the patch onboard , and the consensus was that it works, but some said that if affected their sleep if t...

As of 12:01 AM Monday July 16 th , a strike deadline has passed for a clerical union dealing with the ports in Los Angeles and Long Beach. The long shoreman plan on honoring the strike. This will have an effect on loading and unloading of cargo and luggage with the cruise ships. How much of an effect remains to be seen. You can read more about it at "The Washington Post"

Ten meter High waves and strong winds damaged the bow of the P&O Star, ending a cruise vacation for 1200 passengers. According to a news article ( link ) at "The New Zealand Herald " the cruise line had to charter flights for passengers due to the holiday season in the area.

A large concern when booking a cruise is about hurricane season. The season officially starts on June 1st and runs thru November 30th. While rare, it is not impossible for a hurricane to happen out of season. While most hurricanes happen in the Atlantic, they also happen in the North East Pacific (off the coast of the United States and Mexico) as well. In the North West Pacific the storms are called Cyclones. Given the quantity and severity of three of the last four previous seasons, the 2007 season is expected to be an active but not overactive one by one set of forecasters. Prior to the start of the season, the forecasters predicted 17 named storms for the Atlantic, with nine of them becoming hurricanes. Of the nine, five are predicted to be major (category 3 or higher). So far, for the months of May and June, there have been a total of two tropical storms in the Atlantic, and two in the Pacific. None of the four became hurricanes. What does all this mean for the rest of the ...

We need your help! There are a lot of subjects that are well worth researching and posting on our site. Please respond to this post with a topic you would like to see discussed.

Regardless of the rules, we strongly suggest getting a passport if only to decrease the number of documents you need to provide in order to embark & debark. Besides, once your hooked and cruising all of the time, you wont have to worry about getting your passport when the rule is fully enforced. The wait for a passport is currently estimated at 10 - 12 weeks for standard delivery, and 2-3 weeks for expedited service. As of June 8, 2007 the US Department of State along with Homeland Security updated the passport rules on their site. The "latest" changes can be found at this Link. A note to Non-U.S. citizens and Resident Aliens. You may be asked to surrender your passport when boarding. They are collected, stored in a safe place and returned at the end of the cruise. Because of this, it would be a good idea to make a photocopy to keep on you for when in port.

For those who are thinking about taking their first ever cruise, I'd like to recommend a three or four day cruise. A short cruise is over quickly , so it just gives you a taste of what a longer cruise experience would be. If you do not have an absolute blast, you have not invested a lot of time or money. If you thoroughly enjoy your self it will leave you wanting more and you can plan a longer cruise for your second trip.

As posted on many news sites a few days ago, Bob Dickinson, or "Uncle Bob" as he is affectionately known to many Carnival cruisers, plans to retire at the end of the year. It will be interesting to see what direction the new CEO will take. Link to an article about the announcement and transition.

Grab a drink of the day, relax, and enjoy. Today we embark on a journey into the joy of taking a cruise ship vacation. This blog is going to be dedicated to everything cruising from booking to getting off the ship, along with a tidbit of news from the industry.