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Cruising ABCs
Everything You Need to Know to Take a Cruise
By Crystal Patriarche
(OK, not really, but be prepared!) There is plenty of free food on any cruise – it is included in the price. "I wish someone had told [me] beforehand that I didn't need to eat every meal while on the cruise; there was so much!" Fencil says.
"The best part of the cruise I took would have to be the food," Baumann says. "It was great and plenty of it."
"DIET, DIET, DIET before you go because you will be surrounded by free food," Yearley says.
"I would suggest touring the ship right away so you know where everything is," Yearley says. And if they offer activities off the ship that you can sign up for in advance, it is a good idea to find the sign-up area and do so early, she says.
To book a cruise, use a knowledgeable travel agent, because they have feedback from other customers and many times have been on the ships themselves. "I would either go through a travel agent (AAA) or the cruise line directly," Miller says. "When it comes to a cruise, I just don't think I'd take any chances with booking it online. I'd rather talk to someone in order to make the arrangements."
When Baumann booked her cruise, she was offered "Ship's Option," which is whatever is available at the time of check in, but they still confirmed that she would get what she wanted. "It worked out to be at least $500 cheaper per person. We even received a 'handicapped' room, which was very big," she says.