| When going on a Caribbean cruise vacation there are | | | | amount of tips you will be paying at the beginning of |
| some sensible things that you should know. Here are | | | | the cruise vacation and separate that from your |
| some excellent cruise tips for your much anticipated | | | | spending money. You won't get caught short. |
| cruise vacation. | | | | If a Maitre d' does something special, like crepe |
| The first day of your Caribbean cruise vacation is | | | | suzettes at your table, you should tip him. When you |
| here. Most of the day will be spent getting to know | | | | order wine or drinks there is already a 15% tip on the |
| your cruise ship, making spa appointments, booking | | | | charge, so it is not necessary to tip here. If you find a |
| tours on the Caribbean Islands and trying to get cruise | | | | special bar and frequent it, give the bartender a bit |
| tips from your fellow passengers. | | | | extra on the last night. As I said tipping policies are |
| The first night of your Caribbean cruise vacation is | | | | different on all ships so find out ahead of time. Holland |
| always a casual night since most people have traveled | | | | American has changed their tipping policy. It used to be |
| a good portion of the day. It's also the night you meet | | | | "no tipping necessary". That policy is no longer in place. |
| your table mates. Here is another cruise tip, be a few | | | | On NCL Hawaii a $10.00 per day per person is added |
| minutes late on the first night (only on the first night-be | | | | to your bill and it is not optional. |
| prompt from then on). There is usually a crush of | | | | A nice gesture on a two week cruise is to give half |
| people when the dinner bell rings and everyone is | | | | the tip after the first week, the cruise staff will |
| trying to find their table. | | | | appreciate this. On almost all of the cruise ships, the |
| If you are eating in the traditional cruise style, always | | | | general rule for tipping is $3.00 per day, per person for |
| ask for a large table for several reasons. You have a | | | | the waiter and the room steward and $1.50 per person |
| better chance of meeting a mix of people, and the | | | | per day for the bus boy. If you're not sure the Cruise |
| more people you meet during your cruise travel, the | | | | Line will usually give you guidelines. If your room |
| merrier. One thing to do is change seats every night at | | | | steward or waiter showed you excellent services tip |
| the table so everyone gets to talk to everyone else | | | | them more. |
| during the course of your cruise vacation. It's much | | | | Alcoholic beverages on board are expensive. All cruise |
| more fun. And a round table is ideal since rectangular | | | | ships have there own policy if you bring your own, |
| ones make it difficult to talk to the guy at the other | | | | some confiscate it and return at the end of the cruise, |
| end. However, if you find that you are unhappy with | | | | others allow you to buy bottles on board, and others |
| your table, absolutely go to the maitre d' and asked to | | | | will allow you to purchase it but won't deliver it until the |
| be moved. He or she will accommodate you as best | | | | end of the cruise. Each cruise line has different policies |
| they can. There are people who chose to dine alone | | | | so check with your cruise travel agent. In many cases |
| and the ships have tables for two but they fill up fast. | | | | you can bring wine and champagne on board. |
| Freestyle Dining and Choice Dining are available on | | | | Here's just a small note about seasickness. On the |
| some Cruise Lines for those who want to eat on their | | | | really huge ships it should not be a problem. If you are |
| own or don't want to be delegated to a specific dining | | | | prone to it and are taking a smaller ship, there are over |
| time. Your travel agent will be able to set this up when | | | | the counter remedies. Dramamine and Bonine are in |
| booking your Caribbean cruise vacation. | | | | tablet forms and can make some people drowsy. |
| Now you are on day two, and usually that means it's a | | | | Because of the size and the stability of the current |
| day at sea. You are just itching to put into your bathing | | | | fleet of cruise ships only 3% of cruise passengers are |
| suit and get out in the sun. Listen to this, it is the most | | | | affected by this. |
| valuable of all the cruises tips here, do not try to get a | | | | There are wrist bands that you can purchase that act |
| tan on your first day of your Caribbean cruise | | | | on the theory of acupuncture. Then there is also the |
| vacation. You will spend days of your precious cruise | | | | Patch that you wear behind your ear. If you do not |
| trying to recover from very bad sunburn. The | | | | purchase one of these before the cruise and find |
| Caribbean sun is very intense and is even more so in | | | | yourself getting a little green, the purser's office will |
| the summer months. | | | | provide you with them. Go out on the open decks, eat |
| Get waterproof sun block and use it liberally if you are | | | | saltines, green apples and drink ginger ale. Do not do |
| swimming or snorkeling. Don't forget the tops of your | | | | anything that requires you to look down, like reading or |
| feet, your ears and lips, this can be extremely painful. | | | | writing. |
| Wear a hat so you don't burn your scalp. | | | | In health food stores you can buy powdered ginger |
| To avoid injury follow these tips. Be careful if the | | | | caplets which are the natural remedy. That should take |
| decks are wet, they become very slippery. Watch for | | | | care of it. Stay away from greasy foods. This is no |
| the raised lips in some doorways especially between | | | | longer a huge problem since most ships today have |
| your cabins sleeping area and the bathroom. Never sit | | | | stabilizers that keep the ship from pitching to and fro. If |
| on the railings as you may fall. Wearing high heels | | | | you do have a problem with "mal de mar", it is not |
| could be hazardous in bumpy weather. When | | | | wise to take a sailing cruise or a small ship in |
| tendering to shore keep your arms and legs within the | | | | notoriously rough seas like the South China Sea. It is so |
| tender. These are all very good cruise tips | | | | shallow it is always a little rough. The waves bounce |
| All of the newer cruise ships have an internet | | | | off the seabed and come back up making it a bit |
| café; some even have an internet connection in | | | | choppy. Here again the size of the ship matters and |
| your room. So if you want to bring your lap top with | | | | having a little information will be helpful. This is where a |
| you, by all means do. There are some small luxury | | | | really knowledgeable cruise travel agent comes in. |
| cruise ships that have lap tops available for your use. | | | | All cruise ships have a policy on smoking. On one ship |
| Check with your cruise travel agent, he or she will | | | | they had an absolutely no smoking policy anywhere, |
| know. Most people won't want to be bothered with | | | | they have since changed that rule. There is never any |
| their computers, but it is nice to check your email if you | | | | smoking allowed in the showrooms or the dining |
| are going to be away for awhile, and ship to shore | | | | rooms. In many cases they designate one side of the |
| phone calls are very expensive on the cruise lines. | | | | ship in the bars as the smoking section while the other |
| The last evening will also be a casual night since you | | | | side is smoke free. |
| have packed your bags and put them outside your | | | | You can smoke in the bars and in the casino. Never, |
| cruise cabin. Tomorrow will be an early morning and | | | | ever, toss a lit cigarette overboard, it can blow back on |
| the end of your enchanting Caribbean cruise vacation. | | | | deck and start a fire. Please be considerate of the |
| There always seem to be many questions about | | | | other passengers and follow the rules. And be aware |
| tipping while taking a Caribbean cruise vacation. These | | | | that you will encounter many more smokers on a |
| questions come up on European cruise vacations too, | | | | European cruise vacation and on European cruise |
| but we'll stick to the Caribbean. Some cruise lines will | | | | ships that winter in the USA. |
| absolutely not let you tip. These are the very high end | | | | These are just some sensible cruise tips for you to |
| cruise lines. Some automatically add it to your bill. If you | | | | follow on you Caribbean cruise vacation. |
| do not like this arrangement tell the purser that you will | | | | Happy Cruising! |
| tip on your own. Tipping on a cruise ship is very | | | | Copyright © Mary Hanna, All Rights Reserved. |
| important since the room steward, waiter and busboy | | | | This article may be distributed freely on your website |
| all make their living on tips. They work very hard to | | | | and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, |
| keep you happy during your Caribbean cruise vacation | | | | copyright notice, links and the resource box are |
| so please tip them. You may want to figure out the | | | | unchanged. |