Ahoy There!

The Good to Go Gang set out last week for New Orleans where we cruised on our home for the last seven days, the NCL Getaway. Don’t hate me, but honestly, I always hope it gets super cold while we are gone. And any ice storms that we might have to suffer? I hope they will come and go while we are in a warmer part of the world. I know that seems mean, but hey that’s the reason we head south in the winter, right?

It had been awhile since I’d had a group on a big ship. With about 4000+ passengers, it’s crazy that we would go days without seeing our people. But honestly, some of our gang we didn’t see after boarding until the next-to-last-day of the cruise!

Cruisers with lots of days on the high seas have an opinion of what class of ship they prefer. Some build up loyalty points from repeatedly cruising on the same cruise line, so perks like laundry service, early boarding and discounts come their way. If you are a numbers person, you want to look at the tonnage (size of the ship) and compare it to the number of passengers. This will tell you how crowded the boat will be. Then look at the total occupancy and number of crew members. That will tell you how the service will be. The closer crew to passenger ratio (3 to 1 vs. 6 to 1) means not standing in lines or waiting. Of course, none of this matters a bit if you are working with a certain date and dollar amount. And if that’s the case… just book that cruise and go!

In case you’ve got a cruise planned, maybe I can pass along some cruisin’ tips to get you Good to Go. Cruise lines are all a bit different, but I’ve found these apply to all I’ve been on.

1.     Cruise ships operate with a cashless system; all charges are applied to your keycard/ship ID card. You won’t need to carry a purse or wallet, so a lanyard or badge holder is a handy thing to have to keep up with that card. Of course you can buy one onboard, or take one you already own.

2.     We were delighted to find a tiny coffeemaker in our cabins on the NCL Getaway. I still suggest taking a thermal cup for hot and or cold drinks as the glass wear is really tiny and we like our big jugs of stuff to carry around. 

3.     The tourism industry is working to protect the environment for future travelers. You will see single use water bottles, plastic straws and those tiny shampoo bottles disappearing. That’s OK. It just means if you need those things, take your own.

4.     This one seems like a no brainer, but… make sure you have your luggage tagged with your name on the inside AND out. Sometimes folks borrow luggage and then the porters get very confused if the cruise tag comes off. Write your ticketed name in large letters on a secure luggage tag, then write your address small or use a address label sticker. Better, write “Address on other side” and put the address on the reverse side. This just keeps the location of the empty house less exposed.

5.     Toss in a magnet or tape. Especially handy is the clip magnets for leaving notes on your cabin door or putting your daily cruise program up to make it easy to find.

Cruising is a relaxing way to see the world. Hopefully these tips will get you Good to Go on your next seafaring adventure!