A cruise ship worker has shared the five things “smart” passengers always do when they come aboard for their vacation.
Lucy Southerton, 28, from Birmingham, has worked on cruise ships for nine years and regularly shares advice for passengers and crew on her YouTube channel Cruising As Crew.
Now, he’s shared how passengers can make the most of their trip with his own expert advice.
From being punctual and ready to preparing for emergencies, read below for the top five tips he had for cruise passengers.
Arrive “as soon as possible”
Starting with the first tip for getting ahead of a cruise trip, Lucy said people should always arrive early to avoid getting stranded.
He said that when booking flights, it is best to arrive at the cruise boarding destination “as soon as possible,” suggesting an arrival time of up to two days before the planned departure.
While the cruise worker said many people avoid doing so to save on the added cost of a hotel, she noted that this cost is much cheaper overall than the cost of a potentially missed cruise would be.
Spend wisely
Moving on to the next tip, Lucy encouraged customers to spend wisely when choosing what type of cruise operator they would like to travel with.
Lucy said there are four main types of cruise lines to book. She said they were: “massive cruise lines, premium cruise lines, small cruise lines and ultra-luxury cruise lines.”
He said that while it may be tempting to book the cheapest option to save more money up front, you may have to pay for more extras on board your cruise if you book with a budget operator.
The cruise worker highlighted the potential additional cost of items such as food, drink and entertainment packages for mass lines compared to higher-end voyages, and urged customers to plan ahead in this regard.
Buy medical and travel insurance
A cruise ship worker has shared the five things smart passengers always do when booking a cruise for their vacation.
Lucy’s third tip on how to be a smart cruise passenger concerns travel insurance.
He urged anyone who wants to be smart when booking a cruise to purchase travel and medical insurance as soon as they have paid for their vacation.
During her eight years working on cruise ships, Lucy says she has been bothered by the number of passengers who do not have the necessary coverage in case of an unexpected emergency.
He warned it could cost “thousands” to resolve a problem or send passengers home.
He also said that seeing a doctor on board a cruise ship store can be expensive, and recommended passengers carry a first aid kit with essential items like “painkillers, Band-Aids and Sudocrem” to treat any minor illnesses or injuries yourself. .
Choose the right cabin
The cruise worker’s penultimate tip of five urged tourists to choose the right cabin for their specific needs and requirements.
Elaborating on this point, he suggested that it would always be better to book a cabin surrounded by other cabins, rather than establishments available to the public.
Lucy commented: “You may run the risk of encountering a noisy neighbour, but a noisy neighbor won’t even come close to being under the gym, the nightclub or under the pool deck.”
Book your vacation early to save money
Lucy has been working on cruise ships for nine years, since she began her career at age 19.
His last tip on how to be a smart passenger when boarding a cruise concerned booking certain aspects of the cruise in advance to save money.
Lucy suggested that this could be done in practice by reading the cruise magazine for deals such as drinks packages, dining experiences and shows.
She said: “The reason you want to decide on these things before you get on board is because if you book them in advance you’ll often get a discount.”
The veteran cruise worker also said deals like excursions can fill up quickly, so you can avoid the disappointment of missing out by planning any trip you want to take well in advance.
