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 Things
to know before you go |
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Things To Know –
Before You Go
Dining
The dining experience on board a ship is one of the highlights
of a cruise vacation. Gourmet meals are elegantly presented in
the dining room; there are lavish buffets, and 24 hour room
service at no additional charge. Most contemporary and premium
cruise lines offer dining room meals in two scheduled seatings.
When you are making your cruise reservation you will be asked
whether you prefer early or late dining.
Early dining is typically breakfast at 7:30 a.m., lunch at noon
and dinner beginning at 6–6:30 p.m. Late dining is usually
breakfast at 8:30 a.m., lunch at 1:30 p.m. and dinner beginning
at 8:00–8:30 p.m. This will be your dining time for all meals in
the main
dining room for the duration of the cruise.
When choosing your dining time, select what times makes the most
sense for your dinner. There are many options available for
breakfast and lunch. Also, be sure to let your Cruise Consultant
know in advance of any special dietary considerations you may
have. The cruise line’s chefs will gladly attempt to accommodate
diabetic, vegetarian, and low sodium diets.
In most cases, you will also be asked at what table size you
wish to be seated. ‘Small’ is a table for 4–6 people, ‘large’ is
8–10. Tables for two are very hard to come by. They can be
requested but they are seldom confirmed. The people you are
seated with will be your dining mates for the duration of the
holiday. The dining room coordinator on the ship works to match
people by age category. You can meet some interesting people in
the dining room, and many friendships are forged during the
duration of a cruise.
Occasionally, you may be seated with people you consider to be
incompatible, and would prefer not to dine with them for the
rest of your trip. In such a case, discreetly see the Maitre d’
as soon as possible. Delicately explain the situation and ask if
he can move you to another table.
Alternative dining restaurants are an increasingly popular
feature on cruise ships. These intimate specialty restaurants
are an alternative to the large, main dining room for dinner.
They include upscale bistros or specialty restaurants featuring
more contemporary choices. Here you can reserve a table for two
whenever you choose. Make your reservations early, as they do
fill up quickly. On a seven night
cruise or longer, choosing to dine in the alternative dining
room once or twice adds a little variety to the dining
experience. Reservations are required and there is a surcharge
of approximately $10–$20 per person.
Activities On-Board
If you have any concerns at all about running out of things to
do on board, put your mind at ease. Each evening, a listing of
the daily activities for the following day is placed in your
stateroom. The daily activities include exercise
programs, lectures, wine tasting, culinary demonstration, dance
lessons, art auctions, port briefings and more.
Evenings offer a variety of entertainment from piano bars, to
orchestra bands, comedians and Broadway shows. If you’re more
interested in finding a quiet nook to catch up on your reading
or engage in an intimate conversation there are plenty of quite
places or that too.
Spa at Sea
Cruise ships today are placing great emphasis on their on-board
spa program. The healing and restorative benefits of spa
treatments have been embraced by the North American culture and
have gained tremendous popularity
at sea in the last decade. Many of the spa programs on board are
developed and managed by world renowned spas such as Mandara and
Canyon Ranch. The facilities on board a cruise ship spa will
likely include sauna and steam rooms, fully equipped gyms and
therapeutic pools.
Generally, these facilities are available for adult passengers
throughout the cruise at no additional charge. There is also a
full menu of spa treatments available including massage, body
wraps, facials and aesthetic services. These services are
available by appointment only, and book very quickly! The
charges for the services are generally in line with those at a
resort or destination spa, maybe slightly higher. If you are
planning to indulge in any treatments – book early to avoid
disappointment.
Documentation
For Canadian and US citizens, proof of citizenship is required
for all cruises. A valid passport is required for virtually all
voyages to the Caribbean, Alaska Europe, South America, the
Orient, India, Africa and the South Pacific.
Additionally, many countries require Visas. Your Merit Cruise
Consultant will discuss the needs with you and assist you in
obtaining the necessary documentation to ensure you comply with
the cruise lines’ and countries’
requirements.
Cashless Cruising
Cruise lines have adopted a cashless cruising environment. Upon
embarkation you will be required to set up an on-board account
using a credit card or cash deposit. You will be issued a
boarding card upon check in. This card will be encoded with your
name, and will not only serve as you identification to get on
and off the ship, but also as your on-board credit card. Each
time you make a purchase from the bar, the gift shops, the spa,
or the shore tour desk, your card will be swiped and you will
sign for your purchases. Some ships now allow you to view your
on-board account and the purchases you have made on your
stateroom television. On the last night of your cruise an
itemized bill listing your purchases will be left in your
stateroom. If you have a credit card on file, you may simply
allow them to charge your account and your statement will serve
as your receipt. If you have left cash deposit, you will need to
go the Pursers Desk to settle your account.
Cruising for the Physically Challenged Passengers
Most of the newer and larger cruise ships can comfortably
accommodate guests with physical limitations, from those using a
cane or a walker, to those guests restricted to a wheelchair.
Considerations include wider doorways, specially equipped
tenders accessible
by wheelchairs, ample elevators and ramps throughout the ship,
designated
wheelchair seating in the show lounges, and more. Specially
designed cabins equipped with special needs facilities including
modified bathrooms ad showers are available, in limited
quantity.
Arrangements can also be made for the cruise staff to assist
with boarding and disembarking the ship. Every effort possible
will be made to ensure a pleasant cruise.
Staying Well On Board
All cruise ships are equipped with medical facilities on board.
Some of the newer vessels are more sophisticated than the older
ships, but all can adequately serve minor medical needs. A ship
Doctor is always on board and can offer relief for most minor
ailments, including motion sickness. If a medical emergency
should arise that cannot be accommodated on board, the ship’s
staff will assist in make arrangements to get you to the nearest
medical facility, or arrange for your
transportation home.
Insurance – for peace of mind
Travel insurance is often a confusing issue. Should you buy it?
Do you really need it? If you pay with a credit card, aren’t you
already covered?
Purchasing a cruise vacation is a considerable investment, and
one that should be protected. When planning a holiday, the last
thing anyone wants to consider is a situation arising to keep
them from traveling. Unfortunately, sometimes it happens. It
only adds insult to injury to be faced with unrecoverable
expenses and charges when you are already facing a crisis that
is keeping you from traveling. Most of the penalties imposed by
the cruise lines are not covered by standard insurance policies.
Trip cancellation insurance is available to specifically protect
the investment of your vacation.
Each cruise line has a stated cancellation policy and penalties.
In general, if you cancel your cruise inside of 60–90 days of
the sailing date, a penalty will be imposed by the cruise lines,
regardless of the reason for canceling. Trip cancellation and
travel insurance is available by third party insurance
companies, which will cover you should you cancel for a reason
covered by the policy.
Typically, injury, sickness or death involving you or an
immediate family member is covered. Be mindful of pre existing
conditions. Your cruise consultant can recommend a travel
insurance policy. It may be the cruise line’s insurance, or
it may be with an insurance company they regularly do business
with.
If you must cancel for a covered reason, and you need to file a
claim, your Merit Cruise Consultant will assist you in filing
the claim and collecting the necessary documentation to expedite
your claim. The insurance company will investigate the claim
fully before making any refunds.
Merit Travel strongly recommends purchasing Trip Cancellation
Insurance for any vacation purchase you make. Your Cruise
Consultant will explain the details of the policy to you, and
help you decide what is best for you. |
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