Essential Cruise Tips

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio

Transatlantic crossingsA cruise purist calls crossing the Atlantic a crossing and not a cruise. A cruise is when you sail around many ports and is mostly about the destinations, while a crossing is where the journey itself is the whole experience. It is about being at sea for a week on a ship with only two ports: the start and end ports on opposite sides of the Atlantic.Cunard is the only line that runs a regular scheduled crossing of the Atlantic. Before the age of the jet liner, there were about 40 lines plying the route between New York and Europe. Competition was fierce especially to provide the fastest crossing. The ships were segregated between the plush and luxurious palaces that were First Class, Second Class and the functional and inexpensive Third Class. Today Cunard still has three classes but other than the dining rooms and one lounge and deck, the ship is open to all passengers.Other lines offer repositioning crossings at the start and end of the European summer when they move their ships from the Mediterranean back to the Caribbean. They are usually competitively priced, as many cruisers are wary of spending seven days at sea.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio

How much of a region does a river cruise really let you experience?A river cruise gives you a flavour of a region rather than a comprehensive exploration. Many cruises are one week long and you visit five or more destinations taking in key highlights close to the river. You will get a feel for the traditions, culture, sights and food of the places you visit. I find it gives me a good sample of the area being cruising through and informs and inspires me on places I want to return to and explore further. For example, on my “Enchanting Danube” cruise on the River Beatrice it ignited a passion to go back to Vienna to spend more time exploring the museums and to Budapest to explore and understand the Cold War history and post war reconstruction better. River cruising gives an overview and insight into a region and helps guide your future travels. The ships will ensure the included tour takes in must-see sights, serves food representative of the region you are passing through and there are speakers explaining the history and local entertainers showcasing traditional song or dance. You should approach river cruising with this mind-set.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio

Cruising the MediterraneanThe Mediterranean is the second most popular cruise region after the Caribbean. It provides warm weather, generally calm seas and you visit different cultures and countries in a short space of time. The season is April to October, although some ships remain offering winter sun trips. The key ports where cruises start and end are Barcelona, Venice, Genoa, Civitavecchia and Southampton. Although, some lines allow you to join or leave at other ports on the itinerary making Mediterranean cruises flexible and varied. Some considerations when planning include: • Sail from ports already within the Mediterranean rather than places like Southampton or Hamburg requiring sea days to get into the region. • Large ships are limited on the ports they can go to and so consider smaller ships that will call on more unusual and smaller ports.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn Radio.

Cruising the CaribbeanThe most popular cruise region is the Caribbean. Many ships sail out of Florida, mostly Miami and Fort Lauderdale, although there are frequent cruises from other USA ports - and occasionally from Europe. East Caribbean cruises go to islands like Saint Maarten, Saint Thomas, and Antigua. Western ones visit places like Cozumel, Grand Cayman, and Jamaica. Cruise lines often alternate these routes offering back-to-back trips around the region.Here are some considerations when choosing a Caribbean cruise: • Ports can get busy with thousands of cruise passengers visiting at one time. This is especially common on the northerly islands close to Florida like Puerto Rico, Saint Thomas and Saint Maarten when seven or more ships can be there together. I prefer cruises to the more southerly islands such as Barbados, Dominica and Saint Lucia as they tend to be quieter and offer a more genuine Caribbean experience. • Check if the islands you are visiting are owned by the cruise line and uninhabited. These are purely entertainment destinations and you are not seeing authentic destinations. • Do more than just beach and catamaran excursions and see some cultural and historical attractions to appreciate the differences between the islands.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit 60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher Radio and TuneIn

Plan a cruise to avoid tendering - especially when on big ships

Tendering happens when a ship cannot dock in port and has to use tender boats to ferry passengers to and from land. Some reasons why your ship may not be able to dock include the port being full, the tides or winds are unfavourable or the dock facilities are not suitable for the size or type of the ship.When you are looking at cruise itineraries in brochures or online check each port listed to see if the ship will be docking or tendering there. Cruise lines usually know in advance and will include that information. I avoid cruises where there are lots of tender ports if I can, as it can be a frustrating experience - especially on large ships with thousands of passengers.They usually give preference to tendering off people on cruise line excursions in the morning and you can wait some time before you can leave the ship to self explore a port. It can also mean lengthy lines at the end of the day as everyone returns to the ship. There is also the risk of swells making uncomfortable journeys to and from the ship.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher Radio Follow us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge

What if I fall ill? Maritime law requires ships at sea with over 12 passengers to have a doctor on board. You are likely to find 24-hour medical cover on cruise ships and a facility staffed by doctors and nurses to deal with everything from minor injuries and daily problems through to serious medical issues. Your on-board account is charged if you use the service, and it costs about the same as accessing land-based private medical care. You will be given a receipt to make an insurance claim if you are covered. With serious medical cases the medical center stabilizes and make patients comfortable until they can be offloaded to hospital. If the problem is acute and the ship is far from land but accessible by helicopter the patient may be evacuated. The facilities are impressive and even include a high-dependency room (i.e. close to intensive care ), they can take x-rays and have a large pharmacy of drugs. River cruise ships do not have medical facilities and refer you to local doctors and medical centres along the route. Freighters taking fare-paying passengers carry less than 12 people to avoid having to provide medical cover.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher Radio Follow us on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge

Who is Silversea Cruises best suited for? Silversea is an ultra-luxury cruise line owned by the Lefebvre family of Rome. This independent line is infused with strong Italian influences and style on board. They offer cruises to traditional destinations like the Mediterranean, Baltics, Asia and the Caribbean on their main fleet of intimate-sized ships holding between 300 and 500 passengers. Silversea have all-inclusive fares, all-suite staterooms, attentive service and partnerships with luxury brands including Bvlgari, Ferragamo, Davidoff and Relais & Châteaux. These small ships still provide choices of dining and entertainment and fares include food, drinks and gratuities but not excursions. Silversea also offer expedition cruises to places including the Antarctic, Arctic, Micronesia, the Galapagos and The Kimberley in Australia on dedicated expedition ships called Silver Explorer and Silver Galapagos. These ships carry around 100 passengers and provide a luxurious option for people who want explore these remote and hard-to-reach destinations. The ships have partnerships with the Royal Geographic Society and carry renowned on-board expedition leaders who escort the tours. Silversea is a premium line with fares to match and so are especially popular with professional couples and honeymooners seeking a pampered experience.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher Radio

Follow on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge

Royal Caribbean is the world's second largest cruise line offering resort-like destinations which are often first to introduce features not seen on cruise ships. Their ships have rock climbing, surfing, bumper cars, ice skating, zip lining, water spectaculars and big production shows. They operate many of the largest cruise ships in the world and need to attract all age ranges to fill them, although they especially appeal to families. Royal Caribbean has a busy on-board atmosphere with lots of bustle and activities all day. This includes many passenger-participation events like trivia, hairy chest and even belly flop competitions. There are a number of speciality dining options in addition to the main dining room and a more informal dress code to appeal to families who would normally be attracted to land-based resort vacations. There is a wide range of accommodation ranging from inexpensive inside cabins to rooms suitable for families through to suites. Their fares are usually competitive and as they call on about 300 ports around the world and have ships placed in different regions there is likely to be a Royal Caribbean ship sailing close to where you are.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher Radio Also follow on: Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/tipsfortravellers Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/garybembridge

MSC Cruises is the youngest of the major passenger cruise lines. Their rapid growth over the last decade especially in the Mediterranean, South America and South Africa, has made them one of the four largest cruise companies. The line was created by the Italian family that runs the Mediterranean Shipping Company (MSC) which is one of the world's largest sea freighter operators. MSC Cruises is Mediterranean based and promises a "Mediterranean Way of Life" experience. This means they have a strong focus on families, relaxed but efficient service and food popular in the region - especially Italian. The ships have partnerships with famous Italian brands such as Nutella, Segafredo coffee, Disaronno liquor, Venti Gelato and the premium Italian food chain Eataly It embraces a more multi-lingual and multi-cultural approach than most cruise lines and has six official languages and so attracts cruisers from many countries. It is very popular with families as children travel free if staying in the same cabin as their parents, it has comprehensive kids' clubs and family-friendly entertainment. Some passengers are put off by announcements being made in all languages but most enjoy the mix of different nationalities on board.

Gary Bembridge author of "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" provides another 60-Second Cruise Tip. For more visit http://www.60secondcruisetips.com and http://www.tipsfortravellers.com/cruise-travelers-handbook Subscribe free to the podcast on iTunes and Stitcher Radio

Passengers going on ocean cruises are increasingly booking as late as they can. There is plenty of capacity, many ships do similar itineraries and so there are loads of deals and incentives. Especially after the 90-day cut-off point when those who have pre-booked have to pay their final balance. Ocean cruisers know they can usually get the cruise they want on a ship they like at a great price by waiting to book. The cruise lines are eager to change this as the economy improves and by attracting new travellers to cruising to fill the excess cabins at higher prices. In river cruising, although late bookings are possible, it is more advisable to book in advance to ensure you get the cruise, dates and cabin you want. While lots of new ships are being added, interest in river cruising is growing even faster and cruises seem to be sold out early. Unlike my ocean cruise experiences where I find many passengers have booked last minute, on river cruises people I have speak to are more likely to have booked their trip in advance.