Cruising is such a great thing to do. Shoot, what’s not to love about it? All that wonderful leisure fun, getting taken care of by all those people, going to cool places. Damn skippy!
One of the things I really like about cruising is telling people neat stuff to make their cruising experience better. Now, I know, it’s pretty hard to improve on something that is so intrinsically great to begin with, but, I do what I can. And, it’s not a bad lifestyle (giggle).
So, here’s another installment of my life’s work – sharing the fun and delight of cruising to the Caribbean. In this instance, I’m sharing a few tips about how to smooth the process of cruising, and get a bit more bang for your buck. Of course, to be perfectly honest (and we all want more of that, right?) I share this information in hopes that you will be curious enough, and entertained enough, to go to my website and buy one of my books about cruising. Gasp! Did I just let the cat out of the bag? Shucks. Ah well, can’t un-ring the bell, can ya’?
Yep, the simple truth is that I write articles, give speeches and do interviews so that people will learn about my life’s work and want more of it. And there is always more of it, I’m happy to say. And the good news for all of you folks reading this article is that a lot of what I create is actually free.
In fact, if you go to our website at www.dothecaribbean.com, you can get a free copy of our latest e-book entitled “The Best Darn Cruising Tips EVER!”. You’ll find 60 of the most useful tips and suggestions anywhere about every aspect of cruising. The e-book is free, but you can order a printed copy also (for $7.95) in case you just want to have everything all bundled together in a nice compact booklet.
In the coming weeks and months, I’ll be completing a few more books, putting the finishing touches on some videos about cruising, and (my real passion of the moment) launching a user-generated website that displays the most sensuous scenes of the Caribbean. Ooooh, now THAT is going to be fun, fun fun. Stay tuned. You’re not gonna want to miss that one.
But, on with the business at hand. Here are some useful and relevant tips and ideas that you can use for your next cruise. In the interest of space and the amount of time you have to read online articles, I’ve only included 11 tips here. But, by all means, go to my site and pick up the other 50+ when you download the aforementioned e-book. The criteria used for which tips to present in this article were 1) how easy the information was to explain in a few short paragraphs; 2) how useful it is to someone who doesn’t know much about the art and science of cruising; and, 3) tips that pay off (you’ll know what I mean after you’ve used these little jewels on board a ship).
Tip #1:Take Care Of Your Cabin Steward.
One of your best friends on the cruise will be the person that picks up your dirty clothes, hangs up your wet towels, straightens up you messy vanity and turns down your bed every night – your Cabin Steward He, or she, will do an excellent job of making up your cabin twice a day, and sometimes more often if needed. This is the person who will also handle any special requests you have, like if you need an extra pillow. I make it a point to get to know my steward and on the very first day, make sure I tip him (or her) an extra $20. Yes, I know the daily gratuity that gets added to my account does cover the cabin staff, but, make no mistake. These guys, who do an excellent job anyway, can add a nice extra dimension to your journey. For example, I like to keep my ice buckets full and sometimes I even dedicate my sink or a cooler to holding our beer, which a happy Cabin Steward will keep covered in ice for all day long.
My generosity is always understood and rewarded. I’ve been delighted to find extra towels, robes, chocolate hors d’oeuvres and even a bottle of wine. One other point, my favorite way to communicate with my steward (if I don’t bump into him/her in the hallway) is to place a Post-It note on the mirror over the vanity. It always works.
Tip #2: Copies Are A Good Thing
Make copies of all the important travel documents that you take (driver’s license, passport, credit card, etc.) and keep them in a safe place on your person while you are traveling and in your cabin once you get on board. If anything happens, you will have all information you need, and the purser’s office will be better able to help you.