Are The 5 Changes Princess Cruises Made Any Good? (Podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
Princess Cruises has made 5 big changes to the way they do things. I test out if the changes to cruising made by Princess Cruises work for us as cruise passengers - and made some important discoveries that anyone considering going on a cruise vacation with Princess Cruises should know - including the ships, Princess Medallion, muster drills, dining and fares
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I Try Out 7 Things SMART CRUISERS Say They Always Do! (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
There are 7 things that I have seen people I consider to be smart cruisers do every time they go on a cruise to ensure an unforgettable cruising vacation. I put these 7 smart cruise tips and tricks to the test on a cruise to see how they fare and stack up. Find out how I get on and what I recommend based on that.
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Cruising On British Cruise Lines Is Different. Here’s Why (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
Why don't more international cruise passengers choose to cruise on British cruise lines? Why do most stick to American and European cruise lines? Cruise passengers can cruise pretty much anywhere in the world they want to on a British line, with the possible exception of Antarctica, and yet very few book on British cruise lines. I booked myself on a series of British cruise line cruises to find out why. This is what I found out....
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5 Things That Also Make No Sense On A Cruise Ship! (Podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
Discover some more things seem to make no sense on a cruise ship, and the reason on why it has been done that way. I look at things I have seen on cruise ships that seem a bit off, and share what I found out about why things that don't seem to make sense on a ship do, when you know why. This is a follow to from my first video that looked at other things that do not make sense on a cruise ship
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Going On An Over-50s Cruise Taught Me 3 New Cruise Tricks (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
I went on a cruise where you had to be over-50. This over-50s only cruise taught me three big lessons about cruising that I had not thought about before. Theses three tips are things every cruise passenger should do before they switch or try and new cruise lines, especially if from a cruise line that you really enjoy. If I had done these three things I may have made a very different decision before going on this Saga Cruise
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I Test Out If Viking Cruises Lives Up To All The Hype (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
I review Viking Ocean Cruises and put the cruise line to the test to see what they offer, what they do different to other cruise lines - and to find out of Viking Ocean Cruise Lines are as good as their loyal fans say they are. I look at everything from the line, ships, facilities, cabins, service, and dining
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I Put Post-Covid Cruising To The ULTIMATE Test ! (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
Can a Post-Covid Shutdown cruise be fun, or are you paying for a much reduced cruising experience and should you wait until things are fully back to normal? I have been on my first cruise (on Viking Venus) since the cruise shutdown and I test out against the 7things that make a cruise fun, enjoyable and relaxing if a post-covid cruise meets them. This is what I found out.
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Cruise Solo Without Paying For Two! How Do I Do It? (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
Solo Cruising can be costly, as you often have to pay the same as two people. I explore how I cruise solo without paying too much. My solo cruise tips and tricks to cruise without breaking the bank.
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How To Meet The Most Interesting People On A Cruise (podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
Who is the most interesting person I have met on a cruise ship? A Celebrity? One of the crew? The captain? Or someone else?
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You're Paying More Than You Need To For Cruises (Podcast)
Essential Cruise Tips
You are almost certainly paying more for your cruise than others in the same grade of cabin in the same place on the ship. Cruise passengers often compare how much they paid for their cabin and cruise, and I will show you how to be the person that paid the least for the same. These are how I make sure that I never pay more than I should when I am on a cruise.
info_outlineGary 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 Radio
Cruise Ports Not Guaranteed
When you book a cruise the ports of call are a planned itinerary, not a guaranteed one. You need to understand that you may never get to some of them, so never make absolute must-do arrangements in any destination based on a cruise you book. So, for example, do not plan and book your dream wedding in one of the port you are due to visit. You may never make it there.
In the cruise contract or terms, you are agreeing that the line can make changes to the ports at their discretion. While changes are unusual they can occur for any of the following reasons:
Weather preventing the ship docking. This has happened to me fairly often, with the ship either spending a day at sea or diverting to another nearby port.
Operational issues, such as too many ships going to be in port. I have had a port dropped and other put in its place once on a Caribbean cruise.
Security issues. This happened in 2015, for example, following an attack on cruise passengers in Tunisia when ships due to call there all called on Malta instead.
Mechanical problems. Delays caused by equipment issues may mean the ship skips ports to keep on track in reaching its disembarkation port on time.
When you book a cruise, assume the ports are a guideline. Which ion most cases will be delivered - but may not be and so plan accordingly.