Avoiding Familes and Kids Cruising - Essential Cruise Tips #109
Release Date: 11/16/2016
3 Issues Driving Holland America Cruisers Crazy This Year (podcast #411)
Essential Cruise Tips
I recently embarked on Holland America Eurodam to host one of my group cruises with some trepidation, because I'd had past fans of Holland America telling me they were falling out of love with the line, based on three recent changes. So, I felt this would be the perfect opportunity to put these to the test, as I could tap into the thoughts of everyone on my group cruise. And, based on what we discovered, you’ll hear where we found the concerns about Holland America are right, where they are not, and why. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads...
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Dangerous Cruise Ports To Stay Far, Far Away From (Podcast #410)
Essential Cruise Tips
Experiences on my two last cruises reminded me that just because my cruise ship is calling into a port does not mean that I can assume it's safe for me to get off and explore. In fact, even in the two most popular cruising regions, the Caribbean and Mediterranean, many of the most visited ports are amongst the riskiest. Welcome aboard, I'm Gary Bembridge and I’m going to tell you what dangerous ports in these two regions to avoid, and how to keep yourself safe if you've got a cruise booked that's going to one of them. Link mentioned in the video: Carole Copeland Podcast: Become a Tips For...
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I Put Indian Pacific Platinum "First Class" To The Test (Podcast #409)
Essential Cruise Tips
The Indian Pacific is one of the famous and costliest train journeys in the world travelling 2,700 miles (4,352 kilometres) between Sydney and Perth Australia. So, I had very high expectations, but before we even got on board, I started to have concerns as things were going wrong which would have been fine if it was just me and my partner travelling, but we had booked two cabins in the premium Platinum class carriages to take my mother-in-law on a special once-in-a-lifetime trip for her 80th birthday. Adding even more pressure for this to be perfect. Join me as I share our experience on this...
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Cruisers Don't Know Cabin Stewards Can Get All This For You (Podcast 408)
Essential Cruise Tips
One of the more frequently asked questions I see on cruise message boards is: “what can I ask my cabin steward to bring or do for me?”. As I keep seeing the same limited list of suggestions, I decided to make this as, based on my experience, I can see cruisers are missing out on many more things cabin stewards can do and bring. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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I Test Oceania's New Ship To See Why Cruisers Are So Unhappy (Podcast #407)
Essential Cruise Tips
Oceania Cruises is one of my all-time favourite cruise lines, and so I was incredibly excited to try their new class of ships. Until I did. I went on Vista, the first of this new class, and despite many great things, that I will tell you about, there is (for me anyway, and some others I spoke to) one deal breaker that means I will be sticking to their older ships unless something changes. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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So Many Caribbean Cruisers STILL Get These 5 Things Wrong (Podcast #406)
Essential Cruise Tips
I’ve just returned from back-to-back Caribbean cruises on two very different ships, the massive 6,000 passenger Symphony of the Seas and the smaller 1,200 passenger Oceania Vista. And on both, despite their dramatic differences, I was amazed how many people were still getting the same five things wrong that I’ve seen on every Caribbean cruise I’ve done over the years. I want to warn you about them, so you can avoid them. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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Too Many Cruisers Are Missing Out On These Incredible Journeys. Are You? (Podcast #405)
Essential Cruise Tips
Anyone close to cruising knows that cruise lines are incredibly involved with trains and train travel. Some even own and operate them, including some of the most famous and iconic ones, as you will hear. That’s why they really want us to do three things: book train travel before cruises, during cruises as excursions, and after the cruise. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers YouTube:
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5 Cruises You Should Stay Away From These Days. And Why (Podcast #404)
Essential Cruise Tips
I told my friends not to book the cruise as it was one that I keep warning cruisers to stay well clear of as they almost always disappoint. But they insisted and sadly, three days before they were due to depart, what I feared would happen did. It was cancelled. I’m Gary Bembridge and I’m here to warn you about this and 5 cruises I suggest you NEVER book, along with tips of what to do instead - or how to reduce your risk if you really do want to do them. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
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I Put The 5 Leading First Class "Ship-In-Ships" To The Test (Podcast #403)
Essential Cruise Tips
Although most cruise reviewers say there are five, there are strictly speaking only two cruise lines that truly have a “ship-within-a-ship”. A fully self-contained world where passengers paying at least $500 per person a night for a suite are given the special entry card to a door that lets them step out of the regular cruise ship and into an exclusive VIP (Very Important Passenger) one. I have stayed on all 5 of them though and review and rank them Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
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I Cruise Silversea To See If Its New Owners Have RUINED It (Podcast #401)
Essential Cruise Tips
Four years ago, Royal Caribbean, best known for huge, good value resort ships, surprised many by buying Silversea known for ultra-luxury small ship cruising. Having cruised on it before the takeover, I decided I should return to see if the online reviews from other pre-takeover cruisers saying things like, "Not the same Silversea” and “Before it was sold, we thought Silversea was superb, well run, with delicious food. Not now” were right or not. So, I booked myself on Silver Spirit for a two-week cruise, and this is what I found Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive...
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In this episode of Essential Cruise Tips Gary Bembridge, cruise author and expert, gives eight tips on how to avoid families and kids on a cruise.
The tips include:
- Picking the right cruise line (avoid the best for families in the previous episode).
- Adult-only ships.
- Adult-only areas on board.
- Timing (like avoiding school vacation times).
- Longer and re-positioning cruises.
- Right cabin choice.
- River cruises.
- Exotic routes, like Arctic and Antarctica.
For more essential cruise tips and to leave thoughts visit EssentialCruiseTips.com
Buy and read one of the cruise tips books by Gary Bembridge:
- "The Cruise Traveler's Handbook" (Amazon USA) (Amazon UK)
- "Essential Cruise Tips" (Amazon USA) (Amazon UK)
- "River Cruising Tips and Tricks" (Amazon USA) (Amazon UK)
Subscribe to the podcast to make sure you do not miss out on other cruise tips on iTunes or Stitcher Radio