The Dark Side of Living on Cruise Ships: By Those Who’ve Done it! (Podcast #449)
Essential Cruise Tips
For many people, the idea of living part, or full-time, on cruise ships sounds like a dream-like paradise. But having spent time closely following several people that have recently tried it, I saw the harsh reality is that dream comes with some darker aspects, nightmare challenges and unexpected problems. Things I think you need to know about. In another video (https://youtu.be/qlV2QabCRkQ ), I looked at the options and what it REALLY costs to live on cruise ships today but in this, I pull back the curtains on the downsides. Channels mentioned in the video: • 30 & A Wake Up: •...
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Living On A Cruise Ship: Here's What It REALLY Takes & Costs! (Podcast #448)
Essential Cruise Tips
After closely following several people living cruise ships for some time and analysing the different options and ways they do it, I discovered many remarkable things like not only how they make it work, and importantly what it really costs, but I also the uncovered there is an unexpected dark side of living on cruise ships that you need to know about Channels mentioned in the video: • 30 & A Wake Up: • Poverty to Paradise: • Grounded Life Cruises: • Fraser At Sea: Links mentioned: * Need To Know Before Playing Cruise Ship Casino: * How To Gamble...
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I Paid A Fortune to Cruise On “New” Crystal Cruises. Was It Worth It? (Podcast #447)
Essential Cruise Tips
I have been intrigued as recent reviews of Crystal Cruises have been very positive, including it having the highest passenger ratings on Cruise Critic in the ultra-luxury category, better than Regent Seven Seas, Silversea and Seabourn. So, I decided to test Crystal Cruises out to see if they really are the best of the ultra-luxury lines. This is what I discovered 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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Here's How You Can Cruise To Antarctica For Less! (Podcast #446)
Essential Cruise Tips
While the cheapest way to go to Antarctica is on a regular cruise line and ship sailing past the Antarctic Peninsula as part of a South America itinerary, there is a huge catch making it less fulfilling as you do not get to land or do zodiac rides to get close to wildlife. For a true Antarctic experience, an expedition cruise is the way to go. However, as the cost of these cruises is prohibitive to most, I asked my friend, Martin Johnson who runs Polar Routes (a dedicated Antarctic and Arctic travel agency), to help me identify the most budget-friendly ways to get there. And in this I share...
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Cruise Ship Crew Secrets The Lines Don’t Want Us To Know! (Podcast #445)
Essential Cruise Tips
After doing well over 100 cruises, I thought I knew everything about life on a cruise ship. That was until a dinner hosted by a senior crew member on my last cruise, where they revealed a surprising secret about cruise ship crew that I was totally unaware of! That got me wondering what else I, and other passengers, have no idea about cruise ship crew. Welcome aboard, I am Gary Bembridge and after much research and talking to crew off the record, I found 6 secrets kept well hidden from us passengers that I think you will find surprising and maybe even shocking. Become a Tips For Travellers...
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5 Secrets Cruise Lines Won’t Tell You (But You NEED to Know!) (Podcast #444)
Essential Cruise Tips
Cruise line glossy brochures and their enticing adverts promise a carefree and trouble-free vacation, BUT they don’t tell the whole story. There are several important things that can and do significantly impact us as passengers that the lines seem reluctant to talk about or be upfront about. Welcome aboard, I'm Gary Bembridge and join me as I unmask five unspoken things that directly affect us all, and why I believe you need to know more about 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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So Many Panama Canal Cruisers STILL Get These 5 Things Wrong! (Podcast #443)
Essential Cruise Tips
I have done a Panama Canal transit four times and on every trip I see passengers making the same mistakes that get in the way of making it their adventure of a lifetime. But some of the errors are so easy to make that even an experienced cruiser like me can get tripped up – as I did on my most recent Panama Canal trip on Regent Grandeur. So, welcome aboard, I’m Gary Bembridge and hear 5 things I have learnt the hard way that you need to know about doing a Panama Canal cruise. Links mentioned: David McCullough’s “The Path Between the Seas. The Creation of the Panama Canal” **...
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This Cruise Line Says It's The World's Best! I Put That To The Test (Podcast #442)
Essential Cruise Tips
Days before heading off on Regent's newest ship, the Grandeur, the line launched new advertising promising that “nobody does it better”. In in they also claimed to have the “world's most luxurious fleet”, and that no cruise line beats them on destination experiences, hospitality, luxury spaces, and dining. Having been on Regent before, while I found them great, I didn’t think they beat every line, so this latest trip turned into the perfect opportunity to really test out if Regent now does do cruising better than everybody else. I am Gary Bembridge, and this is what I found. And as...
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6 NEW Cruise Scams & Tricks To Watch Out For This Year! (Podcast #441)
Essential Cruise Tips
I’ve been contacted recently by way too many cruise passengers that have been caught out by new scams that have emerged since my last video about this topic, including one a good friend stumbled upon on his latest cruise – and one using me to scam cruisers like you! Here are the latest cruise scams to watch out for! Links mentioned in the video: Get 10% any of The Cruise Maps products using *USA ESTA: UK ETA : Canada ETA: CIBT Visa: Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams Visit my Tips For Travellers...
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Cruise Lines JUST Banned These 6 Much-Loved Items!! (Podcast #440)
Essential Cruise Tips
I’m upset as one item I've taken on every cruise I've done to date has just been banned. But I'm not the only one devastated about new cruise line bans, as three people contacted me about a less-publicised ban making cruising more costly for them. While I saw another recent ban got one cruiser banned for life when she unwittingly broke it. I’m Gary Bembridge, and I’m here to tell you about six items cruise lines have recently banned that could change the way you cruise. Forever. Become a Tips For Travellers Patron: and get exclusive Patron-only content, downloads and livestreams...
info_outlineGary 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
Theme cruises
A theme cruise focuses on a specific topic or event and the itinerary, entertainment and on-board activities are centred around it. You are likely to find a themed cruise for almost any topic you are interested in. Themecruisefinder.com usually has at least 500 different options listed at any one time.
The three main categories are:
- Private: Clubs, associations and organisations make a block booking on an existing cruise and sell it to their fans, followers or members via a dedicated travel agent. The organisers provide special meet-ups, activities, excursions and entertainment which are closed to other guests on the cruise.
- Charter: Promoters charter the entire ship from the cruise line and everyone on board is there take part. These tend to be cruises targeted at specific lifestyles, like gay and lesbian travellers, business conferences, gaming tournaments and music or religious ones.
- Cruise Line: They dedicate some cruises around themes to attract passengers, especially at slower times of the year and on longer or harder to sell cruises. These often focus on culinary topics, sports like golf, television show tie-ins, anniversaries of major historic events or around a major guest star or speaker.
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