7 Things Cruise Lines Don’t Want You to Know

Excited about your subsequent cruise? Earlier than you hit that “ebook now” button, there are some things it’s best to know. Cruises aren’t all the time as good as they appear, and cruise traces do an incredible job of maintaining sure realities underneath wraps.

After years of cruising and digging into the business, I’ve uncovered some secrets and techniques they don’t need you to know.

I’ve put collectively a listing of what I feel are an important ones. Hopefully, they’ll assist you journey smarter and avoid wasting cash!

1. No Port Is Assured

Right here’s the cruel reality: that dream cease in Santorini isn’t set in stone. Cruise traces can – and steadily do – skip scheduled ports with out warning or compensation. 

Climate situations, port congestion, or mysterious “operational causes” can result in last-minute modifications. 

I’ve witnessed firsthand ships saying “harmful water situations” as the rationale for skipping a port, solely to later uncover the actual cause: the port was already absolutely booked that day.

Whereas some modifications are genuinely safety-related, others would possibly merely be cost-cutting measures in disguise. At all times deal with your itinerary as a “tough draft” reasonably than a assure.

To be truthful, I’ve additionally skilled a state of affairs the place the ship didn’t dock in Santorini resulting from genuinely dangerous climate situations. Sadly, the island is kind of windy, and it’s not unusual for it to be skipped from the itinerary.

PRO TIP: In case you’re questioning, there are not any refunds if a port is skipped. It’s clearly said within the phrases and situations of most cruise traces.

Hidden Prices That Can Significantly Improve Your Cruise Value

There are additionally hidden prices that some cruise traces attempt to preserve underneath wraps.

One of many most well-known is gratuities, that are charged per passenger, per day, and are thought of obligatory.

One other widespread and costly further is drink packages. There are lots of choices, however even in case you drink quite a bit, it’s usually exhausting to get your cash’s price.As well as, some packages exclude dearer spirits, and an “further” payment is charged if you need them.

As well as, be conscious of onboard actions—some are included within the value, whereas others, like arcades, escape rooms, cooking courses, or premium reveals, could include further charges.

If you’re unsure about whether or not a service is included or not, simply ask a member of workers for affirmation.

3. Ships Gained’t Look forward to Latecomers

“The ship will wait in case you’re on our official tour,” is the gross sales pitch you’ll hear when reserving a cruise. However right here’s the reality: even reserving by way of the cruise line doesn’t assure the ship will wait lengthy in case you’re delayed.

I’ve seen passengers left behind after their official tour bus broke down in Italy. Whereas the cruise would possibly assist prepare transportation to the following port, you’re usually by yourself in distant places.

That peaceable day exploring might flip right into a nightmare of catching flights to the following port. My recommendation? At all times construct in a time buffer and stick with a strict schedule.

After all, in case you’re on an organized tour, sudden issues can all the time occur—there’s no solution to predict them. However actually, they’re not that widespread!

4. Crimes Can Be Frequent

What cruise traces don’t overtly promote (and understandably so) is that ships aren’t all the time considerably safer than being on land.

With hundreds of strangers packed collectively, restricted safety personnel, and worldwide waters’ murky jurisdiction, crime does occur. Sadly, sexual assaults are essentially the most reported crimes on cruises, adopted by theft.

Fortunately, lately, many cruise traces have been working exhausting to cut back the variety of crimes, particularly with improved safety measures and an more and more refined CCTV system.

Cruise ships can even cease at less-than-safe ports. In that case, you could resolve to remain on the ship. Earlier than leaving, I like to recommend that you just examine the listing of essentially the most harmful cruise ports on the earth.

5. Medical Services Are Missing

That “ship’s hospital” is nothing like your native medical middle. Most cruise ships solely provide fundamental care with generalist docs who can deal with minor sicknesses.

So, in case you’re having a critical medical emergency, put together for surprising payments. Your common medical insurance most likely received’t cowl remedy at sea.

Much more, a easy session can value a whole bunch of {dollars}, and drugs costs are extremely excessive. Worse nonetheless, in case you want evacuation, you’re taking a look at hundreds of {dollars} (normally takes place with a helicopter).

Now you’re pondering: What’s the cruise line’s resolution to all this? Nicely, they’ll fortunately promote you further medical insurance coverage, however learn that nice print rigorously.

A while in the past, I already defined to you why cruise journey insurance coverage can save your trip.

6. A Cruise’s Schedule Adjustments Can Wreck Your Plans

These good port days you’ve deliberate months prematurely would possibly vanish sooner than the midnight buffet. Cruise traces commonly modify schedules, typically simply days earlier than departure. 

I’ve seen total Caribbean itineraries switched to Mexican ports, European highlights dropped with out rationalization, and full-day port stops minimize to half resulting from “organizational points.”

If it occurs to you, don’t stress an excessive amount of. It may well occur, and there’s nothing you are able to do to forestall it; simply attempt to get pleasure from your trip anyway!

7. Good Luck Making an attempt to Cancel Your Cruise!

Attempt to not get sick earlier than crusing as a result of making an attempt to cancel your cruise will make you remorse that annoying chilly.

Cruise traces normally do the whole lot they will to maintain your cash. Cancellation insurance policies are fairly inflexible, and so they get stricter yearly. Royal Caribbean, for instance, calls for 75 days’ discover for a full refund on longer cruises.

Carnival cruise traces, then again, not too long ago tightened their guidelines to require 56 days’ discover simply to get half your a reimbursement.

These insurance policies not often bend until you or an in depth member of the family has critical well being issues.

As well as, examine the ten Journey Hacks Solely Cruise Professionals Know and the ten Issues I Want I Knew as a Cruise Rookie.