Fishing Frenzy

I have heard many cruise vacations questions in my life. However, I always hear recurring questions and thought I'd post an article to answer these common questions. Most beginners do not have any idea about where to start with cruises and should start with a cruise vacation guide book or search the web for additional information.

Is there schedule of when we have to eat? Can I eat when I want to? Flexible meal plans allow the cruiser to dine whenever they want to. However, flexible plans have limited variety of foods and are not as elegant as the main restaurant. The benefit of a flex plan is that you don't have to wait in lines with all the other people and you can dine with whom you want (otherwise you will have to share a table with someone).

Alternative dining service is a dining establishment on board the vessel that are different than the main restaurant. These dining services usually cost additional money and can cost from $15 to $50 per person to use these facilities. However, the food quality, service and overall ambiance are much better than the main restaurant. People who are sick and tired of waiting in long lines, noise and sharing tables are fond of this service. Most importantly, the alternative dining establishments are more cozy and offer and quieter and more romantic environment.

Should I get an outside cabin or inside cabin? What's the difference between the two? Here's my question to you: do you want a window to look out of or do you want to pay less and not have a window? An outside cabin has a window and sometimes a balcony. An interior cabin won't have a window and are often decorated with artwork or covered by a large curtain. Of course, you will pay more for a room with a view!

Do cell-phones work on cruise ships? Yes, they do! You can use your cell-phone on the decks and cabins. Basically the majority of the ship is cell-phone friendly. Be careful however, if you do not want to pay roaming fees you should check with your cell-phone provider. When out at sea, some ships switch on roaming carriers and you will have to pay hefty fees. When at port, the ship will switch back to local carriers.

Do ships have internet access? Most ships have internet access and even have wireless connections. However, this does not come without a cost. Other ships have internet cafes where they charge you by the minutes. It will cost about .50 cents per minute and I should remind you that connections speeds can be quite slow. Many cruise ships use internet as a large revenue generator.