Choosing Luggage For Your Cruise

January 11, 2016

Over the years I learned that pretty much any job was made easier when the right tool for the job was used. If you cook, you know that the right pot or pan is often a key ingredient in the success of a recipe. Cutting a piece of wood? There are a number of saws that can be used. Dog owners know that all leashes are not alike. Taking the same view about cruise luggage makes just as much sense.

Consider Where Travel Is Taking You

First, consider the application. You are going on a cruise, not an jungle safari. I never really understood that until we did a Transatlantic sailing several years ago. We had always cruised round-trip from North American ports before. On that sailing we began in New York, ended in the UK and had to fly back home. No way were we going to be able to bring 3 or 4 suitcases per person as we had in the past, pre-airline luggage fees.

Taking a lesson from flight attendants we had seen in the airports, we noticed that many of them had luggage that was slender enough to fit through an x-ray machine, but longer than normal to accommodate much more inside. So we searched online to find something like that which would work for us.

At www.ebags.com we found just what we needed in a Victorinox Duffel bag boasting a large u-shaped opening for the main compartment and dual side pockets, among other benefits.

But what turned out to be the best benefit was not so much being able to carry everything in one bag, but being able to do the self-disembarkation offered on most cruise lines. As opposed to waiting around for the normal disembarkation process when leaving the ship, passengers who can carry all their own luggage off the ship without assistance walk off the ship pretty much as soon as it is possible to do so. This is a real time-saver for those with an early flight or those driving to and from the ship.

So now we sail with one of these bags, a carry on and maybe a purse or briefcase. It’s easy to do and forces us not to take everything including the kitchen sink.

Consider Where Travel Might Take You In The Future

Maybe your currently-planned cruise vacation take you to familiar ground. In that case, luggage used in the past might work very well. But future travel plans might take you to interesting new places on longer sailings that require more or different luggage.

If flying to the embarkation port, a first stop after booking airline tickets should be the airline website to find out their requirements for luggage they will accept both as checked and carry on pieces. Recently, airlines have become more strict on these requirements and ‘close to the standard’ might not work, taking a carry on piece of luggage and turning it into a checked bag. This may or may not be convenient but knowing in advance avoids surprises at the airport.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

7 Ways To Make Your Cruise Photos Better

Chris Owen

January 11, 2016

Regardless of the cruise line sailed, the places visited along the way or who is sailing with us, we want to capture the moment with photos. We might do that with the camera in our smartphone, use an easy point-and-shoot camera or invest in professional-quality equipment. However we go about it, what counts are the cruise photos we end up with and will share with friends and family or just keep for our own amusement.

Focusing our attention first on some basic image-capturing guidelines then on the subject can make all the difference in the world.

Shoot Wide, adding more border around a shot than is necessary is a good idea that gives us more to work with later. While we may be focusing on a person, place or thing, the camera sees it all and might see something we missed at the time but are happy to have later.
Take Two Shots of everything to be sure you have captured what you intended. Holding down the shutter just a little longer gets the second photo which can also be sharper because your finger is not moving.
Back It Up. Have a way to back up photos, either by syncing a smartphone with a laptop, copying them on to an external drive or, if the at-sea Internet situation allows; sending up to a cloud-sourced backup supply. Using multiple memory cards can also be helpful here.
Be Aware Of The Sun and where it is located. In most cases, your best bet is to have the sun at your back, shining on the subject. Still, don’t be afraid of the sun either. Some of the most amazing photos can be had at sunrise and sunset, a golden time at sea as on land.
Learn How To Edit your photos using built-in programs and downloadable apps for your smartphone and software for your camera. Practice this before going to sea so you get past the learning curve and have a working knowledge of how to manipulate/fix images while sailing.
The Rule of Thirds is a basic composition rule that photographers use, dividing a picture into thirds, horizontally and vertically. Placing important parts of the picture on the lines or at the intersections will make your photo more interesting than a catalog view, centered photo.
Consult An Expert, On Board- Applying all of the above can improve your photo skills in a hurry. To go further, consider onboard programs that might help teach passengers how to get the most out of their camera, hosted by the ship’sphotographers. Consider the source: those people are at sea all the time; its their job to take good photos. Why not take advantage of their knowledge?
Get Your Eyes Checked- This seems so simple but can make a huge difference in photos. If what we see through the camera viewfinder is out of focus, what we see in the photo most likely will be also. Duh. Many thanks to Cruise Critic editor-in-chief Carolyn Spencer Brown for pointing that out a few events ago…which leads to the next tip
Be Honest When Asked Your Opinion about the photos of others, especially if the person taking the photos is serious about it. Don’t hold back your comments and you might very well help that person bring home some stunning images.
Use Camera Pre-Sets when available is a tip Whitney has been telling me for quite some time. After using the Autumn Colors setting on my camera for our Fall Foliage cruise with Crystal Cruises, I’m sold.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

Traveler Friendly Cruise Vacations

Chris Owen

December 27, 2015

I read an interesting article the other day about how travel agents are being schooled in different, updated ways to sell cruise travel. Previously, notable benefits* of cruising started the conversation and caught the interest of those who have traveled other ways around the world. Today, natural evolution of the cruise industry, security issues around the world and an evolving cruise industry brings a different meaning to each of these qualities, effectively redefining each. The result: The best way to sell cruises nowadays? Don’t mention the ‘C’ word.

John Honeywell (@CaptainGreybeard) is a UK travel writer that we run into from time to time and have come to trust as a good source of cruise travel information. In a recent Mirror post, Honeywell reports Lynn Narraway, UK managing director of Holland America Line and Seabourn and the chair of the Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) would also like to get rid of references to to the ‘C’ word (Cruise) as it pertains to nautical terms like ‘port’, ‘starboard’ and ‘decks’ in favor of more traveler-friendly terms that will appeal more to those who have not sailed before.

“There is a load of baggage associated with the word ‘cruise’ which sends many people into hands-over-ears mode because they are so convinced this is not a holiday for them,’ travel agent Edwina Lonsdale of Mundy Cruising told Honeywell.

OK, I get the idea, but there are still a bunch of nautical terms that are fairly difficult to replace out of necessity. Surely, if the idea is to make cruise travel more comparable to land travel, interchangeable terminology might indeed help. Further, to those who have not sailed previously, changing terminology might direct the attention of potential cruisers to more traveler-friendly words might address the objection some have about cruises in the first place; ‘they’re just not for me’.

That’s a bit of an unfair assumption that is based on headline-grabbing negative events that have occurred in the cruise industry. Extremely rare but real events like the sinking of the Titanic, the grounding of Costa Concordia put a largely immovable roadblock between travelers and those who sell and promote cruise travel. Perhaps more difficult to overcome; dated assumptions fueled by those who do not care for cruise travel like ‘get ready to stand in line a long time to get on the ship’‘.

Embarkation is one of the elements of cruise travel that has improved greatly in the last decade to where today’s cruise traveler might not wait in line at all to board. Unless something goes wrong. When the embarkation process is slowed down, there are a number of reasons why, all nautical.

Technical Issues- A computer malfunction preventing the cruise line from checking in guests.
Coast Guard Inspection- This is rare. The Coast Guard usually boards the ship well before it reaches port and takes care of whatever business they have on board.
Surprise Health Department inspection- simply slows things down. Most all cruise ships score high in this area but the process can take hours.
US Customs Inspection- if they suspect something bad is on the ship, this can also take hours.
FBI Inspection- if a crime or tragedy happened at sea you can bet the FBI will be called in, again another safety-related event that we should welcome
Traffic Jam- they happen at sea too. It is not uncommon to see ships lined up in the morning to dock at a particular port of call.

So while dummying down the terminology might very well make for an easier side-by-side comparison, the thought of eliminating nautical terms in an effort to make cruising more friendly to first-timers is full of holes. Doing so might make it easier to sell cruise travel, but also brings the risky chance of leveling the playing field; granting (unworthy) land based travel options the differentiation cruise lines have worked on for years to set their cruise product apart from others.

Don’t go throwing away the Cruise Terms list anytime soon, odds are you will need to know them.

*Solid, Notable Benefits Of Cruise Travel:

Easy Travel: Unpack Once, See Multiple Destinations
Value: Compared To Land, Travel At Sea Brings More
Something For Everyone: A Broad General Appeal To All

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

The First Day Of Your Big Ship Cruise

Chris Owen

December 24, 2015

Travelers unfamiliar with the experience of cruise travel wonder what it will be like when on the ship. Rightfully so, compared to just about any land-based travel option cruise travel is quite unique. First-time cruise travelers already bought into the big picture; unpack once but see multiple destinations, much of what happens is included in the price and memories will be created. But what exactly to expect? Once the planning, packing, and anticipation are behind them, veteran cruise travelers sometimes view embarkation day as anticlimactic. However, for first-time cruise travelers, embarking on their first ship can be exhilarating.

The First Day Of Your Cruise- Turnover

First of all, keep in mind that your embarkation day cannot officially begin until the ship is clear of departing guests and their luggage. The process of moving the exiting passengers off the ship and getting the new ones on the ship is called ‘turning over the ship’. While the previous weeks’ passengers make their way reluctantly down the gangway, the staff and crew are busy readying the ship for the next sailing. By the time the last straggler departs, trucks are already arriving at the dock with provisions and a lot of heavy work is going on behind the scenes. Staterooms and public lounges are thoroughly cleaned and readied and a steady stream of supplies and luggage are brought aboard. There can even be an exchange of crewmembers, with some leaving and others arriving.

The First Day Of Your Cruise- Arrival On Board

Cruise line shoreside staff are on hand to point passengers in the right direction. They will be easily recognizable in official looking uniforms with nametags. Once inside the terminal, new arrivals might encounter a check-in line. Actual boarding time is often scheduled for around Noon but some cruise lines will begin processing early arrivals and then direct them to a “holding” area. During check-in, those boarding will be asked to produce travel documents and any forms they were sent to complete ahead of time. Prove citizenship, produce a credit card to pay for on board charges not included in the price, have your photo taken for identification purposes and travelers are issued a boarding card that often also doubles as a stateroom key and shipboard charge card.

At some point, either before you enter the check-in area or before proceeding to the ship, you and your hand luggage will have to pass through a security procedure, somewhat like that at airports.

Everyone is anxious to get on board and begin their vacation, but this isn’t the time to get cranky if there is a wait. Keep in mind, no one can board until the ship has been cleared by authorities and the ship passenger count has reached zero. Once boarding begins, passengers will likely have their first experience with a ship’s photographer and be asked to pose for an embarkation picture. It only takes a second, so smile. You are under no obligation to purchase any photos taken of you during the cruise and they are a nice souvenir.

The First Day Of Your Cruise- Ten Important First Day Activities

Walking On To The Ship– Congratulations! Your cruise has begun. Procedures vary somewhat between cruise lines but on a big ship cruise, but embarking passengers will have to produce their boarding card for the security officer. Depending on cruise line, you will be directed to your cabin or a steward will relieve you of your carry on luggage and accompany you. Stewards on high end cruise lines not only show you the way, but hand you a glass of champagne as a welcome aboard gesture.
Stop By Your Cabin- Check out your cabin to make sure that everything is in order. You should find life jackets on the bed (ready for the muster drill later) and a copy of the ship’s daily schedule. Take a few moments to look over the schedule-you’ll want to know what time the muster drill takes place (a placard on the back of your cabin door will indicate directions to your emergency station), as well as meal hours and the schedule for various activities and entertainments.
Check Special Requests- In the old days, many passengers rented tuxedoes and would find them either hanging in the closet or delivered sometime during the afternoon of the first day on board. Bon Voyage gifts sent by your friends or travel agent usually appear as well. Be patient if you are expecting deliveries, particularly on large ships. Cabin stewards participate in the ship’s turn-around and are extremely busy, although yours will no doubt introduce himself at the first available opportunity.
The First Lunch- It will also be a while before your checked luggage arrives, so your initial order of business is usually the welcome aboard buffet. Bring along the daily schedule to peruse while you eat. While making your way to the buffet, no doubt you’ll notice bar waiters offering trays of colorful and exotic “Bon Voyage” drinks, often in souvenir glasses that you can keep. Beware-they are not complimentary! If you choose one, you’ll be asked to sign for it. Again, like the photos, you’re under no obligation to purchase; however, the glasses are fun souvenirs.
First Choice Of Tours And Treatments- Do your plans for the cruise include booking shore excursions and indulging in spa treatments? The most popular tours sometimes sell out and spas can be very busy during sea days, so your next stop should be the Shore Excursion Desk to book tours and the Spa to make appointments.
Dining Room Table Assignment- Your dining room seating assignment may be another matter for consideration. Some people like to check the main dining room to see where their table is located. If it’s not to your liking, or if you requested a large table and find yourself assigned to a small one, you will want to see the Head Waiter. He will be stationed in a lounge with his table charts handy to make changes-the daily schedule will indicate where and when.
Introductory Activities, Or Not- For the rest of the afternoon and into the evening you may find other introductory activities such as tours of the spa and fitness center, port and shopping talks, and casino gaming lessons available. There will be a safety drill, followed by sailaway festivities on the pool deck.
Luggage Matters- By late afternoon or early evening, your luggage should arrive and you can unpack and settle into your cabin to prepare for dinner. A few words of advice… just in case your luggage doesn’t arrive before dinner, as sometimes is the case when you’re dining at the early seating, it’s a good idea to have toiletries and appropriate attire in your carry-on so you can freshen up and change. Dress codes are always casual on the first evening of cruises.
The First Dinner- A highlight of embarkation day is that first dinner in the main restaurant where you’ll meet your waitstaff and tablemates. Order whatever you like from the menu of appetizers, salads, soups, and entrees, but save room for dessert. Other than iced tea, coffee, hot tea, and water, beverages in the dining room are not complimentary.
A Full Evening Ahead- After dinner you’ll find the entire ship alive with action! The casino, shops, and lounges will all be open to greet guests and the Cruise Director usually introduces his staff at a Welcome Aboard show in the main theater (shows are scheduled to coordinate with dining seating’s).

Whenever the day ends, returning to their cabins, first time cruise travelers find their steward has straightened things up while they were away, filled the ice bucket, provided fresh linens in the bathroom, turned down the bed, left the next day’s schedule of activities, and perhaps placed a chocolate on their pillow.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

Royal Caribbean Unveils Harmony of the Seas’ Ultimate Abyss Water Slides

John Shallo

December 20, 2015

Royal Caribbean International has revealed the highly-anticipated first look of The Ultimate Abyss, the tallest slide on the high seas, which will intimidate the bravest of passengers onboard Harmony of the Seas when she debuts in May 2016. Towering more than 150 feet above sea level, overlooking the AquaTheater at the aft of the ship, the pair of side-by-side slides will release adrenalin-seeking travelers into a chilling 100 foot drop that twists and turns in a serpentine-like movement as they slide nine miles an hour, approximately, from the Pool and Sports Zone on Deck 16 to the Boardwalk on Deck 6 below.

The Ultimate Abyss is designed to incite and maintain a sense of heart-pumping anticipation. Launching onto the ride from a glass platform, guests can take one last look at the Boardwalk 10 decks below before climbing onto a customized mat and taking the plunge into the depths of the daunting slides. Spontaneous audio effects within each tunnel create a multi-sensory thrill for daring guests willing to test their mettle while traversing 216 feet through the one-of-a-kind slide duo. The Ultimate Abyss is made up of two separate cylinders, a reflection of one-another, each with a diameter of approximately 2.6 feet and constructed of stainless steel.

Harmony of the Seas, the world’s largest cruise ship, will span 16 guest decks, encompass 227,000 gross registered tons, carry 5,497 guests at double occupancy, and feature 2,747 staterooms. The Oasis class is an architectural marvel touting Royal Caribbean’s exclusive seven neighborhood concept, including Central Park, Boardwalk, the Royal Promenade, the Pool and Sports Zone, Vitality at Sea Spa and Fitness Center, Entertainment Place and Youth Zone. For more information about Harmony of the Seas, please visit RoyalCaribbean.com/HarmonyoftheSeas.

See much more here:

For additional information or to make reservations, vacationers should call their travel agent; visit RoyalCaribbean.com; or call (800) ROYAL-CARIBBEAN.

MSC Cruises Unveils Plans for 95-Acre Bahamian Island Project

John Shallo

December 19, 2015

MSC Cruises has unveiled ambitious plans to create an unprecedented exclusive marine reserve island experience in the Bahamas.

Signature 2_cu — Prime Minister Perry Christie and MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago sign a 100-year lease agreement that will enable MSC Cruises to occupy and develop the island to be called Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

The visionary project was officially launched this week in the Bahamian capital Nassau, where Prime Minister Perry Christie and MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago signed a 100-year lease agreement that will enable MSC Cruises to occupy and develop the island to be called Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

Over the next two years, MSC Cruises will work hand-in-hand with the Bahamian Government and ecologists to develop the cay, a onetime sand extraction station, into a thriving marine reserve that will harmoniously coexist with the local ecosystem. This is a project that will transform the local economy base from resource exploitation to resource conservation.

In keeping with the company’s commitment to providing absolutely authentic cruise vacations, the island will offer some of the finest beaches in the world, amid an array of Caribbean-inspired experiences.

The family that owns MSC Cruises has more than 300 years of seafaring heritage, which has engendered a deep respect for the ocean that underpins the company’s operations today. MSC Cruises is committed to protecting the waters it navigates. As one of the most ecologically conscious cruise lines in the world, the company will invest approximately $200 million in creating a flourishing natural haven from a desert island.

MSC Cruises Executive Chairman Pierfrancesco Vago commented: “This is a natural progression for our company, which is growing very rapidly, and we are thrilled about providing this totally new experience for our guests in the Caribbean.

“Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve and its exclusive offerings will be a magnificent extension of our shipboard experiences. We ensure every decision we make keeps each of our ships true to the promise of our brand, offering the authenticity and quality our guests expect. This is what made us the leading brand in many of the markets we operate, including across Europe, South America and South Africa. We will apply the same thinking and attention to detail to our Caribbean offering, of which this exclusive marine reserve will become a cornerstone, because we know our guests will be amazed by this industry-unique experience.”

At 95-acres in size and with 11,400 feet of pristine beach front spread across six distinct beaches, Ocean Cay Marine Reserve will be – by a large margin – the biggest island development by any cruise company in the Caribbean. In addition, as the only marine reserve island experience, it will offer a multitude of key distinguishing features.

For example, a purpose-built berth and pier right on the seafront means that MSC Cruises guests will be able to step off the ship straight onto the island. Since a unique part of their visit will be the island’s night life in particular live music and entertainment at the 2,000-seat amphitheatre, and many restaurants and bars, guests moving at leisure between ship and island will be especially convenient. In addition, the ship and all on board services – including the casino – will stay open while berthed at Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve.

All installations and experiences on the island, which lies 20 miles (32 km) south of Bimini and just 65 miles (104.5 km) east of Miami, Florida, will be fully sympathetic to the culture and traditions of the Bahamas. A comprehensive landscaping plan will see more than 80 indigenous Caribbean trees, grasses, flowers and shrubs, such as Jamaica Dogwood, Red, Black and White Mangroves, and Beach Morning Glory, expertly planted across the island. There will be an architecturally faithful Bahamian village, plentiful restaurants and bars offering local specialties, a variety of shops and an inviting arrival center with island-themed music gazebo.

For MSC Yacht Club guests, an exclusive spa and wellness sanctuary with private bungalows and massage huts has been designated to the northwest corner of the island.

Also, getting around the island will be a breeze, thanks to a network of walking and running paths, bicycle rentals and other stress-free transport options.

Other highlights such as must-have water sports and beach games include:

A family beach with kids’ restaurant, play areas and other useful facilities
A charming inland lagoon for absolute tranquillity
A thrilling zip wire crossing the island
A pavilion for weddings and celebrations

MSC Cruises plans to break ground on the development in March 2016 and Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve will open to guests in December 2017.

The Ocean Cay MSC Marine Reserve project will offer a permanent MSC Cruises presence in the Bahamas, for which the company plans to recruit 240 Bahamians in various roles over 2016 and 2017. The cay will be ideal for all MSC Cruises ships serving the Caribbean region, notably MSC Divina and the under-construction next generation ship MSC Seaside (launching December 2017), both sailing from Miami, plus MSC Opera and MSC Armonia, sailing from Havana, Cuba. In addition, the company will open a crew training school in Nassau to provide local manpower for the growing number of MSC Cruises ships sailing the Caribbean.

In the meantime, on December 15 MSC Cruises announced the opening of sales for the inaugural season of MSC Seaside. Guests aboard MSC Seaside’s maiden voyage from Miami will be the first to visit the island and revel in the location’s abundant offerings. To learn more about MSC Seaside, visit msccruises.com. Guest can also contact their local travel agent or call MSC Cruises direct at (877) 655-4655 to book a cruise today.

4 Ways To Kill Time While Your Friends Are On A Fabulous Cruise

Chris Owen

December 18, 2015

There are several medical conditions you need to be aware of that involve cruise vacations. The Norwalk Virus is a gastrointestinal virus that multiplies and spreads like wildfire in the closed environment a cruise ship provides. Post-Cruise Depression is a malady that happens when the cruise is over and you have to return to real life. Cruise-Envy is a debilitating disease that effects you for about as long as your friends are at sea. There’s not a whole lot you can do but let cruise envy run it’s course, but here are some ways to pass the time while you wait for your friends to return from their fabulous cruise.

Focus on your own cruise– Cruisefish.net is a price, stateroom and cruise monitoring system that does all the browsing for you and sends email alerts when something changes. Say the price goes down, a particular cabin you wanted opens up or you want to know how full the ship is; for a small fee, CruiseFish.net will send you an email alert that you can forward to your travel agent for evaluation and action.
Stalk your friends– CruiseCal.com knows where all the cruise ships are all the time. Subscribe and know where over 200 ships are today and tomorrow. Integrated webcams let you follow along. CruiseCal.com is also a great place to keep up on which ships are running modified itineraries during a weather event
Screw them, I have new friends– Engage on Facebook, Twitter (the tag #cruise brings a lot of information) or any number of other social platforms. Start with CruiseCritic.com, CruiseMates.com and Cruise-addicts.com, find one you like best.
Go Social, not postal- Get on Twitter. Cruise news happens first on Twitter. Download HootSuite to make organizing easy and maintain an ongoing search for the tags #cruise and #travel for all the latest. Get access to good stuff with #CruiseChat and #TripItChat

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

First International Flight Booked? We Have Tips For You

Chris Owen

December 16, 2015

So you have your first international flight booked. The occasion might be for your upcoming European river cruise or a swing through the Mediterranean. You’re excited to see places read about in books, magazines and seen on television and in films; in person. A degree of confidence comes from knowing that cruise vacations, regardless of the cruise line or destination, are inclusive by nature. Scouring the cruise line website or devouring pre-cruise information sent you’re familiar with the program, once there. Airline websites have helpful information too, but international flight is a far cry from driving to the port. To calm down that apprehension, we have international flight tips gained from frequent flights across the pond that absolutely do work for us.

It is entirely possible to have the same confidence about getting to the international point of embarkation as we do on close-to-home places. In this post we focus on European sailings because they are the logical next step after the Caribbean, Bahamas, Mexico or Alaska where getting to the port means a domestic flight. Travelers who normally drive to the port; you’re another topic entirely and we’ll get to you later.

Frankly, an international flight is a huge, quantum leap from a drive to your local homeport or short flight around North America. But that does not mean it has to be scary and rewards are totally worth it. Simply put: Taking that leap to international travel can literally open up the entire world for us, much like the world of cruise vacations has opened up travel in general to so many who might not have experienced it otherwise. Hang on to that thought; it’s important and odds are you will need to refer to it from time to time during your journey.

Pre-Flight Planning

Part of the trick to enjoying an international flight comes from some must-do preflight activities.

A Good Strategy For Occasional Travelers- Book as far in advance as possible and with as few stops as possible. That just makes the long travel day a bit shorter. For occasional travelers, this is much more important than for those who do it frequently and are used to the routine of international flights.
Allow Plenty Of Time Between Connections– On domestic flights we want 2 hours between connections to allow for flight delays on either end, especially in the winter and especially if passing through an interesting airport. On international flights we bump that up to a preferred 3 hour window of time between flights. That extra hour is because international flights begin boarding an hour before departure and a re-check of your passport is normally required. The airline is not going to let that flight leave unless they know all passengers on board will be able to enter the country they are flying to. Another good reason to leave plenty of time between connections is so that your checked luggage can also make it to the next flight, along with you. We learned this lesson the hard way, barely making a very close connection in Miami, running to the next gate. It never crossed our minds that our luggage might not have had the same sense of urgency until we got to Barbados and it did not.
Lock Down The Documentations Needed– At the same time the booking is made, find out any special documentation you might need to board the ship. On rare occasions, travelers might be required to satisfy special entry requirements. U.S. citizens normally don’t need more than a U.S. passport for most European river cruises or Mediterranean ocean cruises. An upcoming sailing I have on Azamara Club Cruises begins and ends in Istanbul. I needed a visa for that and got it in about 2 minutes online, $20. Still, all cruise lines and travel agencies are all quick to point out that it is the traveler’s responsibility to be sure and have the correct documentation. Try to board without it and undocumented travelers will be turned away, given no refund and left on their own to get back home. A good source to figure that part out: The U.S Department of State’s Safe Traveler Program which offers all the information needed to enter and experience any given country in the world.
Protect Your Trip with travel insurance. Even if you don’t care about the investment made in the travel itself, accidents happen and can add up to $thousands before you know it. See Travel Insurance: If Not Full Coverage, Medical-Only Is Kind Of A No-Brainer for more. I rolled the dice, cruise after cruise, electing to skip the recommended travel protection offered by cruise lines and independent third-party companies. I was one of those people who believed “I saved enough money on travel insurance to pay for a cruise over the years”, and had no use for it. Traveling frequently though, I bought an annual medical-only coverage plan just to be safe, for about the same price as cruise line insurance on one sailing.
Focus on getting plenty of rest and eating right several days before the flight. Sure, maybe we can’t “bank” sleep but starting a long flight with a full tank of rest is always a good idea. International flights to Europe almost always require an overnight flight which you may or may not be able to sleep on. If the budget allows, increase the odds of a good night’s sleep by booking business class air with seats that lay down completely flat. A paid upgrade from economy to economy plus with more legroom can be a good value too.
Finish packing a week in advance- that offers the opportunity to be sure critical items are packed and allows time to get source those items if they were not packed first time around. Be sure to identify your luggage with something that will make it easy to see in the airport baggage claim area. Easy for us when sailing with Viking River Cruises who provides bright red leather Viking River Cruises tags in the pre-cruise documentation package.
Consider Traveling With Carry-On Luggage Only- This is one of the most difficult hurdles to get past for occasional travelers and is especially hard for those who drive to the port and have no restrictions on the amount of luggage they take on the ship. Still, keeping your luggage in your possession for the entire journey absolutely eliminates one of the biggest sources of apprehension for occasional travelers: waiting to see if their luggage made it to the destination. See Travel With Carry-On Luggage Only: Here’s How for more. We do this on every single trip, without exception, regardless of where we are going or for how long.

Charge! Bringing along electronic devices for entertainment on a long flight is a good idea. Having back up power to charge all those devices is a good idea too. Some seats may have plugin power available but determining if yours does or not in advance of flying can be hard to do. For that we suggest the Hyperjuice Magic Box which can power just about anything, multiple times See Travel Gear Review: HyperJuice Magic Box for more. This is a topic much more economically handled in advance rather than at the airport. In fact, recharging devices at an airport charging station may put you in danger. See Travel Security: Meet Juice Jacking for more.

Making It Through The Airport

It makes sense to give a degree of attention to every aspect of international travel, including arriving at and going through the airport, either at home or abroad. Advance consideration of what travelers are about to experience goes a long way.

Print Boarding Passes In Advance- as simple as this may sound, it is one of the most commonly missed parts of travel that has occasional travelers lined up at service desks and self-service kiosks at airports in a totally avoidable line. Once flights are booked and seats selected, look again occasionally to see if other seats opened up that might be more comfortable, when at home. At the airport, have your passport and boarding pass in hand, even if planning to use the airline app on a smartphone to board. The paper version is always there and easy to hand to security personnel and airline employees. Keep boarding passes for connecting flights handy too.

Consider your one personal carry-on item your “flight bag” and have everything that might be needed during the flight in it. Unless flying in business class, space to move around will be limited. Having everything needed right at hand, under the seat in front of you, is huge and a must-do for all international flights. Better yet, try traveling with carry-on luggage, see Travel With Only Carry On Luggage: Here’s How for exactly how to do that.

Consider a travel vest and make that a ScotteVest. I have been wearing a travel vest for years; an article of clothing that holds my cell phone, wallet, passport, loose change and just about anything else that might set off a metal detector at airport security checkpoints. Simply take off the vest and run it through the scanner for an easy security check. Better yet, that vest will carry just about everything needed in flight. With a multitude of pockets, my passport is always in one secure pocket, my smartphone always in another, etc. That’s important when making your way through airports and around places you are not familiar with. See Travel Gear Review: ScotteVest Travel Vest Has Blown My Mind.

On the plane, those well-thought out plans will pay off in a more enjoyable flight. Still, there are parts of flying that can’t be anticipated so flexibility is important Bring along good ear plugs if kids crying bothers you. Kids cry, be prepared. I once had crying kids on both sides of me and in back on a long international flight. Ear plugs saved someone’s life that day. Need darkness to sleep on a long flight? The flight crew will do their best to get all the window shades shut, will dim the cabin lights and set the stage for your best chance to get some sleep. Then there is the idiot who is oblivious to it all and has got to have the brilliant outside light inside. Eye shades.

Protect Yourself from germs with Nozin nasal sanitizer on the plane. I buy and use this product and it really works. Also use plenty of hand sanitizer use throughout the trip, every step of the way and bring along a nice little bottle of hand lotion as alcohol based hand sanitizers will dry out hands. Equally important: protect your health by making a conscious effort to stay hydrated. No, you can not bring bottled water from home but an empty sports bottle that holds water will be allowed to go through security checkpoints. Once through, look for water bottle filling stations, water fountains or just keep it handy so filling can be done in flight. Be double safe, ignore the high price of bottled water in airports and buy some anyway. Normally not a problem for flight attendants to fill up.

Never Pack Anything In A Checked Bag That You Can’t Live Without– After two different airlines on two different trips lost our luggage, we now use carry-on luggage exclusively.

In Flight On Your International Flight

Once the aircraft has taken off and reached cruising altitude on an international flight, service begins. Expect the flight crew to first come through with a warm towel to wash hands, followed by beverages and a snack of some sort. Next will be dinner, followed by another swing through the cabin with drinks before lights go out for the overnight flight. The process is similar regardless of which part of the aircraft one has booked. Still, there are a few actions occasional travelers can take to make the process smoother, the flight more enjoyable and help adjusting to the time difference in Europe easier.

Order A Special Meal- Airlines offer even occasional travelers the ability to order a special meal other than the customary chicken, beef or perhaps pasta selections generally offered to everyone else. Occasional travelers with special dietary needs need to take them up on that offer for sure. But other travelers, those who want to avoid a type of food that may keep them from sleeping well, can take advantage of this offering as well. Low-Fat, Vegan, Kosher, Fruit-only and other selections are possible when made in advance. Try to do that a couple weeks before flight then check that reservation again at one week prior to flight to be sure your request stuck in the airline system. A bonus: Those with special meal requests are usually served first.

Skip The Alcohol- As much as the complimentary alcoholic beverages may seem like a great idea when flying internationally, alcohol is also a whole lot of sugar that can come back to hinder efforts to sleep on the plane. This was a very difficult move for me to make but one that absolutely paid off. After an international flight, I hit the ground running and have little if no jet lag issues if I was able to sleep on the flight. For me, that seems to be the key. Rolling into sleep in a way as close to how we do it on land, when in the air, has a huge effect on the first day or two overseas.

Get Comfy- Bring comfortable socks, take off your shoes and perhaps wear a comfortable outfit or change into one as soon as possible after becoming airborne. Adjust overhead air vents to a comfortable position. If by chance there is a person coughing extraordinarily on the other side of the aircraft, point that air in their direction to help keep germs away.

Have A Flight Bag (or the above mentioned flight vest) that has everything you will need during the flight contained in it. Include medications needed before landing, hand sanitizer, whatever you will be entertaining yourself with, smartphone, headphones, etc. The point is to avoid going into your carryon luggage at all, for any reason.

Coming Home On Your International Flight

Admittedly, this is the worst part of any trip but the nature of international travel does offer some distinct advantages. For one, occasional travelers who follow the abovementioned tips will have smooth sailing on and off the aircraft. In flight, they maximize the experience too and that allows time for reflection on the adventure they have taken. That’s important. Reflecting on the experience while it is fresh in our minds can illuminate parts of the travel process we might do differently next time. Considering where we were and what we did, we can make plans for the future to return to that part of the world (or not), branch out to different places, repeat the mode of travel or try something different. That long flight back home provides a nice buffer of time between travel and returning to the real world too. Still, there are some ways to make being assimilated back into our normal lives a bit easier as well.

Consider Global Entry- One of the best travel investments we ever made, screened and cleared travelers breeze back into the return to the United States, check in via an easy to use kiosk as opposed to standing in a long line. Global Entry-approved travelers always go through the normally-shorter TSA Precheck line when boarding a flight from a U.S. airport. The $100 per person fee grants these benefits for five years. Click here for more information about the Trusted Traveler Network. I bring this up when addressing the concerns of occasional travelers because if they do it right, they will want to do it again.

Space For Gifts and Souvenirs- On the way to a winter river cruise from Florida, we packed our cold weather gear in checked luggage to be retrieved and worn upon arrival in Germany. On the way back, we will wore some of those clothes, making space for gifts and souvenirs picked up along the way. Another option offered increasingly abroad is to ship gifts back home, especially liquid gifts which are difficult to transport.

Enjoy the experience that international flights can offer in and of themselves. Flight attendants or other passengers have wonderful stories to tell when they have some time that can add a richness to our travels. I have no data to back it up but swear that flight attendants on international flights are more pleasant and approachable than on domestic flights.

Maybe You Don’t Return At All- The nature of international travel, very much like a good cruise vacation anywhere, can have life-changing effects on us as individuals. Just back from a trip abroad, we may be eager to catch up on our shows, see the neighbors again, reconnect with pets and family members (not necessarily in that order) and get back into our normal routine. A friend of ours, Matt Long from LandLopers seems to be traveling continually, loves it but is quick to say “I love to travel, but I love coming home.” And so will you…perhaps with a different outlook on life there and surely a different view of our world.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

People In Travel Photos: Not A Bad Thing Actually

By
Chris Owen
-

December 16, 2015

When we visit iconic destinations around the world, some travelers choose to capture images along the way, trying hard not to include fellow travelers and locals. Others don’t want any photo that does not include them, documenting their appearance at the destinations they visit. Really picky travelers don’t want anything but the amazing place and use photography tricks and software to remove all but the landmark, scene or event. Probably not all that surprising, we like to see people in travel photos, the more local the better as well as trucks, boats, cars and other signs of daily life as it unfolds before us. Taking another look at photos captured during recent travels, here are some of my favorites.

In Boston on a Fall Foliage sailing of Crystal Cruises we arrived in Lexington just before a Civil War battle reenactment. The ‘soldier’ in the background, American flag by his side was the intended photo. Still, 2 year old Rocky, admiring a monument in the area made a nice addition.

On tour in Rothenburg, Germany with Abercrombie & Kent, this couple paused to consider the day.

Jumping off Seabourn Sojourn in Valletta, Corsica these locals out for a walk on a crisp Fall day were delightful to talk with.

Off Viking Hemming in Avignon, France during an early morning walk we saw shop owners getting ready to open their stores for the day.

In Bamberg, Germany with Viking River Cruises, these locals watched as tourists walked the streets, much as they had for the last 20 years, telling me “the chairs have changed but the view is about the same.”

In Cabrits, Dominica a hot day means a cool drink from coconuts, fresh from the palms as we saw traveling with Star Clippers.

Cavtat, Croatia , seen vial Carnival Cruise Line, is home to some of the most beautiful Summer flowers in the world. That these fellow tourists wandered into the photo did not bother us at all.

The ancient ruins of Chichen Itza, seen sailing with Holland America Line, have views that have been photographed for centuries. These people were here for the day and we captured the moment.

The Kohlner Dom cathedral in Cologne, Germany reaches to the sky, its towering spires marking the city center as a major landmark. Looking down rather than up, I found this little gang of children.

Half Moon Cay is a wonderful private island in the Bahamas, visited by a number of giant cruise ships. This tiny boat caught my attention.

Visit Canada’s Magdalen Island late in the season and visitors are apt to see the boats of this tiny fishing village up on blocks, being prepared for the winter. This fisherman told me he went from one to another doing maintenance, as long as the weather allowed.

Monte Carlo, Monaco is known as the exotic location where a number of James Bond 007 films were made, their famous casino, the Monaco Grand Prix auto race…and a great place to take photos off the back of our Seabourn cruise ship.

Summer in Nuremberg, Germany brings a lively city market that transforms to Christmas markets in cold weather to round out the tourist season. We saw both on a number of Viking River Cruises and did not hesitate to include this local merchant

Visiting Progresso Mexico with Princess Cruises we paused at a cafe to drink in the local flavor, one of our favorite things to do when traveling, time permitting.

On a summer Viking River Cruise, I stopped to rest on the steps of a building overlooking the city center square. While others tried hard not to get the abundant bicycles in their photo, I asked this gal to wait.

In Savona, Italy with Costa Cruises, I walked the streets looking for locals to add a bit of perspective to what I was seeing. Later, I would have coffee at a cafe with this man who refused to let me order Cafe Americano, considered an abomination of the espresso he loved dearly.

The point of all this is simple: Cruise vacations take us to amazing places around the world. I can Google any given destination and find photos of that place with absolutely no ‘distractions’. Those are not the views I want to remember. When looking back on my travels I want to recall the day I was there, what I did and who I met along the way. To me those elements, especially people in travel photos, make the destination real and memorable, not just a postcard view, documenting where I went.

This article is brought to by Cruise Compete. CruiseCompete.com allows you to easily compare multiple offers from Cruise Experts.

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