Seven Ways to Improve Your Cruise!

Many ToursByLocals travelers are avid cruisers, booking multiple trips at sea every year. Unfortunately, most of you have been stuck on land the past 18 months, while we wait for more borders to re-open, and sailings to resume. Knowing how eager people are to get back on board, we've spent this time working to secure even more excellent guides at virtually every major and minor port of call in the world, so that once cruising fully resumes you'll always have the option of booking private local tours to complement your time at sea.

We're seeing bookings now come pouring in for 2022 and even 2023 cruises! And we've opened up our calendars way in advance, so you can book a full two years ahead, ensuring you get the perfect tour all lined up. In the spirit of celebrating the cruisers and would-be cruisers among you, today we’re highlighting seven tips to help make your next cruise a smooth one.

Seven Ways to Improve Your Next Cruise

1. Join an online group for your cruise. Facebook and Cruise Critic Roll Calls are two great places to find others familiar with your ship. You’ll find many cruise fans at these pages who are only too willing to answer questions about their favourite cruiseline, its ships, safety protocols, its itineraries and the destinations on the itineraries. You may even end up meeting these people in person while on your cruise! And if not, they can be an invaluable source of information to help you prepare, and share your excitement for the trip to come.

2. Arrive a day early for your sailing. This serves dual purposes: first, you’ll be buying yourself a time cushion in case of travel delays. Did you know that hundreds of cruisers literally miss the boat each year because of delayed flights, traffic, bad weather and other unforeseen troubles? Thousands more board the ship feeling stressed, having made it only in the nick of time. By arriving early, you can enjoy a relaxed boarding, and get some bonus time to explore the embarkation city. Many of these places have missed having cruise tourists in town, and will welcome you back warmly.

3. Unpack right away and unpack together. Take time to examine your cabin carefully; generally these small spaces are well-designed for storage, and you may discover hidden drawers and cupboards you missed at first glance. As American travel personality Peter Greenberg points out, it’s easy to misplace items with all these cubbyholes and shelves; but if you’re unpacking together, there’s a chance your companion noticed where you put your flip-flops. Getting this chore out of the way first thing means all you have left to do is enjoy the first day of your cruise.

4. Orient yourself. If you've never sailed on this particular vessel, as soon as you’ve unpacked, stroll around the decks with a map in hand to familiarize yourself with the ship’s layout. For the rest of your time on board, you’ll know how to get from place to place, and how much time it takes.

5. Bring "post-it" notes! With hefty roaming and data fees, chances are you’ll bring along a cell phone for emergency use only. (Don't forget to keep it in airplane mode at other times!) Revert to that other great invention: the post-it note! Bring along a pen and a little pad of sticky notes to leave messages in your cabin for your travel partner. This simple communication system can help you keep tabs on each other’s whereabouts. Travelling with teenagers? Many parents swear by walkie talkies to keep tabs on family members.

6. Arrange to meet with local guides. Forget about jostling to sign up for the ship’s crowded shore excursions. The most experienced cruisers know that hiring a private guide is the way to go for a more unique, customized and relaxed time in port. We've heard rumours of some cruise lines claiming that local governments are currently forbidding independent operators from meeting cruise passengers at port. This is false; make sure you do your research, and arrange the best experience for you.

7. Make that private shore excursion even better value. A private tour costs the same whether you’re two people or six: find another couple or two to share the cost of hiring a local guide. You’ll be spending less per person than you would on the ship’s shore excursions, and getting a fully-customized experience away from the tour bus crowds.

And for more detailed tips on how to book private shore excursions, check out our quick and easy shore excursion guide.

Bon voyage! The guides at ToursByLocals can't wait to meet you wherever your ship docks.