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The beauty of cruising
Q&A's: Is cruising for me?
River cruises
Q&A’s - Is Cruising for Me?
If you've never been on a cruise before, you may be wondering what to expect. What is life like onboard ship? How do you choose the right cabin? In this section we answer some of the most common questions about cruising to put your mind at rest.
Will I Like Cruising?
The only way to find out is to try it, but judging by the increasing numbers of UK holidaymakers who choose to cruise each year - cruises have been growing in popularity for 17 successive years - the probability is that you will. And once you've got the cruising bug, it's hard to shake off.
Cruising Is Expensive - Isn't It?
Firstly, consider everything that is included in a cruise price - all meals, transport, use of the ship's facilities such as a pool, sauna, cinema, steam rooms, tennis, mini-golf, theatre-style entertainment and more - and compare it with the additional costs of other holidays, such as car hire, petrol, car insurance, food, tickets to shows and activities. Once you've totted up the figures, it's up to you to decide which offers the best value for money. Bear in mind too that on some cruises, drinks and tips are also included in the price.
What Will the Food be Like?
Traditionally, food and socialising around the table is a highlight of cruising, so you really don't need to worry about the cuisine. There's always masses of choice and ships happily cater for different diets, providing you give advance notice of your dietary requirements when you book; the larger cruise lines usually offer a wide range of options.
How Much Cash Will I Need?
Most ships are entirely cash-free zones with passengers charging most onboard purchases to their cabins and settling up at the end of the cruise with their credit card. However, you will need cash for the casino!
Other than that, you should note that there are no onboard foreign exchange facilities in Russia, so you should change your currency into US dollars before travelling to avoid making special trips ashore. Also, most ocean ships only have a limited amount of foreign currency, so don't rely completely on the ship to cater for all your foreign currency requirements.
Do I Have to Dress Up?
Not unless you want to. By day most passengers wear what they please. Generally, river ships tend to be more relaxed about dress, while ocean ships issue guidelines on suitable wear for dinner in their daily programme delivered to your cabin. As a rough guide, a typical 7 night Mediterranean cruise will have one formal night and one informal night with the remainder casual. Ocean ships also have useful formal dress hire services onboard.
Can I Smoke on Board?
All ships tend to have different policies, but smoking is normally permitted in designated areas and not allowed in restaurant areas. For instance, on river ships smoking is usually only allowed in the bar area and on deck. Our reservations advisors will be able to inform you of the particular smoking policy in place on your ship.
What Type of Cabin Should I Choose?
Essentially there are three types of cabin: interior with no windows, outside with windows or portholes, and balcony cabins with their own private balcony. However, not all ships have balcony cabins.
Your choice of cabin probably depends on how much importance you place on it. Some people see cabins as just a place to sleep, wash and change and therefore choose a basic inside cabin, whilst others place it higher up their priorities and choose those with windows, balconies and more space which are generally more expensive. To make your choice easier, we have pre-selected a few cabin grades for you: see the 'Your Cruise Ship' section on the holiday pages.
What Will My Ship Be Like?
Every ship is different, but generally, ocean ships have many more public rooms and facilities than river ships. To help, we have described each ship on our holiday pages: see the 'Your Cruise Ship' section alongside each cruise description to get an idea of what to expect.
What If I Get Seasick?
All the ocean ships in this brochure are fully stabilised and have seasick remedies available from their onboard hospitals in the unlikely event of your feeling unwell.
How Do I Get Ashore?
Smaller ships nearly always dock alongside the quay, so it's easy and quick to get ashore. However, larger ships sometimes have to anchor offshore and use the ship tenders to transfer you to land.
What Shore Excursions Are Offered?
Shore excursions are offered at each port of call. Some can only take a limited number of people, so it's best to book early. If you book a Festival Cruise with us, you'll receive an exclusive 10% discount on all pre-booked excursions. Viking River Cruise with us, the optional excursion package will be cheaper if you pre-book it before you travel (see each cruise page for details).
Are There Laundry Services On Board?
Again, this varies from ship to ship. Some ships have self-service launderettes, others will provide a laundry service for a small charge.
What About Tipping?
Tipping is absolutely at your discretion, but it remains something of a custom on cruises. If you've received good service and want to leave a tip, you'll find a guide to what's expected in the 'Your Cruise Ship' section on the holiday pages. For your information, Holland America has a no-tipping policy, and on Carnival Cruise Line holidays, tips are already included in the holiday price.
Where In The World Can I Cruise?
We offer a range of sea cruises and river cruises that cover the following locations (subject to availability):
Europe:
Mediterranean, Germany, Switzerland, France, Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, Russia, Holland & Portugal, Italy, Croatia, Greece, Turkey, Greek Islands, Spain, Morocco, Canary Islands, Madeira, Sicily & Scandinavia.
Worldwide:
Egypt, China, Tunisia, USA, Alaska, Canada, Hawaii, Caribbean, Florida, Mexico, Belize & Grand Caymen, South America, Ecuador & Galapagos Island
