Gulf Shores, AL
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Will I need a passport? UEffective December 31, 2007 all US citizens must travel with a valid passport. Website
To print applications online.
How much will it cost? One of the most attractive features of a cruise vacation is the price. Even more expensive cruises are a good value for the money. You can spend anywhere form $400 for a 3-night Bahamas cruise to $30,000 for a suite on a 30-day cruise to Africa!
No matter how much you spend, you pay one price that covers virtually everything: meals, accommodations, taxes, on-board entertainment and in some cases, airfare! The only extras are shore excursions, liquor, tips and incidentals (photos, etc.).
Undoubtedly, a cruise is the most affordable way to travel. Compare a 7-night cruise to the Caribbean at around $1300 pp (including airfare) with a 7-nitght trip to Hawaii. In Hawaii, a hotel comparable to your cabin on the ship will be at least $150 per night (that's $1000 right there!), your airfare from most cities will be at least $600, and meals in Hawaii to rival that of the cruise ship will easily be $100 per day per person (another $700!). That is $2,300 per person compared to $1300 and we haven't even talked about entertainment!
What is included in the price of the cruise? Just about everything! All your meals are included (and there are usually about 7 or 8 per day from which to choose), all accommodations, all shipboard entertainment, all taxes and in some cases your airfare and ground transportation to and form the port is included.
You must pay for extras such as liquor, shore excursions, gratuities, photos, incidentals, gambling, etc...
Will I get seasick? It is unlikely that you will notice any motion on a large cruise ship, even if you are sensitive to motion in automobiles or airplanes. All ships today have stabilizers to smooth the ride. Some cruises sail calmer water than others. Caribbean and Alaska cruises enjoy smoother sailings than say Bermuda. If seas do get rough, there are many preventative medications available on board.
What should I pack? Generally speaking, cruise travel is very casual during the day and casual to formal in the evenings. This can vary depending on the itinerary. Caribbean, Hawaiian, Alaskan cruises are more informal while Transatlantic, Mediterranean and European cruises tend to be a little more formal. This can also vary from cruise lin to cruise line and ship to ship.
Princess Cruise Line would probably lean toward formal whereas Carnival will tend to be more informal and casual. There is no real hard and fast rule, however, here a try.
Men should always pack one dark suit which will usually suffice even on "formal night." You can take a tuxedo, but we recommend that you rent on on board the ship (most ships offer this service) unless you own one and just want the extra baggage. Tuxedos are generally not "required".
Ladies cand take cocktail dresses or a full length formal.
There are usually 1 to 2 formal nights on a 7 night cruise, only 1 on 3 & 4 night cruises. The rest of the time is typically very casual. Even on "non-formal" nights, men should wear a collared shirt to dinner and slacks or skirts for the ladies.
Are medical services avaiable? Virtually every major cruise ship will have a staffed medical facility to handle emergencies. If you suffer from a medical condition, check with your travel agent before booking to make sure the ship on which you are cruising can handle your needs.
Do I have to participate in scheduled activities or can I just relax? There are dozens of activities going on all over the ship every day. One of the best ones can be "doing nothing at all". Relaxation is what attracts many people to cruise travel.
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