The following information should help make your cruise smooth sailing.

BEFORE YOU GO
Cruise Pricing
Cruise pricing includes your accommodation, dining on board, entertainment, and activities.

Additional Charges: Transfers, onboard purchases (i.e. casino bets, gift shop purchases, spa and boutiques, dry-cleaning, laundry, etc). Shore excursions, beverages, and gratuities are also additional unless otherwise specified.

When you purchase your cruise cabin on the ship, your food, entertainment, transportation, port charges, and other activities are all included in the cost. The per person price is based on two people will sharing that stateroom.

Some factors that affect the cost of your room are the placement on the ship, inside/oceanview/balcony/suite, porthole or window or balcony, size of room, deck number, number of passengers in the room, etc.

Identification
Citizens of the U.S.A. or Canada need proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate with photo ID). All non-U.S. passengers require a valid passport and an unexpired U.S. Multiple Re-Entry visa. Passengers who can apply for admission under the Visa Waiver pilot program are required to carry a valid, unexpired passport.

Always carry your proper travel documentation with you. You will not be allowed to board the vessel without proper identification.

ONBOARD
Currency/Payment
Onboard pricing is in U.S. dollars. Passengers make purchases onboard with a card that is given to passengers at embarkation. This card is used for both identification and a credit card.

Many lines suggest the use of U.S. travelers' cheques when paying your shipboard account. Only cash is accepted in casinos and for medical charges. Visa, Mastercard, and American Express are accepted by all cruise lines. 

Dress Code
Attire is casual during the day. In the evening, Carnival, Holland America, Princess, and Royal Caribbean have three types of dress code: elegant casual (comfortable, relaxed clothing), informal (dresses/dress suits for women, jackets for men) and formal (evening gowns and suits/tuxedos). This attire varies.

Smoking
Smoking policies vary by cruise line in terms of designated smoking areas. In all cases, smoking is, however, not permitted in food services areas, restaurants, or show lounges.

Alcohol Policy
Passengers are not allowed to bring alcoholic beverages on to the ship. Alcoholic beverages can be purchased in the ship's gift shops or in foreign ports, but may be kept by the cruise line until the end of the voyage.

Seasickness
Ships nowadays are so big and well-stabilized that passengers can barely tell that they are moving. At our GEO Everything For Travel store, we also carry Motion-Less Bands which control nausea due to seasickness.

Keeping In Touch
All of today's cruise ships have TVs in every cabin. In addition, you can make phone calls and send emails both at sea and in port.

Safety
There are many rules and regulations so that passengers and crew members are kept safe. Also, the Coast Guard conducts quarterly inspections of all ships operating from U.S. ports to make sure that the ships comply with its emergency-response requirements. Ships also operate under international rules known as Safety of Life at Sea (SOLAS) to protect against fire. The rules require ships to have smoke detectors, sprinklers, and low-level emergency lighting for escape routes. To ensure that passengers know how to evacuate in the event of a real emergency, drills are held for passengers and crew at the beginning of every cruise.

Security
Cruise lines are required to report the names of passengers on each sailing to the Coast Guard and identification policies are very tight.

If you have further questions, please contact our office and speak to one of our cruise specialists.