Anyone that has cruised before knows there is always something new to learn in the way of cruising tips. Yep, the cruise lines have little known secrets that your fellow cruisers learn about and some share. I learned about some of them in an article on Cruise Critic that I thought might be interesting, so I am sharing with you all.

IN YOUR CABIN:

One of my most favorite things I learned recently, and I have been cruising since 1979, is that the cabin walls are metal. Bring some magnets or buy some onboard and you will never loose your party invites or excursion vouchers again! Inside cabins have NO natural light. Turn your TV to the bridge cam and turn off the sound and you have instant night light. Bring a power strip with you to plug in all your electronics because your cabin may only have 1 outlet, 2 if you are super lucky. Store your suitcases under the bed, they will be out of the way and won’t take up closet space. If you are picky about your bedding, inquire before you cruise if they can provide egg crate mattress toppers, top sheets or alternative pillows by special request.

IN THE RESTAURANTS:

In the main dining rooms, you are not limited to ordering only 1 item in each category. You can order as many appetizers, main entrees or deserts as you want. If you want room service, most of the items on the menu are free, but you will pay a service fee on most cruise lines. If you’re wanting breakfast, but don’t want to dine in the main dining rooms or fight the crowds in the buffet restaurant, check out which restaurants or bars are open in the morning in your ships daily newsletter. You may find a not-so-crowded hideaway! Most people tend to dine in the buffet or main dining on the embarkation night. This may be a good time to check out a specialty restaurant as not everyone has discovered them yet.

BEVERAGES:

You can bring drinks from the bar to your room, restaurant or anywhere on the ship, because there is no ‘open beverage’ law. If you drink wine, it is generally cheaper to purchase it by the bottle. If you don’t drink it all at one time, they can mark it with your name and cabin number and store it for you until you are ready for it again. (Personal note – this is AWESOME!!!) If you are a beer drinker, buy beers by the bucket and save a few bucks. Some cruise lines allow you to bring limited amounts of water and sode onboard, as well as a bottle of wine or 2. They may charge a corkage fee for your wine, but you can also bring a cheap corkscrew in your luggage and drink it in your room. If you buy a specialty drink in a souvenir glass, they are usually refillable at a small discount. Check out your daily newsletter for drink specials or happy hours to save even more!

AROUND THE SHIP:

Many cruise lines offer extra free minutes if you sign up for an internet package the first day of your cruise. Spa treatments are often discounted on the first day of the cruise as well as in-port days. If you are busy when the port talk is presented, check your in-room TV for a re-broadcast on the ship’s channel. Use of the showers, saunas and steam rooms not located in the thermal suites are usually free. If you want to see the big-name shows, but they are all sold-out, go to the theater the night of the show. People often sign up and then no-show, so you could potentially get in.

Some of these tips would see logical, but you don’t always think logical when you are on vacation. (Like I said, I have cruised for over 30 years and just figured out I could use a magnet to stick all my important pieces of paper to my cabin wall!) The cruise line might not share fun little bits of information with you, but your fellow cruise mates will. Or your friendly Travel Agent. I always put this list in with boarding documents when I present them to my clients.