Cruise ship vacations are supposed to be the chance to get away and relax. But they can also be stressful and perhaps panic-inducing if you don't know what you're doing. It turns out that there's one mistake you can make that will completely ruin your vacation.
Speaking with the Independent, Alley Kerr, who has worked on more than 100 cruises as a singer and dancer, explained what people often overlook before coming on a cruise. People often wait until they're on board the first day to book their shore excursions. This results in a mad dash that will leave more than a few disappointed.
Don't wait until day 1. See if you can book your extra add-ons beforehand in advance. This will save a lot of time and heartache.
"On embarkation day, it is absolutely insane. That's the day that everybody is trying to book their shore excursions, trying to get their internet sorted, trying to book restaurants and any extra add-ons," she said. "So, if you can avoid waiting for embarkation day and get it done in advance, your life is going to be so much easier."
Cruise Ship Vacation
The cruise ship expert explains that many of these activities are limited. That means they're likely to sell out quickly, and you'll be left stuck on the ship.
She explained, "People who have never cruised before often get on the ship and then suddenly at the end of the day, they're like, 'Oh, everything's sold out.' I feel that this is one of the worst things that could happen, because you've missed out. There's limited availability for a lot of things."
Alley also revealed that there's one thing she doesn't miss about being on a cruise. She said that she wasn't a fan of the food that she was served.
She said, "Sometimes you just get slop — not great quality food. Which can be quite difficult. On some of the more luxurious ships, the crew members eat better. But the quality of the vegetables is not great. For example, you get the runt of the melon and you're like, 'Does it really make me want to eat fruit? Not really. So, everything gets a bit meh and repetitive. But even when there is some good food, the energy of the mess is not super exciting. People don't look forward to it."
