Vacations are supposed to be a way for people to relax and recharge doing what they love most. Some people like to head out to distant locations, while others gravitate to luxurious experiences. As for me, it should come as no surprise that my vacation is going to include some sort of casino at one point or another.
Of course, with everything in life, I’ve been told moderation is a good thing. Enter cruising. On most cruise lines you can find a little bit of everything including the aforementioned distant locations, taste of luxury, and gambling.
Plus, with gambling, sometimes you need to take a beat to switch up your timing. Cruise ships include tons of spots to reset your luck and experience something else outside your ordinary life.
Before you head out on a cruise vacation of your own, take a look at my top cruise tips both on and off the floating casino floor. (Pssst, if you are truly after some cruise gambling tips, check this out too.)
5 Cruise Tips to Enjoy Your Time Aboard
1. Plan In Advance
Let’s get the obvious and boring tip out of the way. My number one suggestion for taking a cruise is to plan everything that you can in advance. I’m talking about anything from the moment your eyes open on the day you leave to the time you return from the trip.
While it may seem daunting when you first sit down to start planning, it will be worth it! Instead of stressing about booking dining, activities, or transportation you can kick back knowing you already handled it and all you have to do is show up.
Another added bonus to planning everything in advance is the possibility to save some money on services and activities that are an additional cost. Normally, there are a number of sales leading up to your sailing on nearly everything “extra” you can add to your on-board experience. Make sure that after you book your cruise to keep checking those extras you have your eye on including the practicality of WiFi and the luxury of spa services.
Of course, there are some things you simply can’t plan early. One example that comes to mind is the cooking classes offered on various cruise lines. For some reason, you can’t sign up for these in advance and instead need to show up on the ship and hope there are still spots left. If cooking classes, or a similarly structured class, are a favorite of yours- make sure you get there early on embarkation day!
*Pro Tip: If you buy extras like excursions or WiFi, watch for emails in case a sale runs. You’re often able to “return” your original purchase, and rebuy at the lower rate.
2. Bring Cash to Guest Services
Did you know that you can bring cash to guest services and ask them to apply it to your folio? Ever since my first cruise being old enough to gamble, this has been one of my favorite tips. I always bring a little extra cash with me and keep it in the safe. Over the course of my cruise, I cash out (now withdraw) any big wins and promptly trot them up to guest services. Guest services will be able to apply the cash to your folio, making the number you owe at the end of a cruise smaller, or perhaps nothing at all. This style of play helps keep me in line and preserves my bank roll for longer than it would if I didn’t continuously pay down the balance.
* Reminder: please remember to play with an entertainment budget only! There is no guarantee of a big win and consequently cash withdrawal to bring to guest services.
Even if you don’t plan on gambling during your cruise vacation, you can still bring cash with you aboard, to use for shopping while in port. Any cash you do not spend, you can bring to guest services to help pay off the balance for added extras like elevated dining, classes, and the spa.
3. Stay Aboard While in Port
While this may seem counterintuitive, one of my favorite things to do is to stay aboard when the ship comes to port. I absolutely enjoy how “empty” the ship feels whenever a large percentage of the guests get off to adventure.
If you plan on spending any time at the spa, you should check to see what their in-port specials are. On every cruise that I’ve taken, the spa has offered a special discounted rate for their treatments while the ship is in port. The cruise lines do this to try and entice people to pamper themselves when appointment slots would otherwise remain empty. The exact discount varies; you can check prices online or go inquire in person once you get onboard.
Casino Bonus: In some ports, the casino will either be open all day or for the afternoon. Whether or not the casino will open is dependent on local laws and regulations. If gambling is your main focus of vacation, you can check with the casino team when you arrive. Simply ask if the casino will be open in any of the ports.
I love playing in the casino on port days for two reasons:
- more freedom to move around and play a variety of games
- I prefer to play during the day as opposed to in the evenings and night
Daytime gambling in a less populated casino sounds like vacation to me!
4. Bring a Fan
I’ll admit it, I used to judge my parents so hard when they would bring a fan on vacation. That was until I had the unfortunate experience of being assigned a room with an adjoining door. I didn’t know the people on the other side of the door but I did know A LOT about them thanks to how easily their voices came through the door.
Out of the dozens of cruises I have been fortunate to take, this was the only time my sleep was dramatically impeded and the cruise line was unable to provide any assistance outside of providing industrial grade earplugs (apparently, the kind their engineers wear to service the ship’s engine). From that cruise on, I have added a travel sized fan to my luggage and crank that puppy to the highest level. The actual air circulation is a nice perk too!
5. Save Your Shopping for the End
Save your shopping for your last sea day! Unless there is something that you absolutely have to have and will be distraught if they run out, save your shopping for the end of your cruise. The various outlets on board always have last day deals, eager to sell more merchandise before you head home.
In addition to hopefully being able to score a good deal, you will have already had the opportunity to shop local if you chose to disembark earlier in the trip. No hate for the cruise lines, but it’s important to recognize the importance tourism plays in the various local economies that ships decide to visit.
