Common Tips – Emma Cruises

Below are the most searched for cruise questions on the internet. I originally put together this list for a YouTube video but if you're looking for a quick answer to these questions you're in the right place. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u2iGZE71JPw Are cruises... Are cruises safe? Yes! Cruise ships are safe. The priority of all cruise lines is the safety of their guests are crew. You are far far far more likely to be involved in an accident relating to a car than a cruise ship. Are cruises fun? Of course, this depends on your definition of fun but I'd always say yes. Cruising gives you the ability to visit multiple places in a short period of time, all while enjoying great food and entertainment. If your definition of fun includes travel, relaxation and food then you'll love a cruise. Are cruises worth it? Yes! Compared to a land-based holiday, cruises often offer much better value for money. If you were to take into account accommodation, transport, food, entertainment and try to replicate a cruise itinerary on land you would generally end up spending much more. Not forgetting the fact that cruises are a LOT of fun, as mentioned above. Are cruises good? This really depends on your definition of 'good'. If your definition of 'good' is waking up in a new place every day, eating as much as you want and calling a huge ship home then yep, cruises are good! I really believe that there is a cruise line and cruise destination to suit everybody, we've just got to find it. Are cruises expensive? When you take into account value for money cruising is often provides better value than staying on land. I have managed to book cruises for less than £50 a night. In the UK £50, may get you a night in a budget hotel but it wouldn't include transport, food, entertainment etc! Some cruises are expensive, yes, but cruising doesn't have to be. Are cruises good for toddlers? Yes! Most cruise lines have kids clubs which range from babies right up to 18 years old. The kids club for under 3's will usually be more like a nursery than a club. On a few cruise lines, you're also able to take toys back to your cabin as long as you return them. Are cruises all inclusive? Generally speaking no. Most ocean cruises will include food, entertainment and accommodation. You'll usually be expected to pay more for drinks, WiFi and excursions. That said some of the premium cruise lines like Viking include WiFi, some drinks and excursions but these have a higher cost. I have a full post about this on our website, to learn more about what IS included in cruise fares, check out the post here: Are Cruises All Inclusive? Your Guide to What is Included Are cruises safe for toddlers? Cruises are safe for toddlers, I'd argue safer than a shopping centre on land or a park! There is no part on a cruise ship where you could simply 'fall off'. There are barriers around all edges which are at least chest height on an adult. A few people do 'fall off' cruise ships each year however these are NEVER children. Always adults. I think that says a lot. Are cruises boring? As long as you pick the right cruise line you will not be bored. If you are somebody who wants to try waterslides, go-karts and zip lines but picks a line without any of these you may be disappointed and dare I say it... bored! This is why it is REALLY important to do your research ahead of time. If you're quite happy sitting by the pool with a book or eating the day away you'll never get bored. On a cruise do you... On a cruise do you have to pay for food? No, cruises always have some food included. There is usually the option to pay more for 'speciality' dining options but you don't ever HAVE to pay for food on a cruise. Most cruises will have at a minimum the main dining room and a buffet which provide free food. Many cruise lines have more free options. I have a full post about what food is included on MSC cruises, this post is specific to MSC cruise line although the information given will be correct for multiple cruise lines. Do MSC Cruises Include Meals? Your Guide To What Is Included On a cruise do you need a passport? Generally speaking yes. The only exception to this rule, that I know of, is when a cruise begins and ends in the US American citizens do not need a passport. Having said this it is strongly advised to have one in case you for any reason have to leave the ship and fly home from another country. I have a full post about this subject, for more information about cruises that don't require passports and what ID is acceptable click here: Do You Need a Passport To Cruise? On a cruise do you pay per person? Yes, the cruise fare shown is for one person. Usually, this fare is based on two people sharing a cabin. Single occupancy rates mean that it is often much more expensive to cruise alone than with another person. The only variation on this is Virgin Voyages who advertise their prices on a cabin basis. On a cruise do you have to pay to go ashore? No. On a cruise, you are free to come and go as you wish. When the ship is docked you can get off and back on the ship as many time s as you would like. There is no charge for this. There are charges for 'excursions' which are organised trips, these can either be booked through the cruise line or directly with another tour operator. On a cruise do you have WiFi? You are able to buy WiFi on cruises however it is not usually included in the cruise fare. Cruise Wifi is usually either bought by the MB or for a certain duration of time. A lot of cruisers simply use 4G/WiFi when docked in port and don't purchase WiFi on the ship. Are cruise ship cabins... Are cruise ship cabins soundproof? No, not really. I've been lucky enough never had any bad neighbours but I've often been able to hear other guests sneeze/cough etc! You're more likely to hear noise from people walking down the corridor than the other cabins around you. Are cruise ship cabins air conditioned? Yep! Cruise ship cabins have air conditioning and heating. Each room has its own temperature control and the temperature usually goes pretty low. Often the air conditioning will not work if the balcony door is open, which makes sense. One of my favourite things about cruising solo is being able to control the temperature of the cabin without having to agree with my cabin mate. Are cruise ship cabins claustrophobic? This, of course, varies for each person. I do not find cruise ship cabins claustrophobic at all. There are a number of different cruise ship cabins available and I would always recommend that cruisers who fear they may be claustrophobic book a balcony cabin, the extra outside space can really help with this. I almost always cruise in inside cabins and have never felt claustrophobic. Check out the video below and you can make up your own mind. The cabins on the MSC Meraviglia are some of my favourites. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ce9VHP8c7uk Are cruise ship cabins noisy? This really depends on the location of the cabin. Cabins located under a buffet or lounge may be louder than cabins which are located between other cabins. Having said that I wouldn't ever describe cruise ship cabins as 'noisy', you may hear some noises from time to time but it certainly isn't consistently noisy. Cruise ships are... Okay, none of these are actually questions. According to Google cruise ships are dangerous, gross, disgusting, bad, ugly, dirty, boring, too big, not safe and terrible! Wow. Where To Next? If you have any cruise questions or would like to share your cruise adventures, join us in our Facebook group. We would love to have you!