More fun, less stress can be had with a little advance planning. My cruises have all been purchased through internet sites. My current favorite is www.cruisesonly.com. I’ve booked 3 cruises through them, the latest because agent Linda Tyler phoned me with a non-advertised special. Once I pick a cruise online, I phone the toll free number. After a chat with the agent, I ask them to let me know of last minute deals out of certain ports. My preference is to drive which makes most east coast cruises within my distance budget. (I live and write in the mountains of North Carolina.) On Alaskan cruises, be sure to include transfers from the airport to the cruise port to make the transfers smoother even if you book your own flight. Round trip cruises in and out of the same port (especially Seattle and Vancouver) usually end up costing less because of airfare.

Google discount cruises, check out the websites, then bookmark the best ones. Sign up for their weekly specials to be emailed to you. Watch the destinations you are interested in to familiarize yourself with prices. Be flexible with ports of call. Once you’ve book a cruise, complete the necessary federal paperwork on line. Get a passport–it’s the best identification, much easier to deal with than a birth certificate. If you have an assigned cabin, look up your cabin location on the cruise line’s website. I go for the cheapest inside cabin and leave the room unassigned in hopes for a free upgrade. Review the excursions (more about that in the next blog).

Other costs (assuming they add in the port charges and other taxes) are $10 a day per person for tips on board and port/airport parking fees of between $10 and $15 a day. Any more, soft drinks are extra. Alcoholic drinks are extra. Bottled water is extra. The ship has a filtering system to purify sea water and it is certified as safe to drink. I get the water from the dispenser on the buffet line and haven’t had a problem. They usually have lemon slices to make it taste better. I bring a water bottle and fill it to keep with me both on board and during excursions. If you drink lots of coffee, bring a lidded coffee mug to bring the coffee safely back to your cabin. It is also useful to mix cocktails in if you smuggled in some booze (see last blog).

Once on board your ship (not boat), eat at the buffet, then take the ship’s tour. If a guided tour is not offered, create your own. Be sure to visit the spa and sign up for the drawing. You have to return and be present to win, but it may be worth it. My husband won a $100 massage which he gave to me. It was so relaxing–made me forget all about writing deadlines. The spa services are expensive but they are cheaper on port days and on the later days in the cruise.

Once you are settled in your cabin, your room steward will stop by and introduce her/himself. Ask for two copies of the daily events publication. That way you can each have one or have an unmarked one for your scrap book. Ask for bar soap since many cruise lines have gone to the European soap dispenser which only offers shampoo and liquid soap. Bring your own conditioner. S/he make up the cabin twice a day. Most of the time, you don’t see them again during the cruise. They are among the unseen helpers to make your vacation more enjoyable.

If your dining is assigned seating, keep it fresh by sitting at a different place at the table each evening. Order cappuccino after dinner at no charge. The specialty coffee bar is good but costs money. I encourage you to use the dining rooms for meals as often as possible. In general, the food is better. However, I have breakfast at the buffet to save time for my morning workout.

If at any time during the cruise you have a question about money, go to the purser’s desk early. The line gets longer as the cruise winds down.