Q is for Queasiness, Queuing and Quantum Class

Queasiness is something many novice cruisers worry about. Before our first cruise I was very concerned that we wouldn’t find our sea legs and might suffer but once on board I discovered that the you hardly feel the ship move and we enjoyed 14 nights on a Caribbean sea that resembled a mill pond. I’d packed sea sickness tablets and those elasticated pressure point wristbands but thankfully we didn’t need them. We’ve since sailed in much rougher waters, including the infamous Bay of Biscay and only on one occasion did I reach for the medication when my son Finn was a little green. Modern ships have stabilisers which cancel any rocking and help passengers avoid motion sickness and the larger ships are so huge that they cope extremely well in even the roughest of seas. In the very unlikely event that you do suffer while on board then the shops do sell medication, wristbands etc. and in extreme cases if you visit the ships medical centre they’ll give you an injection that should help you enjoy the rest of the cruise.

Queues are occasionally inevitable on board and when a ship carrying 4000 passengers docks and everyone tries to depart at the same time there can be problems. Likewise if everyone decides that 8pm is a good time to dine then there could be a lengthy wait for a table at dinner. We always take a sensible approach and have a leisurely morning, allowing the crowds to depart the ship before heading ashore or try and dine that bit earlier when you’ll be seated within minutes and get great service. Plan carefully and you avoid the frustration of a very British pastime.

Quantum Class is Royal Caribbean’s latest addition to their fleet and are spectacular looking family friendly ships. They have been specifically designed for colder weather itineraries so they include lots of fun indoor activities such as dodgem cars and indoor skydiving. The interior rooms even have a virtual balcony, a great concept where one interior wall has a projection of what is actually happening outside. We’ve not yet had the pleasure of sailing Quantum Class yet but its definitely on my must do list!

R is for River Cruises and Reviews

River Cruises feature much smaller ships than ocean cruises and the itineraries take in the sights, sounds and destinations of many of the world’s greatest rivers. Some of the ships look stunning and many are luxuriously appointed featuring seven star cruising with ultra all inclusive packages. Sadly they just aren’t family friendly. We enquired when at the cruise show last year and the staff confirmed they weren’t suitable for travelling with children. My river cruising adventures will just have to wait until Finn heads off to university!

I love reading what people thought of a cruise ship and online reviews are a great place to find tips and to research a forthcoming cruise. My favourite review sites include Cruise Critic and Cruise.co.uk but there are also a growing number of blogs on the subject too so thanks for reading this one!

S is for Speciality Restaurants, Swimming Pools and Sail Aways

Speciality restaurants are an additional dining option on board and have a small cover charge which is paid in addition to your cruise fare if you wish to dine there. Many ships now have celebrity chef themed establishments, premier steak houses or high class Oriental or Indian eateries. The cover charges vary depending on the cruise line or the restaurant choice but as an example we’ve just paid £20 per head to dine at Atul Kochhar’s East on Ventura. I’d definitely recommend you treat yourself while on board if your budget will stretch. The food and service is usually exceptional and they’re a real bargain compared to the cost of fine dining at a similar establishment on dry land.

Swimming pools can usually be found on the top deck and there are usually two or three pools and maybe even more on larger ships. Be warned they can be very deep and very often they don’t actually have life guards so you may want to pack arm bands unless your kids are really strong swimmers. For younger children there are often splash zones or shallow paddling pools often close to the kids club. Please note that toddlers in nappies (even swim nappies) will most likely not be permitted in the pools for health reasons.

Sail Away Parties are a highlight of any cruise and usually happen 3 or 4 times during a 14 night break. The entertainment team take to the top deck and whip the crowd into a frenzy as waiters ensure the drinks are flowing as the ship heads out of port. Be sure to head up and join in the fun.

T is for Tips and Tenders

Cruise ship staff work their socks off and the quality and standard of service far surpasses that of any hotel on land. The majority of the team on board are paid a modest salary and take an additional share of the tips as well as the daily gratuities which are added to your on board account. This is a daily charge of around £5 a day per passenger and is a way most cruise lines try to simplify tipping and ensure backroom staff you might not see also benefit. Gratuities are then divided between all the staff on board but you can also tip extra to an individual if you feel you’ve received amazing service. The daily gratuity is technically voluntary and you can go to guest services at reception and remove this if you wish. Personally I’ve never done that as I think the staff work tirelessly and deserve every penny, in fact we usually tip over and above the charge for team members who have gone out of their way to make our holiday special.

During your cruise you may visit some smaller ports that don’t have the facilities for a large ship to dock. If this happens you will visit the port by tender, a smaller boat used to shuttle passengers between the ship and the port. The captain will drop the anchor some way out of the port and generally uses some of the larger motorised lifeboats to transport everyone who wants to go ashore and back. The tenders pull up alongside the ship and you’ll make your way down to the gangway where you step off a platform and into the smaller boat. It can feel a little daunting if the seas are choppy but don’t worry the crew are always on hand to manage this safely. Occasionally if the seas are rough then the tenders will be delayed until it gets calmer or alternatively the port visit may be cancelled if the captain feels there’s any risk. I quite like tenders, its an exciting way to arrive at a new destination and you can often get some great photos of your ship on the way back. Just remember not to rush off for the first one into or back from port if you don’t like queuing.

U is for Upper Deck

Upper Deck is one of my favourite places on board especially in the sunshine. It’s a great place to watch the world go by and there are usually quite a few bars dotted around as well as hundreds of sun loungers for those who want to catch some rays.

V is for Voltage, Visas and Vaccinations

There are a huge range of cruise lines and they all offer different voltage plug sockets so be sure to check before you travel. P&O have standard English 3 pin plugs, RCI and Carnival use American style sockets and MSC hasa mix of both. You can see a comprehensive list here http://www.iglucruise.com/faqs/what-type-of-electrical-outlet-plugs-will-be-in-my-stateroom but my advice is always pack a few worldwide adaptors and you are covered for all eventualities! Many of the widescreen TVs found in modern ship cabins also have a USB charger that is handy for charging phones or iPads.

Be sure to check for any visa or vaccinations you need before travelling, you can usually find details of this in your online check in information. Remember you can only disembark in some ports if you have a visa, such as Russia for example. If you are booking a ship excursion they will often arrange this as part of the package but double check to avoid disappointment.

W is for Wi-Fi, Wristbands and Waterslides

Wi-Fi is a necessity in our family as we run our own business and need to keep in touch with work while away as well as live blogging our adventures. At sea it can be slow and expensive but many cruise lines offer weekly or fortnightly packages which help with the cost a little, just don’t forget to log in and out each time. It often helps to draft emails or posts off line to save valuable minutes particularly if your package is for a set number of hours during your holiday. Although 3G data costs in European are now capped please remember then when out at sea you’ll only be able to connect to the ships GSM network which is charged at International rates not European rates so be sure to turn data roaming off on phones and iPads or you could end up with a nasty surprise on your next bill. If you can manage to wait till you reach port to get online then simply follow the crew, they always know where the free Wi-Fi spots are or failing that you should be able to find a McDonalds with complimentary internet connection in most towns!

If you are travelling with small children they’ll be given a wristband on boarding, this is compulsory and shows their muster station. If your child is in kids club and there’s an emergency that requires you to go to the muster point the staff will bring them to and you should meet them there.

There are waterslides on many of the large scale American and European ships that often twist and turn above the top deck providing adventurous thrill seekers with hours of amusement. Some ships even have huge ‘spray grounds’ with water shooters, power drenchers and much, much more.

X is for Xbox and other games consoles

My little boy is computer games obsessed so thankfully the kids clubs at sea generally feature Xbox’s, Playstation’s or Wii’s as well as child friendly games they can play for free. Some family cabins also offer them as standard too and there is usually a small video games arcade on board where you can pay to play usually by swiping your cruise card. Watch out for free gaming hours advertised in the ship’s daily newsletter.

Y is for YouTube

Youtube is a fantastic resource when researching your cruise and thousands of cruisers have posted videos of ships, cabins and ports of call but be warned, they do range in quality from the woefully amateur to Hollywood style productions. When we booked on Independence of the Seas last year I found a video online showing me every inch of our gorgeous aft cabin, which I absolutely loved. In addition to videos by fellow cruisers you may well find some of the official cruise line videos, travel agents reviews and occasionally a full length TV show about your ship. I spend many a happy hour ahead of our cruises scouring YouTube and if you have something like Apple TV you can even view the videos on your television, its like having your very own dedicated cruise TV channel.

Z is for Zip Lines, Zoos and Zzzzz

Zip Lines can be found on Oasis class ships on Royal Caribbean enabling the bravest cruisers to fly across the boardwalk suspended by just a harness approximately 40 ft above the deck. I did it once and it was absolutely terrifying but a real sense of achievement!

Zoo’s are a fantastic alternative to a cruise line excursion and are usually on easy to use public transport routes too. We often head to a zoo or aquarium when in port and nearly all big cities seem to have them. They’re a sure fire way to entertain kids and can be a preferable option to pounding the streets in a sweltering city.

Zzzzz is for sleep and nothing in the world beats being gently rocked to slumber in a beautifully comfortable bed, with gorgeously fresh clean linen. I’ve had some of my best nights sleep ever on a cruise ship and always wake up relaxed and refreshed for the next day’s adventures.

H is for Hand Washing and High Ropes Courses

Hand washing is key to a healthy, happy cruise. Cruise ships sometimes get a bad reputation for sickness and tummy bugs like Norovirus and when you have thousands of people in close proximity then illnesses can happen and spread quickly. That said we’ve never suffered on board and there are simple steps you can take to keep your family safe. Regular hand washing using lots of hot water and soap is the easiest way to tackle the germs, particularly after using the toilet or ahead of visiting the buffet to eat. There is also antibacterial hand gel available outside every restaurant and most bars – look out for the smiley staff shouting washy washy! Be sure to use it when it’s available but there is really no substitute for good old fashioned soap and hot water. If you do fall foul of a bug be sure to stay in your cabin and call the medical centre for advice on what to do to stay safe and avoid spreading it to others.

Feeling active and brave? Some Carnival ships feature a High Ropes Course, suspended many feet above the top deck. Guests with a head for heights can harness up and take to the ropes, traversing obstacles and balancing high above the deck below. We’ve never quite been brave enough but it did look like a lot of fun!

I is for Ice Cream and Ice Skating

Ice cream is an essential ingredient to family holidays and the good news is most of the American cruise lines include free, unlimited self serve ice cream or frozen yoghurt. The dispensing machines are generally found on the pool deck. It’s also often served free of charge in the main dining room and sometimes in the buffet. If your ship doesn’t offer it for free, don’t worry there will be an ice cream shop on board serving high quality branded ice creams, like Ben n Jerry’s for a small fee.

Several of the larger Royal Caribbean ships have ice rinks which are used for spectacular ice shows delivered by highly trained professionals performing amazing stunt-filled shows – imagine the TV show Dancing on Ice performed on a rocking ship, its quite an incredible sight. When not in use for shows the rink is often open for public skating sessions where you can take to the ice and discover your inner Torvil and Dean! Both the ice shows and skating sessions are free of charge but you often have to pick up tickets in advance once on board as capacity is limited.

J is for Jacuzzi

Jacuzzis are a feature on all cruise ships. Some have as many as 20 spread across the top decks or nestled away in a quiet zone such as the spa. They’re a bubbling, warm oasis to relax and enjoy and are particularly good with a cocktail in hand. They’re usually adult only however some of the larger family ships even have slightly cooler family jacuzzi’s situated around the kids pools.

K is for Kids Club, Kids Tea and Kettles

Kids Clubs are one of the highlights of family cruising! Choose your cruise line carefully and you’ll benefit from some of the best child care facilities imaginable at sea. The clubs are divided into age appropriate groups and usually have their own dedicated facilities with play areas, splash pools, sometimes even cookery clubs, science labs and theatres. The clubs open for two or three sessions a day including an evening session till approx 11pm, allowing parents to enjoy an occasional romantic meal for two while the little ones are entertained with PJ Movie nights.

It’s worth noting that very few cruise lines offer child care for under 3’s or those still in nappies included in the cruise fare but some such as Royal Caribbean do offer a Royal Babies and Tots creche service at extra charge and P&O do allow 2 year olds in their kids clubs. Be sure to do your research to ensure you don’t have a disappointed toddler on your hands.

Our favourite family friendly cruise lines include Royal Caribbean, NCL and Carnival. We’ve not yet sailed P&O but their facilities and staff are supposed to be incredible so our 7 year old is looking forward to sampling that in a few weeks time, especially the promise of playing on a PS4! Children sail free on MSC and are heavily discounted on NCL. Most other lines offer a third and fourth person discount for children sharing your cabin.

Kids Tea is another fabulous cruise concept and is served each evening in the buffet, usually from around 5pm. It features a range of family favourites from chicken nuggets to pizza, pasta to hot dogs and jelly and ice cream along with some healthy options too. Kids Club staff take your children and supervise them so you could make the most of the opportunity and book a kid free romantic meal for two. Alternatively If you want your children to join you for dinner in the main dining room for a family meal, don’t worry there’s always a children’s menu featuring a range of tasty, child friendly dishes too.

The majority of ships sailing from the UK now have tea and coffee making facilities in their cabins and the kettle also comes in handy handy if you are heating bottles etc. On some American and European fly cruises you may find there isn’t a kettle in the room but you can always order room service tea / coffee for the morning to save heading to the buffet for your caffeine fix.

L is for Laundry and Luggage

All parents know just how many clothes a small child can get through, particularly on holiday. Many of the larger ships have a laundry where you can wash your own clothes, alternatively they will offer a laundry service where you fill a bag and leave it with your state room attendant. For a modest fee your clothes will be returned the following day, washed and ironed. Look out for mid cruise laundry specials and discount deals which will be listed in the daily newsletter. Failing that do what we did in Gibraltar and visit M&S and buy more smalls, it was cheaper than the laundry!

Packing cases means your holiday is almost here, but firstly don’t forget to download your luggage labels from the cruise line website check in section. You’ll need to print them and then fold and staple them around the handle so the staff know which cabin to deliver your cases to. Also be sure to add your own identifiable label with your name and phone number as the paper ones are a bit flimsy.

When travelling from Southampton or any other UK port there are no luggage allowance restrictions, which is heaven when travelling with small children. You simply arrive in the car park and waiting porters whisk your cases away. The next time you see them will be outside your cabin. They do occasionally take a little while to arrive so you may want to pack a carry on with sun tan lotion, swimsuits etc. so you can get straight into the holiday mood when you board. Disembarking isn’t quite so straight forward. You have two options, firstly self assist where you basically carry your own luggage off the ship, usually first thing, which can be challenging with lots of cases and kids. The second option is where you request a disembarkation time and are given coloured time specific labels. You’ll need to pack your cases and put them outside your cabin around midnight on the night before you leave. I always find this a challenge as I need things in the morning so be sure to take a large carry on to keep back your essentials. You then disembark at the allotted time and your case will be waiting in the terminal for collection. Do remember If you are on a fly cruise then you’ll be restricted to the usual flight weight restrictions of around 20kg per case so be sure to check before you travel.

One word of caution, cruise lines do randomly scan luggage so be careful that you aren’t taking anything untoward on board. For example you aren’t allowed to bring irons or knives onboard for health and safety reasons. Some cruise lines don’t allow you to take alcohol on board so check with your cruise line before you travel to avoid an embarrassing trip to security.

M is for Muster and Medical Centre

A muster is the name for the safety drill. It’s maritime law that this has to happen ahead of sailing and all passengers must attend, if you board late then you’ll be required to attend a second muster the following day, quite rightly there is no dodging it. The muster will usually happen around 4 or 5pm after boarding. On some ships you need to take your life jackets (which will be stored in your cabin) but tannoy messages will let you know if this is necessary and these are piped into all cabins. Further announcements will be made asking you to make your way to your muster point, this is the point you would go to in a real emergency and where you would go to get in a life boat if that was required. Your muster point is marked on your cruise card and staff will direct you and tick you off a list on arrival. It’s usually fairly quick, the captain says a few words, they demonstrate how to put a life jacket on then sound the emergency signal so you know what it sounds like and then before you know it, its all over and you can start to enjoy your holiday.

Medical Centre – Nobody wants to get sick on holiday but if you are a cruise ship is probably one of the safer places for it to happen. All ships have modern, fully equipped medical centres with nurses and doctors on board. Just be sure you have travel insurance as medical care is not included in the cost of a cruise and medical bills can soon rack up. That said we did visit once when my little boy cut his toe on a beach in St Maarten. It wasn’t serious but a friendly doctor cleaned it up, put a plaster on and sent us on our way without charge.

N is for Night Nursery

If you have a toddler then the Night Nursery may well be one of the best facilities on board. It’s a night time crèche where you can leave your little one sleeping and watched over by highly trained nursery nurses while you sneak away with a pager in hand (in case they wake) and enjoy a meal of hot food, eaten with both hands and accompanied by adult conversation with your husband – for just one or two hours it’s like life before kids! I’ll never forget our first ever cruise on Ocean Village when we discovered this. The time difference meant that our 2 year old son Finn was flat out by 5pm so a bit later on we’d pop him into a very cute cot where he was doted on by staff and return an hour or two later after we’d enjoyed some quality grown up time.

Please note if you have very small children that not all cruise lines offer this facility so do your research ahead to check. P&O offer a night nursery free of charge on family friendly ships and Disney Cruise Lines and Royal Caribbean have a reasonably priced evening crèche but this must be booked in advance and does get very popular.

O is for On Board Credit and On Line Check In

On Board Credit (OBC) is free spending money that is allocated to your cruise account as an incentive, and will be taken off your final bill before you disembark. Very often you can negotiate some on board credit when booking so be sure to look out for offers online or haggle with your travel agent. It’s not unusual to get up to around £200 worth OBC per cabin, sometimes more. You may also get some on board credit if fuel prices drop after you book or as a loyalty perk for returning customers. Sadly you can’t cash in OBC to take it off with you so be sure to spend it when on board.

Almost all cruise lines require that you check in online ahead of arrival at the port. You’ll need to go on to the cruise line website and then click the manage my booking or cruise personaliser, enter your details and booking reference and you’ll get through to your own personalised account. From here you can book excursions or drink packages, order special treats like champagne on arrival, book speciality restaurants or spa treatments and look at your itinerary. There’ll also be a section for you to enter all your parties passport details and then you’ll be able to print out our e-ticket and luggage labels. You may be asked to put in the details of a credit card which will be associated with your cabin and will be used for all your onboard spend. I’d recommend you use a credit card rather than a debit card as if you use a debit card they may apply limits to your spending or request a hold on amounts in your account.

P is for Passengers, Piano Bars and Ports of Call

Before I took my first cruise I assumed that most cruise passengers would be pensioners who enjoyed fine dining and ball room dancing. This is a common misconception and these days cruise ships are packed with fun loving families, young couples and many senior citizens who are just as young at heart. All the cruise ships we have sailed with had a really diverse mix of passengers and we’ve always found some like minded company on board and met some really interesting people. Passengers come from all classes and walks of life so go with an open mind and don’t be afraid to chat and share tips and advice. You’ll have a ball and possibly make some good friends.

Piano Bars are one of our favourite ways to while away a few hours of the evening on board and nearly all cruise ships will have a dedicated piano bar. This will be home to a talented pianist and vocalist who will often take requests, provided they are written down and wrapped in a dollar or pound note. They’ll work their way through a repertoire of popular hits from The Beatles to Elton John and occasionally the theme song from Titanic – you usually tip them to stop them playing that one!. The songs often turn into mass singalongs, a little like group karaoke. We enjoyed a spectacular nightly rendition of Crocodile Rock on Carnival Breeze delivered by the hugely talented Piano Bob and his collection of sock puppets which were handed out to the audience causing much laughter and silliness. Some of the MSC ships have a fabulous Duelling Piano Bar with two back to back pianos and pianists competing against each other.

Ports of Call are the stops that your ship makes along the route and typically a cruise will stop at 2 or 3 on a 4 night cruise, 4 or 5 on a 7 night holiday and 10 or more on a two week cruise. There are hundreds of cruise ports around the word so you can pick an itinerary to suit you choosing from cultured cities or laid back beaches, Norwegian fjords or even the Arctic Circle. You can research all the ports online ahead of your cruise which will help you decide whether to take an organised excursion or DIY. You can find port guides for almost everywhere on cruisecritic.com or cruise.co.uk and do check out Tom’s Port Guides particularly for American and Caribbean ports if you’re heading that way but also in Europe too. Tom seems to spend his life cruising the world researching and writing port guides – now that seems like my kind of job!