Travel insurance is a must! My mother passed away in Puerto Rico on a Carnival cruise on the 4th day of an 8 day trip. Got sick on the ship, off loaded at the next port, died at the hospital in Puerto Rico and Carnival took care of my Dad (who was all alone) until my brother could get there. The insurance took care of everything, my dad never got a bill and actually had the cruise fare returned. I will never go without it!

@patevans3709

Жыл бұрын

I am soooo very sorry for your loss, but so appreciate your advice for others! I hope you and your family are sharing your grief and finding your way through this shocking experience.

@rebeccagutierrez1960

4 ай бұрын

So sorry for your ordeal.

Dear guests of cruise ships, you can forget about independent excursions and go to shore by your self :( and big thank you for your tips. Cruise crew call it "pool". So each department of the ship have some percent of this pool. For example in my contract I have salary 816$ and because your tips I will have 1000$ per month. And I salute for you guys, who give some tips by cash. Even 5$ tips it is ok. If you do not want give any tips you can say tganks for creww member just writting his name and department on front desk and describe how this crew members was helpfull to you. This action will be even more better than tips. Thank you and hope to see you all on cruise ship.

@lcflngn

2 ай бұрын

Cannot thank you enough for your comment. I haven’t cruised yet, but planning, and have long wondered how the prepaid tips work for the crew, and how much is appropriate to add on. I’m sure we will “overtip” in cash somehow (we used to work for tips, so that’s how we roll) but also will make sure to leave names & comments in the proper place. 🤗

Not only do you need to put you PHONE in airplane mode, put your TABLET (and WATCH) in airplane mode too! If you have a roaming package, it it PER DEVICE and PER COUNTRY. On one trip, I packed my tablet in my bag without turning it to airplane mode and it cost $40 in roaming charges when we flew from Vancouver to Cancun because the red-eye to Toronto dipped into the US ($12) and the leg from Toronto to Cancun was technically the next day and cost $12 while crossing the US and $16 when we entered Mexico.

Forget airplane mode. As soon as the last rope is untied my phone gets turned off and locked in the safe until I am back in the cruise terminal. I am on holiday!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

:-)

@DianeRoma1

3 жыл бұрын

Same here!

@jdane2277

3 жыл бұрын

Yes, turning it off is a good idea unless you want to pay for wifi service. You can always turn it on when on shore if there is free public wifi and make sure your roaming is off. Some ports (Helsinki for example) have excellent free wifi and you can pick up your email sporadically if you must.

@Star-Boarder

3 жыл бұрын

I agree. I'm on my phone and laptop all day for work. I don't even want the internet package. The amazing thing about a cruise is that it gives your boss and clients a legitimate excuse for why you won't be able to be in contact. But I will take my phone to the port. But that's for emergency purposes only.

@docmalthus

3 жыл бұрын

Right on. The only reason I keep my phone on when I'm on holiday is because I don't wear a watch.

Gary, Always love your voice tone & volume. You are easy to listen to through your continuous videos. Of course, your British accent is also a big plus.😎👍 Thanks for all your tips.

@cherylkoski7184

Жыл бұрын

Agree. Gary has such a relaxing voice.

When it comes to “double tipping,” if my room steward and/waiter is particularly excellent (I’ve never had any that weren’t at least very good,) I’ll give them an extra tip at the end of a cruise, but a couple times I’ve found, from chatting with a waiter/steward, that it was their turn to go ashore for a few hours off the ship in the next port, so I’d give them a nice tip the night before we made port, so they’d have a little extra money on them the next day, and although this has only happened to me a few times, each time it did, the people were extremely thrilled at receiving the tip, with one room steward literally almost crying as he thanked me profusely.

@lottosal

3 жыл бұрын

Great advice, thank you!

@cruisecrazy7066

Жыл бұрын

Whenever I hand a cash tip to my steward, or others, I always say quietly, "not for sharing."

@knoopsylvia

Жыл бұрын

Maybe I‘m wrong but I give a tip to my cabin steward (or cleaner in the hotel) at the beginning of the trip, I never have had a shortage of toiletpaper or towels and always extra little thoughtful things. And at the end I give some more! So maybe that‘s triple but you really want a clean room !

@angiejoh.7156

Жыл бұрын

How much is a good extra tip?

@johnpatz8395

Жыл бұрын

@@angiejoh.7156 not really sure. As I recall with a single room steward I think I usually give them $40 US. It’s not a lot, but it always seems appreciated.

Thanks for adding actual captions for the Deaf.

We like to tip our cabin steward $20-100 at the BEGINNING of the cruise, with the comment that this is in addition to the auto-tips. Additionally, at the end we hand an envelope with a note that says "in addition to the auto-gratuity, we wanted to show our extra appreciation with this $___"

I only book shore excursion through the ship because I am a nervous Nellie about independent excursions getting us back too late. It paid off when my sister and I cruised Italy a couple years ago. Our shore excursion bus to Monte Carlo etc got caught up in traffic and we were an hour and a half late getting back to the tender. Everyone was freaking out but I knew we were safe because the ship would wait.

@johnpatz8395

3 жыл бұрын

Yeah, that bit of peace of mind is well worth the cost, at least for excursions that will take you a good distance from the port. We never ran into that on an excursion, but on one of first cruises we took, we had a similar issue with our flight to the cruise. I can’t remember all the details, but basically our flights ended up getting us to the airport a couple hours after the ship was scheduled to sail, but thankfully, since our flights were booked through the cruise line, the ship had actually waited for us, and the 3 or 4 other people from the same flight who were booked on the cruise. The cruise line had a staff meet us as we got off the plane, expedited getting the luggage of those with checked bags, drove us directly to the cruise terminal and ushered us to a check in desk in the port (it was so strange, it’s this massive warehouse sized room but was empty except for those of us from the plane and our guides from the cruise line.) 2 of the 3 guides we had with us, checked us all in, while the third took our bags. After check in the two escorted us onto the ship, where we were greeted by the first officer of the ship, who then radioed the captain and we set sail immediately. Surprisingly when we got to our cabins, the third person who had picked us up, had already placed our bags into our rooms, and each room there was a note from the cruise line, signed by the first officer, apologizing for our delays and “rushing us out of the airport.”

@Meela234

2 жыл бұрын

@@johnpatz8395 Wow it's good you didn't miss your cruise. This is why I plan to arrive the day before the cruise.

@johnpatz8395

2 жыл бұрын

@@Meela234 yeah, this is why I always plan on getting there at least a day early, as I prefer driving to cruises now, even if it means 14-16 hours driving. We’ve found that driving, and thus avoiding airports and airlines makes our trips much more pleasant, and by planning on getting there a day or two early means we aren’t in any rush, and if we see something interesting we can stop and check it out without being worried about missing the cruise. That way if we break down, we’ve got time to get it fixed or whatever, and get back on the road and still not be late, but if nothing goes wrong, and we Don stop anywhere for any length of time, worst case we spend a day or two kicking around the area we are staying, high can even be an hour or so from the port if my wife or I wanted to check out a specific area near there.

@Meela234

2 жыл бұрын

@@johnpatz8395 Great info in your reply! Thanks! I either want to take a train or drive to Orlando from Southeast Virginia next year (no flying). I'd love to drive but worry about putting the miles on my car or if something breaks down because I'm not a car fixer lol. I'll do further research but thanks for your good information.

@ericafors6039

2 жыл бұрын

Same happened to me and my hubby in Malta. 1-1/2 hs late due to a camera ‘theft’ at our luncheon restaurant and local Maltese traffic. It was completely worth it to take the cruise line sponsored excursion. Everyone on the decks clapped then the Captain announced our arrival! 😅

Great tips, Gary! My very first cruise I knew to put my phone in airplane mode and made sure to do so. What I didn't realize was that the phone I had at the time was notorious for randomly turning off airplane mode on its own. The way I found out was that one day I was sunning on the pool deck, having the time of my life, when I got a text from my phone provider telling me I was about to reach my data limit. Needless to say, my heart started pounding. They did have a number you could call without incurring additional charges and we figured it out. I got very lucky because they were aware of the bug and didn't charge me. It would have been about $700. Then they told me what to do and this is what I do now. Not only do I turn on airplane mode but I go in and also turn off mobile data and international data roaming.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Phew, great to hear as the phone companies are not known for being that understanding.....

@elouise5593

3 жыл бұрын

@@tipsfortravellers T mobile is my provider, and they were very understanding, when I didn't realize that phone service while on the ship was really expensive. They took the charges off my phone bill.

For a long time, I wondered what this French company Pinôt was, until I realized it was merely your two-syllable pronunciation of P & O.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Oh dear... I will try and "P" "and "o" it better! Good to know

@vh6307

3 жыл бұрын

🤭

@user-sm3xq5ob5d

3 жыл бұрын

Pinot noir it is in its complete form. A kind of wine. ;-)

Another positive of booking excursions through local businesses is that most of your money goes to the communities you are visiting, rather than the cruise companies. I was living in an island country for 18 months which rarely gets cruises. I was fascinated (shocked) at the costs being charged when a cruise ship arrived. I think the passengers were being charged $10 or $15 for travelling around on the local minibuses (which themselves are an experience) which actually cost 25 cents per trip.I think it was to be taken to the best known landmark- which was a 15 minute trip and then a 5 or 10 min walk? To do it yourself would have been $1.

@sergel02

3 жыл бұрын

I definitely agree with booking them with local business to support the Economy and usually save yourself money. I think cruise shore excursions are great if there is something particularly interesting, major language or distance barriers, or visa concerns, but many can be done well with local companies. We did one with a local company in Juneau, Alaska that was fantastic.

@chicagogyrl4846

Жыл бұрын

😂🤣 I would never pay $10-$15 to ride around on a bus, in a developing country, or island!! Stupid people! 😂🤣

I've never been on a cruise nor are planning to go on one. But your videos are so entertaining as well as educational, I can't stop watching!

@jeffreyb3238

Ай бұрын

Totally agree with this comment. Just enjoying all the information. It's an education.

Last year I knew 2 people who needed to be airlifted. One was $40,000 for the patient-did not include the trip for the companion- to be airlifted back to the states and it had to be prepaid. In addition, they had to get all medical bills paid before leaving. Family back home had to take out the loans to send the money. No trip insurance. The second person had the insurance for air lift and they only had to pay $10,000 for all the remaining costs associated with the incident. Still real money but not as bad as person 1

At 01:25 you mention canceling a refundable fare and rebooking to get the lower pricing. Good idea but you have to make sure the offer or lower pricing does not exclude "rebooks". I have seen new promos that specifically state "no rebooking allowed".

@marcelosilva595

2 жыл бұрын

Royal Caribbean has this kind of exclusion when you cancel a cruise.

I've made this comment before on this site: travel insurance is a must. I had to cancel an Alaska cruise due to a health issue while flying to the port. My cruise agent took care of my claim with the insurance company. I also spent time on the phone to Delta who kindly gave me credit for the unused portion of my reservation. Don't forget insurance!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

agree

I am quite shocked people don’t have travel insurance. It is an absolute must.

Good point about travel insurance. I would in fact suggest you might spend an entire episode about choosing the right travel insurance if you haven't done so already. Thanks.

I'm actually a travel professional and I LOVE your videos. You are informative, succinct, practical, and dispassionate and factual.. I so appreciate that in this business where we are often SO passionate about our own experiences and opinions. I have taken many notes watching you!

Thanks for the suggestion about medical insurance. I never even considered that. Ironically, I was injured on a Holland America cruise once. I was sitting on the stateroom balcony. The door had a sharp corner at the bottom and it scrapped against my heel as it was closing. The bleeding was bad so I had to go to the medical center. Fortunately , no sutures were required. HAL never mentioned billing me for the medical services and there are a basket of fruit and chocolate my stateroom the next day. HAL probably felt partially responsible since the door was so sharp. It all worked out but it’s a good reminder that accidents happen.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for sharing this. I guess a they saw it as injured in part through something on there side they did not charge.

@chriswilliams6568

3 жыл бұрын

They certainly do and as a retired Travel Consultant of 30 years I have heard some horrendously expensive medical accidents. Even to bring a body home costs many thousands of $$$$.

@AndrewAo

2 жыл бұрын

i would have thought that personal medical insurance would cover and reimburse you on the medical expenses. is it right?

@deborahkn1114

Жыл бұрын

@@AndrewAo Many insurance companies in the US don’t cover anything if you are out of the country. A few only cover you in your home state!

Gary as always your amazing advice is so welcome. I just placed a note in my phone calendar on the day we leave for Puerto Vallarta to put my phone in airplane mode, THANK YOU!!!

Thank you! I just called NCL and one of our cabins is 1200$ cheaper and the other is 1000!

A separate video describing the various types of potential insurance would be helpful. For example, some cover accidents on the trip. Other versions get you out of the cruise before it starts, usually with an MD’s letter. Some insurance can cover the death of a non-cruising family member under the assumption you would go to the services vs. continue on the cruise. The most expensive is usually ‘cancel for any reason’ insurance.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for that suggestion. It is quite a complex area but will look at this!

@larry4111

3 жыл бұрын

I also found out the hard way, when I cancelled a trip to Guatemala at the start of the pandemic, that most CFAR insurance only pays back up to 75% of the non-refundable cost.

@chriswilliams6568

3 жыл бұрын

yes you need cancellation and interruption insurance to cover you from the moment any of your money is under the non refundable period. This covers you before you travel, if you had to cancel due to an illness or an immediate family illness, or a house fire. Interruption insurance pays for you to get home if i’ll and allowed to travel home, plus compensates you for the days you lost of travel. epically coverage is for when you are on your trip.

@larry4111

3 жыл бұрын

@@chriswilliams6568 Also people need to check their credit cards. Many include trip cancellation and interruption insurance if you charge the trip to the card. For example, I have it included with my AMEX card. Of course, it MAY not be enough so you want to check the limits but you might save by not buying the same insurance twice.

@chriswilliams6568

3 жыл бұрын

@@larry4111 thx but those coverages with credit cards are hardly ever enough. Token coverage, and for very few days.

Gary you mention giving a cash tip ‘at the end of the cruise’ , I strongly recommend that if you are going to double tip, which we did on our only cruise so far, that you do it at the beginning or as you go along. My wife and I were originally in hospitality and tipping like this gets you the very best service as the staff will mark you out ask a tipper! The staff appreciate it and I appreciated the extra level of service.

@noelt2238

3 жыл бұрын

How very American!

Excursions are my bugbear since we did Hawaii with Princess, the excursion to Pearl Harbour was $100 but in fact it was within walking distance or short cab ride and the entry was free. We didn’t buy that excursion but it really highlighted how they can be a rip off.

In a way, this may be one of your best videos (yes I watch them all.) I've only been on two cruises and they were rather specialized, but I could have or did make some of those errors. If I do cruise again, I'm making a laminated CHECKLIST before booking to make sure I cover those points. Thanks for all you do.

The airplane mode for phone is a great tip. I was cruising with a friend who used AT&T. He turned on his phone to see if he had service, and thought he had service through AT&T. $200 later he turned his phone off. I have T-Mobile and only got a text telling me how much the service I was on is going to cost and asking me to reply “Y” to accept the charges. I did not reply and I did not get charged. Yes, I am a big advocate for T-Mobile because I hate getting surprise charges. Also, I have cruised several times and never bothered with getting the travel insurance. However, you brought up great examples in your video and I will definitely look into getting it for my next cruise! Thank you for the informative video!

I had never considered how incredibly high costs for medical emergencies could be. Will not be cruising without insurance again. Thank you so much for this valuable advice!!!

@chriswilliams6568

3 жыл бұрын

Why on earth had you not. I wonder. Is that the error of youth who think they will live for ever.

@ashleymatthews2763

3 жыл бұрын

@@chriswilliams6568 I’m not young and I certainly don’t think I’m invincible. I haven’t cruised out of the realm of my own insurance coverage at this point but would consider it as an add on. What a rude response. Really unnecessary to belittle me.

@chriswilliams6568

3 жыл бұрын

@@ashleymatthews2763 not rude at all, it is mostly the young that believe nothing will happen to them, hence they take more risks at a young age. Anyway hope you remember to get Medical and cancellation/ Interruption insurance for your next trip, don’t forget that if you travel more than once a year, an annual policy might be more cost effective.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

It is definitely something that not enough is made of, So many people travel without it, as we never think about what can go wrong when planning a vacation. It is good that liens are starting to insist on it and even checking it is in place as it will help people in the end

@ashleymatthews2763

3 жыл бұрын

@@tipsfortravellers I’m glad they are doing this. Thanks as always for your helpful tips for us cruise lovers!

I can confirm the costly repercussions of not keeping a phone in airplane mode. My wife checked her email one evening and forgot to turn airplane mode back on overnight, the phone did a few updates and used a few hundred kilobytes. Not that big a deal right? The bill was over $6000! Yes that's not a typo. After considerable negotiations with the phone carrier we got it down to just under $700. We will never make that mistake again and arrange one of the on board packages before leaving Port.

@carb101

Жыл бұрын

Just reading that makes me feel sick. That's a lot of money for a simple error - and not even the kind of error where anyone is hurt!

Thanks for the great tips

Thank you for all you do

I don't mind double tipping. We know those guys work hard, are away from their families and probably don't make much. If you think about it, the auto-tip amount that we get charged isn't a lot - especially if you were to compare how much you'd tip if you ate out at a fancy restaurant for 7 days straight at restaurants on land. Also, every extra 20 dollars tipped is less than 3 dollars a day - probably split amongst the two waiters you get and possibly the bar staff. Same goes for the cabin stewards.

Thank you Gary! Love your videos- always learn such valuable information and so enjoyable to watch- really appreciate you!😁

Very good. Thank you

You can also turn off mobile data to avoid the charge as well without being on airplane mode.

Thank you for your advices always so helpful

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

You are so welcome!

Gary I like the fact of tips going on my bill, as then I pay my bill with a credit card, and I get Air Canada Aeroplan points on it. When I used to use cash, no points for my future travel on Air Canada.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Glad to hear someone else is obsessed about collecting airline points via their card :-)

I booked my cruise, and added travel insurance on it. I have since also purchased a year round plan to cover all of my travel. The year round plan covers the 3 things mentioned and pre-existing conditions. I am not cruising until November, but I am already sleeping better knowing that I am protected. Thank you, Gary! Your videos are always concise, and educational.

Good Job! This was great! Thank You!!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Tons of great info. Thanks!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

Your tip to check current fares after booking is solid gold. So glad I watched this video! Thank you!

My last cruise to New England and Canada cost me about $1,000 in cell charges. Great tip!

@susanparsons4338

3 жыл бұрын

😅😅😅😅😅😅

Thank you very much.

Found your videos by chance , great work mate . I've learnt a lot , love your work , cheers .

Excellent tips, Gary, thanks.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it. As always, really appreciate you support and watching so much.

So much great info thank you this is all very useful !!

Great tips Gary.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks 👍

Excellent content!

Thank you so very much for all of your Cruise travel tips! I've really enjoyed your videos! They have been most informative. Keep up the great work!

Excellent video, Gary. I watch them all, and ALWAYS learn something new.

Great tips on requirements for the new normal. I have my Covid shots, but there seems to be a lot of changes. Thanks for posting. Virginia

Thanks for listing the specific websites you use to look at other excursion options! We spend SO much time researching these

Another vlogger mentioned insurance to get flown to medical care. These specific cruisers needed to be flown twice, once off the ship and once back home due to a cancer diagnosis. Travel insurance only covered one trip. Costly issue.

I've found myself mixed when it comes to wi-fi. When I travel, I like to disconnect while on the ship but I do like to post photos to Instagram, etc.. I actually find it fun to land it port and find a restaurant with wifi, almost like a scavenger hunt, and have brunch or lunch of local cuisine and upload my photos and let family/friends know I am doing well. Then back on airplane mode so I can live in the moment. Something we all need to do more and more in this hyperconnected world.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Agree. That is why I like that there is a slow but on going trend for lines to include wifi as we all expect places to include it - especially as they try to attract younger families and travellers. They will expect it for sure

Another great video, Gary. Thanks again.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks! Much appreciated

@billbernstein5116

3 жыл бұрын

I've already begun checking out the two sites that do excursions that you recommended. And cruisewatch

Fantastic video Gary as always but really helpful especially the Cruise Watch web site tip, I signed up for it at once. Thanks again and keep these great tips going.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Hope the alerts save you money 💰

Thank you again Gary. A treasure of information. Keep watching your videos over and over again so info settles in.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Glad you like them!

@phaedoncouniniotis2183

3 жыл бұрын

@@tipsfortravellers Frankly Gary and all readers without your help I would have done all the Don'ts!!!!!!

This video has so many great advices.

Excellent advice. Like you, we have been cruising for years. Feel Guilty if we dont do those end of cruise envelopes. Likely, will continue, but thinking sensibly 👍 all points on here are valid 👊👍

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Good to know it is not just me then.....

Hi Gary, great tips on everything cruising. Have been on 3 Princess Cruises and booked for February next year around NZ from Melbourne, which l have done before. I always do my own tipping and cancel the cruise liners.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

thanks for adding this, good to know what different people do! that cruise sounds amazing

Too many catches to be actually worth considering. Thank you for your informative videos. I’ll avoid this trap in life.

I always pre pay gratuities and then if a specific person goes above and beyond, I give extra then. Many of the staff work for gratuities only.

@chriswilliams6568

3 жыл бұрын

never pre pay anything you do not have to, e.g tips, (they get added to your shipboard account when on board) if the cruise gets cancelled that is more money you will have to try and get refunded.

Incredibly valuable information here. I created a file in my notes on my I Phone so I will always be able to refer. Many Thx!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching. Great to hear

Very good information

Your site popped up New and subscribing -also liked

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

AWESOME!! Thanks

I am so thankful for your videos. I had never purchased the insurance because for some reason I had this belief that it only covered the cost of the cruise if I had to cancel for some reason. I didn't realize it would cover my medical expenses if there was an accident or and unexpected emergency of some sort. Now that I'm nearing 60, the insurance is an absolute!

Thanks.

You are amazing and have helped me so completely thoroughly!! You help has been absolutely brilliant!! ❤

Princess Medallion class ships have wi-fi that is actually FASTER than my commercial wi-fi at my office. And I believe that there is no time or data limit. But, on my December 2021 Sky Princess cruise, the internet was sometimes VERY slow or non-existent.

Thank you Gary for another wonderful video! I love your calm delivery. I will keep in mind the airplane mode tip for my May 2022 Amawaterways cruise!!!!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Great to hear your feedback. AmaWaterways are great!

@noworries9212

3 жыл бұрын

@@tipsfortravellers it’s been postponed twice already, fingers crossed for next year!!

@christineterry4269

Жыл бұрын

5

Gratuities for the cabin steward are given the first day of the cruise.

6:52 Or you can go to the customer service desk when 75% of the cruise is finished. For example, a 7 day cruise at Carnival Freedom. The dates I sent were from January 29, 2022 to February 6, 2022. The first thing to ask at the front desk is when do gratuities automatically get applied on board. They told us that they start charging automatically on February 4, 2022 at 2pm ship time. We took advantage of the time and didn’t have a line to wait for. It was such an easy process, and we even traditionally tipped those who assisted our services.

I am buying the insurance from now on.

A pilot friend of mine told me as soon as he gets to his seat in the cockpit he places his phone on airplane mode. I've been doing this for 7 years. And on the ship, I ask the crew about the wifi spots at the ports of call. We always take our 2 bottles of wine on board.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

good tip!

What an utterly informative video. Thanks for sharing all of these helpful and enlightening tricks and skills.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Glad it was helpful!

As a travel agent I was told that you cannot require a client to get travel insurance, at least in California.

I always enjoy your videos because they are very informative 👍! Thanks for the tips especially about the free website to track price changes. And yep, always put your phone📱 on airplane mode 👍.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for watching! Great to hear !!

this guy is good .a must watch before a cruise.i thought i was reasonably savy ,i was just a bunny waiting to be fitted before watching this guy.

Thank you so much for all these fabulous tips. My son is taking me on my first cruise this May but he's noticed that the fees are much more than originally quoted. He's thinking of reconsidering. because of it. So I've been doing lots of homework.

Shore excursions group is great. Many excursions have special rates for Costco bookings.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Good to know!

Another factor when evaluating drinks pkg is the additional gratuities added, even if it is added as free add on.

Thanks Gary, good stuff to ponder on in this segment. I know insurance will cost us plenty for our 14 dayer next February, but peace of mind alone will be worth it. Also, we know someone who left their phone in normal mode and saw an immense bill next billing cycle. Be well! 👍👍👍

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

agree. Eek, that phone thing catches far too many....

@tantanman2852

2 жыл бұрын

Did you get insurance? Who did you use?

Yes he is right book before going off the boat go on the boat long line up they have certain ones full You are right tipping I Am Canadains MORE

Travel insurance is priceless. My mother in law had a brain aneurysm while on vacation. She had to be flown home on a medical flight

Missing the ship will cost you dearly. So, don't miss the ship!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Agree!!!!

@samarmstrong2202

3 жыл бұрын

I have seen some 3rd party excursion companies that guarantee to get you back to the ship or they will get you to the next port. Be sure to ask.

@rochellegraham6578

3 жыл бұрын

going tonbed.

@GunnerHillTX

3 жыл бұрын

@@samarmstrong2202 I still would never, ever, want to have to put that promise to the test... :D

Gary, THANKS! We use a prepaid cell service at home (Cricket, but there are a lot of options). With a prepaid cell provider you will never be charged more than your monthly prepaid fee (which, by the way does not include any junk fees, taxes, etc. $25/month is $25/month. no additional charges). If you get service somewhere, it is included in your prepaid amount. NO SURPRISES! We've traveled with them for years and never had any problems. Bonus: Great service at a reasonable price.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

great tip, thanks

@cherylkoski7184

Жыл бұрын

So true!!!

Do you have a video on the different types of travel insurance?

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

I don’t but a few people have asked about this so I’m looking into it

Re shore excursions: Whether one uses the cruise offerings or makes an independent arrangement, think a bit more deeply about the precise transportation to be used. We have found (often) that what pulls up is an old van with excuses about how the normal van is in the shop. In some cases no view at all.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Great watch out!!!

Any suggestions on Princess regarding balcony room location? 10 day trip. Many thanks, janet

I've always self toured islands. And I agree with you it can be hectic and stressful trying to get back to your boat in Time. But it does save you some money and gives you a little bit more of a personal experience with that particular destination. Pre-planning your excursions is probably a good idea, especially for a lot of you first time cruisers.

@GoGreen1977

11 ай бұрын

If you "plan" for something, you don't have to "pre-plan," unless you plan to plan.

To be honest the reason I would go on a cruise is to relax and chillout and wind down but from what you say here it sounds like an absolute stressful horrible nightmare

If you are cheap, like us 😄 here are some tips. If you don't drink alcohol, don't buy ANY drink package. Drink ice tea, coffee, lemonade, & take drink mixes to add to water. DON'T DOUBLE TIP! If you pay tips ahead of time, don't tip anyone after that. Put your phones in the safe so you don't need a Wi-Fi package. Yes, get travel insurance. Don't pay for Specialty Dining. There are plenty of choices, w/o it.

Hi Gary, so grateful to have found your channel, thank you for all your hard work. It's our 1st ever cruise coming up in April 2024 and your videos are so welcome. I just tried to find out if our cruise had dropped in price since we booked but cruisewatch doesn't cover P & O Do you know if there is something similar please for the P & O line? Thank you once again xxx

Insurance is sooooo important. We were on a cruise around the Azores, and someone had a burst bladder (yuk I know but it really happened). They had to divert the ship to mainland Portugal within helicopter range. They had to evacuate the upper decks on one side of the ship and fly him ashore. To allow the helicopter to land they had to remove all the light from the upper deck. The cost for just that must have been massive. You MUST get good insurance otherwise you could be bankrupt.

Do you have any advice for UK insurance providers that would cover cruises and all the Covid stuff?

hi, really love your videos! been binging on them for about 2 weeks now, lol. quick question, what is the ship and cabin type at 1:05 in the video? it really caught my eye. thanks in advance!

@tipsfortravellers

Жыл бұрын

Thanks ! That’s Celebrity Edge

It makes me feel a bit sick when people tell me they don’t get travel insurance 😂🤮

@EmmaCruises

3 жыл бұрын

I just reminded myself I haven’t bought travel insurance for my May cruise yet, thanks me (and Gary for the video) 😂👏🏼

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

Agree!!!

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

I got mine as my current expires May 8 but changed provider to get much more specific cruise insurance as existing covered cruise but didn’t specifically say “cruise cover” which sounds like has to be explicit to show when checking in under the new protocols (well Princess, Cunard and P&O require to be shown)!

@tedsgirluk736

3 жыл бұрын

Me too! 😱

@TheJm129

3 жыл бұрын

Not to be argumentative, but if you buy travel insurance and submit a claim they will do an exhaustive check of any possible insurances you have which might pay all or part of any bill as primary coverage to minimize their outlay. They will look closely at your health insurance, any credit card insurance from charges you billed, etc. What's best is to know what gaps in insurance you may have and buy only what you really need since there is no benefit for overlapping coverage.

Anyone know where to get last minute discounted cruise tickets in Port Canaveral?

The "gratuities" goes to everyone on the crew and their wage is reduced. Handing and extra tip to a particular staff member is not really double tipping, because their share would be relatively low and you're giving money direct to them.

I appreciate your past tip of bringing a dental repair kit.

@tipsfortravellers

3 жыл бұрын

good to hear!

@lindarobinson2104

3 жыл бұрын

I went and bought one