Some folks may wonder why, in addition to providing a platform for buyers, sellers, and renters to transact with one another, Timeshare Giant also offers its users the ability to book luxury cruises. The logic is simple: We timeshare owners like a variety of vacations. Although we timeshare owners value high quality vacation destinations and accomodations, our vacation aspirations are not just one-dimensional. Many of us dream of taking a luxury cruise (or two or three) during our lifetimes. The excitement of a new port-of-call every morning, idyllic sunsets slipping into the sea, the romance, the clubs, the activities, the entertainment, the pampering and the food! Who hasn't dreamed of someday stepping up to one of those decadent midnight buffets, or having room service deliver your breakfast to your cabin every morning?
Timeshare Giant Travel can help you make your cruise dreams come true with our one-stop shopping travel services. Timeshare Giant Travel has teamed up with the high-octane power of Hotels.com to offer some of the best pricing and the latest cutting-edge functionality available to the public. On Timeshare Giant Travel, you can book a fabulous cruise vacation and even the flight to your port city. Want to lengthen your vacation and spend a few days sampling the pleasures of your port city prior to your ship's sailing date? Timeshare Giant makes it easy to confirm reservations at just about any hotel you can think of. Need a car rental? No problem! Just click on the post title and take Timeshare Giant Travel for a spin. You'll love our prices and ease-of-use.
If you're taking your first cruise, you probably have a lot of questions. I've provided some great tips for beginners that will help you cruise like a pro. Bon Voyage!
Cruise Tips for First-Timers
- You don't need to pack formal wear unless you want to. Many cruisers enjoy the old tradition of dressing for dinner and that can be part of the fun. Don't worry if you don't own a tux. A suit or dress is generally all that's required for formal dining. But if donning tie or heels isn't your idea of a vacation, cruise ships offer a wide variety of restaurants in addition to the formal dining room. You'll find the food equally delicious and bountiful at the ship's many buffets, cafes and specialty restaurants.
- Bring enough mix and match clothing for your trip and don't forget to pack weather-appropriate outdoor clothing for when you're on deck or in port. You'll want to pack flip-flops or slip-ons and a robe or coverup for strolling to and from the pool. If you plan to snorkel or scuba, you can bring your own gear, but it's usually easier to rent what you need than lug a lot of heavy extras. Some ships have washers and dryers and many provide a retractable clothesline for drying swimwear.
- Remember to pack necessary toiletries. Many ships provide some toiletries but it's generally limited to tiny bars of soap and little bottles of shampoo. You'll need to bring your toothbrush, hand lotion and conditioner. If you do forget something, ships usually have a ship's store where you can pick up necessities along with some postcards and other mementos.
- Cruise prices include your room, food and some beverages. Free drinks usually include coffee, tea, iced tea, lemonade and juice at breakfast. Most cruise lines offer beverage packages ($6 a day is typical) that allow you to get unlimited soda and sometimes other beverages. Except on luxury lines which don't usually charge for wine and alcohol, you'll usually have to pay for alcoholic drinks, including beer.
- There are plenty of free activities on ship and in port and budget-conscious cruisers may want to stick to those. Every cruise boasts its share of interesting excursions -- at a price. But if there's an experience you've been dying to have -- say, watching grizzlies cavort in Alaska -- book it in advance through your cruise line. You don't want to miss the one experience that could define your trip. This is a vacation, after all, and you should be prepared to splurge a bit. Booking through the cruise line guarantees your space if the excursion is fully booked and you don't have to worry about transportation or timing. All you have to do is show up!
- While some luxury cruise lines forbid tipping, tipping is standard on most ships. Many cruise lines can provide you with a prepared sheet of suggested tip amounts which can be a great help to first-time cruisers. Other lines offer a prepaid gratuity option so you don't have to deal with tipping. Be aware though that prepaid plans generally charge a set amount for each person in your party per day, whether you use the facilities or not. If you're traveling with kids who never set foot in the dining room, you'll still pay for them on a prepaid plan. Typically, tips for stateroom attendants are $3.50 a day; for dining room staff, $5 to $10 per day.
