Well it’s obviously that time of year again. The kids keep looking at you expectantly. Your partner has that nervous, wary look in the eye. The house is buzzing with excited chatter that seems to erupt only when you’re in the other room and tends to quiet down when your footsteps approach. There is talk of mutiny. You have heard the whispers around the dinner table when everyone thought you were out of range. Read the rest of this entry »

Why not save time and money by combining your wedding with your
honeymoon on a romantic cruise? A wedding that takes place on
your cruise can be a beautiful way to start a journey together
as a couple. However, it’s not quite as easy as it looks in the
movies. You will need time to arrange a wedding and it is best
to start at least a couple of months before your cruise leaves.

In reality, most couples don’t get married at sea, or on the
actual cruise ship. In order to do this, you need to find a
cruise line that has a wedding department and someone (often the
captain) to perform a legal ceremony. Not all captains have the
legal right to marry couples, so check this ahead of time if
your heart is set on an ocean bound ceremony. Read the rest of this entry »

Cruises are usually thought of as a vacation for adults, but many cruises are excellent for the whole family. Some cruises are even designed as family cruises, complete with entertainment options designed for both adults and children to enjoy together. If you are contemplating a cruise as a family vacation, be sure to check and see what sorts of children’s activities the cruise line offers before you book your cruise. In order to give you a point of reference, here are some of the most common activities for kids that you may encounter on any cruise.

Play Areas Many cruise ships have special play areas with a number of toys, games, and activities that children can enjoy. These play areas are usually staffed by individuals who have special training in youth protection and they also love working with children. This provides your kids with plenty to do, while being supervised by people trained specifically to keep them safe and entertained. Read the rest of this entry »

There are many cruise ships now that have Freestyle Dining (Norwegian Cruises) or Choice Dining (Prince Cruise line) available. Or on Disney Cruise Lines they have what is called Rotational Dining. They have you and your tablemates rotate through the three restaurants each evening.

TIP: There is usually open seating for breakfast and lunch in the main dining room. Be adventurous with the menu because if you dont like something you can send it back for a replacement. And if they have two things on the menu that you like ask for both of them. My husband, John, always orders the Filet Mignon and the Lobster Tail when they are served on the same night. Many times he tells the waiter to bring what the waiter recommends for that evening. more

This means you dont have to choose first or second seating. (First seating is 6:00 to 6:30 and Second seating is usually 8:00-8:30). There can be more than one restaurant where you just walk in when you are ready to dine. Every ship will ask for your dining preference when you book your cruise. You can indicate first, second or flexible dining, whichever will make you more comfortable. The newer ships have a 24 hour dining spot which is always casual so if you dont want to do the formal nights you dont have to, although I find dressing up to be quite fun.

You will have many options for each meal. You may have any meal delivered to your room, taken in the buffet restaurant or in the dining room. There is usually outdoor dining around the pool with hot dogs and hamburgers, pizza, salads, even Tacos.

There are also alternative dining rooms available on some ships that require an additional fee but the service and food are generally 4 to 5 star and worth it if you want to splurge.

In my experience families with young children and people who go to bed early usually dine in first seating. But if you dont want to be on a schedule or want to meet new people every night, go for the alternative dining option. Of course you can always ask for a table for two, but be aware that there are only a few of them.

If you make a special request one night, John always asks for blue cheese, your waiter will bring it every night. They pride themselves on remembering your tastes. (This only happens when you choose traditional dining). On one cruise we asked for Melba toast, and you bet, every night we had Melba toast. There is one thing I always make clear to the waiter. I am not a big eater but I like to taste everything. I tell this to them the first night so they dont think I am unhappy with the food. It is their job to keep you happy and they take it very seriously.

If you dont want to eat in the main dining room almost all ships have a Lido caf where it is casual but you order from a menu and are served by a waiter. Its one of the many choices if you dont want to participate in a formal night or if you just want to eat by yourselves. On Carnivals single cruises they encourage this style of dining so the singles can meet more people. There are exceptions to this but not many. On some of the newer ships the Lido is open 24 hours a day.

On most of the cruise lines they offer the food of the region that you are visiting. While on Hawaiian cruises expect to be served Hawaiian food. When on an Alaskan cruise you will be given the choices of salmon and Alaskan king crab legs. It makes more fun to dine on the local cuisine.

All of the cruise lines offer healthy alternative menus or what they call spa menus. So if you want low-fat, low-salt, low cholesterol, vegetarian or any other type of diet, they are available. It is best however to inform your travel agent of any special needs so they can notify the cruise line ahead of time. If you have special dietary needs make sure the cruise lines knows before hand. For example, Royal Caribbean cruises cater to food allergy, Kosher, Indian, Vegetarian and Gluten Free Diets.
To be really safe read all of the cruise reviews and cruise critics sites for each ships food and service ratings.

Happy Cruising, enjoy it, we do!