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First Time Cruisers
Rita's reply
to: "What should I wear?"
My reply is
always - "elastic waistband slacks."
It's a little known, non-scientific
fact that salt air shrinks your
clothing! My clothes never fit the
same by the last day of the cruise !
Seriously, the
most asked question is always, "What
do I wear?" So, let me try to help.
Let's assume
that you are taking a typical 7
night Caribbean Cruise. Remember
that the weather is usually very
warm and tropical, that's why the
ships are cruising these waters, so
let's pack for a Florida style
resort. You probably already own all
the clothes you will need.
DAYTIME
WEAR...ONBOARD SHIP: Casual is
the word. Pack shorts, capris,
t-shirts etc. Cottons and perma-press
are best. We take white shorts or
slacks to allow our bightoly colored
tops to match for an easy week's mix
& match wardrobe! Save the suitcase
space for evening clothes. We always
buy at least one t-shirt in port or
onboard, so let this serve as one of
your tops. If you plan on swimming
or sunning by the pool, do take a
swimsuit and you will need a cover
up for public areas. Pack
comfortable, rubber soled shoes for
walking on the decks (which can get
slippery) and also for walking in
port. Keep in mind that we pesonally
love to be casual by day but love to
"dress" at night.
NIGHTIME
WEAR: Always check your daily
program for the day's suggested
evening attire, but basically,
cruise nights will fall into two
categories:
- SMART
CASUAL: (4 or 5 nights):
"Smart Casual" ranges from slack
outfits to dressier clothing. No
jeans, cut-offs or t-shirts in
the diningroom, please.
- FORMAL
(2 nights): The Captain will
usually host a "Welcome Aboard"
party on the 2nd night of the
cruise and a "Farewell Party" on
the 6th night. Wear what you
would feel comfortable wearing
to a nice restaurant! Ladies:
Anything from a black pants suit
(with some pretty "bling") to a
Sunday dress to a semi-formal
dress to a long formal. You will
see it all! Gentlemen: a coat
and tie is required. If you own
a dinner jacket or tuxedo, wear
it by all means, but you do NOT
need to buy or rent one unless
you want to.
- THEME
Nights: Many ships offer
"COUNTRY-WESTERN NIGHTS," or
"50-60's NIGHTS," so pack a pair
of jeans!
- HAWAII,
EUROPE, or ALASKA CRUISES:
require totally different dress
- just ask us.
You might
want to pack:
• Evening wrap
- the night air can be chilly during
a deck stroll, but the public
showrooms and diningrooms are always
a bit chilly !
• Sunglasses,
sunscreen and suntan lotion - watch
those rays.
• Limited
jewelry - leave it at home.
DO NOT pack:
- •
Medications
- • Proof of
citizenship - passport
- . any
valuables
If you have any
questions, please call us ....our
advice is priceless...but FREE! |
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- Choose
to cruise for VALUE. One
price buys your cabin, dining,
entertainment and more.
- Choose
to cruise for ROMANCE.
Secluded beaches, en suite
dining on a balcony overlooking
the ocean and spa services for
two are just some of the
romantic pursuits available.
- Choose
to cruise for CUISINE.
Tantalize your taste buds with
gourmet fare that showcases
exotic ingredients, old standbys
like pizza and ice cream or spa
cuisine for a healthy
alternative. Depending on your
mood, dine in a traditional
ballroom setting, a small bistro
or a casual eatery.
- Choose
to cruise for VARIETY. With
over 150 distinctive ships, 1800
ports-of-call and an
unbelievable array of places to
see and things to do, there is a
perfect cruise for you. For even
more choice, consider a pre- or
post-land tour.
- Choose
to cruise for ACTIVITIES.
Fill your days with sightseeing,
sports activities, cultural
lectures, educational tours led
by naturalists and historians or
simply lounge by the pool and
relax. At night, enjoy dance
extravaganzas, musical revues,
gaming or a quiet evening gazing
at the stars.
- Choose
to cruise for SIMPLICITY.
Don't come back from your
vacation needing a vacation.
Planning a cruise is simple;
your CLIA-affiliated travel
agency can handle all of the
details. Once you're on board,
nearly all expenses are
pre-paid... talk about
hassle-free.
- Choose
to cruise for NEW HORIZONS.
Fall asleep in one destination
and awake to a new horizon...
and you only have to pack and
unpack once!
- Choose
to cruise for FAMILY.
Families love cruising.
Children's programs,
kid-friendly menus and tours of
the ship will keep your children
happy, while affording you some
time alone.
- Choose
to cruise for PAMPERING.
Regardless of your budget, all
cruise lines pamper their guests
with first-class service around
the clock.
- Choose
to cruise for SATISFACTION.
It's a fact that cruises have a
higher percentage of satisfied
customers than any other
vacation experience.
Choose to
cruise for YOU. You can have the
vacation of a lifetime, see the
world, completely unwind, take a
walk on the wild side, dance the
night away, feast on fabulous
cuisine, learn something new, make
friends, bond with your family,
steal quiet moments with your
spouse. Whatever your heart desires,
is yours, when you choose to cruise.
(Courtesy of
Cruise Lines International
Association) |
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QUESTIONS
we are often asked:
Where can I
cruise to? There are over 1800
ports of call worldwide. You can
cruise to fantastic places that you
have only dreamed about...and just
pack or unpack once while your
"floating resort" takes you to these
fabulous destinations! Plus, many
cruise lines now offer "home ports"
so you can cruise from other cities
besides Florida or California. For
example, cruising right from
Galveston has become very popular
for Texans.
How long are
cruises? They range from 3 days
to over 3months!
Are all
cruise ships the same? Not at
all. Each cruise line has its own
character, style and ambience. Some
ships are less formal than others.
Some are smaller. Some are geared to
a younger vs an older crowd. Let the
cruise specialists at Pauls Cruises
help you plan that dream vacation
according to your personal tastes.
Are there
different "classes" onboard ship?
Today's cruise ships are
"one-class." Everyone can use all of
the ship's facilities. The price of
a cabin is based primarily on its
size and location, not class of
service. Regardless of the category
you book, you'll enjoy the same
courteous service, menus,
activities, and entertainment as
everyone else on board.
What can I
do in the ports of call? So much
you'll have a hard time choosing!
You can explore on your own or take
a guided tour (referred to as shore
excursions). Search ancient ruins or
hunt for shopping bargains. Ride a
raft over river rapids, or a horse
across miles of hills and beaches.
Climb a waterfall or pyramid. Follow
the footsteps of history or the wake
of a waterskiing boat. If there's
still time, play golf or tennis.
Learn how to windsurf. Sun and swim
at some of the world's best beaches.
Catch a record marlin. Sail,
snorkel, or scuba dive. Take a cable
car to the top of a mountain.
Explore dark catacombs.
What can I
do in port? In short, cruising
is the perfect way to sample a
number of new destinations and try
all the things you've ever dreamed
of doing, while never having to pack
and unpack!
Can children
cruise? More and more cruise
vacations are booked by families
with children. Most cruise lines
provide plenty of supervised
activities for kids, especially
during school holidays. If your
children enjoy swimming, sports,
games, movies, and the adventure of
new places, they'll love a family
cruise. You'll find that children
adapt to shipboard life with ease,
and you won't have to wonder what
they're up to every minute. The
youth counselors will help keep them
busy and entertained. Ships even
offer different types of
age-appropriate activities, suitable
for toddlers to teens. Best of all,
children often travel at a reduced
rate.
What about
meals? There are choices and
more choices. During the day, there
are many different places to eat -
in the formal dining room, on deck,
in a pizzeria, at an espresso bar,
to name a few. At night, most ships
offer several venues. Some ships'
dining rooms can accommodate all
guests at one time, called a
"seating." Many ships offer you a
choice of several eating times, and
others encourage you to come to
dinner whenever you like. More
traditional ships have two seating's
in their formal dining rooms, which
differ only by time: typically 6:00
p.m. and 8:30 p.m. To choose, just
decide whether you prefer to dine
early or late--then have us request
your preference when you book your
cruise. Frequently, you can choose
to dine at night someplace other
than the formal dining room, such as
in an intimate restaurant that
features, for example, Italian,
Chinese, Japanese or Southwestern
cuisine. More and more cruise lines
are opening up their informal lido
areas to evening dining, where the
dress and dishes always are casual,
and sometimes, you can even eat out
under the stars. And a large number
of ships offer romantic in-cabin
dinners. The choice is yours!
Can I get a
special diet? Most ships can
accommodate salt-free,
low-carbohydrate, low cholesterol,
Kosher, or other diet preferences.
However, this request must be made
in advance, so be sure to advise us
when you book your cruise.
What about
tipping? No daily tipping.
Tipping is a matter of individual
preference. A general rule of thumb
is to plan for about $3.00 per
person per day for your cabin
steward and dining room waiter, and
about half that amount for your
busboy. (A few cruise lines include
tipping in the price ..charged to
your account the last day...and will
so inform you.) Other shipboard
personnel can be tipped for special
services at your discretion.
Are there
medical services aboard?
Virtually every cruise ship (except
for some smaller vessels operating
in coastal waters) has a medical
facility and health care
professionals on staff to handle
almost any emergency. If you have a
medical condition that might put you
at risk, discuss it with your doctor
and inform the cruise lines at the
time of booking. And, whenever you
travel, check to see what your
health insurance covers.
Any other
questions? Just give us a call or
stop anad visit with us! |
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