Should you Choose to Cruise, Instead of Flying?

Pre-departure – Plan to arrive at the departure port at least one or two days before sailing. You never know when travel disruptions & bad weather might hit and the last thing you want to do is watch the ship sail off without you.

Time changes – My recommendation is to take a watch that you can easily adjust for the constant time changes and avoid smartwatches that change time automatically base on GPS as they do not track “ship time”.  Passing through multiple time zones the time will change by an hour on several days to allow you to arrive at your destination already acclimatised to the local time, with no jet lag.  Depending on the direction of travel the clocks will move forward an hour (usually during the day) or back an hour (usually at night).   Also, if you travel over the international date time be prepared to either lose and day completely travelling west or enjoy an extra day travelling east.

Gratuities/Tips – Remember to factor into the additional cost of tips for the waiting staff & cabin steward if it is not already included in your cruise fare. This can add $10 – £20 per person, per day to the cost. Some cruise lines add the charge automatically to your onboard account, for those that prefer to reward crew members directly, on most ships you can remove or adjust automatic tips by visiting guest services.

Wi-Fi – Yes Wi-Fi is available onboard ships although it can be slow, unreliable and expensive.  So be realistic in your expectations and keep in mind the remote location of repositioning cruises and don’t expect the same speeds you would get at home.

Dress Code – Expect two or three formal nights. But don’t worry if luggage restrictions limit what you can bring. These types of cruises attract people who are taking long extended trips and are generally a more casual affair.  I found on the longer Transpacific repositioning cruise with Royal Caribbean most men wore a suit and tie to dinner on the formal nights, with a few wearing national dress or tuxedos. By the third formal night towards the end of the cruise the tie was left in the cabin! For ladies a smart dress or pair of trousers and a dressy top were the norm, I didn’t see any ballgowns.  If shorts are more your thing, the buffet restaurant and room service are always an option. On the other hand, Cunard Queen Mary 2 operated a strict dress code of no jeans after 6pm anywhere on the ship.

Passport & Visa – Make sure your passport is valid for at least 6 months.  If your itinerary has multiple ports of call, check you have the correct visa for each country even if you do not plan to disembark.  This information can easily be found on your local government website:

• Australia –  https://smartraveller.gov.au
• USA – https://travel.state.gov 
• UK – http://fco.gov.uk