Going on a cruise...does anyone have any tips?

Question

My wife and I are going on a 7 day cruise to the Western Caribbean...stopping in Cozumel, The Caymans and Jamaica. Any suggestions or ideas for us while on the ship and/or at each dock? Thanks

Answer 1

Don't buy the first things you see..look around first.

Don't drink or eat anything in Cozumel.

Answer 2

dont look down :P have fun.

Answer 3

I went on a cruise with that same itinerary last year and it was a lot of fun. Cozumel is great for shopping. Its very inexpensive. If you're into history visit the Mayan ruins. In Jamaica visit Dunn river falls. If you're looking to buy liquor its pretty cheap there. Also the vendors in the market place are a little aggressive. Be prepared to bargain and say no. The Caymans are very expensive, so do your shopping in the other countries. The Caymans is good for water activities like snorkeling and diving. Also it's where Tortuga rum cake is made and they have a small shop that sells various Tortuga products and offers samples.

Answer 4

I hope you can handle ships, they all move quite a lot. But if you love the feeling, you'll be great and will end up wanting more. Cruise ships are awesome, plus have an All You Can Eat policy which I love. Cozumel is gorgeous, the Caymans are nothing but beautiful beaches, and Jamaica, I was not a big fan of it but if I were you I would take the tour that takes you to the waterfalls, I think thats in Ocho Rios, But you'll also have some days at sea, which are great for spa, pool, gym, casinos, games and a lot of activities. Have fun. Cozumel is your best stop, don't waste your time there, its really pretty, and there's a lot to do.

Answer 5

First of all, wow you're going to enjoy yourselves, I'm jealous!

I'm sure while onboard the ship, there will be plenty to do...sunbathe on the deck, sightsee, relax at a bar/restaurant. There are also usually traditional games painted onto the deck of cruise ships. There is often cabaret in the evenings too which are great fun! Disco's at night time.

There are sometimes acts performed all over the ship, when I last went on a cruise, the was an ice sculptor, who sculpted a beatiful sculpture of a dolphin jumping. It took him about 2 minutes and the first person to guess what it was, won a bottle of wine, result!

One night the chef made the most amazing chocolate display I have ever seen. For the first hour or so you were allowed to walk around, look at and photograph the amazing chocolate structures and figures, then after you could tuck into as much as you liked! Yum!

So, there is much to do onboard. Honestly speaking, on most cruise liners there is so much fun to be had onboard, you don't even need to disembark!

While at the docks, you are allowed to do whatever you like, but be back before the deadline, they will NOT wait for you! (Unless you're on one of their excursions). There should be a choice of excursions that the cruise company will arrange. You either pay for these during the booking or on the day. These are usually great fun, but quite costly. A few excursions I remember from my mediterranean cruise are: Wine tasting in Ajaccio, Scuba diving, visited Pompeii and Mount Vesuvius, a tour of Sciciliy, visited Malta, watched volcanic eruption on Stromboli and many more...

I don't know the places you are visiting too well, but do your research online. I'm sure you will find some great locations and activities if you just search for the name of the town.

Well I hope that helps, and have fun. You will love your cruise!

Answer 6

Cozumel is beautiful and there is great snorkeling there. If you're looking for a good beach experience, I believe there is a beach park not too far from the port. We also enjoyed shopping in the town where the cruise ships dock.

Answer 7

We have been on four cruises including the western. Don't worry about bringing a lot of clothes for the daytime, but do bring something nice for dinner. The food and entertainment at the formal dinner are worth the extra clothes.

The more cruises we go on, the more we check out as much entertainment as possible. It's not great stuff, but usually worth the time.

Most importantly, f you have never been on a cruise before, then I recommend you look for one good excursion at each stop.

We didn't have success with snorkeling in Cozumel, but it might have been bad luck. Definitely check out the Mayan ruins.

We have been on many excursions in the Caribbean, and Sting Ray City in Grand Cayman is one of the best. It was an unforgettable experience. Many people are afraid to stand in the water with the sting rays, but they were very gentle -- and surprisingly affectionate.

Agreed with the other post that Dunn's River Falls is a great experience, too. We went there via a catamaran from the ship. The crew was wild. They did their best to plug everyone with as much rum punch as possible.

Otherwise, there is shopping. The shopping is the same everywhere. T-shirts, hats, and the usual tourist stuff you can buy just about anywhere.