| Cruise Related |
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Q1. What does my cruise fare include?
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Q2. What is not included on the cruise? |
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Q3. How do I make a reservation? |
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Q4. How do I pay for onboard expenses? |
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Q5. What currency is used onboard? |
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Q6. How many suitcases can I bring? |
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Q7. Is there smoking allowed onboard the ship? |
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Q8. What happens if I have to cancel? |
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Q9. How much do I have to pay when I book a cruise? |
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Q10. What is there to do onboard the ship? |
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Q11. Will I get sea-sick? |
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Q12. Will I be able to work-out and eat healthy
onboard? |
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Q13. Do I have to eat at a certain time everyday? |
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Q14. What if I need special meals? |
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Q15. What is the dress code on the ship? |
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Q16. How should I pack? |
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Q17. Are there laundry services available? |
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Q18. What happens if I get sick on the cruise? |
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Q19. Can I bring a visitor onboard the ship for
a tour? |
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Q20. Are gratuities/tips included? |
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Q21. Are there activities for children? Is there
any age restriction? |
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Q22. How much is
Travel Insurance?
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| Mexico Related |
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Q23. When is the best time to visit Mexico?
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Q24. What is the weather like in Mexico?
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Q25. Which cruise itinerary should I choose?
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Q26. What is the difference between each
cruise line and ship? |
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Q27. When should I book? |
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Q28. What shore excursions are offered?
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Q29. Is a passport required? |
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Q30. Are children allowed onboard?
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Q31. What activities are offered for children?
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Q32. Is there a discount for children
traveling? |
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Q33. Is baby-sitting offered onboard?
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Q34. Are pets or vehicles allowed onboard?
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Q1. What does my cruise fare include? |
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A1. Most cruises include
food (3 meals a day plus room service), regular drinks
(like coffee, tea, juice, iced tea & lemonade), entertainment,
use of the ship's facilities, and accommodations. Some
luxury cruise lines include more, such as alcoholic beverages,
gratuities and more. Please ask your Cruise Consultant
for more details. |
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Q2. What is not included on the cruise? |
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A2.Most cruises do not include
gratuities, alcoholic beverages, soda pop, shore excursions,
gambling, spa or beauty treatments, and personal items.
Some luxury cruise lines are slightly different, please
ask for details. |
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Q3. How do I make a reservation? |
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A3. Call one of our Europe
Specialists at #1-800-738-8837. |
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Q4. How do I pay for onboard expenses? |
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A4.For your convenience most cruise ships set-up a stateroom account when you check-in. Similar to a hotel, everything you purchase onboard gets charged to this account and at the end of your cruise the account can be settled by credit card, travelers cheque's or cash. |
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Q5. What currency is used onboard? |
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A5. Onboard a cruise ship the currency
used is US Dollars. The purser's desk will cash travellers cheques
and some foreign currency. |
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Q6. How many suitcases can I bring? |
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A6. There is no limit to the amount of personal luggage allowed onboard a cruise ship. However, the airlines do have restrictions. It is best to contact the airline you are travelling with to find out the specifics of what they allow. |
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Q7. Is there smoking allowed onboard the ship? |
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A7. Smoking is permitted in designated areas in bars onboard and outside on open decks. |
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Q8. What happens if I have to cancel? |
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A8. If you
are cancelling over 75 days in advance you will receive
the deposit you paid back (on most cruise lines). However,
our agency has a cancellation/administration fee of $100
US per room. This fee is flexible, for example: if you
were to change to another cruise the fee is waived or
if you were to rebook a future cruise the fee would be
taken off your cruise amount. If you are cancelling within
75 days of the cruise you are subject to the cruise line
penalties. These vary depending on the cruise line. Please
contact one of our Cruise Consultants for exact details. |
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Q9. How much do I have to pay when I book a cruise? |
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A9. If you are booking a
cruise over 75 days in advance we only require a deposit.
The deposit amount varies depending on the cruise line
between $350-900 US per person. If you are booking within
75 days of the cruise the full payment is required.
Most cruise line deposits are fully refundable up
until the final payment date (75 days prior to sailing).
However, our agency has a cancellation/administration
fee of $100 US per room. This fee is flexible, for example:
if you were to change to another cruise the fee is waived
or if you were to rebook a future cruise the fee would
be taken off your cruise amount. After the final payment
is made cruise line penalties come into effect. |
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Q10. What is there to do onboard the ship? |
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A10. Each night when you are at dinner your cabin steward will clean up your room. During this process he/she will leave a guide for the next day's events onboard. Activities offered onboard include port lectures, movies, dance classes, bingo, live music in various lounges or at the pool, entertainment shows each evening and much more! Plus, you can use the ship's facilities like whirlpools, swimming pools, fitness center, watersports platform is offered, etc. |
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Q11. Will I get sea-sick? |
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A11. It is possible to get sea-sick on a cruise. However, all the major cruise lines have added stabilizers to each ship when they are built. These stabilizers are used to keep the ship steady when it is in rouge water.
If you are used to getting car sick, then you could get sea-sick. We suggest that you visit your local doctor prior to the cruise and discuss methods to avoid this. One popular method is purchasing the patch (which is placed behind your ear) or taking gravel.
If you were feeling a little woosy there is a medical center onboard with a doctor and nurses to help you! Plus, if you visit the purser's desk gravol is available. |
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Q12. Will I be able to work-out and eat healthy onboard? |
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A12. Yes. Most ships offer fitness facilities and many are open 24 hours a day. As well, the dining room menu offers light menu choices and vegetarian dishes. |
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Q13. Do I have to eat at a certain time everyday? |
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A13. No. Most ships offer 24 hour room. No matter what time of day you are hungry something is available for you! |
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Q14. What if I need special meals? |
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A14. Special meals can be accommodated if you inform us when booking the cruise. Vegetarian meals, kosher, diabetic, no dairy, low salt, low cholesterol, and many more can be taken care of. |
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Q15. What is the dress code on the ship? |
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A15. During the day on
any cruise casual attire is accepted. During the evening
dress codes vary. Some cruise lines, such as Radisson
Seven Seas Cruises and Norwegian Cruise Line, offer a
'Country Club Casual' or elegant resort wear for every
night of their cruises. An example of this is pleated
dress pants with a silk shirt for men and a pantsuit or
informal attire for a women. No ties or jackets required,
although it is recommended for a man to bring one jacket
for the Captain's welcome reception. Most other cruise
lines have two formal nights on a 7 night cruise, three
formal nights on 10 or 12 night cruise and four formal
nights on a 14 night cruise. |
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Q16. How should I pack? |
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A16. When travelling to
a warm climate, like the Mediterranean, we recommend the
following for daytime: shorts, slacks, tops, swimsuit
and comfortable walking shoes. Sunglasses, sunblock and
hat/visor are also recommended. When travelling to Northern
Europe make sure you have a light jacket in case of wind
or cooler weather.
For dinner in most restaurants onboard resort casual attire is acceptable. They do not allow jeans, t-shirts, shorts, cut-offs, tank tops or bare feet.
If you need to bring prescription medicines don't forget to bring the original containers. Please keep all prescriptions in your carry-on or purse with you. |
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Q17. Are there laundry services available? |
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A17. Onboard most ships laundry service is available through room service. Washing, pressing and steaming is available at a cost. |
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Q18. What happens if I get sick on the cruise? |
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A18. There is a medical center onboard all large ships. In the medical center there is a doctor and nurses to assist with injuries or questions. The medical center hours are limited, however the doctor is on-call 24 hours a day. |
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Q19. Can I bring a visitor onboard the ship for a tour? |
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A19. Unfortunately, due to security issue no. |
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Q20. Are gratuities/tips included? |
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A20. This depends on the
cruise line/ship. Some luxury cruise lines include gratuities
in the cost of the cruise. Many of the other cruise lines
do not include gratuities. Each day of the cruise your
onboard account is charged $10 US (per guest). This covers
all gratuities for the staff onboard. This amount can
be adjusted by contacting the purser's desk. |
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Q21. Are there activities for children? Is there any age restriction? |
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A21. Many of the large ship cruise
lines offer children's programs and activities when cruising
Europe. Some cruise lines do have an age restriction of
6 months, but many do not. Please contact one of our Europe
Cruise Consultants for more details. |
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Q22. How much is Travel Insurance? |
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A22. Travel Insurance premiums
and coverage change depending on the person being insured.
Please contact one of our Europe Cruise Consultants for
more details. |
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Q23. When is the best time to visit Mexico?
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A23. The best time to visit Mexico
is mid September to mid May, though some parts still have a fair
amount of rain in October and November. (It rains most during the
summer, but usually not often enough to spoil a vacation.) |
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Q24. What is the weather like in Mexico?
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A24. The average coastal daytime
temperatures year-round are in the 70s-80s F (23-32 C), with nights
in the 60s-70s F (15-27 C). Take a sweater and an umbrella any
time of year. |
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Q25. Which cruise itinerary should I choose?
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A25. If you are cruising to Mexico
for the first time we recommend the most popular itinerary called
the Mexican Riviera. The Mexican Riviera includes the ports of
Cabo San Lucas, Puerto Vallarta and Mazatlan. This offers the
most popular cities and/or resort areas in Mexico. For cruisers
that are looking to travel off the beaten track in Mexico, we
recommend the Sea of Cortez. This itinerary offers small towns
with less tourists and great excursions for viewing wildlife!
For potential cruisers that have more time off and want to experience
as much of Mexico as possible. We recommend the longer 10 and
11 night Mexico cruise itineraries. |
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Q26. What is the difference between each
cruise line and ship? |
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A26.
Cruise lines are rated differently because of the amenities
offered to their passengers. The categories are Contemporary,
Premium, Luxury and Niche.
The Contemporary category includes Royal Caribbean
Cruise Line, Carnival Cruise Line and Norwegian Cruise Line.
The Premium
category includes Holland America Line, Celebrity Cruises and
Princess Cruises.
The Luxury
category includes Silversea Cruises and Crystal Cruises.
The Niche
category includes Cruise West and American Yacht Safari.
The main difference
between the Contemporary and Premium categories is the size
of ship, number of passengers onboard, size of accommodations,
quality of food, service, and entertainment.
The main difference between the Premium and Luxury categories
is what's included onboard (meaning the luxury cruise lines
tend to include alcohol and/or gratuities), the number of passengers
onboard really vary because the luxury cruise ships are smaller
and the size of accommodations are much larger on the luxury
lines because they tend to be suites.
Niche cruises are
very different from all other types of cruises. They are small
ships that focus on educating each guest, viewing wildlife and
experiencing the culture of the destination. |
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Q27. When should I book? |
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A27. The best time to book a Mexico
Cruise is 6 months in advance, unless you are trying to book over a
holiday. Christmas, Spring Break and the summer months are the
busiest time for Mexico Cruises. If you are looking for space on a
ship during these times it is best to book 9 to 12 months in
advance. |
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Q28. What shore excursions are offered? |
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A28. Many different activities are
offered for each port of call. From snorkeling, whale watching
and golfing, to shopping in a local market. |
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Q29. Is a passport required? |
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A29. If you are born and reside
in the United States or Canada a passport is not currently required.
However, we do recommend bringing a passport if you have one.
If not, your birth certificate with Photo ID is required. If you
are born and reside outside of North America we recommend that
you contact the Mexico Consulate in your country for passport
and visa details. |
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Q30. Are children allowed onboard? |
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A30. Yes! Every ship cruising to
Mexico welcomes children onboard. |
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Q31. What activities are offered for
children? |
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A31. Children's programs are offered
by most cruise lines traveling to Mexico. The activities offered
vary by cruise line. |
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Q32. Is there a discount for children
traveling? |
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A32. A discount is given for children
when they are sharing a stateroom with their parents. If they
are the first or second passengers in the stateroom there is no
discount. Please contact our Mexico cruise specialists for pricing
details. |
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Q33. Is baby-sitting offered onboard? |
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A33. Yes, baby-sitting is offered in
your stateroom for an additional charge. This is offered on a
volunteer basis by the ships crew. Group baby-sitting is also
offered onboard in the children's area. Fees vary by cruise line.
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Q34. Are pets or vehicles allowed onboard? |
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A34. No, household pets are not
allowed onboard. However, guidedogs for the disabled are allowed to
travel with their owner. Vehicles are not allowed onboard. |
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