sash

My daughter won a cruise and she's taking me. We've been looking and lot of extras and we will be on a pretty strict budget. Meals are all included, seven days. First time for both of us. Dates we chose was at the end of sept or could have chosen end of may, but we were afraid we wouldn't have enough time for saving extra money (april and may are income taxes and lots of birthday). Any ideas on do's, don'ts, etc., etc., etc.? forgot to say, leaving from galveston, to Cozamel, Belize and Mahogany Bay(Roaatan).

quiltingcandy

It sounds wonderful. I would love to go down to Belize. My friends that cruise a lot said the biggest expense after the cost of the trip is the amount of tipping, which is not included. After that was the clothes they bought to wear for the various events on the boat. The biggest problem they had is not to eat constantly, seems there is food everywhere and it can be very hard to pass up. And if you think you may get sea-sick, get a patch from your doctor before you go. Better to be prepared than to have to wait to see a doctor on the ship.

selm

Check with the cruise line - you may not have to bring a formal outfit as it may not be required to attend a formal dinner.

ckcowl

The cruise line should provide you with a list of suggested items to bring, including amounts for tipping, port journeys & extras. They will also have the ( do not bring) list. They're very helpful to make it easier for you to have what you need and know what to expect.

Doggramma

How fun! When we went on a cruise I was surprised at the number of people to tip (and suggested amounts). Of course tipping is up to you but everyone was so nice. I've never been to those ports, but I've found that it's pretty touristy when you get off the ship. We tried to wander around to where the locals hung out. Enjoy!

Cotton Mama

When my DH and I went on cruises, I always went armed with prescription anti-seasickness medication. I would have been miserable without it.

kjdavis4

Where the costs have added up for us is how easy it is to pay for items on the ship. Your room key is also your "charge card" on the ship. Most cruise lines charge for soft drinks, alcoholic beverages and specialty coffees. It can become very easy to just hand over your card. Typically, tea, lemonade, regular coffee and water are free. That can save you money. The cruise line offers excursions at the ports. Those can get pricey and add up quickly. You can go online and book in advance to save some money. You may want to check and see what's available in the ports if you don't book an excursion. If your cruise line has a formal night and you don't want to participate, you may be able to eat at the buffet or snack area instead of the main dining room. Some cruise lines don't have formal nights. Just do a lot of research on your cruise and have a wonderful time.

Pagzz

I have only been on one cruise to the carribean. On one island I didn't go on a cruise ship excursion. I just wanted a cab to a beach. I had trouble getting a cab that would just take one person, one driver told me he would and then left with a group fare but finally a woman cab driver helped me. Another couple went to a beach and paid the cab in full when they were left at the beach. The driver never came back for them. They struggled to get back to the ship in time. My helpful female cab driver had explained that I would pay her on the return trip.

Watson

Look on line for reviews of the cruise you are taking. People who have already taken the cruise will often offer tips on what to expect/avoid on that cruise.
Really get to know the ship. Take some time the first day to walk around with the map and find where everything is, otherwise, you'll miss things.
Get a sea sickness patch or meds but don't use them until you find out whether you are going to experience sea sickness or not. I put one on before we got on the ship and it made me feel worse so I took it off and discovered I had no seasickness at all! We've been on 4 cruises and I've only had an upset tummy on one day for all four cruises!
Really study the daily itinerary and plan your day. There are so many fun things to do on the ship.
If you think you are going to use the internet while aboard, think about getting the unlimited. It wasn't that much more and those minutes go quickly!
If you want formal clothes, look at consignment shops. I got a beautiful long dress for next to nothing in one.
If they offer "seatings" or buffet style dinner, take the buffet style. The seating style limits you because you have to be at dinner at a specific time and if you find you don't care for your dinner partners, you're stuck with them for the whole cruise.
Find out if the ports are tenders or whether you walk ashore and then whether you can walk to attractions or whether you need transportation. That's how we decide whether or not to take excursions that day. If we can easily get ashore and walk or get public transit to a destination, we don't pay for an excursion unless it's something really cool.
Be sure to pay for transfers from the airport right to the ship, if you can. We made the mistake in Italy of not doing this and we really regretted it.
If you have time in the port where you are landing before you board, set up a short tour. Or even better, fly in a day early and stay overnight so you can see the place.
Have a great time! Cruising is so much fun!!!
Watson

mimim

Roatan has some shops at the port and you can walk to a beautiful beach with chairs, etc. you will pay for food/drinks/rented water toys. You can go back onboard to eat free if you'd rather.
There are a few shops at the dock in Belize, but nothing else. We always book a water excursion there. It's worth it if you want to see the beauty of the country.
Cozumel offers lots of shopping, both at the dock and downtown by cab. We usually book a catamaran excursion offered by Fury and still have plenty of time to shop.
Have a great trip!