Cruising can be a fun way to spend a vacation, but with a few exceptions, most of them tend to nickel and dime their guests like crazy.
- Want Wi-Fi? That’ll cost you
- Soda? That’s an extra charge
- Interested in a specialty restaurant or a tomahawk steak? That’s an upcharge
And let’s not even get into the charges for spa access, special classes, excursions, adult beverages, laundry, photo packages, the casino, corkage fees, and having to visit the medical center (here’s an idea of those prices). Get travel insurance, y’all!, and the list goes on and on. By the time you’re done, you can easily pay more than double what your original price was for your cruise, just by participating in all those “extras.”
Happily, there are some things that you can get from your cruise, for free, just for the asking. Here are some of them:
Stuff for seasickness
Seas can get rough and that can cause nausea for some people. Other people may start to feel seasick just by looking at the ship, LOL! The medical facility onboard may have over-the-counter seasickness tablets to help decrease nausea, and many times they’ll hand these out without charge.
Note: If you know you’re prone to becoming seasick, it’s probably best to talk with your personal doctor before your cruise and determine what remedy will work best for you while you’re sailing, so you can bring them with you.
Luggage repair
Did the wheel fall off your checked bag? Did the zipper break? The ship’s maintenance team may be able to help you with an easy repair or at least a quick fix to get you through.
Printing documents
Do you have to print out your excursion tickets, visa confirmations or boarding passes? Guest Services can usually help you with printing a few pages.
Plug adaptors
Here is a master list of which cruise lines offer which type(s) of plugs. As you can see, different cruise lines may offer a variety of plugs on their ships, depending upon, among other things, the majority of their clientele. Virgin Voyages, for example, has 4 US plugs and 1 Euro plug in each cabin. But that won’t help you if you’re Australian and use a different type of plug altogether.
If the plugs for your electronics aren’t compatible, you can ask Guest Services for an adaptor.
Special items for kids
Families with young children might want waterproof sheets, bed rails or extra blankets for their little ones. Cruise lines will typically have those available for free.
Phone chargers
Mistakenly left your phone charger at home? What a coincidence…some people mistakenly leave their phone chargers on the ship! Guest Services typically has a bunch of “lost” chargers for guests to borrow, if needed.
Clothes steamers or irons
Many cruise lines prohibit bringing personal items onto the ship that have a heating element, due to the risk of fire. But they often have clothes steamers or hand irons that you can borrow for short periods of time. Heads up that these items are in short supply but high demand, so if you borrow one, try not to hog it – give it back after you’ve used it so others can borrow it, too.
Loaner fans
Some people just can’t sleep without a fan, either for air circulation, the white noise, or both. Just like items with heating elements, some cruise lines prohibit passengers from bringing their own fans onboard…but they do have some you can borrow at no cost.
Mattress topper
If you find the bed in your cabin to be too hard, some cruise lines have mattress toppers that you can borrow to make your sleep more comfortable.
Toiletries
Sometimes guests pack without their packing lists to remind them of everything ;-). If you’re on your cruise and realize you forgot your toothbrush, toothpaste, razor, shaving cream, lotion, feminine hygiene products, comb, etc., Guest Services may be able to help you out with those or other basic toiletries.
Caveat
Of course, each cruise line is different and some might charge you for some of these items. But it’s simple enough to just ask, and if it’s free, awesomesauce. If there’s a charge, it’s up to you to decide if the cost is worth it. But do know that for many cruise lines, they can be offered with no charge.
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