Pack plenty of clothes for all types of weather. A sea breeze can make those Caribbean temperatures appear quite cool at night. I remember crossing the Equator off the coast of Ecuador on a cruise around South America and could not believe the daytime high barely reached 60F due to cold ocean currents and a strong wind. On the same cruise a couple of days later, walking around a dusty Colombian town required loose cotton clothing and a sun hat and glasses, so be prepared for all temperatures. Cruises all have formal evenings so take a cocktail dress for ladies and a lounge suit or tux for men and enjoy the occasion. The Captain’s cocktail party, Gala dinner and people watching afterwards is all part of the fun, even if you are not used to it, so don’t miss out because you haven’t packed the right attire.

Three things I always pack are wire coat hangers, a highlighter pen and a plug-in night light. Your steward will provide extra coat hangers, but it means waiting for him to produce them before you unpack. Better take your own extra hangars and unpack at speed so you can get out and orientate yourself with the ship. Cabins at sea are pitch black at night and there are hundreds of obstacles between the bed and the bathroom. A plug-in nightlight gives a soft glow and avoids many bruises! Your highlighter pen means you can read through the daily program of events which is delivered to your cabin each evening and quickly mark the things you want to do for reference later. A sealable cup, such as you might carry in the car is another good idea. Coffee and soft drinks are available in the cafeteria 24/7 so you can fill up your cup on your way to your favorite sunbathing stop and save a fortune on bar drinks without having to leave your chair.

Your cabin space is very compact, so use flat suitcases rather than soft bags for your luggage. These will slide under the bed for storage after unpacking. Larger bags can be given to your steward and stored in the ship’s hold. Above all get onboard and enjoy your cruise. As long as you have packed your passport you can always buy what you have forgotten at the next port of call!

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On board, cruise ships produce a daily bulletin of events which include everything from bridge lessons to scrabble tournaments. Take a highlighter pen with you so you can organize your preferred daily activities. Out on deck by the pool there is usually live music with karaoke, beauty contests and other more challenging competitions. Participate or spectate, it’s up to you. Quieter areas can be found around the ship in the library, where there is a choice of books on an honor loan system or in the computer room. A daily crossword and sudoku is usually printed out and can be collected from the library, along with the solutions.

Sun loungers can be found beneath the lifeboat deck for those who want a peaceful snooze. Individual armchairs are often placed in nooks by the elevators, in public lounges or in the coffee shop for watching the world go by whilst reading the complimentary ship’s newspaper, usually printed in several languages. Speaking of languages, cruises around South America offer daily Spanish lessons to help guests acquire a basic knowledge of the language when exploring ashore. Dance lessons from the tango to line dancing are also offered and always seem very popular. For the less hands-on, demonstrations are often advertised for beauty treatments, hair advice, flower arranging and napkin folding. Some brave chefs even do cookery demonstrations as well as offering guided tours of the galley and talking about the amazing logistics of feeding several thousand guests and crew without a corner shop in sight. Work off some of those calories in the well-equipped gym or walk a mile or two around the upper deck.

Cruising is one of the easiest ways to vacation alone, as there are always social events for singles, starting with an introductory get-together the first day. You may not meet your partner for life, but you will be mixing with travelers you have a lot in common with and it is more fun to go ashore with a new friend than spend the day exploring alone. Friends of Bill W, named after the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous, are AA meetings for cruisers and Friends of Dorothy organizes social get-togethers for gay and lesbian guests.

These are just some of the things to do on a cruise. With other events such as ice-skating, wall climbing, golf practice, walking and jogging tracks, shopping, quizzes and at least 4 meals a day, there’s hardly any time left for sleeping, which is why the size of your cabin is one of the least important things to consider when booking a cruise.

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Always get onboard as early as possible – it can extend your cruise by half a day. After getting onboard, pick up your welcome glass or two of champagne and familiarize yourself with your surroundings. By all means check into your cabin and ascertain port from starboard and fore and aft as all cabin levels are identical and symmetrical.

Your luggage may take hours to be scanned and delivered to your room so make the most of the waiting time and head for the library. This is the best time to pick up today’s crossword and a couple of books and sign them out to your cabin. Soon the shelves will be pretty empty! Next head for the beauty salon, spa and fitness area. Daytime tours are offered and give you an idea of what extensive programs are available. Hair and nail appointments soon get taken, so book yours now for the gala nights – you can always cancel if you change your mind. Enroll in a gym class for yoga or Pilates, or book a personal trainer to devise a gym program for your individual needs. Next, go down to the computer room and buy some time if you intend to use a laptop whilst onboard. Finally, pick up a list of tours if you have not already done so, and mark a trip or two for each port of call. The popular trips do get booked up, so it pays to be organized.

Finally get in the habit of checking your daily cruise bulletin which is delivered each evening, and highlight the events you want to head for. Often activities clash and choices must be made, but if you are not organized you tend to miss everything and let some great educational and social opportunities pass you by. Cruises are not cheap, but the more you do the better value they become. Bon Voyage!

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