Are Your Meals Included on a Cruise?

If you're thinking of booking a cruise, you'll probably wonder how many expenses you'll have beyond the initial price of the cruise. For instance, are meals included?

The good news is that your meals are included on a cruise.

However (isn't there always a "however"?), not all beverages are included (everything from sodas to alcoholic drinks are considered "extras" and you'll be charged).

Also, the big resort ships all have "alternative" dining restaurants these days that serve a wider variety of meals than the dining rooms. These restaurants take reservations and can cost anywhere from $10 to $30 a head for meals.

So, yes, your basic meals are included on a cruise, but if you think you'll want to try some exotic extras (like a diet coke), then take some extra money along for food and drink expenditures.

A Cruise for Chocolate Lovers

Themed cruises can be a lot of fun, and if you're into desserts, here's one for you:

Celebrity Chef Chocoholics Cruise on Costa Mediterranea

Yes, from January 5 - 12, 2008, you can attend a cruise just for chocolate lovers.

Join hosts of the Food Network's compelling "sweets" shows, like Duff Goldman from "Ace of Cakes," Warren Brown from "Sugar Rush" and Colette Peters, owner of Colette's Cakes in New York. Perks include daily presentations and lessons, gift bags, cash prizes, an onboard credit for purchases, and a chance to witness a new "Guinness Book of World Records" entry.

The 7-day eastern Caribbean cruise departs from Fort Lauderdale, and prices start at $1349 per person (inside cabin).

More information on the ship and cruise. (If you miss this year's dates, don't despair; these "chocoholics" cruises tend to be a yearly event.)

Is Smoking Allowed on Cruise Ships?

If you're a smoker planning a vacation, you may be wondering where (or if) smoking is allowed on cruise ships.

There aren't any completely non-smoking ships. Policies vary depending on the line you cruise with, but you can find designated smoking areas on most ships. Some also have "cigar bars" and lounges (though ships starting or ending in a U.S. port aren't allowed to carry genuine Cuban cigars).

You probably won't be allowed to smoke in your cabin (since cruise ships are all about filling every cabin before they sail, it wouldn't make economic sense for them to designate permanent smoking and non-smoking rooms) , but--depending on the cruise line--if you get a suite with a balcony, then you may be able to smoke directly outside your cabin.

Since policies differ from line to line, make sure to compare different ships you're considering sailing upon if you want the fewest restrictions.

If you're a non-smoker looking to avoid lots of smoking people, in general, ships that sail with a large European or Asian (where smoking is still prevalent) contingent tend to be smokier than ships filled with North Americans.

For lots more information on which lines allow what degree of smoking and wear, check out this article on Cruise Critic.

How Do Casinos Work on Cruise Ships?

If you enjoy gambling, you might be excited by the idea of playing the casinos while you're cruising from one port to the next on an exotic vacation. But how do casinos work on cruise ships? Do you have to pay? Is it the same as on land?

Here's the lowdown on casinos on cruise ships:

• Yes, you do have to pay to play (though there is no charge to enter the casino). As in Las Vegas, the reason these casinos exist is to make money. The House will always have the best odds.
• Children under 18 are not allowed in the casino.
• Cruise ship casinos are closed in port due to international customs regulations.
  
• Taking photos in the casino is usually not allowed.
• German- and Japanese-registered ships don't have casinos that give out cash prizes.
• The gambling environment is about entertainment, so don't expect a "hard core" atmosphere.
• Examples of games you'll likely find are blackjack, roulette, Caribbean stud poker, craps, and baccarat.
  
• Most cruise lines have demonstrations on how to play the various games, and you can even get lessons.
• Yes, there are slot machines too.

Source: Complete Guide to Cruising & Cruise Ships

How Do Cruise Loans Work?

Cruise loans are an increasingly popular way to finance your vacation.

You may be dreaming of taking a luxury cruise, but perhaps it's not in the budget right now. Though cruises are fairly affordable relative to other vacations, the fact that you have to pay upfront can be challenging to some families. That's why cruise loan programs are becoming more popular.

How Cruise Loans Work

Basically, you are given a revolving line of credit to finance the cruise's cost (the same way credit cards work). You are given the option of paying off the loan over 24, 36, or 48 installments (much as car loans and mortgages work).

Cruise Loan Rates

With car loans and mortgages, your car or home backs the loan (meaning if you don't pay, the bank can repossess your car or foreclose on your home), but since that's not the case with a cruise, rates are higher. In fact, they can be a lot higher.

In 2006, the lowest rates for cruise loans were 9% while the highest were a whopping 31%, according to The Unofficial Guide to Cruises.

As they write, "Loans are administered by participating banks that are unaffiliated with the cruise lines. If you obtain the lowest interest rate for cruise loans on a 36-installment loan, the monthly payment for a seven-day cruise costing $5,000 per couple is $161 per month. Multiply the $161 by 36 months to see you'll actually be paying $5,796 for your cruise."

And who ever manages to get the lowest monthly rate, anyway?

As the book says, most people would be better taking out loans on their own instead of going through the cruise loan programs.

13-Day Luxury Cruise to Antarctica

If you're looking for cruise ideas and want to head someone more exotic than the Caribbean, then perhaps it's time to travel down to Antarctica.

Cruise Norway offers a 13-day vacation on their 2007-built MS Fram, an "intimate luxury ship" where you won't be inundated with masses of people.

"The 2007-built, 318-passenger, 12700-ton exploration ship MS Fram has 8 decks. On board you will find an observation lounge with a passenger bridge, a restaurant and a bistro, a sauna and a jacuzzies, a fitness room and two conference rooms, a shop and an internet cafe, and a library. MS Fram has 136 modern cabins and 39 luxurious suites."

For the Antarctic cruise, you fly to Santiago, then get taken to Ushuaia, the world's southernmost city, where you will depart. You sail through the Drake Passage and then spend five days exploring Antarctica, the White Continent.

Highlights in Antarctica

• Half Moon Island and its famous chinstrap penguin rookery, kelp gulls, and Antarctic terns
• Whaler's Bay on Deception Island where you'll find warm springs and black volcanic sand
• Ukrainian Vernadsky Base and its abundant bird life
• Port Lockroy, which is surrounded by mountains, glaciers and ice shelves
• Almirante Brown in Paradise Harbor, home of ice cliffs and floating icebergs, populated by gentoo and chinstrap penguins
• Neko Harbor off Errera Channel, which supports hundreds of gentoo penguins, Weddell and elephant seals
• Petermann Island, home of the southernmost gentoo penguin colony, as well as blue-eyed shags and Adelie penguins
  

If five days in the Antarctic isn't a long enough trip for you, the company also does 21-day cruises that visit Antarctica, South Georgia, and the Falkland Islands.

Prices for the 13-day luxury program start at USD $4975.

Cruise Norway

How Much Cash Should You Bring Aboard a Cruise?

Wondering how much spending money to bring along on your cruise?

Actually, you won't need a lot. Oh, there's plenty to spend money on, but most lines use a cashless system aboard the ship. When you check in, you'll get a credit-card-looking thing that will be your room key, identification card, and your swipe card.

Whenever you want to pay for something on board the ship, you just hand over your card to be swiped. This generates a tab that is charged to your credit card at the end of the trip (or you can choose to pay the balance off on the last day with cash, traveler's checks, etc.).

So, you don't need cash aboard the cruise ship itself (though you will want to be careful not to run up too much of a tab!), but of course you'll need some for going off the ship at various ports of call. In most places, though, you can use your credit card (which is often safer anyway), so you don't need to bring a lot of cash along on your cruise vacation.