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About this blog

A selection of "if only I had known" hints, secrets and advice to avoid cruise and travel mishaps and assure smooth sailing! 
All content & select photos © Janice Neves/Seven Sea Journeys, CruiseCrazies Authorized Agent

Entries in this blog

Save Money and See the World with a Repositioning Cruise

To save money and enjoy a more relaxing cruise experience, try a repositioning cruise. Cruise lines will typically have their ships spend a season cruising the same itinerary. During, say, the spring or fall, these ships will be relocated – or repositioned – to a new geographical area of the world to begin a new cruise season and new itinerary. Rather than have these ships sail empty, cabins are sold, usually at a reduced rate. For passengers who like lots of peaceful days at sea, this can be a
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Get to Know Your Cabin Before Booking It

You found a great cruise deal on line and booked it. You patted yourself on the back and told all your friends about it. Maybe it was a buy-one, get-one-free promotion. Or maybe it was a free upgrade. Whatever the deal, congratulations! But before you click the "Reserve" button, be sure you know what you're getting. Do yourself a favor and study the deck plan. Pay close attention to the following: Square Footage. How large (or tiny) is the cabin? You and your 3 buddies crammed into a 145 sq
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Be Smart When Traveling with Electronic Devices

Today's tip comes to you from Travel & Leisure: "Should I Be Worried About Cybersecurity When Traveling? (by Amy Farley). Be smart when traveling with your electronic devices. Don't use shared computers, and beware of fake hot spots, unsecured networks and social snoops. Most importantly, be sure you have some type of "Find My Phone" service installed on all your electronic devices. If your phone goes missing, immediately lock it and change your passwords immediately. Alternatively, if
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Bringing the Kids? Two Cabins are Better Than One!

Are you bringing the kids on your cruise? You've got a few of choices for accommodations. You can all squeeze into a standard cabin for 4 (some ships allow 5 in a cabin). Another option is to book a more costly family-size cabin or suite for more elbow room. A better option, though, is to book two cabins. If the kids are young, book connecting cabins. If your kids are older (12 and up) consider booking two side-by-side cabins or, better yet, an oceanview or balcony cabin for yourselves and an in
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Be Prepared for Anything with a Weather App

Before embarking on your next land or sea vacation, load a weather app to your smartphone or favorite electronic device. Set the app's preferences for each place you're visiting on your itinerary, whip out your smartphone and have a day, weekend or week's worth of weather forecasts at your fingertips. There are several good apps for weather, but my favorite two are "Yahoo Weather" and "Weather Bug". Well organized, pretty to look at, and very functional, these handy tools will assist you in pack
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Research Your Ports of Call in Advance

Your cruise ship will be visiting some exciting destinations, and it would be a terrible waste if you didn’t experience at least one of the best features about the island or city you’re docked at for a day or a few hours. I’ve talked to some cruisers who just prefer to “wing it” – disembark and just stroll around, hit the most popular beach or visit the local watering hole. Don’t get me wrong – sometimes it’s a good thing to take a chance and learn by accident. Still, it’s a great idea to l
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Prepare for Emergencies with Both a Passport and Trip Insurance

I have stressed in previous blogs about the importance of carrying both travel insurance and a passport while on a cruise vacation. An article on Yahoo’s travel page yesterday about a couple who cruised very recently without the benefit of either passport or insurance is a perfect example of what can happen if travelers don’t prepare for the unexpected. The couple were on a three-night cruise to the Bahamas when a sudden and serious illness necessitated a visit to the cruise ship doctor whi
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Norwegian's Upgrade Advantage - Should You Bid?

In eager anticipation of your next cruise, you've logged into Norwegian Cruise Line's online cruise planner, and you're greeted by words in big bold letters:  "LET'S GET YOU UPGRADED!" Those first four words grab your attention with a promise of a better cabin than the one you've already booked. Then your eyes move on to the words "Submit an Offer ... " and you realize that you'll have to shell out some money for that upgrade. The big question is, should you submit an offer to upgrade your
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What to Expect on Your First Cruise

Are you embarking on your first journey at sea? Or maybe you need a refresher? Here are a few tips to make your cruise a smooth one. Flights. If you aren't cruising from a port close to home, you’ll need to fly to the port of departure. If possible, arrive at least a day early to allow for any delays or flight cancellations. If your schedule doesn't allow it, then you should book the first flight of embarkation day, preferably non-stop, being sure to allow enough time to reach the ship 90 m
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Coronavirus and Travel: What You Need to Know

Whether you normally travel for work or you’re just chomping at the bit to get away, you’ll want to consider how you will stay safe and healthy before planning your next adventure. Covid-19 travel bans are gradually being lifted and destinations are re-opening, and you’ll need to take precautions - and take them seriously - in making trip preparations. It may be a while before major cruise lines sail or Europe welcomes Americans back. As if travel weren’t stressful enough with planning, pac
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2020 Holiday Travel Tips

Holiday travel for U.S. residents will be very different in 2020. No doubt about it. With the exception of small or expedition cruise ships, vacations by sea are essentially off the table for the rest of 2020 (depending on how the CDC rules on cruising when the current No-Sail Order ends October 31). But that doesn’t mean you can’t plan a great escape over the holidays.  While some folks have sworn off travel altogether since the COVID-19 pandemic became front and center in the U.S., others
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