• Cruise ships and their locations are overflowing with vacationers this summer season. 
• Amongst them is “The Cruise Man” Stewart Chiron, an business skilled who has been on over 300 cruises.
• He shared 10 ideas for vacationers spending their summer season holidays at sea.

Cruise ships — and their locations — are jam-packed with vacationers this summer season.

Amongst them is Stewart Chiron, an business skilled also called “The Cruise Man.” The journey company founder has taken a complete of 311 cruises in his lifetime, together with 36 since since business’s reopening and two voyages this summer season. 

Cruising’s resurgence from pandemic ground-zero to record-breaking bookings hasn’t been with out challenges,  together with norovirus outbreaks, man-overboard incidents, overbooked ships, and enormous crowds. 

So we requested Chiron to share his prime recommendation for vacationers spending their summer season holidays at sea this yr — from how you can keep away from lengthy traces and crowded pool decks to when you can purchase journey insurance coverage and the way early you must arrive earlier than the ship’s departure. 

“The ships are working at full capability. That is a giant distinction,” he advised Insider. “This yr was my third consecutive summer season at Mykonos and Santorini and the distinction between this yr and final yr is important. Not a lot extra ships, it is simply extra individuals.”

Classes from taking up 300 cruises world wide

Courtesy of Stewart Chiron

1. Choose a cruise line that matches your character and expectations

Not all cruise traces, or cruise ships for that matter, cater to the identical type of clientele. Some manufacturers are fashionable amongst younger party-goers, whereas others might entice a extra mature crowd. 

“You wish to just remember to get paired up and matched with the fitting cruise line. It could possibly make an incredible distinction,” Chiron mentioned. “You wish to e-book one thing that’s harking back to your likes and needs.”

2. Do not get distracted by flashy gross sales and packages

Many cruises provide shipboard credit score or package deal offers for meals, drinks, or different objects and companies. Princess cruises, for instance, prices $76.70 day by day for a drink package deal that gives as much as 15 alcoholic drinks day by day.

“I believe lots of people get caught up with a few of these gross sales. It is the identical affords they usually’re simply getting regurgitated and re-titled,” Chiron mentioned. “However they’re creating distractions and generally they’re protecting for larger costs.”

“It is like with the drink package deal, whenever you calculate how a lot you are going to should drink so as to break even,” he added. 

3. In case you’re touring with youngsters, search for family-friendly cruises 

“There’s numerous ships which can be simply actually unimaginable for teenagers and there are ships that are not,” Chiron advised Insider. 

Some ships have facilities tailor-made for teenagers like water parks, teen golf equipment, youngsters menus, and day care choices, whereas different ships are far much less accommodating towards younger vacationers.

4. First-timers ought to think about reserving by a journey agent 

The largest recommendation Chiron mentioned he provides first-time cruise-goers is to “analysis on-line, however do not e-book on-line.” In contrast to airfare, reserving a cruise might be an amazing and guide course of, he mentioned, and journey brokers who’ve a relationship with the cruise traces have entry to particular charges and might advocate in your behalf if one thing goes flawed. 

“You could not wind up in the kind of cabin you need, you might not be capable of get the reservation you need,” he mentioned. “There’s numerous issues that would go flawed or issues that [a travel agent] will help enhance.”

5. Purchase journey insurance coverage in the event you’re occurring a global cruise 

Chiron mentioned he by no means travels internationally with out buying journey insurance coverage. However what’s much more essential than shopping for insurance coverage is knowing precisely what it covers, he mentioned. 

From journey interruption and cancellation insurance coverage to evacuation and property protection, not all insurance coverage insurance policies are made equal. 

“There’s numerous medical insurance coverage that doesn’t cowl worldwide journey which is essential for individuals to seek out out,” he mentioned, including that passengers who see a health care provider overseas for one thing easy might find yourself footing a $500 invoice.

6. Weigh the professionals and cons of reserving airfare by the cruise line

Some cruise traces have entry to discounted flights and help you bundle your airfare along with your cruise. However like all third-party reserving platforms, the packages have their advantages and disadvantages. Chiron recommends evaluating the flight costs and availability of reserving instantly with the airline to regardless of the cruise line is providing earlier than making a call. 

7. Arrive on the port at the very least a day earlier than the cruise departs

It is all the time an excellent rule of thumb to reach at the very least in the future earlier than your cruise departs, particularly in the event you’re flying to the port. That method, you may have extra flexibility in case your flight will get delayed or canceled. 

For home ports like Miami, Seattle, or Los Angeles, it is high-quality to reach a day earlier than your cruise departs, Chiron mentioned. However for cruises departing from worldwide ports, you must think about arriving a number of days prematurely, he mentioned. That method, you possibly can discover the world and regulate to the time distinction. 

“It additionally relies upon the place I am going. I get pleasure from Rome, so generally I will go in two or three days earlier than the cruise,” he mentioned. “If you are going to the Mediterranean, why would not you wish to spend some further time in no matter port you are departing out of?”

8. Plan strategically to keep away from lengthy traces and crowded ports

Not solely are cruise ships booked to capability — the cities that they are visiting are overflowing with vacationers too. This congestion at cruise ports could cause some challenges as cruisers disembark, Chiron mentioned. 

In Santorini, for instance, he mentioned cruise passengers are required to take a smaller tender boat to shore, after which hop on a tram so as to get to city. 

“After we obtained off the tender I noticed hundreds of individuals ready in line to take a tram,” he mentioned. “So we really obtained again on the tender, went again to the ship, had lunch, waited a pair hours after which got here again.”

His recommendation: “Take a while to do analysis on how a few of these ports are dealing with cruise passengers and vacationer site visitors” after which plan strategically. 

9. Do not feel strain to disembark at each port

A doubtlessly controversial journey hack of Chiron’s is to skip disembarkment on the ports he is already been to so as to benefit from the facilities of the ship, sans crowds. That is prime time to eat at the preferred eating places or loosen up on the pool, he advised Insider. 

“On sure ships it may be overly crowded looking for deck chairs. However whenever you’re at port, you may have the ship to your self. There isn’t any points,” he mentioned. 

10. Wash your fingers — however do not let norovirus scare you away

There have already been 13 norovirus outbreaks on cruise ships this yr, however Chiron says the chances of getting a abdomen virus on a cruise ship are in actuality fairly uncommon as a result of firms’ stringent sanitation insurance policies and CDC reporting necessities. 

“In any case these cruises, I’ve by no means had it [norovirus] on a ship,” he advised Insider.