Europe Cruise Experts - Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do cruise lines vary in service?

A: All cruise lines will offer exceptional service. However, each cruise line varies in the style in which they deliver such service, shipboard amenities and land tour/shore excursion options.

For more detailed information on service and shipboard ambiance, please refer to our cruise line profile page.

Q: What are "cruisetours"?

A: Cruisetours consist of pre- and post-cruise land extensions or tours combined with a European cruise. The main advantage in opting for cruisetours is that they offer guests a more in-depth expedition into Europe. Celebrity, Princess, Holland America and Royal Caribbean offer the most extensive variety of add-on land extensions/tours.

For more information on types of cruisetours offered by each cruise line, you may wish to refer to our cruise line profile page.

Q: When is the best time to book?

A: Generally, the best categories of staterooms sell extremely quickly and well before the sailing date, so it is always best to book well in advance (usually at least a few months) to avoid disappointment and to enjoy a larger stateroom selection. As a bonus, cruise lines often offer excellent early booking discounts.

Need help on reserving your European cruise? Call and speak to an European Cruise Expert: 1-800-565-2784, or e-mail us a Quote Request

Q: With whom should I book my cruise?

A: Since booking with a "miscellaneous-travel" agency always poses the risk of being placed on a cruise ship that will not match your personal expectations or needs, we highly recommend booking with an agency that specializes in cruise vacations!

Here at European Cruise Experts, we specifically specialize in Europe and cruising. As a member of the largest network of cruise-only agencies in North America, we possess all the knowledge and expertise to answer any of your questions. We ensure that your European cruise experience is one to which you will most definitely want to return.

For a worry-free cruise or cruisetour vacation, call to book your next vacation with us, the European Cruise Experts, at 1-800-565-2784!

Q: Is a passport required?

A: US and Canadian Citizens: Beginning December 31, 2006, U.S. citizens returning from Canada and Mexico will be required to show passports. In addition, as of January 2007, new U.S. travel rules will require citizens returning from all foreign destinations to show passports. Cruise lines require proof of citizenship (e.g., birth certificate) and photo identification. No photocopies will be accepted.

Other Nationals: Most foreign nationals will be required to have a passport and Visa to enter the United States and Canada. Please note that it is the passenger's responsibility to provide acceptable proof of citizenship and other required documents.

There are no refunds to passengers denied boarding due to lack of proper documents.

Q: Will I need to buy travel insurance?

A: It is highly recommended that passengers purchase trip cancellation coverage. In the event that you are required to cancel your trip due to a medical emergency in your immediate family, you will recover the non-refundable portion of the cruise price. However, please note that this coverage does not include any pre-existing medical conditions.

Additional coverage is also available for baggage protection, emergency evacuation and medical. Call one of our experienced Cruise Experts at 1-800-565-2784 to discuss specific coverage details.

Q: Will I need travelers' checks?

A: Traveler's checks are not necessary for expenses onboard your ship. You will receive a very convenient ship card that allows you to charge all your onboard expenditures to your personal shipboard account, linked to a credit card of your choice. As a further convenience, your card also acts as your stateroom key.

If you should require cash for other expenses, automated banking machines (ABMs) can be found at all ports of call and on most cruise ships. Major credit cards are generally accepted everywhere.

Q: How do I arrange airfare?

A: Your European Cruise Expert agent can arrange your airfare either directly through the cruise line, or separately with a specific airline. Please call us at 1-800-565-2784 for more specific details.

Q: How do I pre-register for my cruise?
(Applicable to booked guests only)

A: To expedite the embarkation process, every cruise line requires booked passengers to pre-register in advance, prior to the sailing date. It is recommended that all passengers pre-register as soon as possible and this can be easily done via the individual cruise line's Web site.

Q: Is cruising "family-friendly"?

A: Yes! Children can often travel at substantially lower rates. If your children are active and love adventure, they will most likely enjoy an European cruise.

Several cruise lines visiting Europe cater to and provide specialized facilities for families. If your children are very young, we recommend Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America, Norwegian, Princess and Royal Caribbean for their excellent programs for children and babysitting services.

Please be advised that Carnival, Celebrity, Holland America and Royal Caribbean do not permit guests under the age of 21 unless they are accompanied by an adult 25 years of age or older. Princess Cruises does not allow children six months of age or under to travel. Restrictions regarding children very with each cruise line. Please contact one of our European Cruise Experts agents at 1-800-565-2784 for more details.

Q: Can children cruise for free?

A: Assuming that children are booked in a stateroom with at least two paying adult guests, Norwegian Cruise Line waives the cruise fare for children younger than two years of age, but guests are reminded that port charges and government taxes are still applicable.

Other cruise lines offer greatly reduced pricing for children, provided that they are the 3rd or 4th passenger in a stateroom.

Q: Are there programs for children and teenagers?

A: Specialized programs and entertainment are available for children and teens. Youth programs and entertainment vary with each cruise line that offers them, so please be sure to check with your European Cruise Experts agent for a cruise line that suits your family's needs. Here are just a few highlights of programs offered:

Carnival Cruise Line offers their Camp Carnival® program, featuring supervised activities for children 2-15 years of age as well as a selection of activities available for teens 16 to 18 years of age.

Celebrity Cruises offers children's programs for four separate age groups: Ship Mates (ages 3-6), Celebrity Cadets (ages 7-9), Ensigns (ages 10-12) and Admiral T's (ages 13-15 and 16-17). Onboard counselors are always available and activities take place daily.

Princess Cruises offers supervised activities at its Youth and Teen Centers. Nickelodeon is available for viewing on your stateroom TV. However, children under the age of two are not permitted in the Youth Center.

Royal Caribbean International offers Adventure Ocean® programs for children 3 years of age and older, with age groups categorized similarly to Celebrity Cruises' programs for children.

Q: Are babysitting services available?

A: Babysitting services are available only on selected cruise lines. For instance, some of your options include the following:

Princess Cruises offers a babysitting service at the Youth Center. There is a $4.00 per hour, per child charge when the ship is at port.

Norwegian Cruise Line offers private babysitting services that can be arranged between the hours of 12:00pm and 2:00am. These arrangements must be made 24 hours in advance and there is a fee.

Q: Are pets allowed onboard?

A: As an account for passengers' health and safety, no pets are allowed onboard the cruise ship. Special exception will be given to guide dogs for visually impaired passengers.

Q: Is there a lot to do on a cruise ship?

A: A cruise ship is like a large floating resort. Oftentimes, it takes passengers several days before they have completely explored their ship, in addition to the time spent while exploring new ports of call.

Cruise ships commonly feature a wide variety of activities, including sports, shopping, bars, casinos, night clubs, dance lessons, theater performances and spa services - Just to list several highlights. Onboard your ship, a daily program of exciting shipboard events will be provided. Your biggest concern will most likely be deciding on how to spend your day!

Q: Will I feel confined by the masses?

A: Many cruise ships are so large that some passengers even seem to get lost within the ship! Apart from embarkation, disembarkation and while seated in the main dining room, most passengers will not notice the masses.

Other smaller ships restrict the number of passengers to an amount much lower than the ship's maximum capacity. This allows for a larger, more comfortable space ratio combined with an intimate environment.

Q: How is cruising a good value?

A: There is an assortment of cruise vacations designed to suit every budget. Please refer to "What is included in my cruise price?" for amenities that are typically included in cruise vacations. Compare these features to a typical land-based vacation of similar length and you'll soon discover that cruising is definitely an unbeatable value for the ultimate getaway.

Q: What is included in the price of my cruise vacation?

A: Unless otherwise stated, when you purchase a cruise, the following amenities are included:

Your well appointed stateroom or suite
All ocean transportation between ports of call
All meals and snacks (excluding specialty dining)
24-hour room service
Most non-alcoholic beverages
Onboard entertainment, including spectacular shows
Swimming pools, whirlpools and saunas
Fitness facilities & most sports equipment
Lounges, night clubs, library & observation facilities
Children & teen programs at sea
Lectures on featured ports of call
A selection of classes (dance, ice carving, etc.)
Gratuities (only with Regent & Silversea)

Q: What isn't included in the price of my cruise vacation?

A: Unless otherwise stated, when you purchase a cruise, the following amenities are not included:

Airfare to/from your port of arrival and departure
Government fees and local departure taxes
Soft drinks and alcoholic beverages
Spa & salon treatments
Specialty classes (wine tastings, computers, etc.)
Shore excursions
Phone, fax, Internet and other business services
Gratuities (except with Regent & Silversea)
All other items of a personal nature

Q: What are the cancellation penalties?

A: Cancellation penalties will vary by each cruise line. As a general rule, the closer the cancellation occurs to its departure date, the greater the penalty.

In order to minimize any concerns, guests are advised to consider purchasing cancellation insurance where, in the event of a cancellation, guests will be able to recover a larger sum of their paid cruise fare.

Q: Are there healthy dining options and fitness facilities?

A: There will most definitely be a temptation to indulge in an abundance of rich and sweet foods, yet for the strong willed there are always health-conscious and light menu items available.

All cruise ships feature fitness facilities, where guests may choose to exercise in the gym, attend an aerobics class, jog, swim, or play a game of basketball. On some ships, there are putting greens, golf simulators or tennis courts.

Q: Will I be restricted to set dining times?

A: Cruise vacations offer a wide range of dining options on when, where and with whom you'd like to dine.

Generally, cruise lines offer an early seating (typically around 6:00pm) or a late seating (typically around 8:00pm) in the main dining room for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

Other lines may offer open seating (your choice of dining whenever and with whomever you wish), flexible dining times and many alternative dining options. With so much variety, it is best to ensure that you identify your preference to your European Cruise Expert agent during booking.

Q: What if I have a special diet?

A: On request, guests may opt for a salt-free, low-carbohydrate or kosher diet onboard. Please make this request to your European Cruise Experts agent at the time of booking your cruise vacation.

Q: Are there 'non-smoking' areas?

A: In many ships, there are non-smoking staterooms and public areas of the ship. Most cruise lines have designated their dining rooms and lounges as non-smoking public areas. If this poses any concern to you, please mention this to your European Cruise Expert agent.

Q: Will I experience motion sickness?

A: Most people will not experience motion sickness. The modern ships of today are equipped with stabilizers that greatly reduce the amount of movement at sea. Complimentary sea-sickness pills are usually readily available at your ship's Guest Relations desk.

If you consider yourself sensitive to motion at sea, we suggest booking a mid-ship stateroom (i.e., closer to the center of the ship), where motion is minimized. You may also wish to consider applying a Transderm Scopolamine patch behind the ear, medicated to treat motion sickness. It is available by prescription (except in Canada, where a prescription is not required) and may create side effects, so please consult your doctor for more information. If you do not wish to resort to medicated treatments, consider wearing a Sea-Band wristband the minute you embark. Available at major drug stores, this discrete acupressure device can suppress nausea without any drug side effects.

Q: Is it easy to stay connected with the outside world?

A: Passengers will have access to a ship-to-shore telephone service in their staterooms, but an additional per-minute charge for this service tends to be very costly. Alternatively, mail, fax and other business services are available. Guests can also stay connected via e-mail. Due to its persistent gain in popularity, Internet services and packages are now offered on most ships visiting Europe.

Q: Can I make arrangements to celebrate a special occasion?

A: Shipboard arrangements can be made to celebrate almost any special occasion. These include weddings, honeymoons, anniversaries and birthdays. Specially designed gifts or celebration packages for many of the aforementioned occasions are available through the cruise line. To make arrangements, please ensure that you speak with one of our experienced European Cruise Experts agents.

Also, please be advised that it is extremely important that these packages are pre-arranged at the time of booking with your European Cruise Expert agent.

Q: Will I be able to use my own hair dryer or shaver?

A: The North American standard 110-volt outlets are used on all cruise ships.

Please note that the use of irons is strictly forbidden in cabins, as they are potential fire hazards. As an alternative, all cruise ships offer laundry services for a nominal fee and some ships offer self-service laundry facilities. The use of other self-heating devices may also be restricted; please contact your European Cruise Expert agent for more information.

Q: Is there a dress code onboard?

A: Cruise vacations have become more casual by day, whether on ship or ashore. In the evening, dress codes vary by cruise line. The majority of cruise lines vary their dinner dress codes nightly, from casual to semiformal, to formal. For many cruise lines, jeans, shorts, t-shirts, swimwear and tank tops are not considered appropriate attire for the evening and shoes must be worn at all times.

On casual evenings, open neck shirts, slacks, casual dresses or skirts and sports outfits are acceptable.

On semiformal evenings, ladies may choose to wear dresses or pantsuits and men wear coats and ties.

Formal evenings suggest evening gowns, cocktail dresses for women, and tuxedos, dinner jackets or dark suits for men.

Several lines feature more formal dress codes or can be completely casual. Be sure to speak with your European Cruise Expert agent to find the best ship to suit your preferences.

Q: How should I pack for a cruise?

A: A cruise vacation offers the flexibility of packing more baggage, thanks to the benefit of only having to unpack and repack once. However, guests with flights are reminded to check with their airline for baggage dimension and weight restrictions.

Guests are reminded to pack in preparation for all types of weather conditions. It is always best to bring a pair of walking shoes, sunglasses, sunscreen and a hat, regardless of your cruise destination.

On the final night of a cruise, passengers will be asked to leave larger luggage items outside of their staterooms for transport. As a result, all guests should bring an overnight bag for toiletries and valuables, in preparation for disembarkation the next morning.

Q: Will I have access to medical services?

A: Professionally trained medical staff and facilities are available for your assistance on all cruise ships.

Q: Are there laundry services?

A: The majority of ships offer laundry and dry cleaning services for additional charges. Some ships may offer self-service laundry facilities.

Q: Will I be able to bring a visitor?

A: Due to security precautions, no visitors are allowed onboard the ships. All guests boarding the ship after a port visit will be required to present valid identification and their ship account card.

Q: How much do I have to tip*?

A: Tipping is essentially at your discretion. A large fraction of the onboard service staff's income is comprised of tip, and if you feel that you have been well serviced, it is always best to show your appreciation with gratuities. On most ships, all lounge, beauty salon and spa service staff receive an automatic 15% gratuity included in your purchases, and additional gratuities are not expected.

Gratuities are usually paid on the last evening of the cruise and guests will be provided with labeled envelopes. Passengers may then either choose to personally hand cash gratuities to the staff, or have the amount charged to their shipboard accounts.

*Please note that Norwegian Cruise Line has a fleet wide mandatory $10 per person, per day automatic charge for gratuities.

*Additional tipping onboard luxury lines Regent Seven Seas Cruises and Silversea Cruises is not expected; they are included in your cruise fare.

Q: Why can't I book my cruise directly on your Web site?

A: Our European Cruise Experts pride themselves in excellent service and take extra care in ensuring a seamless, worry-free vacation planning process for all of our clients, in addition to providing unbeatable value. By allowing one of our experienced Cruise Experts to cover the booking process for you, you can rest assured that any requests and requirements regarding your vacation (including airfare, eligible promotions, dietary preferences, and other special arrangements) will be fully noted and taken into consideration.

Furthermore, prices for cruise vacations and airfare (if applicable) are subject to change at any time, and many of our exclusive promotions cannot be advertised online. Contacting us by phone or e-mail will allow you to receive not only the best service and pricing, but also the most updated promotion availability.

Call and speak to a friendly, professional European Cruise Expert today at 1-800-565-2784, or you can also send us a Quote Request.

Q: I can't seem to find a specific cruise. Do you offer it?

A: We offer all European cruise and cruisetour vacations from all cruise lines. The product selection in our Web site serves as a collection of our recommended cruise and cruisetour vacations, so certain vacations may not be listed.

If you cannot find a specific cruise or cruisetour vacation, simply call us at 1-800-565-2784 and speak to one of our Cruise Specialists, who would be more than happy to assist you in your specific vacation of choice.

Q: Do you offer cruises to other destinations besides Europe?

A: We most certainly do!
Please visit http://www.ExoticCruiseExperts.com for cruises and cruisetours to other exotic destinations, including Europe, Tahiti, Asia, the Caribbean, Galapagos Islands, South America and more.

You may also wish to call and speak to our Cruise Experts directly at 1-800-565-2784 for planning your next dream cruise vacation.

Q: Where can I send comments regarding your Web site?

A: European Cruise Experts strives to deliver the best possible Web experience to you, and we value your feedback. E-mail us at info@europecruiseexperts.com .