About to leave on a Cruise? Bring this crucial information with you!

Photo Credit: Paul Gauguin Luxury Cruises

Print these items out to be prepared before you sail! 

When traveling, I always make sure everything is organized before I leave.  If any problems or bumps in the road occur, I’ll be prepared as I’ve done my pre-travel homework. In general, I do a quick check of all the documents, emails, order confirmations, etc.  Since I travel internationally often, I can't depend on access to the Internet to grab these documents, that’s why I value printing them and then they are always with me in my carry-on bag.

Cruise Insurance Policy 
It’s good to have this with you in case you need to refer to it for coverage questions.  There are a lot of things that could happen along the way, you might be surprised to find out what’s covered!

Cruise & Airline Itinerary 
I print out copies of my itinerary to go inside all my luggage.  This way, if my bag gets lost or something happens to the tag – it can find its way back to me.  Additionally, as my travels often take me to various locations, especially while on a cruise, whoever has my luggage will know where I am at any given time so I can be reunited with my bags.

Correspondences with the Cruise lines
Print out all documents you’ve sent or related to the cruise.  If you’ve been given an onboard ship credit or made a reservation online for a specialty restaurant, print out the confirmations to have the proof with you. If there are any issues, it will make the process go smoother. 

Passport 
Don’t forget to have a copy of your passport.  My passport is scanned and emailed to myself along with a few people I trust in case I need their help in getting it when I’m abroad.

Currency
I always print out a little cheat sheet with the current exchange rates that I keep in my wallet.  When I was on a Baltic Cruise, every port had a different currency. When we got off the cruise ship each day, we were already prepared and could easily figure out how much items cost. I have found www.xe.com to be useful. 

Calling Card Access Codes 
If you’re like me, your cell phone doesn’t work internationally or is just too expensive.  I often buy a calling card before leaving on a cruise that I can use in every port.  After purchasing the card, I call the Customer Service number to get the local access numbers for each country that I’ll be visiting.  The access numbers are what you need to dial when calling from that country.  I tape the access codes to the card and also do a print out with all the information in case I misplace the card.

In addition to the items I listed above, I also print out local coupons, travel information for the different ports, and any travel guide information if I booked any private tours.  With all this preparation, it helps me relax knowing that I have all the important information at my fingertips.

FreshCruiser Tip:  Going on a cruise can involve a lot of time spent researching and prepping. Don’t ruin your trip by not having the crucial information with you. Take a few minutes to be properly prepared.

Just got back from a Cruise? Time to deal with Cruise Lag!

Similar to jet-lag, I suffer from something called “Cruise Lag” when I return from a cruise and just experienced it again last February when I got back from cruising on the Carnival Paradise. After a cruise, I’m used to eating whenever I want throughout the day. It’s difficult to pass up ice cream as you're walking by it on your way to the pool area or eating a few pieces of sushi to hold you over before dinner. Despite how healthy you may eat, you’re probably still eating more frequently and at different times than normal when cruising. 

Time to transition our stomach back to the real world.

I take my time and don't go 100% cold turkey. I keep a few chocolates for those sweet cravings and try to start limiting those items as the week goes on.  I also normally drink a lot more coffee on the ship then I do in my everyday life; as a result, I slowly reduce my caffeine intake as well.  Cruise Lag may sound silly, but if you experience it, don’t panic and take it one day at a time!

And keep in mind, Cruise Lag not only involves food!  You may find yourself confused and put on a tuxedo for dinner, thinking it is formal night.  Or, upset when your bed isn’t made! What effects of Cruise Lag have you experienced?

FreshCruiser Tip: Start to plan your next cruise! It always helps to get over Cruise Lag!

Want the best view on a cruise ship? Jump on a treadmill!

Photo Credit: Silversea

Don’t be afraid of the fitness center on your next Cruise!
Sweat with a View!

Looking for a great spot to watch the cruise ship maneuver through the inside passage in Alaska or the Norwegian fjords? Or just love the feeling of looking out and being surrounded by water? On most cruise ships, the fitness center has one of the best views on the boat! 
While on shore, gyms can be referred to as stuffy closets with only a few windows.   I sometimes feel silly when I’m inside a gym when it’s a beautiful day outside.  That’s why I love cruise ship fitness gyms.  On a day at sea, I grab a treadmill and enjoy the view!

Photo Credit: Holland America Line

Typically, right after embarkation and some food, I check out the ship’s fitness room.  The cruise staff is normally giving tours, allowing me to get comfortable with the equipment available and to check out the facilities.   That way, I’m not intimidated or “scared” of the unknown.  By the time I leave, I’ll know how to get there and always grab information on the different classes available.  When I decide that I want to work out, I can be confident and know what to expect.

Speaking from experience, not recommended if the waters are rough!  Use the stationary bike!

View of Amsterdam from Celebrity Century

On your next cruise, grab a treadmill and go for walk, jog, or run while enjoying the amazing views!

FreshCruiser Tip:  Going on an excursion but it leaves later?  Check out the port from the treadmill! The fitness center should be empty as most of the other excursions would have already left.

Worried about the weather on an upcoming cruise?

As hurricane season lasts from June until November, it's important to be prepared before you leave.  Check out weather and sea conditions so you'll know what to expect on your next cruise!

These are great sites that I like to use before leaving on a cruise. 

Passage Weather

Weather Underground - Marine & Boating

As Irene causes cruise ship itineraries to be shuffled, cruise travelers need to be informed on how the changes might affect them.  To find out the latest information on changes to your itinerary and embarkation times, keep checking the specific cruise line's website.

FreshCruiser Tip: Be prepared and don't be afraid to keep checking for updates as weather can be unpredictable and weather patterns can change.

Try this tasty Summer Soup on board Princess Cruises

Sapphire Princess -- Galley Photo credit: Princess Cruises

I love soups but always think of soups as hot. I rarely think of making a cold soup. When I’m on a cruise, I always find myself always ordering cold soups as it’s such a treat! With peaches, nectarines, and apricots all in season, it’s the perfect time to try the “Ice Cold Peach and Mango Soup” served on Princess Cruises. The soup is light and healthy, and a sweet way to start off a meal.  Surprise your guests coming over for an end of the summer BBQ with this soup! 

Ice Cold Peach and Mango Soup
Yield: 10 Servings

Ingredients:
1½ lbs stonefruit chunks (mango, peaches, apricot, nectarines, keep some dice for garnish)
4 cups plain yogurt
1½ cups milk
4 tbls honey
1 lb ice cubes

Method of Preparation:
•Combine all ingredients in a blender and blend until smooth or to desired consistency.
•Pour into glasses and serve immediately.

The preparation is easy, just need to cut up the fruit, combine and blend.  Looking for ways to make this soup even healthier?  I would use non-fat milk and yogurt. Since the fruit is all in season, taste it first before adding the honey as one tablespoon of honey has 64 calories. By trying the soup first, you'll avoid adding calories that you don't need. This recipe also works well as a smoothie.

Princess offers cruisers the choice between Traditional Dining with fixed time and seating, or Anytime Dining with the flexibility to dine when and with whom you choose. Interested in a typical Princess Cruises menu?  Click here to download the PDFs.  Check out their Lotus Spa dishes which are supposed to be lower in fat, cholesterol and sodium. 

Additional recipes from Princess Cruises can be found on their facebook page. 

FreshCruiser Tip: Wondering what else is in a soup that you want to order? Don't be afraid to ask, all the waiters have tried all the dishes and are trained to know the details about each one.

On a cruise? Stop waiting for an elevator and take the stairs!

My advice to people nervous about gaining a little extra weight on a cruise is to always take the stairs!  It’s so easy to wait for the elevators, and convince yourself that it’s too many floors.  Start by taking the stairs and if it gets too much and you’re out of breath or something is hurting, then you can always stop and take the elevator the rest of the way.  I don’t like waiting for the elevators; so, taking the stairs is perfect for me as I can control how quickly I get to where I’m trying to go. 

According to a livestrong.com article by Shannon Torphy, “the number of calories burned when taking the stairs differs depending on your weight. A 150-lb. person will burn an average of 7 calories per minute walking up the stairs, as opposed to 1 calorie per minute when taking the elevator. A person who weighs less will burn fewer calories, while a person weighing more will burn more calories.” 

Torphy also points out that going down the stairs almost burns as many calories, 6 to 7 calories per minute, as walking up the stairs. “By taking the stairs for five minutes a day five days a week, the typical person can expect to lose about 2.5 pounds in a year.”

How does that equate to a typical day on a cruise ship?
By taking the stairs, you’ll burn approximately 2 to 4 calories per flight. On today’s modern cruise ships, assume you’ll take the stairs to and from all your meals and some activities. You can burn an extra 200-250 calories per day just for switching to the stairs!

Want to burn even more calories while taking the stairs?   
Try these tips! 

• Skip some 

As you are walking up the stairs, skip every other step.  This will further engage your legs and core more. Increase the difficultly by not holding onto the railing as you won’t be tempted to use your arms to help pull you up.  

• Run – Walk

Run up a flight of stairs and get your heart rate pumping and then walk up the next flight to recover, and repeat to you get to your destination. 

• Calf Raises

If you’re the only one on the stairs, take a few seconds to do some calf raises. Stop at the top and have your heels hang off the stairs to allow for a good stretch.  Then raise your heel up as far as possible, then lower and do it 10 – 15 times. Hold on to the railing to help you keep your balance.

Freshcruiser Tip: Next time you’re waiting for an elevator on a cruise ship, consider going up a flight or two of stairs and see how far you can go!

Planning a Bachelor or Bachelorette party? Take a cruise!

Trying to figure out what to do for a bachelor or Bachelorette party? Want it to be a weekend get-a-way?  Definitely consider bringing the party on a cruise ship! It’s a great way to celebrate the bride or groom.

Wondering why you’d have a Bachelor or Bachelorette party on a cruise?

For starters, there are a lot of great 3-4 day cruises over a weekend, which work for most people’s schedules and you don’t have to commit to taking a week off of work. The best part is that you pay for food and your room all upfront. That way, you will have a good idea of how much it will cost per person. You will never have to worry about having a frustrating dinner of trying to split up the check and tracking who ordered what. Go ahead and order that second dessert without worrying about the bill.  You’ll have access to included food 24/7, which makes it easy if you’re the only one hungry.

Additional purchases including drinks, tips, photos, and other items are all placed on your ship card. This helps for people who may be on a budget vs. those who want to order drinks for everyone! 

Also, when you’re on a cruise, no one has to drive home after a night out and when you’re tired, you’re only a short walk to your cabin. 

During the day, if you’re at port, you can all plan a fun excursion to go on. How about ocean kayaking, zip lining, bar hopping, or wine tasting?  Or if you’re at sea? Enjoy hanging out on the lido deck. There’s typically a dance club, karaoke, live music, and many other activities at night to do.

A fun way to honor the bride or groom and to let people know around the ship, is to wear matching t-shirts on embarkation day. On a 3-day cruise that I was on recently, a group of girls had different themes for every night to get dressed up and it was so much fun to see them around the ship.

FreshCruiser Tip: Never gone on a cruise?  Going with a group of friends is the perfect way to try it!  A 3 or 4 day cruise is a great way to start as you don’t have the commitment of a full week if you’re skeptical.

Quick tips for eating healthy at the buffet on a cruise

Trying to eat healthy on a cruise buffet?  Is it possible?  Definitely!  You just need some willpower and to stick to a few rules and you’ll be able to enjoy trying new foods while keeping off the extra pounds.  I know it can be tough when you are surrounded by temptations.  Below are some of my tips that I follow when I’m eating at a buffet while on a cruise.

Make a plan and stick to it

If you want to eat healthy at the buffet, decide what you’re going to have ahead of time and stick to it.  However, have you ever decided that you want to eat healthy but by the time you walk around the buffet, your mind has completely changed?  I always start by “scouting” out the food before I’m ready to eat lunch or dinner while sailing.  It gives me time to process the information and make the right choices when I’m ready to eat. 

Go before you’re starving

Don't go into the buffet starving.  If you’re hungry and it’s not time for lunch or dinner yet, have a small snack like a piece of fruit before it’s time to head over to the buffet. It will help avoid taking too much food and overeating. 

Start with Small Portions

As I wrote in an earlier blog, one of my favorite parts of cruising is trying all the new foods.  If there are a lot of things that you want to try on the buffet, take sample sizes and if you find something that you like, then, go back for more.

Keep it healthy

Having a salad or a sandwich for lunch and think you’re eating healthy?  When at the buffet, be careful not to fall into what I call the “salad dressing trap”.  If you’re truly looking to have a healthy sandwich, stay away from the different mayo’s and oils. Stick with mustard as a spread.  For salads, be careful of which salad dressing you pick.  Take a moment to look at your salad to make sure you’re adding veggies to the salad and not toppings (croutons, fried wontons, peanuts, etc.)

Cooked to order? Speak Up!
Many cruise ships have "cook to order" stations where you can get food such as stir fry, omelets, and pasta made with the ingredients you pick.  I love these stations as it gives me the opportunity to know exactly what’s going into my dish.   Since most of these start with a little fry pan with oil in it, I always ask for less oil which saves me some calories. 

Just ask! 

Beware of hidden cream, butter, and salts in prepared dishes.  Don’t be afraid to ask what’s in it as you may be thinking you’re eating healthy by grabbing the Summer Succotash dish but it could be drenched in butter.  This happened to me recently as I went to grab a bowl of gazpacho but asked if there was any cream in it.  It turned out there was and the waiter pointed out a healthier option for me to get.  I was glad I asked as I would have had a whole bowl of it thinking that I was having a healthy lunch.  

Stay away from Sauce

On the buffet, stay far away from items drenched in sauce, it adds extra calories, fat, and sodium.  Look for grilled, steamed or poached items. 

Ice cream vs. Frozen Yogurt
Check out what’s offered on the ship as there might be an option to get frozen yogurt or sorbet, both are better options than ice cream.  If you’re still craving ice cream, ask for a kid’s size and stay away from the toppings.  Want it in a cone? Don’t feel bad having it in a cone, only adds about 30 extra calories.

Take a taste

If that chocolate mousse is staring you down, try it but just eat half and share the rest! 

Move it

Finished eating? Move the plate away from you.  With the plate out of your reach, you won’t fall into the trap of unconsciously eating the rest of your plate because it’s in front of you. When you’re done, remove the temptations. This works really well for desserts if you were just planning to “taste it”.

My favorite lunch on a cruise ship is a grilled chicken sandwich with a big salad on the side that I made myself with frozen yogurt for dessert. 

FreshCruiser Tip:  Try eating a healthy lunch and then allow yourself to splurge a little at dinner!