Sea cruises: what do they eat with? Life on board a cruise ship - a detailed educational program Important safety information.

Over the past 5-6 years, attitudes towards cruises in Russia have changed dramatically. At the very beginning of the century, 3-4 tour operators and about fifty agencies from all over Russia and neighboring countries were seriously involved in cruises, creating a kind of “club” of cruise specialists. Now all significant cruise companies have general agents in Russia, and the largest ones are introducing Russian-language service on ships. All this means that cruises are becoming clearer and closer to our tourists.

Let's first go on a “virtual cruise”, during which we will highlight all the “pitfalls” and features. Let's take some average option - without a specific route, ship and cruise company - and imagine that we are going on a sea voyage...

Before you start

So, the cruise has been chosen, booked and paid for. You have received a ticket for a cruise. It can look different, but usually it is a book similar to an airline ticket - only much thicker and not printed on such thin paper.

Main sections of a cruise ticket:

• cruise itinerary, booking information (booking number), cruise voucher, check-in start time, boarding time, cruise line and ship contact information;
• questionnaire (boarding form) - the simplest questions; It’s better to fill it out at home, but you can do it at the port;
• directions on how to get to the pier, port address, general information about the port (including parking in the marine terminal building);
• vouchers for additional services ordered through the cruise company (hotels before and after the cruise, transfers, excursions);
• descriptions of ports, excursions and other services offered on board;
• luggage tags for boarding.

I won’t describe each section in detail - these are all common things for us, we encounter them every day. I will explain only two sections.

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Vouchers for “other” services

Please note that these vouchers will only appear if the service was booked through the cruise line. If you or your tour operator do not book through the cruise line, these vouchers will not appear on your cruise ticket. They will be issued by those from whom they were ordered - in separate documents.

Baggage tags for boarding

This is the very “sheer trifle” that can not only ruin the impression of the cruise, but make the trip terrible even for the most unpretentious. Below you will understand why, but for now I’ll just tell you what it is. This is similar to the baggage tag that is attached to luggage when checking in for a flight. It is adhesive-based and attaches to luggage handles (no need to attach it to hand luggage). On each one the following data is either already printed or must be filled in: first and last name (in Latin), date of embarkation, port of embarkation, name of the ship, cabin number. If luggage tags are not on your ticket, you need to ask your tour operator how, where and when to get them. Don't be afraid to repeat and ask: if your luggage gets lost, it's a big problem. There are usually enough tags: 4-6 per cabin.

By the way, a little advice: insure your luggage against loss and damage. Cruise companies are regulated in this matter by international agreements and pay relatively small compensation. It is clear that they will not accept the arguments that the lost suitcase was chock-full of diamonds and haute couture dresses - not counting the favorite slippers knitted by the great-grandmother, who personally saw Ilyich. The company officers will simply pay 300 EUR compensation and forget about it. These are the laws, because, according to claims statistics, every second lost suitcase contains all the treasures of Agra. Therefore, luggage insurance will give tourists a certain confidence and peace of mind.

Booking a flight

I’ll go back a little and give advice on booking a flight. I highly recommend choosing a flight that arrives the day before your cruise. This way you will avoid hassle in case of flight delay. This applies not only to charter flights, but also to regular ones. Not all embarkation ports are located near major airports, and sometimes it takes a couple of hours to get from the airport to the port. What if it’s just a simple traffic jam? Or, even worse, some kind of truckers' strike with road blocking? No one will be to blame, and the ship will leave without waiting for those who were late. Catching up with him costs a lot of nerves and money. Wow, the start of a vacation, isn't it?

Baggage tags for boarding are that “mere trifle” that can not only ruin the impression of the cruise, but make the trip terrible even for the most unpretentious.

The road to the ship

Let's skip a little time. We are about to leave for the port. You need to pack your luggage so that the most necessary things are in your hand luggage - with the expectation that you will not get to your main luggage for 5-6 hours, plus travel time to the port. That is, the necessary medications, glasses, travel hygiene products, money, documents, telephones. It is not recommended to check in photo and video equipment, laptops and other high-tech, fragile and expensive things in luggage.

After your luggage is packed, you need to remove the luggage tags left over from the air flight and attach the cruise tags. It is important to do this just before boarding the transfer, so that you do not have to do this “on your knees” in the crowd at the passenger terminal.

Everything is ready - let's go to the port! It's time to describe what the port's passenger terminal is like during the day when boarding ships. The large passenger terminal is a huge structure: at the same time it can accommodate up to 15 passenger ships with a total capacity of no less than 20-25 thousand people. And since it is somehow not customary to start or end your voyage at night, this number of passengers leaves the ship (and the same number lands) during daylight hours. Disembarkation usually takes place from 9:00 to 13:00, and boarding from 14:00 to 17:00. At the same time, immigration and customs regulations, safety standards adopted in the port and on ships are observed. From the outside it may seem like chaos, but in fact everything is very intelligently organized.

Let's start by disembarking from the car at the terminal building. In some cases, you won't even need to remove your luggage from a taxi or bus luggage compartment. The driver simply opens it, and the baggage handlers immediately take the luggage and carry it on their way. You will now see your things only in the cabin in a few hours.

So, no luggage tags

Now imagine that there are no tags on the suitcases. Where will they take him? The “happiest” case is that they will leave it where they notice that there are no tags. That is, in the terminal. Then it will be easy to find him in the “lost and found” room. What if, out of simplicity, they are thrown onto another ship? Here you are on a ship setting sail, anticipating several days of happiness and not suspecting that your things (yes, those very favorite slippers too!) are floating away in the opposite direction. Or maybe not in the opposite way... but definitely not on your ship. When you realize that it’s time to put on your slippers, but there’s still no luggage, and you inform the staff about this, the real chaos begins: searching for luggage in the terminal, looking at all the ships that departed that same day from this port, then working out options - how transport them to your ship as soon as possible. But the ship is not waiting for your luggage, it has a route and it follows it: every day there is a new port. And you’re still barefoot, and you can’t sunbathe, work out, or go to an appointment with the captain: after all, the only clothes you have are jeans and the T-shirt you wore to the port. What kind of vacation is there: you sit in the cabin and leave with a sad expression on your face just to eat, devoting all your free time to compiling a list of untimely lost family heirlooms.

The whole nightmare that I described happens extremely rarely precisely because tourists know the importance of such a “trifle” as a luggage tag. So be careful!

What should those who were not given luggage tags along with their ticket do? With a firm hand, you remove the loader from your own suitcases and go into the station building, along the way looking out for employees in uniforms with the emblem of your cruise company. There are usually a lot of these girls and boys in the drop-off area: they will happily give you the required number of unfilled tags. Or they take you to the place where they are. You fill out the tags (name of the ship, first and last name of the tourist, departure date, cabin number - all in Latin) and give your luggage to the loaders. That's it, you can forget about your luggage: it will be delivered to the door of your cabin after the ship departs.

Now we need to solve the following problem: find a registration place for your ship among this sea of ​​​​people. There are two options: don't let the employee go and ask him to take you to the check-in area, or look for signs with your ship's name that will point the way to the coveted check-in counters. By the way, next to them there is always a counter with staff for contacts with passengers of the cruise company (“Guest Relations” or “Information”). Here they will help you resolve any issues: the same tags, they will issue you a ticket if they did not have time to send it to you before you leave your homeland, and much more.

It's time to check in for the cruise.

To do this, you will need a passport and a cruise ticket. And if you pay for everything with a credit card, then the “credit card” itself. Tip: One credit card is registered per stateroom, so make sure you have enough money on it in advance to cover all your expenses on your upcoming cruise. Each counter registers specific cabin numbers. Find yours and get in line, you will be registered for the ship. There is no point in describing the procedure: you just hand over the documents - that’s all. As a result, your ticket and passport are returned to you and you receive your boarding time and cruise card. What is it? The passage of four thousand people must be regulated, therefore, depending on the time of registration, you are assigned a “corridor” (usually half an hour) when you must pass the immigration checkpoint and go to the ship. The cruise card is one of the two most important documents on a cruise. This card is both a means of payment on board, a boarding pass (similar to an airline ticket), and a magnetic key to your cabin.

From the moment of registration to the moment of boarding, a significant amount of time can pass - up to two hours. What to do at this time? You can sit in the terminal, drink coffee and have a snack. You can go out into the city and stroll along the nearby streets. It usually turns out that you can’t really see the city of embarkation and the city of disembarkation, even if you arrived a day earlier - there is simply not enough time. Now some cruise lines are taking over passenger terminals and renovating them to provide additional services to those waiting. These include business clubs, children's clubs, cafes and restaurants. Sometimes animation teams from ships can even perform shows in the terminal building. But there are still very few such ports.

Immigration control

When your boarding time arrives, you head to immigration. The procedure is routine and simple. Then you go out onto the gangway leading to the door to the ship and stand in a long line of your future shipmates. Waiting in this line may seem very tedious and unpleasant, but experienced “cruisers” find its charm in it. After all, here you can calmly take a closer look at who you will spend your vacation with on board the ship and even make your first acquaintances.

The final hurdle when entering the ship is the ship's security - the most stringent procedure. There is no need to describe it, you just need to do what the security officer asks clearly and without delay. If everyone starts doing this, the line will go as quickly as possible. Here you will need a cruise card, a passport and yourself to take photographs for the ship's passenger database.

First hours on board

Now you are on board: almost all the formalities are behind you, only little things remain. First of all, go to the “reception” and give your passport. The “Reception” is located next to the passage from the corridor from the entrance: it is very difficult to pass by. While you are on board the ship, your passport must be at the “reception” desk. This is due to the rules for the so-called “cleaning” of the ship by immigration and customs services upon arrival at each new port along the cruise route. After all, every exit or entry of a ship into a port is a border crossing: even if you are in Naples today and Palermo tomorrow, you are crossing the border. If your passport is in the appropriate service of the ship, then your presence when examining documents when entering the port is not required. Immigration officers at the port communicate not with each individual passenger, but with the officer in charge, and you don’t even notice these formalities. There are some exceptions, but they are extremely rare. For example, in Tunisia, citizens of the Russian Federation do not need a visa at all, but the immigration officer must verify your identity, so you must personally approach him with your passport - he will check the photo, and you can go ashore.

However, you still need an identification document when you are on shore. Different cruise companies solve this issue in two different ways. Or a copy of the passport is made (the first page with a photo) and certified with the ship’s seal. Such a document is a legitimate identification document in all countries in accordance with international law. Or, every time you go ashore, you pick up your passport from the “reception”, and upon returning to the ship you hand it back.

Now you are on board: almost all the formalities are behind you, only little things remain. First of all, go to the “reception” and give your passport.

Table number and food

The last formality: you need to get your table number and a change of food. A change of meal plan is usually indicated when booking, but sometimes you can change it on the spot if you wish, by talking with the restaurant administrator, who during boarding is either at the “reception” or at a table nearby. A little about the shift and the table - this only applies to dinners in the main restaurant of the ship. The first shift is usually from 19:30 to 20:00, the second from 20:00 to 21:30, but depending on the season and region, the time may vary. You are assigned to a specific table for the entire cruise. I would like to draw your attention separately: this rule applies only to dinners and only in the main restaurant. You can have breakfast and lunch at any time in any open restaurant. Ships usually have at least three restaurants:

• the main a la carte restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner;
• buffet restaurant - breakfasts, lunches, afternoon snacks, sometimes dinners and “midnight” buffets are served there;
• an alternative a la carte restaurant serving dinner and sometimes lunch.

A few words about an alternative restaurant. This is a small restaurant with a menu of more than high quality than basically. Often such restaurants are supervised by chefs with Michelin stars or some famous restaurants. The level of service in this restaurant is noticeably higher than in the main one, and the dishes are close to the standards " haute cuisine" Meals there, as well as in the main and buffet restaurants, are free (except for drinks), but to dine at an alternative restaurant, you need to reserve a table. The cost of ordering a table is approximately 20 EUR per person. You can book a table either immediately upon boarding with the administrator, or later at the “reception”, or in the restaurant itself. Of course, the sooner you do this, the more likely you will get a seat at a time convenient for you.

So, now we are on a cruise, a full-fledged vacation has begun. The first step is to inspect your personal territory of the ship - the cabin.

Cabins

Modern cruise ships are huge: they are not even hotels on the water, but entire resorts. On which one could easily get lost if the cruise companies did not take care of this in advance. This care is manifested in everything: at every corner of the corridor, at the exit from the stairs, near and inside the elevators, the passenger will find directional signs, a list of rooms that are on the deck and even deck plans. The first digits of the cabin number are the serial number of the living deck, starting from the lowest. All we need is to get to the elevator or stairs and go up to our deck. Then you just need to follow the signs.

Cabins on a ship can be divided into four types:

• interior cabins without windows (can be located on all decks);
• external cabins with a window (usually located on the lower decks of the ship);
• external cabins with a balcony are located on the upper decks for reasons of safety and convenience - not only do they not reach the waves, but practically no splashes from them reach them;
• All kinds of suites are also located on the upper decks, mostly they also have a balcony.

The suites are very diverse - there is no point in describing each in detail, I just want to draw attention to one important detail: no matter what the suite is called, it is not at all a fact that it will have a door between the living room and the bedroom. When choosing a suite for your VIP client, carefully review the cabin layout or check with the operator whether the rooms of the suite are separated by a door rather than just a partition. Otherwise, embarrassment is possible when a married couple travels with a child, but it is not possible to have complete privacy in the cabin.

Inside the cabin

All cabins are divided into two rooms (we are not talking about suites): a living area and a bathroom with shower. It is very rare to find a bathroom in ordinary cabins: now it is almost always replaced by a shower. There is always soap, shampoo and various towels in the bathroom. In rated cruise companies, bathroom amenities are from well-known brands (for example, Bvlgary), and the set may not be limited to soap and shampoo.

I’ll tell you a little more about the beds. There are always two of them, but don’t be afraid: they are, as they call it now, “convertible”. That is, if the configuration is not suitable and you need to make a double bed into a twin bed, or vice versa, just ask the steward, and this will happen within 10 minutes. Also in the living space there is a dressing table with a table, a couple of chairs or armchairs and another small tea table. Modern requirements for cabins require a slightly larger living area, so on new ships there is also a sofa in the cabin. The balconies are spacious enough for two people: there is a small table and two chairs or sun loungers (most often plastic). Cabins are always equipped with a telephone, TV and hairdryer.

Over the past five years, cruise companies, in the face of increased competition, have been improving their equipment in every possible way during the planned renovation of cabins. They install modern LCD TVs and DVD players, equip cabins with connectors for the Internet, and purchase bedding from well-known brands (for example, Frette). So the cabins are becoming more comfortable and modern from year to year.

Modern cruise ships are huge: they are not even hotels on the water, but entire resorts. On which one could easily get lost if the cruise companies did not take care of this in advance.

The cabins (with the exception of suites) can accommodate up to four people. That is, two main beds and a maximum of two additional ones. Extra beds can be designed differently: it is either a folding bed (like those on trains), or a sliding sofa, or even (in extreme cases) a folding bed. But there are also cabins that do not provide additional beds. When booking a cabin for three or four passengers, the cruise line may refuse accommodation in one cabin and offer accommodation in two cabins. This depends on the availability of cabins that provide such accommodation. The ships have a number of cabins connected by an interior door, but they are quite small.

Your cabin will be cleaned by the same steward throughout your cruise. During boarding, he tries to get to know all “his” passengers at the moment when they first get into their cabin. If he didn’t come up to you right away, it means he was simply busy with other passengers and will soon come to meet you - after all, there are several cabins in his area of ​​responsibility. Moreover, the higher the class of the cruise company, the fewer cabins are served by one steward - which means he does it more efficiently. You will find out your steward's name from the card on the table in front of the mirror in your cabin.

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On a cruise

There, in a special folder, you will find a huge amount of materials that will help you during the cruise: flyers and booklets of restaurants, shops, casinos, prices for spa services and beauty salons, a ship plan, a list of telephone numbers and - most importantly - the cruise newspaper . What is this cruise newspaper and why is it so important? This is an information sheet (usually four pages long) in which passengers will find important information about life on the ship for the next 24 hours. The “editorial” contains information - what time and where the ship arrives, when it departs, contact information of agents in the port, a brief description of the port of call and possible excursions, important information from the captain. On the second and third pages there is a schedule of events for animators, performances by artists and musicians, work of restaurants, shops, casinos, beauty salons, children's and youth clubs, and sporting events. It is this information that will help passengers plan their day with the greatest benefit and get the most out of the cruise. The last page contains contact information for all ship services: from room service to the first aid station. This newspaper will be delivered to your cabin every evening.

Well, now we can have lunch! The best place to do this is at the buffet restaurant on one of the upper decks. In this restaurant you can usually take a table both indoors and on the deck open to the sea air.

After lunch, it's time to start exploring the ship. Walk along the upper decks, admire the view of the port from the sea, walk along the closed decks and find the main or most interesting rooms of the ship: bars and lounges, theaters, spas, gym, children's clubs, library, internet cafe and, of course , the heart of the ship is the central atrium. The interior of the ship sometimes amazes first-time passengers so much that they take their breath away: they never expect to see such luxury and beauty on a ship. All interior spaces of modern ships are designed by the world's leading architects and designers, and cruise companies give them complete creative freedom. Sometimes ships are even turned into art galleries, decorated with original works: paintings, sculptures, installations.

Exercises

At the very beginning of every cruise there is one mandatory event - evacuation drills. Perhaps this is the only responsibility of passengers, but at the same time it becomes the first entertainment on board. At the sound of a special sound signal, all passengers go to their cabins, take out and put on life jackets and go to their place on the boat deck. These exercises involve everyone on the ship: both the crew and the passengers (even those from the most expensive suites). Crew members assist passengers by directing them to their meeting point on the boat deck. Upon arrival, the safety instructor informs passengers about what to do in case of an emergency. Unfortunately, he does this in one language - usually English. At the end of the briefing (the whole event takes about half an hour), everyone returns to the cabin and leaves their vests there. This event may at first glance seem offensively obligatory and boring, but in fact it is not. Passengers get to know their cabinmates, take pictures in a red life jacket - in general, have as much fun as they can. And at the end of the exercises, they enjoy the mesmerizing spectacle of the ship leaving the port.

At the very beginning of every cruise there is one mandatory event - evacuation drills. Perhaps this is the only responsibility of passengers, but at the same time it becomes the first entertainment on board.

Evening and first dinner

Evening comes, and life gradually flows from the open decks into the enclosed spaces of the ship. Evening life begins: shops and casinos open, tables in bars fill up, performances by artists begin in lounges and theaters. This is the time when passengers find the most comfortable places for themselves, make acquaintances and begin to feel the rhythm of life on the ship. Open decks are transformed from places full of life and energy into romantic corners where it is so pleasant to spend a little time in the fresh sea air, listening to the cries of seagulls and admiring the moonlit path.

Before dinner, it's time to sit for a while at the bar, drink a cocktail or coffee, and listen to pleasant music. The first dinner usually takes place against the background of some fatigue caused by the journey and the new sensations received on board. Restaurant staff at the first dinner try not to burden passengers with any strong impressions: it’s just dinner. After dinner, you can sit a little longer in your favorite bar or take another walk under the stars on the upper open decks.

First day

The first full day on board can be spent relaxing: order breakfast in your cabin and watch the ship enter the port from your own balcony. And after breakfast, take care of your own health: visit the gym, play tennis or basketball, or enjoy the spa. Before lunch, sunbathe and swim in the pool under the bright sun. Moreover, during layovers, most passengers go ashore and there are plenty of free sun loungers near the pools. You can have lunch both in the main a la carte restaurant and in the buffet restaurant.

If the time the ship stays in the port allows, you can go out into the city on your own and take a short walk not far from the port, visiting small shops and sitting in a cafe overlooking your ship.

You can, of course, have dinner in the city, but, firstly, this will cost extra money, and, secondly, you can miss the captain’s reception and the gala dinner, which take place that very evening.

At the captain's reception, the ladies put on their evening dresses, and the men wear formal suits and go to the main theater of the ship. At the entrance to the theater they are greeted personally by the captain, and the “cruisers” have the opportunity to take a photo with him as a souvenir. In the theater, passengers will be offered free simple drinks, and the captain from the stage will introduce his closest assistants from the crew: the ship's senior officers, the hotel director (after all, the liner is, in fact, a hotel for passengers), the cruise director (he is responsible for all entertainment and animation on board) and a chef. Depending on the personality of the captain, this performance can take the form of a show, but still, frankly speaking, most often it is a formal presentation of key people from the ship's crew, repeated by the captain in several languages.

At the captain's reception, the ladies put on their evening dresses, and the men wear formal suits and go to the main theater of the ship.

After the reception, everyone goes to dinner, where a special menu is offered and the atmosphere of a dinner party is created: ladies in evening dresses and men in elegant suits conduct small talk, continue acquaintances and talk about first impressions. After dinner, there is a gala performance in the main theater, which you should not miss, because in this show the artists show the best of their repertoire. This is truly an enchanting performance.

This official event may frighten some people so much that they want to give up cruising altogether. But in reality it is optional. Cruise ships are huge, and you can spend this evening in such a way that you will not even notice that all these special events are happening at all. You can dine in both the buffet restaurant and an alternative restaurant. And everyone will be allowed to the gala show, not just guests in evening dresses.

You can continue the evening in the lounge (a calmer option), in the casino (for gambling people) or at the disco. By this point, certain companies have already formed, and on this festive evening they become more and more united, joint plans arise for the next days and, most likely, it is this company that you will mainly communicate with for the rest of the cruise.

Second day

You can start the next morning with breakfast in your cabin or at the buffet restaurant with new friends. Spending two days in a row on board means not seeing new cities. Therefore, we will spend the second day on the shore.

The ship offers a very solid set of excursions in each port: from ordinary half-day sightseeing tours of a port city to multi-hour excursions to cities quite distant from your port. These can be not only excursions in the usual sense of the word, but also trips to the beach to snorkel or just sunbathe on the sand. Or, for example, golf tours, yachting, rafting. It is recommended to book some excursions in advance, perhaps even when booking a cruise, because while there are always plenty of seats on buses, yachts are booked in advance by cruise companies and the number of seats on them is limited.

You can combine an organized excursion and independent walk around the city. Go shopping, sit in local restaurants and cafes, feel the atmosphere inherent in this place. And this is almost impossible to do on an organized excursion. In general, you can spend the whole day on shore, except perhaps to save money by returning on board for lunch.

Since describing a full-fledged cruise lasting at least a week will take up a lot of space, we will assume that the evening coming after the second day is our last evening on the cruise.

On the last evening, events are organized on the ship so that passengers will forever remember their cruise. These include sales in shops on board, where gold and silver chains are sold not by weight, but by length, and carnivals, where not only the ship's animators participate, but also the passengers themselves, and another gala dinner in the main restaurant with a waiter show and cooks. In general, extravaganza and fun. It is difficult to describe in words, but must be felt through personal experience.

On the last evening, events are organized on the ship so that passengers will forever remember their cruise.

Last hours on the ship

The cruise ends and passengers must prepare to go ashore. Luggage tags will be brought to your cabin in the evening. These tags indicate the time at which passengers disembark. If this time does not suit you - for example, you are in a hurry to transfer to the airport or, conversely, you have nowhere to rush and want to sleep longer, go to your steward and ask to change the disembarkation time. This won't create any problems for him.

It was something elitist, expensive and therefore inaccessible to the average tourist: now traveling on liners is becoming more and more financially lucrative, and therefore is surpassing many other vacation options in popularity. For those who are afraid of seasickness, it is also time to abandon the stereotypical image of sea travel as a grueling test: high-tech stabilizers equipped with modern liners, as well as carefully designed routes that avoid “stormy” areas, completely eliminate the occurrence of ailments among passengers. Enclosed space and a monotonous horizon also now do not pose any problem, since the ship’s interior is indistinguishable from home, and the range of entertainment on the liner is truly wide.

Cruise ship

So, you decided to go to and even decided on the direction, but you are lost in the variety of offers. The first thing you need to pay attention to is the size cruise ship. This criterion really in many ways sets the tone for the entire holiday, determines the positive and negative aspects swimming. Yes, the main advantage large airliners the fact is that their passengers will definitely have no time to get bored: more space means a wider and more diverse infrastructure on board. And ships of compact size create the illusion of traveling on a friend or relative’s yacht due to a more comfortable atmosphere.

Another important point to focus on is when the ship was launched. And the point here is not at all about safety, but about comfort: modern cruise ships are built according to a clear plan, in which the location of all entertainment facilities is initially provided and thought out to the smallest detail, so that travelers can quickly get to them and not get lost. For comparison, in the process of reconstruction, older liners receive new children's rooms, spas, and alternative restaurants in the existing premises that are most suitable for them, which are not always well located.

To understand what living conditions await you on board, imagine a hotel room with the same number of stars as the ship you have chosen for your trip. At the same time, the size of the cabin will be more modest than that of a hotel room, but its decoration, as well as the level of service, will be noticeably better.

By the way, about the service. Whatever class the ship belongs to, passenger service is provided to the highest standard. The staff of almost every cruise ship is multinational, so surely one of the stewards will speak Russian and will help you solve possible difficulties. Moreover, tour operators are increasingly focusing on Russian-speaking tourists, offering special “Russian-language” tours. They mean not just the presence on board of the ship of an escort who speaks fluent Russian, but comprehensive service in Russian throughout the entire ship.

Modern cruise ships are one hundred percent adapted for family vacations. Moreover, their owners adhere to very attractive pricing for families: for a cabin reservation, the full price is charged only to the first and second passengers, and all subsequent passengers pay much less. Therefore, traveling on a ship with the whole family or a large group is not only fun, but also profitable.

Which cruise route choose and when?

Needless to say, the number is as great as their popularity. At any time of the year, liners enter and leave harbors, so, having decided on their preferences and capabilities, any traveler can choose a sea voyage.

You can go on a Mediterranean cruise at any time of the year, but the choice of routes will be much more extensive in the summer. Traveling along the waters surrounding Northern Europe is most comfortable in June-September, and those who want to go around Old World by water it is most abundant in late spring and early autumn.

If you do not intend to swim so shallowly, you can, because tour operators operate such programs all year round. It will not be possible to swim to Alaska before May or later than September, but at this time. Australian and New Zealand ports are filling up passenger airliners from December to February, and to go to trip around the world on a ship, it is better not to plan anything for December-April.

However, the sea is just a path, and otherwise each cruise has its own focus. For example, educational: such routes pass through major ancient ports with a rich history to allow travelers to enjoy interesting excursions. Cruises that combine in the right proportions are very popular educational excursions And beach holiday. There is also a separate group of routes for particularly sophisticated travelers - for example, trips to Norwegian fjords, the mysterious shores of Iceland, the cradles of ancient civilizations, etc.

Cruise price

Prices for sea voyages vary depending on the duration of the voyage, seasonality, the star rating of the liner and, of course, the cabin. The cheapest are interior cabins, with blank walls. Cabins with a window will be more expensive, and those with a balcony even more expensive. If you choose the upper deck, then you will pay more for accommodation here than on the lower deck, the same applies to the cabins located in the central part of the ship.

By purchasing a tour on the ship, you provide yourself with accommodation in the chosen cabin, meals (standard meals and snacks in between), entertainment programs available on board, as well as available inventory and equipment (swimming pools, sports equipment). Port taxes will have to be paid additionally, this also applies to alcoholic beverages, shore excursions and personal services such as massages, laundry, spa treatments, etc.

The average cost of cruises today is more than affordable - in the Mediterranean from 350 EUR per person; by country Caribbean- week 900 – 1000 euros, short four-day around 400 euros; A six-day cruise to Asian countries can be purchased for 450 – 700 euros, and a ten-day cruise will cost around 1,000 euros.

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You can book cruises directly on. All of them are collected on our portal with convenient filtering by region of navigation.

When to book a cruise?

The concepts of “high season” and “low season” are also fully characteristic of cruises. Sea tours are in greatest demand in July-September, as well as New Year and May mini-vacations. To guarantee yourself the best price, you should book 6 months before departure: unlike “land” tours, there are no “last minute” offers here, and the closer the ship’s departure date, the more expensive the trip will cost. The cheapest and most expensive cabins sell out first.

Top sellers are primarily determined by the time of year. The most active trade in Mediterranean tours occurs in February-April, on the eve of the “high” season in this region. For example, it is better to purchase in April.

The paid cruise program does not include airfare, additional hotel accommodations, visas or other services you will need to get to your departure point and then back home.

Pay attention to the payment terms set by cruise companies: most of them require full payment for the trip 30-90 days before departure. If you book a cruise after the due date, the entire cost of the trip will be debited from your card once the selected cabin has been confirmed.

How to find your way on board?

The first thing you need to do when you step on board the ship is to find the reception and hand over your passport to the employee at the counter for safekeeping. It is impossible to get lost: the reception is always located next to the entrance. Passengers' passports are kept at the reception throughout the entire trip: this rule significantly reduces the time that customs and immigration authorities "steal" from the duration of the cruise, because entering each port is essentially a border crossing. Imagine how much time the ship would spend in quarantine if port officers checked each passenger’s documents personally! And so customs officers resolve formalities only with the responsible employees of the liner, and this mandatory procedure does not in any way affect travelers.

However, when going ashore, you must have with you a document that can confirm your identity. As an option, upon arrival at each port you can pick up your passport from the reception and return it back to your cabin. But to avoid having the whole ship crowd in line at the check-in counter, cruise lines offer more convenient option: A photocopy of the passport pages is stamped with the liner's stamp, making it a document of identity recognized by international law in any country.

Having collected your passport, the steward at the reception will tell you about the change of meals and table number. Usually, the change of meals is known in advance, even when booking, but if you are not satisfied with it, contact the restaurant administrator. You also won’t have to look for him for a long time around the ship: when passengers board the plane, he is on duty at the reception or at a separate table nearby. In general, information about the shift and table number applies only to evening meals and only in the main restaurant. You can have dinner on the first shift from 19:30 to 20:00, on the second - from 20:00 to 21:30, but at different times of the year the time frame may shift. You will sit at the same table throughout your entire trip. As for breakfast and lunch, you can get it at any operating restaurant on the ship at any time. There are at least three restaurants on board each ship: the main one, where lunches and dinners are served, a buffet buffet where you can stop by for any meal, and an alternative restaurant, which mainly serves dinners. An alternative restaurant differs from the main one in that it is smaller, more exquisite menu, which is compiled by a Michelin star chef, and a much higher level of service. Meals in such restaurants are also included in the price of the tour, with the exception of drinks; however, additional costs will be required by pre-booking a table, without which you will not be able to get into an alternative restaurant. This pleasure costs about 20 euros per person. To reserve a table, contact the reception or directly to the restaurant.

Cabin types

As we mentioned above, there are four types of cabins: internal, external with a window, external with a balcony and various suites, that is, multi-room cabins. Internal ones have no windows and can be located on any deck. Cabins with windows are usually planned on the lower deck, and those with balconies on the upper deck, so that they are not exposed to spray from the waves. Suites, as more expensive accommodation options, are also located on the upper deck and therefore also have balconies.

Each cabin has its own bathroom with shower, towels and toiletries. Depending on the rating of the cruise company, you will find in the bathroom not only soap and shampoo, but also other cosmetics, perhaps even from well-known brands.

As for the beds, they are separate in the cabins. Don't let this fact upset those traveling in pairs: you contact the steward, and in a few minutes two separate beds turn into one double bed. Other standard cabin furnishings include a dressing table with mirror, chairs or armchairs and a serving table. Modern liners have more spacious cabins than before, so their decoration also includes a sofa. Balconies are also very spacious: usually they have a table with two chairs or a pair of plastic sun loungers. Equipment at your disposal will be a hairdryer, TV and telephone.

A standard cabin can accommodate four passengers: in addition to the two main berths, two more are added: the same sofa, a folding bed similar to a berth in a reserved seat carriage, or at worst a folding bed. On some ships, the layout of the cabins excludes the possibility of adding berths, so if you are traveling with a family or group of more than two people, you may not be able to book accommodation in the same cabin. In this case, you will be placed in different cabins or, if you’re lucky, you will be offered to occupy adjacent ones connected by an interior door, however, there are very few such cabins in the number of rooms on liners.

Each steward on the ship is assigned a certain number of cabins, so all your questions will be resolved by the same member of the ship’s crew. The service staff gets to know “their” passengers during check-in or immediately after it.

On the dressing table in each room there are reference materials prepared for passengers: a card with the name of your steward and a folder with leaflets and booklets of all the establishments presented on board - these are restaurants, shops, spas, casinos, and so on. Here you will also find a diagram of the location of all objects on the ship, a list of telephone numbers that may be useful, and the latest issue of the cruise newspaper, on the pages of which there are answers to all the questions that may come to your mind. The schedule of the liner's route, contacts of port agents, price list of excursions, animation program on board, opening hours of entertainment establishments - this and other information printed on the pages of the newspaper will allow travelers to think through their vacation to the smallest detail. The cruise newspaper is published daily, so in the evenings the latest newspaper will be delivered to your cabin.

The beginning of any cruise.

Before the liner sets off on its route, express drills must take place on board in case of forced evacuation from the ship. All passengers are required to take part in them, but do not perceive this as a dull obligation: the exercises will not take more than 30 minutes and, in fact, will become the first number of the animation program on board. The start of the exercise is given by a special sound signal, upon hearing which all passengers will have to go to their cabins, put on life jackets and go out to the boat deck, where crew members will help them take their places. Then the security specialist will give a briefing (unfortunately, only on English), after which you can return to the cabin and take off your vest. These exercises only from the outside seem like a boring obligation, but in reality it is a great opportunity to get to know your neighbors and post photos on Instagram in bright life jackets.

Another traditional event on the first day of the cruise is a gala reception organized by the captain and a gala dinner. The reception usually takes place in the ship's main theater, which fills up in the evening with passengers in evening dresses and tuxedos. The captain of the ship personally greets his guests at the entrance, and then, during a welcoming speech, introduces passengers to his closest assistants - the ship's senior officers, hotel and cruise directors, and the chef. However, this is just a beautiful tradition, and not a mandatory event, so passengers can choose another activity for the first evening, since there are more than enough opportunities for this on the huge liner.

cheap air tickets to the countries of departure and arrival of your ship on the websites Aviasales

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Liner "Costa Luminosa"

There is an opinion that a cruise is expensive and difficult. Indeed, cruises can be very expensive, but they can also be quite affordable. A week of travel on board a four-star airliner may not cost more expensive than a vacation in Turkey. As for organizing the trip, it is no different in complexity from a holiday in Sochi.
The cruise procedure is thought out to the smallest detail and practically does not differ in different cruise companies in different regions of the world. As an example, I give a memo from the Costa Cruise company for those who only dream of going on a trip for the first time. This information is provided by travel agencies when issuing a cruise voucher. It can be found on the cruise company's website.

Cruise from A to Z

CHECKING UP BAGGAGE WHEN BOARDING THE LINER

The permitted luggage weight is up to 90 kg per passenger. If the specified weight is exceeded, this must be agreed upon with the cruise line in advance. For your convenience when loading your luggage, Costa uses a simple system of luggage tags, which must be attached to each piece of luggage before it is dropped off and checked in. You can find tags at the end of your boarding voucher, or you can get them from cruise line representatives.

Luggage tags must clearly indicate your first and last name, ship name, cabin number, date and port of departure in English. Luggage tags are required during embarkation and disembarkation in order to transport your luggage to your cabin or ashore. We advise you to leave all valuable, fragile and personal items with you in your hand luggage. Upon entering the terminal, you hand over your luggage to the port porters.

Luggage is delivered to your cabin within an hour after boarding. If your luggage is delayed, go to the information desk in the central hall of the ship - your tags may have come off or were filled in illegibly.

All bags and suitcases are x-rayed before boarding. It is better to keep all valuables, medicines, cameras and other fragile items in hand luggage. If your cruise includes air travel, check your ticket for the maximum weight allowed.

Cruise terminal

REGISTRATION AND BOARDING

Boarding the ship begins with check-in at the cruise terminal three to four hours before departure, depending on the ship; You must register no later than two hours before departure. All passengers must be on board no later than one hour before the ship departs.

Registration is a confirmation that you have arrived and are ready for the cruise, the purpose of registration is to check your documents and issue the final passenger documents for you. Before the check-in area, your hand luggage may be searched and you may go through a metal detector by port or cruise line security.

Once you enter the port terminal, follow the signs with the cruise line logo shown on your documents and your ship's name to the check-in area. At the check-in area, go to the information desk (called either Information or Guest Relations) with your vouchers and passports and pick up your cruise tickets.

Next, proceed to the registration counters. Since more than two and a half thousand people are often loaded onto a ship at the same time, to reduce the total boarding time, racks are registered by cabin numbers (for example, rack No. 1 - cabin numbers 1101-1300, etc.), or by deck names ( for example ALOHA). At the most popular destinations Some terminals have check-in counters for Russian-speaking passengers. At some ports of departure in the US, the counters are NON-RESIDENT (because the main tourists are Americans or Canadians, and everyone else is non-resident). You must contact the check-in counter that corresponds to your cabin number, deck, or Russian-speaking passenger counter, or you are a non-resident of the United States and Canada. There are also check-in counters for VIP passengers. Usually these are passengers of grand suites, suites, and minisuites. Such passengers will be informed in advance about their registration as VIP.

At the check-in desk you will present your international passport (your ID), cruise tickets or a cruise company voucher, a completed application form (it is issued along with the ticket). A survey may be conducted by the cruise company: have you been sick with anything lately? And other questions. Afterwards you will be photographed and given a cruise passenger card, it resembles a bank card. The card contains your first and last name, your cabin number, the name of the cruise company and the liner. During the cruise, it replaces your ID, is the key to the cabin and is a payment card on board the ship.

Please note that you will have to surrender your passport upon registration. For the convenience of passengers, the cruise company takes care of border formalities. To leave at some ports (for example, on an excursion), you will need to collect your passport from the check-in counter. The list of such ports will be provided to you by the ship’s staff. In other ports, your passport will be replaced by a cruise card.

When boarding the ship, you present your cruise passenger card to the cruise line's security service and at the same time you are photographed for identification. Your presence on the ship is recorded.

Once you've checked in and boarded, you'll be greeted by friendly staff who will show you how to get to your cabin. As a rule, you find yourself in your cabin approximately 45 minutes after arriving at the port. Restaurants and bars are already open on board.

Attention!!! A late tourist is considered to have failed to show up for boarding and his cruise is subject to cancellation, and he loses 100% of his payment!!! If you are still late, you must warn your escort (by phone, fax, etc.) or call your agency and ask to be warned that you will catch up with the ship at the next port, then try to fly away or go to the port where the ship will be stand the next day. Otherwise, the cruise administration reserves the right to sell the unoccupied cabin. As a rule, at each port of departure and at ports along the entire cruise route, the cruise line has a representative office or an authorized agency; the passenger must contact the cruise line representative. Assistance to late and behind passengers is not the responsibility of employees of representative offices and agencies, but practice shows that, as a rule, such assistance is provided to passengers. This service is paid!

Cruise ticket

TRAINING ALARM

A drill will be carried out a few minutes after departure. Such alarm is mandatory for all passenger maritime transport and is the responsibility of carriers under relevant international and national agreements. Immediately after the signal, remove life jackets from the closet, put them on in the cabin and go to the boat deck. The ship's crew will show you directions. Upon arrival, take a seat according to the instructions of the instructors and the markings on the deck under the boat. A brief briefing will be given in case of evacuation. After this you are free and begin your sea voyage.

Drill alert

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES ON BOARD

Once on board, all guests receive an individual Costa Card. The card serves to identify the guest and pay for services and purchases during the cruise, eliminating the need to always carry cash. Using the card, you can pay for food and drinks in bars, purchases in stores, services at the Spa complex and all additional services, including bets in the casino. Each time you use your card, you will receive a receipt that you will need to sign. At the end of the cruise, you will receive an invoice listing all the services that you purchased on board using the card.

If you wish to pay by credit card, you will need to register it upon boarding at the cruise terminal. In this case, the amount will be debited from your account for expenses on board. Please note that there must be sufficient funds on the card. If there are not enough funds on the card, the process of closing the account at the end of the cruise may become more complicated.

The following are accepted on board credit cards: American Express, VISA, Visa Electron and MasterCard. VISA and MasterCard debit cards are also accepted, Maestro and Switch are not accepted. You can get cash for Traveler's Checks at the Passenger Information Service. Personal checks are not accepted.

INFORMATION ON THE LINER

Each Costa ship has an information desk open 24 hours a day. Here they can answer all your questions and help you book additional services.

Every day a program of events for the next day is delivered to the cabin, which lists upcoming programs in theaters, cabarets, etc., possible excursions, etc.

Also located on the liners large number television information boards with information in various languages ​​about the capacity of restaurants, where and when events are held, etc. Information about possible entertainment.

You can receive information from the television information channel in your cabin, which gives information about various events and entertainment on board, about the loading of restaurants, weather along the route, services on board, etc.

Program of events

PHOTOS ON BOARD

When boarding the ship, you will be photographed by the cruise ship's photographers, and in the evening you can purchase these photographs in the photography boutique. There you can order your photos during the cruise and have your photos taken by a professional photographer.

Photo session on board

INTERNET AND PHONE

While the ship is moving, you can use the services of international telephone communication (from the cabin), fax or telex communication (from the ship's radio station). There is also an Internet cafe on the ship. While the ship is in port, you can use local communication systems. The cost of an international telephone call on board the ship is on average 9 euros per 1 minute. Currently, cellular communications on Costa Cruises ships are provided by the largest cellular operator in Italy, TIM. The cell phone will operate on the GSM standard regardless of the ship's location.
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Satellite Internet is also available on board in specially designated areas, payment for which is made using a cruise card. On most Costa ships, WI-FI is available everywhere. You can connect to it by discovering the network of the connected device, go to the registration page and enter the required data. You can use one of the proposed tariffs or pay for communication by the minute.

A telephone directory for making calls within the ship and ordering services is located in your cabin.

FOOD AND DRINKS ON BOARD

All ships have all kinds of restaurants, snack bars and cafeterias, coffee and tea machines, as well as hot and cold water dispensers available at any time of the day. You can also order a cocktail, coffee and many other drinks in the bars on any deck. Multiple meals are provided in the main restaurants. There are restaurants on board pre-order with a reservation fee ranging from 10 to 20 euros. Their service is carried out à la carte and is usually included in the cost of the reservation, with the exception of some dishes and alcoholic drinks.

You can always order delivery to your cabin for lunch, dinner, tea and mineral water etc..

No food or drinks purchased on shore are permitted to be brought on board.

One of the onboard restaurants

IN THE CABIN

All cabins on Costa liners are equipped with a private bathroom with shower, air conditioning, satellite TV, and telephone. Each cabin has a hairdryer and a small safe. Deluxe cabins have additional amenities.

The electrical voltage on board is 110 or 220 volts. The voltage is usually indicated on the socket itself located in the cabin. Attention! Make sure that the voltage of the electrical appliance you are connecting matches the voltage in the outlet. If you are unsure, do not connect the electrical appliance and seek assistance from the aircraft personnel.

Each cabin has an air conditioning control panel. You can adjust the desired temperature and microclimate in the cabin at your discretion.

Television broadcasting includes the main foreign satellite channels. On liners where Russian-language service is organized, Russian television channels are broadcast. The ship also has several of its own channels, which display the cruise route, weather conditions and the location of the ship. It tells about the airliner and its capabilities and how to use the infrastructure. Programs of the day and what and where entertainment events take place. Restaurant guide. Information from the ship's captain. Image from web cameras installed on the aircraft. A channel telling about excursions at ports of call along the liner’s route, about the history and culture of countries and cities. Other interesting information.

Interactive television gives you additional opportunities. By selecting interactive mode on the remote control using the Menu button, you can view the status of your onboard account and your expenses on board. Select and order films offered for viewing; the cost and available languages ​​are indicated next to the name of the film. View other options available on board.

Cabin with window

CABIN CLEANING. CHANGE ACCESSORIES

All cabins are cleaned daily. You can hang the appropriate sign on the door at any time or turn the sign near the door (depending on the liner) and your cabin will be cleaned. You can also indicate on the contrary that you will not be disturbed.

Towels are changed upon request. To do this, used towels that need to be replaced simply need to be placed on the bathroom floor.

Gift from the steward

IN THE RESTAURANT

Service in restaurants is carried out according to the “ Buffet"and according to the menu.

You can reserve a table in the restaurant immediately after checking in. In the cabin you will find a card on which you can indicate the date, time and number of people. Or you can make a reservation by phone. Please note that reservations are for dinner only. You can also choose a table in the restaurant when you come to eat. If you choose to eat according to an individual menu, and inform the cruise line in advance, your seat in the restaurant will be indicated on your cruise voucher.

Clothes such as tank tops, tank tops, shorts, or jeans are not permitted in the restaurant. Shoes should always be worn on the ship.

At the restaurant

CELEBRATIONAL MOMENTS ON BOARD

For those who want to celebrate a birthday, wedding or honeymoon on a cruise, special programs are provided on board the ship. Flowers, fruits, wine, and gifts can be delivered to your cabin at your request. You can arrange to decorate the cabin with fresh flowers, ribbons, balloons, etc. Also for special guests, dinner with the captain is possible. These programs are paid and must be booked in advance when booking your cruise. Some services can be ordered while already on board.

SPECIAL DIETS

For those who adhere to a special diet for medical reasons, a special kitchen is provided. Special menus must be agreed upon in advance at the time of booking the cruise and the possibility of fulfillment must be agreed upon with the cruise line. Unless this has been done in advance, the cruise line does not guarantee that such service will be provided.

CLOTH

The wardrobe should be selected based on the cruise route and countries visited. Before your trip, find out what the weather is like in your area. this region during your trip.

While on a cruise you should dress as you would on any cruise. prestigious resort. A tracksuit, shorts, and light trousers can be worn both on board the ship and on shore in hot weather. Don't forget to bring a sweater, jacket or blazer to wear on cool evenings. For an evening meal in the ship's restaurants, two types of clothing are acceptable: elegant casual wear or evening wear. If this is elegant everyday wear, then the following are acceptable: skirts and dresses, wide trousers, sweaters or blouses for ladies, trousers and shirts for men. Jackets and ties are optional. Shoes should always be worn on the ship.

For excursions, it is recommended to choose comfortable clothes and shoes without heels. Please note: if you are planning a tour of religious sites, appropriate clothing may be required. Be sure to bring sun protection hats, sunglasses and an umbrella.

The following attire for formal evenings is acceptable: evening or cocktail dress, for ladies; loose trousers and jacket or suit, for men. On some ships you can rent evening clothes and they can be ordered before the start of the cruise.

Evening dress code

DRY CLEANING AND LAUNDRY

There is a self-service laundry on board. You can also take things to the laundry, dry cleaning or ironing. In the cabin you will find a price list for services, and in the closet there are bags for linen and tags that should be attached to a hanger with clothes and placed in a visible place or leave the bag on the bed in the cabin, noting in a special form what needs to be done with the item. Services are paid additionally. The cost of the service will be credited to your onboard account.

Ironing is strictly prohibited in cabins. You can call your steward to the cabin and instruct him to iron this or that item. Payment for this service will be charged to your onboard account. It is usually customary to thank the steward with a tip of 1 - 2 euros. On board the ship it is prohibited to use various fire-hazardous electrical appliances, such as irons and boilers, heaters, etc.

PREGNANT WOMEN

The maximum permissible pregnancy period at the start of the cruise is up to 23 weeks. Pregnant women must have a certificate from a medical institution, which records the duration of pregnancy and permission from a doctor to take a cruise.

CHILDREN

Children of all ages are accepted on board, but not younger than 4 months. On some cruises, children must be at least 6 months old and sometimes 2 years old. It is necessary to clarify this information when booking a cruise. Free entertainment is provided on board for children over 3 years of age who do not need diapers. From morning to evening, entertainment is available for children of any age from three to seventeen years old. Activities vary depending on the time of year and the number of children in the group.

The presence of children on all ships is welcome, but the quantity and quality of programs varies. On board the ships you will find fully equipped centers for young children and teenagers (children from 3 to 17 years old), including various attractions, halls for computer games and discos. Children under 3 years of age may also be in children's center, but under the constant supervision of parents. The ship also offers group classes and special play programs for children under the supervision of a special worker, when there are more than 20 children of the same age group on board.

It is possible to leave a small child in a group under the supervision of a nanny in the evening, and a teenager in a group of children under the supervision of a special worker (children aged 3 to 17 years). A similar service is provided from 22:00 to 1:00 am. The cost of this service is about 5 euros per hour per child. This opportunity is only provided when there are more than 20 children of the same age group on board. There are no groups for children under three years old.

The liners have special programs baby food. There are also special children's pools, water slides, game rooms, discos for teenagers, video games, Formula 1 simulators, etc.

Water park on board

SPA SERVICES. FACE AND BODY CARE

Spa services will be available to you on the ships. We recommend booking them in advance when booking your cruise. When ordering services on board, you must make an appointment in advance. You can make an appointment by phone or directly at the Spa. These services are paid separately. You can choose from various types of oriental, therapeutic massages, facial treatments, and rejuvenation complexes. Various types of baths and jacuzzi. The most advanced cosmetics and equipment will help you relax both body and soul. There is also a salon on board where you can get manicures, pedicures, haircuts and hair coloring. The salon offers a wide range of services for both women and men.

SPORTS

The ships have well-equipped gyms, swimming pools, water slides, jogging tracks, basketball and volleyball courts, mini golf courses, ping pong, bowling, etc. The infrastructure depends on the airliner. There are yoga, Pilates, aerobics and shaping classes. Classes conducted with professional instructors are paid.

Basketball court

SHOPS ON LINERS

On the ships there are galleries of duty-free shops where you can buy cosmetics, souvenirs, clothes, jewelry and much more.

SMOKING ON BOARD

Smoking on board ships is strictly prohibited outside of designated smoking areas marked accordingly. Smoking on decks, in cabins, theaters, restaurants, bars, corridors, elevators and staircases, etc. strictly prohibited. You can smoke pipes and cigars only in special smoking rooms. If you are traveling in a cabin with a balcony, smoking on the balcony may be permitted if it is posted accordingly and signs and ashtrays are provided. Some bars have specially designated areas for smoking passengers, with appropriate signs and ashtrays. On open decks there are designated smoking areas, marked accordingly and equipped with ashtrays.

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

On the ships, alcoholic drinks are sold in bars and restaurants. Alcoholic beverages will not be sold or served to persons under 21 years of age. The cruise line reserves the right to refuse to sell alcoholic beverages to any passenger. On the ships you will be able to buy alcohol at DUTY FREE prices. Alcohol purchased from the store on board the ship will be delivered to your cabin on the last day of the cruise before disembarking the ship. Alcoholic drinks purchased while staying ashore can be taken into custody and given to you at the end of the cruise when disembarking from the ship or delivered to your cabin before disembarking.

Bar service

CASINO AND GAMBLING

The ships have casinos and gambling rooms. Passengers under the age of 21 are not allowed to play in casinos or gambling on board ships. Payment can be made from your onboard account.

TRAVEL FOR PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES

All ships have special cabins suitable for travel for people with disabilities. They are specially equipped for passengers in wheelchairs, as well as a separate elevator in case of evacuation. When boarding and disembarking, such passengers are served first. For people with disabilities to travel, you will need an accompanying assistant and your own wheelchair. There are a certain number of wheelchairs on board for emergencies. Their use is permitted only on board the aircraft.

ANIMALS

Costa Cruises is unable to accommodate animals on board, with the exception of animals assisting passengers with physical disabilities. Guide dogs must be agreed upon in advance of booking your cruise.

MEDICAL CARE

Passengers must inform Costa Cruises in writing and in advance, preferably at the time of booking, of any physical or mental illness, disability or other condition which may require special equipment on board the ship for the purpose of the cruise. Or, medical treatment may be required or it may be impossible to go on a cruise due to a potential risk or hazard to the health of the passenger or anyone else on board the ship.

When someone on board suddenly falls ill or a situation arises that requires immediate medical attention, well-equipped medical centers are available to medical professionals. Medical centers on Costa Cruises ships are equipped with X-ray machines, computerized ECG units, portable oxygen cylinders, defibrillators, and units that monitor blood oxygen levels and heart pressure. All pharmacies on board the ships are stocked with medicines approved by the UK Committee for the Safety of Medicines.

Costa Cruises is not a medical institution and is not responsible for the actions or omissions of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in providing services, consultations, procedures, or advice to passengers. All medical personnel on board provide services at their own responsibility. Medical services are paid. The cost of their services and any other medical expenses will be charged to your onboard account.
*Save all medical bills and contact your insurance company for reimbursement upon arrival!

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

During cruises, Costa Cruises ships visit a large number of ports in many countries around the world. At any moment, in any of them, an emergency situation related to international crimes, wars, or terrorist acts may arise. While Costa Cruises strives to ensure the safety and security of passengers on board, Costa Cruises cannot guarantee that you will be protected from the risks of war, terrorism, crime or other emergencies. The US State Department and other similar government agencies regularly issue warnings and cautions to tourists, providing details of prevailing adverse situations in various cities and countries around the world. We recommend that passengers and their travel agents obtain and consider such information when booking a cruise.

STAFF REMUNERATION. TIPS

You are served during the cruise by a large number of staff who make every effort to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. For your convenience, on the liners, tips are credited to your onboard account. The daily charge is about 7 euros and varies depending on the duration of the cruise, cruise destination and liner.

The staff is the passenger's friend!

CHECKING UP BAGGAGE WHEN DISCHARGING FROM THE LINER

On the last day of the cruise, collect your luggage and check it carefully so that you don’t forget anything from your belongings or documents. Place new tags on your luggage that you find in the cabin and label them. Tear off the stub from the tag and keep it with you; you may need it upon receipt at the terminal as confirmation that this is your luggage. Place your luggage in the corridor. Your luggage will be delivered from the ship to the cruise terminal, where you can pick it up. Do not check in documents, cash and jewelry, medicines and fragile items as luggage, but keep them with you or carry them in hand luggage.

CLOSURE OF BOARD ACCOUNT AND DEPARTURE FROM THE LINER

Your onboard account will be blocked on the last day of the cruise at approximately 00.00 hours. After it is blocked, payment for services is only possible in cash. On the last day of the cruise or the morning before disembarkation, you must close your onboard account and pay for all expenses incurred on board the ship. To do this, you need to go to the information desk with your receipts and pay. Until the calculations are made, you will not be able to leave the ship ashore.

From experience - Important: Please note that when paying on-board expenses with a credit or debit card, it is sometimes possible to block an additional amount in the amount of your expenses. These blockages do not occur through the fault of the cruise companies, but arise depending on the transit banks of the correspondents and the banks that issued the card. Funds are not debited, but blocked in your account. Automatic unlocking of the amount usually occurs within a month. At the end of the cruise, we recommend that you contact your bank for expedited unblocking within 1-7 days depending on the bank. To avoid this situation, we recommend that you use a card for payments with a certain balance or limit of funds approximately equivalent to your onboard expenses.

The time has passed when sea ​​cruises served only peace and relaxation. Today it is believed: the more dynamic the vacation on the ship, the better. This review contains 18 mind-blowing entertainment that awaits vacationers on board tourist ships.

1. Wind tunnel

American-Norwegian company Royal Caribbean International is engaged in the construction of top-class ships. The ships are literally “stuffed” with the latest technologies not only in the field technical support, but also in the entertainment sector. On several cruise ships, developers have installed incredible attractions for outdoor enthusiasts.

Wind tunnel RipCord, located on the ship Quantum of the Seas, allows you to experience the indescribable sensations of free falling at a speed of 160 km/h.

2. Observation cabin

The observation cabin on the mechanical arm of The North Star allows vacationers to rise to a height of up to 100 meters above sea level. The capsule functions both while the liner is moving and when it is in port. There is a wonderful 360 degree view from the top.

3. Children's entertainment gym

The multi-purpose SeaPlex space on Anthem Of The Seas is designed for children's circus classes, roller skating, and a race track.

4. Artificial wave for surfing

Surfing on board a ship is now possible on Anthem Of The Seas. An artificial wave will allow you to fully enjoy boarding.

5. 65-meter water slide

AquaDunk is a huge water slide on board the Disney Magic cruise ship. Its height is 3 floors and its length is 65 meters.

6. Zipline

Thrill seekers head to Zipline, now available on Oasis of the Seas. A descent on a steel cable through 9 decks will provide daredevils with a decent dose of adrenaline.

7. Bionic bar

The future is already here. On board the Quantum of the Seas, robots mix cocktails at the bar.

8. Brewery

Well, if tourists want to take a break from the dizzying descents, they can always go to a beer hall, where they serve a drink brewed right on the ship in their own brewery.

9. Planetarium

Now you can look at the stars not only from the deck, but also in the planetarium located right on the ship. Never before have the stars been so close.

10. Climbing wall

The world's largest cruise ship, Harmony of the Seas, which set off on its first cruise just a couple of days ago, invites vacationers to try their hand at a climbing wall.

11. Ice bar

The idea of ​​creating an ice bar was inspired by the snow hotels of Scandinavia. Oddly enough, after the hot sun, tourists are happy to put on warm clothes and go to the ice-cold bar for a glass or two of a strong cocktail.

12. Water park

You can feel like a child by visiting a water park on one of the cruise ships. 5 multi-level slides, 2 swimming pools, 4 Jacuzzis - and all this on the deck of one ship.

13. Mini golf courses

Evening performances at aqua theaters leave audiences in awe as performers dive into deep pools from 10 meters in height.

16. Suspended bikes

The Skyride, or suspended bike, allows vacationers to walk above the deck rather than on it. This way you can travel a distance of up to 250 meters.

Just the other day I left the port. On it you can find most of the entertainment described above.

Sea cruises are one of the most safe species rest. However, you may not even be aware of some of the dangers that await you on a cruise.

1. Shipwreck

The most common phobia, because everyone still hears about the shipwreck of the Italian Costa Concordia. In fact, this shipwreck is unique in recent history. We do not now take into account Asian or African ferries, which do not comply with any safety or passenger loading standards. With the largest cruise companies carrying tens of millions of passengers per year, only one shipwreck with 32 deaths was recorded. At the same time, more than 4,200 passengers and crew members of the Costa Concordia were successfully evacuated. Of course, you wouldn’t want to find yourself on board a ship that crashes, but with such a volume of traffic, it’s unlikely that this will happen to you.

How to protect yourself?

Don't skip safety drills. You are unlikely to be able to prevent a shipwreck, but at least you will know how to save yourself in an emergency. Where is the evacuation point, how to put on a life jacket and other important information is given during the exercise on the day of landing.

The Costa Concordia liner crashed on the night of January 14, 2012. There were about 4.2 thousand people on board, including more than 100 Russian tourists. 32 people died. None of the Russians were hurt

2. Fire

But this is a more real nuisance, especially since fires often occur due to the fault of passengers. A fire in the enclosed space of a cruise ship, and even at sea, when there is nowhere to wait for help, is very scary.

How to protect yourself?

Do not neglect fire safety rules. Do not bring on board or turn on prohibited heating electrical appliances, such as irons and kettles; the voltage of the aircraft's on-board network is not designed for such loads. Do not smoke in the cabins, do not throw unextinguished cigarette butts overboard, a strong sea wind will immediately throw them back to the lower deck, where towels and other flammable items may lie. Just look at the photos below to understand the consequences.

4. Accidents involving children

No matter how reliable the airliner’s infrastructure may seem, if you are traveling with small children, you must not forget about their safety. Unfortunately, there are several known cases of unattended children drowning in the swimming pools of cruise ships. Despite the fact that swimming pools are usually always crowded, and it is unclear how this can even happen with so many people, it does happen.

In May 2015, a 10-year-old girl drowned in the pool aboard Norwegian Gem. It is also known that on February 3, 2014, a 4-year-old child died on board the Norwegian Breakaway. The liner staff found two children, ages 4 and 6, unconscious in the adult pool. Help was immediately provided and the 6-year-old child was taken to the hospital, but the 4-year-old boy could not be revived and died on board. Similar stories happen on ships of other cruise lines. Only the Disney cruise company, aimed at families with children, has special observers in the pool area.

5. Rape by staff

Yes, yes, this happens. This outrageous incident occurred on Holland America's Nieuw Amsterdam on February 14, 2014, while the ship was underway. 28-year-old Indonesian janitor Ketut Pujayasa sneaked into the cabin of a 31-year-old US citizen, beat her and raped her. After this, the attacker tried to throw the woman off the balcony. Reportedly, the cleaner came to her room while she was not there, opened the door with his master key, went to the balcony and waited there. When she returned, he came in from the balcony and attacked her. The attacker hit the American woman on the head with a laptop and strangled her with a telephone wire, and then raped her. The victim managed to escape because another passenger knocked on the door of her cabin. The man tried to escape the crime scene by climbing from balcony to balcony. The American suffered serious injuries. The cruise ship made a stop in Honduras, from where the victim was taken by helicopter to a Florida clinic

Pujayase was charged with attempted murder and aggravated sexual assault. He was also fired from Holland America, where he had worked since 2012. The company told reporters that they carefully checked the Indonesian before hiring him, but did not find any criminal episodes in his biography.

6. Falling overboard

22-year-old Oasis of the Seas passenger Frank Jade was washed away by a giant wave while walking on the open deck. Due to the fact that everything happened early in the morning, none of the passengers and staff noticed it. After some time, he was spotted by passengers on another ship, the Disney Magic, which was following the same course, and was safely rescued. About 20 people end up stranded on cruise ships every year, some deliberately.

Frame from dramatic video to rescue Frank, who was taken off board the Disney Magic.

7. Ship collision

Despite the most modern systems navigation and collision avoidance, accidents still happen. This usually happens in ports during maneuvers or strong winds.

The cruise ship Celestyal Crystal, en route from Greece to Istanbul, collided with the tanker Pimlico on June 27, 2015. Both vessels received significant damage. There are no casualties among the people. The collision occurred due to the fault of both ships; the ship traffic control center in the strait warned both ships about the danger of a collision.

In September 2013, the ferry Superfast II was blown off its moorings in the port of Bari due to strong winds, causing a collision with the cruise ship Mein Schiff 2 of the cruise operator TUI Cruises. No people were hurt.

8. Dangers on the shore

Nine people died in a plane crash in Alaska in June 2015 during a shore excursion of the HAL Westerdam. The reason was bad weather conditions. A seaplane carrying airline passengers who had bought an excursion crashed into a rock.

We hope that with this article we have not discouraged you from going on a cruise. After all, no fewer dangers await us on land. As they say, “Forewarned is forearmed!”