Royal Caribbean Gratuities and How to Change Them
The daily charge lands on your SeaPass account whether you notice it or not, and there are two rates. What Royal Caribbean adds, what sits on top of drinks and dining, and how to adjust it.
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Travel Tips & Advice
Expert advice to make every cruise smooth and stress-free: packing, visas, seasickness, budgeting and more.
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What You Can’t Take on a Cruise
Irons and steamers are banned outright, hair straighteners are not, and the exceptions are narrower than most packing…
Muster Station on a Cruise: What It Is and What Happens
A short visit to your station, not a mass assembly. What SOLAS requires, how P&O and Royal Caribbean…
Princess Cruises Gratuities: What Crew Appreciation Costs
The daily charge is not called gratuities on your account, and a separate 20% lands on everything you…
Best Cabin on a Cruise Ship: How to Pick by Position
Near midships with cabins above and below, and lower if motion worries you. How to read a deck…
Best Time to Cruise the Caribbean: Month by Month
February to April is the sweet spot: driest weather, warm sea and no storm season. How every month…
Cruise Passport Rules: Validity and the Ten-Year Trap
A passport with time left on it can still be refused at the Schengen border. The two rules…
Can You Smoke on a Cruise? The Rules on Every UK Line
Yes, in designated open-deck areas only. Never on a balcony, where the fee is $250. The casino rule…
Seasickness on a Cruise: What Works and When to Take It
A midship cabin and the right timing do most of the work. NHS-backed advice on hyoscine, cinnarizine and…
Caribbean Hurricane Season: What It Means for a Cruise
The season runs June to November but peaks in about eight weeks. What actually happens to a cruise,…
P&O Arvia Cabins to Avoid, and Which to Book Instead
Most of Arvia's cabins are fine. P&O's own deck plan shows the few under the buffet, the theatre…
Cunard Dress Code: Smart Attire and Gala Evenings
Smart attire most evenings, and at least one Gala Evening on voyages of three nights or more. What…
P&O Cruises Wi-Fi: Prices and What You Actually Get
Two packages, two prices each depending on when you buy, and a Starlink connection behind them. What P&O…
P&O Iona Cabins to Avoid, and Which to Book Instead
Iona has eleven cabin decks, and the difference between the best and the worst of them is a…
Celebrity Drinks Package: Classic, Premium and What They Cost
Celebrity sells three drinks packages, separated by a price ceiling per drink rather than a different bar list.…
Cruise Luggage Rules: Weight, Liquids and Hand Baggage
There is no cap on the number of bags, but each one is weighed at the terminal. What…
MSC Voyagers Club: Tiers, Benefits and the Status Match
Six tiers, from Welcome at nought points to Blue Diamond at 25,000. What each level actually gives you,…
MSC Yacht Club: What Is Included and Which Ships Have It
MSC Yacht Club is a gated area on the upper decks with its own lounge, restaurant and pool,…
MSC Drinks Package Prices: Easy, Premium Extra and What They Cover
MSC stopped publishing its drinks package prices, so the only figure that counts is the one behind your…
Things to Bring on a Cruise That Nobody Tells You About
The cheap household bits that solve cabin problems: clothes pegs, magnetic hooks, a sink plug, quiz pens and…
NCL Gratuities and the Daily Service Charge: What You Pay
Norwegian charges US$20 per person per day in a standard stateroom and US$25 in The Haven, from age…
What to Take on a Shore Excursion: The Day Bag Checklist
What to pack for a day ashore, from the ship card and port agent number to sun cream,…
Dover Cruise Terminal and Parking
Dover's cruise terminals sit beneath the White Cliffs, one a converted 1914 railway station. Which one you need,…
Royal Caribbean Drinks Package: Prices, the 20% and Whether It Pays
The bar bill on a Royal Caribbean ship arrives with a percentage attached that almost nobody budgets for.…
Cruise Cabin Steward: What You Can Ask For, Free of Charge
Extra pillows, split beds, ice, hangers and the other things your cabin steward will happily arrange for nothing,…
Cunard Gratuities: What the Daily Service Charge Costs and Covers
Cunard adds US$18 per person per night in Britannia and US$19 in the Grills, for guests of every…
Cruise Extra Charges: What’s No Longer Free on Board
Room service fees, shuttle charges, drinks small print and the other things that quietly moved from included to…
P&O Drinks Packages: Classic, Deluxe and What They Cost
P&O sells four drinks packages, from £16 for soft drinks to £60 for Deluxe. What each one actually…
Cruise Hacks: The Tricks Seasoned Cruisers Actually Use
Real cruise hacks from seasoned passengers: magnetic walls, quiet venues, port day shortcuts and the small tricks that…
P&O Peninsular Club: Tiers, Points and What Each Level Gets You
How P&O's Peninsular Club works: the six tiers, the points behind each one, the onboard discounts, and which…
Fixed or Anytime Cruise Dining? A UK Guide to Choosing
Fixed sitting or anytime? It is the one booking question that shapes every evening at sea. A plain…
Cunard Drinks Packages: Signature, Premium and What They Cost
Cunard's new Signature Packages bundle drinks, wifi and dining credit from £60 a day. The collections compared, the…
Cruise Mistakes to Avoid: What Seasoned Cruisers Never Do Twice
The mistakes seasoned cruisers never make twice, from ship time and all-aboard margins to balcony rules and the…
Cruise Cabin Upgrade Bidding: How It Works and Whether to Bid
A few weeks before you sail, an email asks whether you would like to bid for a better…
When to Book a Northern Lights Cruise: Month-by-Month for UK Cruisers
The right month for a Northern Lights cruise depends on what you are prepared to trade. This guide…
Cinque Terre From a Cruise Day: La Spezia, Pisa, or Both? A 2026 UK Guide
Your ship is in La Spezia for nine hours. Do you chase all five villages, pick two and…
Türkiye e-Visa for UK Cruise Passengers: 2026 Guide
What UK cruise passengers actually need for a Turkish port call in 2026. The short answer is a…
Princess Drinks Package: What Plus and Premier Include
Book a Princess cruise and you are really choosing a fare, not just a drinks package. A plain…
ETIAS for UK Cruise Passengers: A 2026 Launch Prep Guide
The EU's ETIAS scheme launches in late 2026, adding a EUR 20 online authorisation for UK passport holders…
When Your Cruise Ship Breaks Down: Cancelled Ports, Compensation and Your Rights as a UK Passenger
Norwegian Bliss lost four Alaska ports to a propulsion fault in June 2026. Britannia turned back for emergency…
Round Britain Cruise Ports Ranked: A Comparative Guide
A comparative look at the twelve UK and Ireland ports that make up a typical round-Britain itinerary, ranked…
Cruise Tipping Etiquette Beyond Auto-Gratuity: A British Guide
Auto-gratuities only cover dining-room and cabin staff. Shore guides, butlers, spa therapists, room-service runners and bar staff sit…
Choosing Your First Cruise by Destination: A British Beginners Guide
A British beginners guide to choosing a first cruise by destination, weighing the Western Mediterranean, Norwegian Fjords, Canaries,…
Cruise Overbooking: How It Happens, What Cruise Lines Offer, and What UK Passengers Actually Get
Royal Caribbean oversold two Voyager of the Seas Alaska sailings in June 2026. P&O bumped a 25-year loyalty…
Post-Cruise Stay: Extending Your Holiday in Disembarkation Ports
A cruise that ends in a city worth knowing is really two holidays sold as one. How to…
The Pool Chair Reservation Rule on Cruise Ships: How Each Line Actually Handles It
What happens when someone leaves a towel on a pool chair for three hours? A line-by-line look at…
Cruise Dining Dress Codes by Line: A 2026 UK Guide
A line-by-line guide to cruise dining dress codes in 2026, from Cunard's Black Tie evenings and Queens Grill…
Solo Cruise Travel: A British Guide to Sailing Alone
A British guide to cruising solo: which lines waive the single supplement (Fred Olsen, Saga, Cunard), how dedicated…
Cruise Travel Insurance: What Standard Policies Miss and What to Look For
Standard travel insurance often leaves cruise passengers underprotected. Missed port cover, cruise interruption, medical evacuation from a ship…
Cruise Gratuities Explained: What UK Passengers Need to Know
Cruise gratuities work differently to tipping in a UK restaurant. On most lines sailing from Southampton, an automatic…
Making the Most of Sea Days: How to Actually Enjoy Time at Sea
Sea days divide cruisers sharply. Some love them, others dread them. Here's how to plan your time at…
Mediterranean Cruise Weather by Month: When to Sail and What to Expect
Mediterranean cruise weather varies more than most people expect. July and August are hot but exhausting at major…
10 Most Walkable Mediterranean Cruise Ports
A ranked guide to the Mediterranean cruise ports where you can walk straight off the gangway and into…
Barcelona vs Palma: Two Spanish Cruise Ports for a Walking Day
Barcelona is a metropolitan headline; Palma is a Mediterranean charm. A clear comparison of how each rewards a…
Tenerife vs Gran Canaria (Las Palmas): Two Canary Islands Cruise Ports Compared
Tenerife has Mount Teide and the dramatic landscape; Gran Canaria has the city, the urban beach and Vegueta…
Lisbon vs Porto: Two Portuguese Cruise Ports for a Day Ashore
Lisbon is the metropolitan capital with Belém and Sintra; Porto is the smaller river city with port wine…
Bergen vs Stavanger: Two Norwegian Fjord Cruise Ports Compared
Bergen has the UNESCO wharf and the city-day depth; Stavanger has the Pulpit Rock and Lysefjord cruise. A…
Civitavecchia vs Naples: Two Italian Cruise Ports for Roman History and Pompeii
Civitavecchia is the port for Rome; Naples is the city itself, with Pompeii on the doorstep. A clear…
Athens vs Rhodes: Greek Cruise Ports for History Lovers
Two of the most history-rich Greek cruise ports offer very different eras: classical Athens and medieval Rhodes. A…
Civitavecchia vs Naples vs Livorno: Italian Cruise Port Days Compared
The three major Italian cruise ports are gateways to Rome, Naples and Pompeii, and Florence. A clear comparison…
Cruise Drinks Packages: Are They Worth It?
Cruise drinks packages promise unlimited drinks for a flat daily rate, but the maths only works for some…
Mykonos vs Santorini: Which Greek Cruise Port for Your Day Ashore?
Two of the most photographed Greek islands offer very different cruise port days. A clear-eyed comparison of Mykonos…
Norwegian Fjord Cruise Excursions Worth the Money
An honest guide to the major Norwegian fjord excursions, port by port, and where the money genuinely repays…
Norwegian Fjord Cruise Ports Ranked: From the Showstopper to the Sleeper Hit
An honest ranking of the five Norwegian fjord cruise ports your ship is likely to call at, with…
Southampton Cruise Port: Terminals, Parking and How to Get There
Southampton has five cruise terminals spread across two separate dock areas, and arriving at the wrong one on…
What Time Do Cruise Ships Arrive in Port? (And When Can You Go Ashore)
Cruise ships typically arrive in port between 7am and 9am, but the gangway opens 30 to 60 minutes…
How to Get from Rome to Civitavecchia Cruise Port (Train, Transfer and Coach)
The fastest and cheapest way from Rome to Civitavecchia cruise port is the train from Roma Termini :…
Canary Islands Port Transport Guide: Las Palmas, Santa Cruz and Arrecife
Getting from ship to shore in the Canary Islands is straightforward once you know which terminal you are…
Canary Islands Cruise Weather by Month: What to Expect and What to Pack
The Canary Islands sit close enough to the African coast to stay mild when northern Europe is cold,…
How Early Should You Return to Your Cruise Ship? (Port Day Timing Guide)
Getting your return timing right is one of the simplest ways to improve a port day. Return too…
Cold Weather Cruise Day Pack List: What to Carry Ashore
Cold-weather cruising in Norwegian fjords or shoulder-season Atlantic ports rewards those who arrive prepared — the light has…
How to Read Cruise Port Berth Info Before You Disembark
Berth assignment changes everything. Learn how to check your exact cruise berth, spot industrial-port risks, and plan realistic…
7 Cruise Port Day Money Traps (and How to Avoid Them)
A port day should be a highlight of any cruise. Here are the seven most common ways the…
Cruise Shuttle Buses Explained: When You Need Them and How to Use Them
Not all cruise ports are walkable. This practical guide explains cruise shuttle buses, costs, timing risks, and how…
Tender Ports Explained: What They Are and How to Handle Them
Some of the loveliest ports in the Mediterranean and Norway cannot take a ship alongside, so you anchor…
Cruise Packing List: Everything You Need (and What to Leave at Home)
The most common cruise packing mistake is not forgetting something — it's bringing far too much. Cruise cabins…
First Time Cruise Tips: Everything You Need to Know Before You Sail
First-time cruisers are usually surprised by two things: how quickly the ship feels like home, and how many…
Shore Excursions vs Going Independent: Which Should You Choose?
Ship excursions are convenient but expensive. Going independent can save you hundreds - if you know what you're…
Managing Money on a Cruise: What to Budget and How to Pay
Your cruise fare covers the cabin, meals, and entertainment - but the extras add up fast. Here's exactly…
Do You Need a Visa for a Cruise? The UK Traveller’s Complete Guide
Confused about cruise visas? Here's exactly what UK passport holders need to know - from Mediterranean Schengen rules…
Cruise Cabin Types Explained: Which One Should You Book?
Inside cabin or balcony? Suite or oceanview? This no-nonsense guide breaks down every cruise cabin type, what you…
Best Time to Book a Cruise: When to Get the Best Price
Few decisions change what you pay for a cruise as much as when you book, and the patterns…