Cruise expert shares important tip to avoid ‘additional charges’ on board | Cruise | Travel

A well-known cruising personality has warned tourists against doing a number of things when they are on board a cruise ship.

Don and Heidi run the popular TikTok page @eatsleepcruise, in which they showcase some of the interesting features that can be found on board ships and give advice that can help other cruisers get the most from their holiday.

In a popular video, Don shares some of the things that tourists should never forget to do when they are on a cruise ship, stating that guests must be aware of anything that costs extra.

He explained: “Whilst a lot is included in your cruise fare, not everything is included unless you are on a luxury cruise line.

“Make sure you know what’s going to cost you more, [typically] items like the minibar, room service, laundry, alcohol and other items tend to be an additional charge on most major cruise lines.”

Whilst cruises offer a large variety of food, drinks, leisure activities and entertainment for free, tourists should never think that cruises are entirely inclusive.

Often, each ship will feature a number of speciality cafes and restaurants that offer better quality meals or service, with passengers wishing to dine there paying extra.

Cruise guests will also likely have to pay extra for alcohol and some soft drinks, however, many companies offer special packages that can avoid hidden fees and, in most cases, offer much better value for money.

However, later in the video, Don highlights that there are a lot of things tourists should never forget to do before boarding the ship, recommending that passengers-to-be download the app as soon as they book their trip.

He continued: “Once you have your cruise booked, you should download the cruise line’s app, as you need the app even if you don’t plan on purchasing the internet on the ship.

“The app lets you review your reservation, pre-book items, view deck plans, see the daily activities and more.”

Finally, Don suggested that tourists always remember to check-in to their cruise a few days before they embark, which can help to avoid hassle on the first day of their holiday and get them on board as early as possible.

He added: “About three to four days before the cruise, you’ll need to complete the online cruise check-in. Do this as soon as possible!

“This will get you the earliest port arrival time, and that way you can become one of the first cruisers on board the ship.”