I consider myself an experienced cruiser, as I take about five cruises a year. Some are short weekend cruises for a quick escape to a sunny destination, while others are seven-night cruises to several islands in the Caribbean. I also sail to non-tropical destinations. For example, this past summer I traveled to Alaska for a front-row seat to the glorious glaciers and wildlife that the bucket-list Crystal cruise line offered. I sailed on the exceptional ship Crystal Serenity. And, just last week, I stepped off the Celebrity Beyond, which exceeded my expectations. The service, food and entertainment are top-tier and I highly recommend Celebrity Cruises, especially Celebrity Beyond. As a frequent cruiser, there are specific experiences I commonly pay extra for to enhance my cruise vacation. Here’s what I feel is worth the splurge.
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A pre-cruise vacation stay
Flying in the same day of your cruise is risky due to airline delays, weather issues, airplane maintenance reasons, and many more issues that could cause your flight to arrive late or be canceled. You may think that flying in the day of your cruise can save you money, but you’ll be out a lot more money if your flight doesn’t arrive in time to board the ship before it leaves without you. So, flying in a day (or even two days) before your cruise is a better game-plan as you can board the ship with ease and experience a taste of the city where your cruise begins. For example, if you sail from Miami, flying in early allows you to experience the culture and culinary scene of Miami. I’ve stayed at the Lowes Miami Beach Hotel several times for a pre-cruise stay and it's a perfect home base while visiting South Florida. The property is beach-front, has a fabulous pool with private cabanas to rent, and a year-round children’s program. Plus, the onsite Rao’s Miami Beach restaurant is worth splurging for, too.
Onboard spa treatments
The spas on cruise ships are a destination for health, wellness and relaxation. The treatment rooms are quiet and the staff is dedicated to providing the best service and treatments possible. I’ve had several different spa treatments, from pedicures to facials to massages, and each was worth the money. Be sure to check to see if the spa has any port day specials and understand that appointments fill up on sea days so book your appointments early.
Specialty dining
Your cruise fare, in most cases, includes wonderful dining choices on board, from the main dining rooms to pool-side grills to special lunch options on sea days. It’s best to check your ship’s daily program or your app to see what’s complimentary. There’s a common theme of cruise ships offering specialty dining venues for an upscale dining experience. On my recent Celebrity Beyond sailing, I dined at Fine Cut Steakhouse, and it was a spectacular meal. I highly encourage you to try a specialty dining venue on your next cruise.
Shore excursions
Your ship’s itinerary is often the highlight of your cruise. When you arrive at your port, whether in the tropics, a town in Alaska or a city in Europe, your goals should be to explore and immerse yourself in that destination. To that point, the best way to do it is through a ship-curated shore excursion. I choose to book excursions through the ship all the time because the vendors and operators are vetted and the tour is guaranteed to get you back to the ship on time. When you book independently, if the tour runs late, and you miss “all aboard time,” you could miss the ship. Understand this: the ship won’t wait for you unless you are on a ship-operated excursion. So, my advice is to work with the ship’s shore excursion team, who are very knowledgeable, or read about the tours in advance online so you can match your interests with your vacation goals.