Many of the on board activities were linked to the season.  Holiday songs were performed in the piano bar, sung in the pub, and played softly in the background in the wine lounge and the dining rooms.  On the cruise’s first day, the ship held a tree lighting ceremony at 9:50 PM. The place went dark and then the tree lights popped on. There were so many lights on that tree, that it lit up not just the tree, but the whole area.  For those who enjoy playing trivia and games on board, the ship offered, in addition to such usual trivia sessions as true or false trivia or 5 O’clock trivia, several holiday oriented trivia sessions like a Name that Holiday Tune and a Christmas movies visual quiz.

Remember, it’s your cruise.  You can be as active as you want to be – or not, so do it your way.  Just remember you don’t have to do something all the time. There are so many activities to choose from on board, it can be tempting to do too much.  Try to stop and smell the sea from time to time.

Think about your time – it’s valuable.  Think carefully about how long you want to be on a shore excursion before you book it.

Use the main dining room to save money and eat well. You don’t have to pay for the specialty dining restaurants to eat well.

Supply and demand rules cruising, just like any other trip.  Where you want to go and when influences cruise prices. When much of the US is shivering from winter cold, visions of a warm Caribbean sun and blue water tempt many to travel. So prices tend to go up then.  You’ll see a similar effect on the prices of cruises when schools let out for summer vacation and when most spring breaks occur.  Consider avoiding those times if possible.