Tips to Elevate Your Cruise Experience
Everyone should get the opportunity to feel like a Very Important Person while on vacation and cruises makes it easy to get a VIP ambiance during your cruise. Here are some tips to feel like a VIP cruiser no matter your stateroom category or cruising history.
Book a Veranda Stateroom or Higher Category
A veranda stateroom will have you feeling like a VIP on your cruise since it gives you your own private, oceanview – make that oceanfront – balcony. Ordering room service in the morning and enjoying it on your balcony as you look out at the vast sea will make you feel like you’re in the seat of luxury.
To really feel like a VIP don’t stop just at the veranda stateroom. Other stateroom classes can get you more perks along with that balcony.
Check if your preferred cruise line has spa-class or concierge-class veranda staterooms. Spa-class guests usually get access to a spa concierge and the spa’s relaxation room, plus some healthy food perks like daily tea and fresh fruit delivery or an exclusive restaurant to dine in. Concierge-class staterooms often include access to a private concierge onboard who will help yu with dinner reservations, shore excursion planning, special deliveries in your stateroom, and more; plus, you may get extra perks like priority embarkation and debarkation
For the ultimate in VIP indulgence, book a suite. On many cruise lines, suite guests get butler service and access to an exclusive areas around the ship just for suite guests.
Become a Loyalty Member — and Cruise Often
Another way to feel like a VIP is to join the loyalty program of your favorite cruise line. As you build up your cruise trips number you’ll reach higher tier levels of the loyalty club, which come with lots of perks.
Depending on the cruise line, some of these perks include exclusive parties with the captain, private wine tastings and afternoon teas, priority embarkation, tours of the ship’s control room, and access to a private lounge on debarkation day.
Book Exclusive and Personalized Shore Excursions
The most popular shore excursions sell out early, typically before the cruise even embarks. This is especially true for ports that are limited in the number of excursions.
For example, when Celebrity Cruises sails to Dawes Glacier in the Tracy Arm Fjord Terror Wilderness, there is a very limited number of spots on an excursion where a small boat picks you up right from the ship and takes you around the Endicott Fjord for closer views of the glacier, ice bergs, and wildlife.
These spots often sell out months in advance (another reason to book your cruise early) and you will feel like quite the VIP waving to all the other people on the ship as you take off into the distance on your intimate glacier experience.
Another type of shore excursion you can do in port when available is a private, customizable shore excursion. The cruise line’s excursion team will help you put together you perfect day in port. This can include private air charters, a car and driver for a day of wine tasting, and any other special activities you dream of doing while visiting a certain destination on your cruise itinerary. This will have you feeling like a VIP traveler due to its customized nature and luxury add-ons.
Sign up for Wine Tasting Experiences
Many cruise lines offer wine tasting classes on board, which provide an intimate setting to learn more about wine while asking a certified sommelier all of your wine questions.
You’ll leave each class better equipped to pick the perfect wine to go with your meals on board — though if you’re still in doubt you can simply ask the sommelier serving your table for dinner what he or she recommends you try based on what entrée you order.
If you don’t like wine, don’t worry – there are often still plenty of other tasting opportunities on board, from craft beer to whiskey.
Choose a Set Seating Time for the Main Dining Room
By choosing one of the set seating times and eating during it each night (when you’re not dining in specialty restaurants) you’ll have the same wait staff each night. They’ll get to know you and your preferences, greet you by name, and make you feel like the most important person in the room!
Work with a Travel Agent
Booking your cruise using the services of an accredited travel agent can often get you extra perks to help you feel like a VIP. Travel agents are sometimes privy to special group promotions they can add you into that may get you onboard credit or a bottle of wine in your stateroom upon arrival, or some other fun amenity.
They also may have insider tips to help you seek out the best experiences on board and in port so you feel like a cruise insider during your vacation.
Book Your Cruise Early
Booking your cruise early has many benefits – you get to pick your first choice of location on the ship for your category of stateroom, you can start reserving shore excursions before they sell out, and you’ll have ample time to plan out the activities you want to do on board the ship. This will help you feel more like a VIP once you board.
