CRUISIN’ WITH RAY - TIPS
12 TIPS FOR THAT TRIP OF A LIFETIME
1. Luggage. This is the traveller’s major concern. All airlines worldwide are reducing their weight allowances, especially with carry-on luggage. Case dimensions are being strictly adhered to, and gone are the days whereby you loaded up your carry-on luggage to save your checked through luggage weight. Three years ago, after the Heathrow disaster, one would see passengers who were lined up to check-in, madly having to unpack much of their carry-on items, and transfer them to another new case that then caused overweight checked through luggage and huge extra costs.
Rates of between $30 and $80 per kilogram are being charged for overweight luggage, and this can be a holiday killer and dampener before you leave home.
TOP TIP: take old clothes that you can throw away. One always arrives home with more luggage than on departure due to family needs and those special items that you just have to buy. Between holidays, stockpile your old under-clothes, such as knickers and underpants, bras and singlets, shirts and even that old jumper that has seen better days. Place them in your wardrobe and then wear on departure, wear some and take the rest on your overseas trip. Remember, on that long overseas leg, you can be in your clothes for 30 hours if coming keep on using up the oldies. It’s amazing how little you need to take away to get you home.
TOP TIP2: halve the number of clothes you think you’ll need. After many overseas trips, life’s biggest mistake is taking too much and not using some of the clothes, and then having to pay excess baggage rates. Lay out all your clothes that you want to take, then cut back to say 4 day outfits and 2 evening outfits. You can wash in between and you’ll then have space in that bag for those souvenirs and presents you have to have.
TOP TIP3: make your bag identifiable. For easier detection of your travel luggage at the arrivals carousel, place a very distinctive strap around your checked luggage or a distinctive coloured tie to the bag’s handles. Just remember, there are hundreds of bags coming onto your carousel and often they are hard to distinguish.
2. Passport. Your passport must have a minimum of 6 months at time of travel or you will not be allowed into the country you are travelling to. To allow for all contingencies, my advice is to organise a new passport 12 months in advance, because processing can take a couple of months.
3. Copies of Documents. When travelling overseas, take a photo copy of yours and your partner’s passports, credit cards, insurance policy, travellers cheques and visas, leaving a copy at home with a family relation or friend, an another copy in your luggage, separate to your actual passport and cards. That way if your passport is stolen, you still have a copy with you to speed up the process of replacement at the consulate.
4. Prescription medication. In this day and age, many of us have to carry prescription medicines, especially diabetics, who may need to have an insulin shot enroute. This requires a syringe to be taken in your carry-on luggage. You should carry an up-to-date Doctor’s certificate or letter, to cover the insulin and tablets, as every country has different health requirements and you may be detained without the proper certification. There’s a incident about a diabetic travelling recently who did not have certification for his medication, so was not allowed to take it on board the aircraft, even though he vociferously explained his medical need. Consequently he had to put his medication in his checked-in luggage, and during the flight, went into a coma. You also don’t want to be picked up for drug trafficking, so please ensure you have a Doctor’s certificate.
5. Seat Pitch. Before booking your airline seat, check your airline’s seat pitch at http://www.uk-air.net/seatpitch.htm, which is the measurement from the back of one seat to the back of the seat behind. It can differ between aircraft within an airline. Seat pitch in economy can vary from 28” to 34”, so this can make a huge different on a long haul flight. For older travellers, seat pitch becomes more important, so this is where you should look at upgrading to the ever increasing PREMIUM ECONOMY. This seat pitch varies from 36” to 40” making for a much more comfortable journey. The price different on long haul flights can mean up to 95% extra than economy, but is less than half the price of business class.
6. Disembarkation. This involves packing your case and leaving it outside your cabin the night before, so please leave the clothes you will be wearing that night and next day in the cabin.
7. Savings by Booking Early. Pre-booking your selected cruise up to 12 months in advance can result in massive savings. Often the airfare is included in the overall price, also meaning a large cost reduction.
8. Booking late. The other alternative is that while you may miss the early-bird specials and airfare inclusion, you may get large savings on unfilled seats. The only limitation is that your choice of destination may be restricted.
9. Travelling off-season. There are often cheaper prices for travelling outside peak times, which also has the added benefit of less crowds. Check pricing options for Spring/Autumn travel, or just outside the ‘shoulder’ as they call it: peak summer season eg. weather can still be warm in the Northern Hemisphere in September.
10. Size of cruise ship. Decide on the type of experience you’d like to have, as smaller ships of say 500 passengers usually offer a more personal style of service, whereas larger ships of over 1000 passengers, generally have more and larger facilities and cater for more activities.
11. Beware the onboard gift shop. Be careful about aimless buying from the gift shops on board. It is far better to buy that unique item onshore, from a new port that you are visiting.
12. Friends for life. Cruising is a way of making new friends, and life-long friendships are made in the relaxed and exciting atmosphere of exploring new cultures.