Sea cruises. Useful information for Norwegian Cruise Line passengers

Over the past 5-6 years, attitudes towards cruises in Russia have changed dramatically. At the very beginning of the century, 3-4 tour operators and about fifty agencies from all over Russia and neighboring countries were seriously involved in cruises, creating a kind of “club” of cruise specialists. Now all significant cruise companies have general agents in Russia, and the largest ones are introducing Russian-language service on ships. All this means that cruises are becoming clearer and closer to our tourists.

Let's first go on a “virtual cruise”, during which we will highlight all the “pitfalls” and features. Let's take some average option - without a specific route, ship and cruise company - and imagine that we are going on a sea voyage...

Before the beginning

So, the cruise has been chosen, booked and paid for. You have received a ticket for a cruise. It can look different, but usually it is a book similar to an airline ticket - only much thicker and not printed on such thin paper.

Main sections of a cruise ticket:

  • cruise itinerary, booking information (booking number), cruise voucher, check-in start time, boarding time, Contact Information cruise line and ship;
  • questionnaire (boarding form) - the simplest questions; It’s better to fill it out at home, but you can do it at the port;
  • directions on how to get to the pier, port address, general information about the port (including parking in the marine terminal building);
  • vouchers for additional services ordered through the cruise company (hotels before and after the cruise, transfers, excursions);
  • descriptions of ports, excursions and other services offered on board;
  • luggage tags for boarding.

I will not describe each section in detail - these are all common things for us, we encounter them every day. I will explain only two sections.

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Vouchers for “other” services

Please note that these vouchers will only appear if the service was booked through the cruise line. If you or your tour operator do not book through the cruise line, these vouchers will not appear on your cruise ticket. They will be issued by those from whom they were ordered - in separate documents.

Baggage tags for boarding

This is the very “sheer trifle” that can not only ruin the impression of the cruise, but make the trip terrible even for the most unpretentious. Below you will understand why, but for now I’ll just tell you what it is. This is similar to the baggage tag that is attached to luggage when checking in for a flight. It is adhesive-based and attaches to luggage handles (no need to attach it to hand luggage). On each one the following data is either already printed or must be filled in: first and last name (in Latin), date of embarkation, port of embarkation, name of the ship, cabin number. If luggage tags are not on your ticket, you need to ask your tour operator how, where and when to get them. Don't be afraid to repeat and ask: if your luggage gets lost, it's a big problem. There are usually enough tags: 4-6 per cabin.

By the way, a little advice: insure your luggage against loss and damage. Cruise companies are regulated in this matter by international agreements and pay relatively small compensation. It is clear that they will not accept the arguments that the lost suitcase was chock-full of diamonds and haute couture dresses - not counting the favorite slippers knitted by the great-grandmother, who personally saw Ilyich. Company officers will simply pay 300 EUR compensation and forget. These are the laws, because, according to claims statistics, every second lost suitcase contains all the treasures of Agra. Therefore, luggage insurance will give tourists a certain confidence and peace of mind.

Booking a flight

I’ll go back a little and give advice on booking a flight. I highly recommend choosing a flight that arrives the day before your cruise. This way you will avoid hassle in case of flight delay. This applies not only to charter flights, but also to regular ones. Not all embarkation ports are close to major airports, and sometimes it takes a couple of hours to get from the airport to the port. What if it’s just a simple traffic jam? Or, even worse, some kind of truckers' strike with road blocking? No one will be to blame, and the ship will leave without waiting for those who were late. Catching up with him costs a lot of nerves and money. Wow, the start of a vacation, isn't it?

Baggage tags for boarding are that “mere trifle” that can not only ruin the impression of the cruise, but make the trip terrible even for the most unpretentious.

The road to the ship

Let's skip a little time. We are about to leave for the port. You need to pack your luggage so that the most necessary things are included. hand luggage- with the expectation that you won’t get to your main luggage for 5-6 hours, plus travel time to the port. That is, the necessary medications, glasses, travel hygiene products, money, documents, telephones. It is not recommended to check in photo and video equipment, laptops and other high-tech, fragile and expensive items.

After your luggage is packed, you need to remove the luggage tags left over from the air flight and attach the cruise tags. It is important to do this just before boarding the transfer, so that you do not have to do this “on your knees” in the crowd at the passenger terminal.

Everything is ready - let's go to the port! It's time to describe what the port's passenger terminal is like during the day when boarding ships. The Large Passenger Terminal is a huge structure: it can simultaneously accommodate up to 15 passenger ships with a total capacity of no less than 20-25 thousand people. And since it is somehow not customary to start or end a voyage at night, this number of passengers leaves the ship (and the same number lands) during daylight hours. Disembarkation usually takes place from 9:00 to 13:00, and boarding from 14:00 to 17:00. At the same time, immigration and customs regulations, safety standards adopted in the port and on ships are observed. From the outside it may seem like chaos, but in fact everything is very intelligently organized.

Let's start by disembarking from the car at the terminal building. In some cases, you won't even need to remove your luggage from a taxi or bus luggage compartment. The driver simply opens it, and the baggage handlers immediately take the luggage and carry it on their way. You will now see your things only in the cabin in a few hours.

So, no luggage tags

Now imagine that there are no tags on the suitcases. Where will they take him? The “happiest” case is that they will leave it where they notice that there are no tags. That is, in the terminal. Then it will be easy to find him in the “lost and found” room. What if, out of simplicity, they are thrown onto another ship? Here you are on a ship setting sail, anticipating several days of happiness and not suspecting that your things (yes, those very favorite slippers too!) are floating away in the opposite direction. Or maybe not in the opposite way... but definitely not on your ship. When you realize that it’s time to put on your slippers, but there’s still no luggage, and you inform the staff about this, the real chaos begins: searching for luggage in the terminal, looking at all the ships that departed that same day from this port, then working out options - how to transport them to your ship as soon as possible. But the ship is not waiting for your luggage, it has a route and it follows it: every day there is a new port. And you’re still barefoot, and you can’t sunbathe, work out, or go to an appointment with the captain: after all, the only clothes you have are jeans and the T-shirt you wore to the port. What kind of vacation is there: you sit in the cabin and leave with a sad expression on your face just to eat, devoting all your free time to compiling a list of untimely lost family heirlooms.

The whole nightmare that I described happens extremely rarely precisely because tourists know the importance of such a “trifle” as a luggage tag. So be careful!

What should those who were not given luggage tags along with their ticket do? With a firm hand, you remove the loader from your own suitcases and go into the station building, along the way looking out for employees in uniforms with the emblem of your cruise company. There are usually a lot of these girls and boys in the drop-off area: they will happily give you the required number of unfilled tags. Or they take you to the place where they are. You fill out the tags (name of the ship, first and last name of the tourist, departure date, cabin number - all in Latin) and give your luggage to the loaders. That's it, you can forget about your luggage: it will be delivered to the door of your cabin after the ship departs.

Now we need to solve the following problem: find a registration place for your ship among this sea of ​​​​people. There are two options: don't let the employee go and ask him to take you to the check-in area, or look for signs with your ship's name that will point the way to the coveted check-in counters. By the way, next to them there is always a counter with staff for contacts with passengers of the cruise company (“Guest Relations” or “Information”). Here they will help you resolve any issues: the same tags, they will issue you a ticket if they did not have time to send it to you before you leave your homeland, and much more.

It's time to check in for the cruise.

To do this, you will need a passport and a cruise ticket. And if you pay for everything with a credit card, then the “credit card” itself. Tip: One credit card is registered per stateroom, so make sure you have enough money on it in advance to cover all your expenses on your upcoming cruise. Each counter registers specific cabin numbers. Find yours and get in line, you will be registered for the ship. There is no point in describing the procedure: you just hand over the documents - that’s all. As a result, your ticket and passport are returned to you and you receive your boarding time and cruise card. What it is? The passage of four thousand people must be regulated, therefore, depending on the time of registration, you are assigned a “corridor” (usually half an hour) when you must pass the immigration checkpoint and go to the ship. The cruise card is one of the two most important documents on a cruise. This card is both a means of payment on board and boarding pass(similar to an airplane), and a magnetic key to your cabin.

From the moment of registration to the moment of boarding, a significant amount of time can pass - up to two hours. What to do at this time? You can sit in the terminal, drink coffee and have a snack. You can go out into the city and stroll along the nearby streets. It usually turns out that you can’t really see the city of embarkation and the city of disembarkation, even if you arrived a day earlier - there is simply not enough time. Now some cruise lines charge passenger terminals into their own management and rebuild them in order to provide additional services waiting. These include business clubs, children's clubs, cafes and restaurants. Sometimes animation teams from ships can even perform shows in the terminal building. But there are still very few such ports.

Immigration control

When your boarding time arrives, you head to immigration. The procedure is routine and simple. Then you go out onto the gangway leading to the door to the ship and stand in a long line of your future shipmates. Waiting in this line may seem very tedious and unpleasant, but experienced “cruisers” find its charm in it. After all, here you can calmly take a closer look at who you will spend your vacation with on board the ship and even make your first acquaintances.

The final hurdle when entering the ship is the ship's security - the most stringent procedure. There is no need to describe it, you just need to do what the security officer asks clearly and without delay. If everyone starts doing this, the line will go as quickly as possible. Here you will need a cruise card, a passport and yourself to take photographs for the ship's passenger database.

First hours on board

Now you are on board: almost all the formalities are behind you, only little things remain. First of all, go to the “reception” and give your passport. The “Reception” is located next to the passage from the corridor from the entrance: it is very difficult to pass by. While you are on board the ship, your passport must be at the “reception” desk. This is due to the rules for the so-called “cleaning” of the ship by immigration and customs authorities upon arrival at each new port along the cruise route. After all, every exit or entry of a ship into a port is a border crossing: even if you are in Naples today and Palermo tomorrow, you are crossing the border. If your passport is in the appropriate service of the ship, then your presence when examining documents when entering the port is not required. Immigration officers at the port communicate not with each individual passenger, but with the officer in charge, and you don’t even notice these formalities. There are some exceptions, but they are extremely rare. For example, in Tunisia, citizens of the Russian Federation do not need a visa at all, but the immigration officer must verify your identity, so you must personally approach him with your passport - he will check the photo, and you can go ashore.

However, you still need an identification document when you are on shore. Different cruise companies solve this issue in two different ways. Or a copy of the passport is made (the first page with a photo) and certified with the ship’s seal. Such a document is a legitimate identification document in all countries in accordance with international law. Or, every time you go ashore, you pick up your passport from the “reception”, and upon returning to the ship you hand it back.

Now you are on board: almost all the formalities are behind you, only little things remain. First of all, go to the “reception” and give your passport.

Table number and food

The last formality: you need to get your table number and a change of food. A change of meal plan is usually indicated when booking, but sometimes you can change it on the spot if you wish, by talking with the restaurant administrator, who during boarding is either at the “reception” or at a table nearby. A little about the shift and the table - this only applies to dinners in the main restaurant of the ship. The first shift is usually from 19:30 to 20:00, the second from 20:00 to 21:30, but depending on the season and region, the time may vary. You are assigned to a specific table for the entire cruise. I would like to draw your attention separately: this rule applies only to dinners and only in the main restaurant. You can have breakfast and lunch at any time in any open restaurant. Ships usually have at least three restaurants:

  • the main a la carte restaurant, which serves lunch and dinner;
  • buffet restaurant " Buffet» - breakfasts, lunches, afternoon snacks, sometimes dinners and “midnight” buffets are served there;
  • an alternative a la carte restaurant serving dinner and sometimes lunch.

A few words about the alternative restaurant. This is a small restaurant with a menu of more than High Quality than basically. Often such restaurants are supervised by chefs with Michelin stars or some famous restaurants. The level of service in this restaurant is noticeably higher than in the main restaurant, and the dishes are close to the standards of “haute cuisine”. Meals there, as well as in the main and buffet restaurants, are free (except for drinks), but to dine at an alternative restaurant, you need to reserve a table. The cost of ordering a table is approximately 20 EUR per person. You can book a table either immediately upon boarding with the administrator, or later at the “reception”, or in the restaurant itself. Of course, the sooner you do this, the more likely you will get a seat at a time convenient for you.

So, now we are on a cruise, a full-fledged vacation has begun. The first step is to inspect your personal territory of the ship - the cabin.

Cabins

Modern cruise ships are huge: they are not even hotels on the water, but entire resorts. On which one could easily get lost if the cruise companies did not take care of this in advance. This care is manifested in everything: at every corner of the corridor, at the exit from the stairs, near and inside the elevators, the passenger will find directional signs, a list of rooms that are on the deck and even deck plans. The first digits of the cabin number are the serial number of the living deck, starting from the lowest. All we need is to get to the elevator or stairs and go up to our deck. Then you just need to follow the signs.

Cabins on a ship can be divided into four types:

  • interior cabins without windows (can be located on all decks);
  • external cabins with a window (usually located on the lower decks of the ship);
  • external cabins with a balcony are located on the upper decks for reasons of safety and convenience - not only do they not reach the waves, but practically no splashes from them reach them;
  • All kinds of suites are also located on the upper decks, mostly they also have a balcony.

The suites are very diverse - there is no point in describing each in detail, I just want to draw attention to one important detail: no matter what the suite is called, it is not at all a fact that it will have a door between the living room and the bedroom. When choosing a suite for your VIP client, carefully review the cabin layout or check with the operator whether the suite's rooms are separated by a door rather than just a partition. Otherwise, embarrassment is possible when a married couple travels with a child, but it is not possible to have complete privacy in the cabin.

Inside the cabin

All cabins are divided into two rooms (we are not talking about suites): a living area and a bathroom with shower. It is very rare to find a bathroom in ordinary cabins: now it is almost always replaced by a shower. There is always soap, shampoo and various towels in the bathroom. In rated cruise companies, bathroom amenities are from well-known brands (for example, Bvlgary), and the set may not be limited to soap and shampoo.

I’ll tell you a little more about the beds. There are always two of them, but don’t be afraid: they are, as they call it now, “convertible”. That is, if the configuration is not suitable and you need to convert a double bed into a twin bed, or vice versa, just ask the steward, and this will happen within 10 minutes. Also in the living space there is a dressing table with a table, a couple of chairs or armchairs and another small tea table. Modern requirements The cabins include a slightly larger living area, so on new ships there is also a sofa in the cabin. The balconies are spacious enough for two people: there is a small table and two chairs or sun loungers (most often plastic). Cabins are always equipped with a telephone, TV and hairdryer.

Over the past five years, cruise companies, in the face of increased competition, have been improving their equipment in every possible way during the planned renovation of cabins. They install modern LCD TVs and DVD players, equip cabins with connectors for the Internet, and purchase bedding from well-known brands (for example, Frette). So the cabins are becoming more comfortable and modern from year to year.

Modern cruise ships are huge: they are not even hotels on the water, but entire resorts. On which one could easily get lost if the cruise companies did not take care of this in advance.

The cabins (with the exception of suites) can accommodate up to four people. That is, two main beds and a maximum of two additional ones. Extra beds can be designed differently: this is either a folding bed (like those on trains), or a sliding sofa, or even (in extreme cases) a folding bed. But there are also cabins that do not provide additional beds. When booking a cabin for three or four passengers, the cruise line may refuse accommodation in one cabin and offer accommodation in two cabins. This depends on the availability of cabins that provide such accommodation. The ships have a number of cabins connected by an interior door, but they are quite small.

Your cabin will be cleaned by the same steward throughout your cruise. During boarding, he tries to get to know all “his” passengers at the moment when they first get into their cabin. If he didn’t come up to you right away, it means he was simply busy with other passengers and will soon come to meet you - after all, he has several cabins in his area of ​​responsibility. Moreover, the higher the class of the cruise company, the fewer cabins are served by one steward - which means he does it more efficiently. You will find out your steward's name from the card on the table in front of the mirror in your cabin.

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On a cruise

There, in a special folder, you will find a huge amount of materials that will help you during the cruise: flyers and booklets of restaurants, shops, casinos, prices for spa services and beauty salons, a ship plan, a list of telephone numbers and - most importantly - the cruise newspaper . What is this cruise newspaper and why is it so important? This is an information sheet (usually four pages long) in which passengers will find important information about life on the ship for the next 24 hours. The “editorial” contains information - what time and where the ship arrives, when it departs, contact information of agents in the port, short description port moorings and possible excursions, important information from the captain. On the second and third pages there is a schedule of events for animators, performances by artists and musicians, work of restaurants, shops, casinos, beauty salons, children's and youth clubs, and sporting events. It is this information that will help passengers plan their day with the greatest benefit and get the most out of the cruise. The last page contains contact information for all ship services: from room service to the first aid station. This newspaper will be delivered to your cabin every evening.

Well, now we can have lunch! The best place to do this is at the buffet restaurant on one of the upper decks. In this restaurant you can usually take a table both indoors and on the deck open to the sea air.

After lunch, it's time to start exploring the ship. Walk along the upper decks, admire the view of the port from the sea, walk along the closed decks and find the main or most interesting rooms of the ship: bars and lounges, theaters, spas, gym, children's clubs, library, internet cafe and, of course , the heart of the ship is the central atrium. The interior of the ship sometimes amazes first-time passengers so much that they take their breath away: they never expect to see such luxury and beauty on a ship. All interior spaces of modern ships are designed by the world's leading architects and designers, and cruise companies give them complete creative freedom. Sometimes ships are even turned into art galleries, decorated with original works: paintings, sculptures, installations.

Exercises

At the very beginning of every cruise there is one mandatory event - evacuation drills. Perhaps this is the only responsibility of passengers, but at the same time it becomes the first entertainment on board. At a special sound signal, all passengers go to their cabins, take out and put on life jackets and go to their place on the boat deck. These exercises involve everyone on the ship: both the crew and the passengers (even those from the most expensive suites). Crew members assist passengers by directing them to their meeting point on the boat deck. Upon arrival, the safety instructor informs passengers about what needs to be done in the event of an emergency. emergency. Unfortunately, he does this in one language - usually English. At the end of the briefing (the whole event takes about half an hour), everyone returns to the cabin and leaves their vests there. This event may at first glance seem offensively obligatory and boring, but in fact it is not. Passengers get to know their cabinmates, take pictures in a red life jacket - in general, have as much fun as they can. And at the end of the exercises, they enjoy the mesmerizing spectacle of the ship leaving the port.

At the very beginning of every cruise there is one mandatory event - evacuation drills. Perhaps this is the only responsibility of passengers, but at the same time it becomes the first entertainment on board.

Evening and first dinner

Evening comes, and life gradually flows from the open decks into the enclosed spaces of the ship. Evening life begins: shops and casinos open, tables in bars fill up, performances by artists begin in lounges and theaters. This is the time when passengers find the most cozy places, make acquaintances and begin to feel the rhythm of life on the ship. Open decks are transformed from places full of life and energy into romantic corners where it is so pleasant to spend a little time in the fresh sea air, listening to the cries of seagulls and admiring the moonlit path.

Before dinner, it's time to sit for a while at the bar, drink a cocktail or coffee, and listen to pleasant music. The first dinner usually takes place against the background of some fatigue caused by the journey and the new sensations received on board. Restaurant staff at the first dinner try not to burden passengers with any strong impressions: it’s just dinner. After dinner, you can sit a little longer in your favorite bar or take another walk under the stars on the upper open decks.

First day

The first full day on board can be spent relaxing: order breakfast in your cabin and watch the ship enter the port from your own balcony. And after breakfast, take care of your own health: visit the gym, play tennis or basketball, or enjoy the spa. Before lunch - sunbathe and swim in the pool under bright sun. Moreover, during layovers, most passengers go ashore and there are plenty of free sun loungers near the pools. You can have lunch both in the main a la carte restaurant and in the buffet restaurant.

If the time the ship stays in the port allows, you can go out into the city on your own and take a short walk not far from the port, visiting small shops and sitting in a cafe overlooking your ship.

You can, of course, have dinner in the city, but, firstly, this will cost extra money, and, secondly, you can miss the captain’s reception and the gala dinner, which take place that very evening.

At the captain's reception, the ladies put on their evening dresses, and the men wear formal suits and go to the main theater of the ship. At the entrance to the theater they are greeted personally by the captain, and the “cruisers” have the opportunity to take a photo with him as a souvenir. In the theater, passengers will be offered free simple drinks, and the captain from the stage will introduce his closest assistants from the crew: the ship's senior officers, the hotel director (after all, the liner is, in fact, a hotel for passengers), the cruise director (he is responsible for all entertainment and animation on board) and a chef. Depending on the personality of the captain, this performance can take the form of a show, but still, frankly speaking, most often it is a formal presentation of key people from the ship's crew, repeated by the captain in several languages.

At the captain's reception, the ladies put on their evening dresses, and the men wear formal suits and go to the main theater of the ship.

After the reception, everyone goes to dinner, where a special menu is offered and the atmosphere of a dinner party is created: ladies in evening dresses and men in elegant suits conduct small talk, continue acquaintances and talk about first impressions. After dinner, a gala performance takes place in the main theater, which is not worth missing, because in this show the artists show the best of their repertoire. This is truly an enchanting performance.

This official event may frighten some people so much that they want to give up cruising altogether. But in reality it is optional. Cruise ships are huge, and you can spend this evening in such a way that you will not even notice that all these special events are happening at all. You can dine in both the buffet restaurant and an alternative restaurant. And everyone will be allowed into the gala show, not just guests in evening dresses.

You can continue the evening in the lounge (a quieter option), in the casino (for gambling people) or at the disco. By this moment, certain companies have already formed, and on this festive evening they become more and more united, joint plans arise for the next days and, most likely, it is this company that you will mainly communicate with for the rest of the cruise.

Second day

You can start the next morning with breakfast in your cabin or at the buffet restaurant with new friends. Spending two days in a row on board means not seeing new cities. Therefore, we will spend the second day on the shore.

The ship offers a very solid set of excursions in each port: from ordinary half-day sightseeing tours of a port city to multi-hour excursions to cities quite distant from your port. These can be not only excursions in the usual sense of the word, but also trips to the beach to snorkel or just sunbathe on the sand. Or, for example, golf tours, yachting, rafting. It is recommended to book some excursions in advance, perhaps even when booking a cruise, because while there are always plenty of seats on buses, yachts are booked in advance by cruise companies and the number of seats on them is limited.

You can combine an organized excursion and independent walk around town. Go shopping, sit in local restaurants and cafes, feel the atmosphere inherent in this place. And this is almost impossible to do on an organized excursion. In general, you can spend the whole day on shore, except perhaps to save money by returning on board for lunch.

Since the description of a full-fledged cruise lasting at least a week will take up a lot of space, we will assume that the evening coming after the second day is our last night on a cruise.

On the last evening, events are organized on the ship so that passengers will forever remember their cruise. These include sales in shops on board, where gold and silver chains are sold not by weight, but by length, and carnivals, where not only the ship's animators participate, but also the passengers themselves, and another gala dinner in the main restaurant with a waiter show and cooks. In general, extravaganza and fun. It is difficult to describe in words, but must be felt through personal experience.

On the last evening, events are organized on the ship so that passengers will forever remember their cruise.

Last hours on the ship

The cruise ends and passengers must prepare to go ashore. Luggage tags will be brought to your cabin in the evening. These tags indicate the time at which passengers disembark. If this time does not suit you - for example, you are in a hurry to transfer to the airport or, conversely, you have nowhere to rush and want to sleep longer, go to your steward and ask to change the disembarkation time. This will not create any problems for him.

When choosing a cruise, the first thing you need to pay attention to is the route and duration of stays at the ports of destination. From this article you will find out how much free time you will have on shore during the ship's stay, how disembarkation and embarkation occurs, what you need to take with you ashore, and also what to do if you are suddenly late for the ship. First things first.

Every day a newspaper is brought to the cabin, which contains information about the berth for the next day. For example, it will say:

Arrival- 08:00
Departure- 19:00
All aboard - 18:30

This means that the ship arrives at the port at 8 am, departs at 19:00, and everyone on board must be at 18:30. Before leaving the ship there is always a sign indicating the time for passengers and staff. Be sure to pay attention to it, because... The times in the newspaper and on the sign may not match.

At intermediate ports, disembarkation takes place on a first-come, first-served basis, with the exception of those who go on an excursion from the company, they are collected at bars/theater in certain time and they go ashore in an organized manner. When leaving the ship, you must present your ship card; the security officer registers it using a special device connected to the port police computer. After this you can go ashore.

When the liner arrives at the port, you can expect to be released ashore within half an hour. We recommend returning to the ship 1.5 hours before departure. Thus, if the ship departs at 19:00, plan to be on the ship as early as 17:30. Be sure to consider how far the ship is from the terminal, if it’s far away, whether a shuttle runs to it, how far the terminal is from the city, etc. Upon returning to the ship, you must present your ship ID and go through a metal detector.

Tender landing

The ship anchors at sea and delivers passengers one by one to the shore using a tender (boat or ship's dinghy). Whether you need to get disembarkation numbers and whether you can get them in advance depends on the ship. On some there is a live queue, on others the numbers are issued only before leaving, on others you can get them in advance (in the morning before disembarking). Where and at what time is indicated in the daily newspaper the day before. First of all, those who have purchased excursions on board are delivered ashore, and then everyone else. During a tender landing, the ship usually arrives at the port earlier and the boats are launched in advance. Please note what time the last tender departs for the ship. This time may be half an hour earlier than All aboard time.


What to take with you ashore

When going to the port, we recommend taking with you the minimum amount of cash required for the day, a photocopy of your passports and a credit card with a limit sufficient to catch up with the ship by plane or train in the next port if you are late. We leave the other card in the safe. If the only thing of interest in the port is the beach, just take the ship’s map, then you can safely swim together at the same time. Nobody needs the card except you.

What to do if you are late for the plane

If suddenly you are late for the ship, stuck in a traffic jam on the way to the port, or your train is delayed, be sure to report this by calling the phone number indicated on the ship's map. Whether the ship will wait for late passengers depends on a large number of factors, including the port schedule, the number of passengers who are late and the mood of the captain.

If suddenly the ship has left, then before catching up with it at the next port (it’s good if you were late in Genoa, and the next port on the way is Naples), you need to arrive at the port and get your passport (if it was taken away upon landing, then before sailing it will be taken out and will be left to the port agent) by contacting the port agent whose telephone number is listed in the daily newspaper.

It is unknown whether the passport left in the safe will be taken out, although such cases have occurred. You can read more about how to act in this situation in our previous article.

What documents are required when traveling?

Tourist going on a trip to sea ​​cruise, must have with you:
- a foreign passport, which must contain the necessary visas;
- travel voucher;
- medical insurance policy.

How do you board the ship?

1. Boarding usually begins at noon at the port of departure. All passengers must arrive at the seaport no later than 2 hours before departure
THE LINER DOES NOT WAIT FOR LATE PEOPLE!
A late passenger is considered a no-show for boarding and therefore his booking is cancelled. If you fail to show up at the port, a fine of 100% of the cost of the cruise will be imposed and the money for the cruise will not be refunded under any circumstances.

2. Luggage is checked in at the port and delivered to your cabin. You must first stick on luggage tags with your name and cabin number (they will be included in the package of your documents). Tip for baggage delivery is approximately $2 per item, paid when checking in the baggage.

3. After completing customs and border formalities, the tourist surrenders his passport (for the duration of the cruise) in exchange for a Travel Card, which will subsequently serve as your identification document.

4. Each cabin contains information about the location of services, a plan chart of the ship, and a telephone directory of various services on the ship. 5. Before departure there is usually a “Drill”, you can take a life jacket and take part in the drill.

What is "PURSER S DESK"

This is your banker, postman, customs and passport service at the same time, i.e. guest service (similar to "Reception" in a hotel), helping passengers obtain information on all issues.

What clothes should I take with me?

How are expenses paid on board?

Due to customs laws, cash payments are not accepted on board the ship. For the convenience of payments during the cruise, all your additional expenses (on board the ship) will be credited to your Super Charge card, with which you can make purchases in shops on board the ship, purchase tickets for shore excursions, take part in a lottery, order alcoholic drinks and cocktails in bars, pay for visits to beauty salons, a hairdresser, a massage room, photography, laundry and dry cleaning services. Casino chips and tokens are purchased with cash. An account will be opened in your name and all you have to do to pay expenses is present your card and sign checks. The day before the end of the cruise, you will be presented with an invoice indicating your expenses on board the ship, which will need to be paid in cash (or by credit card) in the morning from 6.00 to 7.00 on the day of arrival of the ship. A tourist must always have a Super Charge card with him, since it is also a pass to the ship.

How to book shore excursions?

On the day of embarkation, you will find a special order form for shore excursions in your cabin; if desired, you must fill it out and submit it to the special “Shore excursion” desk, where you can obtain information about the offered excursions at the ports of call and purchase tickets. The cost of excursions is not included in the price of the tour. Tourists who do not wish to take part in excursions can independently manage their time in the port.

Is there a doctor on board the ship?

Each ship has a qualified doctor and nurses on board who work around the clock in case of emergency. Medical services provided on board are paid additionally.

What can you order for your cabin?

In the cabin, for your convenience, there are non-alcoholic drinks, which are paid additionally. You can contact Guest Services at any time of the day or night and order an extra pillow, blanket, snacks for your cabin and much, much more. Drinks (juice, coffee) and snacks listed in the Room Service menu are served in the cabin free of charge (a tip of $2-5 is required).

How does disembarkation from the ship take place?

The day before the end of the cruise, customs declarations and luggage tags will be delivered to your cabin, which must be filled out. Luggage tags - remember YOUR color! Filled luggage tags are placed on suitcases and bags, and the luggage is placed in the corridor until 23.00. On the day of arrival at the port, you must pay using your Super Charge card (before 7.00 am), submit a completed customs declaration (around 9.00 am) and receive a passport (Pursers desk), please leave the cabin key in the cabin. You will receive your luggage at the port, guided by the color of the luggage tag.

Information provided by the company Breeze Line ,
section sponsor

I have dreamed of going on a ship cruise since childhood. Probably since my aunt talked about her trip on the ship “Admiral Nakhimov” on the Black Sea.

End of the cruise. Disembarkation from the ship

Our cruise ended in Venice. I’ll tell you how the disembarkation of a large number of people with things from the ship was organized.

Anyone who needed a transfer had to arrange it in advance at the travel agency on deck 6. You could also take a tour of Venice.

The night before we found luggage tags in our cabin. They had to be attached to the handles of suitcases, and the suitcases themselves had to be put out the door before midnight. Accordingly, what you needed for the night and morning (washing utensils, for example) then went into your hand luggage.

The tags for each cabin were a specific color. Each color had its own unloading time. Let's say our tags were green. The Greens were supposed to unload at 10 am.

They brought us the bill along with the tags. On the advice of the experienced Kirill, I did not wait until the morning when the queue formed, but went to the reception early, around 7. There were 5 people in line.

I deposited 250 euros (the amount for two people). The bill, in addition to the drinks we took on the ship, included services of 8.50 per day per person, a total of 119 for 7 days, and 2 euros to the UNISEF fund.

They say you can refuse to pay the service fee (i.e. tip) and ask to be removed from the bill, and our cruise friend was going to do just that, but we paid everything that was billed. They gave me the difference.

The cabins had to be vacated at 8 a.m. (arrival time at the port was 9 a.m.). We went to have breakfast on deck 13 at the Sahara Cafe. True, our breakfast turned out to be crumpled, as the ship entered the Venetian Lagoon, and we quickly swallowed something and ran to the open deck to admire the scenery.

After we entered the port, we still had an hour before disembarking. On deck 7 at the Internet cafe we ​​picked up our passports. The magnetic cards from the cabin remained as souvenirs for us. Where to go, why and in what order - this is all suggested at the reception.

Having received their passports, people went to the Royal Theater. A fair number of people had gathered in the theater and neighboring bars. We sat there for a while, and then went back up to deck 13, had a final coffee, and by 10 we went back down to the theater. Our “green” color just went. We left the ship, went through a transparent pipe to the port, and there, in the building, our suitcases with green tags were piled up.

We grabbed our luggage, waved goodbye to our houseboat and headed to Venice.

Concluding the description of the cruise, I would like to say that I liked this method of travel. Comfortable and educational. I was expecting something extraordinary. Nothing unusual happened. But it's still great. It’s good that there is an opportunity to join a beautiful life for little money. Everyone should have their own “Mikhail Svetlov”.

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A few tips to help you always feel comfortable on board the ship

BEFORE YOU TRAVEL

When going on an international sea cruise, we advise you to check whether you have forgotten:
a) a foreign passport, which must contain the necessary visas along the route;
b) cruise ticket;
c) medical insurance policy;
d) good mood….

ATTENTION! THE LINER DOES NOT WAIT FOR LATE PEOPLE!

The remaining tourists bear full financial and moral responsibility for the consequences arising from their delay in the departure of the ship.

2. Please note that luggage is checked in at the port and delivered to your cabin (recommended tip for luggage delivery is approximately $2 per item, paid when checking in your luggage - optional). At your discretion, you may not check your luggage and deliver it to your cabin yourself (unless prohibited by the rules of the cruise company).

3. During customs and border formalities, you hand over your passport employees of the ship's emigration service (during the cruise), board the ship, and are accommodated in a cabin (the cabin number is indicated on the cruise ticket). At the end of the cruise (on the last or penultimate day after the closure of the onboard account)
DON'T FORGET TO PICK UP YOUR PASSPORT AT THE RECEPTION!

4. Each cabin contains information about the location of services, a map of the ship, and a telephone directory of various services on the ship. Each cabin is equipped with a toilet, shower, air conditioning, telephone, TV.
Before sailing, a “drill drill” is always carried out. Attendance is required. You must take a life jacket and take part in this activity.

SECURITY
As a precautionary measure, security may screen the passenger and seize any items that, in the Company's opinion, may pose a danger to passengers, crew or the aircraft. Passengers are not allowed to bring any drinks or unpacked food on board in their luggage. On-board personnel have the right to confiscate them and will return them the day before disembarkation from the liner.

DURING A CRUISE

1. Every day you will receive a program in your cabin with a detailed indication of the place, time and content of the events on board the ship, the air and water temperature, as well as general information about the city/port of call, recommendations for choosing clothing, behavioral characteristics, etc.

2. We strongly ask you to take care of the safety of your luggage. It is recommended to store valuables and money in safes.

On board NCL liners there are: at least 2 swimming pools, you can also use a jacuzzi, beauty and SPA salons, a massage room, a hairdresser, a library, a slot machine hall, a casino, several restaurants and bars, a disco, duty-free shops, a theater. , children's entertainment center and much, much more...

YOUR WARDROBE
You can choose clothes completely at your own discretion, as is convenient for you, because you are on vacation...However, if you want to attend special events, take pictures with the Captain, go to an exclusive restaurant, we recommend taking several formal outfits with you. Evening and cocktail dresses are recommended for ladies, and a suit for men.

ADDITIONAL COSTS ON BOARD AND THEIR PAYMENT
The price of your cruise includes meals on board the ship (except for alcoholic and bottled drinks) in the main restaurants (Main Restaurants), 24-hour cafe (Snack and Fast Food), and at the Buffet Restaurant. In exclusive restaurants (Asian, Japanese, French, Steakhouse, Italian, etc.) a table reservation fee is charged (from $15 to $25/person), after which you can eat there for free as much as you like. Exceptions include drinks and some special dishes.

CURRENCY ON BOARD NCL LINERS – US DOLLARS
The price also includes use of the gym, swimming pools, sauna (on some ships), entertainment program, port fees and duties.
We recommend that you take money with you for your personal expenses: purchases at ports of call and payment for additional services on board the ship (Spa, hair salon, bar, etc.). note , that a service charge is automatically added to some services in bars and shops on the ship (for example, for drinks in a bar - 15%, for SPA services - 18%). Since this is the norm on cruise ships, but for Russian tourists a little unclear, please consider this immediately as + to the cost of the service. Those. Seeing the price for a glass of wine on the menu, for example, for 5 dollars, consider it real price immediately as 5 dollars + 15%.

1. Cashless payment of expenses on board.
During the cruise, all your additional expenses (on board the ship) will be credited to your card Sea Pass, since according to customs laws cash payments are not accepted on board the ship. For the convenience of payments on board, all passengers receive a so-called credit card upon check-in. Sea Pass.

What is a card SEA PASS?

    Credit card on the ship(using this card you can make purchases in shops on board the ship, purchase tickets for shore excursions, take part in a lottery, order alcoholic drinks and cocktails in bars, pay for visits to a beauty salon, hairdresser, massage parlour, photography, laundry and dry cleaning services. Casino chips and tokens are purchased with cash.)

    Pass to the liner(the card shows the name of the cruise company, the name of the ship, your last and first name, cabin, the date of your cruise, as well as the ship’s emergency phone number).

    Your ID for the duration of the cruise(your last name and first name are indicated on the card)

    The key to your cabin.

This credit card must be activated on the day of the cruise by presenting the card and signing at the Cash DEPOSIT or Pursers desk. After this, an account will be opened in your name, and all you need to do to pay expenses is present your card and sign checks. To avoid misunderstandings, please keep your receipts until the end of your cruise. The day before the end of the cruise, you will be presented with an invoice indicating your expenses on board the ship.
If you choose, you can register your credit card upon boarding the ship at the start of your cruise. In this case, all your expenses will be debited from it automatically. At the end of the cruise you just need to reconcile the accounts. ATTENTION ! When registering your credit card the cruise line may automatically block the amount you spend on board at double the amount for reinsurance. The amount will be released within 1-3 weeks after the end of your cruise (depending on the bank servicing your card). Please take this into account in order to avoid any unpleasant situations that may be associated with this.

A tourist must always have a Sea Pass card with him, as it is both a pass to the ship and an identification document during the cruise.

2. Tips.
This is the norm all over the world, since 90% of the salary of service personnel comes from tips.
The tip amount per person is about $13/night (for cabins without a window, with a window, a balcony and a mini-suite) and about $15/night/person for a suite. Tips are automatically debited from your onboard account.

SERVICES ON BOARD
Every evening, your steward will deliver a daily bulletin to your cabin, letting you know about all of tomorrow's events and services on board. On some liners, during the Russian group on board, these bulletins are printed in Russian. If a Russian-language newspaper has not been delivered to you, CHECK AT THE RECEPTION OR LOOK AT THE RECEPTION (TO THE RIGHT OR LEFT OF THE RECEPTION, AS A RULE, THERE ARE NEWSPAPERS IN DIFFERENT LANGUAGES). The program indicates the opening hours of the restaurants, their location (number and part of the deck: FWD - bow, MID - middle, AFT - stern).

1. Shore excursions.
On the day of embarkation, there will be a special form in your cabin - an order for shore excursions (on English language), if desired, it must be filled out and submitted to a special “Shore excursion” counter, where you can obtain information about the offered excursions at the ports of call and purchase tickets. The cost of excursions is not included in the cost of the cruise. The ship offers excursions in English and sometimes (if there is enough room) a large number of those who wish) – in other languages. Before entering port, the Cruise Director and Lecturer talk about local attractions and excursions offered on board, as well as shopping and bargain shopping(see information in daily programs). Tourists who do not wish to participate in excursions can explore the port of call on their own or remain on the ship.
Excursions in Russian are organized when a minimum group of tourists is recruited and are formed by the tour operator. Ask your travel agent about the availability of Russian groups for a particular cruise.

2. Medical services.
Each of the company's ships has a qualified doctor and nurses on board in case of emergency. Medical services provided on board are paid additionally.
Some people who are sensitive to the slightest vibration of the ship can use special pills for motion sickness (ask a steward or at the reception, explaining that you need “sea-sick pills”).

3. Laundry and dry cleaning services.
L NCL's tanks are equipped with laundry and dry cleaning services. You only need to fill out the order form before 9.00 am (it is in your cabin) and give it to the steward along with your things in a plastic bag. Your order will be completed the same day (usually a 50% rush surcharge applies) or the next day. (The price list and plastic bag for things are located in the desk drawer of your cabin).

4. Duty free shops.
On board the ships there are duty-free shops, where, as a rule, goods of world famous brands, souvenirs with NCL symbols, tobacco products, alcoholic beverages (except in some regions), clothing, perfumes and cosmetics, jewelry, and medicines are widely represented. Shops on board are only open when the ship is at sea in accordance with international customs regulations.

PURCHASED ALCOHOL IS STORED IN THE STORE'S STORAGE ROOMS UNTIL THE END OF THE CRUISE!

5. International telephone, telefax, telex.
While the ship is moving, you can use the services of international telephone communication (from the cabin), fax or telex communication (from the ship's radio station). While the ship is in port, you can use local communication systems. The cost of an international phone call from the ship is on average $15 per minute (check in advance).

6. Sauna, massage center, beauty salon.
On board the ship there is a sauna, massage center and beauty salon. Services are provided for an additional fee. If you would like to use these services, we recommend scheduling an appointment in advance. On class liners Sun, Dawn and Jewel There is also a free sauna.

7. Services in the cabin.
For your convenience, the cabin includes non-alcoholic drinks, which are paid additionally.
You can contact Guest Services at any time of the day or night and order an extra pillow, blanket, snacks for your cabin and much, much more. Drinks (juice, coffee) and snacks indicated in the Room Service menu are served in the cabin for free.

8. Radio and television in the cabin.
All cabins on NCL ships are equipped with television. Television includes satellite news channels from various countries, films, music programs and an in-house television channel showing the ship's time (this may differ from local time), air temperature, information about the program on board, ports of call, etc. We recommend checking your watches on this channel.

RESTAURANTS AND CUISINE
For those who prefer dietary nutrition, the chefs will prepare dishes with a reduced fat content, which will taste just as tasty as regular ones. We also offer vegetarian menus and children's meals on board. No matter what time of day you get hungry, you will always find something for you, from morning coffee to late-night buffet. 24/7 Room service is at your service FREE OF CHARGE.
Passengers can have breakfast, lunch and dinner in the buffet restaurant at any time convenient for them (it is open almost all day, with short shift changes). There is a 24-hour restaurant, Room service, and two main restaurants that are open at certain hours. There are also exclusive restaurants (reservation of a table for an additional fee of $).

On NCL ships ONLY the Freestyle Dining system is used, in which passengers can choose the time, restaurant and table that is convenient for them.

DISCHARGING FROM THE SHIP

The day before the end of the cruise it is recommended start collecting things and preparing luggage(filling out and attaching luggage tags).
If you would like your luggage to be delivered to the terminal seaport When disembarking from the ship by porters, you must place it (with luggage tags attached) in the corridor before 23.00. If you wish, you can also remove your luggage yourself.

Please do not forget to include documents (air tickets or hotel/transfer vouchers, if you have ordered them) and necessary medications from your checked baggage.
Also the night before we recommend that you check all your receipts and make payments at the reception.
If you have registered your credit card, your expenses will be debited from it automatically.

Draw your attention to that a tip is automatically deducted from your onboard account or credit card in the amount of approximately $13 per day per person for stays up to a mini-suite and $15 per person for stays in a suite.

On the day of arrival at the port, the cruise company kindly asks you to vacate your cabin before 08-00 a.m. (or at another time depending on the ship's arrival schedule at the port)!

DON'T FORGET TO PICK UP YOUR PASSPORT AT THE RECEPTION .

You will receive your luggage at the port, guided by the color of the luggage tag.

More detailed information You can find the NCL “Welcome Aboard” in the NCL welcome booklet.

Dear ladies and gentlemen, the time the liner stays at the ports of call,
indicated in programs and catalogs may change.

Please pay attention to the departure time
before leaving the ship.

WE WISH YOU A PLEASANT TRIP!

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