I think you forgot one…. Your videos… which are a great resource. Particularly for people like me who are new to cruising. Awesome channel, thanks so much for all your hard work.
Enjoyed this one, Gary. I agree with all of your points, particularly the e-sim point! I saved an absolute fortune while essentially living on cruise ships last year by using e-sims rather than cruise ship wi-fi. I'm amazed you've found one that works on cruise ships - that's brilliant!
Thanks Gary. We’re somewhat comfortable with finding out what to do in port, but what to do on the ship during multiple sea days (3 week repositioning cruise) has us wondering: - How / where to find out all one could do? - How to find like minded folks for i.e. a card game (maybe beginnerish bridge or a particular mid level Chinese game or… a board game or…) - You may well have covered that topic in an episode I missed, either way, I would appreciate any pointers you might be able to/ willing to give.
Speaking of goldmines Gary … THIS video is one of them! I’m an experienced cruiser but this is super helpful! Thanks for packing so many current resource tips into one vid!
Thanks! You forgot one most important resource: a video of the ship you plan to cruise on. UA-cam is full of videos that show every corner, deck and restaurant on every ship. WHAT IS STILL MISSING, for many, is a website that show every ship activities and shows so you know what you can do on the ship while not in port. Thanks!
Hi Gary, Thank you for the useful info. You talked about a Marine Traffic App. There are several apps available do you have a specific one that you use?
this is great info for those who seek to Top Out their Cruise experience I cruise solo and usually spend the 1st 48 hours awake soaking into all the features of the Ship After a solid 12 hour kip my bed is used 4 hours per day then on and I'm back catching up with the soaks I've met on the 1st 2 days, Never seen time fly faster in my whole life.
Thanks to this video, I created a folder with these resources so when we finally pull the trigger on a cruise I'll be ready. One note about esims: not all smartphones accept them (mind didn't) so check first.
If you know your cruise will be close to land like in the Med an eSIM works great! I used one when on a MSC cruise out of Barcelona and I was able to get a signal while traveling between ports and the plus is you have internet while in port! Thanks Gary!! Very informative video!
Really good information Gary….I use many of the ones you mentioned. Although it’s not always polite to correct someone’s pronunciation….I have a tip for pronouncing Zuiderdam… it’s not zeederdam but rather sounds like Ciderdam. I know those Dutch names are brutal but hope it helps.
@@kycongamingandsports5693 I’m afraid that isn’t quite right. The Zui is a difficult thing but just try saying Cider and dam. It’s comes out fine. Thanks!
Gary: Your eSIM tip alone is worth the price of admission. I’d add that the GigSky prices are quite high. Understandably so. But cheaper than the ripoff cruise ship WiFi plans. We are big eSIM users. I’d suggest getting a second regional eSIM for use while in port so as not use up your GIGSky data unnecessarily. 🎉
Very good tips! We were on the same New England cruise with you and I had my picture taken with you, although we were not part of your tour. BTW, my favorite video you have done was the one you made with your mom…I loved it! (it was a Greek cruise). I am so sorry to hear that she has passed.
I have not seen any of those fare tracking sites have fares in Canadian $, which is what I book my cruise in, if offered by the cruise line. Princess and Celebrity do have fares in CAN$ and are my preferred lines.
Hi Gary, I'm really glad you mentioned Gigsky. I went on my first ever cruise(!) in September on the Norwegian Spirit to Japan, and I hadn't heard anything good about Gigsky service at sea. I decided to take a chance and to my pleasant surprise, I really did have service at sea! I only bought 1gb at a time because I was skeptical I'd get good service. Service in that area at sea wasn't fast enough that I would've trusted it for heavy streaming (I'm the kind of person who streams youtube and tv for hours and hours everyday in the backhround, but it was definitely enough for browsing, audio (podcast) streaming, and sending messages and photos over wifi messengers. It wasn't the most economical thing to buy 1gb at a time, but I somehow still saved money over getting the Norwegian wifi package. Overall, I would definitely use Gigsky again were I to go on another cruise. (This reads like a sponsored/plant post but it's really not, I just got excited hearing you mention it! Lol)
I also have a tip which is sometimes they have promotional discounts - there was a 20% off cruise plans before my cruise (which I somewhat regret not taking advantage of). I *THINK* you can purchase something like 30 days out, so if you keep an eye out, it's possible to save some money on a plan.
Great vlog Gary with excellent tips.... as always!! I too use Vacations to Go extensively, but it seems unfair to use their brilliant site just as a resource. I do feel a tad guilty when I go back to my travel agent to book a cruise I've found on their site. By the way, I'm not sure if their "Our Starting Price" is 100% accurate.
I used a VPN on a Royal Caribbean ship and it seemed to interfere with the voom internet on board. So I switched it off , not sure if it was the same one you are spruking. I will try again with the VPN I have now.
HELP. First time cruise to Alaska using Princess. What is a ton of your videos. I know that I will need to get two cabins balcony. Do you have any suggestions on how I can lower the price of the cruise? Looking at the Amex points it doesn’t look like it’s a good deal. But what would you suggest I use to lower the cost to purchase two balcony cabins to Alaska on princess cruise line? Any assistance or help would be greatly appreciate it.
As always, great tips! To use GigSky onboard, do you have to have to have purchased the cruise ship's WiFi plan? I am assuming no, but you know what they say about assumptions ... :)
The MarineTraffic app keeps turning into a game for me on my iPad and I can't get it to quit the game unless I kill the app and restart it. I then get 5 to 10 minutes of use before it turns into an unquitable game again. What on earth is going on, and why are you recommending such an app?
Hi Gary, I used the Cruise Maps link to purchase a gift card for my parents, but the discount doesn't show at checkout. Is there a discount code that I need to enter? Many thanks
@tipsfortravellers Thanks for replying. 👍🏻 I tried entering the code but it said the discount isn't available on gift cards. That's a shame, as I chose the gift card for the 30cmx40cm print, so effectively I'm buying a print. Oh well, worth a try!
Why don’t you just record your shows at home Gary. I always do and don’t miss anything. It saves all that messing about that you said and which I did not understand anything about watching your tv series while away. Thx
will do. I also have subtitles on all my videos if that helps too,. I think this one I should also go slower as so much information and takes time to digest !
Gary, I'm so sorry to hear that your mother had past. It was nice seeing clips of both mothers on some of the cruises.
I think you forgot one…. Your videos… which are a great resource. Particularly for people like me who are new to cruising. Awesome channel, thanks so much for all your hard work.
Another great vid gary. Keep up the great work. FYI....sorry about your loss. Chin up....KEEP ON SAILING!!!
Enjoyed this one, Gary. I agree with all of your points, particularly the e-sim point!
I saved an absolute fortune while essentially living on cruise ships last year by using e-sims rather than cruise ship wi-fi. I'm amazed you've found one that works on cruise ships - that's brilliant!
I booked through Vacations to Go. I had a great agent and recommend them
Hi Gary, the main info source I use is you
thanks :-) :-)
Thanks Gary. We’re somewhat comfortable with finding out what to do in port, but what to do on the ship during multiple sea days (3 week repositioning cruise) has us wondering:
- How / where to find out all one could do?
- How to find like minded folks for i.e. a card game (maybe beginnerish bridge or a particular mid level Chinese game or… a board game or…)
-
You may well have covered that topic in an episode I missed, either way, I would appreciate any pointers you might be able to/ willing to give.
Did that exact cruise early 2024... BA to FL... its amazing and youll really love it. Part of it is similar to a one youve shown before.
Thanking you for providing this excellent information.
Speaking of goldmines Gary … THIS video is one of them! I’m an experienced cruiser but this is super helpful! Thanks for packing so many current resource tips into one vid!
Thanks! You forgot one most important resource: a video of the ship you plan to cruise on. UA-cam is full of videos that show every corner, deck and restaurant on every ship. WHAT IS STILL MISSING, for many, is a website that show every ship activities and shows so you know what you can do on the ship while not in port. Thanks!
WONDERFUL and useful information, Gary!
Thank you! Cheers!
Great video, very useful indeed Gary.
Thank you for sharing your considerable knowledge, Gary
A great selection of cruise resources, a good video to refer to when planning future trips.
Very welcome
Really fabulous content Gary, even by your high standards. This one is as good as it/anyone gets. Bravo.
Hi Gary, Thank you for the useful info. You talked about a Marine Traffic App. There are several apps available do you have a specific one that you use?
Thanks for the GigSky tip. That's a lot cheaper than the cruise wifi!
Gary, a great and informative video yet again. It is in itself a Drop Box of all the essential research and must/should do before you go.
@@simonb7715 you can also use Google docs (offline) or the files app on an iPhone.
this is great info for those who seek to Top Out their Cruise experience
I cruise solo and usually spend the 1st 48 hours awake soaking into all the features of the Ship
After a solid 12 hour kip my bed is used 4 hours per day then on and I'm back catching up with the soaks I've met on the 1st 2 days, Never seen time fly faster in my whole life.
Thanks to this video, I created a folder with these resources so when we finally pull the trigger on a cruise I'll be ready.
One note about esims: not all smartphones accept them (mind didn't) so check first.
Hello, Gary. Thanks for the video.
You are very welcome
Really enjoyed this vlog and all the tips. Will be using them in the future. Best wishes Mark and Sheila
Thanks Gary, great and important info. will keep it for future reference.
Glad it was helpful!
If you know your cruise will be close to land like in the Med an eSIM works great! I used one when on a MSC cruise out of Barcelona and I was able to get a signal while traveling between ports and the plus is you have internet while in port! Thanks Gary!! Very informative video!
Really good information Gary….I use many of the ones you mentioned. Although it’s not always polite to correct someone’s pronunciation….I have a tip for pronouncing Zuiderdam… it’s not zeederdam but rather sounds like Ciderdam. I know those Dutch names are brutal but hope it helps.
zoo-der-dom is how I say it. Is it wrong?
@@kycongamingandsports5693 I’m afraid that isn’t quite right. The Zui is a difficult thing but just try saying Cider and dam. It’s comes out fine. Thanks!
Great info, thank you
Cruise deck plans is great!
Gary, I have come to love your videos!
Have you ever done a barge trip?
I'm curious about the benefits and differences from a river cruise.
Very helpful tips. Thanks.
Gary: Your eSIM tip alone is worth the price of admission.
I’d add that the GigSky prices are quite high. Understandably so. But cheaper than the ripoff cruise ship WiFi plans.
We are big eSIM users. I’d suggest getting a second regional eSIM for use while in port so as not use up your GIGSky data unnecessarily.
🎉
Thanks!
Thanks so much !!!
Thank you for the video!
Very good tips! We were on the same New England cruise with you and I had my picture taken with you, although we were not part of your tour. BTW, my favorite video you have done was the one you made with your mom…I loved it! (it was a Greek cruise). I am so sorry to hear that she has passed.
I have not seen any of those fare tracking sites have fares in Canadian $, which is what I book my cruise in, if offered by the cruise line. Princess and Celebrity do have fares in CAN$ and are my preferred lines.
Hi Gary, I'm really glad you mentioned Gigsky.
I went on my first ever cruise(!) in September on the Norwegian Spirit to Japan, and I hadn't heard anything good about Gigsky service at sea. I decided to take a chance and to my pleasant surprise, I really did have service at sea!
I only bought 1gb at a time because I was skeptical I'd get good service. Service in that area at sea wasn't fast enough that I would've trusted it for heavy streaming (I'm the kind of person who streams youtube and tv for hours and hours everyday in the backhround, but it was definitely enough for browsing, audio (podcast) streaming, and sending messages and photos over wifi messengers.
It wasn't the most economical thing to buy 1gb at a time, but I somehow still saved money over getting the Norwegian wifi package.
Overall, I would definitely use Gigsky again were I to go on another cruise.
(This reads like a sponsored/plant post but it's really not, I just got excited hearing you mention it! Lol)
I also have a tip which is sometimes they have promotional discounts - there was a 20% off cruise plans before my cruise (which I somewhat regret not taking advantage of).
I *THINK* you can purchase something like 30 days out, so if you keep an eye out, it's possible to save some money on a plan.
Great vlog Gary with excellent tips.... as always!! I too use Vacations to Go extensively, but it seems unfair to use their brilliant site just as a resource. I do feel a tad guilty when I go back to my travel agent to book a cruise I've found on their site. By the way, I'm not sure if their "Our Starting Price" is 100% accurate.
Gary Thank you for the eSim suggestion. Im about to buy one for my upcomjng cruise, do you have a referral code?
Cool sponsor!
I really like the cruise line prints on the wall behind you. Is there a video where you talk about them? Can you tell me where you buy them?
I used a VPN on a Royal Caribbean ship and it seemed to interfere with the voom internet on board. So I switched it off , not sure if it was the same one you are spruking. I will try again with the VPN I have now.
We have never cruised before and our travel agent suggested Marella?
Google translate with the languages of the countries you're visiting downloaded so you can use it offline.
HELP. First time cruise to Alaska using Princess. What is a ton of your videos. I know that I will need to get two cabins balcony.
Do you have any suggestions on how I can lower the price of the cruise? Looking at the Amex points it doesn’t look like it’s a good deal. But what would you suggest I use to lower the cost to purchase two balcony cabins to Alaska on princess cruise line? Any assistance or help would be greatly appreciate it.
As always, great tips! To use GigSky onboard, do you have to have to have purchased the cruise ship's WiFi plan? I am assuming no, but you know what they say about assumptions ... :)
Good question! I should have said. No, it’s instead of having the ship Wi-Fi
The MarineTraffic app keeps turning into a game for me on my iPad and I can't get it to quit the game unless I kill the app and restart it. I then get 5 to 10 minutes of use before it turns into an unquitable game again. What on earth is going on, and why are you recommending such an app?
I am a Doctor Who fan also.
Hi Gary, I used the Cruise Maps link to purchase a gift card for my parents, but the discount doesn't show at checkout. Is there a discount code that I need to enter? Many thanks
It should be applied of you used the link and show as 10% off. If not use "TFT" as the code and that should work! Thanks for using the link
@tipsfortravellers Thanks for replying. 👍🏻 I tried entering the code but it said the discount isn't available on gift cards. That's a shame, as I chose the gift card for the 30cmx40cm print, so effectively I'm buying a print. Oh well, worth a try!
I use Apple iCloud instead of Dropbox.
Shedule?
The e sim works on ship ? Wow never thought that was an option .. 👍 anyone else had success with this option?
Currently only the GigSky ones do, the others do not as they don’t have the arrangements with the providers but GigSky do
@tipsfortravellers Brilliant thanks .
Cruiseplum
Why don’t you just record your shows at home Gary. I always do and don’t miss anything. It saves all that messing about that you said and which I did not understand anything about watching your tv series while away. Thx
Gary, slow down a bit. I have to rewind all the time to catch what you are saying.
Play at 0.75 speed
You must be senile. I watch gary's videos on 1.5 speed.
Interesting, I watched at 1.25 speed 🙂
I'm going to have to go home and play it in slow mode,
will do. I also have subtitles on all my videos if that helps too,. I think this one I should also go slower as so much information and takes time to digest !
I recommend you travel more and cruise less.
Cruise deck plans is great!