-Cruise Tips: Secrets & Hacks Your Favorite Cruise Line Won’t Tell You About.

Specialty dining on the first night: Most people dine in the main dining room or buffet on the first night of a cruise, and many haven’t discovered the specialty restaurants yet. If you book an alternative dining venue for the first night of the cruise, you might get a discount on select lines (like Celebrity Cruises) or have an easier time getting a reservation for a popular venue. Carnival Cruise Line passengers who dine in the steakhouse on the first night get a free bottle of wine.
Menu sneak peek: Don’t know which night to make specialty dinner reservations? The main dining room menus are planned for the week, and the purser’s desk often has access to those menus. Ask to see them so you can decide which nights are less appealing and which you don’t want to miss, and plan your cruise accordingly.
Open containers: There’s no “open beverage” rule onboard. You can bring drinks from a bar or buffet to your cabin or elsewhere on the ship and no one will bat an eye. (Same goes for food.)
Wine on reserve: It’s often cheaper to buy a bottle of wine than a few glasses — but what do you do if you don’t finish the bottle? Cruise ship waiters can mark the bottle with your room number and save it for another night, even for dinner in another onboard venue. (But beware of restaurant corkage fees if you bring your own bottle of wine.)

Spa passes: Spa cabins can often be a smart financial decision for avid spa-goers. For example, Carnival’s Cloud 9 Spa balcony cabins include access to the thalassotherapy pool, steam room and sauna. The extra you’d pay for the cabin (above a regular balcony room) is often less than what you’d pay for a cruise-length spa pass.
Assistance for seasickness: If you’re feeling queasy, don’t run out to a pharmacy before making some calls. Room service can bring you green apples and bland crackers (crew members swear by the apple remedy), and often you can get seasickness meds from the purser’s desk for free.
Complimentary spa showers: Use of the showers, saunas and stream rooms not located in fancy thermal suites is free. Showering in the spa can often mean access to more clean towels, fancy toiletries and bigger shower stalls — and prevents fights over who gets cabin bathroom access first. Using the free saunas is also a great remedy for that inevitable vacation head cold that stuffs you up.
Cheap lunch on HAL: On Holland America, lunch is discounted to $10 at the Pinnacle Grill, and free chocolate truffles make an appearance in the Explorer’s Lounge each evening.

Steam Your Clothing: InstaSteam provides a unique, simple and cost-effective way to remove wrinkles in clothing while traveling. With InstaSteam’s patent pending and eco-friendly electricity-free portable steam system, your problems are solved.
There’s no ironing or standing around with a hand-held steamer. It’s simple, quick and effortless. It really is the perfect solution to looking fresh anywhere!
You can now find InstaSteam on www.instasteampod.com, Amazon, eBay and soon to be in multiple retailers, cruise ships and hotels. You can contact The InstaSteam Team on their website, instasteampod.com, (818) 821–0732, or email: info@instasteampod.com
Royal Caribbean’s solid cup of joe: Royal Caribbean’s Cafe Promenade offers high-quality coffee without the price tag. It’s no Starbuck’s, but it’s a step above what you’d find at the buffet — and it’s still free.
