The Benicia Fullosopher Ship Cheapness Factor (SCF): Rather than raise fares, cruise companies have begun to charge for many things that were formerly free. I created the term “Ship Cheapness Factor” to describe this practice that applies to the mainstream and premium class ships. The welcome drink: In the past, guests boarding would be […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 9): Employees, codes and more
The Benicia Fullosopher Cruise ship employees The Crew: I cannot ever express enough appreciation for the extremely hard-working crews. Some ships have crews from sixty different countries. Others ships have a particular job done by a crew from a single country. For example, all the waiters might be from Indonesia and all the cabin crew […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 8): All those memorable people
The Benicia Fullosopher MEMORABLE PEOPLE As either dance instructors or speakers, our contracts required extensive socializing with the guests. One luxury line said that fifty percent of our rating was based on how much and how well we socialized. It was our job to make guests feel comfortable at all times; thus, we were forbidden […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 7): Favorite ports
The Benicia Fullosopher My favorite ports are those with ancient cities, folk art, glorious natural beauty, or unique architecture. For architecture: Barcelona, Spain—a showcase for the whimsical Gaudi creations. Singapore—a city that combines natural beauty with contemporary architecture and offers the ease of touring on your own. Just a short walk within the ship’s terminal […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 6): Activities and excursions
The Benicia Fullosopher More activities: Reserve the wedding chapel to get married or renew vows. Make use of the card room, Internet Café, jigsaw puzzle, board games, book clubs, multiple pools, gigantic water slides, or pool table (which is fun to watch stay level as the guests rock up and down with the ship). Watch […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 5): Fun and games on those long sea days
The Benicia Fullosopher Many who have never cruised tell me they are afraid they’d be bored with not enough to do when at sea, imagining long days of gazing at an empty horizon. Gone are the days when Grandma and Grandpa took their once-in-a-lifetime cruise to Hawaii and spent the time onboard reading, playing shuffleboard, […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 4): The big sell continues
The Benicia Fullosopher My daughter calls cruises “floating assisted living.” I call them “floating shopping malls.” In this and future columns, you’ll read the many ways ships earn a huge amount of their revenue from onboard sales. Often a guest’s final shipboard bill is higher than the fare. Watch out!! Recently, a premium class ship, […]
The Truth About Cruising (Part 3): Food food food
The Benicia Fullosopher Many people have asked which cruise line has the best food. I’ve tasted the whole gamut from “school cafeteria” fare to exquisitely presented, delicious cuisine. Once I worked on two 10-day cruises on the same premium-class cruise line. The daily menus were identical. On the first ship, the food and presentation were […]
The Benicia Fullosopher: The truth about cruising (Part 2)
The Benicia Fullosopher Once you have decided the type of cruise you would like, if you wish to get the best price, here are some things to know. Fares vary on the same ship for the exact same itinerary and length of time. Fares are highest when children are out of school. For the rest […]
The Benicia Fullosopher: The truth about cruising
By Joyce Middlebrook The Benicia Fullosopher I recently retired from working part time on cruise ships and–with 30 years of cruising experience–I now feel free to reveal all the things they don’t tell you in the slick brochures, magazine ads, and thrilling videos that promise luxury, exotic ports, fabulous food and maybe even romance. There […]