Please refresh the page and retry. This theory is supported by several studies, including a recent one featured on a Channel 4 documentary.
Travel latest
After hitting the ground, the front of the plane and the first 11 rows of seats — usually reserved for first-class, business-class or premium-economy passengers — were ripped off. A force of 12G was recorded in this section of the aircraft. Further back, the force fell to around 6G. According to a survey by sunshine. Though an analysis of a single crash is hardly decisive, its findings did support a study by Popular Mechanics, carried out in The unfastened traveller would have been the only one to perish, experts claimed.
And as we pointed out in this column last week, the most common cause of injury on an aircraft is when a plane is jolted by turbulence and passengers are wandering around the cabin, or not wearing a seatbelt. Websites like Seat Guru can provide you with a map of your particular aircraft if you plug in your flight number, so you'll be able to see which seats are located over the wings and steer clear of them. Airlines and plane manufacturers will tell you that all seats are equal when it comes to matters of safety. However, Popular Mechanics believe some seats are more equal than others.
A study conducted by the periodical found that passengers sitting near the tail of a plane were 40 per cent more likely to survive a crash than those sitting in the first few rows. You want to maximise the amount of time you spend at your destination and minimise the time spent on the plane. You need to grab a seat at the front of the plane on the left, which is where the exit is located and where passengers leave the aircraft from.
Sleep is hard to come by at 35, feet, where many things are conspiring against you nodding off: Some places, however, are better than others for getting some shut eye. A window seat at the front of the plane, where it is also quieter. According to Professor Charles Spence — author of Gastrophysics: The New Science of Eating — plane food tastes better at the front of the aircraft, where it is quieter and the air is more humid. Sit as close to the cockpit as possible if you want to make plane food taste better.
Turbulence does, of course, shake the entire aircraft, but experts claim there are some seats on a plane where lumps and bumps will feel less intense. Sit in the middle of the plane, above the wings, which help keep the plane steady when the going gets tough. Seats in exit rows have more legroom than most, as do seats at the bulkhead.
Such seats are, however, in high demand and can come with caveats: If so, a topside track might be better if available. Some ships find room for putting greens, golf simulator, a basketball or tennis court enclosed by ball-catching nets topside. Some very-large ships have ice rinks, rock climbing walls, "surf parks" and other activities.
Spa facilities are a staple of cruise ships. Everything from massages to hairdressing to exotic health and beauty treatments are available Look for laundromats in ship descriptions If the cruise spans seven or more days and the ship does not offer them, you may have to pack substantially more clothes.
All ships offer laundry services, but they'll be pricey. Lacking laundromats, some folks bring detergent e. You must use your cabin key card every time you leave and re-board the ship. It's how they determine if you're aboard Otherwise, they might leave you behind. Research in-advance each place you'll visit. That can greatly enhance your cruise experience Many ports and nearby sights are covered by Wikitravel pages, travel web sites and books.
The ship will usually dock at a pier.
Revealed: The secret to securing the perfect plane seat
If none is available, it will anchor or moor off-shore, and ship's lifeboats or commercial boats will tender you to a convenient place on-shore. Your detailed itinerary will indicate how your ship will visit each port. Ship port visit times usually allow passengers to go ashore by AM, with ship departure often at PM. Earlier or later departure times can be affected by tides, distance to next port or special tour needs, while disembarkation may be delayed slightly by port customs clearance of the ship or passengers.
At special stops, some ships may stay later, perhaps overnight. The shore excursions office will offer a variety of sightseeing tours, cultural visits and organized activities e. Ship's tours often cost substantially more than equivalent tours well-negotiated directly with locals, e. But for that extra cost, ship's tours provide:. Very popular ship's shore excursions may fill-up days before you reach port — some even before you set sail. You may be wise to research them and alternatives and sign-up online well in-advance as justified, e. At some ports, the ship may have to dock among commercial freight operations.
Walking from the ship to things worthwhile may be through unpredictably dangerous activity. Look at the ship's newsletter for port conditions and listen for port adviser announcements. At such docks, most ships will arrange a shuttle from the ship, to a terminal with taxis, etc. If so, also look for details about a return shuttle. Lacking any shuttle, you should request transport that avoids danger, even if at your expense. The UV content of the sun can be very high on any tour, especially on or near water at any latitude during the Summer. See "Stay healthy" below..
For both convenience and to foster a casual-spending atmosphere , most cruise ships run a "cashless" system in which you use your cabin key card to charge all on-ship expenses , sometimes except for gambling. At the end of each cruise segment, the ship will use your credit card or cash deposit to settle the final balance of your account.
Tips on-board take two forms Learn the cruise line's recommendations for tipping the ship's staff. They suggest "appropriate" optional amounts Amounts recommended may vary somewhat by your class of cabin. Some cruise lines have a "no-tipping" policy, often aimed at the European market where tipping is sometimes alien and can frighten customers away. In reality, gratuities are often built into the price of those cruises, on which passengers usually also pay taxes. Others shops offer basic sundries, candy and over-the-counter drugs. Shops will only be open while the ship is at sea. Shopping remains a highly-popular activity, with most ports offering at least handicrafts and souvenirs reflecting the destination.
Others offer wide ranges of merchandise, to include clothing, electronics, jewelry and consumables. A crude rule of thumb: If there is a chance that you'll use your credit or debit card:. Cruises to certain destinations may stop at ports offering serious shopping For example discussion of duty-free shopping and customs obligations, see Saint Thomas Buy. The ship may have a port shopping adviser who can provide useful information and may recommend certain merchants.
Those advisers are often employed by the cruise line or merchandising firms that receive very large fees from the merchants they recommend. This does not impeach the reputation of those merchants, nor should it question the worthiness of their competitors. But it may increase the final prices that touted merchants demand.
In desirable shopping locales, most merchants are quite responsible. At other locations, take care with final costs beyond labeled or negotiated prices, e. Though eligible for them, you may be able to obtain refunds only at certain places, e. The last cruise port for a ship exiting such jurisdictions may have no "standing", nor the port an office offering or processing refunds. Getting refunds by applying by mail after you are home will be problematic. Wherever you shop, know what you're getting and what it costs elsewhere.
Nearly always, meals are included in the price of the cruise. This includes poolside snack bars where you can order a burger or something and walk off without paying. It's not "free", of course; you paid for it when you bought your ticket. On virtually all cruise ships, you'll find a buffet On better ships, buffets can seem almost like pure extravagance.
Room service is usually available at all times, except after 1: Sometimes, you may have to pay a gratuity or late night charges when applicable. At normal meal times, you'll find seated dining with full waiter service available, usually with a multi-course menu featuring variably fancy dishes. Most of the menu will change every night. At least one dining room will offer seated breakfast and lunch , seldom with a pre-assigned table.
It will be open for hours around the usual time for any meal. Damp swimwear can damage dining room chairs; don't wear it there, even under a wrap or cover, even if quite dry. Traditional evening dining service is at pre-set times If you choose a time and table size best when you book your cruise , you'll be seated at the same table at that time every evening. Table size can vary from 2 to people, perhaps more. Round tables for seem conducive to easy conversation among all. It also allows your waiters to learn and anticipate important needs and preferences, e.
To assure well-timed service, reach your table within 30 minutes of when the dining room opens for your sitting. Large kitchens must serve several hundred perhaps thousands of passengers at each sitting, one course at a time, with expectations of freshness and proper temperatures. In recent years, to respond to some guests' dislike for scheduled dining, cruise lines have introduced freestyle , choice or open seating options which allow dining at any time during dinner hours.
This may be offered in separate dining rooms. Menus will be the same as for scheduled sittings. As you enter, you may have to wait for a table, just as you would without reservations at home. If it's especially busy, you have just a few in your party, and are willing, tell the Maitre de that you "will share". Most ships also offer specialty restaurants , often with international themes If you have no reservation, you can try "will share", but don't rely on it; most diners with reservations don't expect to share.
Some of them have surcharges e. If you normally dine at fixed sitting but plan to use a specialty restaurant any evening, tell your regular waiter the evening before. Recommended dinner dress in dining rooms varies somewhat across cruise lines.
Cruise ships
For details, each cruise-line explains its expected dress code on its web-site, and you should find details on web sites for cruising. You may also be denied seating. If you have no interest in "seated dining" on formal nights or any evening , you can use the buffet for dinner instead. Food offerings will be somewhat similar to that in dining rooms that night, perhaps lacking items that require complex service. The buffet offers another benefit:. Other drinks are usually not included in the cruise price , even if the cruise's promotional brochure says or implies "all-inclusive". Many cruise lines offer drink packages for unlimited soft drink refills, some for specialty coffees, wine, even a few for mixed drinks, but each for a substantial additional cost that often includes the service fee.
Understand the terms clearly before committing to any. Not counting the service fee, some mixed drinks may be cheaper than you might pay at better watering holes ashore, but don't count on it. However, you'll usually find drink specials mentioned in the ship's daily newsletter. These costs prompt some people to try to bring their own. But most lines forbid bringing liquor on board , and any found at embarkation or as you board from later port visits will be "held for you", and returned on the last full day of the cruise in the same packaging as received.
Some lines will allow you to initially bring bottles of wine per cabin, and most will allow you to bring your own soft drinks. Some ships are primarily party vessels , full of young adults taking advantage of duty free alcohol and perhaps lower drinking ages in international waters. You may identify them by their extremely uneventful itineraries: Their advertising is usually also not particularly subtle. If you want one, you'll recognize the signs; if you want to avoid one, likewise. Let your travel agent know your cabin preferences or needs in advance; e. Shortly after arriving at your cabin, introduce yourself to your cabin steward and discuss any preferences or needs for service, such as ice at certain times, softer or firmer pillows, etc.
They will often have an assistant and will both be working together as a team. If you brought sanitizing wipes or solution, you might wish to sanitize key surfaces like the lavatory counters, telephone handset, TV remote, and desktop. If your cabin is not as desired or needed on arrival, resolve it through your cabin steward before you retire the first night.
Because of the numerous advancements in modern shipbuilding and other technology, cruise travel is generally very safe.
- The Last Fruit. Stories from Laos.
- MSC Cruises -watch out! - Cruises Forum?
- Revealed: The secret to securing the perfect plane seat;
- Trixi das Sonntagskind (Der geheime Bund 1) (German Edition).
- The Prince in the Tower.
With the exception of some of the smallest lines which may have a very limited staff , the crew of your ship are all well-trained to calmly and efficiently handle any emergencies that may arise during the cruise. Occasionally, even some considerable problems may be discovered and repaired while going completely unnoticed by the passengers.
In the event of a life-threatening emergency, instructions will be given on where to report most likely your lifeboat station, designated at the pre-departure safety briefing and what to bring with you probably just your life vest and cruise ID card. Remember to be aware of your surroundings at all times, especially at night. You shouldn't feel worried about going about on your own, but should be extra vigilant around bars where running into intoxicated passengers is a possibility and any altercation could escalate into a very dangerous situation.
Keep an eye on your belongings and don't flaunt nor take them with you everywhere; leaving your iPod on a pool chair unattended while you quickly order a drink is just asking for someone to snatch it from you. Lock expensive items and jewelry in your cabin safe, then use or wear it only when appropriate. If you win a substantial amount of money in a ship's casino unlikely, but not impossible , ask to have your earnings credited to your cruise account or given to you in the form of a check before disembarking, not in cash form for your wallet.
Families traveling with children should be cautious as well. While family-friendly lines like Disney are "age-proofed" for their safety, other lines and older ships typically are not and there are many hazards that could put them in a dangerous situation; e. Older teenagers should be given some freedom about what they'd like to do and where they want to relax during the cruise, but you should always know the whereabouts of younger children. Always report anything suspicious or concerning to a crew member ; they will investigate or get someone who can investigate the matter.
Trust your instincts as well. If a certain situation or activity in an area of the ship doesn't feel comfortable to you, it may not be. As noted earlier, too much sun exposure on-board or ashore ruins cruises for more people than any other cause. Sunburns and their pain can last until well after you return home. For a few, they may later induce cancer or other permanent skin damage.
Rather, before you'll be exposed to sun for more than a short time, take effective precautions with clothing and sunblock so that you can fully enjoy whatever recreation you choose. The ship's store will offer sunblock but at highly premium price, and a few kinds of hats; stores at ports may offer similar products, but almost always at prices higher than at home. See also Sunburn and sun protection. Some people experience queasiness on cruise ships. This is very unlikely on large or recently-built vessels, which consistently have highly effective stabilizers.
Even so, some sensitive inner ears may react to even imperceptibly slow and gentle rocking of a calm sea, while small, intense storms can make the ocean rough for a day or so.
Staying well can be as simple as eating and drinking responsibly. Generous helpings of that beautiful, fresh pineapple for breakfast every morning can cause problems, as can the portions of wonderful and rich delights at dinner. Marine biologists know that the calf of a blue whale can gain up to 30 pounds per day; the next fastest weight-gaining mammal may be the cruise passenger - actually known to gain pounds per week if he or she "over celebrates".
Passengers and crew are susceptible to communicable diseases e. It occurs because large numbers of people from countless places have close proximity, share facilities, and forget to be responsible. Most maladies spread much in the same ways as the common cold. Stifling coughs and sneezes into your sleeve helps greatly. And ships regularly provide hand disinfectant dispensers at entrances to dining areas; use them, but don't rely completely on them.
You can help yourself if you:. This can include hand sanitizer dispensers at entry to all public areas , barriers to self-help in buffets, nearly constant sanitizing of railings, door handles and public restrooms everywhere. Make use of and respect those measures. Although shipboard food and water will be sanitary, the usual precautions for overseas travel should be taken when eating and drinking ashore. Few ports prohibit bringing sealed bottles of water ashore. You'll see pricey offerings each time you leave the ship. Nearly all cruise ships have one, with an accredited doctor.
Larger ships may have two or more nurses. Most will offer open hours "sick call" in the morning and late afternoon for routine ailments, with on-demand response even in-cabin for injuries or major illnesses. Most can effectively render first- and second-aid, perhaps more depending on the doctor's experience and on-board facilities, e. They carry basic medications and supplies typically needed for cruises. Don't depend on them to replace medications you must use , even with near-equivalents. Unless your problem appears to have been caused by some condition or event that's the ship's responsibility, expect to be charged a fee for their services.
Your regular health insurance may not cover such fees, but good trip insurance usually does. Some ships have modest dialysis capability. If you need it, learn in advance if it's the type you need and can reserve time slots. Check with your health insurance agent to see if your regular policy covers any or all of what will be a substantial cost. Though the doctor and staff often wear ship's uniforms, many are concessionaires, not ship or cruise line officers. Nevertheless, for serious conditions, the doctor's decision about continuing your cruise under illness or injury will usually prevail.
Medical evacuation can be unbelievably expensive, and so should be covered by full-spectrum trip insurance. If you have physical limitations , have your agent arrange needed services in advance, e. Many cruise ships are now equipped with cell phone-to-satellite transponders , which take over automatically at sea to provide wireless phone service to the world throughout the ship. Except for satellite delay, your cell phone works just like at home and bills its usage back to your regular cell phone bill.
Most ships offer ship-to-shore phone service from your cabin, but again at rather expensive rates. They may also levy heavy tolls on people at home who contact you by phone on the ship. On-board Internet cafes and Wi-Fi hotspots are increasingly common, but the rates also tend to be fairly steep and the speeds relying on high-latency satellite uplinks shared with ship's business can be unimpressive.
Internet ashore If you find these cautions worrisome, you can usually find Internet cafes at or near many ports Ask ship's staff for their personal experience and advice; many of them use those port cafes as well. See more discussion at Internet access. This is a recap of a typical disembarkation process. Called "debarkation" or "disembarkation", this involves getting perhaps a few thousand passengers off the ship as efficiently as possible.
You can't all leave at once. You'll likely receive a questionaire several days before cruise-end asking what travel arrangements you have made to return home. Some ships offer a "walk off" or "express" disembarkation option. You should find that option on the questionaire mentioned above. If you opt for it, do not miss the call for your group to disembark or you may be directed to leave in the very last group. At some major ports, some ships offer special luggage handling services for passengers flying home on certain airlines.
For a fee, they will provide special airline tags and take luggage you intend to check the last night to, perhaps through your airline check-in at the airport.
- Who Needs Therapy? Collected Stories Vol 2!
- Recovery Man: A Retrieval Artist Novel.
- Descartes, Spinoza and the New Philosophy.
- La fièvre du désir (Harlequin Azur) (French Edition).
- Cruise Ship Cabin Guide - How to Pick Best Option.
If you opt for this, understand the process and your responsibilities. Typically, people with early flights, cruise-line shore excursions and express walk-offs are given the earliest debarkation times. Per "Get in" above, your cabin steward must completely redo it and many others by 2 PM or so for the next occupants.
As you walk off the ship into the terminal, you'll be ushered to a large area with masses of luggage Your luggage will be arranged according to your disembarkation group. Porters will likely be available to help. After any processing, many options begin, e. Once you leave the terminal, you basically have full responsibility to reach whatever destination or follow-on transport awaits. How to book your small ship cruise: It is recommended that you use a reputable travel agent or tour operator in your trip planning process. Adventure Life [37] is a tour operator that works exclusively with small ships around the world.
Just click any blue "Edit" link and start writing! This article is a travel topic Cruise ships. Disccussion about medications below are not authoritative. Always consult your doctor. Retrieved from " https: Has custom banner Articles with warnings Cruises Guide articles.
Views Read Edit View history. In other languages Italiano. This page was last edited on 24 January , at Text is available under [http: Privacy policy About Wikitravel Terms of use Mobile view. This article is a travel topic Cruise ships Contents 1 Understand 1. EDIT Premium and Luxury cruise lines tend to have much smaller capacity ships carrying or so passengers.
Smaller ships can visit smaller harbors in highly desirable or unusual locales, e. They may also be able to port inside a city at an older city port, saving up to 2 hours of travel from where larger ships must dock. Larger ships may offer a few more amenities Mega-ships offer huge public spaces and wide-ranging activities, but are limited to major and sometimes even custom built ports Cruise lines offer widely varying itineraries.
A few days at sea or to a nearby port-of-call. These may be offered as an introduction to cruising, or just as an opportunity to party. One or two weeks to visit ports and sights in a particular region, per "Cruise types" below. A month or more to see a region of the world, or three or more months to go around the world; a lifetime experience. Cruise types [ edit ] Inside a Silja cruise ship Your experience will be substantially affected by the cruise type you choose.
You might dine one evening, then enjoy entertainment, dancing, etc. Under a typical full-day port visit, you can often start ashore at AM, and be expected back 30 minutes or so before ship departure at PM or so. You can breakfast at your place of choice and be off-ship on your way to an organized tour, self-arranged tour or activities, or just a walk-about. An "all-day" tour may include lunch see tour description ; a half-day tour can have you back to the ship for lunch If you prefer such cruises Look for itineraries in regions that offer many stops near the port where your cruise starts, e.
Look for departure ports within the region, to minimize sea days, e. In contrast, ships from Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Tampa can take days to reach the Caribbean, and the same to return. But you have more cruise and ship choices there, and you can choose to drive to either port if you live close enough see "Get in" below.
If you prefer sea days , you can look for: Re-positioning cruises often crossing oceans Distant island or region visits from a mainland port, e. Segments of around-the-world cruises, usually traversing major regions over a weeks. They too will involve one-way international flights.