Important Tips for First Timers on Cordelia Cruise Trip

22/06/2022 Indrani Ghose

Cruise lines promote a vision of a relaxing getaway. It is usually a picture of chilling by the pool, leisurely dinners, or feet tapping away all day long at musical hits. The reality is actually a mix. Here are a few tips to enjoy a cruise trip for first timers.

Now that cruise tourism is all set to go in a big way along the Indian coastline with more ports to be roped in as city destinations on different cruise routes of India this post will help you prepare to have a great cruise experience.

Best place in Cruise ship for Sea Sickness

Will I get sea sickness on Cruise was my nagging fear before I embarked on The Empress, Cordelia Cruise ship. When the ship set sail, I felt the initial vibration under my feet, but nothing after that. Then the first morning when I was on 11th deck, the weather was choppy and one could barely stand hands free, but my stomach didn’t churn. I knew my body and mind passed the test. I felt at home on the Cruise ship.

However, during my trip I saw two of my friends hit by sea sickness. The symptoms are dizziness, nausea, and loss of appetite. But they recovered fast with some pills they had ready in anticipation of such a situation. So keep your pill packs and pressure bands ready. The good news is it doesn’t take long to get sea legs – meaning your sense of equilibrium back. With rest you will get used to the rolling of the ship.

Medical facility in 2nd level

For first timers who are clueless how their body would react don’t worry or hesitate to embark on cruises. There is a medical facility at deck 2 open 24 hours for emergencies. Ginger, various aromas like basil, chamomile, anise, peppermint, eating dry crackers are said to help.

If you are already aware that you are prone to seasickness, take rooms in the low or middle passenger decks, nearer to sea level. The sway of ships is a little lesser on this part. If lower level rooms are not available, avoid staterooms near the front or back (bow or aft) of the ship on the upper levels of the deck.

Cruise Trip Prices in India

One evergreen tip for a good deal on prices is booking well in advance from the date of trip. But often holiday plans come up all on a sudden. As a new cruiser you may want to book based on your budget. There are various Cruise tour packages that provide flexibility in booking and prices. Some packages come with a tie up with flights from the city of your travel.

There are a wide range of rooms to choose from in Cordelia Cruise. Bringing extended family along is a nice way for the new adventure. The tickets for every additional member, after the first two, cost less.

Interior staterooms with no windows cost the least. One of the passengers quoted to have got @16,490INR for two nights on Chennai High Seas.

For the room, Ocean view room with a balcony, that I stayed in for three nights and four days, Vizag-Puducherry-Chennai cruise route costed 53,490INR.

Read Cordelia Cruise Newsletters

For the four days I spent onboard Cordelia Cruise there was newsletter delivered every evening. I have them as souvenir now. The newsletters are important, as they mention the different activities on the different decks of the ship. Only the restaurant and bar timings remain the same on all days. All other activities in the different venues and decks have different timings and permission for entry to guests in the different decks. This is to avoid rush in the theatre which has capacity of 900.

Cordelia Cruises Newsletter – Tips for First Timers Cruise Trip

What to wear on Cruise ships

This can be tricky while you pack your bags for cruise tours. There is no dress code on Cordelia Cruise ship. You can choose to dress up in your finest formals or sport your casual wear all day long. But of course don’t walk in your bikinis in dining areas or activity zones.

Activities for Children Onboard

For families with kids there is plenty to do till 9 PM. The swimming pool can be irritably full all the time, but then there are plenty of other activities to keep the tiny tots busy. Plan them out beforehand so that unhappy whimpering kids don’t spoil your holiday.

Some of the activities are: Rock wall climbing, Table Tennis, Cordelia Kids Academy, Magic show, Talking Robot Science show, Library, Quiz contests and workshops.

Busy Moms and Tiny Tots – Tips for First Timers Cruise Trip

Safety Concerns on Cruise Ship

It is natural to have safety concerns. If you are stressed out about safety onboard, be assured that at the start of every cruise, passengers are required to attend a safety drill, so they know what to do in the rare case of an emergency. Make a mental note of the muster station number mentioned in your room key card, so that in case of the rarest of the rare emergency you are programmed to reach there. Never take lifts in case of emergency.

Reach out to Crew

Service was exceptionally good, thanks to their hard-working crew. This is not just me saying. I chatted up with a few other guests, one of them who had experienced international cruise, found the services of great standards. Every crew member went above and beyond – from the check-in people to the staff who cleaned the rooms to the waiters who served food. If at any point of time you feel clueless about anything, reach out to staff, they will help you out.

The staff at Reception desk in level 5 are also very helpful

Spending Dollars Onboard

If you swipe your room card at every bar, internet café, salon and some more such places, be prepared to pay a hefty bill when you disembark. Food and some shows come free but many other facilities are chargeable.

I availed spa services, the actual costing seemed innocent, but the bill came out with additional 30% GST tax costing.

Gadgets onboard

You are allowed all kinds of gadgets, tripods, cameras onboard. Universal Chargers are required on board.

Kids enjoying a game of Table Tennis

Never be Late for Cruise Trips

Last but not the least; one important tip for cruisers is to arrive on time with all relevant documents. Holiday mood can bring in a bit of complacency. Remember, the ship is not going to wait for you. No amount of explanation about the flight getting delayed or the train got derailed will help you.

Conclusion

Since this was my first cruise trip ever, that too for three nights and four days, I was clueless on what exactly to expect. Overall the Cruise trip was beyond fantastic. I wrote the above tips for first time cruisers. Save the tips to enjoy the cruise trip shared in the post and make it a frame worthy slice of memory.