We are going on a sea cruise. Meals on board

Any cruise price includes meals at the main à la carte restaurants for breakfast, lunch and dinner (drinks are charged extra), as well as meals at the buffet restaurant.

Following the wishes of its guests, MSC Cruises provides flexible opening hours for its buffet restaurants: Open 20 hours a day!

The opening hours of the restaurants depend on the route of the ship, detailed information can always be found in the program of the day.

Breakfast

Breakfast takes place in main restaurants and on buffet... You can also order continental breakfast from the cabin service menu and have breakfast in your own cabin on any day of the cruise, except for the day of departure from the ship. This service is provided free of charge to guests with MSC Yacht Club, Aurea, Wellness and Fantastica facilities. For guests with Bella capabilities, this service is paid - 3.5 €. To order breakfast in the cabin, you must fill out an order form and hang it on the handle of your cabin door.

Dinner

Lunch takes place at main restaurants and on buffet... The restaurants also have an express lunch service, that is, lunch in 30 minutes. The main restaurants offer a children's menu for breakfast and dinner, including a menu for children from 6 to 12 years old. The buffet has various themed corners - pizzeria, grill, take-away, health corner, Mediterranean salumeria, butcher's corner, etc. Opening hours of the buffet are shown in the program of the day. In addition, the buffet serves midday and midnight snacks.

Dinner

As an alternative to the main restaurant, you can dine at the buffet or in the pizzeria without fixed meal and table changes.

An à la carte dinner is served at the main restaurants. Depending on the cabin type, guests are provided with different systems for visiting the main restaurants for dinner.

System of visiting restaurants "MSC YACHT CLUB"

The MSC Yacht Club offers a separate restaurant with free time to visit, an exquisite menu for the most discerning travelers. The MSC Yacht Club restaurant includes a wide selection of alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

Liners: MSC Fantasia, MSC Splendida, MSC Divina, MSC Preziosa, MSC Meraviglia, MSC Bellissima, MSC Grandiosa, MSC Virtuosa, MSC Seaside, MSC Seaview, MSC Seashore
Who is provided with: for guests staying in suites MSC Yacht Club
Short description: separate restaurant, free time, drinks included

System of visiting restaurants "MY CHOICE"

Passengers in the Aurea and Wellness cabins are not tied to a specific dinner time - they have a free choice, every day it is possible to book a table at a convenient time. For guests staying in Aurea cabins, alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks are included (subject to the terms of the fare).

Liners: all liners of MSC Cruises
Who is provided with: Aurea, Wellness
Short description: dinner at the main restaurant at a convenient time for the guest

Note: on board the ships MSC Armonia, MSC Sinfonia, MSC Opera, guests staying in cabins with balconies Fantastica also visit the restaurant on the “My Choice” system.

System of visiting restaurants "CLASSIC"

Dinner usually takes place in two shifts, for example, at 18:30 and at 20:30 (on the MSC Meraviglia in three shifts). When booking a cruise, you must indicate which shift is preferable for you. This will allow us to take into account your wishes, although it does not guarantee its fulfillment (first of all, the company will try to take into account the wishes of passengers with Fantastica capabilities).

Liners: all liners of MSC Cruises
Who is provided with: guests staying in cabins Bella, Fantastica
Short description: dinner in 2 shifts; fixed restaurant, table and shift 1st / 2nd

Additional gastronomic benefits of the MSC Yacht Club

A 24-hour cabin menu is available to all MSC Yacht Club guests. Throughout the day, we will offer our guests a large selection of snacks at the Top Sail Lounge and The One Pool. The in-house MSC Yacht Club restaurant is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. In addition, traditional English tea is served in the Top Sail Lounge for MSC Yacht Club guests only.

Drinks in the MSC Yacht Club restaurant and bars, as well as in the cabin minibar are included in the price.

Starting from the Summer 2017 season, for MSC Yacht Club guests also drinks included in all bars liner 24 hours a day!

The time has passed when sea ​​cruises served only for calmness and relaxation. Today it is considered: the more dynamic the rest on the liner, the better. This review compiled 18 mind-blowing entertainment that awaits vacationers on board tourist ships.

1. Wind tunnel

Wind tunnel RipCord, located on the Quantum of the Seas, allows you to experience the indescribable sensations of free fall at a speed of 160 km / h.

2. Observation booth

3. Children's entertainment gym

4. Artificial surf wave

5.65-meter water slide

6. Zipline

7. Bionic bar

8. Brewery

9. Planetarium

10. Climbing wall

11. Ice bar

12. Water park

13. Mini golf courses

16. Suspended bicycles

Just the other day I left the port. On it you can find most of the entertainment described above.

Liner "Costa Luminosa"

It is believed that a cruise is expensive and difficult. Indeed, cruises are very expensive, but there are also quite affordable ones. A week of travel aboard a four-star liner may not be enough more expensive than rest in Turkey. As for the organization of the trip, in terms of complexity it is no different from the rest in Sochi.
The cruise procedure is thought out to the smallest detail and practically does not differ in different cruise companies in different regions of the world. As an example, I would like to cite a guide from the Costa Cruise company for those who only dream of going on a trip for the first time. Such information is provided by travel agencies when issuing a cruise voucher. It can be found on the cruise line's website.

Cruise from A to Z

CHECKING BAGGAGE WHEN BOARDING THE LINER

Allowed baggage weight up to 90 kg per passenger. If the specified weight is exceeded, it must be agreed with the cruise company in advance. For your convenience, when loading your luggage, Costa uses simple system baggage tags that must be attached to each piece of baggage prior to check-in and check-in. You can find the tags at the end of your boarding voucher, or get them from the representatives of the cruise company.

Baggage tags must be legibly marked on English language name and surname, liner name, cabin number, date and port of departure. Luggage tags are needed during embarkation and disembarkation in order to deliver your luggage to your cabin or ashore. We advise you to leave all valuable, fragile and personal items with you in your carry-on baggage. Upon entering the terminal, you check in your luggage to the port carriers.

The luggage is delivered to the cabin within an hour after the end of boarding. In case your luggage is delayed, go to the information desk in the central lobby of the ship - your tags may have come off or were illegible.

All bags and suitcases are X-ray scanned before getting on board. All valuables, medicines, cameras and other fragile items are best kept in hand luggage. In case the cruise includes air travel, check the maximum available weight on the ticket.

Cruise terminal

REGISTRATION AND BOARDING THE LINER

Boarding the liner begins with check-in at the cruise terminal three to four hours before departure, depending on the liner; You must register at least two hours before departure. All passengers must be on board no later than one hour before the departure of the ship.

Registration is confirmation that you have arrived and are ready for the cruise, the purpose of registration is to check your documents and issue the final passenger documents for you. It is possible to check hand luggage and pass through a metal detector to the check-in area by the port security service or the cruise company.

Upon entering the port terminal, follow the signs with the cruise line logo on your documents and your ship's name to the check-in area. At the check-in area, go to the information desk (called either Information or Guest Relations) with your vouchers and passports and grab your cruise tickets.

Then follow to the check-in counters. Since more than two and a half thousand people are often loaded onto the ship at the same time, in order to reduce the total embarkation time, the stands are registered by cabin numbers (for example, counter number 1 - cabin numbers 1101-1300, etc.), or by deck names ( e.g. ALOHA). On the most popular destinations, some terminals have check-in desks for Russian-speaking passengers. In some ports of departure in the United States, the counters are NON-RESIDENT (because the main tourists are Americans or Canadians, and everyone else is non-residents). You must contact exactly the check-in desk to which your cabin number belongs, or the deck, or the counter for Russian-speaking passengers, or you are a non-resident of the United States and Canada. There are also VIP check-in counters. Usually these are passengers of grand suites, suites, mini-suites. Such passengers will be informed about the passage of registration as a VIP in advance.

At the check-in counter, you present your passport (your ID), cruise tickets or a cruise company's voucher, a completed application form (it is issued with the ticket). Perhaps a questionnaire from the cruise company: have you been sick with anything recently? And other questions. After you will be photographed and given a card cruise passenger, it resembles a bank card. The card contains your name and surname, your cabin number, the name of the cruise company and liner. For the duration of the cruise, it replaces your ID, is the key to the cabin and a payment card on board.

Please note that you will have to surrender your passport upon registration. For the convenience of passengers, the cruise company takes care of the border formalities. To go to some ports (for example, on an excursion), you will need to pick up your passport from the check-in counter. The list of such ports will be provided to you by the liner personnel. In other ports, your passport will be replaced by a cruise card.

When boarding the liner, you present your cruise passenger card to the cruise company's security service and at the same time you are photographed for identification. Your presence on the ship is recorded.

Upon check-in and boarding, friendly staff will greet you and show you how you can get to your cabin. As a rule, you will be in the cabin approximately 45 minutes after arriving at the port. Restaurants and bars are already on board.

Attention!!! A tourist who is late is considered not to appear for boarding and his cruise is subject to cancellation, while he loses 100% of the payment !!! If, nevertheless, you are late, you must warn the accompanying person (by phone, fax, etc.) or call your agency and ask them to warn that you will catch up with the ship in the next port, then try to fly away or leave for the port in which the ship will be stand the next day. Otherwise, the cruise administration reserves the right to sell the unoccupied cabin. As a rule, in each port of departure and in ports along the entire cruise route, the cruise company has a representative office or an authorized agency, the passenger should contact a representative of the cruise company. Assistance to late and lagging passengers is not the responsibility of employees of representative offices and agencies, but practice shows that, as a rule, such assistance is provided to a passenger. This service is paid!

Cruise ticket

A DRILL

A drill will be triggered a few minutes after sailing. Such alert is mandatory for all passenger maritime transport and is imposed on carriers by relevant international and national agreements. Remove from the cabinet immediately after the signal life jackets, put them on in the cabin and go to boat deck... The ship's crew members will show you directions. On arrival, take your seat as instructed by the instructors and the markings on the deck below the boat. A short briefing will be given in case of an evacuation. After that you are free and start your cruise.

A drill

PAYMENT FOR SERVICES ON BOARD

Once on board, all guests receive an individual Costa Card. The card serves to identify the guest and pay for services and purchases during the cruise, eliminating the need to always have cash with you. With the card, you can pay for food and drinks in bars, purchases in shops, services of the Spa complex and all Additional services, including casino bets. Each time you use your card, you will receive a check that you will need to sign. At the end of the cruise, you will receive an invoice listing all the services that you purchased on board with the card.

In case you wish to pay by credit card, it will need to be registered upon boarding at the cruise terminal. In this case, the amount will be debited from your account for expenses on board. Please note that there must be sufficient funds on the card. If there are not enough funds on the card, the process of closing the account at the end of the cruise may become more complicated.

The following credit cards are accepted on board: American Express, VISA, Visa Electron and MasterCard. Debit cards VISA and MasterCard are also accepted, Maestro and Switch are not accepted. You can get cash for Traveller's Checks at the Passenger Information Service. Personal checks are not accepted for payment.

INFORMATION ON THE LINER

Each Costa ship has a 24 hour information desk. Here you will be able to answer all your questions and help you book additional services.

Every day, a program of activities for the next day is delivered to the cabin, which lists upcoming programs in theaters, cabarets, etc., possible excursions, etc.

Also on the liners are located a large number of information TV boards with information in various languages ​​about the loading of restaurants, where and when what events take place, etc. Information about possible entertainments.

You can receive information on the TV information channel in your cabin, which provides information about the various activities and entertainment on board, about the loading of restaurants, the weather along the route, services on board, etc.

Program of events

PHOTOS ON BOARD

When boarding the liner, you will be photographed by the cruise ship photographers and in the evening you can buy these photos in the photography boutique. There you can also order your photos during the cruise and take photos with a professional photographer.

Photo session on board

INTERNET AND TELEPHONE

While the vessel is moving, you can use the services of international telephone communication (from the cabin), facsimile or telex communication (from the ship's radio station). There is also an Internet cafe on the liner. While the vessel is at the port, you can use the local communication systems. The cost of an international phone call from the ship is on average 9 euros per minute. Currently, Costa Cruises ships cellular communication with TIM, Italy's largest cellular operator. The cell phone will operate on the GSM standard regardless of the location of the ship.
T
Satellite Internet is also available on board in specially designated areas, payment for which is made using a cruise card. On most Costa liners, WI-FI is available everywhere. You can connect to it by detecting the network by the connected device, go to the registration page and enter the required data. You can use one of the offered tariffs or pay for communication by the minute.

The telephone directory for calls inside the liner and ordering services is in your cabin.

FOOD AND DRINKS ON BOARD

All ships have all kinds of restaurants, snack bars and cafeterias, coffee and tea machines, and hot and cold water dispensers available at any time of the day. You can also order cocktails, coffee and many other drinks in the bars on any deck. Multiple meals are served in the main restaurants. There are pre-order restaurants on board with a reservation fee ranging from € 10 to € 20. Service in them is carried out à la carte and is, as a rule, included in the cost of the reservation, with the exception of some dishes and alcoholic beverages.

You can always order delivery of lunch, dinner, tea and mineral water etc..

No food or drink purchased ashore is permitted on board.

One of the onboard restaurants

IN THE CABIN

All cabins on Costa ships are equipped with a private bathroom with shower, air conditioning, satellite TV, telephone. Each cabin has a hairdryer and a small safe. The luxury cabins offer additional amenities.

The voltage of the electrical network on board is 110 or 220 volts. The voltage, as a rule, is indicated on the socket itself located in the cabin. Attention! Make sure the voltage of the electrical appliance you are connecting matches the voltage of the outlet. If you are unsure, do not plug in an electrical appliance and seek assistance from the liner personnel.

Each cabin has an air conditioning control panel. You can adjust the desired temperature and microclimate in the cabin to your liking.

Television broadcasts include major overseas satellite channels. On the liners, where the Russian-language service is organized, Russian television channels are broadcast. Also on the liner there are several of its own channels, which display the cruise route, weather conditions and the location of the liner. It tells about the liner and its capabilities and how to use the infrastructure. Programs of the day and what and where goes from entertainment activities. Restaurant guide Information from the captain of the ship. Image from webcams installed on the liner. Channel telling about excursions in ports of call along the route of the liner, about the history and culture of countries and cities. Other interesting information.

Interactive TV gives you additional options. By selecting the interactive mode on the remote control with the Menu button, you can view the status of your onboard account and your expenses onboard. Select and order films offered for viewing, cost and available languages ​​are indicated next to the name of the film. View other options available on board.

Cabin with window

CLEANING THE CABIN. CHANGE ACCESSORIES

All cabins are cleaned daily. You can hang the appropriate sign on the door at any time or turn the sign near the door (depending on the liner) and your cabin will be cleaned. Also, on the contrary, you can indicate that you would not be disturbed.

Towels are changed on request. To do this, used towels that need to be replaced simply need to be placed on the bathroom floor.

Gift from the steward

IN THE RESTAURANT

Service in restaurants is made according to the "Buffet" system and à la carte.

You can book a table at the restaurant immediately after check-in. In the cabin you will find a card in which you can indicate the date, time and number of people. Or you can make a reservation by phone. Please note that tables are reserved for dinner only. You can also choose a table in the restaurant when you come to eat. If you choose meals according to an individual menu, and inform the cruise company in advance, then your place in the restaurant will be indicated on your cruise voucher.

Clothing such as sleeveless tops, tops, shorts, or jeans are not permitted in the restaurant. Shoes should always be worn on the liner.

In the restaurant

For those who want to celebrate a birthday, wedding or Honeymoon, there are special programs on board. Flowers, fruits, wine, gifts at your request can be delivered to your cabin. It is possible to arrange decoration of the cabin with fresh flowers, ribbons, balloons, etc. Dinner with the captain is also possible for special guests. These programs are paid and must be ordered in advance when booking your cruise. Some services can be ordered while on board.

SPECIAL DIETARY FOOD

For those who follow a special diet for medical reasons, a special kitchen is provided. Special menus must be negotiated in advance at the time of booking the cruise, and availability is agreed with the cruise company. If this has not been done in advance, the cruise line does not guarantee the provision of such a service.

CLOTHES

Wardrobe should be selected based on the cruise itinerary and the countries of visit. Before traveling, inquire about the usual weather in this region during your trip.

During your cruise, you should dress like you would at any prestigious resort. A tracksuit, shorts, light trousers can be worn both on board the ship and on the shore in hot weather. Don't forget to bring a sweater, jacket or blazer to wear on chilly evenings. Two types of clothing are acceptable for an evening meal in the liner's restaurants: smart casual wear or evening dress. If it is elegant everyday wear, then skirts and dresses, wide leg pants, sweaters or blouses for ladies, trousers and shirts for men are acceptable. Jackets and ties are optional. Shoes on the liner should always be worn.

It is recommended to choose comfortable clothes and shoes without heels for excursions. Please note that if you are planning a tour of a religious site, appropriate clothing may be required. Be sure to bring sun-protection hats, sunglasses and an umbrella.

The following clothing is acceptable for formal evenings: evening dress or cocktail dress, for ladies; loose trousers and a jacket or suit, for men. On some ships, evening wear can be rented, but it can be ordered before the start of the cruise.

Evening dress code

DRY CLEANER AND LAUNDRY

There is a launderette on board. You can also take your items to the laundry and dry cleaning or ironing. In the cabin you will find a price list for services, and in the closet there are bags for linen and tags that should be attached to a hanger with clothes and placed in a conspicuous place or leave the bag on the bed in the cabin, noting in a special form what needs to be done with the item. Services are paid additionally. The cost of the service will be credited to the onboard account.

Ironing is strictly prohibited in the cabins. You can call your steward into the cabin and instruct him to iron this or that thing. Payment for this service will be credited to the onboard account. It is usually customary to thank the steward with a tip of 1 - 2 euros. On board the ship, it is prohibited to use various fire hazardous electrical appliances, such as irons and boilers, heaters, etc.

PREGNANT WOMEN

The maximum allowed pregnancy period at the start of the cruise is up to 23 weeks. Pregnant women must have a certificate from a medical institution with them, where the gestational age is recorded and permission from a doctor to make a cruise.

CHILDREN

Children of all ages are accepted on board, but not less than 4 months old. On some cruises, children must be at least 6 months old and sometimes 2 years old. Please check this information when booking your cruise. Free leisure activities are organized on board for children from 3 years old who do not need diapers. From morning to evening, entertainment is available for children of any age from three to seventeen years old. The types of entertainment vary depending on the season and the number of children in the group.

The presence of children on all ships is encouraged, but the number and quality of programs varies. On board the ships you will find fully equipped centers for young children and adolescents (children from 3 to 17 years old), including various attractions, computer games rooms and discos. Children under the age of 3 may also be in children's center, but under the constant supervision of parents. The ship also offers group lessons and special game programs for children under the supervision of a special worker, in the event that there are more than 20 children of the same age group on board.

It is possible to leave a small child in a group under the supervision of a nanny in the evening, and a teenager in a group of children under the supervision of a special worker (children aged 3 to 17 years). This service is provided from 22:00 to 1:00 at night. The cost of this service is about € 5 per hour per child. This option is only available if there are more than 20 children of the same age group on board. There are no groups for children under the age of three.

The ships have special baby food programs. There are also special children's pools, waterslides, game rooms, discos for teenagers, video games, Formula 1 simulators, etc.

Water park on board

SPA SERVICES. FACE AND BODY CARE

The services of the Spa salons will be available to you on the liners. We recommend that you book them in advance when booking your cruise. When ordering services on board, you must make an appointment in advance. You can make an appointment by phone or directly at the Spa. These services are paid separately. You can choose from various types of oriental, therapeutic massages, facial treatments, rejuvenation complexes. Various types of baths and jacuzzi. The most advanced cosmetics and equipment will help you to relax in body and soul. There is also a salon on board where you can get manicures, pedicures, haircuts and hair dyeing. The salon offers a wide range of services for both women and men.

SPORTS

The liners have well-equipped GYM's, swimming pools, water slides, jogging tracks, basketball and volleyball courts, mini-golf course, ping-pong, bowling, etc. Infrastructure depends on the liner. There are yoga, pilates, aerobics and shaping classes. Classes conducted with professional instructors are paid.

Basketball playground

LINER SHOPS

The ships have galleries of duty-free shops where you can buy cosmetics, souvenirs, clothing, jewelry and much more.

SMOKING ON BOARD

Smoking on liners is strictly prohibited outside specially designated smoking areas marked accordingly. Smoking on decks, cabins, theaters, restaurants, bars, corridors, elevators and staircases, etc. is strictly prohibited. Pipes and cigars can only be smoked in designated smoking rooms. If you are traveling in a cabin with a balcony, then smoking on the balcony may be permitted if indicated accordingly and there are permits and ashtrays in place. Some bars have specially designated areas for smoking passengers with appropriate signs and ashtrays. On the open decks there are designated smoking areas, appropriately marked and equipped with ashtrays.

ALCOHOLIC DRINKS

Alcoholic drinks are sold on ships in bars and restaurants. Alcoholic drinks will not be sold or served to anyone under the age of 21. The cruise line reserves the right to refuse to sell alcoholic beverages to any passenger. It will be possible to buy alcohol on the liners at DUTY FREE prices. Alcohol purchased in the shop on board the ship will be delivered to your cabin on the last day of the cruise before disembarking from the ship. Alcoholic drinks purchased while staying on the shore can be taken into storage and given to you at the end of the cruise when disembarking from the liner or delivered to your cabin before disembarking.

Bar service

CASINO AND GAMING

The ships have casinos and gambling rooms. Passengers under the age of 21 are not allowed to gamble in casinos and gambling on board ships. Payment is possible from your onboard account.

TRAVELING FOR PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES

All liners have special cabins adapted for the travel of people with disabilities. They are specially equipped for passengers traveling in wheelchairs, as well as a separate lift in case of evacuation. When boarding and disembarking, these passengers are served first. Disabled people will need an accompanying assistant and their own wheelchair to travel. There are a number of emergency wheelchairs on board. Their use is permitted only on board the ship.

ANIMALS

Costa Cruises is unable to accommodate animals on the ship, with the exception of animals to assist disabled passengers. Guide dogs must be arranged in advance prior to booking the cruise.

MEDICAL SERVICE

Passengers must inform Costa Cruises in writing and in advance, preferably at the time of booking, of a passenger's physical or mental illness, disability or other condition in which he may require special equipment on board for the cruise. Either medical treatment may be required, or it may be impossible to sail because of a potential risk or hazard to the health of the passenger or anyone else on board.

When someone suddenly becomes ill on board or a situation arises that requires immediate medical attention, there are well-equipped medical centers at the disposal of medical professionals. Medical centers on Costa Cruises ships are equipped with X-ray machines, computerized ECG machines, portable oxygen cylinders, defibrillators, devices that monitor blood oxygen levels and heart pressure. All pharmacies on liners are supplied with drugs approved by the UK Medicines Safety Committee.

Costa Cruises is not medical institution and is not responsible for the action or oversight of doctors, nurses and other medical personnel in the provision of services, consultations, procedures, and advice to the passenger. All medical personnel on the ship provide services on their own responsibility. Medical services are paid. Their costs and any other medical expenses will be charged to your onboard account.
* Save all medical bills and upon arrival contact your insurance company for reimbursement!

IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

During cruises, the ships of the cruise company Costa Cruises visit a large number of ports in many countries of the world. At any moment in any of them there may be emergency connected with international crimes, wars, acts of terrorism. While Costa Cruises is committed to ensuring the safety and security of passengers on board, Costa Cruises cannot guarantee you protection from the risks of war, terrorism, crime or other emergencies. The US Department of State and other similar government agencies regularly issue warnings and warnings to tourists, providing details of adverse situations in various cities and countries around the world. We recommend that passengers and their travel agents receive and review such information when booking a cruise.

REMUNERATION FOR PERSONNEL. TIPS

You are served during the cruise by a large number of staff who make every effort to make your stay comfortable and enjoyable. For your convenience, a tip is accrued to the onboard account on liners. The daily charge is about 7 euros and varies from the duration of the cruise, the direction of the cruise and the liner.

The staff is a friend of the passenger!

CHECKING YOUR BAGGAGE WHEN DETACHING FROM THE LINER

On the last day of the cruise, collect your luggage, check carefully so that you don't forget anything from your belongings and documents. Put on the luggage the new tags that you will find in the cabin, write them down. Tear off the spine from the tag and leave it with you; it may be required upon receipt at the terminal as a confirmation that this is your baggage. Place your luggage in the hallway. Your luggage will be delivered from the ship to the cruise terminal, where you can collect it. Do not check your documents, money and jewelry, medicines and fragile items in your luggage, but keep them with you or carry them in your carry-on luggage.

CLOSING ON-BOARD ACCOUNT AND DEPARTURE FROM THE LINER

Your onboard account will be blocked on the last day of the cruise at approximately 00.00 hours. After blocking it, payment for services is possible only in cash. On the last day of the cruise or the morning before disembarkation, you need to close your onboard account and pay all expenses incurred on board. To do this, you need to go to the information desk with your checks and pay. Before making the calculations, you will not be able to get off the liner ashore.

From experience - Important: Please note that when paying for on-board expenses by credit or debit card, it is sometimes possible to block an additional amount in the amount of your expenses. These blockages are not due to fault. cruise lines, but arise depending on the transit banks of correspondents and banks that issued the card. Cash are not debited, but blocked on your account. Automatic unlocking of the amount usually occurs within a month. At the end of the cruise, we recommend that you contact your bank for an accelerated unlocking within 1-7 days, depending on the bank. To avoid this situation, we recommend that you use a card for settlements with a certain balance or limit of funds approximately equivalent to your on-board expenses.

It was something elite, expensive and therefore inaccessible to an ordinary tourist: now travel on liners is becoming more and more financially uplifting, and therefore many other options for spending a vacation are hitting in popularity. It is also time for those who fear seasickness to abandon the stereotypical view of sea travel as a grueling test: the high-tech stabilizers with which modern liners are equipped, as well as carefully designed routes bypassing the "storm" sections, completely eliminate the occurrence of ailments among passengers. The confined space and the monotonous horizon also now do not pose any problem, since the ship's interior is indistinguishable from home, and the range of entertainment on the ship is truly wide.

A cruise ship

So, you decided to go to and even decided on the direction, but you get lost in the variety of offers. The first thing to look out for is the size of the cruise ship. This criterion really sets the tone for the whole rest in many ways, determines the positive and negative sides swimming. So, the main plus large liners the fact that their passengers will definitely have no time to get bored: more space means wider and more varied infrastructure on board. And ships of compact size create the illusion of traveling on a yacht of a friend or relative due to a more comfortable atmosphere.

Another important point which needs to be focused on is when the ship was launched. And the point here is not at all in safety, but in comfort: modern cruise liners are built according to a clear plan, in which the location of all entertainment facilities was initially provided and thought out to the smallest detail, so that travelers can quickly get to them and not get lost. For comparison, in the process of reconstruction, age liners receive new children's rooms, spas, alternative restaurants in the most suitable for them already existing premises, which are not always sensibly located.

To understand what living conditions await you on board, imagine a hotel room with the same number of stars as the liner chosen for the trip. At the same time, the size of the cabin will be more modest than that of a hotel room, but its decoration, as well as the level of service, will be significantly better.

By the way, about the service. Whatever class the ship belongs to, the passenger service is of the highest standard. The staff of almost every cruise ship is multinational, so surely someone from the stewards will speak Russian and will help you solve any possible difficulties. Moreover, tour operators are increasingly focusing on Russian-speaking tourists, offering special "Russian-speaking" tours. They mean not just the presence on board the ship of an accompanying person who speaks fluent Russian, but a comprehensive service in Russian throughout the ship.

Modern cruise ships are 100% adapted for family vacation... Moreover, their owners adhere to a very attractive pricing for families: for booking a cabin, the full cost is charged only from the first and second passengers, and all subsequent ones pay much less. Therefore, traveling on a liner with the whole family or a large company is not only fun, but also profitable.

Which cruise route choose and when?

Needless to say, the number is as great as their popularity. At any time of the year, liners enter and leave harbors, so that, having decided on their preferences and capabilities, any traveler can choose a sea voyage.

You can take a Mediterranean cruise at any time of the year, but the choice of itineraries will be much more extensive in summer time... Traveling in the surrounding water Northern Europe, are most comfortable in June-September, and those who want to go around old world most of all in water is found in late spring and early autumn.

If you do not intend to swim so shallowly, you can, during - such programs with tour operators operate all year round. It will not be possible to swim to Alaska before May or later in September, but at this time. Australia and New Zealand ports fill up by passenger liners from December to February, and to go to trip around the world on the ship, it is better not to plan anything for December-April.

However, the sea is just a path, and otherwise each cruise has its own focus. For example, cognitive: such routes run through large ancient ports with a rich history to allow travelers to enjoy interesting excursions... Cruises are very popular, combining in the right proportions educational excursions and beach vacation... There is also a separate group of routes for especially sophisticated travelers - for example, trips to the Norwegian fjords, the mysterious shores of Iceland, cradles ancient civilizations etc.

Cruise price

Prices for a sea voyage fluctuate depending on the duration of the voyage, seasonality, "star rating" of the liner and, of course, on the cabin. The cheapest are interior cabins, with blank walls. Cabins with a window will be more expensive, with a balcony - even more expensive. If you have chosen the upper deck, then you will pay more for living here than on the lower one, the same applies to the cabins located in the central part of the ship.

By purchasing a tour on the liner, you provide yourself with accommodation in the chosen cabin, meals (standard meals and "snacks" in between), entertainment programs available on board, as well as available inventory and equipment (swimming pools, sports equipment). Port dues will have to be paid additionally, this also applies to spirits, shore excursions and personal services such as massage, laundry, spa treatments, etc.

The average cost of cruises today is more than affordable - in the Mediterranean from 350 EUR per person; in the Caribbean - a week 900 - 1000 euros, a short four-day in the region of 400 euros; A six-day cruise in Asia can be bought for 450 - 700 euros, and a ten-day cruise will cost around 1000 euros.

Search cruise online

Cruises can be booked directly at. All of them are collected on our portal with convenient filtering by region of sailing.

When to book a cruise?

The concepts of "high season" and "low season" are also fully characteristic of cruises. The greatest demand for sea tours is in July-September, as well as for New Year and a mini-vacation in May. To guarantee yourself best price, you should practice 6 months before departure: unlike land tours, there are no “last minute” offers here, and the closer the departure date of the liner, the more expensive the ticket will cost. The cheapest and most expensive cabins are the first to sell out.

Sales leaders are primarily determined by the season. The most active trade in Mediterranean tours takes place in February-April, in anticipation of the "high" season in this region. For example, it is better to purchase in April.

The paid cruise program does not include airline tickets, additional hotel stays, visas, or any other services you need to get to your departure point and then back home.

Pay attention to the payment terms set by cruise lines: most of them require full payment for the voucher 30-90 days before departure. If you book a cruise later than the deadline, then the entire cost of the trip will be debited from your card after confirming the selected cabin.

How to find your way on board?

The first thing to do after stepping on board the liner is to find the reception and deposit your passport with the employee at the counter. Getting lost is unrealistic: the reception is always located near the entrance. Throughout the journey, the passports of passengers are at the reception: this rule significantly reduces the time that customs and immigration services "steal" from the duration of the cruise, because the entrance to each port is essentially a border crossing. Imagine how long the ship would spend in quarantine if port officers checked the documents of each passenger personally! And so the customs officers solve formalities only with the responsible employees of the liner, and this obligatory procedure does not affect travelers in any way.

However, when going ashore, you must have a document with you that can prove your identity. Alternatively, upon arrival at each port, you can pick up your passport from the reception, and return to your cabin, return it. But so that you don't get crowded with the whole ship in line at the check-in counter, cruise lines offer more convenient option: the photocopy of the passport pages is stamped with the liner, making it an internationally recognized identity document in any country.

After picking up your passport, the steward at the reception will tell you about the change of meals and the table number. Usually, the change of meals becomes known in advance, even when booking, but if it does not suit you, please contact the restaurant administrator. He also does not have to look for him for a long time on the liner: when passengers board on board, he is on duty at the reception or at a separate table nearby. In general, information about the change and table number applies only to evening meals and only in the main restaurant. You can have dinner on the first shift from 19:30 to 20:00, on the second - from 20:00 to 21:30, but at different time the time frame may shift. Throughout the journey, you will sit at the same table. As for breakfasts and lunches, you can get them in any working restaurant of the ship at any time. There are at least three restaurants on board each ship: the main one, where lunches and dinners are held, a buffet-style buffet, where you can drop in for any meal, and an alternative restaurant, where mainly dinners are held. The alternative restaurant differs from the main one in its smaller size, a more refined menu, which is made by a Michelin-star chef, and a much higher level of service. Meals in such restaurants are also included in the price of the voucher, with the exception of drinks, however, additional costs will be required to pre-book a table, without which you cannot get to an alternative restaurant. This pleasure costs about 20 euros per person. To reserve a table, contact the reception or directly to the restaurant.

Cabin types

As we mentioned above, there are four types of cabins: internal, external with a window, external with a balcony, and various suites, that is, multi-room cabins. The inner ones have no windows and can be located on any deck. Cabins with windows are usually planned on the lower deck, and those with balconies on the upper deck so that they do not get spray from the waves. The suites are also more expensive accommodation options. upper deck and therefore also have balconies.

Each cabin has its own bathroom with shower, towels and toiletries. Depending on the rating of the cruise company, you will find in the bathroom not only soap and shampoo, but also other cosmetics, perhaps even well-known brands.

As for the beds, they are separate in the cabins. Do not let this fact upset those who travel in pairs: contact the steward, and in a few minutes two separate beds turn into one double. Other standard furnishings in the cabin include a dressing table with mirror, chairs or armchairs and a serving table. Modern liners have more spacious cabins than before, so they also include a sofa. The balconies are also very spacious: they usually have a table with two chairs or a pair of plastic sun loungers. Equipment at your disposal will be a hairdryer, TV and telephone.

Four passengers can be accommodated in a standard cabin: two more are added to the two main berths: the same sofa, a folding bed like a berth in second-class carriage, at worst - a clamshell. On some liners, the layout of the cabins precludes the possibility of adding berths, so if you are traveling with a family or a group of more than two people, you may not be able to book accommodation in one cabin. In this case, you will be accommodated in different cabins, or, if you are lucky, they will be offered to occupy adjacent ones that are connected by an interior door, however, there are very few such cabins in the room stock of liners.

A certain number of cabins are assigned to each steward on the liner, so all your questions will be decided by the same member of the ship's crew. Service personnel get to know "their" passengers during check-in or immediately after it.

On the dressing table in each room, there are reference materials prepared for passengers: a card with the name of your steward and a folder with leaflets and brochures of all the establishments on board - restaurants, shops, spas, casinos, and so on. Here you will also find a diagram of the location of all objects on the ship, a list phone numbers that may come in handy, and the latest issue of the cruise newspaper, on the pages of which you will find answers to all the questions that may come to your mind. The schedule of the liner along the route, contacts of port agents, the price list of excursions, the animation program on board, the opening hours of entertainment establishments - this and other information printed on the pages of the newspaper will allow travelers to think over their vacation to the smallest detail. The cruise newspaper is published daily, so the latest newspaper will be delivered to your cabin in the evenings.

The beginning of any cruise.

Before the liner sets off on its route, on board must undergo express exercises in case of forced evacuation from the ship. All passengers are required to take part in them, but do not take it as a dull duty: the exercise will not take more than 30 minutes and will in fact become the first number of the animation program on board. The start of the exercise gives a special sound signal, upon hearing which, all passengers will have to disperse to their cabins, put on life jackets and go to the boat deck, where the crew members will help them take their places. The safety specialist will then conduct a briefing (unfortunately only in English), after which you can return to your cabin and take off your vest. These teachings only from the outside seem to be a boring obligation, but in reality they are a great opportunity get to know your neighbors and post photos in bright life jackets on Instagram.

Another traditional event on the first day of the cruise is a reception hosted by the captain and a gala dinner. The reception usually takes place at the ship's main theater, which fills up in the evening with passengers in evening gowns and tuxedos. The captain of the liner personally meets his guests at the entrance, and then, during a welcoming speech, introduces passengers to his closest assistants - senior ship officers, hotel and cruise directors and a chef. However, this is just a beautiful tradition, and not a mandatory event, so passengers can choose another activity for the first evening, since there are more than enough opportunities for this on the huge liner.

cheap air tickets to the countries of departure and arrival of your liner on the websites Aviasales

Malpa Travel is a catalog of all world travel booking services.

The word "cruise" scares off the average Russian tourist just as the mighty Siberian man raised on dumplings is scared away by frog legs in sour cream. But in vain. Paws ... that is, cruises are a great alternative to the boring tourist menu. Moreover, they also have a number of advantages.

The absence of the static moment of ordinary resorts, turning vacationers into amorphous sausages fried in the sun, is already a great incentive. Sea breezes, endless distances, albatrosses soaring high in the sky, waves escaping from under the keel over the horizon - it seems like a great alternative, doesn't it?

No intolerable tropical acclimatization, no pushy beach barkers. And then, in the usual 7-10 days you will have time to visit not one country, but several at once, you will see the best seaports, everyday life and people separated by languages ​​and borders. You can go on a cruise at any time of the year and to any part of the world - be it exotic French polynesia, icy Arctic or the classic Mediterranean.

The only negative for people with sensitive vestibular apparatus is motion sickness. However, there are many ways to deal with seasickness, so that during a boat trip, feeling unwell will not prevent you from enjoying the endless expanses.

The price of the question: what to save on.

You say cruise is great! However, the question is about the price. This is crazy money. Yes. And what? It's hard to argue with that. But again - liners are different, not necessarily fashionable, cruises are different, not necessarily round the world, and the time of year is the same, not necessarily summer. So the price gradation is quite large.

In terms of prices, by the way, there is one point. He will help you navigate and save money. This is the location of the cabin. Most a budget option- inner cabins. Cabins with a window are slightly more expensive, but still less than cabins with a balcony. The lower decks are much cheaper than the upper decks, as are the bow and stern when compared to the center. Also, don't be alarmed when you see the number in the tour operator's brochure. The word "cruise" usually means that its price will include all entertainment and sports programs, sports equipment, swimming pool, food, and sometimes alcohol. So to speak, "turnkey" rest. What is not included in the price is a transfer to the place of departure, shore excursions and port taxes, as well as some individual services - for example, SPA, laundry and ironing, some shopping on board.

Another "loophole" for saving is the season. "Short" tourist season always costs several times cheaper than "high". The "low" season, by the way, in addition to the price, has one more advantage: most of the interesting excursion port cities will be free from crowds of noisy tourists. You can walk along them slowly and with pleasure.

The cheapest tours are Mediterranean, the most expensive tours are in the southern hemisphere, the Arctic and Antarctica. In summer, the "high" season is closer to the subtropics, in winter - to the equator.

What else is important to consider when choosing a cruise for your vacation?

Ship size

He is often even more important than his affiliation with a cruise line. Typically than bigger ship, the more entertainment you will find on board. The design of large cruise ships can include swimming pools, SPA-salons, casino clubs and other pleasant places. Small ships of such luxury, of course, do not provide, but they can offer something else - the cozy atmosphere of a small country boarding house.

Ship age

The older the liner, the less likely it is that all its amenities will be placed in suitable premises. In new ships, all functional rooms are provided at the stage of its design, while on ships more early year release, you can, for example, find a sauna somewhere in the hold.

Ship class

Please note that liners have the same "star" classification as hotels. However, here the same stars mean a little differently. For example, standard 4 * cabins are usually smaller than rooms in a hotel with the same stars, but the service and furnishings here, on the contrary, are much better. Service, by the way, on any ocean liners, regardless of their class, age and size, is always very good. Perhaps because of the fact that, in principle, there is nowhere to get away from the board, and getting to work on such a liner is much more difficult than in an ordinary hotel.

Purpose of the trip

It is important to understand what you want - to come off with friends or relax with your family in peace. For the first purpose, small liners are more suitable, but the giants of cruise vacations, on the contrary, are usually perfectly adapted for family vacations - a nursery, children's playrooms, high railings. And in either case, by the way, you can save a lot: among cruise companies there is a widespread pricing system in which the first two passengers in the cabin pay full cost cruise, and all the rest - much less.

Reservation

Sea cruises are in demand. Therefore, for the most popular destinations tickets need to be taken in 3-4 months. Moreover, the first to be dismantled are, as a rule, the cabins of the lowest and highest classes. So in middle class you can do it in a month or two. There are never "last minute" prices for sea cruises. Here everything is exactly the opposite: the cost increases the more the closer the day of sailing gets.