Panama Canal Westbound Cruise

Shore excursions are pre-organised tours & sightseeing options that you purchase on board for when your ship is in a port of call. Every ship has a “Shore Ex” desk with qualified staff who can advise you of different excursions available, what’s best to do and generally help you with information on the particular region your ship is visiting.

Shore excursions can be booked on board your ship however some cruise lines allow you to pre-book and pay for excursions online. If there is a tour you really want to do then we recommend you pre-book it as popular tours do sell out.

Shore excursions are not compulsory, you are free to go ashore and return to the ship as many times as you like.
 
When you go ashore it is important to note:
You must take your cruise I.D. card (ticket) as proof for re-embarking.
The city or town you are visiting may not be close to the port where the ship is docked, cruise lines normally organise shuttle buses (at a minimal charge) throughout the day to and from the city centre.
You must return to the ship at the stipulated time as the ship WILL NOT wait for late passengers.

Tour costs vary depending on the activity, itinerary and inclusions. There is always a wide variety on offer for all age groups and abilities that can start from as little as $25.

Sometimes you can book your tour, when you arrive at your port, direct from the operator at a much cheaper price. However, this comes with a buyer beware warning. The operators used by the cruise line are trusted professionals so you will not be ripped off. Also, if something goes wrong on your tour, the cruise line knows where you are and will take the necessary steps to pick you up if your vehicle has broken down. In extreme cases they will even hold the ship's departure for you if you are late returning from a tour booked through the ship. They will not wait if you go direct through the operator, as they will not know where you are.

Unlike airlines, there are no luggage restrictions on a cruise. However you need to consider that you need to store it in your cabin for your holiday. There is plenty of storage space in your cabin but if you are travelling in a quad cabin you may want to impose your own restrictions.

NB It is important to remember that airlines have different luggage restrictions, so if you are flying either pre or post cruise then you may want to keep within their allowances.

Cruise lines around the world do not all operate using the same onboard currency. The currency varies from cruise line to cruise line with the most common currency being US dollars. P&O Cruises Australia, Carnival Spirit and the Sun and Dawn Princess all use Australian dollars as their onboard currency.

Cruising is a cashless society which means when you purchase anything on board you do not pay for it in cash. When you board the ship it is like checking into a hotel, you can either give a credit card imprint or the cruise line will take a cash deposit of approximately $300. You are then given a “cruise card”. Your cruise card is your door key (on most ships), has your dinner table number on it (for traditional dining), and it is used for making any purchases aboard.

When you make a purchase with your cruise card, it is swiped and a receipt is printed that you will need to sign. The cost of the purchase is then added to your onboard account which you settle at the end of your cruise.

Many cruises on our websites come with onboard credits. This could be from a special promotion that is being run by the cruise line or because of the relationship we have with the cruise lines that allows us to select certain cruises to receive onboard credit. The amount of onboard credit does normally depend on the length of the cruise.

If your reservation receives onboard credit we will confirm this with you in writing and then your onboard account will automatically be in credit for the amount we have confirmed to you. This credit can be used towards any onboard expenditure that is charged back to your cabin. It is important to note that if you do not spend all of your onboard credit it will not be refunded to you in cash so it is best you spend it all while on board.

Tipping/gratuities are a big issue for a lot of Australasian cruise passengers as it is not our custom to reward good service in this way. What cruise passengers need to consider is that outside of Australasia, the remuneration for personnel in the service industry is quite low. Hence, to keep up a high standard, employees have the incentive of earning additional income via the tips they receive. At the end of the day, how much you tip is up to you.

The most common way cruise lines suggest tipping, is that they add a suggested amount to your daily onboard account. You can choose to keep that on your account or you can ask the purser to remove it. This suggested amount is divided out amongst your cabin steward, your dinner waiter, your assistant waiter, your wine steward, and maitre d’.

Some cruise lines ask passengers to wait until the end of the cruise and they discreetly leave an envelope in your cabin in which to place the appropriate amount. Some cruise lines state that the fare you have paid includes gratuities. Some cruise lines ask that you pre-pay the gratuities with your cruise fare prior to your holiday departure.

Again, the amount you tip is up to you (unless it is prepaid) and it isn't intended to have a negative impact on your holiday. Do what feels most comfortable to you.

The rules surrounding where you can smoke on board a cruise ship vary from cruise line to cruise line. However, none have taken steps to ban smoking completely. Most only allow smoking in designated areas on the open decks.  Many have banned smoking on cabin balconies as this poses a fire risk.

Many cruise lines have rules restricting you from taking your own alcohol on board your cruise ship. If you have pre purchased duty free alcohol the ship will take it off you when you board and store it away for you. This alcohol will be delivered to your cabin the night before you disembark. The same applies if you purchase it when you are in port. Any purchases made on board will also be delivered the night before you disembark.

However, Princess Cruises will allow you to bring a bottle of wine aboard which you can drink at dinner or in your cabin.

These restrictions were put in place to create a safer environment on board your cruise ship, where people drink within a controlled drinking environment.