Luxury cruise holidays are growing in popularity each year as more and more people are being enticed by the promise of 5 star travel to exotic destinations all over the world with the added bonus of non stop entertainment whilst on board. There is no denying that for the foreseeable future the growth in the popularity of luxury cruise holidays looks endless as ships get even bigger and better and are now sailing to more and more resorts all over the world, coupled with the rise in air travel the luxury cruise holiday looks as though it is for a very good time. For those of you who have never travelled on a cruise before there are a few pointers that may help you when the ship comes into dock enabling you to get ashore and enjoy some sight seeing and indulge in some local shopping. If you follow these tips you should be able to avoid any mishaps and allow yourself to enjoy your luxury cruise holiday that little bit more.
Your luxury cruise ship will dock in one of two ways, either by dropping anchor slightly off shore or by pulling into port. Depending on where about in the world you are will depending on how you dock, some resorts do not have deep enough ports to accommodate the new super luxury cruise ships that sail today. If you drop anchor at sea you will be required to get a shore via a launch which will safely ferry people back and forth all day. When getting on the launch for the first time you may be a little nervous and wary but if you act in a calm and sensible way but explain your worries to the crew they will be more than willing to help you.
When pulling into port the captain of the ship must first go through some formalities with the local port authorities. At this point the gang plank will be available to cross to go a shore but under no circumstances must you go a shore until you are given the signal to do so by the crew. Whether your ship drops anchor at sea or whether it pulls into the dock the most important thing you must do before you go a shore is find out what time the ship is sailing again, if you miss this sailing you are in big trouble as generally a luxury cruise ship will wait for no one.
With the sailing time in mind you should plan your time on dry land carefully ensuring that you do not go too far away and always giving yourself enough time to get back onboard. Always be mindful of the time and if possible always set an alarm on a watch or mobile phone leaving yourself more than enough time to get back to the ship. It is better to get back to the ship in plenty of time and not having seen everything a shore rather than seeing everything a shore and standing at the dockside watching your family sail off into the sunset without you. When a shore you should always exercise the same caution that you would when visiting any foreign city or town, do not stray from the main streets and never be tempted by promises of greatness by locals, as always, it is better to be safe than sorry.
Finally whenever you go a shore you must always carry your passport or any other form of identification that you carry with you incase you get into any trouble whilst on dry land but also so you can prove your identity when getting back onboard your luxury cruise ship. If you follow these few simple tips you should be able to relax and enjoy your wonderful luxury cruise holiday for the duration.