Frequently Asked Questions

1. Are Transfers included? A. This depends on how you’ve booked your cruise. If the whole package is booked with the cruise operator then transfers are usually included. If the package is tailor made then all, some or no transfers could be included. Your personal cruise advisor will be able to give you individual information depending upon the nature of your booking.

2. Are there different dining options? A. Yes. Some cruises offer informal or flexible dining options, which means you can use any restaurant at any time. Others have more formal dining facilities whereby you are booked a certain table at a certain time in a certain restaurant. All ships offer a choice of dining which could include speciality restaurants alongside the main dining options. Please note there is usually a cover charge for the speciality restaurants. There is usually a choice of restaurants for breakfast and lunch.

3. Are the ships child-friendly? A. Most ships do have excellent children’s facilities. As with most hotels some are more child friendly than others. Your personal cruise advisor can advise you on family friendly ships.

4. Are there any adult only ships? A. Yes. P&O Arcadia and Artemis are adult only. An adult is classed as someone who is 17 years old or over.

5. Do I need Visas? A. This depends on where you are travelling to and what ports of call you are visiting. Some visas are arranged for you by the cruise operator and are included in your cruise; others need to be arranged separately. All people travelling to the United States of America must have an ESTA. These can be obtained by going to the following website: https://esta.cbp.dhs.gov/ Obtaining a visa is your responsibility. Your personal cruise advisor will be able to offer further advice.

6. Is there self-service laundry on board? A. Some ships have a laundry room, others offer a laundry service. Expect to pay a small charge for either of these facilities.

7. Can I take my own alcohol on board? A. No. Cruise lines do not allow this. However, if you wish to take your own wine onboard this must be declared prior to boarding and you will be required to pay corkage in the restaurants.

8. Are there any theme nights? A. Most cruises offer themed, party, informal or formal nights. Some even have the whole cruise tailored to a particular theme. For example golf, arts, gardening, wine-tasting, culinary etc. etc. Full details will be included in your pre-cruise documentation.

9. Can I book shore excursions prior to boarding the ship? A. Yes. You will be sent an excursion information booklet with your pre-cruise documentation. You can book excursions directly with the cruise line either by phone or by visiting their website.

10. Are excursions good-value for money? A. Most of the excursions use local people who have a superior knowledge of the area you are visiting. Top quality transfers/guides/restaurants etc. are always used. So, considering you get the very best, then yes, they are good value for money.

11. Do I have to purchase the excursions on offer or can I do “my own thing”? A. You can go ashore on your own and pretty much do what you wish, but please make yourself aware of local customs and always ensure you know what time the ship is sailing. You must be back on board the ship at the given time. The ship will not wait for you! Please be careful of health and safety regulations if booking with an unauthorised operator. This could also affect your individual insurance policy terms and conditions.

12. How much are the drinks on board? A. The cost of drinks varies from ship to ship but most are similar in price to what you would expect to pay in any hotel.

13. What is the tipping policy? Can I pay my tips direct to the staff and not to my onboard account? A. Gratuities are required on most ships. However with some cruise lines you do have the option to have these taken off your onboard account which would therefore leave tipping at your own discretion. Some cruise companies give you the option of pre-paying your gratuities. This enables you to budget for your voyage. Your personal cruise advisor can give you further information.

14. Can I book my next cruise on board ship and have it taken over by my cruise advisor? A. Yes. You can book onboard. Just advise the cruise line that you wish to have your cruise taken over by Future Travel and give the ABTA number J9479 along with the name of your personal cruise advisor. On returning home, please inform your advisor that you have booked on board. They will happily take over the booking for you and ensure that everything is arranged according to your requirements. They may even be able to add extra discounts for you!

15. Can I pre-book a dining table for two? A. On most cruise lines, yes. Just check with your personal cruise advisor.

16. What is the currency on board? A. Different cruise lines use different currencies. Some are in dollars, some euros and some in sterling. Your personal cruise advisor will inform you what currency your ship utilises.

17. What time can I board the ship? A. Your personal cruise advisor will advise you of embarkation times.

18. What is the dress code on board? A. Ships have different dress codes. Some are informal and relaxed whereas others are more formal; your personal cruise advisor will inform you what the dress code is for your particular ship. Use the following as a guideline. Formal: Ladies: Evening Dress, Trouser Suit or a Cocktail Dress. Gentlemen: Dinner Jacket or Tuxedo are the norm, or Dark Suits & Ties or even Kilt & Jacket. Semi Formal Ladies - Tailored Trousers, Smart separates or elegant dress. Men - Smart Shirt & Trousers with Jacket. Smart Casual Ladies - Stylish Resort or Leisure wear, casual separates dresses or smart jeans. Men - Open neck shirts, polo shirts and trousers or smart jean, no jackets required. Beach wear, football shirts, shorts or trainers are not allowed. If your ship is informal then smart casual dress code is a good guideline to adhere to. Please remember if you are on a stay and cruise you may need to adhere to the semi formal dress code at your hotel.

19. How much luggage can I bring? A. This depends on whether you’re booked on a fly cruise or ex-UK cruise. If your cruise includes flights to/from your port of departure you will be governed by the luggage policy of the airline that you are flying on. Please check the rules with your personal cruise advisor. If you are departing ex-UK then you may bring as much luggage as you wish. Please remember that there may not be that much room to store several suitcases in your cabin.

20. Is it possible to hire formal jackets on board? A. Usually yes, though this does vary from ship to ship.

21. What is the muster drill and do I have to participate? A. The muster drill is how you will find out what to do and where to go in the unlikely event of an emergency situation occurring on board ship. It is compulsory that you attend the muster drill.

22. Can I access my luggage once it’s been collected on the final day? A. No. Most cases must be packed and left outside your cabin on the final night of your voyage. These are then collected and taken ashore for your collection on disembarkation. Most people carry a small overnight bag with any items needed prior to being re-united with their main luggage.

23. How do I purchase things on board? A. Ships operate a cashless system. On embarking you are required to register a credit card. You will then be given a card which must be presented each time you wish to make a purchase. Everything you purchase on the ship is then charged to your onboard account.

24. How do I obtain foreign currency on board? A. You can buy this at the bureau de change.

25. Where can I store my medicines/drugs/needles on board? A. You will be given a box in which to store your items. Special needs must be given to the cruise company when making or, soon after making your booking. The cruise company will then communicate directly with you to ascertain your exact needs. Most cruise ships do have fridges in which to store medicines.

26. What happens if I become sick on board? A. All ships have an onboard nurse or doctor.

27. Do I have to take my own wheelchair or can one be provided on board ship? A. For ease and comfort most people do prefer to take their own wheel chair, though you do need to be mindful that depending on the size of the chair this could prohibit access to some areas of the ship. The cruise line must be informed of the size and dimension of the chair. Wheelchairs are classed as special needs and must be declared to the cruise line on booking. It is at the cruise lines discretion whether you will be allowed to take a wheelchair on board.

28. Do ships have shops and what do they sell? A. All ships have shops. Depending on the size and star rating of the ship the shops can vary a great deal but all are able to offer basic supplies.

29. How easy is it to get away from other passengers on the ship? A. It depends on the size of the ship and the facilities on board. Obviously the ship is quieter when docked in port as most people do tend to get off and explore. Most ships do have quiet corners where one can be quite alone. And of course there is the library and other quiet areas.

30. Is it possible to get a daily newspaper on board? A. Usually yes. All ships also have their own daily “newspaper” which will inform you what’s going-on; give you information on ports of call and lots of other useful information.

31. Can I be contacted in an emergency? A. Yes. The cruise line will take your personal details at the time of booking.

32. Am I able to access my emails/use the internet? A. On most ships yes. Some are able to offer WiFi access at a cost; others offer the use of computers at a cost.

33. Can I use my mobile phone on the ship? A. Yes, though depending on the location you are in and what provider you use could affect the strength of the signal.

34. Is the ship able to cater for my special diet? A. Yes. It’s best if you can inform the cruise ship of your requirements prior to boarding.

35. Will my cabin be below the waterline? A. No cabins are below the waterline. It is a legal requirement that all cabins are above the waterline.

36. Do I need to take a hairdryer? A. No. There is one in your cabin.

37. Will there be someone to help me to get my luggage to my cabin? A. Yes. Once onboard there will be cabin stewards/porters who will assist you.

38. Can I take an iron on board? A. No.

39. Will I need to take an adaptor? A. This depends on which cruise line you are sailing with. Your personal cruise advisor will can advise whether you need an American or a European plug socket adaptor.

40. Can I check in on-line? A. Some cruise lines/air lines do offer this service. Your personal cruise advisor will be able to give you further information.

41. Can I park my car at or near the departure port/airport? A. Yes. Your personal cruise advisor can arrange this for you. Information is also included in your pre-cruise documentation.

42. Do I need travel insurance? A. Yes. Once you’ve answered a few relevant questions your personal cruise advisor can arrange this for you.

43. How do I get to the port? A. Your personal cruise advisor can arrange coach transfers for you.

44. Can I take my nebulizer/oxygen/C-pap machine on board? A. This depends on the airline or cruise line. Your personal cruise advisor will be able to obtain more information for you.

45. What is the smoking policy on board ship? A. Smoking on cruise ships is definitely a hot topic, whatever side of the fence you may be on. In light of recent events, implementation of the smoking ban in the UK and fires in cabins, most companies have reviewed their smoking policy. We have compiled this handy at-a-glance guide of the main stream cruise lines, to show where smoking in and is permitted, so that if either is particularly important to you, you can make an informed decision. If the cruise line you are interested in is not shown please call us and one of our cruise experts will be able to help you. Most companies will have at least one designated smoking area in the public rooms on board, open deck may be restricted to port or starboard or a particular deck and casinos often have smoke free times throughout the day. These policies are constantly being reviewed; please refer to the terms and conditions of your cruise line's brochure for exact regulations.