Dealing with Jet Lag


It may be exciting to consider those exotic cruises with destinations in a totally different time zone so far away from your home town – but you need to be careful.  That change in time zone can seriously effect your holiday, or at least the first few days of it.
In the old days, experienced travelers would laugh at anyone saying they were suffering from jet lag.  But that’s unfair.  Some of us may react more to a change in time zone.  Some of us may not react at all.  But it is a fact that changing time zones can have a serious impact on your energy levels and your sleep patterns.



Here are some tips on how to make sure you don’t suffer too badly from the dreaded “jet-lag” and get to enjoy every day of the cruise more fully.



Don’t anticipate the jet lag

Don’t assume that your jet lag is going to be as bad as those “doom” merchants may relish telling you how bad it can be. Very often they’re the ones who are envious of your exciting vacation and say these things to ease their jealousy – or they just like to put a dark side to everything.



Avoid herbal remedies and magic cures for jet lag

Unless you have already tested something that works for you, no matter how much those “doom” merchants may recommend them, avoid strange herbal remedies to ease jet lag. Such things may just cause you trouble.



Try to adjust your time clock before you travel

Many experienced travelers say that they are able to reduce the effects of jet lag by adjusting their patterns of sleep and meal times at home closer to what they  will be to those of the actual vacation. The idea is to do this at least 3 or 4 days before departure. While this may not be entirely possible, adjusting your time clock as close as possible to that of your destination will help!  
                                             
Adhere as quickly as possible to the new time clock

Once you arrive at your point of departure for the cruise, you should NOT succumb to the temptation to have an afternoon nap, or gotobed inthe veryearly evening. Even if you do feel tired, it is best to try and adapt to the new time zone as quickly as possible. 

A good way if doing this is make sure you’re getting a lot of fresh air - not too difficult a task as the cruise ship heads out to sea, or if you haven’t boarded yet, take a stroll out of the hotel and into the open air.

Avoid nicotine, alcohol and caffeine

It is also advisable to avoid your favorite glass of wine or cocktail during your first few evenings, and certainly it is a good idea to make sure the coffee you’re drinking is decaffeinated. The third thing to avoid is having a cigarette. These three things can only make it more difficult for your body to adjust to the new time zone.



Make your cabin or hotel room more conducive to letting you sleep.

Once in bed, later than you really wanted, and you’ve followed all the other tips, it may be advantageous to make sure your cabin or hotel suite is as dark as possible.  This can only help you get to sleep more easily. Experienced travelers also try earplugs to blog out any new sounds you are not used to.



Taking these tips in mind - you may actually find you have absolutely no jet lag at all!



For more advice on a variety of topics to do with your cruise, take a look at the Advice section of Prow’s Edge Cruise Magazine
at http://www.prowsedge.com/cruise-advice-tips.html

Entertainment on a cruise

Depending on your experience of cruise travel and what’s usually on offer in your home town, entertainment on cruise ships can either thrill you or appall you.



If you live in New York, for example, and have seen all the latest shows, nothing on board any cruise ship is going to satisfy you. If you live in the heart of the midwest and haven’t seen a decent show in a long time, almost anything offered by the major cruise lines will probably make your trip a very memorable one.



The entertainment you’re going to be offered depends entirely on the type of cruise line you will be sailing with, and whether you enjoy it or not depends entirely on your experience of entertainment and what is offered at home – and of course your personal taste in what makes “quality” entertainment.



The contemporary or budget cruise lines that are continuously recognized for their entertainment are Royal Caribbean International who is often cited as offering the best in entertainment, Norwegian Cruise Line and Carnival. They offer everything from Broadway shows to nightly presentations inspired by today's popular theatre hits that pay tribute to show biz greats and musical eras.


Premium cruise lines such as Princess, Celebrity and Holland America showcase less elaborate productions but feature celebrity performers and leading popular musicians on selected sailings.



The more luxury of the cruise lines, such as Silversea, Crystal, Regent Seven Seas and Seabourn offer an even higher standard of entertainment and very often present local and regional folkloric troupes on board for performances that are designed to enhance the destination experience.



These cruise lines tend to offer another step up the ladder with stars of classical music as well as the “easy listening” alternatives.



Other cruise lines like those on rivers or the Arctic offer very different entertainment as well.



If cruise ship entertainment is important to you, study the brochures and their web sites very thoroughly to make sure you won’t be disappointed in what is on offer.

Most cruise lines feature smaller lounges and showrooms where cruisers can enjoy cabaret singers, classical quartets and piano recitals. Again, the quality of the performers tends to match the tastes of the majority of passengers that each cruise line caters for.



Depending on the cruise line you sail with, cruise ship entertainment has become much more sophisticated and choices of the type of entertainment on offer is much wider than before.


Crimes at Sea (3)



We have already talked about how and why you need to take some cautions on a cruise – cautions that you might not always think of when you’re in a holiday mood.



As we have said before, this is not just about Prow’s Edge being morbid and as we mentioned in our last blog, more and more popular TV and radio stations, such as NBC Chanel 6 in Miami and WKMG-TV/Local 6 - CBS in Orlando are now bringing the news about crimes at sea. 



You need to be aware of your surroundings - not to the point of making your trip frantic with worry, but to make sure that nothing happens because you are not paying the same attention you would at home.



Here in our THIRD blog about this topic in which we talk about the safety and security of your cabin / stateroom.



Check your stateroom whenever entering

When entering your stateroom, especially at night,leave the door open at first as you check the space thoroughly (including the bathroom and closet) and then make sure you lock the door.


Keep your stateroom door locked

Keep your stateroom door locked at all times and do not open your door to strangers. Most cruise ships have peep holes in their stateroom doors.

Safeguard your cabin keycard

It makes little sense to keep your cabin locked but leave your keycard about for someone to steal. Never let your key card out of your sight.  

Lock your jewelry away
What jewelry you do bring with you, make sure you don’t leave it lying about, but lock it up in your cabin safe. If there is no safe in your cabin, take it to a safety deposit box at the reception desk or purser’s office..

Leave expensive jewelry at home

As tempting as it might be to take your most prized valuables, like the diamond ring you inherited from Aunt Mazie, on your cruise vacation with you - it’s really best to leave such items at home. Minimize your risk for theft.

Don’t bring a bank vault of cash 

Even if you prefer to use cash when at home, it is much safer to use credit cards on a cruise vacation.



As we said before, this is not about focusing on the gloom - it is about taking necessary precautions so that your cruise DOES turn out to be incident free.





For more information about the reality of crimes at sea visit International Cruise Victims at:
www.internationalcruisevictims.org



Also see the Prow’s Edge extensive section about Safety at Sea at:
http://www.prowsedge.com/cruise-ship-crime.html

Crimes at Sea (2)

We have already focused on some very ugly things that can happen on a cruise - not to ruin you trip or your looking forward to it, but to make sure you concentrate on how to keep yourself safe and stop yourself thinking that you don’t have to be unthinking just because you’re on a cruise ship.



And again, this is not just about Prow’s Edge being morbid. As we have said before, more and more popular TV and radio stations, such as NBC Chanel 6 in Miami and WKMG-TV/Local 6 - CBS in Orlando are now bringing the news about crimes at sea. 



Here in our SECOND blog about this topic are a few brief, common sense tips about being isolated on your cruise which might make you a possible target.



Don’t be isolated on your cruise 

Make sure you know where your friends and family are when on a cruise and that they know where you are. No one likes to have tabs kept on them, especially on a vacation, but it works to everyone’s advantage to know where friends and family members should be at various times of the day. 



For those traveling with children, it is recommended that you implement a check in system, where children need to check in with parents at regular, appointed intervals.



This of course does not just apply to being on ship. It is actually equally important when venturing ashore, especially when on your own, that somebody knows what you’re up to and where you’re headed, and when you expect to be back.


Don’t be afraid to report something suspicious

If you sense that something is not right, either on a tour, or on board ship, trust your instincts and report the matter to the cruise security officer. Better safe than sorry!

Avoid deserted areas of the ship while on your own

Just as you would be street wise and sensible on land when you are not sure of your surroundings, so you should stay in public areas where there are other people about, rather than wandering into deserted areas of the ship on your own.



As attractive as that 3 o'clock in the morning walk around the decks to enjoy the moonlight over the tropical seas on your own may seem like fun – it may not be the most sensible idea!

Again - this is not to make your next cruise sound like an horrific, danger-ridden adventure - it's just about being aware of things you might not think of when you're in a holiday mood and have had a few cocktails more than normal.

Our next blog will offer some sensible advice about keeping your stateroom and your belongings safe and secure.



For more information about the reality of crimes at sea visit International Cruise Victims at:
 www.internationalcruisevictims.org



Also see the Prow’s Edge extensive section about Safety at Sea at:
 www.prowsedge.com/cruise-ship-crime.html


Crimes at Sea



Not everyone wants to focus on the dangers and some horrors of taking a cruise – but as we have often said before at Prow’s Edge, it is worth knowing the dangers, wise to be aware of the problems so that one can be cautious and actually enjoy a problem free cruise.



And this is not just about Prow’s Edge being morbid.



More and more Popular TV and radio stations, such as NBC Chanel 6 in Miami and WKMG-TV/Local 6 - CBS in Orlando are now bringing the news about crimes at sea - especially those where no action was taken to bring justice for the victim.  



And again, this is not about dwelling on some horror stories - it is about making sure cruise passengers remain safe and incident free.


Here in our FIRST blog about this topic are a few brief, common sense tips about general awareness and taking care with alcohol on a cruise.









Be aware of what is happening around you on  a cruise

Although you’re on holiday and should be enjoying it all without any worries, you still need to make sure that you are always aware of what is happening around you and to be a aware of your surroundings - just as y would be at home.  



And in fact, many travelers will maintain that you need to be even more vigilant and cautious about your surroundings than you are at home.





Taking care with drinking (alcohol) on a cruise

Excessive or heavy alcohol consumption can make you less aware of your surroundings and hence less aware of possible threats.



Alcohol in large amounts also means that you do not always make the sensible decisions at that time when your senses and judgements are a little  tampered.



The latest in warnings about drinking on a cruise concerns the problem of unattended drinks.  It is no longer just a part of horror stories and movies in which drinks can be doctored when you are not keeping a close check. Passengers who are drugged with out realizing it, raped and left with an inability to recall any part of the crime is sadly no longer a very unusual crime. Watch your drink being prepared, avoid leaving your drink unattended, and be careful in accepting drinks from strangers.





Our next blog in this series will offer some sensible advice about being isolated on your cruise, and in the blog after that there will be comments about keeping your stateroom and your belongings safe and secure.




For more information about the reality of crimes at sea visit International Cruise Victims at:
 www.internationalcruisevictims.org



Also see the Prow’s Edge extensive section about Safety at Sea at: www.prowsedge.com/cruise-ship-crime.html

Health Issues on Board Ship

Following our blog a few days ago covering how to be prepared for a disaster at sea - not to put a blanket on your anticipation of a great time but to make sure you are physically and mentally prepared for any thing so that you can forget about it all and have a good time, Prow’s Edge continues to talk about how to be truly safe and prepared for anything on your cruise.



This time, Prow’s Edge talks about keeping healthy on your cruise.



It is a well known fact that many cruise ships are riddled with all sorts of viruses and germs layering every elevator button, railing and door handle. This is NOT to say that cruise ships are necessarily dirty disease-ridden vessels – but this news should not be a surprise when you realize that cruise ships pack in a huge number of people into a comparatively small space.  It is obvious that a virus or set of germs sees this as a heaven.



Also,most people taking a cruise, whether they will admit it or not, are in a holiday frame of mind, and all the natural precautions they naturally take at home and in the office at work go flying out of the window.



The same rules you live by at home apply even more importantly on a cruise.



The basic and most important rule is avoid touching every person, hand, railing and door handle you see.



Avoid shaking hands with everyone.  While this may seem a little unfriendly you will find more and more people accepting that shaking hands with every stranger is not a good idea, and certainly not on a cruise.



Even many Captain’s Cocktail events now restrict the shaking of hands.  It’s not that the captain doesn’t want to be friendly - he just wants to keep us all healthy.



Wash your hands as often as possible, and make good use of all the hand sanitizers located in almost every corner on every deck.



And if the worst should happen, and you come down with a virus, or even just a simple cold, see the doctor or nurse on board – that is what they are there for – and stay away from the other passengers.  As awful as that may seem  – it is the decent thing to do, and your recovery will be much quicker.



And finally, if you have any particular health problems, make sure that you bring enough necessary medications, not only for the cruise itself, but for several days after the trip in case of any emergencies. 



This may all sound a little gloomy - but it’s not meant to be.  Precautions becoming a natural part of your life mean that you more than likely to enjoy a problem free cruise.