There is always something going on! Most ships offer a spa, a fitness center and a jogging track. There are usually several
swimming pools and hot tubs for public use. Some ships have movie theaters, rock climbing walls, skating rinks, mini-golf
courses, driving ranges and Flow Riders.

For those who want more relaxing activities, the ships have a library where you can check out books or sit in a quiet area to
read. There is also a card/game room which will have table for playing cards or playing games.

Most cruise lines offer an internet cafe. For a charge you can log on to the internet. Most of the newer ships have Wi Fi
throughout the ship and in the cabins for a fee..

The crew also organizes various activities throughout the cruise. They host talent contests, trivia games, bingo games,
gambling tournaments, swimming pool games and a variety of other activities. Get your bingo cards early! Bingo is very
popular on board! They do a "Jack Pot" Bingo game on every cruise. Other activities include a Las Vegas style shows in
the main show rooms, live bands or DJ's in the lounges, DJ's, sing-alongs and much more. On some cruise lines, they offer
a midnight buffet during the cruise.

Shopping

If you plan to do some shopping on shore, you should attend the Cruise Director's shopping talk. These talks are
informational and entertaining. They will give you guidelines on where to shop for the best bargains and their recommended
stores. Some cruise lines offer guarantees on your purchases, but only at specific stores. In most ports, you can bargain with
the vendors on price. Almost everyone speaks fluent English in the stores. All shops take U.S. currency and prices are
usually in U.S. dollars. However, should you purchase from a shop that does not take U.S. dollars, you can use your credit
card. Be aware that most credit card companies now charge a currency exchange fee.

There are several shops on board the ship as well. These shops sell cruise line logo items, alcohol, tobacco products,
sundries, jewelry and much more.

On board tipping

Tipping is optional but highly recommended. Most cruise lines allow you to prepay your gratuities or they automatically add
them to your cruise charge account on board. Ask your travel agency (hopefully us) about this. This is a real time saver. It
eliminates the hassle of coming up with cash at the end of your cruise for tips. The charges are based on the suggested
tipping guidelines for each cruise line. You can at any time, prior to the last night of the cruise, increase or decrease these tips
on your account. You will be given envelopes on the last night of the cruise to place either your tips in or the vouchers for
your pre-paid tips. Printed on the outside of the envelopes are the department name you are giving a tip to. You can hand
these envelopes directly to the person who served you throughout your cruise. FYI - When purchasing beverages on
board, the gratuities are automatically charged to your sail card and are included on the bill they hand you at the time of
purchase! No need to tip each drink waiter separately.