cruise ship reading answers

Pre-Intermediate Reading Exercise

Caribbean cruise.

Read the cruise brochure, then answer the true/false questions below.

Crystal Cruises - Luxury Every Day

Come and sail on a Crystal Cruise ship. We have three ships: The Crystal Queen, The Crystal Princess, The Crystal Palace.

Come and sail in luxury on cruises around the Caribbean Sea for 7 or 14 days.

Our seven-day cruise costs $2000 and our two-week cruise is $3500.

A typical one week cruise

• Day One - departure from Miami
• Day Two - free day in Nassau, in The Bahamas
• Day Three - near Haiti
• Day Four - visit Puerto Rico and Antigua
• Day Five - free day in Barbados
• Day Six - free day in Port of Spain, Trinidad
• Day Seven - travel to Caracas, Venezuela
• Day Eight - fly home.

All food and drink is included in the price of your cruise (except for alcoholic drinks). Our cruise ships all have a casino, a cinema, a five-star restaurant, a theatre, a library and a fully equipped gymnasium.

If you prefer to go on a cruise in another part of the world, we also organize cruises in the Baltic Sea and the Mediterranean.

Our ships carry over 2000 passengers and we have nearly 600 crew members.

So come on board today for the holiday of a lifetime! Call immediately: 020-4455832

1. Your cruise starts in The Bahamas.     True     False

2. You have a free day in Antigua.     True     False

3. You can go on a cruise for two weeks.     True     False

4. There are three different ships in the Crystal Cruises company.     True     False

5. There is a cinema on board each ship.     True     False

6. The cruise finishes in a different country.     True     False

7. You can keep fit while you are on board the cruise ship.     True     False

8. The company only does cruises in the Caribbean.     True     False

• Pre‑Intermediate Reading
• Pre‑Intermediate Listening
• ##PLACEHOLDER1##
• ##PLACEHOLDER2##
• iOS/Android App
• First Words
• Grammar Guide
• Pre-Intermediate
• Intermediate
• Grammar Exercises

Reading Exercises

Listening exercises.

• Business English

Vocabulary Exercises

• Picture Quizzes
• NEW B1 Preliminary
• C1 Advanced
• C2 Proficiency
• Phrasal Verbs
• Phrasal Verbs Definitions

Pronunciation

• Pronunciation Exercises

Español / Castellano

• Aprender Español
• Learn Spanish

342 Cruise Ship Quiz Questions (With Photos)

Think you know a lot about cruising? In this post, you’ll find HUNDREDS of cruise ship quiz questions to test your knowledge. 

Each week we are hosting a live cruise-based trivia session on my YouTube channel which you’ll find here: Emma Cruises YouTube Channel. All videos are available to watch after the event.

Below you’ll find the questions and answers.

Cruise Trivia, Round 1 Questions

Q1 – Which cruise like attempted to break a world recording by launching a 245 day cruise? Prices starting at $90,000.

Q2 – Which cruise lines luxury expedition yacht comes complete with a submarine and helicopter?

Q3 – Can you bring beer onto a Carnival cruise on Embarkation day?

Q4 – Disney has four cruise ships, name them.

Q5 – On Princess cruises a dessert item is paraded around the dining room on the last night of the cruise, what is the dessert item?

Q6 – The Pride of Aloha from Norwegian Cruise Line changed her name in 2008, what is her current name?

Q7 – On Which cruise line will you find this statue?

Q8 – On which cruise line will you find this cabin?

Q9 – Which cruise line has the solo cruise balcony cabins pictured here?

Q10 – Celestyal Cruises are a cruise line based in which country?

Q11 – On which cruise line will you find the beach house speciality restaurant?

Q12 – Per year, how many cruise ship calls are there in Bergen, Noway?

Q13 – In what year was Norwegian Encore launched?

Q14 – The cruise ship Balmoral is owned by which cruise line?

Q15 – Where was this photo taken?

A1 – Viking Ocean Cruises. – A2 – Scenic – A3 – No, Wine only. Find out more here:  Can You Bring Alcohol on a Cruise? (Cruise Line Guide) – A4 – Disney Magic, Disney Wonder, Disney Dream and Disney Fantasy. – A5 – Baked Alaska – A6 – Norwegian Sky – A7 – Costa Cruises – A8 – MSC Cruises – A9 – P&O Cruises – A10 – Greece – A11 – P&O Cruises – A12 – 326 – A13 – 2019 – A14 – Fred Olsen – A15 – Tallin, Estonia

Cruise Trivia, Round 2 Questions

Q1 – What two colours are on the Cunard funnel?

Q2 – P&O Cruises have a British part and a part based in which other country?

Q3 – Royal Caribbeans Independence of The Seas has two sisters, name them.

Q4 – On which cruise line will you find Eric Lanlard’s afternoon tea?

Q5 – Outside of the US what is the busiest cruise port by passenger numbers?

Q6 – In which city will you find the church of spilled blood?

Q7 – Why are cruise ships MOSTLY white?

Q8 – How many donkeys ‘work’ carrying tourists up and down the steps of Santorini?

Q9 – What was the name of Carnivals first cruise ship?

Q10 – Does the Carnival company have more, or less than 100 ships?

Q11 – Approximately how many cruise ship calls does Southampton (the biggest UK cruise port) have per year?

Q12 – How old is the colosseum in Rome?

Cruise Trivia, Round 2 Answers

A1 – Red and Black – A2 – Australia – A3 – Freedom of The Seas and Liberty of The Seas – A4 – P&O Cruises – A5 – Cozumel – A6 – St Petersburg – A7 – To Reflect Heat – A8 – Approximately 100 – A9 – Mardi Gras – A10 – More – A11 – 500 – A12 – 2000 Years

Cruise Trivia, Round 3 Questions

Q1 – On which cruise line will you find the deepest cruise ship swimming pool?

Q2 – How old do you have to be to cruise with Viking?

Q3 – Royal Princess has a sister ship who doesn’t belong to Princess, who is she?

Q4 – What language do the people of Cuba speak?

Q5 – What is the currency of Jamaica?

Q6 – What is the unit of measurement used to describe the speed of cruise ships?

Q7 – Which cruise line has a partnership with lego?

Q8 – What is the name of Princess cruises mascot teddy bear?

Q9 – In which country will you find Gothenburg?

Q10 – What is the name of MSC Meraviglia’s sister ship?

Q11 – Which countries flag is this?

Q12 – Which countries flag is this?

Q13 – Which countries flag is this?

Q14 – Which countries flag is this?

Q15 – Which countries flag is this?

Cruise Trivia, Round 3 Answers

A1 – Royal Caribbean – A2 – 18 – A3 – P&O, Britannia – A4 – Spanish – A5 – Jamaican Dollar – A6 – Knots – A7 – MSC – A8 – Stanley – A9 – Sweden – A10 – MSC Meraviglia – A11 – Greece – A12 – Italy – A13 – Turkey – A14 – USA – A15 – Norway

Cruise Trivia, Round 4 Questions

Q1 – In which European country have river cruises restarted?

Q2 – What is the name of Virgin Voyages second cruise ship?

Q3 – Where is this?

Q4 – Which Norwegian Cruise Line cruise ship has this bathroom layout?

Q5 – What is the top loyalty status with Royal Caribbean?

Q6 – Norwegian Cruise Line have released guidelines for when they return to cruising, do the guidelines say that passengers must wear masks onboard?

Q7 – All ships for which cruise line end their names with the letter A?

Q8 – How many pools does the Sapphire Princess have? 1, 3 or 5?

Q9 – Royal Caribbean have recently patented a new invention, a face mask, what is it called?

Q10 – Which is the only cruise line that shows movies the same day that they premier on land?

Q11 – What is Holland Americas private island called?

Q12 – Hong Kong has two official languages, what are they?

Q13 – What is the buffet on Royal Caribbean cruise ships called?

Q14 – Many MSC cruise ship have real Crystal staircases, how much does each step cost?

Q15 – Which cruise line is hosting a 90s vs 00’s cruise in September?

Cruise Trivia, Round 4 Answers

A1 – Germany – A2 – Valiant Lady – A3 – Loch Ness, Scotland – A4 – Norwegian Epic – A5 – Pinnacle – A6 – No – A7 – Costa – A8 – 5 – A9 –  Seaface – A10 – Disney Cruise Line – A11 – Half Moon Cay – A12 – Chinese and English – A13 – Windjammer – A14 – £10,000/$13,000 – A15 – Marella

Cruise Trivia, Round 5 Questions

Q1 – What is this thing on the Anthem of the Seas called?

Q2 – Which is the only cruise line to cruise to Norway year round?

Q3 – Which cruise line does this ship belong to?

Q4 – What does the abbreviation ‘B2B’ mean when talking about cruise bookings?

Q5 – What colour are the lifeboats on Disney cruise ships?

Q6 – What is the capital of Hawaii?

Q7 – Which country has the most number of bikes per capita?

Q8 – Which sky line is this?

Q9 – Which Cunard cruise ship is being used as a hotel in Dubai?

Q10 – Which MSC Cruise Ship was meant to launch in September 2020?

Q11 – What is the official language of Bermuda?

Q12 – Valetta is the capital of which country?

Q13 – What is the ‘whale tail’ on a Carnival cruise ship?

Q14 – On which cruise line will you find this aft pool?

Q15 – What is the biggest cruise ship in the world?

Cruise Trivia, Round 5 Answers

A1 – North Star – A2 – Hurtigruten – A3 – Norwegian Cruise Line – A4 – Back to Back – A5 – Yellow – A6 – Honolulu – A7 – Netherlands – A8 – New York City – A9 – Queen Elizabeth 2 – A10 – MSC Virtuosa – A11 – English – A12 – Malta – A13 – Funnel – A14 – MSC – A15 – Symphony of The Seas

Cruise Trivia, Round 6 Questions

Q1 – On which cruise line will you find this HUGE sports court?

Q2 – Which fruit is considered unlucky on ships?

Q3 – Which coffee chain will you find on Norwegian Cruise Line ships?

Q4 – The new cruise guidelines released from the EU suggest that cruise lines should shut which type of pools? Inside pools or outside pools?

Q5 – Kotor is a town in which country?

Q6 – Cunard celebrates its birthday tomorrow, how old is the company?

Q7 – Viking cruises have a ship designed specially for the Mississippi river, how many decks does she have?

Q8 – In 2021 Hurtigruten will be sailing from the UK, which port will they sail from?

Q9 – Which cruise ship is this?

Q10 – Pullmantur cruises are a cruise line from which country?

Q11 – On which cruise line will you find the Million Dollar Quartet?

Q12 – What is the name of the pizza restaurant found on Princess cruises?

Q13 – Amber Cove is a cruise terminal for which country?

Q14 – P&O cruises recently removed what from their sail away parties?

Q15 – Which cruise line features in these photos?

Cruise Trivia, Round 6 Answers

A1 – MSC – A2 – Bananas – A3 – Starbucks – A4 – Inside pools – A5 – Montenegro – A6 – 180 years old – A7 – 5 Decks – A8 – Dover – A9 – Marella Discovery – A10 – Spain – A11 – Norwegian Cruise Line – A12 – Alfredos – A13 – Dominican Republic – A14 – Plastic flags! – A15 – Saga

Cruise Trivia, Round 7 Questions

Q1 – Greek cruise line Celestyal have just bought a cruise ship from which cruise line?

Q2 – What is the largest cruise ship not owned by Royal Caribbean? (Gross tonnage)

Q3 – What is the maximum passenger capacity of Symphony of the Seas?

Q4 – Name the two Princess ships in the Royal class.

Q5 – Which cruise line has all if it’s ships names ending in ‘dam’?

Q6 – In which country is the headquarters of Viking Cruises?

Q7 – Regent Seven Seas are owned by which company?

Q8 – Which cruise line is the third-largest in the world?

Q9 – Which cruise line used to own ships called Sunward, Skyward, and Starward?

Q10 – Which class is Royal Caribbean’s Anthem of the Seas?

Q11 – How many cruise ships do Azamara have?

Q12 – To which cruise line does this ship belong?

Q13 – Pacific Dawn (P&O Cruises Australia) has been bought by which British cruise line?

Q14 – Can you drink tap water on a cruise? Yes or No.

Q15 – Do Disney cruise line offer drinks packages?

Cruise Trivia, Round 7 Answers

A1 – Celestyal

A2 – Costa Smeralda

A3 –  6680

A4 – Royal Princess and Regal Princess

A5 – Holland America

A6 – Switzerland

A7 – Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings

A8 – Norwegian Cruise Line

A9 – Norwegian Cruise Line

A10 – Quantum Class

A11  – 3, Journey, Quest and Pursuit

A12 – Royal Caribbean

A13 – Cruise and Maritime

A14 – Yes

A15 – No

Cruise Trivia, Round 8 Questions

Q1 – Which of the Norwegian Cruise Line ships is registered to the US?

Q2 – What is a cabin crawl?

Q3 – How many metres squared is the average inside cabin?

Q4 – On which cruise line will you find this cabin?

Q5 – Which country are cruise line Hurtigruten from?

Q6 – On which cruise line which was this photo taken?

Q7 – Which new Royal Caribbean ship delivery has been delayed from November 2020 to April 2021?

Q8 – What is the name of Disneys 5th cruise ship going to be? (Delivered in 2021, sailing 2022)

Q9 – According to CLIA what was the average age of a person on a cruise in 2019?

Q10 – What are these beds that come from the ceiling called?

Q11 – Where are Celebrity Cruises cruise ships flagged?

Q12 – Which cruise line runs ‘mystery’ cruises where the destinations aren’t known to guests?

Q13 – Being in MSC’s loyalty program gives you what percent discount on all cruises?

Q14 – Viking Cruises celebrated a birthday yesterday, how old are they?

Q15 – What percentage of norovirus cases happen on cruise ships?

Cruise Trivia, Round 8 Answers

A1 – Pride of America

A2 – It’s similar to a bar crawl, a group of passengers go cabin to cabin to view different stateroom categories.

A3 – 15m2

A4 – Norwegian Cruise Line (Encore)

A5 – Norway

A6 – Viking Cruise Line

A7 – Odyssey of The Seas

A8 – Disney Wish

A9 – 47

A10 – Pullman beds

A11 – Malta

A12 – Fred Olsen

A13 – 5%

A14 – 23

A15 – 0.18%

Cruise Trivia, Round 9 Questions

Q1 – Which MSC cruise ship is sailing the Mediterranean RIGHT NOW?

Q2 – What is the oldest cruise ship in the Norwegian Cruise Line fleet?

Q3 – What percentage of the world’s cruise ships are deployed to the Caribbean? (On a normal year, not right now)

Q4 – What does ‘Mein Schiff’ mean in English?

Q5 – If you’re feeling seasick should you eat red or green apples?

Q6 – In which country is Genoa?

Q7 – Which MSC Cruise ship was floated out this week? (August 2020)

Q8 – What does ‘Crociere’ mean in English?

Q9 – Which brand of cola will you find on Norwegian Cruise Line ships? Coca Cola or Pepsi?

Q10 – What is the name of the wearable technology found on Princess cruises?

Q11 – Which broadway-style musical will you find on the Norwegian Epic?

Q12 – Which cruise line is the oldest, Royal Caribbean, NCL , or Carnival?

Q13 – Which ship is the sister of the Norwegian Star?

Q14 – Norwegian Cruise Line has what percentage of the worldwide cruising market? (As of 2018)

Q15 – Cruise ship Song of America was built for which cruise line?

Cruise Trivia, Round 9 Answers

A1 – MSC Grandiosa

A2 – Norwegian Spirit

A3 – 34%

A4 – My Ship

A5 – Green apples

A6 – Italy

A7 – MSC Seashore

A8 – Cruises

A9 – Pepsi

A10 – Ocean Medallion

A11 – Priscilla Queen of the Desert

A12 – NCL

A13 – Norwegian Dawn

A14 – 8.7%

A15 – Royal Caribbean

Cruise Trivia, Round 10 Questions

Q1 – Traditionally how long is a watch (shift) on the bridge of a cruise ship?

Q2 – What is the name of the person on a cruise who takes care of all the accounts and money?

Q3 – What is ‘potable water’?

Q4 – What does it mean when a cruise ship is said to be ‘Panamax’?

Q5 – What day of the week is it considered unlucky to sail out of port on?

Q6 – Where was Titanic built?

Q7 – Holland Americas Amsterdam and Rotterdam have been bought by Fred Olsen. What will their new names be?

Q8 – Who is second in command from the captain?

Q9 – What is the name of the cruise ship in this anagram – Cleanser Grips?

Q10 – What cruise port holds the International Mersey River festival?

Q11 – What are the four words that apparently make the word POSH?

Q12 – What part of the ship reduces its roll due to wind or waves?

Q13 – To which cruise line does the world’s first liquefied natural gas (LNG) powered cruise ship belong?

Q14 – In what year did Carnival Fantasy join the fleet?

Q15 – In which class of cruise ship is Carnival’s Ecstasy?

Cruise Trivia, Round 10 Answers

A1 – 4 Hours

A2 – The purser

A3 – It’s drinkable

A4 – It’s width is the maximum that can go through the Panama canal

A5 – Friday

A6 – Belfast

Titanic vs a Modern Cruise Ship Fleet – Comparison with Photos!

A7 – Bolette and Borealis

A8 – Staff Captain

A9 – Regal Princess

A10 – Liverpool

A11 – Port Out, Starboard Home

A12 – Stabilisers

A13 – Aida

A14 – 1990

A15 – Fantasy class

Cruise Trivia, Round 11 Questions

Q1 – Which cruise ship is this?

Q2 – What cruise destination is this?

Q3 – Which cruise ship has Kelly Clarkson as it’s godmother?

Q4 – Which cruise ship has an escape room called “Apollo 18”?

Q5 – What is Southampton’s newest cruise terminal called?

Q6 – What is this in the red circle used for?

Q7 – Where was this photo taken?

Q8 – Which two cruise companies formed the ‘healthy sail’ panel?

Q9 – What are guests inside in this photo?

Q10 – Royal Caribbean’s oldest cruise ship was built in with year (Oldest currently still sailing for Royal Caribbean)?

Q11 – Which cruise line has the musical ‘SIX’?

Q12 – How old do you have to be to pay gratities on a Carnival cruise?

Q13 – Approximately what percentage of gratuities go to the stateroom staff?

Q14 – In Sep 2020, 4 ships from Carnival’s fantasy-class have been sold, how many are left?

Q15 – What is the main nationality of guest you’ll find on a P&O Cruise.

Cruise Trivia, Round 11 Answers

A1 – Queen Victoria.

A2 – Tromsø, Norway.

A3 – Norwegian Encore .

A4 – Oasis of the Seas.

A5 – Ocean Cruise Terminal.

A6 – Keep rats of the ship.

A7 – Kotor.

A8 – Royal Caribbean and Norwegian.

A9 – A Tender/Lifeboat.

A10 – 1989/1990.

A11 – Norwegian.

A12 – 2 years.

A13 – 25%.

A14 – 4.

A15 – British.

Cruise Trivia, Round 12 Questions

Q1 – How fast is 26 knots in miles per hour?

Q2 – What cruise port is this?

Q3 – In which country was Enchanted Princess built?

Q4 – Which former cruise ship has one of her anchors as a monument in Southampton?

Q5 – Where are the headquarters of Holland America?

Q6 – There are three cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s Quantum class, Quantum, Anthem and which other?

Q7 – What is the skydiving simulator on Royal Caribbean ships called?

Q8 – In which decade were Carnival founded?

Q9 – What was the name of Carnival’s first ship?

Q10 – On which cruise line will you find this cabin?

Q12 – Are there any ocean cruises where you have to disembark?

Q13 – Which cruise line does this ship belong to?

Q15 – Where are Disney’s cruise ships registered?

Cruise Trivia, Round 12 Answers

A1 – 30 MPH.

A2 – Vancouver, Canada.

A3 – Italy.

A4 – QE2.

A5 – Seattle.

A6 – Ovation.

A7 – RipCord® by iFLY®.

A8 – 1970s.

A9 – Mardi Gras.

A10 – MSC.

A11 – Black Water.

A12 – Yes, for customs reasons.

A13 – Hurtigruten.

A14 – Premier Cruise Lines.

A15 – The Bahamas.

Cruise Trivia, Round 13 Questions

Q1 – Which of these was not built in Finland: Allure of the Seas, Carnival Miracle, Costa Smeralda and Norwegian Epic?

Q2 – Put these cruise ports in order from North to South: Helsinki, Oslo and Vancouver (Canada)?

Q3 – Allure and Oasis are both too tall to go under the Great Belt Bridge. How to they fix this? A: Move the funnel pipes. B: Sail at Low Tide. C Open the bridge?

Q4 – What is the name of the Carnival cruise ship that will debut in Nov 2022?

Q6 – Which P&O ship was going to be Cunard’s Queen Victoria when it was first being built?

Q7 – What part of the world is Sea Dream heading to right now to start a cruising season?

Q9 – For a 7-night cruise, the Symphony of the Seas has how many tons of fresh fruit onboard? A – 12, B – 213, C – 340?

Q10 – You can gamble on a Royal Caribbean cruise at 19 unless you are cruising in which destination?

Q11 – According to Princess Cruises, crew can expect to get how many months off between contracts?

Q12 – What is the busiest cruise port in the world?

Q14 – What is the Mojito bar found on Norwegian Cruise Line ships called?

Q15 – How many US states begin with the letter A?

Cruise Trivia, Round 13 Answers

A1 – Norwegian Epic.

A2 – Helsinki, Oslo and Vancouver.

A3 – Move the funnel pipes.

A4 – Celebration.

A5 – Royal Caribbean.

A6 – Arcadia.

A7 – Bahamas/Caribbean.

A8 – MSC.

A9 – 340.

A10 – Alaska.

A11 – 2 Months.

A12 – Miami.

A13 – Wake up light.

A14 – Sugarcane.

A15 – 4.

Cruise Trivia, Round 14 Questions

Q1 – What European city would you be cruising to if you sailed past an island named Lido?

Q2 – In what country was Samuel Cunard, founder of Cunard Lines, born?

Q4 – Which cruise line has the Greek letter Chi on the funnels of their ships?

Q5 – Which cruise line features the extra cost “it’s a small world” nursery on its ships?

Q6 – The Titanic had a poop desk, true or false?

Q7 – Which cruise line has a magic show onboard called Astonishing?

Q8 – On many Royal Caribbean ships, what’s the name of the bar that wraps around the funnel?

Q9 – According to seafaring tradition, what must a sailor do to transform from a Pollywog to a Shellback?

Q10 – How many London airports are there?

Q11 – Ocean Village was a sister cruise line to which British cruise line?

Q12 – The CMV cruise ship Magellan was ORIGINALLY built for which cruise line? (Photo: Ivo Brasil)

Q13 – How many cruise ships have had the name Crown Princess?

Q14 – After selling the Marella Dream, how many cruise ships do Marella have in their fleet?

Q15 – What cruise line, from 1986 to 2016, has a corporate logo that depicted a ship most famously commanded by a captain named Hudson?

Cruise Trivia, Round 14 Answers

A1 – Venice.

A2 – Canada.

A3 – Costa.

A4 – Celebrity.

A5 – Disney.

A6 – True.

A7 – P&O.

A8 – Viking Crown Lounge.

A9 – Crossing the equator.

A10 – 6 (City, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and Southend) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Airports_of_London

A11 – P&O.

A12 – Carnival.

A13 – 2.

A15 – Holland America.

Cruise Trivia, Round 15 Questions

Q1 – Which Royal Caribbean cruise ship was the first to have ‘of the seas’ in the name?

Q2 – Which cruise ship was the first to include an indoor swimming pool?

Q3 – German cruise TUI Cruises are part-owned by Royal Caribbean, what percentage do Royal Caribbean own?

Q4 – Name the three cruise lines featured in this photo:

Q5 – How much does Symphony of the Seas spend on food per week?

Q6 – Which Royal Caribbean cruise ship was floated out this week?

Q7 – Which cruise line is shown here?

Q8 – What is this?

Q9 – What is Marella’s mascot called?  Hint: He’s an Alpaca?

Q10 – Do cruise ships have displacement hulls, or planing hulls?

Q11 – Pacific Explorer, Pacific Adventure, and Pacific Encounter belong to which cruise line?

Q12 – Which sits lower in the water, a cruise ship or an ocean liner?

Q13 – The Norwegian Sky had another name, while still with Norwegian Cruise Line, which was it?

Q14 – Which company owns Costa Cruises, Holland America, and Princess Cruises?

Q15 – What do Princess Cruises call the event where guests watch a movie on the top deck?

Cruise Trivia, Round 15 Answers

A1 – Sovereign of the Seas.

A2 – Adriatic.

A3 – 50%.

A4 – Aida, Princess and NCL .

A5 – $1 Million.

A6 – Odyssey of the Seas.

A7 – Marella.

A8 – Spare propeller blade.

A9 – Skipper

A10 – Displacement Hull.

A11 – P&O Australia.

A12 – Ocean Liner.

A13 – ​Pride of Aloha.

A14 – Carnival.

A15 – Movies under the Stars.

Cruise Trivia, Round 16 Questions

Q1 – Who is the godmother of Allure of The Seas?

Q2 – How many miles of electrical wiring was used to build Oasis of the Seas? – 100 miles, 1200 miles or 3300 miles?

Q3 – Titanic had a fake feature (you can see it in this photo) what is it?

Q4 – What are the white balls on top of cruise ships for?

Q5 – How did Cunard ship RMS Britannia guarantee fresh milk for her passengers back in the day?

Q6 – Which cruise line has a topless sunbathing deck? Hint: It’s not an American cruise line.

Q7 – How much did it cost to make Symphony of The Seas? $900 Million, $1.1 Billion or $1.3 Billion.

Q8 – Which religious organisation has its own cruise ship?

Q9 – To which cruise line does this cabin belong?

Q10 – What does Royal Caribbean call this?

Q11 – Why would a cruise line cut a cruise ship in half?

Q12 – Which cruise line has just announced a 136 day world cruise for 2021/2022, prices starting at £43,000?

Q13 – Which 2 Royal Caribbean ships have Royal Caribbean sold this week?

Q14 – What is the average cruise length (in days)?

Q15 – What is the Princess Cruises mascot bear called?

Cruise Trivia, Round 16 Answers

A1 – Princess Fiona.

A2 – 3,300 miles.

A3 – Funnel.

A4 – Satellite Communications.

A5 – A cow on board.

A6 – Hapag Lloyd.

A7 – $1.3 Billion.

A8 – Scientology.

A9 – Saga.

A10 – Tracelet.

A11 – To extend it.

A12 – Viking.

A13 – Empress and Majesty.

A14 – Seven.

A15 – Stanley.

Cruise Trivia, Round 17 Questions

Q1 – Which crew members can eat in the buffet on a cruise?

Q2 – This is the US patent for which cruise ship feature?

Q3 – Which cruise line is considering a 90-day cruise to nowhere when cruising resumes?

Q4 – In which decade was the Jewel of The Seas built?

Q5 – Why do river cruise ships not have elevators on the top decks?

Q6 – What is the roller coaster found on Carnival’s newest ship Mardi Gras called?

Q7 – What am I breaking here?

Q8 – Did Carnival’s original Mardi Gras have the wing-shaped design we are used to?

Q9 – What is a cruise ship jail called?

Q10 – Which cruise ship did P&O sell in 2020?

Q11 – How many cruise ships do Bahamas Paradise Line have?

Q12 – Which cruise line has a cruise ship that shares the name with a blimp from a Disney Pixar movie?

Q13 – Celestyal bought a new cruise ship in 2020, from which cruise line did the ship come?

Q14 – In 2018 what percentage of cruise passengers sailed with Disney Cruise Line? 0.5%, 2% or 5%?

Q15 – What class in Princess’ Royal Princess?

Cruise Trivia, Round 17 Answers

A1 – Staff and Officers and Entertainers.

A2 – Carnival whale tail.

A3 – Viking.

A4 – Naughties (2004).

A5 – They have to get under bridges.

A6 – Bolt.

A7 – Packing bag.

A8 – No.

A9 – Brig.

A10 – Oceana.

A11 – One.

A12 – Saga.

A13 – Costa.

A14 – 2%.

A15 – Royal class.

Cruise Trivia, Round 18 Questions

Q1 – In which country is Gothenburg?

Q2 – What does this flag mean when rasied on a cruise ship?

Q3 – What does ‘Smerelda’ mean in English?

Q4 – Which cruise line does this ship belong to?

Q5 – In which year was the Sky Princess launched?

Q6 – Which three Carnival cruise ship names start with P? (Carnival P______)

Q7 – What is Princess Cruises’ loyalty program called?

Q8 – What three colours are on the Carnical funnel?

Q9 – Some men can cruise for free by spending their time dancing and socialising with guests, what is the name of this job?

Q10 – Where was Titanic sailing to?

Q11 – How much ice cream does Anthem of the Seas use per week (in gallons) 200, 1600 or 8000?

Q12 – If you visited Russia, Germany, Estonia and Finland on a cruise, which itinerary would you be on?

Q13 – Which cruise line brings puppies on board the ship on some Alaska cruises?

Q14 – How many inside cains are there (for passengers) on the Viking Ocean ships?

Q15 – What is the currency of Bermuda?

Cruise Trivia, Round 18 Answers

A1 – Sweden.

A2 – Pilot on board.

A3 – Emerald.

A4 – Viking.

A5 – 2019.

A6 – Pride, Panarama, Paradise.

A7 – Captain’s Circle.

A8 – White, Blue and Red.

A9 – Gentleman Host.

A10 – New York, New York.

A11 – 8,000.

A12 – Baltic.

A13 – Princess.

A14 – Zero.

A15 – Bermudan Dollar.

Cruise Trivia, Round 19 Questions

Q1 – The cruise ship I’m holding here represents cruise line?

Q2 – What is the least populated continent?

Q3 – Which animated movie about a vampire takes place on a cruise ship?

Q4 – Who is this man? Photo taken on P&O’s Britannia.

Q5 – Which cruise line provides a Northern Lights guarantee for Northern Lights cruises?

Q6 – The private island Labadee is owned by which cruise line?

Q7 – Which cruise line’s logo is a crown on top of an anchor?

Q8 – The artist Peter Max designed the hull art for a ship owned by which cruise line?

Q9 – On which cruise line will you find this restaurant?

Q10 – Princess’s Golden Princess was sold to P&O Cruises Australia in 2020, what is her new name?

Q11 – On which cruise line will you find the Jamie’s Italian by Jamie Oliver restaurant?

Q12 – If you visited Ketchikan, Skagwat, and Juneau on a cruise, which itinerary would you be on?

Q13 – What is the daily schedule on a Princess cruise called?

Q14 – How many passengers does P&O’s Ventura hold? 2000, 3000 or 4000?

Q15 – Helsinki is the capital of which country?

Cruise Trivia, Round 19 Answers

A1 – P&O.

A2 – Antarctica.

A3 – Hotel Transylvania 3.

A4 – Marco Pierre White.

A5 – Hurtigruten.

A6 – Royal Caribbean.

A7 – Royal Caribbean.

A8 – NCL.

A9 – Costa.

A10 – Pacific Adventure.

A11 – Royal Caribbean.

A12 – Alaska.

A13 – Princess Patter.

A14 – 3,000.

A15 – Finland.

Cruise Trivia, Round 20 Questions

Q1 – Port Everglades is a cruise ship homeport in the USA that spans 3 cities including Hollywood, Dania Beach and where?

Q2 – Mayer Turku shipyard is located in what country?

Q3 – What Caribbean island has the two capital cities of Philipsburg and Marigot?

Q4 – What US city is served by two separate cruise terminals, Long Beach and San Pegro?

Q5 – What was the first shop operated by Royal Caribbean Cruise Line? A) Sovereign of the Seas B) Song of Norway C) Potato of the Seas?

Q6 – American Cruise Lines offers river cruises from New York on what US river?

Q7 – Aloha Tower was built as a lighthouse inside what city’s harbour?

Q8 – Which cruise line is launching with the world’s first roller coaster onboard?

Q9 – Which MSC cruise ship (still in operation for MSC) is the oldest?

Q10 – Which cruise line has recently announced the addition of a robot bartender called Rob?

Q11 – What is the Costa Firenze named after?

Q12 – If you visited Barcelona on a cruise, what cruise itinerary would you be taking?

Q13 – What is the daily schedule on a Royal Caribbean cruise called?

Q15 – Lisbon is the capital of which country?

Cruise Trivia, Round 20 Answers

A1 – Fort Lauderdale.

A2 – Finland.

A3 – St. Martin.

A4 – Los Angeles.

A5 – Song of Norway.

A6 – Hudson.

A7 – Honolulu.

A8 – Carnival.

A9 – MSC Armonia.

A11 – Florence.

A12 – Mediterrenean.

A13 – Cruise Compass.

A14 – 5000.

A15 – Portugal.

Cruise Trivia, Round 21 Questions

Q1 – Which river passes through Serbia?

Q2 – How many pounds of potatoes does Oasis of The Seas use in a week? a) 2,700 b) 18,000 c) 27,000

Q3 – If a crew member on a cruise ship eats in the buffet, do they have to wear their uniform?

Q4 – Which is longer/taller, the Titanic or the Empire State Building?

Q5 – What is P&O Cruises newest cruise ship going to be called?

Q6 – In which ocean is Fiji?

Q7 – On which cruise ship did the ‘poop cruise’ of 2013 happen?

Q8 – What was the maximum number of troops that the Queen Mary transported at once? (Designed for 2,000)

Q9 – Which sea is Mykonos in?

Q10 – In 2022, a cruise on Carnival Pride leaves Tampa with an ‘out of the ordinary’ dress code, what is it?

Q11 – Which ship is bigger (gross tonnage) Brilliance of The Seas or Liberty of The Seas?

Q12 – Which cruise line recently released a Monopoly set available for purchase?

Q13 – Do you have to do a muster drill on a river cruise?

Q14 – Which cruise line has a bar called the District Brewhouse?

Q15 – Which country is the furthest East, Norway, Finland or Sweden?

Cruise Trivia, Round 21 Answers

A1 – Danube River.

A2 – 18,000.

A3 – Yes.

A4 – Empire State Building.

A5 – Arvia.

A6 – Pacific Ocean.

A7 – Carnival Triumph.

A8 – 16,000.

A9 – Aegean Sea.

A10 – Naked.

A11 – Liberty of The Seas.

A13 – No.

A14 – NCL.

Cruise Trivia, Round 22 Questions

Q1 – What is the newest Disney cruise ship going to be called? (Launching in 2022)?

Q2 – Which act means that foreign-flagged cruise ships cruising from the US have to dock in a foreign port?

Q3 – How long is the Panama canal? 51 miles, 78 miles or 108 miles?

Q4 – Which cruise line does this cruise ship belong to?

Q5 – Which ship is longest, the Titanic or the RMS Queen Mary?

Q6 – Which country is this? (A popular cruise destination)?

Q7 – Do Disney cruise ships have casinos?

Q8 – What is the poop deck on a cruise?

Q9 – At maximum capacity, which cruise ships holds more passengers, Explorer of the Seas of the Viking Sea?

Q10 – The new Carnival Radiance used to be called the Carnival what?

Q11 – Where will Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady be in the summer of 2021?

Q12 – Which celebrity has partnered with Celebrity Cruises to provide ‘Goop at sea’?

Q13 – To which cruise line does the cruise ship Arcadia belong?

Q14 – Silversea Cruises is owned by which cruise company?

Q15 – Where will Wonder of the Seas be sailing from when she launches next March?

Cruise Trivia, Round 22 Answers

A1 – Disney Wish.

A2 – PSVA, Passenger Services Vessel Act.

A3 – 51 miles.

A4 – RCL.

A5 – Queen Mary.

A6 – Bermuda.

A7 – No.

A8 – Farthest back open deck of the ship.

A9 – Explorer of the Seas.

A10 – Carnival Victory.

A11 – Southampton.

A12 – Gwyneth Paltrow.

A13 – P&O.

A14 – RCL.

A15 – China.

Cruise Trivia, Round 23 Questions

Q1 – Which cruise line’s logo is this?

Q2 – Which cruise line has a robot bartender called Rob?

Q3 – Which cruise line owns these crise ships? (It isn’t Norwegian Cruise Line)?

Q4 – Which cruise company has a wearable technology called the Queen Medallion?

Q5 – What is the most popular cruise port in Norway (by passenger numbers)?

Q6 – Which popular cruise port was the location used as ‘Kings Landing’ in the HBO show Game of Thrones?

Q7 – In the Simpsons cruise ship episode, what does Bart do to prolong the cruise?

Q8 – How much does it cost to use the ropes course on MSC cruise ships?

Q9 – The shape of the Pacific Dawn was modelled after which animal?

Q10 – Where was this photo taken?

Q11 – Alaska cruises are due to start again in the summer of 2021, where will the cruises depart from?

Q12 – Which cruise line is featured here?

Q13 – How much did Virgin Voyages Scarley Lady cost to build in millions of US dollars? 710, 760 ot 960.

Q14 – Which Princess cruise ship is the smallest (still in operation)?

Q15 – In which English county is Southampton located?

Cruise Trivia, Round 23 Answers

A1 – Celestyal.

A2 – MSC.

A3 – Dream Cruises.

A4 – Princess.

A5 – Bergen.

A6 – Dubrovnik.

A7 – He claimed that there is an epidemic outbreak.

A8 – Free.

A9 – Dolphin.

A10 – Rotterdam.

A11 – Seattle.

A12 – Aida.

A13 – 710 Million USD.

A14 – Coral Princess.

A15 – Hampshire.

Free Insiders Cruise Line Guide

Ever wondered how the mainstream cruise lines compare? Cruise lines won’t tell you this, but I will.

This FREE guide shows you everything you need to know to find your perfect cruise line.

Enter your email address below:

• Port Overview
• Transportation to the Port
• Uber & Lyft to the Port
• Dropping Off at the Port
• Cruise Parking
• Cruise Hotels
• Hotels with Parking Deals
• Uber & Lyft to the Ports
• Things to Do
• Cozumel Taxi Rates
• Free Things to Do
• Restaurants Near the Cruise Port
• Hotels & Resorts With Day Passes
• Closest Beaches to the Cruise Port
• Tips For Visiting
• Shore Excursions
• Cruise Parking Discounts
• Hotels with Shuttles
• Which Airport Should I Use?
• Transportation to the Ports
• Dropping Off at the Ports
• Fort Lauderdale Airport to Miami
• Inexpensive Hotels
• Hotels near the Port
• Hotels With Shuttles
• Budget Hotels
• Carnival Tips
• Drink Packages
• Specialty Restaurants
• Faster to the Fun
• More Articles
• CocoCay Tips
• Norwegian Tips
• Great Stirrup Cay
• Harvest Caye
• How to Get the Best Cruise Deal
• Best Time to Book a Cruise
• Best Websites to Book a Cruise
• Cruises Under $300
• Cruises Under $500
• Spring Break Cruise Deals
• Summer Cruise Deals
• Alaskan Cruise Deals
• 107 Cruise Secrets & Tips
• Tips for First-Time Cruisers
• What to Pack for a Cruise
• What to Pack (Alaska)
• Packing Checklist
• Cruising with Kids
• Passports & Birth Certificates
• Bringing Alcohol
• Cruising with a Disability
• Duty-Free Shopping
• Cruise Travel Insurance
• Things to Do on a Cruise Ship
• What Not to Do on a Ship
• News & Articles

61 Questions About Cruising Answered (Everything You Wanted to Know)

If you have questions about cruising, then we have the answers. Having taken dozens of cruises across (nearly) every major cruise line and spent time totaling months at sea… well, we’ve seen a lot.

That’s why we decided to answer every question we could come up with to make you as experienced a cruise passenger as we are. And if we didn’t cover your question? Simply put it in the comments below and we’ll answer it, too.

In This Article...

Cruise Booking Questions & Answers

Before you can cruise, you need to actually book your trip. That leads to a lot of questions regarding finding and reserving the right cruise for you.

How do I find the best cruise line for me?

Truth is that the vast majority (we’d say 80%) of a cruise is the same from line to line. You eat in the buffet, hang out poolside, watch a show in the evening and visit the same ports. However, that 20% that is different can make a big difference in your vacation.

The easiest way to see which line is for you is to simply visit their website and get a look at the marketing. Are you a family looking to cruise? Then see if the site shows pictures of kids and families having a blast onboard. Are you older and looking for a more refined atmosphere? Look for cruise lines that feature older passengers enjoying drinks or fine dining.

Just keep in mind that the cruise lines hire attractive models to feature on their websites — we’ve noticed this especially with older passengers. None of us look that pretty!

Can I book a last-minute cruise for cheap?

It would make sense that if a cabin is about to sail empty, then it would be offered at a dirt-cheap price at the last minute just to get people on the ship. In reality, that’s not how it works.

For one, most ships sail full. Occupancy rates regularly average more than 100% (meaning each cabin has two passengers with some having three or more), so there usually aren’t empty rooms on the ship.

Second, cruise lines don’t want to train passengers to wait until the last moment to book but cutting rates right before a ship sails.

Despite the websites and ads offering cheap last-minute discounts, it’s usually not the case.

Where can I find cheap cruises?

Search around online and you’ll find something surprising — all the websites likely have identical prices. There isn’t a site that offers cheaper fares than all the others.

If you want to find cheap cruises, there are a couple of steps you can take . First, try to sail when school is in session. During this time of year families with kids can’t get away as easily. Cruise lines generally offer cheaper rates to keep ships full.

Second, you’ll find less expensive cruises on older ships. New ships have all the latest and greatest and a price tag that reflects that. Older ships may not have the bells and whistles, but usually have less expensive cruise fares.

Do I need to wait for a sale to book a cruise?

Head to any cruise website and odds are good that you’ll see some sort of sale going on, often with a countdown timer ticking the seconds until it ends.

It can make it seem like you need to jump at the deal. Truth is these deals run constantly . When the timer hits zero the offer may be tweaked slightly or often it’s just extended. But it’s not like a cruise will be hundreds of dollars less one day from the next due to a sale.

In other words, book when you find a deal you like, not based on a sale.

Are interior rooms bad? Should they be avoided?

Interior cabins are on the inside of the cruise ship. They offer a smaller space than other rooms and have no windows to the outside. To some people, that sounds awful.

Having sailed dozens of cruises, we’ve stayed in interior cabins plenty of times. In general, we find them perfectly fine for shorter trips (3-4 days). More than that and we’d suggest an oceanview or balcony cabin.

On shorter cruises, you spend less time in the cabin so spending more on the room doesn’t make much sense to us. Interior cabins can get you on the ship for less money . One big benefit is if you’re a light sleeper, these rooms get very dark, making it easier to get some rest.

Are balcony cabins worth the money?

Thinking of a balcony cabin ? You’ve likely noticed the higher price tag versus other rooms on the ship. Our opinion is if you are taking a cruise of more than five days, then yes, having the balcony is worth it. Shorter cruises mean more of your trip is spent out and about. These longer trips often have more downtime where you can enjoy the balcony space.

In general, however, we think people spend way less time on balconies than they think. Most people head out for a few minutes a few times a day to check things out and then head back in. There is a lot of benefit to having the natural light and fresh air in the cabin. So definitely a balcony is wonderful to have, but don’t think it will ruin your cruise if you don’t book one.

When is the best time to book a cruise?

There’s no “best” time to book a cruise . There isn’t a time of year when prices are lower if you book right then. If, say, each February saw cruise lines cut prices, then passengers would simply wait until then to book and not book other times of the year.

However, there are times of year to sail that are better if you want to save money. When going to the Caribbean, the easy way to think about it is to sail when kids are in school. During the school year, fewer families can travel, meaning less demand. Thus, cruise lines generally have lower prices to entice passengers to sail.

What’s the ‘Rule of 2.5’? (Why is my cruise more expensive than the headline price?)

Go to any cruise website and you’ll see low cruise fares. Take a vacation for a few hundred bucks! Truth is, what you pay is much more. Cabins are sold at double occupancy (meaning you’re charged for two people), and then you have to add on taxes and fees.

We like to use something called the Rule of 2.5 . Take the headline price and multiply it by two-and-a-half. This is a much more accurate representation of what the final price will end up being.

You can multiply by three if you want a better idea of what you’ll spend when you add in onboard spending and gratuities.

Which cruise line is cheapest?

Want a deal on your cruise? The best option is to search across all the cruise lines as that gives you the highest chance of snagging a cheap vacation. In general, however, we find that MSC and Carnival generally offer the cheapest fares. Both are known as budget-friendly lines and though cruise prices have increased in recent years, they still offer a value.

Where should I book my room on the ship?

Most modern cruise ships are laid out in a similar way. There’s an interior section where things like the main promenade, shops, restaurants, and casino are found. Typically this is multiple decks, such as decks 5-7.

Then the top of the ship features the pool deck and all the outdoor amenities. On today’s cruise ships, this can be as high as decks 18-20.

These two areas are where you’ll spend the most time around the ship. That’s why we suggest a room located between the interior promenade and the pool deck, higher up on the ship. That way it’s easier and faster to get around. It’s also a good idea to be a couple of floors away from either to limit any potential noise.

As for forward, middle, or aft, there are venues the entire length of the ship, so you’ll be back and forth plenty. To us, this doesn’t matter much.

What is the best cruise line for kids?

To be sure, kids will have fun on any cruise line. After all, kids really don’t need more than a pool to have a good time. That said, some are definitely more focused on kids and families than others.

Two cruise lines stand out the most to us: Carnival and Royal Caribbean . Both feature a lot for kids to do with plenty of active elements on board such as climbing walls, ropes courses, roller coasters, and waterslides.

If sailing with older kids (10+) then we’d have to give the edge to Royal Caribbean. Their ships seem to put a lot of focus on things for kids to do such as the Flowrider, slides, arcades, and more. Their biggest ships are able to pack on the largest amount of these things onboard compared to others.

What is the best cruise line for adults?

Want to get away from the kids? Whether you are leaving them home, they are out of the house, or you just don’t have any, you aren’t alone in wanting to sail on a cruise line that’s more focused on adults.

Sure, you’ll have a good time on any line, but if you want something geared toward adults, then we’d recommend three in particular .

First is Virgin Voyages . This is the only line that’s adults-only. Those under 18 aren’t allowed to sail. As a result, the whole experience is geared more toward adults, including everything from entertainment to food options.

For a more traditional cruise experience, we’d suggest Celebrity or Princess . These two lines focus more on an affluent experience that appeals to adults. Princess tends to be the less expensive of the two.

Questions About Preparing For Your Cruise

Getting ready for your cruise? Here’s everything you need to know about preparing.

Where do I park for the trip?

If you drive to the port, parking is no problem. Every cruise port will have parking right near the ship, however, it can be expensive. Expect to pay at least $20 per day for the convenience of being able to park at the ship and walk to the terminal.

Want to save money? Many ports offer independent lots that will offer you parking for a sharp discount from the cruise port (often up to 50%) and a shuttle over to the ship. You can read more about parking here .

Do I need a passport to cruise?

It’s always a good idea to have a passport as it’s more flexible should you have to leave the cruise in the middle of the trip (very rare, but it can happen). That said, if you’re sailing a traditional round trip cruise from the U.S., then you can sail with a birth certificate and photo ID .

Cruises that are “closed loop” — meaning they begin and end at the same port — often fall under a special rule that allows a birth certificate to be used. So if you depart Miami on a seven-day cruise that skips around the Caribbean and comes back to Miami, you don’t need a passport.

That said, you’ll want to confirm with the cruise line, but most trips from the U.S. can be sailed without the passport.

Do I need to bring cash?

It’s always a good idea to have some walking around money, but it’s likely less than you think. On the ship all your spending is done on your room keycard. That means onboard, you don’t need any cash other than what you plan to use for gambling. Even then, you can charge funds to your account if you need to.

In ports of call having some cash is a good idea. While credit cards are widely accepted, we find it simply easier to use cash. So you’ll want some money for things like meals, souvenirs, and cab fare. It’s also nice to have some small bills for tips off the ship. You can see our recommendation on amounts to bring here .

How do gratuities work?

If you’ve never taken a cruise, then gratuities can be confusing ( we explain them in full here ). Put simply, every passenger on the ship is charged a gratuity (sometimes called a service charge) each day of the cruise. The amount is normally around $16-18 per person, per day. So a couple traveling on a 7-day cruise will pay about $250 in gratuity charges during the trip.

These tips are then pooled and distributed to the crew. You can tip more if you feel inclined, but aren’t required. Passengers have the opportunity to prepay these charges before the cruise to get them taken care of early, or they can wait until onboard and have them charged automatically.

Should I prepay gratuities?

There’s no real difference if you prepay gratuities or not. You will still receive the same level of service. On the plus side, if you prepay then it’s all taken care of before you board and it’s one less charge that you’ll have at the end of the cruise. On the downside, it means giving the cruise line more of your money for longer.

We tend to prepay gratuities just because we like having a smaller bill at the end of the trip.

What should I pack for my cruise?

We’ll assume that if you are sailing to the Caribbean then you know to pack shorts, swimsuit, underwear and socks. But cruising is unique in that you have to pack for a lot of different situations, from formal night in the dining room, to sitting poolside with a drink, to being casual in port.

Then there are nice things to bring for the cabin like an outlet adapter to give more plug space and a shoe organizer for holding smaller items to keep them from cluttering up the room. To answer the question of what you should pack, we have a checklist here and a list of unique cruise items to pack here .

What time should I arrive in port?

When you check in for the cruise ahead of time, it will offer you a list of times to arrive. These days, most lines have a 30-minute boarding window that passengers choose. So if boarding is from 1 p.m to 4 p.m., you can choose a time such as 2:30-3:00 p.m. to arrive.

In general, we recommend selecting a time later in the boarding window. There is often a big rush to board early, and later in the day you will see much smaller crowds trying to get on the ship. As well, boarding later means your cabin should be ready and you can head straight to it.

What time should I schedule my flight home?

Flying home after your cruise? You’ll want to allow plenty of time to get to your flight. Ships normally arrive back into port early in the morning — 6:00 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. From there, the ship has to clear customs and then passengers can start to debark. Once off the ship, you need time to get to the airport and then through security for your flight.

We have a list of suggested times for flights based on your cruise port here . Generally, we’d suggest not booking a flight before 10:00 a.m. at the earliest for most ports. However, allowing more time if you can is smart. Having an extra hour or two ensures that you’re covered if anything goes wrong.

How do I get to the cruise port from the airport?

Flying in for your cruise? The best way to get to the cruise ship will vary from port to port. However, in general we recommend using Uber or Lyft. We’ve found they have rates that are comparable — and often lower — than taxis. They also operate at all the major airport and cruise ports, making it simple to get back and forth.

If traveling with a larger group, then independent shuttles can make a lot of sense. We generally advise against shuttles run by the cruise lines as they only operate on the day of the cruise and cost considerably more per person than Uber/Lyft.

Are there limits on what I can pack?

Within reason, there aren’t limits to how much you can pack on a cruise . Want to pack a couple of large suitcases? That’s perfectly fine and there is no charge for bags like what you see with an airline. There are also no rules regarding liquids like you see when you fly.

That said, we generally recommend that cruise passengers pack lighter. Remember, you still have to carry the suitcases from home to the cruise port and back home. Trying to deal with multiple heavy bags isn’t fun or easy when you’re supposed to be on vacation.

Questions About Food & Drink

Eating and drinking is a major part of your vacation. But there’s a lot to know about food and beverage during the cruise.

What is the food like on the ship?

In our honest opinion, the food on a cruise ship can vary widely. We’ve had fantastic meals that we’d take over anything on land down to food that we thought was terrible. Over the years, we’ve figured out what’s good to us and what isn’t.

More generally, the food options are widespread. You have all types of cuisine throughout the cruise and options that range from a quick bite of pizza to fancy steakhouses. Every ship will have a buffet and main dining room. Outside of that, there are a number of other options that will depend on the cruise line and ship. These days most ships go heavy on specialty restaurants where there is a charge to dine.

In general, we find the specialty restaurants to be good to very good. In our years we have yet to have a bad meal here. Restaurants that serve big crowds — such as the buffet and dining room — seem to be more hit and miss. Some dishes are great, some are not.

We do have to give special recognition to desserts on the ship, which we generally find very good. You can read more about eating on a cruise here .

Can you find vegetarian/vegan options?

If you have a restrictive diet, whether it be vegetarian or vegan or gluten-free or something else, cruise lines can accommodate you well. With literally millions of passengers sailing each year, cruise lines have seen every type of special diet imaginable. In fact, at dinner the waiter will always also if you have any diet restrictions or allergies.

As vegetarian and vegan diets in particular have increased in popularity, lines have added a number of options for passengers. You’ll have no trouble finding something good to eat.

How much do drinks cost on a cruise?

If you’ve never sailed before, get ready for some sticker shock when it comes to drinks on the ship. A soda will cost around $3. A beer runs roughly $8, and a cocktail will be in the $12-$14 range. Wine will vary depending on the type, but expect it to start in the $8-$10 per glass range.

In addition, beverages have an automatic gratuity that’s also charged (usually 18%). So that $14 drink is actually around $16.50.

Is the drink package worth it?

Don’t want to worry about the cost of drinks? Cruise lines sell drink packages , where you pay one set daily fee and get to drink whatever you want. For most people, we would suggest that these packages won’t be worth the money, though there are always exceptions.

The issue is that the pricing means you usually need to drink about six cocktails or ten beers each and every day to breakeven on the cost. And even when you’re in port, you still pay for the package. As well, if one person buys the package, then all adults in the cabin must buy it as well, even if they don’t drink.

On a short cruise, maybe you can keep this kind of pace up. Over the course of more than a few days it gets harder to get your money’s worth.

When are bars open?

Are you on the cruise ship? Then bars are open. From the time you step onboard until the time you step off, there will be a bar open somewhere. The only exception may be in the early morning hours (think 3-6 a.m.).

This isn’t to say that every bar is open around the clock. Many don’t open until the middle of the day and then close later in the evening. Still, there will be somewhere to get a drink and most times you don’t have to go far to get it.

How do meals work on the ship?

Food is a big part of a cruise. How meals work can be a little confusing for first timers. Some food is included with your fare. This includes the buffet and main dining room. Others are a charge (specialty restaurants) and need to be reserved ahead of time.

For the buffet and other quick eats, you simply show up, grab what you want and find a spot to sit (yes, you are allowed to take food out of the dining area). For dining rooms, you’ll be given a set time to arrive (normally 5:30 or 8:30) or you might have anytime dining where you can show up whenever you’re hungry. Here, you’ll check in with the staff, and they will take a few minutes to find you a table.

At free restaurants, you simply get up and leave when you’re done. There’s no check to sign or bill to pay.

If dining at a specialty restaurant, you’ll arrive at your reservation time and then be seated. After the meal, you’ll have a bill to sign to confirm the charge and leave any additional gratuity.

Is all the food free?

For most cruise lines, all the food is not free on the trip. To be sure, you can eat without paying extra on any cruise. The lines all have a buffet and main dining room that will be included with the cruise fare. Most also have another spot or two where you can grab a light meal or snacks.

Then there are specialty restaurants that are for an extra charge. In general, this is any restaurant on the ship that includes sit-down, personalized service. So think of spots like the romantic Italian restaurant or the steakhouse.

Other charges for food include specialty coffees, alcoholic drinks, premium ice cream, and more.

Can I bring drinks on the ship?

Yes and no. You can bring on beverages, but there are restrictions.

Let’s start with alcoholic drinks. Just about every cruise line allows you to bring on a regular sized bottle of wine or champagne per adult when you board. However, anything beyond that is not allowed. No beer or liquor is allowed. You can see our list of cruise line policies here.

As for non-alcoholic drinks, many lines (though certainly not all) allow you to bring on a 12-pack of anything you want. This rule varies more from line to line, with some having specific rules regarding packaging. For more details, see our article here .

Miscellaneous Questions & Answers About Cruising

From what to do on the ship to will you get seasick, below we cover all the random questions that might come up as you get ready to sail.

What is there to do on a cruise?

The list of what you can do on a cruise is seemingly endless with modern ships. Older ships have fewer activities, but can still keep you busy.

While we can’t cover everything you can do, we can mention some of the big ones. Every ship will have a large pool deck, a casino, and tons of bars. There are activities put on by the staff during the day (everything from trivia to putting contests) and evening entertainment that on some ships can rival Broadway. Shopping is widely available, as are a number of restaurants. For kids there are arcades. Sport courts with basketball (and pickleball!) are common.

Newer ships feature everything from full waterparks to go-kart tracks to roller coasters, bumper cars, surf simulators and rock walls for kids and teens.

Even with all that, it sells short what you can do on a cruise.

What is included on a cruise?

In general, all your basics are included on a cruise . So for your cruise fare you get your cabin and basic meals and snacks such as the buffet, dining room and included restaurants. Your fare includes drinks like water, tea, lemonade, and coffee. You also have free run of the ship, enjoying the pool, waterparks, and other activities onboard. Finally, entertainment such as the evening shows are also included in your fare.

What costs extra on the cruise?

While there is plenty included with your cruise, there’s also lots that cost extra . You can expect to spend about 30-40% of what you paid in cruise fare in onboard spending based on the financial reports from cruise lines.

So what costs more? Any specialty restaurants are not included in your fare. This is essentially any restaurant with sit-down waiter service, outside of the main dining room. Casino gambling of course costs extra. Alcoholic drinks are an extra charge, as is wi-fi service, and any treatments you might want to get in the spa. You’ll also have a daily gratuity charge for each person sailing.

When off the ship, all expenses are extra unless visiting a cruise line’s private island. As well, any shore excursions or tours you do will cost extra.

Does the ship have a casino?

Unless sailing a handful of ships (such as Disney) then yes, you will have a full casino on board. While relatively small compared to a land-based casinos, it’s plenty large for the ship.

You’ll find all the games you’d expect in a normal casino including slots, blackjack, roulette, and craps. There are also a number of games you don’t see on land. For instance, cruise ships often have coin pusher machines, skill cranes for money, and their own scratch-off tickets.

What is my keycard? What does it do?

There’s arguably nothing on the ship more important for you than your keycard. Most times this looks just like a credit card. A few lines have wearable devices instead.

These cards are your room key, but they also are used to check you in and out around the ship. When you leave the ship to go to port, you’ll scan your card so the staff knows who is on and off the ship.

Perhaps most importantly, this card is tied to your onboard account. Want a drink? Buy a souvenir on the ship? Book a spa treatment? You’ll used your card to pay for all these items on the ship. Then your bill is settled at the end of the cruise.

What do I wear to formal night?

Depending on your cruise, you’ll likely have one or two formal nights during the trip. We cover what to know and wear here , but in general you don’t have to be too worried about meeting the dress code.

Some folks dress to the nines, including a full evening gown and tuxedos. It seems that most people, however, simply dress nice without going all out. For women, a nice blouse or dress is fine. For men, a button up or collared shirt and a pair of pants is suitable. On lines that are higher end, expect the formal wear to be a step higher.

What you want to avoid are flip flips, ball caps, shorts, and the like.

How fast is the wi-fi on the ship?

The good news is that if you need it, wi-fi is available on any major cruise ship. The bad news is that service is pricey (often more than $20 per day) and the speeds can vary.

Based on our cruises, the highest-tier internet tends to average in the 3-5 Mbps range . That’s much slower than on land, but fast enough for general browsing and streaming.

That said, cruise ships are trying to improve speeds, including the implementation of Starlink. Still, the speeds can vary widely. We’ve seen cruises with speeds consistently in the 40-60 Mbps range (no different than what many have at home) while other cruises still see 3-5 Mbps speeds.

What is an Alaskan cruise like compared to the Caribbean?

Maybe you think of a cruise as a bunch of people hanging poolside with lots of drinks, tropical music playing, and lots of passengers in swimsuits. An Alaskan cruise couldn’t be more different.

Cruises to Alaska take you to one of the most beautiful and unspoiled parts of the entire planet. You’ll see mountains, wildlife, glaciers, and some of the most amazing scenery you’ve ever seen.

Onboard the atmosphere is different as well. It’s still a cruise so there is a lot going on, but it’s much more subdued (for instance, there’s no sail away party with lots of dancing poolside). Your other passengers aren’t there to party, they are there to take in the nature and scenery.

Is there a difference between new and old cruise ships?

Cruise lines love to show off all the new features on their latest and greatest ships. What they don’t really show you is that these new ships can be completely different from older ships.

Like anything else, cruise ships evolve. And given that the life of a ship can approach three decades, that’s a lot of time for things to change.

Older ships are still kept up well, but they are generally smaller, hold fewer passengers, and have a lot fewer amenities like restaurants and activities. Many people prefer this style of ship, but newer ones will definitely have more to see, do, and experience.

Will I get seasick on a cruise?

Seasickness does happen on a cruise, but we’d guess it’s much less often than you’d think .

For one, cruise lines want you to have a fun and comfortable trip. So when possible, they can maneuver the ship to avoid rough seas.

Still, it is possible that your ship might encounter a storm of simply larger swells. In that case, you might be surprised at how stable a modern ship feels. If you’re imagining rocking back and forth, that’s not the case. Having sailed dozens of cruises, the absolute worst we’ve really felt was enough motion to let you know you are at sea, but not enough that you were bumping into walls or swaying while walking. It can happen, but it’s rare.

Is there a difference between short and longer cruises?

Cruises come in all sorts of lengths, from three nights to three months and even longer. You’ll find a big difference in the atmosphere onboard depending on the length of trip .

In general, the longer the cruise, the more subdued you can expect the atmosphere to be and the older the average age. Shorter trips often see younger and more lively crowds. Longer cruises are more relaxed with passengers that have the ability to take off for extended periods of time.

How do I book shore excursions?

Shore excursions are tours that you can take in port. Instead of having to put together something you do yourself, excursions allow you to pay one fee and get everything all taken care of in a single transaction, including transportation to and from the ship.

The easiest way to book is through the cruise line. You’ll be able to reserve a spot through your online account ahead of the cruise. If you wait until on the ship, you can head to the Shore Excursions desk, which every ship will have. There, the staff can explain the different options and book your tour.

You can also book excursions independent of the cruise line online or even as you walk into port last minute.

What’s the rule of 5-10-15?

Another rule of thumb we created is the rule of 5-10-15. It covers what type of cabin to book and where on the ship.

Let’s start with the five. Here, it relates to when to get a balcony cabin. If sailing a cruise of five days or more, then the balcony will be worth it to have. Shorter than that and you’re likely to not spend enough time in the room to get your money’s worth.

The “10-15” is the deck to book. As mentioned in this article, there are two main areas you’ll spend time. The interior promenades, restaurants, and shopping are in the middle of the ship, usually around decks 6-8 or 5-7. Then you have the pool decks at the top of the ship, which today can be as high as deck 20.

Since this is where you’ll spend the most time, picking a cabin deck between the two spaces is ideal. Hence, we think decks 10-15 are ideal.

What happens if I’m late for the ship?

Let’s just say that you don’t want to find out. Cruise ships stick to a set schedule. A late departure can throw everything off and even mean not making the next port in time. So when they say all aboard is at 4:00 p.m., that’s not a suggestion.

While the ship doesn’t leave right at the all aboard time, it does leave soon after. And yes, if you are late back to the ship, then it has been known to leave passengers at the dock. It’s one reason why we always aim to make it back at least 45 minutes before all aboard, just in case there is a delay.

Can I bring marijuana on the ship?

In many states where cruises sail — California, Washington, New York — marijuana is legal for recreational purposes. Even more states have laws that allow medical marijuana.

Given the international nature of cruises, however, it’s not allowed on the cruise ship . Lines follow federal law, which still outlaws marijuana. As well, with the trip taking you to multiple countries, the complexities of laws can be overwhelming.

Instead, cruises keep things simple. It’s not allowed, no matter where you are sailing from.

What should I do in port?

Your day in port is your own to do whatever you want. Hit the beach, book an excursion for some adventure, or just mill about in the port area. It’s up to you. There’s no “should” for how you spend your vacation. In fact, some people even just stay on the ship.

In general, we do suggest that you book a shore excursion for at least one port of call. Excursions give you a chance to do things that you simply can’t experience back home. We find them to be some of the most memorable experiences of the entire cruise.

What do I need to bring into port?

If you’re headed into port, you actually don’t need to bring that much . The most important thing to bring is your ship-issued keycard (which is used to check you off and on the ship) and a photo ID if you are an adult.

Other than that, you just want to bring what you might need for the day. We like to bring a light backpack with a towel if we plan to hit the beach, sunscreen, and some cash. Items like a hat and/or sunglasses are also smart.

We’d also suggest wearing comfortable walking shoes into port. There’s typically a lot of walking, so comfy shoes are nice to have. You can always bring a pair of flip-flops to change into if headed to the beach.

Is smoking allowed on the ship?

Yes, smoking is allowed on the ship but it is very controlled. For instance, smoking isn’t allowed in your cabin (there are big fines) nor is it allowed in most places on the ship. Instead, there are designated smoking spots onboard. You can find the location by asking the crew or looking in the ship’s daily planner. Smoking is usually also allowed in the casino.

What is the “space ratio”? Why should I care?

Many people worry about too many people on the cruise ship. After all, the newest ships can carry upwards of 6,000 passengers at once. But that doesn’t just mean cruise lines are packing more people in the same amount of space. Cruise ships have gotten larger as well.

That’s why we like to use what we call the space ratio. This calculation takes the tonnage of a ship (a measure of its size) and divides it by the occupancy. From here, you have a metric that you can use to compare one ship to another.

In general we consider a ratio above 40 to be a sign of a ship with good space per passenger. You can find the space ratio of your ship here .

Do cruise ships feel crowded?

The best answer we can give you is “it depends.” We’ve been on some ships with small space ratios that do feel crowded seemingly everywhere you go. Other ships might feel crowded in certain areas at certain times — such as the pool deck in the middle of a day at sea.

What we have noticed is that ship design can play a big impact in how busy a ship feels. Ships built with choke points where lots of people are funneled through a narrow space will feel more crowded than an open design.

Our advice? Expect some crowded moments, but it’s not always that way.

How can I see my cruise ship’s latest health inspection?

Many people don’t realize it but cruise ships undergo health inspections, similar to a restaurant on land.

Ships are subject to two inspections a year under the CDC Vessel Sanitation Program. The inspection scores are then posted online for the public to see . There is also a report that covers all the issues found.

In general cruise ships score very high (it’s not unusual to see a score of 100). Occasionally a ship will score ‘unsatisfactory,’ meaning they scored less than an 86.

Do I need the cruise line’s app?

Cruises used to be a place where you put the phone down and don’t use it for a week. Now, you have to carry it with you. Cruise lines all have phone-based apps and they’ve become a part of the sailing.

The apps now have a lot of information you need or want to know, including the daily planner, maps, reservations, and even the ability to chat with other members of your party and track your onboard spending.

We’d love to tell you the app is optional, but at this point we’d say you need to have it.

Is there a dress code on a cruise?

For most of the time you’re onboard, there isn’t a dress code. Wear what you want, when you want. The one exception is that if you head into a restaurant during the day, you will want to cover up. The buffet is casual, so shorts and a t-shirt or coverup are fine, as are flip flops. Any time you eat in the dining room, you’ll want to avoid swimwear, hats, and anything too casual. Just wearing a pair of pants or jeans is fine.

Things change on formal night or if dining in higher-end specialty restaurants. If eating in the main dining room during formal night or a nicer restaurant, you’ll want to dress up some. You don’t have to wear a suit and tie or an evening gown, but avoid shorts and t-shirts.

Do I need to worry about hurricanes?

The good thing about cruise ships when it comes to hurricanes? They can move. While big storms might capture the imagination, the truth is that cruise ships are rarely (if ever) directly impacted by a hurricane. They can see they forecast well in advance and steer clear.

There is a chance that a port of call or departure port could be impacted by a storm. In that case, a port of call could be canceled or you might be delayed in getting back home or embarking on your cruise. However, that’s relatively rare.

What happens if a port of call is canceled?

We’ll never forget spending two days at sea headed to Roatan, Honduras, only for the captain to come over the loudspeaker the afternoon before and tell us that another ship damaged the pier and we wouldn’t be able to dock.

As a result, we spent a third day in a row at sea.

When a port of call is canceled, not much happens for passengers . If it’s feasible, another port might be substituted. If not, then you’ll often spend the day at sea while heading toward the next port. No compensation is normally offered unless missing the port completely alters the cruise (such as a trip that has to end early).

Are cruises LGBTQ friendly?

In general, you can expect a cruise to be a good spot for LGBTQ passengers. That’s not to say that the ship is decked out with rainbow flags or there is a pride parade in the evening, but most people simply are there to have a good time… not worry about other people’s lives. Some lines — such as Virgin Voyages — do seem to cater more to LGBTQ passengers than others.

That said, any major cruise line will offer up some sort of meet-up time for like-minded passengers if you want to find some new friends during the trip.

What’s the deal with rubber duckies?

Maybe you’ve seen them online or perhaps you’ve taken a cruise and there seems to be a random rubber duck sitting in an out of the way place.

Over the past decade or so, these ducks have become a sort of game in cruising . Passengers bring these ducks from home and hide them around the ship in a type of treasure hunt. If you find one, you can keep it, leave it be for someone else to find, or pick it up and re-hide it somewhere else. There is often a note attached that says who hid it and wishing you a good cruise.

Can I bring my pet?

No. If you have a service animal, then you can make arrangements to bring them onboard with you. Just keep in mind that due to customs restrictions, there are a considerable amount of hurdles and paperwork you’ll need to complete to get off the ship with your animal.

However, emotional support animals or pets aren’t allowed on the ship with you.

Is there a gym on the ship?

We don’t think most people consider working out while on a cruise . However, there are those that like to get a workout in. If you’re part of this group, then yes, there is a gym.

If you’re imagining some tired workout spot like in a chain hotel, that’s not the case. Cruise ship gyms are nicely equipped with lots of space, plenty of machines (including dumbbells, weight machines, exercise bikes, treadmills and more), and they normally have stunning views high up on the ship.

Gyms are normally located next to the spa on the ship. While the sps charges a fee for services, the gym is free to use.

Will I get bored on a cruise?

In our opinion, if you get bored on a ship, then it’s your own fault. We will say that older ships do have significantly less to do. If you are sailing one of these and there are multiple days at sea, you may be pretty happy to finally hit a port of call.

Larger ships have lots of things to do around the clock to where there will almost always be something you can find to keep from getting bored.

For most cruises, being bored isn’t an issue. And if you do get a little bored, well, that’s nothing a drink while sitting by the pool can’t fix.

Are there kids areas on the ship?

Yes. One big benefit of sailing any major line is that there will be a spot dedicated to kids on the ship and it’s included with the cruise. Here, parents can drop kids off and the staff will watch them, and also provide activities and entertainment like board games, movies, video games, arts, and crafts and more.

You will simply register at the start of the cruise and bring the kids by whenever you want while the area is open (it normally keeps long hours). This means on a family vacation the kids can have a spot to themselves while parents get to enjoy some kid-free time as well.

Are cruises accessible for handicapped passengers?

We’d argue there isn’t a better vacation for passengers with a disability than a cruise. Ships go out of their way to ensure everyone — no matter their abilities — can enjoy a vacation. That includes everything from those with sensory issues to people in wheelchairs and seemingly everything in between.

Ships are built with mobility issues in mind. There are fully accessible cabins, ramps around the ship, and touch buttons for opening doors. There are also lots of crew around should you need any assistance.

When in port it can be a different story as many ports don’t have the infrastructure that we’re accustomed to in the United States. Private destinations from cruise lines, however, will offer accessible features.

Have more questions? Let us know in the comments below…

Popular: 39 Useful Things to Pack (17 You Wouldn't Think Of)

Read next: park & cruise hotels for every port in america, popular: 107 best cruise tips, secrets, tricks, and freebies, related articles more from author, how much it costs to live on a cruise ship for a year (updated), 57 must-have tips, advice, and info for first-time cruisers, cruising with a baby: what to know from someone who’s done it, 12 cruise tips that feel wrong (but are 100% right), how much cruise lines spend on food (less than you think), 11 tips cruise lines don’t want you to know (but they aren’t against the rules), leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Reviewed: Carnival Cruise Wi-Fi Service (Speed, Reliability, Cost, and More)

Crew member arrested for stabbing three aboard alaskan cruise, hotels with cruise shuttles for every major port in america, 107 best cruise tips, tricks, secrets, and freebies, 39 useful things to pack for your cruise (including 17 you’d never think of).

• Privacy Policy
• Terms & Conditions

Breaking News English Lesson: Cruise Ship

Home     |     help this site, world's largest ever cruise ship sets sail    (17th march, 2022).

• 27-page lesson  (40 exercises)
• 2-page MINI lesson
• All 4 graded readings
• North American & British English
• 20 questions
• Listen & spell
• 3-speed reading
• Text jumble
• The / An / A
• Prepositions
• Missing letters
• Initials only
• Missing words

The Reading / Listening - Cruise Ship - Level 3

The largest cruise ship ever made has set sail. The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has room for 6,988 guests. Its name is Wonder of the Seas. It is the newest addition to the ships owned by the company Royal Caribbean. It set off on its maiden voyage last week from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. The lucky passengers will enjoy a cruise of the Caribbean islands. A company official spoke about his excitement to CNN Travel. He said: "We're excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class features after a six-year-long process." He said the company's expertise and feedback from guests meant the company could "create something truly awe-inspiring". It took a shipyard in France three years to build the enormous ship. It is an impressive vessel. It weighs 237,000 tons, and is as long as the Empire State Building is high. It is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft carrier ever built and 306 meters* longer than the Titanic. Surprisingly, the Titanic was 1.8kph faster. The new cruise ship has eight different "neighbourhoods". These are areas of the ship that will give guests different experiences. One is called Central Park, which is filled with over 10,000 real plants. Facilities include 20 restaurants, four swimming pools, a children's water park, a full-size basketball court, an ice-skating rink, a surf simulator, a 1400-seat theatre, and two 13-metre rock-climbing walls.

* Error: This should be 93 meters.

Try the same news story at these easier levels:

     Cruise Ship - Level 0 ,  Cruise Ship - Level 1   or  Cruise Ship - Level 2

• https://edition. cnn.com /travel/article/worlds-largest-ship-wonder-of-the-seas-delivered/index.html
• https://www. thenationalnews.com /world/2022/02/22/wonder-of-the-seas-worlds-largest-cruise-ship-to-sail-with-passengers-for-first-time/
• https://www. cruisehive.com /the-worlds-largest-cruise-ship-arrives-in-the-us-for-the-first-time/66343

Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice activities, drag and drop activities, sentence jumbles, which word activities, text reconstructions, spelling, gap fills and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities, and more.

Take a look...

"Much has been said and written on the utility of newspapers; but one principal advantage which might be derived from these publications has been neglected; we mean that of reading them in schools." The Portland Eastern Herald (June 8, 1795)

"News is history in its first and best form, its vivid and fascinating form, and...history is the pale and tranquil reflection of it." Mark Twain, in his autobiography (1906)

"Current events provide authentic learning experiences for students at all grade levels.... In studying current events, students are required to use a range of cognitive, affective, critical thinking and research skills." Haas, M. and Laughlin, M. (2000) Teaching Current Events: It's Status in Social Studies Today.

• E-mail this to a friend

--> 1. CRUISE SHIPS: Students walk around the class and talk to other students about cruise ships. Change partners often and share your findings. 2. CHAT: In pairs / groups, talk about these topics or words from the article. What will the article say about them? What can you say about these words and your life?        cruise ship / set sail / guests / voyage / passenger / Caribbean / the world / feedback        shipyard / impressive / vessel / aircraft carrier / experiences / water park / basketball Have a chat about the topics you liked. Change topics and partners frequently. 3. CRUISE: Students A strongly believe a cruise is more fun than a luxury train journey; Students B strongly believe a train journey is better. Change partners again and talk about your conversations. 4. SHIPS: What do you know about these ships (and boats)? What would it be like to work on them?  Complete this table with your partner(s). Change partners often and share what you wrote.   What I Know Working on the Ship Cruise ship     Oil tanker     Aircraft carrier     Container ship     Fishing boat     Rescue boat     MY e-BOOK See a sample 5. GUEST: Spend one minute writing down all of the different words you associate with the word "guest". Share your words with your partner(s) and talk about them. Together, put the words into different categories. 6. CRUISE: Rank these with your partner. Put the best things to do on a cruise at the top. Change partners often and share your rankings. Sunbathe Meet other guests Sightsee Meet the captain Eat Fish Swim Read   Vocabulary     Paragraph 1       1. set sail a. A traveller on a ship, train, or in a taxi, car, bus, etc. but not the driver, pilot, or crew.       2. deck b. A feeling of being amazed by something impressive or frightening.       3. addition c. When a boat or ship starts its journey (trip).       4. voyage d. A floor of a ship that stretches for the full length of the ship.       5. passenger e. A long journey (trip) by sea or in space       6. expertise f. Great, great skill or knowledge in a particular field.       7. awe-inspiring g. A person or thing added or joined.     Paragraph 2       8. enormous h. A place or piece of equipment provided for a particular purpose.       9. impressive i. A living (green) thing like a tree, shrub, herb, grass, fern, or moss.       10. vessel j. A district or community.       11. neighbourhood k. Very, very big.       12. plant l. A machine designed to provide a realistic copy of the controls and operation of an airplane or other complex system.       13. facility m. Creating admiration through size, quality, or skill.       14. simulator n. A ship or large boat.   Before reading / listening 1. TRUE / FALSE: Read the headline. Guess if 1-8 below are true (T) or false (F). The cruise ship in the story is over 360 metres long.      T / F The name of the company that owns the ship is Caribbean Royal.      T / F The ship is heading to Florida as its first destination.      T / F Feedback from guests allowed the company to make a better ship.      T / F It took three years to build the cruise ship.      T / F The cruise ship is 30 metres longer than the Titanic.     T / F There is an area on the ship called Central Park that has 10,000 parks.     T / F The ship has 13 rock-climbing walls.      T / F 2. SYNONYM MATCH: Match the following synonyms from the article. addition voyage features expertise awe-inspiring enormous vessel built include theatre huge ship or boat breathtaking journey comprise inclusion cinema skill constructed attractions 3. PHRASE MATCH: (Sometimes more than one choice is possible.) The largest cruise ship ever made has It is the newest addition It set off on its maiden world- the company could create something It took a shipyard in France three years It weighs 237,000 the longest aircraft an ice-skating two 13-metre rock-climbing carrier ever built class features truly awe-inspiring tons rink to the ships walls voyage last week to build the enormous ship set sail Gap fill Put these words into the spaces in the paragraph below. introduce voyage room truly cruise set process addition

The largest cruise ship ever made has (1) _____________________ sail. The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has (2) _____________________ for 6,988 guests. Its name is Wonder of the Seas. It is the newest (3) _____________________ to the ships owned by the company Royal Caribbean. It set off on its maiden (4) _____________________ last week from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. The lucky passengers will enjoy a (5) _____________________ of the Caribbean islands. A company official spoke about his excitement to CNN Travel. He said: "We're excited to (6) _____________________ guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class features after a six-year-long (7) _____________________." He said the company's expertise and feedback from guests meant the company could "create something (8) _____________________ awe-inspiring".

plants built enormous court weighs experiences rink faster

It took a shipyard in France three years to build the (9) _____________________ ship. It is an impressive vessel. It (10) _____________________ 237,000 tons, and is as long as the Empire State Building is high. It is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft carrier ever (11) _____________________ and 306 metres longer than the Titanic. Surprisingly, the Titanic was 1.8kph (12) _____________________. The new cruise ship has eight different "neighbourhoods". These are areas of the ship that will give guests different (13) _____________________. One is called Central Park, which is filled with over 10,000 real (14) _____________________. Facilities include 20 restaurants, four swimming pools, a children's water park, a full-size basketball (15) _____________________, an ice-skating (16) _____________________, a surf simulator, a 1400-seat theatre, and two 13-metre rock-climbing walls.

Listening — Guess the answers. Listen to check.

1) The largest cruise ship ever made ______      a.  has let sail      b.  has set sail      c.  has bet sail      d.  has met sail 2)  The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has room ______      a.  for 6,988 guest      b.  for 6,988 gusts      c.  for 6,988 jests      d.  for 6,988 guests 3)  The lucky passengers will enjoy a cruise of ______      a.  the Caribbean island      b.  the Caribbean islands      c.  a Caribbean islands      d.  those Caribbean islands 4)  the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class features after a six-______      a.  year-long process      b.  years-long process      c.  year-longer process      d.  year-long processes 5)  feedback from guests meant the company could create something ______      a.  truly awe-inspiring      b.  truly or-inspiring      c.  truly yore-inspiring      d.  true leer-inspiring

6)  It took a shipyard in France three years to build ______      a.  the enormous shipped      b.  the enormous ships      c.  the enormous shipper      d.  the enormous ship 7)  It is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft ______      a.  carrier ever build      b.  carrion ever built      c.  carry ya ever built      d.  carrier ever built 8)  These are areas of the ship that will give ______      a.  guests different experience      b.  guests different experiences      c.  guests difference experiences      d.  guests differ rent experiences 9)  One is called Central Park, which is filled with over ______      a.  10,000 real pants      b.  10,000 real plants      c.  10,000 real pliant      d.  10,000 real pranks 10)  four swimming pools, a children's water park, a full-size basketball court, an ______      a.  ice-skating link      b.  ice-skating drink      c.  ice-skating rink      d.  ice-skating brink

Listening — Listen and fill in the gaps

The largest cruise ship ever made (1) ____________________. The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has room for 6,988 guests. Its name is Wonder of the Seas. It is (2) ____________________ to the ships owned by the company Royal Caribbean. It set off on (3) ____________________ last week from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. The lucky passengers will enjoy a cruise of the Caribbean islands. A (4) ____________________ about his excitement to CNN Travel. He said: "We're excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its (5) ____________________ after a six-year-long process." He said the company's expertise and feedback from guests meant the company could "create something (6) ____________________".

It took a shipyard in France three years to build (7) ____________________. It is an impressive vessel. It weighs 237,000 tons, and is as long as the Empire State Building is high. It is 30 metres longer than (8) ____________________ carrier ever built and 306 metres longer than the Titanic. Surprisingly, the Titanic was 1.8kph faster. The new cruise ship (9) ____________________ "neighbourhoods". These are areas of the ship that will give guests different experiences. One is called Central Park, which is (10) ____________________ 10,000 real plants. Facilities include 20 restaurants, four swimming pools, a children's water park, (11) ____________________ basketball court, an ice-skating rink, a surf simulator, a 1400-seat theatre, and two 13-metre (12) ____________________.

Comprehension questions

• How long is the cruise ship?
• What's the name of the cruise ship?
• Where are the passengers going on a cruise?
• Who did a company official talk to?
• What did a spokesperson say the company wanted to create?
• How long did it take to build the ship?
• How much longer than the Titanic is the cruise ship?
• How many different "neighbourhoods" does the ship have?
• How many plants are there on an area of the ship called Central Park?
• How many people can sit in the ship's cinema?

Multiple choice quiz

1) How long is the cruise ship? a) 360 metres b) 262 metres c) 326 metres d) 362 metres 2) What's the name of the cruise ship? a) Seas of Wonder b) Wonder of the Seas c) Wonder Seas d) Wonderful Seas 3) Where are the passengers going on a cruise? a) the River Nile b) Florida c) Tahiti d) Caribbean islands 4) Who did a company official talk to? a) Booking.com b) passengers c) CNN Travel d) the ship's captain 5) What did a spokesperson say the company wanted to create? a) an unbeatable ship b) perfect memories c) the best company in the world d) something truly awe-inspiring

6) How long did it take to build the ship? a) 8 years b) 2 years c) 3 years d) 5 years 7) How much longer than the Titanic is the cruise ship? a) 30 metres b) 300 metres c) 13 metres d) 3 metres 8) How many different "neighbourhoods" does the ship have? a) 6 b) 10 c) 8 d) 5 9) How many plants are there on an area of the ship called Central Park? a) over 50,000 b) over 1,000 c) over 10,000 d) over 20,000 10) How many people can sit in the ship's cinema? a) 1,400 b) 1,600 c) 1,200 d) 1,800

After reading / listening

1. WORD SEARCH: Look in your dictionary / computer to find collocates, other meanings, information, synonyms … for the words...

'cruise' ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ and 'ship' . ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________ ________________

• Share your findings with your partners.

• Make questions using the words you found.

• Ask your partner / group your questions.

2. ARTICLE QUESTIONS: Look back at the article and write down some questions you would like to ask the class about the text.

3. GAP FILL: In pairs / groups, compare your answers to this exercise. Check your answers. Talk about the words from the activity. Were they new, interesting, worth learning…?

4. VOCABULARY: Circle any words you do not understand. In groups, pool unknown words and use dictionaries to find their meanings.

5. TEST EACH OTHER: Look at the words below. With your partner, try to recall how they were used in the text:

18 maiden enjoy official six truly three 30 1.8 eight 20 1,400

Student survey

Write five GOOD questions about this topic in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper. When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

(Please look at page 12 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Discussion - Cruise Ship

STUDENT A’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)

• What did you think when you read the headline?
• What images are in your mind when you hear the word 'cruise'?
• What do you think of the idea of a cruise?
• Where would you like to go on a cruise?
• What would you do on a cruise ship for two weeks?
• Would you like to be on a ship with nearly 7,000 other people?
• What do you think of a Caribbean cruise?
• How environmentally friendly are cruise ships?
• Do you think the Wonder of the Seas is a wonder?
• How 'awe-inspiring' is this ship?

STUDENT B’s QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)

• Did you like reading this article? Why/not?
• What do you think of when you hear the word 'ship'?
• What do you think about what you read?
• What are the good and bad things about cruises?
• Can you imagine how big this ship is?
• How much fun do you think a cruise on this ship would be?
• What do you think of the facilities on the ship?
• Should all cruise ships use electric engines?
• What do you think of the movie 'Titanic'?
• What questions would you like to ask the ship's captain?

Discussion — Write your own questions

(a) ________________ (b) ________________ (c) ________________ (d) ________________ (e) ________________

(f) ________________ (g) ________________ (h) ________________ (i) ________________ (j) ________________

Language — Cloze (Gap-fill)

The largest cruise ship ever made has (1) ____ sail. The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has room for 6,988 (2) ____. Its name is Wonder of the Seas. It is the newest addition to the ships owned by the company Royal Caribbean. It set off on its (3) ____ voyage last week from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. The lucky passengers will enjoy a cruise of the Caribbean islands. A company official spoke (4) ____ his excitement to CNN Travel. He said: "We're excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class (5) ____ after a six-year-long process." He said the company's expertise and feedback from guests meant the company could "create something truly (6) ____-inspiring".

It took a shipyard in France three years to build the enormous ship. It is an impressive (7) ____. It weighs 237,000 tons, and is as long as the Empire State Building is high. It is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft carrier ever (8) ____ and 306 metres longer than the Titanic. Surprisingly, the Titanic was 1.8kph faster. The new cruise ship has eight (9) ____ "neighbourhoods". These are areas of the ship that will give guests different experiences. One is called Central Park, which is (10) ____ with over 10,000 real plants. Facilities include 20 restaurants, four swimming pools, a children's water park, a full-size basketball (11) ____, an ice-skating (12) ____, a surf simulator, a 1400-seat theatre, and two 13-metre rock-climbing walls.

Which of these words go in the above text?

• (a)     net     (b)     met     (c)     let     (d)     set    
• (a)     jets     (b)     gusts     (c)     jests     (d)     guests    
• (a)     maid     (b)     maiden     (c)     made     (d)     making    
• (a)     at     (b)     about     (c)     around     (d)     in    
• (a)     features     (b)     feats     (c)     futures     (d)     fractures    
• (a)     awe     (b)     awl     (c)     owl     (d)     or    
• (a)     dinghy     (b)     yacht     (c)     speedboat     (d)     vessel    
• (a)     built     (b)     builds     (c)     building     (d)     builder    
• (a)     difference     (b)     different     (c)     differ     (d)     differs    
• (a)     failed     (b)     filed     (c)     filled     (d)     foliage    
• (a)     pitch     (b)     field     (c)     court     (d)     ground    
• (a)     link     (b)     rink     (c)     dink     (d)     sink

Paragraph 1

• the newest daodiint to the ships
• It set off on its maiden vyeaog
• its world-class faeurste
• after a six-year-long orsepsc
• the company's seetepirx
• create something truly awe- pinngsrii

Paragraph 2

• build the noerosum ship
• It is an impressive sesevl
• the longest aircraft cirraer ever built
• eight different gsonodoeuhbihr
• eicsialift include 20 restaurants
• a surf suiomltra

Put the text back together

(...)  rink, a surf simulator, a 1400-seat theatre, and two 13-metre rock-climbing walls. (...)  experiences. One is called Central Park, which is filled with over 10,000 real plants. Facilities (...)  It took a shipyard in France three years to build the enormous ship. It is an impressive vessel. It weighs (...)  237,000 tons, and is as long as the Empire State Building is high. It is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft (...)  by the company Royal Caribbean. It set off on its maiden voyage last week from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. The lucky (  1   ) The largest cruise ship ever made has set sail. The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has room (...)  and feedback from guests meant the company could "create something truly awe-inspiring". (...)  passengers will enjoy a cruise of the Caribbean islands. A company official spoke (...)  for 6,988 guests. Its name is Wonder of the Seas. It is the newest addition to the ships owned (...)  about his excitement to CNN Travel. He said: "We're excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world- (...)  ship has eight different "neighbourhoods". These are areas of the ship that will give guests different (...)  carrier ever built and 306 metres longer than the Titanic. Surprisingly, the Titanic was 1.8kph faster. The new cruise (...)  include 20 restaurants, four swimming pools, a children's water park, a full-size basketball court, an ice-skating (...)  class features after a six-year-long process." He said the company's expertise

Put the words in the right order

largest   cruise   The   set   ship   made   ever   sail   . the   the   is   newest   ships   .   addition   to   It Set   its   on   maiden   last   off   voyage   week   . guests   to   world   .   across   We're   the   introduce   excited something   The   awe-inspiring   .   could   truly   company   create in   a   It   France   took   years   .   shipyard   three aircraft   built   .   carrier   Longer   ever   the   than   longest neighbourhoods   .   has   ship   eight   cruise   new   The   different real   over   10,000   is   with   plants   .   It   filled include   four   and   restaurants   20   pools   .   The   facilities   swimming

Circle the correct word (20 pairs)

The largest cruise ship ever made / make has set sail. The ship is 362 metres long, has 18 decks, and has cabin / room for 6,988 guests. Its name is Wonder of the Seas. It is the newest addition / add to the ships owned by the company Royal Caribbean. It set off on its maiden / made voyage last week from Fort Lauderdale in Florida, USA. The luckless / lucky passengers will enjoy a cruise of the Caribbean islands. A company official speak / spoke about his excitement to CNN Travel. He said: "We're excitement / excited to introduce guests across the world to Wonder of the Seas and its world-class futures / features after a six-year-long process." He said the company's expertise / expats and feedback from guests meant the company could "create something truly / truth awe-inspiring".

It took a shipyard in France three years to build / built the enormous ship. It is an impressive vessel. It weight / weighs 237,000 tons, and is as length / long as the Empire State Building is high / height . It is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft car / carrier ever built and 306 metres longer than the Titanic. Surprisingly, the Titanic was 1.8kph faster. The new cruise ship has eight difference / different "neighbourhoods". These are areas of the ship that will give guests different experiences. One is / be called Central Park, which is filled with over / more 10,000 real plants. Facilities include 20 restaurants, four swimming pails / pools , a children's water park, a full-size basketball court, an ice-skating rink, a surf stimulate / simulator , a 1400-seat theatre, and two 13-metre rock-climbing walls.

Talk about the connection between each pair of words in italics, and why the correct word is correct. Look up the definition of new words.

Insert the vowels (a, e, i, o, u)

Th_  l_rg_st  cr__s_  sh_p  _v_r  m_d_  h_s  s_t  s__l.  Th_  sh_p  _s  362  m_tr_s  l_ng,  h_s  18  d_cks,  _nd  h_s  r__m  f_r  6,988  g__sts.  _ts  n_m_  _s  W_nd_r  _f  th_  S__s.  _t  _s  th_  n_w_st  _dd_t__n  t_  th_  sh_ps  _wn_d  by  th_  c_mp_ny  R_y_l  C_r_bb__n.  _t  s_t  _ff  _n  _ts  m__d_n  v_y_g_  l_st  w__k  fr_m  F_rt  L__d_rd_l_  _n  Fl_r_d_,  _S_.  Th_  l_cky  p_ss_ng_rs  w_ll  _nj_y  _  cr__s_  _f  th_  C_r_bb__n  _sl_nds.  _  c_mp_ny  _ff_c__l  sp_k_  _b__t  h_s  _xc_t_m_nt  t_  CNN  Tr_v_l.  H_  s__d:  "W_'r_  _xc_t_d  t_  _ntr_d_c_  g__sts  _cr_ss  th_  w_rld  t_  W_nd_r  _f  th_  S__s  _nd  _ts  w_rld-cl_ss  f__t_r_s  _ft_r  _  s_x-y__r-l_ng  pr_c_ss."  H_  s__d  th_  c_mp_ny's  _xp_rt_s_  _nd  f__db_ck  fr_m  g__sts  m__nt  th_  c_mp_ny  c__ld  "cr__t_  s_m_th_ng  tr_ly  _w_-_nsp_r_ng".

_t  t__k  _  sh_py_rd  _n  Fr_nc_  thr__  y__rs  t_  b__ld  th_  _n_rm__s  sh_p.  _t  _s  _n  _mpr_ss_v_  v_ss_l.  _t  w__ghs  237,000  t_ns,  _nd  _s  _s  l_ng  _s  th_  _mp_r_  St_t_  B__ld_ng  _s  h_gh.  _t  _s  30  m_tr_s  l_ng_r  th_n  th_  l_ng_st  __rcr_ft  c_rr__r  _v_r  b__lt  _nd  306  m_tr_s  l_ng_r  th_n  th_  T_t_n_c.  S_rpr_s_ngly,  th_  T_t_n_c  w_s  1.8kph  f_st_r.  Th_  n_w  cr__s_  sh_p  h_s  __ght  d_ff_r_nt  "n__ghb__rh__ds".  Th_s_  _r_  _r__s  _f  th_  sh_p  th_t  w_ll  g_v_  g__sts  d_ff_r_nt  _xp_r__nc_s.  _n_  _s  c_ll_d  C_ntr_l  P_rk,  wh_ch  _s  f_ll_d  w_th  _v_r  10,000  r__l  pl_nts.  F_c_l_t__s  _ncl_d_  20  r_st__r_nts,  f__r  sw_mm_ng  p__ls,  _  ch_ldr_n's  w_t_r  p_rk,  _  f_ll-s_z_  b_sk_tb_ll  c__rt,  _n  _c_-sk_t_ng  r_nk,  _  s_rf  s_m_l_t_r,  _  1400-s__t  th__tr_,  _nd  tw_  13-m_tr_  r_ck-cl_mb_ng  w_lls.

Punctuate the text and add capitals

the largest cruise ship ever made has set sail the ship is 362 metres long has 18 decks and has room for 6988 guests its name is wonder of the seas it is the newest addition to the ships owned by the company royal caribbean it set off on its maiden voyage last week from fort lauderdale in florida usa the lucky passengers will enjoy a cruise of the caribbean islands a company official spoke about his excitement to cnn travel he said were excited to introduce guests across the world to wonder of the seas and its worldclass features after a sixyearlong process he said the companys expertise and feedback from guests meant the company could create something truly aweinspiring

it took a shipyard in france three years to build the enormous ship it is an impressive vessel it weighs 237000 tons and is as long as the empire state building is high it is 30 metres longer than the longest aircraft carrier ever built and 306 metres longer than the titanic surprisingly the titanic was 18kph faster the new cruise ship has eight different neighbourhoods these are areas of the ship that will give guests different experiences one is called central park which is filled with over 10000 real plants facilities include 20 restaurants four swimming pools a childrens water park a fullsize basketball court an iceskating rink a surf simulator a 1400seat theatre and two 13metre rockclimbing walls

Put a slash (/) where the spaces are

Thelargestcruiseshipevermadehassetsail.Theshipis362metreslong, has18decks,andhasroomfor6,988guests.ItsnameisWonderoftheSe as.ItisthenewestadditiontotheshipsownedbythecompanyRoyalCari bbean.ItsetoffonitsmaidenvoyagelastweekfromFortLauderdaleinFl orida,USA.TheluckypassengerswillenjoyacruiseoftheCaribbeanislan ds.AcompanyofficialspokeabouthisexcitementtoCNNTravel.Hesaid: "We'reexcitedtointroduceguestsacrosstheworldtoWonderoftheSeas anditsworld-classfeaturesafterasix-year-longprocess."Hesaidthec ompany'sexpertiseandfeedbackfromguestsmeantthecompanycoul d"createsomethingtrulyawe-inspiring".IttookashipyardinFrancethr eeyearstobuildtheenormousship.Itisanimpressivevessel.Itweighs2 37,000tons,andisaslongastheEmpireStateBuildingishigh.Itis30met reslongerthanthelongestaircraftcarriereverbuiltand306metreslong erthantheTitanic.Surprisingly,theTitanicwas1.8kphfaster.Thenewcr uiseshiphaseightdifferent"neighbourhoods".Theseareareasoftheshi pthatwillgiveguestsdifferentexperiences.OneiscalledCentralPark,w hichisfilledwithover10,000realplants.Facilitiesinclude20restaurants ,fourswimmingpools,achildren'swaterpark,afull-sizebasketballcour t,anice-skatingrink,asurfsimulator,a1400-seattheatre,andtwo13- metrerock-climbingwalls.

Free writing

Write about cruise ship for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner’s paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

Academic writing

A one-year cruise is better than a two-week cruise. Discuss.

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word. 2. INTERNET: Search the Internet and find out more about this news story. Share what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson. 3. CRUISE SHIPS: Make a poster about cruise ships. Show your work to your classmates in the next lesson. Did you all have similar things? 4. ECO-CRUISES: Write a magazine article about only allowing eco-cruises - ones where the ship emits zero emissions. Include imaginary interviews with people who are for and against this. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Write down any new words and expressions you hear from your partner(s). 5. WHAT HAPPENED NEXT? Write a newspaper article about the next stage in this news story. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles. 6. LETTER: Write a letter to an expert on cruise ships. Ask him/her three questions about them. Give him/her three of your ideas on how to make them fun. Read your letter to your partner(s) in your next lesson. Your partner(s) will answer your questions.

A Few Additional Activities for Students

Ask your students what they have read, seen or heard about this news in their own language. Students are likely to / may have have encountered this news in their L1 and therefore bring a background knowledge to the classroom.

Get students to role play different characters from this news story.

Ask students to keep track of this news and revisit it to discuss in your next class.

Ask students to male predictions of how this news might develop in the next few days or weeks, and then revisit and discuss in a future class.

Ask students to write a follow-up story to this news.

Students role play a journalist and someone who witnessed or was a part of this news. Perhaps they could make a video of the interview.

Ask students to keep a news journal in English and add this story to their thoughts.

Buy my 1,000 Ideas and Activities for Language Teachers eBook. It has hundreds of ideas, activity templates, reproducible activities for:

• Pre-reading / Post-reading
• Using headlines
• Working with words
• While-reading / While-listening
• Moving from text to speech
• Post-reading / Post-listening
• Discussions
• Using opinions
• Using lists
• Using quotes
• Task-based activities
• Using the central characters in the article
• Using themes from the news

Buy my book

(Please look at page 26 of the PDF to see a photocopiable example of this activity.)

Back to the top

Help Support This Web Site

• Please consider helping Breaking News English.com

Sean Banville's Book

• Download a sample of my book "1,000 Ideas & Activities for Language Teachers".

• LNG Fundamentals
• LNG Shipping Knowledge
• Gas Tankers Familiarisation
• Prevention of Rollover in LNG Ships
• Rules for Ships Carrying Liquefied Gases
• Conversion of Ship to LNG as Fuel
• LPG Tanker Practice
• LNG Bunkering Operation
• Simulation Model for an LNG ferry
• Gas Production Operations
• Liquefied Gas Handling Principles
• Effects of Fire on LNG Carrier Containment Systems
• Transportation of Liquefied Natural Gas
• Gas Carrier Course
• Types of ships
• Rules for Safe Carriage of Cargoes by Sea
• CES/CBT tests

First comment

Advertise   Contact   Privacy

Browse All Reviews

New Releases

List Reviews by Rating

List Reviews by Author

List Reviews by Title

25 Best Books Set on a Cruise Ship

Whether you’re a frequent cruise-goer or someone just embarking on your first trip, reading a novel set on a cruise ship can be a fun way to spend some time while you’re drifting across the ocean and lounging about on the lido deck.

I’ve only been on one cruise (from Seattle to Alaska, which had some really gorgeous views), but my parents are obsessed with cruises and do them all the time. With things finally getting back to normal, they’re antsy to get crusin’ once again, which is what inspired this booklist!

For this list, I’ve rounded up some of the Best Books Set on a Cruise Ship , divided up into genres so you can choose what strikes your fancy.

There’s quite a few murder mysteries of various varieties on this list, probably because cruise ships make for a great environment for that type of story, with lots of strangers stuck together for long periods of time and stops at exotic places in between.

Have you read any of these titles or was there something you were expecting to see on this list that was omitted? Free free to leave a comment if so!

Mysteries Set on a Cruise Historical Fiction Set on a Cruise Romance Set on a Cruise Other Books Set on a Cruise

Mysteries Set on a Cruise

An expert swimmer, Joey makes her way to a floating bale of Jamaican pot-and then to an island inhabited by an ex-cop named Mick Stranahan, whose ex-wives include five waitresses and a TV producer.

Now Joey wants to get revenge on Chaz and Mick's happy to help her.But in swampy South Florida, separating lies from truths and stupidity from brilliance isn't easy. Especially when you're after a guy like Chaz-who's bad at murder, great at fraud, and just terrible at getting caught...

Historical Fiction Set on a Cruise

Romance set on a cruise, other books set on a cruise.

Share this post

She’s Not Sorry

The Seven Year Slip

Darling Girls

Yours Truly

The Coworker

Best Literary Fiction of 2024 (New & Anticipated)

The Housemaid Series Recap

2024’s Best Book Club Books (New & Anticipated)

Bookshelf: Development Diary

Best Rom-Com, Beach Reads & Contemporary Romance Books

Share your thoughts Cancel reply

Just came to say that the only cruise i have been on was also from Seattle to Alaska! Also, I totally meant to read Sweet and forgot about it until seeing this post, so thank you for the reminder!!

Hercule Poirot is a favorite character of mine and I’ve definitely been in the mood for cruise ships and summery reads :) Great list!

thanks megan! and yes I’m such a huge agatha christie/poirot fan! they make for such great breezy mysteries, perfect for the summer! :)

Hot Topic: Surprise Cruise Reveal Ideas

25+ Cruise Books: Interesting Reads for Your Next Vacation

If you're a cruise enthusiast — or cruise-curious, as we like to say — finding books about cruise ships to read is a must. We prefer nonfiction cruise books over fiction.

They say truth is stranger than fiction, and we couldn't agree more. We've listed nonfiction cruise ship books written by crew members, cruise fans, explorers, and even scientists and historians. And some super interesting nonfiction cruise-appropriate related reading as well.

Disclosure: This page has affiliate links, meaning we may earn a small commission if you click the link and proceed with a purchase  at no cost to you . We recommend cruises, experiences, products, and services we personally use. As Amazon Associates, we earn from qualifying purchases.

Cruise Books are Available in Print or on Kindle

Many of these books are also available for Kindle. We especially recommend buying a waterproof Paperwhite Kindle because if you'll be by the pool, ocean, or beach, why not protect your electronics? If you're an old-fashioned person who wants to consume books to read on a cruise in printed form, we don't blame you! That's an option too.

All book cover images are from Amazon.

Nonfiction Cruise Tales from Cruisers and Cruise Story Compilation Books

Joy of cruising.

The Joy of Cruising is like Chicken Soup for the Soul, served cruise style. Author Paul C. Thornton compiled a list of stories from cruisers (some famous) in this 350+ page feel-good book and recounts his own history and zeal for cruising.

At the heart of Joy of Cruising , are tales from cruise enthusiasts who are pursuing their passion.

Cruising Interrupted (Joy of Cruising Follow-Up)

Cruising Interrupted: The follow-up to The Joy Of Cruising, formerly known as More Joy Of Cruising , was a book Thornton started in Summer 2019. As he continued to write it and the world abruptly changed in 2020, so did the book.

This follow-up to The Joy of Cruising was literally interrupted by COVID-19. Thus, author Paul C. Thornton pivoted; he integrated stories of how COVID affected the cruise industry in his second book on the subject, chronicling this unique moment in time.

The Passenger

With the advancements in technology over the decades, including in shipbuilding, you'd never think a passenger ship could have four engines fail at once nowadays. But think again.

Author Chaney Kwak spins humor into his memoir, recounting what happened aboard the Viking Sky, when its engines failed in the midst of a terrible maelstrom, in March of 2019. Get a firsthand account of the drama induced when 1,300 people had to be evacuated from the ship with the assistance of a helicopter, onto mainland Norway.

The Passenger: How a Travel Writer Learned to Love Cruises & Other Lies from a Sinking Ship , will be released on June 8, 2021, to coincide with United Nations World Oceans Day. It's currently available for pre-order.

Thriving In Quarantine

The best thing to come out of the Grand Princess's quarantine was this nonfiction cruise book . (Which happens to be humorous too.)

Thriving In Quarantine: A Humorous Look at One Family’s Misadventures Aboard the Corona Cruise (Thriving in Life) recounts a family's experience on the cruise ship as the pandemic takes over.

Reviewers have said that it's not just a great book to find humor in the pandemic but also a lesson in overcoming obstacles. It has a bit of a religious undertone with God and blessings so if you're an atheist it may not be for you – or simply proceed knowing that and find joy in it, in other ways.

Quarantine!: How I Survived the Diamond Princess Coronavirus Crisis

This is another one of the nonfiction cruise books that recounts what it was like to be aboard a cruise ship during Coronavirus. This time, the author was on the Diamond Princess.

Gay Courter's experience with a quarantine on the ship is recounted in her book Quarantine!: How I Survived the Diamond Princess Coronavirus Crisis .

Follow them as they get through the experience in a “posh penitentiary” with the help of a creative social media campaign.

Cruising the Mediterranean

Sunny and Al Lockwood share their firsthand account of what it's like to sail as an elderly couple in their 80s. Which could give anyone, of any age, an appreciation of cruising from a new perspective.

Follow their journey in the Mediterranean from Venice to the Greek Isles and learn about some history, musings on life and cruise tips from their point of view.

Cruising from Boston to Montreal

If you liked Sunny and Al Lockwood's book about the Mediterranean, consider reading their journey around Maine and into Canada. We identify with these North Carolina residents' desire to cruise and see the world with the help of the seas.

In Cruising from Boston to Montreal , they share their experience learning about lobster in Maine, into the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.

Tips From The Cruise Addict's Wife: Tips and Tricks to Plan the Best Cruise Vacation Ever! 

As the name indicates, this is a book all about tips for cruising. In this book by Deb Graham , you'll find out things to do in ports, how to avoid crowds, how to do laundry on board the ship, and how to save money on your cruise while you're at it.

The book is jam-packed with information and is great for not only first-time cruisers but anyone who is generally new to cruising.

Around The World in 80 Meals: The Best of Cruise Ship Cuisine

Who would want this delicious book ? (Make sure you don't go into it hungry!) It's the perfect book for someone who may choose a cruise experience based on the culinary offerings.

Each chapter introduces a new ship, the cruise line it's a part of, what to expect on the menu, and recipes to try at home.

It's half education about cruises and half cookbook!

Nonfiction Cruise Books Written by Insiders: Crew & Cruise Employees

Making Waves

I thoroughly enjoyed this autobiography of Lisa Lutoff-Perlo's experience in the cruise industry. She broke down a lot of barriers as CEO of Celebrity Cruises. In Making Waves: A Woman's Rise to the Top Using Smarts, Heart and Courage , she unveils her journey from an entry-level sales position selling cruises door-to-door to running a multibillion-dollar global company. 

She provides valuable lessons for anyone navigating the corporate world, not just in cruising.

It's incredibly empowering for females.

Running Against the Tide, by Captain Lee

If you're into Bravo's Reality TV shows (I'm addicted) then you know who Captain Lee is. But you don't have to watch Below Deck to appreciate this book.

His book's official name is Running Against the Tide: True Tales from the Stud of the Sea . In it, Captain Harold Lee Rosbach talks about his experience working in the boating industry, recounting exciting stories from the seas.

It's available in an audio version, which Captain Lee narrates.

Permanent Passenger: My Life on a Cruise Ship

Have you ever thought about what it would be like to live on a cruise ship beyond a 3, 4, 7 or 14-day vacation? Permanent Passenger will give you a glimpse into such a world, told from the perspective (and experience) of a man who accepted his dream job as an Assistant Cruise Director aboard a Carnival ship.

The Truth About Cruise Ships

The complete title of Jay Herring's book is The Truth About Cruise Ships: A Cruise Ship Officer Survives the Work, Adventure, Alcohol, and Sex of Ship Life .

If you want an inside look below the passenger decks of a large cruise ship, this may be your chance. Check out The Truth About Cruise Ships , and get access to the “Crew Only” areas of the ship, including the gossip and conversations that happen there.

Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member: Answers to All the Questions Every Passenger Wants to Ask

This book reveals the “cruise ship underworld,” written by a former cruise ship member with five years of experience on ships. Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member .

Author Joshua Kinser is also the author of various regional travel guides, from the Florida Keys to the Cruise Ports of the Caribbean.

The Cruise Ship Survival Guide: How To Return To Port Alive

If you are someone who feels the need to be prepared for anything on a cruise this book is for you. The author, Joshua Kinser, shares how to survive things you wouldn't even think of whether a fire on the ship to a shark attack. (Kinser is also a seasoned cruise ship crew member.)

But if it's going to freak you out, it may be best to skip it and simply attend the muster drill when the cruise starts (which is mandatory anyway) and call it a day.

➜ Get a Waterproof Kindle for your Next Cruise

Nonfiction cruise books on cruise ship design and build, devils on the deep blue sea: the dreams, schemes, and showdowns that built america's cruise-ship empires.

Consider this book a history of the cruise ship industry from its rise in the 1960s, to its fame on the hit show The Love Boat, to the evil side of the politics and financials behind the cruise industry. Journalist Kristoffer A. Garin takes an in-depth look at it all.

Design on the High Seas: Cruise Liners

This is one of the truly picturesque, design-focused nonfiction cruise books, and it's by cruise ship designer, Joseph Farcus. This interior architect share information about what inspired him, take a look at the design of cruise ships.

Design on the High Seas particularly illustrates Carnival Cruise Lines and Costa Cruises, which the author had a hand in creating. If you're familiar with the Carnival Cruise Lines brand, you'll recognize something Farcus patented: the ships' signature red, white and blue funnels with a design carrying smoke away from the ships, like wings about to fly away from it.

250 colorful pages are between its front and back covers focusing on ship interiors.

Great Passenger Ships that Never Were: Damned By Destiny Revisited

If you're into the history of cruise ships this will be an interesting read. It looks at some passenger cruise ships that sort of fell victim to a “shoulda, woulda, coulda” fate. Great Passenger Ships that Never Were , by David L. Williams and Richard P Kerbrech, runs the gamut of ships: some that were only drawn in concept, to ones that were built but never sailed, whether budget or war decided their fate.

It's a large book – bigger than one you would really pack to go on vacation. It's also hardcover and a little costly. But it gets great reviews, especially from ocean liner history aficionados.

Masters of the Italian Line: Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo and Raffaello

Ian Sebire shares the story of three passenger ships, named after the three most famous Italian Renaissance artists and innovators.

It was a post-war time in the 1960s and passenger ocean liners of their type were growing in popularity. What was it like to work or travel on these ships? Masters of the Italian Line explains it all.

The Oasis Sisters: Royal Caribbean’s Fleet of the World’s Biggest Cruise Ships

Paul Curtis examines the five mega cruise ships that Royal Caribbean built in their Oasis-class. It equated to an investment of billions of dollars and this book , which tells the story of these behemoths in an entertaining way.

Oceanic: White Star's ‘Ship of the Century' 

This is the story of a ship launched in 1899. It was revolutionary at the time and her glory days were before the Titanic and Olympics came to be.

When the war came, the ship was converted for military use and her life was over within weeks. Oceanic explores the rise and fall of this impressive Ship of the Century.

180 Years of Cunard

If you're a fan of Cunard cruise line than this is a must-own. It's a book commemorating 180 years of cruising the ocean with plenty of stories, commentary, history and photos to go with a beautiful book, by Chris Frame and Rachelle Cross.

Nonfiction Cruise Books about Famous Ocean Liners in History

The last voyage of the andrea doria.

Decades after the Titanic sank, the Andrea Doria would end in a similar fate. But this time it was the 1950s and the world of broadcasting had changed; the radio would report on the sinking of this glamorous ship as civilians closely tuned in.

Greg King and Penny Wilson's The Last Voyage of the Andrea Doria includes never-before-seen photos and a look into the celebrities of the era that were onboard. It also features firsthand accounts of living survivors.

The Big Ship: The Story of the S.S. United States

Take a look at this massive passenger ship from the 1960s that revolutionized the industry in many ways.

Frank O. Braynard tells the story of the S.S. The United States, a retired ocean liner that broke all records at the time it was built, including its budget of over $78M in the 1950s.

Nonfiction Books about Waters that Cruises Sail

The path between the seas: the creation of the panama canal, 1870-1914.

This book, by famous author David McCullough, takes a historic look a the Panama Canal, including what it took to create it. He has written similar books about historic feats in construction, including his book The Great Bridge about the Brooklyn Bridge. (If you want to read three great books by him, add one about the Wright Brothers and get this three-book set .)

The book is a commitment at 700 pages, but if you're more into listening to a book than reading it there's an audio version to enjoy as well.

Nonfiction Cruise Expedition Books

Madhouse at the end of the earth: the belgica's journey into the dark antarctic night.

This book recounts the journey of the ship Belgica, and how it endured the cold, dark, and harsh climate of an Antarctic winter on a scientific expedition gone wrong. And yes, it's a nonfiction cruise book! This means the story is very much real and happened at the end of the 19th century.

Julian Sancton thoroughly did his research including a trip to Antarctica to understand just a little bit about what the sailors aboard the Belgica may have gone through. This author also has the accolade of being the features editor at Departures magazine, which Dan and I admit has been a favorite travel magazine of ours that we're sorry to go out of print! (But we're happy is remaining in the digital world.)

The book only recently came out, and I noticed I got sucked into the sample we were able to discover with Amazon's “Look Inside” feature. I can't wait to read all 300+ pages!

Climate, Geography, and Location Nonfiction Books

The alaska cruise handbook pap/map edition.

This well-reviewed book is a must if you're going on an Alaskan Cruise . Consider buying a physical version for its pull-out map.

In this nonfiction cruise book, author Joe Upton shares information about Alaska's cruise ports and routes, mile by mile. But he also delves into a bit about the history of each, shares information about the cruise ships themselves (including their decor), and the pros and cons of different-sized cruises venturing into Alaska (big cruise versus small cruise, for example).

Big thanks to Sheri, from Cruise Tips TV , for recommending this one to us!

COLD: Adventures in the World’s Frozen Places

This is one of my all-time FAVORITE books. It's a National Bestseller for a reason and has loads of positive 5-star reviews on Amazon .

If you're cruising to Alaska, Norway, Canada , Antarctica, Greenland, and any place that gets “cold” at any point of the year, this will fascinate you.

I'm not a cold weather lover. Dan doesn't love it either, despite both of us growing up in NY (western NY for him and southeastern NY for me). But we do love trips to gorgeous cold-weather climates like Tromso, Norway if we're dressed properly! And we appreciate knowing why “cold” is, how it works from a scientific standpoint, and some cool inventions having to do with the topic over the years (thank you, air conditioning) thanks to this book. Cannot recommend it enough if you're a nonfiction book lover!

Heat: Adventures in the World's Fiery Places

If you liked COLD, then you have to read Bill Streever's follow-up book, HEAT. (Only makes sense, right?) Read it if you're cruising to warm climates like anywhere near the equator (hello, Ecuador!) or even Hawaii with its various volcanoes. Or even Santa Barbara and the terrible fires the city has endured.

You'll understand things like coal mining, flames, the sun, and much more after diving into this book. I admit I didn't like it as much as COLD, but it's still a good nonfiction read about an interesting topic we all deal with.

Similar Posts

Honest OMEGA Sailing Bracelet Review: Premium Accessory for Everyday Wear

Top Travel Watches for Your Next Vacation (2024)

Best Nautical Bracelets, made in the USA by Small Businesses

Top Amazon Cruise Essentials for Your Packing List (2024)

Awesome Cruise Gift Ideas for Cruise Fans & People Going on a Cruise

Sea Bags Review: Recycled Sailcloth Bags

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Island adventure activities: Reading Answers

IELTS General Test – Passage 07: Island adventure activities reading with answers explanation, location and pdf. This reading paragraph has been taken from our huge collection of Academic & General Training (GT) Reading practice test PDF’s.

Island adventure activities

A. Rib riding

Conquer stormy seas on a high-speed ride in an RIB (Rigid Inflatable Boat ). These powerful boats cut through choppy waters with ease. You’ll need to hold on tight as the boat bounces across the wake of awesome cruise liners in one of the world’s busiest shipping lanes. B Horse riding Experience the thrill of riding on horseback along peaceful country lanes and secluded bridleways with the help of expert guides. Even a novice can quickly take the reins and feel the thrill of riding one of nature’s most magnificent beasts.

C. Kayaking

Test your kayak nerves paddling around a deserted military fort built on a rocky outcrop out at sea, then explore the island’s busy harbours before gliding back to dry land where a hot shower and a cup of tea await.

Test your endurance on the famous Round the Island Cycle Route. Grit your teeth and tackle the brutal hills in the south of the island, or for something less challenging, discover our car-free cycle tracks on former railway lines.

E. Segway riding

Have you got what it takes to master a Segway? In theory, these quirky electric machines are simple to control, with users leaning forwards to go faster and back to slow down. In reality, you’ll need some practice before you can master the skill and glide around the island.

F. Tree climbing

A climb into the canopy of a 25-metre oak tree is an amazing experience. Supported by a rope and harness, you can stand on branches no bigger than your wrist, and swing out between the boughs, or simply take the opportunity to lie in a tree-top hammock and absorb the stunning bird’s eye views.

G. Coasteerin

Tackle the spectacular coast in the north of the island. Scrabble over the rocks around cliff edges as the waves crash around you, dive through submerged caves and emerge onto a beach once used by smugglers. This is a thrilling experience, but not an adventure to attempt alone.

H. Mountain boarding

First developed as an off-season alternative to winter sports and now a sport in its own right, mountain boarding has the speed of snowboarding but with a harder landing when you fall. After a bit of practice and a few bruises, you’ll learn to control the ride and can join the few people who can call themselves mountain boarders

Questions 8-14

Look at the eight advertisements for adventure sports on an island, A- H.

For which adventure sport are the following statements true? Write the correct letter, A- H, in boxes 8- 14 on your answer sheet.

NB You may use any letter more than once.

8. You will be provided with safety equipment.

9. You may get some minor injuries doing this activity.

10. You can see a disused, isolated building.

11. You can relax and look down from above in an unusual location.

12. You will take an exciting trip in rough water close to big ships.

13. You can choose easy options or more difficult ones.

14. You may find this more difficult than you expect.

________________

1) IELTS 16 READING PASSAGE – RIPTON FESTIVAL ↗

2) IELTS 16 READING PASSAGE – REDUCING INJURIES ON THE FARM ↗

3) IELTS 16 READING PASSAGE – GOOD RETAIL CUSTOMER SERVICE ↗

4) IELTS 16 READING PASSAGE – PLASTIC IS NO LONGER FANTASTIC ↗

5) IELTS 16 READING PASSAGE – HOW TO CHOOSE YOUR BUILDER ↗

Answers with Explanation

Check out Island adventure activities reading answers below with explanations and locations given in the text.

Leave a Comment Cancel reply

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

IELTS TEST TYPES

✓  IELTS Academic

✓  IELTS General Training

USEFUL LINKS

✓  IELTS Full Form

✓  IELTS Band Score

✓  IELTS Vocabulary

✓  IELTS Grammar

CONNECT WITH US

Pinterest ↗

IELTS® is a registered trademark of The British Council, IDP- IELTS Australia and the University of Cambridge ESOL Examinations (Cambridge ESOL). This site and its owners are not affiliated, approved or endorsed by the University of Cambridge ESOL, the British Council, IELTS Progress Check, and IDP Education Australia. "IELTS Progress Check" is the name of the official IELTS online practice test and is in no way affiliated with this website. To find out more about the official IELTS online practice test please visit https://www.ieltsprogresscheck.com/.

ABOUT US | PRIVACY POLICY | DISCLAIMER | TERMS | CONTACT US

© 2023 IELTSPROGRESS.COM | All Rights Reserved

Books to Read on a Cruise: Something for Everyone!

Sharing is caring!

Cruises can be a great way to relax and unwind, giving you the chance to get away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life and take some time for yourself. One of the best ways to make the most of your cruise is to make sure you have an excellent selection of books to read while onboard. If you’re an avid reader like me, you may be wondering, What’s a good book to read on a cruise?

Whether you’re looking for a thrilling story, a feel-good beach read,  to learn something new, or to read the latest “IT” book, there are plenty of books that can make your cruise even more enjoyable.  I’ll even throw in a couple of options for the kids! 

In this blog post, I’ll provide some great options for the best books to read on your cruise, so you can make the most of your time at sea.

Table of contents

How will you read on a cruise, helpful apps, cruise themed mysteries to read on a cruise, cruise or vacation-themed easy reads, inspirational and personal growth, what are your favorite books to read while on a cruise, pin for later.

This post may contain affiliate links. As an affiliate, I may earn a small commission if you click, purchase, or apply for an offer. This is at no extra cost to you.

First, let’s chat about “HOW” you are going to read during your cruise vacation.  As I mentioned earlier, I am a book lover!  I love the library and turning the page on a real book.  However, I drank the kool-aid a few years back when my husband bought me a Kindle Oasis for Christmas. It is now my favorite, and easiest way to read on vacation.

It took me a while to fully embrace it, and I still love the feel of a real book, but for travel, it simply cannot be beaten.  I love to sit by the pool and lounge on the beach.  In other words, I read in the sunlight.  The Kindle is glare-free in the brightest sun, it’s super lightweight, and can hold more books than you can count.  I’m a big fan and I hope you’ll give it a try.

Helpful Links: This is the very popular Kindle Paper White and a Kindle Oasis like mine.

If you use an e-reader, I highly recommend getting the Libby app.  This app connects your local library card with your Kindle account and you can download library books (for free!) for your next trip. 

Helpful Links: (not affiliate) The Libby App is free and available on Apple and Android

Kindle Unlimited is also a great option if you’d like to invest a small amount ($10 a month) but my vote is still with the free library app!

If you prefer audiobooks (like my husband) it’s hard to beat Audible.  I especially love Audible for autobiographies – One of my favorites is Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey and I’m currently listening to the Matthew Perry memoir.

Helpful Link: If interested, you can try Audible for free .

Finally, regardless of your preference for an e-reader, real book, or audiobook, I love the App Good Reads . It is a wonderful, free app, that helps you catalog the books you’ve read (and your review), books you want to read, and books that your friends read and recommend. It has been a great addition to my reading experience. Amazon also shares Goodreads review ratings for the books on their site as well. It’s kind of a big deal. 😉

Now for the list of great reading options for your cruise vacation.

Books to Enhance Your Cruise Experience

Fodor’s Essential Caribbean (Full-color Travel Guide)

Fodor’s Caribbean Cruise Ports of Call (Full-color Travel Guide)

Rick Steves Mediterranean Cruise Ports – Rick Steves Travel Guide

These books provide the perfect blend of intrigue and adventure that will keep you entertained for hours. Whether you’re looking for a classic whodunnit or a modern twist on the genre, there’s something out there for everyone. So, grab your favorite beverage and get ready to sail away into a mystery on a cruise.

The Woman in Cabin 10 by Ruth Ware – actually anything by this author is sure to surprise you in the end!

Death on the Nile by Agatha Christie

You Belong to Me by Mary Higgins Clark

Decked by Carol Higgins Clark

Or great ocean classics such as:

• Moby Dick – by Herman Melville
• The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway

Grab a lounger by the pool and read away a peaceful afternoon while you relax in the fresh sea air. Ah, bliss! It’s hard to beat a good book and an ocean breeze. If you’re worried about packing but don’t want to use an e-reader, consider donating any book you finish to the ship’s library. You’ll make another cruiser very happy! You just might find your next fun read there, too!

The People we Meet on Vacatio n and Beach Read by Emily Henry (I’ve read both of these while on a cruise)

Shipped by Angie Hockman

Here Come the Girls by Milly Johnson

Cruise Confidential (kindle edition) and Ship for Brains by Brian David Bruns

Ten Beach Road (6-book series!) by Wendy Wax

Caribbean Cruising by Rachel Hawthorne

The Holiday Cruise by Victoria Cooke

My husband loves to download audiobooks on business strategies. Cruising is the only downtime he gets to just relax and “think” about his business and future opportunities. I admire that about him but business strategy is not my idea of a good time.

However, I can embrace a good mindset book and return inspired to achieve my goals. Here is a handful that you might recognize and embrace for reading on your next cruise.

Atomic Habits by James Clear – This book has been such a huge success and does have some nice takeaways

How to Win Friends and Influence People by Cale Carnigie (updated) – Practically a classic.

You are a Badass by Jen Sincero- Well, because you are!

The Four Agreements by Don Miguel Ruiz – Bestseller with over 92,000 reviews.

The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle

What to do Next by Jeff Henderson (I enjoyed this also on Audible)

8 Rules of Love : How to Find it, Keep it, and Let it Go by Jay Shetty. I heard Jay on a podcast and he’s pretty impressive. I look forward to reading his book.

Great Reads and Fun Options for Children

What better way to get your little reader excited for your family cruise than by stocking up on some cruise ship capers? Great for reading on your travel day or during downtime in your cruise cabin.

Curious George Goes to the Beach by Margret Rey

Cruise Ships are Magical (A cruise journal and activity book for kids)by Currant Lane

Hey Kids Let’s Visit a Cruise Ship by Teresa Mills

Neil and the Cruise Ship Adventure by Isabel Orellana

Related Post: My 5 Mom Rules for Kids While Cruising

I can’t wait to hear your favorites! Share in the comments below or with our positive and cruise-loving community on Facebook. I hope you found this post helpful. If so, please don’t keep it to yourself. Share via the easy page links on your favorite social media and on Pinterest.

Recent Posts:

• Documents You Need For a Cruise-Keep These in Your Carry-on
• Great Bags for a Cruise Vacation: Day-to-Evening Perfection
• Do You Need a Passport For Your Cruise
• Cruising with Toddlers: The Planning Guide and Checklist You Need.
• Favorite Travel Products for Cruisers: Holiday Gift Guide 2023

Let’s Connect

Finding Jillian Ultimate Cruise & Travel Planner (digital download/printable) Follow me on  Facebook at Finding Jillian Follow me on Pinterest at Finding Jillian Follow me on Instagram and YouTube at Finding Jillian Subscrib e to my blog and newsletter.

Leave a Comment Cancel Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Reading Actual Tests

Download PDF ielts reading test

Listening Recent Tests

Download PDF ielts listening test

english-practice.net

Practice English Exercises to Improve Your Skills

english-exercises.net

Practice More English Exercises to Improve Your Skills

englishpracticetest.net

Practice More English Tests to Improve Your Skills

Cambridge Practice Test

Practice Cam Listening Test with Answer & Transcript

Listening Practice Test

Practice Listening Test with Answer & Transcript

Practice Cambridge Reading Test with Answer

Practice Reading Test

Practice Reading Test with Answer

Practice Reading Mock Test with Answer

Speaking Practice Test

Speaking Practice Test with with Band 8-9 Samples

42 Common Topics for ielts Speaking Part 1

100 TOPICS for ielts Speaking Part 2 with Band 8 Sample

70 TOPICS for ielts Speaking Part 2 with Band 8+ Sample Recordings

Vocabulary Words

Most Common Vocabulary Topics for ielts Speaking

Writing Practice Test

Writing Practice Test with Band 8-9 Samples

Writing Mock Test with Band 8-9 Samples

Writing Task 2 Topics with Band 7-8-9 Samples

General Reading Tests

Practice General Reading Test with Answer

Practice British Council Reading Practice Test 08

British Council ielts reading

READING PASSAGE 1

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 1-12  which are based on Reading Passage 1 below.

How we manage the land on Earth

Overpopulation, climate change, mass migration, farming issues and the use of natural resources are all affecting our relationship with terra firma, and it has never been more complicated. It is increasingly looking like Earth’s land is being overlooked rather than valued as precious resource.

For those living in Malé, the overcrowded capital of the Maldives, there is no choice but to build upwards. Caged by the sea, they have no more land to spread onto, yet the city’s population has soared by nearly 52% since 2006. The last census in 2014 counted 158,000 people crammed into the city’s 5.7 sq km of space, and officials say the figure has since grown further.

Space is such a premium in Malé that pavements are often less than one metre wide, forcing pedestrians to walk in single file, while many streets have no sidewalk at all.

Malé, capital of the Maldives, is emblematic of modern-day land issues: A small, increasingly urbanising space with a skyrocketing population. Rents have risen exorbitantly and, in some of the poorest areas, up to 40 people can be squeezed into buildings with just 23.2 sq metres of space – about the same size as a small studio flat.

With so many people living under each other’s feet, crime, drugs and domestic violence have risen alarmingly while the city frequently runs out of water. An entirely new island has risen next door out of the sea itself simply from the city’s garbage.

In the early 1990s the tallest buildings in the city were only two storeys high, whereas now the average height is eight storeys and some are as high as 25 storeys high. People are coming here because this is where the health, education and jobs are, but overpopulation is leading to many socioeconomic problems.

Although extreme, Malé is an example in miniature of something that is happening on a far larger scale around the world. With 83 million more people appearing on the planet every year, rising populations are placing increasing pressure on the land.

The UN’s latest estimates state that there are 7.6 billion people jostling for space on Earth at present and that number will rise to 9.8 billion by 2050. By the end of the century, their projections say there could be 11.2 billion people on our planet.

With 83 million more people appearing on the planet every year, rising populations are placing increasing pressure on the land. Each of those people will need somewhere to live, a place to work and fertile land to provide them with food. They will need water and energy to stay warm or to light their way at night. They will want roads to drive on and places to park. For the lucky ones, there will be space for their pastimes and leisure activities.

At first, it can be easy to dismiss fears that mankind may one day run out of space as ridiculous. Physically, the land can easily accommodate 11 billion people – there are around 51.7million sq miles of ice-free land on the planet.

But large tracts of land remain virtually uninhabitable due to their climate or their remote location: Enormous tracts of Siberia are too inhospitable to be lived upon, and the huge landmass at the centre of Australia is too arid to support many people, meaning the majority of its population is clustered along its coastline.

The cities and towns we live in account for less than 3% of the Earth’s total land area, but between 35% and 40% is used for agriculture. As populations grow, many fear that more h land will be used up to grow more food. And land management has a lot to do with resource management – what eat, how we grow it, and how we eat it.

To feed the world’s growing population, a study by researchers at Stanford University estimated that between 10,400-18,900 sq miles of additional land will be required, and that there is a reserve of 1.7 million sq miles thought to be suitable for growing crops left in the world.

The researchers predicted that increasing demand for food, biofuels, industrial forestry and the spread of urbanisation will result in this reserve of land being completely used up by 2050.

The bad news is that the demand for new cropland and pastures for animals is already thought to have caused 80% of the deforestation taking place around the world today, wiping out large areas of rich biodiversity and trees that act as natural sinks for greenhouse gases.

The way we use land right now is extremely inefficient, so much of our land is being used to grow food for livestock – 75% of the world’s agricultural land is used for feeding animals that we then eat ourselves. About 40% of the food grown in the world is also never eaten by anybody – it is thrown away.

Questions 1-4

Read the text and choose the correct letter, A , B , C or D .

Write the correct letter on your answer sheet for questions 1-4 .

1    The height of most city buildings are now measured to be at a general level of

A    25-storeys

B    2-storeys

C    8-storeys

D    40-storeys

2    The estimated spare land available that is considered to be good for agricultural use, such as the growing of vegetables is

A    51.7m sq miles

B    1.7m sq miles

C    10,000 sq miles

D    18,900 sq miles

3    The current population figure produced by the United Nations for our planet is an estimated

A    11.2 billion

B    11 billion

C    7.6 billion

D    9.8 billion

4    The percentage figure for the food we humans grow on Earth that is discarded as waste is approximately

Questions 5-8

Do the following statements agree with the information given in the passage on the previous page?

In boxes 5-8 on your answer sheet, write

TRUE               if the statement agrees with the information

FALSE              if the statement contradicts the information

NOT GIVEN     if there is no information on this

5    From 2006 onwards, the rate of city dwellers in the Maldivian capital has grown at just under 50%.

6    Walking single file is common on the pavement due to the crowding.

7    Water shortages are an almost every day occurrence in the city mentioned.

8    Large portions of the land on Earth are completely unsuited for human occupation.

Questions 9-12

Complete the sentences below.

Write ONE OR TWO WORDS ONLY to complete the sentences.

Write your answers in boxes 9-12 on your answer sheet.

Almost 52 million sq km of land is available to handle the more than 11 billion projected populations as it is classified as being 9 …………………

Whereas cities account for less than 5% of land usage, just over a third of the land available on Earth is used for 10 ………………….

The loss of vast expanses of healthy forests that act naturally to absorb 11 ………………….

A brand new piece of man-made land has been formed besides the current city, jumping out from the sea itself, made solely by using unwanted 12 …………………

READING PASSAGE 2

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 13-27  which are based on Reading Passage 2 below.  

The monster ships that changed how we travel

When the world’s then-largest ocean liner embarked on its first transatlantic voyage in September 1907, thousands of spectators gathered at the docks of Liverpool to watch. Cunard’s RMS Lusitania had been outfitted with a new type of engine that differed from that of its rivals – and it would go on to break the speed record for the fastest ocean crossing not once, but twice.

Between 1850 and 1900, three British passenger lines – Cunard, Inman and White Star -dominated transatlantic travel. Toward the end of the century, as increasing numbers of emigrants sought passage to the US and a growing class of Gilded Age travellers demanded speed and luxury, corporate rivalry intensified. Pressure from other European lines forced the British companies to add amenities like swimming pools and restaurants.

Not unlike today’s rivalries between, say, aircraft manufacturers like Airbus and Boeing, each raced to make its ocean liners the largest, fastest and most opulent. In the process, they launched the modern age of leisure cruising – and developed innovations and technologies that continue to be used on cruise ships today.

In the mid-19th Century, there were two main players. Inman’s inaugural steamship, launched in 1850, made it the first major British line to replace traditional side-mounted paddlewheels with a screw propeller – an apparatus with fixed blades turning on a central axis. With the added speed and fuel efficiency this brought, plus a sleek iron hull that was more durable than wood, Inman established itself as a company unafraid to try new technology for faster crossings.

Inman’s main rival, Cunard, focused on safety instead. The Cunard way was to let competitors introduce new-fangled technology and let them deal with the setbacks, once that technology had proved itself, only then would Cunard consider using it.

But Cunard risked being left behind both by Inman and by a new rival which burst onto the scene in 1870 – the White Star line’s splashy debut included five huge ocean liners, dubbed floating hotels. Their flagship, RMS Oceanic, launched in 1871 and the contrast with Cunard was stark, for example where Oceanic had bathtubs, Cunard offered a sink.

In 1888, Inman introduced ships which no longer required auxiliary sails, giving ocean liners a similar look to the one they have today.

Cunard, meanwhile, ventured into the new world of telecommunications by installing the first Marconi wireless stations, which allowed radio operators to transmit messages at sea, on its sister ships RMS Lucania and RMS Campania. First-class passengers could even book European hotels by wireless before reaching port.

In 1897, Germany entered the fray with the SS Amerika, wowed its well-heeled guests by introducing the first à la carte restaurant at sea: the Ritz-Carlton, brainchild of Paris hotelier Cesar Ritz and renowned chef Auguste Escoffier. It allowed guests to order meals at their leisure and dine with their friends rather than attend rigidly scheduled seatings – a forerunner of the kind of freestyle dining seen on today’s cruise ships.

To complicate matters, American banking tycoon JP Morgan was buying up smaller companies to create a US-based shipping-and-railroad monopoly. In 1901, White Star became his biggest acquisition. Suddenly, the battles weren’t only in the boardrooms: building the world’s top ocean liners was now a point of national pride.

With the help of a £2.6 million government loan (equivalent to more than £261 million today), Britain’s Cunard line launched the massive twins RMS Lusitania and RMS Mauretania. Both had the first steam turbine engines of any superliner.

White Star fought back with RMS Olympic and RMS Titanic that would feature double hulls and watertight bulkheads. With standard reciprocating engines, they were slower than the Cunarders, but surpassed them in size and elegance, even debuted the first indoor swimming pools at sea.

History changed course when Titanic hit an iceberg on 14 April 1912 and sank on her first transatlantic voyage. As a result of the tragedy, safety regulations were updated to require lifeboat berths for every passenger and 24-hour radio surveillance (rules which are still in place).

But there were more challenges to come. World War One broke out in 1914 and European governments requisitioned liners for war service. Despite a post-war liner-building boom, US anti-immigration laws reduced the number of transatlantic emigrants – the liners’ bread and butter – in the 1920s.

In 1957, more people crossed the Atlantic by ship than ever before, but by the following year, jet passengers outnumbered them. Cunard said flying was a just fad, and that it was not a genuine concern.

Despite Cunard’s best efforts, by the late 1950s more people were flying than taking ships to their destinations. Air travel and high operating costs doomed most transatlantic liners by the 1970s – only Cunard’s RMS Queen Mary 2 makes regular transatlantic crossings now.

Questions 13-18

Label as true, false, or not given (T / F / NG)

Do the following statements agree with the information given in passage 2?

Write your answers in the boxes for questions 13-18 as:

13   The competition between modern day airline manufacturers is very much like the early days of ship construction.

14    Inman was fearful of using the latest available materials alongside progressive construction methods to cut crossing times.

15    Following the invention of the radio, second class guests could reserve rooms to stay in the cities they were heading to from the ship they were on.

16    By borrowing a substantial amount of money, a leading British company built a couple of huge identical ships with the very first steam engine propulsion.

17    Crossing the Atlantic is done by the one remaining cruise ship these days on a scheduled timetable.

18    A German company introduced fixed and tightly controlled set-seating meal times on their newest ships.

Questions 19–23

Match letters A-C , to the statements numbered below 19-23

Which company does each of the following statements refer to?

19    Being acquired by a high-powered financier meant that the proud thoughts of a nation were at stake.

20    Claiming air travel was a short-term temporary fashionable form of travel not to be overly worried about.

21    Using alternate newer technologies rendered older wind powered systems obsolete giving them the modern-day look.

22    Patiently waiting for their rivals to prove that new technologies and systems worked before implementing them themselves.

23    Producing massive ocean going vessels that gained them the nickname ‘hotels that float’.

A     Cunard

B     Inman

C     White Star

Questions 24–27

Choose NO MORE THAN TWO TO THREE WORDS from the passage for each answer.

It was a couple of times in the early 1900s that the newest ship of the day broke the 24 ……………………

As European firms excelled, it forced the U.K.-based companies to improve their ships and in particular to 25 ……………………

Due to a terrible disaster, new rules were put in place after that we can see today are 26 …………………….

It was often whole families in the early part of the 20th Century, moving from Europe to America that was known to the industry as their 27 …………………….

READING PASSAGE 3

You should spend about 20 minutes on Questions 28-40 which are based on Reading Passage 3 below.

When you get tired of typical sight-seeing, when you have had enough of monuments, statues, and cathedrals, then think outside the box. Read the four paragraphs below about the innovative types of tourism emerging around the globe and discover ways to spice up your itinerary.

One could eat your way through your travels if one wished. A comparatively new kind of tourism is gaining popularity across the world. In this, food and beverages are the main factors that motivate a person to travel to a particular destination. Combining food, drink and culture, this type of travel provides for an authentic experience, the food and restaurants reflecting the local and unique flavors of a particular region or country. Studies conducted into this travel phenomenon have shown that food plays, consciously or unconsciously, an important part in the vacations of a good number of travelers. Those trying this are looking for a more participatory style of holiday experience. Analysts have noticed a shift from ‘passive observation’ to ‘interaction and involvement’ in tourists, whereby the visitor comes into close contact with locals and their way of life rather than remaining a mere spectator.

This is a novel approach to tourism in which visitors do not visit the ordinary tourist attractions in traditional fashion. Rather, they let their whims be their guides! Destinations are chosen not on their standard touristic merit but on the basis of an idea or concept often involving elements of humor, serendipity, and chance. One example is known as Monopoly-travel. Participants armed with the local version of a Monopoly game board explore a city at the whim of a dice roll, shuttling between elegant shopping areas and the local water plant – with the occasional visit to jail.

Another example is Counter-travel, which requires you to take snapshots with your back turned to landmarks like the Eiffel Tower or Big Ben. Joël Henry, the French founder of Latourex, has developed dozens of ideas since coming up with the concept in 1990. The traveler must increase his or her receptiveness, in this way, no trip is ever planned or predictable. Henry’s most unusual invention is known as “Erotravel”, where a couple heads to the same town but travels there separately. The challenge is to find one another abroad. He and his wife have engaged in the pursuit in five cities and have managed to meet up every time.

This involves any crop-based or animal based operation or activity that brings visitors to a farm or ranch. It has recently become widespread in America, and participants can choose from a wide range of activities that include picking fruits and vegetables, riding horses, tasting honey, learning about wine and cheese making, or shopping in farm gift shops for local and regional products or handicrafts. For rural economies struggling to stay afloat in this age of industrial farming, it has become an important and marketable opportunity for improving the incomes and potential economic viability of small farms and rural communities. In western North Carolina, the organization ‘HandMade in America’ is using this method to develop their local economy and craft trades, and to educate visitors about farming practices. On their website, it is described as a niche market. As people are becoming more interested in the ecological importance of local food production, related projects reinforce the need to support local growers and allow visitors to experience the relationship between food and our natural environment.

This is the trend of traveling to destinations that are first seen in movies, for instance, touring London in a high-speed boat like James Bond or visiting the stately homes that are seen in Jane Austin films. The term was first coined in the US press in the New York Post by journalist Gretchen Kelly, who wrote a 2007 article entitled “The sexiest film locations from 2007 to visit now.”

Currently, summer blockbuster movies are being used as themed marketing tools by companies like Expedia and Fandango, who are promoting trips to where the Steven Spielberg film, Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull was made. Corporations as well as convention and tourism boards are exploiting the trend, creating their own location based travel maps, like the Elizabeth: The Golden Age movie map published by VisitBritain, Britain’s official travel and tourism guide. Other travel itineraries have been created by tourism boards for movies including The Da Vinci Code (France), In Bruges (Belgium), and P.S. I Love You (Ireland). Although a new concept, it’s fast becoming a major factor in the choices travelers make in an increasingly tight economic climate. If a traveler has seen a site in a major motion picture, its media exposure makes it a compelling choice for a family vacation or honeymoon.

Questions 28-31

Reading Passage 3 has five sections, A–E .

Choose the correct heading for sections B–E from the list of headings below.

Write the correct number, i–viii , in boxes 28–31 on your answer sheet.

List of Headings

i            Experimental Tourism

ii           Cuisine Tourism

iii          Adventure Tourism

iv          Fashion Tourism

v           Photographic Travels

vi          Set-jetting.

vii         Agritourism.

viii        Introduction

ix          Capital Cities

Section A         viii

28    Section B

29    Section C

30    Section D

31    Section E

Questions 32–35

Look at the following statements (Questions 32–35 ).

Read passage 3 and complete the sentences using one word only from the text.

Write the answers for questions 32-35 on your answer sheet.

Putting together and enjoying culinary delights ensures the trip is more 32 ……..……………

Moving quickly between more mundane public service facilities and malls that are more 33 …………………….

Film sets for hugely popular blockbuster movies are attracting couples to go there for their 34 …………………….

In the USA, visiting a strawberry picking field or listening to lectures on producing good wine is becoming increasingly 35 …………………….

Questions 36-39

Label as true, false or not given (T / F / NG)

Write your answers in the boxes for questions 36-39 as:

FALSE               if the statement contradicts the information

36    Enjoying good foods is the most critical part of any good holiday for the majority of travellers.

37    Taking photos facing directly opposite from and facing away from a popular tourist site is a need for Counter-travel.

38    People are gaining appreciation for the need to back those producing local grown vegetables and other crops.

39    The term for promoting travel related to the film industry was first used in the British media.

Question 40

Read the text and choose the best match for the underlined phrase in the text, from the three options, A-C .

For people who are bored of doing the usual activities such as looking at the common tourist attractions, they need to reconsider things from a different perspective. This means to think is a way that is ………………….

A     unique.

C     creative.

Britsh Counsil Reading Test 07

British council  reading test 09, answer british council ielts reading test 08.

7. NOT GIVEN

9. ice-free

10. agriculture

11. greenhouse gases

12. garbage

15. NOT GIVEN

24. speed record

25. add amenities

26. still in place

27. bread and butter

32. authentic

33. elegant

34. honeymoon

35. widespread

36. NOT GIVEN

Submit a Comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

Download ebooks

Snapsolve any problem by taking a picture. Try it in the Numerade app?

• Biographies & Memoirs
• Arts & Literature

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required .

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

Follow the author

Image Unavailable

• To view this video download Flash Player

Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member: Answers to All the Questions Every Passenger Wants to Ask (3rd Edition) Paperback – December 2, 2013

• Print length 534 pages
• Language English
• Publication date December 2, 2013
• Dimensions 5 x 1.21 x 8 inches
• ISBN-10 1494363917
• ISBN-13 978-1494363918
• See all details

Popular titles by this author

Editorial Reviews

From the author.

• Eat Bark Fetch - A comedy about dogs (amazon.com/Eat-Bark-Fetch-Joshua-Kinser-ebook/dp/B01J9SA7MY)
• Cruise Ships Do Funny Things To Me - A collection of true short stories that peers through the porthole for a comical glimpse into the ship life of a cruise ship crew member.
• The Hull Truth: Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member (Book Two)- A behind-the-scenes look at what it's like to work on a cruise ship as an art auctioneer. This humorous true story follows the author and his girlfriend through the often seedy and full-speed-ahead life as high-seas art hawkers.
• Ship of Darkness: Chronicles of a Cruise Ship Crew Member (Book Three)- A true story about a port-hopping adventure along the coast of Italy, Spain, Greece, and France that follows the misadventures of the author and his always-optimistic girlfriend after they are transferred to a cruise ship that crew members call a "ship of darkness".
• The Cruise Ship Capers and the Missing Klimt: An Art Heist on the High Seas (Fiction)- Comedy and intrigue emerge after a priceless painting by Gustav Klimt vanishes into the briny thin air. Everyone aboard the seven-day Caribbean cruise is a suspect.
• Good Dog, Bad Mountain: A Memoir About a Dog, a Young Man, and a Hike on the Appalachian Trail - A hilarious, poignant, and sometimes heartbreaking true story about a hike on the Appalachian Trail. Mowgli is the eccentric, lovable, and somewhat destructive German Shepherd that leads the way.
• Florida Gulf Coast, published by Moon Handbooks - A guidebook exploring the best of Florida's Gulf Coast from Pensacola to Everglades National Park. Advice on the best beaches, accommodations, restaurants, activities, and major attractions.
• Hiking South Carolina, Falcon Guides - A guidebook to more than 60 of the best trails in South Carolina.
• Five-Star Trails: Charlotte - A hiking guide to over 30 great hikes around Charlotte, NC.
• Five-Star Trails: Raleigh - A hiking guide to over 30 great hikes around Raleigh, NC.
• Spotlight Pensacola: Including Fort Walton Beach and Alabama Gulf Shores - A 90-page compact guide covering this picture-perfect beach retreat.

About the Author

Product details.

• Publisher ‏ : ‎ CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform; 3rd edition (December 2, 2013)
• Language ‏ : ‎ English
• Paperback ‏ : ‎ 534 pages
• ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 1494363917
• ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-1494363918
• Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 12 ounces
• Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5 x 1.21 x 8 inches
• #1,874 in Cruise Travel Reference
• #23,569 in Traveler & Explorer Biographies
• #30,571 in Actor & Entertainer Biographies

About the author

Joshua lawrence kinser.

Joshua Kinser is a travel writer that primarily writes guidebooks to Florida for Hachette Book Group with the Moon Handbooks imprint. Before working as a travel writer for Hachette, he worked as a staff writer for The Pensacola News Journal, owned by Gannett, and wrote features for magazines. When he's not working on his next travel guide he's usually building something, working on his house, or playing the drums.

Customer reviews

Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them.

To calculate the overall star rating and percentage breakdown by star, we don’t use a simple average. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness.

Reviews with images

• Sort reviews by Top reviews Most recent Top reviews

Top reviews from the United States

There was a problem filtering reviews right now. please try again later..

Top reviews from other countries

• Amazon Newsletter
• About Amazon
• Accessibility
• Sustainability
• Press Center
• Investor Relations
• Amazon Devices
• Amazon Science
• Sell on Amazon
• Sell apps on Amazon
• Supply to Amazon
• Protect & Build Your Brand
• Become an Affiliate
• Become a Delivery Driver
• Start a Package Delivery Business
• Advertise Your Products
• Self-Publish with Us
• Become an Amazon Hub Partner
• › See More Ways to Make Money
• Amazon Visa
• Amazon Store Card
• Amazon Secured Card
• Amazon Business Card
• Shop with Points
• Credit Card Marketplace
• Reload Your Balance
• Amazon Currency Converter
• Your Account
• Your Orders
• Shipping Rates & Policies
• Amazon Prime
• Returns & Replacements
• Manage Your Content and Devices
• Recalls and Product Safety Alerts
• Conditions of Use
• Privacy Notice
• Consumer Health Data Privacy Disclosure
• Your Ads Privacy Choices

Jouni Niskakoski/Shutterstock @prettyshawntae/Tiktok (Licensed)

‘I have to know the tea’: Carnival Cruise passenger shows 2 travelers being arrested as soon as ship ports. Here’s why

'carnival cruise lines turning into waffle house on the water.'.

Tiffanie Drayton

Posted on Mar 28, 2024   Updated on Mar 27, 2024, 3:49 pm CDT

Carnival Cruise Line passengers were allegedly arrested as soon as the ship docked, and one passenger caught one of the arrests on camera.

In a viral video that has racked up over 2.5 million views and 84,500 likes, police officers can be seen walking the hallway of the cruise ship and escorting a man off the ship in handcuffs. The video was posted by TikToker Tae Tae (@prettyshawntae) on Monday.

“Carnival cruise arrested passengers as soon as we ported in Miami at 7am,” text overlaid on the clip read. “This is the third person this morning.”

In the comments section, some commenters poked fun at Carnival Cruises

“Carnival cruise line the Ghetto of the sea,” user MPB60510 wrote.

“Carnival Cruise Lines turning into Waffle House on the Water,” user Gentleman Josh said.

@prettyshawntae #carnivalcruise #fyp ♬ Get It Sexyy – Sexyy Red

Others tried to guess what the passengers’ offenses were.

“People be booking trips with stolen credit cards and identity,” user Reginaldcarson8 wrote.

“If you have warrants and decide to go on a cruise as soon as you dock back they will arrest you,” a second viewer said.

“This is what happens when you think you got your weed or liquor on board lol,” another added.

While it is unclear what led to the alleged arrest of the passengers, there have been stories about cruise ship passengers engaging in illegal behavior in the past. Recently, two Miami women were accused of using fake credit cards to spend thousands while aboard a cruise. Earlier this year, two passengers on a cruise ship from Miami to the United Kingdom were arrested after over 150 pounds of marijuana was found on the ship. Earlier this month, passengers on a Royal Caribbean cruise faced charges for “lewd” behavior in the ship’s sauna.

The Daily Dot reached out to Tae Tae via TikTok comment and Carnival Cruise Line by email for an update and more information.

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter  here  to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Tiffanie Drayton is a geek culture and lifestyle reporter whose work covers everything from gender and race to anime and Xbox. Her work has appeared in Complex, Salon, Marie Claire, Playboy, and elsewhere.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

Cruise ship arrives at New York City harbor with dead whale caught on bow

The 44ft-long whale corpse was an endangered sei whale, which will now be examined to determine how it died

A cruise ship has journeyed into New York City’s harbor bearing a gruesome cargo in the form of a huge, dead whale sprawled across its bow.

The incident happened on Saturday, according to local US media reports , and the event is being held by some as further evidence of the unfortunate impact on sea life that large vessels can have.

The 44ft-long whale corpse was an endangered sei whale and was caught on the ship’s bow when it arrived at the Port of Brooklyn, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration fisheries spokesperson, Andrea Gomez.

The boat involved was the Meraviglia, which docked in New York before sailing on a journey to ports in New England and Canada. It is owned by Geneva-based MSC Cruises .

“We immediately notified the relevant authorities, who are now conducting an examination of the whale,” officials with the cruise line said in a statement, who added that the company had regulations in place to avoid collisions with whales and other animals at sea.

“We are deeply saddened by the loss of any marine life,” the statement said.

The whale is now the subject of a necropsy to try and determine how it died, notably if it was already dead when hit by the cruise ship. Sei whales are one of the largest whales and are a protected species.

• Seascape: the state of our oceans

Most viewed

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

44-Foot Whale Found Dead on Bow of Cruise Ship Coming Into New York

The endangered sei whale, usually found in deep waters, was discovered on the bow of a cruise ship as it arrived at the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, marine authorities said.

By Livia Albeck-Ripka

As the cruise ship approached New York on Saturday, it was found to be carrying a grim, and unexpected, catch: The carcass of a 44-foot-long endangered whale, draped across its bow.

The whale, which marine authorities described as a sei whale, is known for its rapid swimming and preference for deep waters, far from the coast. Its body was discovered as the ship neared the Brooklyn Cruise Terminal, and the authorities were “immediately notified,” said MSC Cruises, which owns the ship.

A spokeswoman for the company said in an email that it had “comprehensive measures” in place to avoid such collisions, including training deck officers and altering itineraries in certain areas to avoid them. “We will continue to evaluate and update our procedures with our partners and the authorities,” she said.

Marine authorities said that they had towed the animal, estimated to weigh some 50,000 pounds, from the bow, and transferred it by boat to a beach in Sandy Hook, N.J., where they conducted a necropsy on Tuesday.

The investigation is continuing, but preliminary results — broken bones in the whale’s right flipper; tissue trauma along its right shoulder blade; a full stomach and decent layer of blubber — all pointed toward the animal having been in otherwise good health when it was likely struck and killed by the ship, said Robert A. DiGiovanni, the chief scientist of the Atlantic Marine Conservation Society, which is leading the investigation .

The whale was already “pretty decomposed” by the time scientists began the necropsy, he added, so they worked quickly to collect samples that could be tested for contaminants and other biotoxins that would indicate any other relevant health issues. “It looks like the animal was alive and it was hit by a vessel,” he said, noting that investigators had not ruled out other factors.

Mr. DiGiovanni said that his conservation group, which is federally authorized to respond to marine mammal strandings in New York, had dealt with more than 100 whales over the past several years, many of which had been entangled in nets or struck by vessels. Most of those whales were humpback and North Atlantic right whales, he added, noting that it was more uncommon to come across a sei whale.

Sei whales usually live in subtropical, temperate and subpolar waters and are named after the Norwegian word for pollock, “seje,” because the mammals are often found together with the fish. Their long, sleek bodies are usually dark blue or black with a cream-colored underside, and are often scarred by shark and lamprey bites.

In the 19th and 20th centuries, the whales were commercially hunted for their meat and oil, decimating their population, which is now designated as depleted under the Marine Mammal Protection Act .

Mr. DiGiovanni said that the death was a reminder that humans shared the open water with many other mammals. “When you’re out there, these animals might be there,” he said. “We need to make people more aware about how to operate around these animals.”

A spokeswoman for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said by email that mariners along the East Coast were encouraged to slow down their vessels, stay alert, and report any sightings of dead, injured or entangled whales to the authorities.

Livia Albeck-Ripka is a Times reporter based in Los Angeles, covering breaking news, California and other subjects. More about Livia Albeck-Ripka

8 things that happen when you have a cruise ship (almost) all to yourself

Have you ever wished you could have your own private cruise ship? I've felt that way, especially after sailing on vessels at just 25% capacity following the COVID-19 industry shutdown. Something special happens when you're one of only a few passengers on board — something you can experience by staying on the ship during port days.

It might sound counterintuitive, especially if you cruise to see new places. After all, you don't have to take a voyage to lie in the sun, read a book or sleep in; you can do that at home for free. However, if you find yourself in a port you've already visited, and you're craving some relaxation, I highly recommend hanging back while most of your fellow passengers head ashore.

For more cruise news, guides and tips, sign up for TPG's cruise newsletter .

If you're skeptical, here are eight things, both good and bad, that happen when you skip port days and have a cruise ship almost all to yourself.

There are no lines

On a recent sailing, I waited 20 minutes one sea day afternoon to grab a slice of pizza by the pool. It was delicious and worth every second I stood in line, but that doesn't mean I wouldn't have liked the wait to be shorter.

The following day, I stayed on the ship when it docked in a port I had been to several times before, and I was able to walk right up to the counter at lunchtime and snag a pie without any wait time at all.

I saw no lines for the usually popular waterslides, and trivia wasn't standing room only as it had been the day before.

You can find quiet spaces

As libraries become a relic of the past on many new vessels, it's increasingly more difficult to find quiet spaces outside of your cabin to read, do puzzles or simply take in the scenery — especially on crowded megaships and on sea days.

When most passengers are on land, many of the public areas transform into quiet spaces by default. Lower decibels make for a more soothing, peaceful atmosphere that lends itself to relaxation. Although certain bars might be closed, their adjoining lounges offer respite from the usual ship hubbub.

You'll never fight for a deck chair

As any avid cruiser knows, it can be downright impossible to snag a sun lounger near the pool on busy sea days. Each morning, some people rise early, slink from their cabins and claim prime poolside real estate by placing their belongings on deck chairs in the most sought-after locations. Then, they return to bed.

These passengers, known as chair hogs , have caused cruise lines to instate time limits. If a chair isn't actually occupied by a person for a certain amount of time, crew members are allowed to remove any items placed on them in order to free up space for other people to use.

You'll never run into this problem when a ship is in port, even on the nicest of days. Most passengers will leave the vessel in search of a beach on which to hog loungers instead; this leaves the pool nearly deserted for anyone who stays on board to enjoy.

Spa appointments abound

You must book certain activities and experiences before you board your sailing if you have your heart set on them. Spa treatments aren't generally one of them.

However, if you find that you're having trouble with the availability of certain treatments after you board or you're looking to score a discount, schedule something on a port day. With fewer people on the ship, more appointments are available; onboard spas and salons will often knock a percentage off the cost of services to entice people to show up when business is slow.

You can peek behind the curtain

One of the most interesting aspects of staying on board when most other cruisers don't is the chance to see some of what the average passenger misses when they're ashore.

Although you won't be able to directly participate in crew drills, you'll likely hear them announced during port days. If you're in the right place at the right time, you might be able to watch from your cabin balcony or an upper deck as lifeboats are launched and tested.

If you're listening closely, you might hear announcements directing the crew to a particular restaurant, bar or public space for faux medical or fire emergencies. If you just so happen to make your way to that area after the call (while staying out of the way, of course), you could see mock CPR rescues or fire responses; some of these practice scenarios are conducted on dummies like Ryan, pictured pre-rescue on Norwegian Viva .

On other ships, you might also be able to catch members of the entertainment crew as they rehearse for that night's show. Theaters are often closed to the public during rehearsals, but sometimes, you can quietly sneak in on the top floor and sit in the back to watch.

On some ships, such as the ones in Carnival Cruise Line 's new Excel Class , the secondary theater is open, and rehearsals can't be blocked off from passenger view. Royal Caribbean 's AquaTheater (on Oasis and Icon Class ships) is also in public areas that guests can access at all times. Grab a coffee or a cocktail, find a seat and get a preview of the show.

You'll miss a day in port

Obviously, if you stay on the ship in port, you won't be ashore, which means you'll miss one of the places on your itinerary. That's why I only recommend skipping port days in places you've already visited.

It definitely can be a bummer when you stay on board only to have your travel companions return to the ship at the end of the day and gush about what a fantastic time they had on a shore excursion or exploring on their own.

Of course, you can always spend part of your day on board before heading to land. Perhaps you sleep in, order room service or have brunch in the dining room, then hit the gym or have a spa treatment. Afterward, you can disembark to enjoy a bit of beach time or a tasty early dinner. That only works if your ship is docked for a significant chunk of time, but it's a nice compromise that won't make you feel like you missed out. It can also help your day to feel less exhausting.

You'll have limited food options

On port days, you won't find as many daytime food choices on board as on sea days. That's because many passengers will take all-day excursions or opt to dine ashore instead of on the vessel, so the ship doesn't need so many eateries to be open for lunch.

On port days, you're likely to be limited to the buffet and a handful of other casual choices like grill fare or pizza. The main dining rooms and specialty restaurants are likely to be closed; if you're hoping for a nicer sit-down lunch, you'll want to plan that for a day at sea.

You'll have fewer choices of onboard activities

A port day is a fantastic time to stay on board and avoid crowds in places like the gym, minigolf course, basketball court, pools and waterslides; these tend to be open regardless of the day. However, you can't avoid lines for every activity — largely because many onboard experiences aren't open on port days (or have limited hours starting in the afternoon).

Closed attractions or ones with reduced hours might include the go-kart track , ropes course, rock-climbing wall, roller coaster or surf simulator . Additionally, you might find yourself out of luck if you were hoping to grab a port-day slot for a hard-to-book escape room or test out a virtual reality ride.

Your options for crew-led events will also be limited, with fewer activities on the daily schedule. The number of trivia sessions might be cut from five or six to two, and you won't find daytime jewelry or spa seminars or art auctions. The ship's bands won't be playing music live by the pool or in the bars, and you're unlikely to find pool deck activities like bellyflop contests scheduled because not enough people are around to participate.

The same applies to the onboard kids club . Although it might be open, the scheduled events will likely be less structured (think movies, video games, and arts and crafts). Keep that in mind if you're cruising with kids and planning not to disembark.

Bottom line

If you're on a cruise and feel drained or sick of the crowds on board, it's OK to skip a port day in favor of resting, relaxing and enjoying a vessel that will make you feel almost like you're the only person on a cruise ship. This is especially true if you hang back in a port you've already visited.

When you stay on board as others disembark, you'll experience a quieter atmosphere, fewer crowds and more opportunities to take advantage of activities and amenities — such as spa treatments, trivia and waterslides — that can be crowded or difficult to book on busy sea days.

Have cruise questions? TPG has answers:

• Packing for a cruise? These items aren't allowed on board
• Man overboard: Cruise ship overboards and how they happen
• What is baked Alaska, and why is it paraded around cruise ships?
• What are the largest cruise ships in the world?
• Gentlemen hosts: These men cruise to make sure single ladies have a great time
• What is the Jones Act and how does it impact cruise ships?
• What is a lido deck on a cruise ship?
• What's a cruise cabin guarantee and will it save you money?
• What's the difference between a cruise ship concierge and a butler?

First person to receive a genetically modified pig kidney transplant dies nearly 2 months later

The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure

BOSTON -- The first recipient of a genetically modified pig kidney transplant has died nearly two months after he underwent the procedure, his family and the hospital that performed the surgery said Saturday.

Richard “Rick” Slayman had the transplant at Massachusetts General Hospital in March at the age of 62. Surgeons said they believed the pig kidney would last for at least two years.

The transplant team at Massachusetts General Hospital said in a statement it was deeply saddened by Slayman's passing and offered condolences to his family. They said they didn't have any indication that he died as a result of the transplant.

The Weymouth, Massachusetts, man was the first living person to have the procedure. Previously, pig kidneys had been temporarily transplanted into brain-dead donors. Two men received heart transplants from pigs, although both died within months.

Slayman had a kidney transplant at the hospital in 2018, but he had to go back on dialysis last year when it showed signs of failure. When dialysis complications arose requiring frequent procedures, his doctors suggested a pig kidney transplant.

In a statement, Slayman's family thanked his doctors.

“Their enormous efforts leading the xenotransplant gave our family seven more weeks with Rick, and our memories made during that time will remain in our minds and hearts,” the statement said.

They said Slayman underwent the surgery in part to provide hope for the thousands of people who need a transplant to survive.

“Rick accomplished that goal and his hope and optimism will endure forever,” the statement said.

Xenotransplantation refers to healing human patients with cells, tissues or organs from animals. Such efforts long failed because the human immune system immediately destroyed foreign animal tissue. Recent attempts have involved pigs that have been modified so their organs are more humanlike.

More than 100,000 people are on the national waiting list for a transplant, most of them kidney patients, and thousands die every year before their turn comes.

Top Stories

Woman uses self-checkout to steal $60,000 of items from same Target store over a year

• May 10, 5:03 AM

Recipient of first pig kidney transplant dies nearly 2 months later

• May 11, 9:46 PM

Controversy follows Gov. Kristi Noem as she is banned by two more South Dakota tribes

• May 11, 6:02 PM

Exclusive: Mom speaks out after Air Force rescued son from cruise ship

• May 9, 7:36 AM

Scientists figure out how to make algae-based plastic that completely breaks down

• May 11, 6:01 AM

ABC News Live

24/7 coverage of breaking news and live events