My favorite cruise hints:
1. Carry LOTS of small bills. I always have at least $50 in ones, $50 in fives, and $100 in tens. Nobody in the islands ever has change for bigger bills and a US $1 bill is a necessity in the islands.
2. Prepackage your cruise tips BEFORE you leave. Your brochure tells you how much are the recommended tips. So that you don't run out of money before tip night, I put my tips in envelopes before I leave home and stash them away in my cabin until the last night. I usually give $15 (per person) to busboy, and $25 (per person) to waiter and cabin steward. Don't forget this - these people get NO salary on most ships. They live on tips alone.
3. Carry a small empty carryon bag. The last night of the cruise, you have to set your luggage out before midnight so that it can be picked up. Use your small bag to store the clothes you want to wear home, and to stash the pajamas. Don't forget and pack everything or you have to wear your pajamas on the plane And if you buy liquor, don't put it out with your luggage or you will never see it again. Carry this yourself.

Cassie's hints are good. You will also need those $1 bills for tips for room service on the cruise. We usually keep a bunch in our safe just for this purpose. Royal Caribbean has elaborate room service, and you will want to tip these people if you order, or even for coffee in the a.m.

Also, when you pack for the cruise, pack one bag to carry on the ship, with one change of clothes, cosmetics, possibly a bathing suit, for when you first arrive. Your luggage may not get to your room until evening, and you will want to start enjoying your cruise before that.

If you like to have cocktails, keep some liquor and mixers in your room. We save a lot of money on drinks by purchasing some vodka and rum on the ship upon departure, and carrying some mixers on with us. This way we can mix our first cocktail to carry with us from the room. We cut our bar bill in half like this.

The Sovereign of the Seas was our first cruise ever, and we just enjoyed it immensely. Since then we have learned to pack lighter (you will spend most of your time in bathing suit and cover up), carry more money, and take lots of shore excursions.

Have a great cruise, and if you have any questions about the ship, please email me.

Dayenu, do you have any opinion on this? I have a number of issues associated with advises given above and here is my opinion. What's yours?

First, the ship should be able to make change for small bills. Why carry lots of small bills with you from home? That's well over $1,000 in small bills.

Pre-package cash for the cruise tips? How do you know how good or how bad the service you will be getting? I don't decide on the tip until the last day, or in some cases, tip on the first day to assure service.

The staff on cruise ships receive no salary is plain falsehood. A lower wage? yes. But no salary?

And why wouldn't you see your liquor again if you pack it in your luggage at the end of the cruise? An extention of that is it imples someone will go through your luggae and take things, unauthorized, before your luggage gets home.