Cruiser's Anxiety

My ‘anxiety-reduction’ Strategy:
history, novels, & cash

A. Your Pre-trip Responsibilities:    
    1. Understand my Cruise Factors: enough to wisely
        choose your ideal cruise package. 
    2. Book flights: to & from cruise ship unless traveling
        further.
    3. Book lodging: the night before & after unless
        unnecessary.
    4. To & From Airport to cruise ship
                   Please See: Airport-Transfer-Service

   On Board: Your Cruise company intentionally tries to eliminate any
     unnerving
   circumstances.

B. My pre-trip history & culture immersion
The more you can learn about a country’s history & culture…. the richer your travel experiences & lifetime memories will be…. AND .… the less ‘travel anxiety’ I can almost guarantee you will have.

    1. Study Country & Sites: After choosing your cruise package based on your desired sites & activities,  online search (Google, Grok, etc.) go
     a) country, region or city's history
     b) each of your package's sites that interest you. This deeper dive will increase your excitement & appreciation of this foreign culture.

Anecdote: 5000 years of Chinese History” video: I watched & outlined Professor Ken Hammond’s, entire 18 part video lecture series. “From Yao to Mao: 5000 years of Chinese History” before my 3 month 'free independent travel' trip throughout China: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aWVlOaO8gr0&list=PL-zm2mrr9onY5hrGya2DhgBn_-xUk51p3

My YouTube video of my walk along an unrestored, no-tourists Great Wall section in Eastern China, now used only by locals.

    2) Read Country’s or Site’s Classic Novels: A country’s classic novels often reflect the country’s respect & love for its history & culture, kinda-like America’s “Gone with the Wind”. Such novels are a traveler’s fascinating insight into a culture & history. 

Anecdote(s): Japan: Shimazaki Toson’s Before the Dawn including the Nakasendo Road.   AND read 1 or 2 more classical novels 
Australia: Tom Cole’s “Hell West & Crooked” about an early 1900’s ‘outback life & walkabouts’
Poland: Robert Michener’s “Poland”, 
Florence, Italy’s Filippo Brunelleschi-built cathedral dome competition. Note: After 100 years without a dome, Brunelleschi finally designed & built the Duomo's 'dome-within-a-dome.'

TIP: ALWAYS carry Ship’s Name, port location and Ship’s phone number AND cash hidden carefully on your person. [pplk: Safety: Soft Crime ]  

Ancedote: Really 'lost' in Rome: On my student trip to Rome, I temporarily got separated from my guide & group in a main square.
I panicked until after a while I looked far down a road leading from the square & saw them going away. Later I reflected I didn’t know our hostel's name or how to find it.
I still have bi-monthly dreams of being lost in a foreign city with no cash & no idea how to find my lodgings.

Airport Transfer Service

Airport To/From Cruise Ship Transport?

Yes, many cruise lines & private companies offer transportation services from the airport to your cruise ship and back, which can be especially helpful for single travelers who might feel uncertain or anxious about To/From airport travel on their own.  A smooth & stress-free process for one or more.

Anecdote: Hostel Revolution, Quito, Ecuador: My 12:09 AM early morning arrival at Mariscal Sucre International Airport, 45 miles from Quito en route to my Hostel Revolution hostel high in the hills.

Safety & convenience
demanded a reliable private transport companbecause I did not trust late night taxi services. Fortunately, Hostel Revolution owner, Sandra, facilitated my easy arrival with her own driver who opened the hostel and showed me to my room & my welcoming dorm bed.   Thanks, M'Lady.

Most major cruise lines (Norwegian, Carnival, Royal Caribbean, and Holland America provide optional airport transfer services for purchase at cruise booking with clear instructions

A ship or private company's representative meets you inside airport terminal with a sign with your name on it, .... usually as you exit baggage claim area into main lobby. Your transport REP guides you & your luggage to their shuttle van and takes you directly to your ship. After the transport REP transports you & your luggage back to your  airport departure terminal.

These services eliminate navigating with unfamiliar public transport or haggling with unknown taxi drivers, which may be daunting if alone.

Procedure: Provide your flight details in advance (usually at least a couple of days before departure) so they can sync your transfer with your arrival. If flight info changes, you MUST advise them; they adjust.

Cost: added cost varies by cruise line or private company - shop around, but peace-of-mind outweighs rideshare, taxi or public transit.

 

Availability: usually limited to day of embarkation and disembarkation, but may be flexible, if you are arriving a few days early or staying late. you need to make your own arrangments.

Private transport companies that do to/from airport transfers. Plug following into Google Search: London airport to cruise ship transport.