Cruise Tips Odds and Ends

1. Lounge Chairs. Sun worshippers cherish lounge chairs. The lounge chairs located around the vicinity of the pool become the most coveted, especially for the "days at sea." If you don't reserve yours early, you may find yourself somewhere between the life rafts and the shuffleboard. The number one cruise tip is to avoid this demotion by proceeding to the pool deck first thing in the morning. Grab some deck towels (and maybe a book to look official) and place them on your chair of choice. Nobody will occupy your reserved chair until you're ready to hit the pool scene later. It works like a charm.

2. 24-Hour Pizza. When you have the late night munchies, pizza may be the only business in town after midnight. The best part is that you don't necessarily have to settle for pizza; you have the option for a calzone.

3. Taxi. You don't have to pay for cruise-sponsored excursions, which are often expensive. Try a taxi to chauffer you around the island for an agreed-upon price, which is a lot cheaper and just as effective. The taxi driver knows the island better than anyone, including the best spots for views, shopping and photographs. You can easily spot these gentlemen outside the docking area.

4. Island Stops. Don't feel obligated to tour every island. For first time cruisers, this may be the inclination and that's perfectly fine. Keep in mind it's also just as well to remain on the boat for the afternoon. It's a neat feeling to have almost free reign of the ship for awhile.

5. Dinner Times. If your cruise does not offer freestyle dining, this means dinner is set based on early or late seating. If, for example, you requested late seating at the time of booking the cruise and were assigned early seating during registration, visit the maitre d' about changing dinner times.

6. Singles Scene. Singles on a cruise mistakenly believe the disco and deck parties are the prime source for meeting other potential singles. Think outside the box and walk through the casino. It's a guy magnet, so ladies think the gaming tables. When the guy you scoped out earlier slowly loses his money, you're in a convenient position to make him feel like a winner.

7. Cruise/Sailing Card. Feel free to periodically check the status of your tab. Most cruises offer access to your updated total through your stateroom's television.

8. Bottle of Wine. It's typically cost effective to purchase a bottle of wine at dinner as opposed to paying by the glass. Don't fret about not finishing the bottle. Your waiter can store your bottle for dinner the next night. Just ask.

9. Formal Night. Cruisers are not forced into dressing up for those designated formal nights. No, you won't be able to enter the restaurant casually dressed, but there are alternative places for dinner. Check your options when you get on board.

10. Duty Free. Your cruise ship and island stops offer plenty of opportunities to purchase duty free liquor. According to one poll, island stops appear to be cheaper than on board. Check your cruise's limit on amounts that can be purchased.