Many hotels these days advertise themselves as offering internet access for its residents. This is increasingly a popular facility, particularly with business travelers who may need to work away from the office. If you do intend on using the internet service whilst you are away, there are a few points to bear in mind as there is no set standard way of providing such access.

For example, if a hotel advertises itself as providing internet access for all residents, does this in fact mean that all residents have the facility for internet access in their own room, or is there a communal room which provides this facility? If you are taking your own laptop or computer equipment with you, you may find that you prefer to work in your own room than in a public area. This is, therefore, worth checking.

Another point to find out about is whether the internet access is only available at certain times. For example, during the day, or for set hours during the evening. Again, although these hours may suit you, it might not be the case, and finding out too late that you will not be able to do the planned research you intended, because you will only be there during the hours that no service is available will provide you with great inconvenience.

A hotel which states that internet access is available to all residents is also not declaring whether this means that it is free, or whether it is chargeable, and also whether residents can use their own equipment, or whether there is an internet cafe style facility available which requires residents to use the hotels’ computers rather than their own.

In the case of chargeable internet access, it is important to know well in advance what these fees are, and whether it is per minute or per megabyte rate, or simply a standard fee that covers you for the whole time you are staying there.

If the access is only available through the computers provided by the hotel, whilst this might suit your needs, this is unlikely, and you may find yourself unable to transfer your research information to your own computer, and of course it may be that you prefer your work to be private and confidential, and therefore using a shared computer is of concern.

It might also be wise to find out in advance about any security arrangements the hotel may have for your equipment, such as a secure safe or other means of locking your laptop away whilst you are not in your room.

When you are reserving your hotel, it is important not to purely rely upon the word of the person at the reception as far as the provision of IT facilities are concerned, since it is not always the case that they are as clued up as you about such technology. Therefore, either calling on two separate occasions and speaking to two separate persons to establish the situation, or preferably having the hotel email, fax or mail you with the facility descriptions, will help to ensure that you stand a greater chance of having access to facilities that suit your requirements.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping. You will find the best marketplace for luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping at these sites for bags, luggage, hotels, cruises, and shopping.

If you have booked your very first cruise – congratulations! You can look forward to an incredible experience, and one that will be quite unlike anything you have done before. However, it isn’t like any other holiday you’ve had, and for that reason there can be a little anxiety in advance about what you can expect. Here’s a quick rundown on what your initial experience is likely to be.

First of all, once you arrive at the port, your luggage will be taken from you by a porter. The porter will then take your luggage on board, and it will be brought directly to your cabin some time later. The key here is in the phrase ‘some time later’ – don’t be fooled into thinking that your luggage will be happily waiting for you as soon as you reach your cabin. It is not likely to be with you until much later on in the day, and in some cases, not until the following day. Be prepared for this, and make sure you have all your essentials with you in your carry-on luggage.

Once you have gone through the x-ray machine and are cleared for security, you’ll need to hand in your tickets and proof of identification, along with your passport. You will then be given your key card, which will be the method you will use to pay for goods while on board. Rarely is money used on board a ship, and credit cards are never used. Instead, your personal on-board plastic card will be used for all extra purchases of drinks, or items in the shop, and then at the end of the voyage you’ll be presented with your final bill. In some cases this card also acts as the key to your cabin door, and it is therefore extremely important that you keep this very safe.

Once this process has been completed, you’ll probably be asked to wait in a lounge area until you’re called to board. As you arrive on the ship you’ll be greeted, and usually given a map and a few clues about where your cabin has been hidden. In a few cases you may be lucky enough to actually be escorted to your cabin, but this largely depends on how much you have paid for the experience!

Once you arrive at your cabin the first thing that will strike you is likely to be the sheer size of the space you have paid thousands of pounds for. The room will be far smaller than any hotel room you’re used to, but the space is usually very well planned, with plenty of storage room, and the cabins are usually very comfortable. Remember, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll be spending very much time in your cabin – there will be far more interesting things to do.

Once you have settled in, it is a good idea to familiarise yourself with the ship. So use the map to find the restaurant, and the main areas where you’ll find facilities that interest you. Once everyone is on board you will then be called to follow the emergency drill routine, which is obviously important, after which, you can wave a cheery farewell to land, and enjoy the delights of life on the open water.

Victor Epand is an expert consultant about luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping. You will find the best marketplace for luggage, cruises, hotels, and shopping at these sites for bags, luggage, cruises, experiences, cabins, and shopping.