A family of four on a cruise ship usually has more than four devices and keeping them charged is essential. That's because many cruise lines now use QR codes for menus and put their daily schedules on their apps.

Working on a cruise ship seems like an adventure, and in many ways it is. But there are sacrifices: Crew members work long hours and get little time off. Their ships may take them to exotic locations,

A lack of preparation can be costly, so passengers are encouraged to look ahead and leave room in the pre-trip budget for on-board extras.

This was during Hurricane Ernesto, and Carnival Magic needed to leave the dock before the storm arrived. Such situations are rare but they do happen, and the cruise line pulled out all the stops to let passengers know what was happening,