If you’re still pretty upset that you didn’t receive your Hogwarts acceptance letter, then don’t worry. You’re not alone in this devastation, because we draft angry letters to the Ministry of Magic every single day hoping that they will somehow grant us with magical powers. Of course, we know that this may never happen, but that doesn’t mean that we can’t still embrace the magic of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.

Platform 9 ¾: – King’s Cross Station, London

No trip to Hogwarts would be complete without running through the wall at Platform 9 ¾, would it? Although we don’t quite have what it takes to reach the other side, we’re going to blame Dobby for that one. Nevertheless, you can still head to this platform and take a picture with your own trolley, and even your own owl!

The Elephant House, Edinburgh

Although it may not be rife with magic, there’s no doubt about the fact that The Elephant House certainly inspired some magic. Yes, it’s long been known that this cafe in Edinburgh was the birthplace of the Harry Potter story we all know and love. This is where JK Rowling started writing the series, and this is where she came up with the main plot points and characters.

Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour, Leavesden

If you love the Harry Potter movies as much as the books, you might have always wondered where the set and the trinkets of these movies went after filming ended. Well, they ended up at the Warner Bros. Harry Potter Studio Tour. Here, you can wander through Diagon Alley, you can check out the amazing costumes, and you can even have Christmas dinner in the Great Hall.

Love Harry Potter? You just have to visit these destinations.

A cruise experience can be a rewarding one. Many cruise ships go beyond their way to heighten their passenger’s experience on the water. But, sometimes there can be discrepancies between what you expect and what is offered. The article lists a few such instances that can affect your idea of a cruise of a lifetime. So watch out for these tell-tale signs before you hit the “book tickets” button.

Boarding a ship is one of the highlights of a sea-cation. It is the first step towards making that long due vacation, a reality. You might even feel a rush within as you get on the ship thinking about being under the twinkling stars, surrounded by the tranquility of the seas, and all your worries melt away!

The thought itself is so therapeutic. This moment needs to be captured. It warrants a selfie. But, does it? We will soon find that out.

Boarding a ship is anything but a breezy experience. Think queue. A serpentine queue! You might have to stand for an hour or more to actually get inside the cruise ship. Maybe under the hot sun if lady luck is not on your side!

May we suggest you to practice breathing exercises and also to carry a good quality sunscreen with a high SPF? Anything above SPF 30 is just perfect.

The pool area is another major draw on a cruise ship. Any cruise passenger worth their salt often dreams about spending a major share of their time in this area.

To present you with an analogy, a pool area is equated with a water park. To the mind’s eye, it is a spot for fun, frolic, and good times. It may also be considered as a quiet place to spend time with a drink in your hand.

Here comes another unpopular opinion: A pool area is an antithesis of quiet. It is not some secluded spot on the cruise ship that you can use as your private haven during your stay either.

A pool area is one of the busiest and noisiest parts of a cruise. Often it is abuzz with streams of people coming in. If you are looking for a moment of quietude, it is wise to stay far away from it.

Everyone has notions of what bathrooms on a cruise ship should look like. Often, people reference the bathrooms of a ship to the ones they come across in luxury hotels and addresses.

Think state of the art fittings, shower systems, a Jacuzzi to caress your senses like never before, and the works. Not to mention, those artisanal toiletries (shampoos, soaps, and creams), you plan on taking away as a keepsake at the end of the voyage.

Sometimes, a bathroom is just a bathroom and nothing more than that! Chances are that your expectation of finding a luxury bathroom might come crashing down once you check-into your room.

So, cancel those bathroom selfie plans that you may have made. For all you know, you may just get a functional bathroom minus trappings of any luxury or those exquisitely smelling toiletries. Lowering your expectations will help you avoid future disappointments.

There are people who think that a sea-cation on a cruise will help materialize their dreams of being up, close, and personal with the marine life. Throughout their voyage, they expect to come across happy dolphins and other friendly creatures of the sea with a hope to make their expedition a memorable affair.

Nothing is off-limits. They might even dream of having an encounter with Nemo, a whale and even a mermaid.

Well you may see a few dolphins splashing away and a few more sea creatures if you are lucky. But, most of the times you will be greeted by a vast expanse of blue.

Oceans are notorious for presenting nothingness for its visitors except the shades of cerulean blue: the blue of the skies and the blue of the water. Blue is the guaranteed sightseeing color you can be assured of till your eyes get weary of it.

Working on a cruise ship sounds like a dream job with a touch of glamor. Many think that involves attending to the wealthy and famous, and even getting an opportunity to see some breath-taking vistas.

To a 9-5 worker, a cruise ship employee’s life sounds like one big holiday with massive perks thrown in such as zero commute, literally no expenses, and maximum savings. Now, who would not want a job like that?

While a cruise ship employee may enjoy certain perks such as having a workplace with a really great view, they are not ideal either. For a cruise ship employee, putting up lengthy working hours is the norm.

They often have to deal with cranky and unreasonable guests with a smile on their faces. On some occasions, they also have to deal with bouts of homesickness. It is not all hunky dory.

The destination is the primary reason one books a cruise in the first place. After all, point A to Point B matters when most of the time period is spent inside the ship.

The feeling of making it to point B after spending long hours and days at sea can feel like a feat and amplify the excitement of travel. In other words, it can make your travel enriching and unforgettable. But, what if point B turns out to be a dud?

A tourism density can make or mar the beauty of a place. If you are expecting a pristine surrounding in a place characterized with high tourism density index, you may be in for a surprise.

An island that may look great in travel brochures (courtesy filters and heavy editing) can be littered with heaps of waste in reality. To avoid being in that situation, it’s better to look beyond the promotional literature and do your homework.

To tell you the truth, some of the most talented performers on this planet have performed in cruise ships be it, Taylor Swift, Lady Gaga or Madonna. Needless to say, the strength of any entertainment line-up is determined by the performer/s it has.

And, this can be a major draw in providing an immersive experience to the guests of the ship. Imagine witnessing Madonna crooning ‘Beautiful Stranger’ in the middle of the sea.

While we are all supportive when it comes to hearing a fresh or a local talent; it is equally important to have an optimal mix of new and (some) familiar names in the entertainment line-up.

So, look up before booking that ticket. If there are any new names, or the names you cannot recognize. Stop. Familiarize yourself with their music. You do not want to be caught off guard like a deer in headlights, right?

Until you board a ship, seasickness might be an alien concept for you to grasp. Traveling the seas comes with a possibility of seasickness (a form of motion induced sickness.)

While it is easy to wishfully think that your time on the sea will be devoid of any hiccups or a rough sail; the laws of physics, the weather, the wind direction, the force of waves may beg to differ.

Seasickness is a side-effect of traveling by sea. Until and unless you haven’t developed a strong sea leg (that involves being on sea for a long, long time), you are not particularly immune to it.

Seasickness will normally involve a nauseating feeling, many trips to the bathroom, and a general feeling of discomfort. To avoid aggravating it further, abstain from drinking alcohol. Instead, drink plenty of water. Make sure you are well prepared to deal with such situations.

Travel brochures often advertise places under perfect weather conditions. Mind you, perfect to the hilt. Such imagery may also raise your expectations of weather. Balmy, tropical, sunny, bright, clear – are some of the words they throw in your direction to reel you in.

The sensorial evocativeness a good weather descriptor carries, adds to the expectations. A line like this – Align your senses in harmony under the bright, clear skies while you’re rocked gently by undulating motions of water- could tempt anyone.

The only certain thing about the weather is how uncertain it can be. Dark clouds can engulf a clear sky in a jiffy. Heavy storms can replace tropical weather in an instant. The weather can go from wow to whoa within a minute.

Experiencing storms in the middle of ocean can be pretty brutal. Pray that you do not have to witness one. Also, keep your eyes and ears glued to the daily weather report while you are on the ship.

A dining experience on a cruise ship is believed to be a decadent affair with a gamut of dishes placed before you. We expect many dishes to have difficult-to-pronounce names that require you to flex and roll out your tongue before giving up in exasperation.

Think being treated to a ten-course menu including appetizers, soup, main course, degustation, and aperitif – and being overstuffed at the end so much that desserts have to be politely refused.

Be prepared for a basic dinner experience. As the cruise ships have to make food for thousands of guests thrice a day, they tend to focus on the quantity. That means the quality may go for a toss.

Often, the food is laid out on community tables in a buffet style unless specified otherwise. Do not be surprised if your breakfast, lunch and dinner end up looking the same. It probably is!

The thought of meeting and interacting with a homogenous age group and the possibilities that lie ahead is thrilling, to say the least. Suppose you are in the 20s, it is normal to expect a crowd of your age or maybe early 30s, if we stretch the age range a bit.

Having a good time and connecting instantly with those who fall in your age range on a sea-cation is something everyone expects or desires. But, is it this easy?

As most of the cruises are little on the expensive side, expect to find a slightly older demographic, especially if you are in your early 20s or 30s. The passengers on any cruise will be a mixed bag in terms of interests, age groups, nationalities, and ethnicities unless you are on one of those specialty cruises.

To put things in a positive light, such a heterogeneous mix means diversity of experience, expansion of perspective, and regard for humanity at large.

The ship, the means of our exciting getaway, has to look striking. It looks like a vision on the water, ready to conquer it – at least on the official brochures and websites of cruise companies.

Its beauty looks captivating in them. It has already enraptured us and cast a net of fancy over us. It also looks solid, dependable and trustworthy. It has managed to create a concrete first impression and we are sold.

Contrary to what is promoted, the ship you board may not be everything you dreamt or envisioned. The beauty you saw on the brochures (paper or paperless) can be deceptive. It can be dirty or to put it simply, not as per your taste.

Yes, there are quite a number of such ships out there that do not look anything like their brochures. To save yourself from lamenting, read detailed reviews of the cruise you are planning to onboard.

The title of Captain of the ship has a dependable ring to it. Popular culture through its shows, series, and depictions in various formats have reinforced the notion of an archetypical Captain – someone who is bankable and puts the crew’s and passenger’s safety before his.

A Captain is the Lodestar in the gigantic blue, the assuring figure in an unassuming ever-changing terrain. He is someone who you blindly trust concerning all matters of safety.

Captains are humans too which means they have their set of flaws and strengths. Sometimes, they may have more flaws than strength. The oceans can perturb even the strongest willed, including the Captain.

For instance, in 2012, the Italian cruise ship Costa Concordia’s Captain Schettino abandoned the entire ship as it capsized and sank after hitting an underwater rock. He was later accused of manslaughter and sentenced to 16 years of prison.

Looking at the happy, ever-smiling, shiny faces of the employees of the cruise makes us feel like they are carefree. It can also lead us to believe that they are not being watched or their movement is not being scrutinized and everything is under control.

People get taken in by their smiling faces and assume that is how they are also feeling from within. They are, of course, just doing their jobs.

The employees are being watched every time. So is everyone. Besides being watched manually, their moves are monitored by security cameras and artificial intelligence. Multiple cameras are installed all around at strategic points.

While you may miss them, the employees know all about it and so, are on their best behavior. They provide excellent service and maintain a pleasing countenance despite the any stressful situation they may have to deal with.

A rooftop hot tub on a cruise ship! Now, that is what sea-cation dreams are made of. A leisurely soak in the tub with water at just the right temperature, while you soak in the vistas around you, seems like the perfect antidote for all that stress accumulated inside your system.

The mental picture itself feels too good to be true. So good that you perhaps even do not want to get out of it!

Have you ever been in an elevator that is packed? That is exactly what your hot tub experience might feel like. In a hot tub on a cruise, three is a crowd not company.

This means you can kiss goodbye to the leg space, comfort and privacy. Essentially, all your hot tub dreams! The solution ahead is to ignore the existence of a hot tub or accept the situation before you.