You have chosen a cruise line, researched itineraries, and booked a stateroom…now what should you do to get ready? Below is a pre-cruise planning checklist to get you ready for your next trip!
Passport check – If you don’t have a passport, now is the time to apply. If you do have one, now is a good time to check your expiration date. Your passports should expire no earlier than six months after your trip. If your expiration date is earlier, you may be denied boarding.
Visas and vaccines – We have not needed any additional vaccines during our cruises, but it is a good idea to check. During our Baltic/Northern Europe cruise, we would have needed a Visa if we were not booking an excursion through the ship or with a private tour company in Russia. It is a good idea to look into the requirements for your cruise and ports of call to make sure you are all set.
Book a Kennel – If you have a pet, you need to find someone to take care of them during your cruise or book a room at your local kennel.
Travel
Book air travel – There are many differing opinions about when is the best time to purchase your plane tickets. I usually see what my options are for airlines, direct vs connecting flights and flight times before committing to one.
Book port hotel options – I always recommend arriving the night before your cruise in the city that it is departing from especially if you are flying. You do not want to arrive in your port city the day you embark in case of canceled or delayed flights. We tend to look for hotels that are close to the cruise port or if we are touring the city first in a spot that is central to our activities. Bonus points if the hotel has free breakfast.
Ports and Excursions
Research ports – I begin by looking for information on the ports that our ship will visit. This helps us decide which ports we might want to do on our own and which ones will involve an excursion.
Book excursions – I recommend booking your excursions 90 days out for a couple of reasons. First, if there is an excursion you REALLY want to do, you want to make sure it doesn’t fill up (like swimming with dolphins, that does happen!). Second, if for some reason you decide you want to switch or change your excursion this gives you the time to do so (be sure to check the cancellation policy before booking any excursions).
Preparing for Cruise
Start a “what do we need to buy” list – This means it’s time to make a preliminary packing list, check the closet, and then figure out what you think you are going to need to get before you sail.
Clean up the diet – This might not be a priority for everyone. However, I always want to look my best while on vacation especially if I am going to be in a swimsuit.
If you are looking for ways to prepare your home for travel, here are a couple tips.
How can you make the best out of your cruise embarkment day? Here are a couple tips for preparing embarkment day!
I hope this pre-cruise planning checklist was helpful! Have a great trip!
