8 Cruise Tips You Want to Know
Cruises are a wonderful way to see the world and there are some helpful things to know to get the most out of your vacation. Even if you’ve been on many cruises before, you’ll likely benefit from the tips I’m about to share. I too have been guilty of making some of these mistakes, with my own vacations, and can use a reminder every now and then.
1. How to get the best price. There are 3 key times to book your cruise and get the best rate. These tips are rated from best to ok.
Book when cruise itineraries are released. Generally, cruise lines open their itineraries two years in advance. By reserving your spot, you’ll get the best rates, promotions & room availability. The most popular cabins sell out first and usually do within the first few months of an itinerary being available. If you like a certain room type or location on the ship. Book as far out as you can.
There are often promotions from November through January. Cruise lines may run sales during the holidays, and they become very competitive in January, during what’s known as “Wave Season”. During January there’s often discounts on the 2nd guest, kids may sail free & they sometimes give more on board credit (OBC) than usual.
Last minute discounts 90-60 days before sailing. Once final payments are made, cruise lines look to see how many rooms they have available and may discount them to entice last minute travelers. Keep in mind you’re getting “left over” cabins - the ones that might be in a noisy area or have obstructed views. With ships being back to full capacity, these last-minute deals are becoming less frequent and not a good value.
2. Non – refundable vs refundable deposits.
Many cruise lines offer both and like hotels, the refundable option is often priced slightly higher than non-refundable. Even if you’re confident you’ll be taking that vacation, it’s better to get the refundable rate. Refundable rates are often not much more than non-refundable and it’s nice to have that flexibility in case you do need to cancel or change dates.
3. Do I need a passport? This question comes up A LOT from those who take closed loop cruises (cruises that leave and return to same port in the United States). Technically, no you don’t need a passport. HOWEVER, it’s highly encouraged!
For instance, if someone needs medical care in a foreign country, you’ll likely need a passport. If there’s an emergency and the cruise line cancels the cruise and everyone must disembark, in a foreign country, you’ll need a passport to fly back home. (Remember this happened only a couple of years ago with COVID).
Along with having a passport, remember to check its expiration date. It must be valid a minimum of 6-months post vacation. Airlines often won’t allow someone to travel if their passport expires within that 6-month period.
This might seem obvious, but book everything with the same name shown in your passport. Believe it or not, people have been known to use nicknames, or forget to add their middle name. Cruise lines may not let someone on a ship if the names don’t exactly match.
4. Arrive at least 1 day prior to sailing.
Cruise ships are like the airlines, and they won’t wait for you if you arrive late. If you miss the ship, you’ll need to fly yourself and meet the ship at the next port.
I understand wanting to save the cost of the hotel; however, it’s not worth the added stress, if your flight is delayed, or if you’re driving to the port and you have car trouble, or heavy traffic.
5. Missing out on embarkation and disembarkation ports. Travelers may think they are visiting all the ports on their itinerary. Yes, this is true, but pay attention to where you start and end. If you start in say Barcelona, in order to tour Barcelona, you need to arrive early to allow time to actually see that area. Many people arrive to their departure port the day prior, not realizing that doesn’t give them enough time to actually experience that area. Same is true for the departure port. For instance, if your cruise ends in Rome, you’ll need to stay an extra day or two to visit that destination.
6. Reserve your excursions months in advance. Popular tours often sell out early and with cruise ships back to full capacity, you don’t want to be disappointed by not getting the experiences you were hoping for at ports.
7. Entry requirements can change at anytime. Many more countries are requiring visas, tourist cards, or some kind of online entry form that needs to be completed before you arrive. I’d suggest checking entry requirements multiple times before your sail date just to make sure you have the most current information.
8. Always Buy Travel Insurance. There are many reasons to have travel insurance to protect you & your trip. Let me preface this section and say I’m NOT a registered travel insurance agent. As a travel advisor, I can offer an overview of what may be included in your policy, but I cannot explain the specifics. Just like drink packages, there are many travel insurance policies to choose from, so generalizations will be used here.
Travel Insurance covers more than what you may realize. Some policies allow you to cancel for any reason even business related. They will cover if flights are delayed or lost baggage. If you need to be evacuated off the ship/island they’ll cover that as well. Plus, there’s also medical coverage and a whole lot of other great benefits.
Policies very in price based on trip cost, age of the travelers, where one is traveling, etc. Considering how inexpensive travel insurance is, you’re far better off getting it and not using it then not getting it and needing medical care and spending way more than you would otherwise. Travel insurance allows you peace of mind.
There you have it – 8 cruise tips you want to know. I have written other blog posts with cruise tips, so be sure to check those out after this.
If you’re a first-time cruiser, I hope this helps enhance your cruise and make the joy of cruising even better. For those who have been on many cruises, take this as a nice reminder and pat yourself on the back for knowing all this and being a cruise pro.
Bianca Ramos - Travel Advisor
Click Here to schedule an appointment
Email: info@cruisingthepacific.com
Call: 209-747-4332
I help busy people by putting together a vacation they'll love & remember for a lifetime.
P.S. Looking for affordable, small group Shore Excursions for your upcoming cruise?