Embarking on a cruise promises an adventure like no other, filled with memories you’ll cherish for years. However, a bit of savvy planning goes a long way to make the most of your voyage. From pre-booking dining reservations to ensuring your carry-on is packed with extra essentials, these insider tips can transform your journey.
To help you sail smoothly from day one, we’ve curated a collection of indispensable travel hacks for your next cruise.
Plan to arrive at the embarking destination early
When planning to book your flight to your embarking destination, book it a day or two before the ship disembarks. It’s not uncommon for flights to get delayed or, even worse, cancelled. If you encounter this issue, you won’t have to worry about missing your cruise. Plus, it’s an excellent opportunity to explore and get to know your embarking destination.
Pre-book your shore excursions
Did you know that you can pre-book your shore excursions? Shore excursions tend to book up quickly. Avoid the last-minute scramble of trying to book on the ship, as there might not be any options you want left, and the prices are often higher.
While you might consider booking an independent tour, it comes with risks. If you don’t return in time, the ship will leave without you.
Instead, we recommend Shore Excursions. These excursions offer a small group tour and a guaranteed return to the ship. Plus, CAA Members save on shore excursions!
All you must do is select your cruise line, ship, and sail date. Your cruise will then come up with the port dates and locations, and from there, you can pick your adventure.
Pack your carry-on with essentials
Upon boarding, your luggage may take a few hours to reach your room. Instead of waiting around, dive into the pool or indulge in other activities. Ensure you have extra clothes, a swimsuit, medication, and essential toiletries in your carry-on for immediate use.
Pre-book dinners and entertainment
Specialty dining reservations tend to fill up quickly, as restaurants have limited capacity. Cruise lines vary in how early you can pre-book dinners; however, the typical standard is ninety to sixty days before boarding. Similarly, for entertainment, you can reserve seats at the shows several days before sailing.
Don’t worry about printing what shows or meals you booked. Most cruise lines have apps that conveniently make reservations and access your calendar for pre-scheduled activities and meals.
Take advantage of membership perks to save
Looking for another reason to book that cruise? CAA has multiple cruise deals waiting for their members to take advantage of. With long-lasting partnerships you’re guaranteed the price and experience. Members can enjoy priority check-in, dinners, on-board and shore excursion credits, complimentary photos, travel agent advice and so much more.
Booking a cruise with multiple ports
Part of the reason why people love cruises so much is for the multiple destinations you get to see for a great price. Booking a cruise with multiple ports gives you the opportunity to get a better look and feel of a location you may want to stay at later for an extended stay. Almost like a trial run. Or, if you’re more of an adventurer, and love the feeling of waking up to a new place every morning, count the days cruising versus ports. From there, picking your cruising adventure can be made simpler.
Research ports in advance
If you want to help lower your cruise expenses, research the ports in advance. Shore excursions can quickly add up, so pick the ones you want to do, such as trek to a waterfall or at ports where there is nothing to do nearby. For example, in Turks and Caicos, you might discover the ship will dock on a crystal-clear turquoise beach where you can swim all day. Then there is no need to book a shore excursion as there is an easy activity. But others might dock several kilometres away from anything; in that case, a shore excursion is a great way to see the sights.
Storing documents in an easily accessible place
When heading onto a cruise, they require a lot more documents than you may think. You will need your room or reservation number, passport or government–issued ID, travel insurance, boarding pass, visas excreta. You’ll need to carry these documents with you in case of poor service or Wi-Fi and keep them together in a folder in your carry-on bag.
Online check-in
Doing the online check-in process beforehand will be a game-changer and save you lots of time when boarding. You can check in to your cruise multiple days before your arrival on the cruise line app or website. You can also book your arrival appointment time to reduce the wait to get on the ship.
Still have questions?
CAA Travel Consultants are happy to help you book your next cruise and give expert advice on everything from what to pack to shore excursions. Make an appointment to get started.