Okay! You are all booked and ready to enjoy your floating city vacation. Cruising can be the ideal vacation for a family of any size and shape. From the tremendous variety of activity options, all food included, kids club, casino and entertainment throughout the day, there is a bit of something for everybody. However, having taken over 15 cruises for various lengths and locations, with the kids and without, come learn some tips and lessons to make your trips easier and more fun.
Here are 5 tips that will make your cruise travel plans a bit smoother.
Review and double-check your travel documents and personal identification prior to booking and then again after.
Most cruise lines require you to have a passport that is more that 6 months from expiring. Though this is not the case for all, it is for the majority of ships. If your passport will expire soon go ahead and get a new one. This also goes for your driver’s license. For cruises leaving from the US and returning to the US by sea or ocean going to (…*note to self* add the Western hemisphere link from DoS) you may be able to travel with a valid REAL ID and birth certificate. It is important to note that you may not be able to get off the ship at the port calls due to lack of a passport.
Best practice, get and have a valid passport. Be sure to check your passenger contract for any additional information, fine print and rules for travel documents.
Arrive a day early.
There is nothing worse than planning and paying for a trip that you will not make simply due to a flight delay. The cardinal rule of cruising is that cruise ship waits for NO ONE. You may get a slight reprieve if you book through their air partners, but even then, they may fly you to the next port of call and you’ll still miss a full day on the ship.
BOOOOO!
Avoid all of this by planning to be in your departure port a day early and getting to the ship as early as allowable on embarkation day. We try to arrive by 11:00 or noon. By then, the lunch buffet and most bars will be open, but the Kids Club on most ships will not open until the following day or later that evening.
Research the ship prior to arrival.
YouTube is a GREAT place to get a full tour of your ship and the amenities it has to offer. This gives you time to plan what you would like to see the first day. It also gives you a bit of an advantage to getting to know the ship and helps to limit the chances of getting lost. Take my word for it, it’s super possible to get lost even on a smaller ship.
Sign your kids up for Kids Club as soon as possible.
Pro-tip: Go visit the “open house” for Kids Club on embarkation day. This is a chance to see what the Kids Club area looks like, and it gives you time to learn the regulations and business hours. This is the best opportunity to sign your children up. That way when the rush hits the next day you will happily and wonderfully miss it. My kiddos LOVE the Kids Club. The hours vary per ship as well as per cruise. YouTube will also be a good source to use for research prior to embarkation for this as well.
Book all additional activities EARLY and pre-cruise if possible.
Whether it is on board specialty dining, a drinks package, Wi-Fi packages or shore excursions, you will get the best deals by booking early and pre-cruise. I have found that we can typically save around 30% by booking early. Keep in mind that you do not have to book your shore excursions through the cruise line, but might I remind you the cruise ship waits for NO ONE. If you choose to book an excursion outside of the cruise line, give yourself at least 1 hour prior to “all aboard time” to be back on the ship.
Cruising can be so easy and an absolute blast. Be on the lookout for more cruise and travel tips to come! Hope to catch you on the Lido!
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