Important Things to Do After Booking Your Cruise
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Just booked your first cruise and don’t know what to do next? There’s a lot to do, so we’ll help you determine what to do next after booking your cruise. Don’t stress out – we have you covered!
You have some homework to do. Luckily for you, we’re here to give you a nudge in the right direction…and you probably have a few months to tackle these tasks.
Some people like to wing it and take their chances without plans and reservations before their trip, but in doing that, you tend to miss out on some activities that you really wanted to do on that cruise. Plus, you can save money by booking many of these things early.
So, a bit of preparation ahead of time ensures that you get what you want, plus alleviates a lot of worry and headaches on embarkation day.
First Things First
If you haven’t already, book the babysitter if you’ve planned an adults-only trip, and/or pet sitter if needed. Once you’ve handled that hurdle, you can move on to the next steps.
Download the cruise line’s app and set up your online account. You’ll need to log in to your account later to book excursions and other activities.
Flights
If you haven’t already, book your air travel, if needed. Take into consideration if you’ll be adding extra days before and/or after your trip.
Pro Tip: The rule of thumb to give you the most peace of mind is to travel at least one day before your cruise, just in case there are weather or equipment delays with your flights. If you’re flying over several time zones, such as from the US to Europe to meet your ship, you should consider leaving at least two days early.
Some cruise lines allow you to book your air travel with them and will also provide ground transportation between the airport and the port. If you’re new at traveling, I’d suggest you allow the cruise line to handle all the arrangements. Once you have a few trips under your belt, you’ll be ready to handle the arrangements on your own.
Also, you’ll have to consider flights home after your cruise and take into account the airlines’ schedules. Even though your ship docks on the last day at 7:00 a.m., for example, that doesn’t mean you’re able to leave yet. Expect another hour for the ship to be cleared by local authorities, and then you’ll have to wait for your group to be called to head off the ship and gather your luggage – unless you’re walking off the ship with your luggage. There’s also transportation time to the airport to consider and traffic delays.
Pro Tip: The rule of thumb for departing your port to go home is to never book your flight for before noon or 1:00 p.m. We once dealt with a customs holdup at the port on disembarkation day, which resulted in many cruisers stressing about missing their flights home.
Pre-Cruise Checklist (PDF)
So you’ve booked your cruise and are wondering what to do next. No worries! Our pre-cruise checklist will help you organize your thoughts and stay on track with all the things you need to do after booking your cruise.
Hotels
Consider hotels, both before and after your trip. Book a pre-flight hotel, if needed, and possibly a post-cruise hotel.
If the airline schedules can’t accommodate a midday or afternoon departure to get you home, you might need to arrange for a post-cruise hotel for a night, then fly out early the next day. Take the opportunity to do a little sightseeing in your final port.
Ground Transportation
How will you get from the airport to your hotel, or to your cruise port? Some hotels provide shuttles, but if yours doesn’t, you have a few options: take a taxi, take a rideshare like Uber or Lift, or arrange for private transportation.
Take into account the size of your group and the amount of luggage you’ll be carrying. If you have several people in your group and lots of luggage, you will need a large SUV or maybe even a van.
Documentation
Make sure all cruisers’ passports are valid for at least six months from the date your cruise starts. If not, it’s time to renew and possibly pay for expedited processing.
For US citizens, check at travel.state.gov to see if visas or inoculations are required for any of the ports you’ll be visiting, or if there are any travel warnings. If so, find out the requirements and do what’s necessary to meet them.
About a month before the cruise, go to your cruise line’s website and do the check-in process, then download your e-docs. Print out your boarding paperwork and luggage tags. Choose your boarding time. Do this as soon as you’re notified that e-docs are available, so you can have a better chance of getting your preferred boarding time.
Financial
Make note of when your final payment is due and mark it on your calendar.
Buy trip insurance. If you’re only traveling once or twice that year, purchasing the cruise lines’ insurance makes sense. But if you’re traveling more than that, consider purchasing an annual travel policy, such as what Allianz offers. We insure each year with Allianz, but luckily haven’t needed to file a claim yet.
Order foreign cash from your bank branch for spending money at your destinations, especially euros for Europe. Many vendors won’t accept credit cards, as we learned when trying to pay for our lunch in Marseilles. Thank goodness we had euros with us. North American destinations usually accept American dollars or credit cards.
Social
Join the Facebook group and/or Cruise Critic for your particular cruise to get advice and meet new people. Your fellow cruisers will be a wealth of information.
Pro Tip: Do your own research before asking questions. These nice folks are your last stop on the information highway, not your first.
Excursions
Research your ports, then book your excursions. Take into consideration any health restrictions of the people in your travel group.
Pro Tip: If you book your excursion with the cruise line, the ship will wait for you if your return is delayed. That’s not true for excursions booked with outside companies, but they are often less expensive.
Onboard Activities To Reserve
Book any spa appointments you’ll want that are available for booking. Consider purchasing a thermal suite pass.
Some cruise lines require reservations for popular show options, so check to see if you’ll need those.
Some popular onboard activities may require reservations, so be sure you make those if you want to do that fun activity.
Research the ship’s specialty restaurants, look at their menus, and then make your reservations, if offered.
If you don’t already have a beverage or Wi-Fi package, it’s usually less expensive to book online before the cruise. If you’d like a photo package, the same thinking applies. It’s also a good idea to go ahead and prepay gratuities ahead of time.
Packing
Purchase any special items you may want to take with you. I’ve put together a list of items that cruisers love on this page. But also know what items you aren’t allowed to bring on a cruise ship. There is a list for you here.
Pro Tip: Bring along a power converter if you’ll be staying in a hotel outside your home country.
Make sure you have an appropriate wardrobe for your ship as dress codes vary between cruise lines. Unless you’re cruising on a luxury line, you can expect to dress casually during the day but up your game somewhat in the evenings; how much is dependent on which cruise line you travel. For many cruise lines, men are expected to wear long pants and collared shirts (at a minimum) at main dining rooms and specialty restaurants.
Ladies, if you need help deciding what to pack for your trip, check out my posts here and here.
Plus, you’ll want to pack a cruise carry-on bag to keep with you when you board your ship, so check here for tips on what to bring in your carry-on.
Cruising with CPAP? Check out my post here for some tips.
Also, check the weather for the ports you’ll be visiting so you can be prepared. Will it be hot or cold? Is this their rainy season?
Check your luggage to be sure it’s large enough and in good shape. If not, it’s time to upgrade. Who wants to drag a heavy suitcase through the airport with a broken wheel, right?
Final Thoughts on What To Do After Booking Your Cruise
You’ll have a nice cruise regardless, I’m sure, but doing a bit of preparation beforehand can make the difference between a nice cruise and a great one.
If you would like some guidance throughout the cruise planning process, go here for a roundup of all of our cruise planning posts.
Happy cruising!
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