Top Five Cruise Tips from a Travel Pro

Being a professional travel advisor means that, by default, I’ve become a fairly experienced traveler myself. A large percentage of my client bookings are for cruises, so I’ve made a point to try out as many cruise lines and destinations as possible. It’s a tough job, I know, but I strive to always give it my best effort and will continue to do so for as long as I possibly can! I’ve learned a few things along the way that I hope you find useful. 

Plan Ahead & Book Early

Once upon a time, in the not so terribly distant past, last minute cruise “steals” were fairly common. That is definitely NOT the rule now, as many ships sell out and have waiting lists well in advance of their sail dates. In today’s travel world, a last minute cruise booking is more likely to cost you MORE, not less. Locking in your ship and sailing date well in advance also gives you plenty of time to recruit other friends and family to sail with you. Cruising with your spouse and/or immediate family is fun; cruising with a whole group of your best friends or extended family takes that fun to a whole other level. Memories will absolutely be made! 

Board the ship as early as possible. 

Early bird gets the worm, right? This is especially true when it comes to those who are able to board the ship first. With many cruise lines, the earlier you complete your online check-in or other pre-cruise registrations, the earlier you are able to get on the ship on embarkation day. Once onboard, before the ship fills up, is a great time to snag any dining or show reservations you weren’t able to book before sailing and to register kids for onboard clubs and babysitting services. It’s also the perfect time to explore the ship and generally check everything out…maybe even snag a prime pool or lounge spot to wait for sail away! Speaking of early, early morning is often the best time to get great photos (I hope you enjoy a few of my early morning cruise photos here).

Allow plenty of extra time to get to the port city. 

Notice a theme here? When it comes to planning a cruise, EARLY is always the way to go! This is never more true than when you choose to arrive in your city of embarkation. If you plan to fly to the port, do it AT LEAST the day before your sail date. If you’re driving to the port, allow LOTS of extra time to get there. Flight delays (or worse, cancellations!), traffic jams, bad weather and other unexpected delays can ruin a cruise vacation if you haven’t allowed enough time in your planning. The expense of a hotel room the night before is absolutely worth it if it prevents you from missing your cruise! 

Pack the essentials. 

This can mean very different things to different people. I, like many, have a tendency to over-pack. I’ve learned to decide before I start throwing things into the suitcase exactly how many outfits of each type I actually need (and then try my hardest to actually stick to that!). For me, that means making a list so that I don’t overpack and also don’t forget the important things. My personal cruise essentials include an over the door shoe organizer, a portable charger bank and reusable straws. I’ve found that the shoe organizer is the best way to minimize clutter and keep all the smaller things (sunscreen, sunglasses, lanyard and keycard, towel clips, OTC meds that I never travel without, etc.) from getting lost in the stateroom.

A not-so-great port stop can be an amazing ship day! 

If you’ve cruised more than once (especially in certain regions of the world) chances are there is at least one port stop that you’ve either already seen before or just aren’t interested in spending much time in, for whatever reason. This can be the best time to enjoy the ship! Unlike a sea day, where literally everyone is onboard and all trying to use the same facilities, the ship will likely be much less crowded. Check the ship daily schedule and try somewhere you haven’t been able to visit yet. Spa appointments are often available at a discounted price during port stops since there is less demand then. Enjoy the extra time onboard! 

Although in this article I chose to only list 5, I also feel like it’s very important to say that it’s essential to purchase a solid travel protection plan for your cruise. To me this is a category all its own, since it applies to travel of any kind not just cruises. There are SO many different plan options out there; you’ll want to compare the coverages and value carefully before selecting one. Although the plans offered directly by the cruise line may often be the least expensive, they may NOT offer the best coverage. This is one situation where you really do get what you pay for, so shop carefully! 

Bonus Tip! (You had to know this one was coming.) 

Don’t be overwhelmed by all the options out there. Ready to test out my recommendations? There are plenty of Sojourney advisors ready to do the hard part, all you need to do is reach out. We’re happy to sift through all the options, find your perfect cruise fit and help you with all the plans! Reach out to your favorite Sojourney advisor today to get started.