10 Preparations To Make Before Boarding A Cruise

There are a lot of preparations required for a cruise vacation. Here are the critical 9 preparations to make before boarding a cruise.

1. Online Check-In and Document Verification

Check in online the week before your cruise, upload any necessary documents, confirm that your shipboard account is prepared for your expenses, and (if available) take your security photo to ensure that boarding goes as smoothly as possible. Make sure your passport is somewhere you won’t forget it when it’s time to head to the airport or cruise terminal. Print out your airline boarding card, luggage tags, boarding pass, and any additional documentation you may need to carry with you. Always handy to have a paper backup in case you lose internet access or your cell phone battery dies.

2. Get COVID Tests

Many cruise lines still need documentation of full COVID vaccination or a negative COVID test (sometimes both) to set sail, even though the cruise industry is continually upgrading its standards in response to the changing COVID-19 pandemic health advisories and regulations you must be familiar with the policies and procedures of your cruise line. You should also make sure that you have a strategy in place in case testing is required within a specified period (for example, 48 hours) of your sail date and that you will obtain your results in hand or electronically in time for your departure.9 Preparations To Make Before Boarding A Cruise

3. Download The Cruise Line App

Become familiar with the communication options offered by your cruise line. Many provide free mobile apps that you may install on your phone and download in advance to use while on board to connect with other cruise passengers. It’s always a good idea to do this while you have access to WiFi.

4. Notify Your Credit Card Company

If you don’t travel frequently, it’s a good idea to inform your credit card company that you will be taking a cruise and visiting particular cruise ports. While some credit card companies don’t require you to do this, many people do report that they’ve had their credit card blocked or declined when traveling, especially if they made a large purchase.

Considering that you don’t want to run into any issues, you might want to call your credit card to let them know or check if you can add a travel advisory on their website.

Finally, make sure you’ve linked a credit card to your cruise reservation. This will be used for any onboard purchases and links directly to your stateroom. You should also make sure everyone in your travel group has the card linked.

5. Take Extra Prescription Medication

Cruise lines recommend that you bring 2 to 3 weeks of extra medication with you on your cruise. This is a good idea whenever you travel. Make sure to plan for and pick up extra prescription medication as you pack and get ready for your travels.

6. Research Ports In Advance

Before some vacations, such as beach vacations, you don’t need to do any research. To put it simply, you show up. Most cruises aren’t like that, at least not if you want to make the most of your time on board. Port stops, which are typically the main component of cruises, are frequently relatively brief—often only a few hours. If you don’t have a plan for these ports, you’ll lose out on a significant portion of the cruise experience. Once you know what ports you’ll be visiting, do as much research as you can.

7. Consider Travel Insurance

When it comes to cruising or any other type of vacation, the waters aren’t always calm. There will be times you might have to cancel your cruise in advance if an ailment develops suddenly. Or perhaps you require immediate medical assistance while sailing. You can miss the ship’s departure if your flight to it is canceled. These types of incidents can occur to cruise passengers, and in each of them, travel insurance may be useful.

8. Prepare To Disconnect From Work

It should be the main focus of this trip to take a break from work and not spend hours each day with the most recent crisis at the office. Make sure to finish any urgent work projects in the days before your trip, notify your coworkers that you’ll be offline, respond to any unanswered emails, and—most importantly—activate your out-of-office message.

9. Cash Preparation

If you’re thinking of taking a cruise, you should also pack some cash, which can be used for on-ship tips and any unforeseen expenses that can’t be paid for with a credit card.

If you’re cruising from a different country, you can get some currency before departure if you’re not comfortable using foreign ATMs and want to have local currency when you arrive.

10. Check the Weather Forecast

Make sure to check the weather one last time around a week before your vacation. Knowing whether the weather may be unusually chilly, hot, or rainy is a smart idea, and you should adjust your packing accordingly. Even on Caribbean cruises, never forget to bring a sweater or other winter clothing just in case. It’s also a good idea to have a poncho or umbrella.

9 preparations to before boarding a cruise.