The cruise vacationcruise travel. You have filled out all of the cruise documentation – do this at home, don’t wait to get to your cruise ship – and now you are ready for this highly anticipated cruise vacation. There are a few tips about departure day that you should know before you head for your cruise…
Keep all of your documents with you; that includes tickets for your cruise travel, any vouchers, passport and any immigration forms that the cruise line has sent you. That includes bus vouchers from the cruise line that will deliver you to the ship from the airport. It is wise to pack a change of clothes in your carry-on in case your baggage gets delayed.
If you have purchased the vouchers from the cruise line, a cruise line representative will meet you at baggage claim and take you to the bus or van that will transport you to your cruise ship.
If you decided to handle the transfer on your own, check ahead of time to find out how much a taxi will cost from the airport to the pier. It is good to know how long it will take to make the transfer so you have timed your flights accordingly.
Make sure you have attached your cruise line tags with ship name, cruising date, and stateroom number to your luggage. When you arrive at the pier a porter will relieve you of your bags. He will expect to be tipped. The going fare is one dollar per bag.
Cruise tips are always helpful, so pay attention to this one…let the cruise line make your airline reservations. The reason for this is that if your flight is delayed the cruise line will handle it. If there are several other passengers on the same flight the cruise line will delay the departure of the ship. If it’s just you and your traveling companion they will probably put you up in a hotel in the town of your embarkation and get you on the ship at the next port of call. If you opted to do it on your own, you will have to make all those arrangements. So, for safety and peace of mind let the cruise lines do it.
If you have decided to go to the town of departure a few days before the cruise, that will not be a problem, so make your own reservations. Some travel insurance companies will pick up these expenses but make sure you read the fine print on the policy BEFORE your cruise vacation.
When you get to your cruise ship, embarkation could be a little chaotic. There will be lines, especially early in the check in process. There will be a lot of stressed out people so just relax and take it in stride. After you have gone through the check in process you will be aboard and your cruise vacation begins! Here is where it pays to have all of your documentation completely filled out.
Many of the cruise lines have loyalty programs. If you are a repeat cruiser, many times they have preferred check in areas. Many of the cruise lines will have preferred check in for cruisers who have booked suites or mini suites. Check this out with your cruise travel agent.
While you are checking in for your cruise vacation, you will have to give the cruise line a credit card for any on board charges. Most times your room card is also your credit card and identification for getting on and off at ports while on the cruise ship. If you can get on the ship early in the process you get two benefits. One, you get to have lunch and two, you get the first shot at spa and beauty appointments. It will also give you time to peruse your cruise ship and then head for the pool!
Just before you get to the gangway you will be stopped by the ship’s photographer and a picture will be taken to commemorate your cruise travel. It will be on display in the ship’s photo gallery but you are under no obligation to purchase it.
Check in procedures will be different from ship to ship, even within the same cruise lines. It depends on the experience of the staff and the cooperation of the passengers. Remember that these folks that are checking you in have been working since seven o’clock in the morning off loading the people from last week’s cruise vacation. Then they turn around and start putting on a whole new set of passengers for the next cruise.
The most important advice is to try to keep a cool head. You are headed for the best thing you can imagine, a cruise vacation. So relax and get started on the right foot.
Happy Cruising!
Mary Hanna
