Cruise planning tips

My Best Cruise Planning Tips

Firstly, I have an entire packing for a cruise page. You should check it out!

But there's more to cruise planning than packing. Here are some of my top cruise planning tips.

Money: don't sweat it

Your payment options on board will be pretty much as they are in regular life. Cash, travelers checks and credit or debit cards will work fine. Want to write a check? Likely to be a hassle, if it's possible at all. (Just like in regular life!)

In addition, your cruise line will probably offer some kind of account where you can bill things, essentially, to your room. (Like Carnival's "Sign & Sail.")

ATMs are likely to be available, but keep these two caveats in mind:

There are no banks at sea, so your cruise ship's ATMs could actually run out of money
There will likely be fees

You might expect your payment options to be limited in ports of call, but that is generally not the case. These ports tend to service thousands of visitors each day, so what works on ship is likely to work in port as well.

Cruise planning tip: Tips!

You may be a credit card kind of guy (or a debit card kind of gal), but chances are your porter, or the crew member delivering an ironing board to your stateroom, or your snorkeling guide, isn't.

Bring a good supply of small denomination bills.

Cruise planning tip: Check-in and Departure time

There may be an instance of a cruise ship delaying departure for a delayed guest (perhaps when Queen Elizabeth sails The Queen Elizabeth), but I haven't heard of it.

Make sure your plans allow for unforeseen delays in getting to port.

Travel documents

I don't know about you, but I'll take a tropical paradise over a tropical prison every time. So here's a key cruise planning tip: bring the proper travel documents and keep track of them. Know when you are (and aren't) going to need them.

Communications

If you want or need to keep in touch with people, researching the most affordable ways to keep in touch is a cruise planning tip that could save you a bunch.

Find out if cell service is available (and determine, with your provider, what roaming charges you'll be subject to).

If cell phone service isn't an option, ship to shore communications are, though at a hefty per minute charge. Find out whether it's cheaper to call or be called!

This being the 21st century, internet (and thus email) tend to be available to cruise guests as well - though usually for a price. You'll pay for a shipboard computer, but you'll likely also pay to have your own laptop use the ship's wireless.

To my mind, the most cost-efficient communication option is to write email offline on your personal laptop and then breeze online for just a minute to send and receive!

Cruise planning tips: special needs

Check with the cruise line if you have dietary restrictions, require special needs accomodations, are pregnant or planning on bringing an infant. Know that limited medical services are available on board. Which brings up my number one cruise planning tip:

If you're waiting for a new kidney it may not be the best time to cruise! But if you're not...

Let's get cruising!

From "Cruise planning tips" to Cruise Reviews homepage.