Top 12 Rules For Avoiding Cruise Vacation Nightmares! By Gerry and Margaret Waller

A cruise can be one of the best vacation experiences you can have – all in one floating venue! And the overall value of a cruise vacation is very high. You get excellent accommodations, great ports-of-call, Broadway-style shows, delicious food, and first-class customer service.

However, your dream vacation can easily turn into a nightmare if you don’t follow some basic rules to help achieve a successful travel experience. Here are the top 12 rules to follow for your cruise vacation.

1) Use a travel professional! Even though the Internet makes it possible to search out and find vacation options, you cannot do the research as quickly as your travel professional. Professional travel agents know how and where to search to find your best options and value. They also know, or can quickly find, the subtle but important differences between cruise lines and itineraries. They have the knowledge and experience that can help save you time, save you money, and avoid mistakes in selecting and booking a cruise – mistakes that can cause your vacation to turn into a nightmare.

2) Avoid the temptation of low-cost online sources or call centers. Everyone likes a good deal and saving money, but it’s important to consider total value over perception of low cost. The amount you think you’re saving can be quickly eliminated when you need help with vacation planning and personalized service that only a travel professional can provide. Try getting an online source or call-center rep to help you find answers to passport questions, suggest the best shore excursions, or book a dinner at one of the ship’s specialty restaurants. The value-added services you get from your travel agent will quickly cancel out the dollars you think you were saving by booking online or through a call-center.   

3) Book early! Don’t wait until the last minute. Make your reservations early, sometimes at least a year in advance. Reserving a vacation 12 months ahead of time may seem like a long time but if you want to sail at a specific time, on a specific ship, in a specific cabin category, and with a specific itinerary, you need to book early. Consider the example of vacationing on one of the popular river cruises that visit the Christmas markets along the Danube in December. These cruise vacations book up quickly and often 12 to 18 months in advance.

4) Check the name on your passport and its expiration date. This is not something most people think about until they decide to take a vacation that requires an up-to-date passport that includes the person’s legal name. If you haven’t used your passport for some time, take it out and check the expiration date even if you are not planning a vacation. The general rule for many countries is this: When traveling outside the United States, your passport needs to be valid at least 6 months beyond the completion date of your trip. You also want to be sure that your name is correct, especially if you have changed your name since the time you got your passport. You can get answers to frequently asked passport questions at https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/passports/FAQs.html.

5) Check visa requirements for specific countries. You should also check visa requirements for each specific country of travel. A visa is an official document issued by a foreign country. The visa formally allows you to visit the particular country. Visas are attached to your passport and allow you to enter a foreign nation. Information about visas and how to get them for specific countries can be found at https://travel.state.gov/content/studentsabroad/en/travel-docs/visas.html.

6) Don’t take same day flights to get to your cruise. This would apply to cruises embarking from a U.S. port. There is absolutely no way to predict the weather, aircraft delays, or any number of other situations that can keep you from getting to your cruise ship before it leaves on the day you travel.  It is always best to arrive one or more days before your cruise departs to avoid missing embarkation. The extra cost for hotel and meals will be well worth it and give you the opportunity to do some great sightseeing prior to your cruise.

7) Schedule enough time between connecting flights. One of the biggest reasons you miss a connecting flight or your checked baggage gets delayed is not having enough time between your arriving and departing flights. For example, you are flying from Chicago’s O’Hare airport to New York’s Kennedy airport and then transferring to another flight that will take you to Frankfurt, Germany. If the time between flights is less than one hour and your inbound flight is delayed, even by a few minutes, you and your luggage may not make it to the next flight in time. It is always best to give yourself plenty of time between the flights. A layover of several hours may seem long but it can help ensure you and your checked baggage will make the transfer. Another consideration when traveling overseas with connecting flights is to book your first flight from your home-based airport to a transfer city in the country you are traveling to. If you and your luggage are delayed, you will at least be closer to your final destination, provided you got on your original flight to begin with.

8) Book shore excursions in advance. You can be sure that if a cruise ship’s shore excursion looks appealing and something you would really like to do, then a lot of other people will want to do it too. Chances are it will book up quickly when the reservation process becomes available. In general, you can purchase a cruise ship’s shore excursions after making at least one payment toward your cruise. Others may make the shore excursions available after your final cruise payment. You can book on your own directly through the cruise line’s website, but your travel agent can also help you select and book your shore excursions. You should also know that you are not limited to the shore excursions offered by the cruise line. Your travel agent will know the quality and availability of other sources for shore excursions, some of which may be more attractive than ones offered by the cruise ship.

9) Book popular onboard cruise options in advance. Whether it’s a specialty dining option, entertainment, spa treatment, or some other special amenity on the ship, you’ll want to make your reservations in advance. For example, several of the well-known cruise lines offer specialty dining and popular show productions on some of their ships, often at additional cost per person. It’s best to register on the cruise line’s website so you can enter required information for your boarding passes and visit regularly to check on the availability of reservations. The advanced reservations can be made online ahead of your cruise departure. This will save you a lot of time and trouble when you board the ship for your cruise. If you miss the online reservations, be sure to make your reservations as soon as you get on board.

10) Pack a carry-on bag. There is nothing more stressful than having luggage lost and delayed. And it’s even worse when that luggage contains your medications and other essential items. Always pack a carry-on bag that includes travel essentials and an extra outfit or two that can get you through a couple days. When it comes to luggage, another thing to consider is the size and weight. Airlines have implemented a variety of restrictions for luggage you can check and carry on the aircraft. Always check the airline’s website to get the facts about luggage restrictions. Knowing this before you travel will save a lot of stress, frustration and delay.

11) Plan pre- and post-cruise hotels and tours. This is especially true when your cruise vacation embarks and disembarks in ports where you may never return. While your cruise itinerary will include many interesting and fascinating ports-of-call, you should not pass up the opportunity to experience the cities and culture that exist before and after the cruise. The pre- and post-cruise portion of your vacation can be any number of days depending on the particular city and sights to be enjoyed, and there are many options available for hotels, restaurants, entertainment and excursions. Ask your travel agent for suggestions and book well in advance of your cruise.

12) Always buy travel insurance. “I don’t need travel insurance because I don’t intend to cancel the trip.” Highly credible travel insurance sources can cover much more than trip cancellation. While cancellation coverage is good to have, you should also purchase a premium that includes coverage for a variety of situations such as trip delays, lost luggage, missed connections, illness, injury, and even death. “But a travel insurance policy is additional cost to the vacation that I didn’t want to spend.” It’s a cost you can’t afford not to spend. Consider the traveler who was perfectly healthy when she boarded the ship but developed appendicitis during the cruise. The cost for the ship’s doctor, transportation to a hospital, surgery and hospital stay, plus various other charges can run into tens-of-thousands of dollars. And that is just one example of many that can occur. So, if you think you’ll be saving money by not purchasing full travel insurance coverage, you can be in for a huge financial surprise.

When you plan and book a cruise vacation, you want it to be enjoyable, and you expect it to go well from start to finish. Unfortunately, enjoyment can quickly turn to a nightmare if the planning and preparation are not complete. Following the 12 rules can help increase the likelihood that your cruise vacation will be a dream-come-true rather than a total nightmare.

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If you need help planning and booking a cruise vacation or you have already booked and want help getting ready for the trip, we would like to hear from you. Please give us a call at 847.825.7761 or contact us through our website at http://www.funfilledtravelers.com/pages/contact

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Gerry and Margaret Waller combine their years of travel experience and passion for dream vacations to help clients get the most out of theirs. They provide thoughtfulness, patience, and careful attention to details in planning and accomplishing every client’s needs and desires for new and exciting vacation opportunities. Whether it is a luxurious cruise, relaxing resort and spa, or an adventurous escape from day-to-day lives, Gerry and Margaret go above and beyond to help turn your vacation dreams into dream vacations.