Pre-Cruise Planning and Prep

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Maybe you have vacation planning under your belt, but never been on a cruise? Whether this is your first or tenth cruise, here is a list of things you should keep in mind prior to going on your cruise.  Keep in mind there are some things that should be done way in advance (60+ days) and some things which can wait until the week before.  We'll try to bucket them into some meaningful timelines.

60+ Days Ahead

• If you have to request vacation time (like fill out a form and ask the boss permission), please get that in writing asap before final payment is due; otherwise, we highly suggest buying travel insurance where you cancel for ANY reason.  I personally have been denied vacation 3 years in a row and was not a happy camper.  Don't let that happen to you.
• Speaking of final payment, don't forget to send in the final payment or the cruise will cancel your reservation.  We try to be kind and gently remind our clients to pay roughly a week before the final payment is due so that there is time to double check which credit card did you want to pay with? Sorry, but cruiselines still don't except Bitcoin for payment.
• Double check that all the government issued ID is valid and up to date.  We had one customer who had family members who had expired passports and notified us about 8 weeks prior to departure.  Putting an expedited order made sure we got it within 6 weeks, but that stress could have been avoided.  Also, that Real ID Act is going to be enforced by Homeland Security.  Example is California is non-compliant and state issued driver's licences will not be accepted as ID for airline travel after Jan 10, 2019 as of the extension filed as of Oct 10, 2018.  Please check out the Real ID website for your state.
• Also double check the itinerary to see if you will need to apply for any visas. This can be confusing based on your experience, like knowing you don’t need a visa to enter Hong Kong, but you do for Shanghai (still China isn’t it?)  We find the ProjectVisa website very insightful as a first look into what clients need.
• If leaving children/pets at home, look into making reservations for care as soon as possible.  We found out the hard way that the best pet sitters and nannies were spoken for 3 months in advance. If you are relying on other family, make sure to go over the relevant care/feeding schedule and that it is not their first time taking care of your beloved children/pets.  For both children and pets, have them meet the new caregiver at least a few times or else you'll curse yourself when you find out they aren't doing the things you expect like eating or taking daily medication.

30+ Days Ahead

• Somewhere between 30-40 days prior to embarkation, you should look into getting airfare.  You could either ask an agent (like us!) or set up a fare tracker on multiple different websites like Google Flight.  The unfortunate thing is that not all airlines are featured (Southwest being notoriously absent) and of course consolidator fares are also not there.  Cruise with discounted or free airfare typically do want to set the itinerary at 30 days at the latest.  Make sure you understand all the terms and conditions as those bundled airfares will not let you make changes of any kind, not even for a change fee.
• Double check that any specialty clothing you plan to bring actually exists and fits.  Things like glove liners or beanie caps that you swore you had somewhere should be dug out and found otherwise buy them/borrow them.  Likewise, verify that favorite dress or slacks still fit and don’t need any adjustments.  Ditto for shoes which take time to find.
• Don’t wait until the last minute to dry clean items like suits or dresses that were worn at Cousin Bette’s wedding.  Maybe you forgot about that mustard stain on your shirt. If you give the cleaners ample time, they won’t charge extra for rush jobs.
• Check out what suitcases you plan on bringing.  Do they look in good condition?  If going overseas, will they comply with foreign size/weight requirements? We bought a 20inch suitcase to use instead of the traditional 22inch carry-on (which work fine on American carriers).  Do you have TSA approved locks for all luggage, including the carry-ons?  We’ve had to gate check carry-ons when flying carriers where we were in the priority lanes.
• If you need to exchange for foreign currency, you need to do that weeks in advance as the banks don’t always carry the currency/denomination you may be looking for. We found that out the hard way. We ended up getting money out of an ATM machine, but it did not have the best rates.  We suggest always having singles to tip people or use for taxi fare.
• Make sure you arrange for how you plan to get to/from the airport.  Reserve that parking spot in the garage, especially if traveling anywhere near a holiday. If relying on a relative/friend, make sure they know the exact dates/times and a back-up person just in case life gets in the way.
• Most cruise lines want you to start the check-in process either online or via their app.  Don't wait until the day of travel to download the app.  Technical support can help you much better when you are not on the ship (waiting in line at guest services on board will be VERY long on the first day).

7-14 Days Ahead

• If you haven’t started packing, you should start laying out the clothes you intend to bring. 
• If you plan on getting a haircut or hair color change, this is a good time before you leave.  I don’t recommend manicures/pedicures at this time as they usually will chip beforehand.
• Print out all travel documentation and we do mean ALL.  Verify you’ve completed the online check-in process and there are no hangups.  Bring all receipts of any reserved and paid for excursions, rental car, travel insurance, etc.  Double check that the names all match your official government issued ID.
• Notify your credit card companies that you’ll be taking cards out of the country and for what duration.  Some companies go as far as to ask which countries you’ll be visiting in detail. Make sure to bring a card with no foreign transaction fees. 
• If you are bringing medication, find out your drug plan policy about getting a 90 day supply instead of the normal monthly prescription.  A lot of plans are sticklers about not letting you have more than just what the doctor ordered.

3-5 Days Ahead

• Place a hold on your post office mail – easily done online now. Even if you have a house sitter, it is better to not have additional clutter or have important mail be misplaced.
• Charge up all electronic devices – phones, tablets, cameras, spare batteries, battery packs.  You don’t want to visit our house as every plug is being used for something. 
• Go through and verify you can delete all media on those media cards.  Maybe you planned to download/upload them but didn’t get the chance.  Now is a good time or those pictures might turn into memories if you aren’t careful.
• Leave your travel itinerary with more than one person – your neighbor, your family not traveling with you, your good friends.  Make sure someone has a list of medications you are taking with you as well as a spare key to your place just in case.
• Make a copy of your passport/ID and credit cards that you plan to bring with you. Don’t put them in the same luggage as the originals as if the luggage is lost so are your copies.  
• Download the latest movies/games/music to occupy yourself and any little ones. 
• Buy snacks for the trip. Bring an empty water bottle that you can fill up in the airport. 
• Make sure you set up bill payments for the duration of your travel.  Really important not to miss that mortgage/rent payment.  Don’t rely on having internet available at your destination.  Your cruise ship wifi may be dependent on cell towers which may not exist where you are going.  Don’t say you weren’t warned. 
• Now is the moment of truth when you button up the suitcases and weigh them to verify you have not exceeded the weight limits.  Common bathroom scale work or you could buy a fancy one from which will break in 2 weeks. If you go over the weight limit, re-evaluate what you’ve packed and adjust accordingly.

That is about it – you ready to go now?  Let us know if there is something you learned that should be included.