You Bought a Cruise Now What? 5 Tips You Must Know

What to do after you book your cruise and how to prepare. Some people may be ok with just getting on
the ship and going with the flow. Others may want to know more about the ports they will visit and
what is offered on the ship, so they don’t miss out. Still others are probably somewhere in between. We
are going to take a few steps to help make your vacation the best it can be.

Knowing what Ports of Call your ship will be traveling to is important to understanding what you may need to plan.

Will you be going to a cruise private island (such as CocoCay or Half Moon Cay)? Are there items that are free or included? Most likely yes, at the very least most private islands offer beach chairs for free. Be sure to understand what is and is not included so you can prepare better for your day. You may not need to book an excursion if there are items that are included.

Do you have to book your excursion through the cruise company? Most of the time the answer is no, you can sometimes save a lot of money booking excursions on your own. Be sure to use a reputable company and be sure to understand the policies and procedures for getting back to the ship with plenty of time to get back on board. Beware: there are plenty of scams out there in cruise ports that promise different things and don’t deliver.

Do I need to book things in advance? There are a lot of excursions that will sell out so yes, I recommend booking any must-do items as soon as possible to reserve your spot. This includes Cabana’s!

You may not have time to do everything in Port that you wish to do!

Check out local interests to be sure you aren’t missing out on something that you may love! During your booking, and after, you can see what day and times your ship is due in port, this can be helpful to know how much time you can dedicate to your interest.

Popular Attractions may be a lot busier than you plan for.

Just be aware that your ship may not be the only one in port that day. If you search for your port name and Port Schedule, you should be able to quickly find out how many ships will be in port on a particular date. Some ports may only be able to have one ship at a time, but others may have multiples. Please note port schedules do change.

Before you get off your ship know when you must be back!

Please be careful if times changes have happened, the last thing you would want is to miss getting back on your ship. Listen to announcements on board as you are arriving if there were any delays getting there, there may be time changes. The ship will leave port without you and then you’re responsible for getting yourself to the next destination or back home.

Daily newsletter or daily app itineraries are super helpful for planning your day on the ship.

The only problem is you won’t be able to see it until you are on the ship. Depending on your
itinerary you may be able to find an example before leaving. Check out cruise boards at sites like
cruise critic or Facebook groups. Just search for your Cruise Ship. Most cruise lines will offer a bit
of information on their site about special theme nights, formal nights, and other special events
that may be available on your ship.

Hopefully these tips can help you feel better prepared for getting ready for your cruise! Knowing what
you need to plan for will help you enjoy your vacation even more!