Story & Photography Provided
Now that travel is exploding as a result of over two years of COVID confinement, there are some serious pitfalls to avoid when you are planning your cruise. Here are a few:
FLYING TO PORT ON DEPARTURE DAY
Flying to the port on departure day is a very dangerous move. A flight cancellation or serious departure delay (and maybe a missed connection), and you will arrive at the port just in time to wave the ship goodbye and kiss your nonrefundable cruise fare goodbye (or fly to the next port at the cost of an arm and leg to meet the ship there). Fly the day before, book a modest hotel (preferably one that has an airport driver, an airport shuttle and/or pier shuttle) and travel at your leisure.
NOT INVESTING IN TRAVEL INSURANCE
This is the worst decision you can make. Thinking you are healthy and don’t need it is very faulty. The medical coverage is just a tiny part of your premium. The real value comes in protecting you against trip interruptions, trip delays, lost, delayed or stolen luggage, flight cancellations, and pricey rebooking costs or having to cancel your trip. The medical coverage might come in handy if you become sick or have an accident on your vacation. Being treated in the ship’s infirmary is not free.
FORGETTING TO BRING YOUR PASSPORT
The cruise industry is moving towards requiring a passport for all cruises. Currently, for circular cruises (departing from and returning to the same port), some cruise lines will allow a legal copy of your birth certificate (with official stamp) and a federal photo ID (driver’s license with star will do) in place of a passport. For all other cruises and vacations out of the U.S., you will need a valid passport. Keep in mind that regular applications are now taking up to four months. An expedited application (extra cost of $150) will still take over three weeks.
NOT PREBOOKING EXCURSIONS
One of the real joys of cruise traveling is seeing a lot of the ports. Some of the most enticing, ship-sponsored shore excursions fill up very fast. The safest thing to do is “do your homework.” Go to the cruise ship’s website, look at the excursions and prebook the ones you want. That eliminates the “Sorry, that excursion is filled up and there are no more vacancies.”
COMING LATE TO THE BUFFET
The buffets on a cruise ship are something to behold, and the wide variety of food can tantalize your taste buds. The later you arrive at the buffet, the longer the food has been sitting out, subject to all kinds of factors, not the least of which is germs from other passengers. Enjoy the buffet, but know when it opens and come soon thereafter, to eliminate the chance of food spoiling because it has been out too long.
DOING YOUR OWN THING IN PORT
The ship will delay departure a reasonable length of time if ship-sponsored excursions are late getting back, and will get you to the next port at their expense if it must leave. If you go on your own and are late getting back, you can wave the ship goodbye and try to make it to the next port on your own while your pocketbook screams “Ouch.” Also, with unlicensed or unauthorized tour guides, you run the risk of being robbed.
BRINGING A LOT OF BOOZE ON BOARD
Most cruise lines allow you to bring one bottle of wine per person aboard in your sent-through luggage. If you bring the bottle to the dining room, you will be charged a corkage fee for its use at your table. It is best to enjoy it in your stateroom. Sneaking a lot of booze on board will very likely end in its confiscation (and maybe it will be returned when you disembark). Also know that soda, bottled water, some fruit juices, and premium coffees and teas are not free on most ships. An unlimited soda card typically runs about three times the cost of a soda per day. So if you drink more than that, it might be a wise investment. Some ships will allow you to bring one six-pack of canned soda aboard.
IGNORING THE EQUATORIAL SUN
Most of the Caribbean is close to the equator. Do not go out on deck without flip-flops or some other type of shoe. The pool deck can get hot enough to burn the skin off your feet with just a few steps. Also use sunscreen for the at-sea days while on the pool deck. You don’t want to spend the rest of your trip in misery with a third-degree sunburn.
FORGETTING THE ESSENTIALS
We address this in another article, but here are a few essentials.
- Make sure your passport is up to date and not expired.
- Bring a multiple-socket extension cord for charging everything.
- Don’t forget your camera or high-quality camera phone, but…
- Make sure your SD card or your phone has enough vacant memory.
- Don’t forget, carry-on luggage cannot have any liquids larger than 3 ounces.
- A small sewing kit and a small roll of sticky tape will come in handy.
Hopefully this information will help you make your cruise more enjoyable. Much of this article is just plain common sense, but you would be surprised at the number of people who forget common sense in the excitement of the moment. If this is not your first rodeo, we apologize if we have made things too basic. Enjoy your cruise.
Seventeen years of experience and a strong commitment to customer satisfaction makes Stellar Travel the essential ingredient for a happy vacation. Our prices are equal to the biggest discount travel sites on the web.
Call Mike at 317-490-3353 for your next vacation and travel with peace of mind.
