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When you first arrive at a ship, before you even get on board, you'll likely be greeted by porters who will whisk away your luggage. This is a great convenience, as there's no need to haul your bags through the entire check-in progress. But it also means you might not have access to your luggage for many hours on your first day on board. Many cruises depart in the afternoon, so it might seem just fine to fly or drive to a port on the morning of departure. But all it takes is a moderate flight delay or a pile-up on the highway to upset those plans.
Late vs. Early Booking: When to Book a Cruise for the Best Price
Sloan agrees and says people book cruises much further in advance than a hotel or flight, which means that inventory can get gobbled up quickly. Many cruise lines open up their reservation window as far as two years in advance, which means certain cabins can get snatched up. Don’t forget that many travelers are looking to use leftover credits they have from the pandemic, which further compounds the demand. After a busy holiday season, travelers often think about getting away from the cold winter or planning their vacation for the upcoming year. Whether you book early or last minute, you're liable to get extra perks. Cruise lines use incentives to get people to book early (usually six months to more than a year ahead of sailing) or close to sailing day when ships haven't sold out.
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As well, many cruise lines make every adult in the cabin buy the package if one adult does. This is likely to limit “sharing” of packages (which is against the rules). But if you have one person who drinks and another that doesn’t, then it could waste a lot of money to get the package. OTC MedicinesFirst, any cruise ship will have a small store where you can pick up small items that you might have forgotten at home. But they are expensive (we’ve seen cold medicine for $17 a bottle) and not open around the clock.
Disembarkation at the End of Your Trip
But in general, we find that the experience is largely the same when it comes to the mass-market lines like Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian, and the like. If you schedule for noon, there’s always the chance you may arrive earlier, but it’s not worth the risk. Having some extra time will make debarking the ship much less stressful instead of having to constantly check your watch. Cruise ships arrive back in port early in the morning, but it can be several hours before everyone is off the ship. As well, you then have to get to the airport, get through security, and find your gate.
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At the heart of most cruises are port calls that, in many cases, are very short — often just a few hours. You want to have a plan for what to do in these ports or you'll miss out on a big part of the cruising experience. I am, of course, too cool to ever put a key card lanyard around my neck, which means I lose my card once or twice on every trip. My cruise team colleague Ashley Kosciolek also escews landyard-wearing on ships, but that didn't stop her from writing this wonderful guide to the coolest cruise lanyards around.
Have a Cruise Packing List
If you’re switching cabins, crew members will usually be able to help you pack up your things to switch them over to the new stateroom. In both cases, you’ll have to disembark into the terminal with your passport to go through the customs process. You can either go through the cruise line directly, through a travel agent, or through a third-party travel website. If you're looking to set sail for the first time, we have a complete guide on how to book a cruise with insider tips, tricks, and advice. No one wants to book a cruise… and then see the price drop right after they book.
Underrated European Travel Destinations Royal Caribbean Cruises
Executive Members earn 2% back on Costco Travel purchases and receive additional benefits on select packages. Plus, Costco Anywhere Visa® Card by Citi cardholders earn 3% cash back rewards on Costco Travel purchases. American Airlines AAdvantage members can earn airline miles when booking cruises at BookAACruises.com. All members earn one mile for every dollar they spend on cruise reservations, up to 10,000 miles. Some cruise specials offer up to 100,000 miles based on your selected cruise.
Also, beware of booking late when you have to fly to reach your homeport. The cost of last minute airfare could eat up your cruise savings, and the hassle of obtaining the necessary visas, hotels and transportation could further diminish that initial deal. What you won't find are low rates on fancy suites or prime cabin locations. You'll also need to be flexible on specific ships, itineraries and sail dates to make the most of booking a cruise late. You need to go where the inventory is; if your dream cruise is filling up, the last minute rates will be higher not lower.
New to cruising
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Some lines will let you sign up for shows, tours and other activities (including meals at specialty restaurants) in advance of sailing using online portals. If you want to be sure that you get a seat for a specific show on a specific night, or a specific tour or restaurant reservation time, it's a good idea to do this. It's not uncommon with some ships to find that some shows, tours and restaurant reservation times book up in advance. Another great place to get ideas for what to do in ports and on ships — and what to bring on a cruise, for that matter — are the many private Facebook groups dedicated to particular lines. I belong to a number of them, including the Royal Caribbean Cruises group, the COPs (Cruisers Opinion Page) group and the Holland America Line Fans group. I've met some wonderful people in these groups, some of whom have become my longtime friends on Facebook.
If you're not sure where to begin, one of the best first-time cruise tips is to look at how much time you have to travel. If you're searching for a quick getaway, a short cruise to Mexico, the Caribbean or Catalina Island might be within reach. Or, if longer escapes are more your style, embark on a seven-night (or longer) cruise to Europe, Asia, the South Pacific and beyond. There is bound to be a cruise that fits your dream destination and ideal length of time. Navigator of the Seas offers endless opportunities for you to bond with your loved ones. Discover all the exciting family vacation ideas and travel activities.
Perks can include extras like prepaid gratuities, drink packages, free internet or a free dinner in a specialty restaurant. Packages for dining as well as soda, coffee or alcoholic beverage packages can be added to your cruise booking on your cruise personalizer or online planner. While you can add drink packages and specialty dining once on your cruise ship, many cruise line’s will have discounts and promotions leading up to your cruise. While some people are flexible and can choose to cruise anytime, many others have a set vacation time or have to plan around school breaks and summer holidays. Remember that late summer through Fall is hurricane season, so while prices will be lower, I wouldn’t suggest these for first time cruisers.
These miles and Loyalty Points count toward airline elite status. Additionally, trips booked through this site are eligible for promotions offered by the cruise lines. In most cases, passenger names, ship and sailing date changes to cruise bookings are allowed by cruise lines, though they're sometimes subject to a per-person service fee. This is generally allowed only if changes are made well in advance of the cruising date (how much in advance varies by cruise line). Some cruise lines and many travel agents allow you to pay off the cruise in installments before the final due date. Keep in mind, with virtually all cruise lines, the final payment date is a hard deadline.
This honest feedback and travel inspiration also make it one of the best websites to book a cruise. From our findings, here are the top cruise booking sites for your next vacation, plus the pros and cons they offer travelers. Once booked, members are encouraged to sign up for Roll Calls -- message boards dedicated to specific future sailings -- to make friends before they embark. Cruise pricing can be complicated because, much like airfares, cruise fares fluctuate constantly.
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