When it comes to vacationing aboard a cruise ship, many individuals consider preparation to be setting out the luggage that they plan to bring with them and sorting the clothes they will wear. Indeed, packing for your cruise vacation is important; however, it is not the only preparation that should occur. Your cruise vacation preparation should not wait until the week before your trip, rather, it should begin as soon as you book your cruise vacation reservation.
The type of cruise that you will be taking is vital to preparation. A large number of cruise ships travel on international water and many dock at international ports. Before being able to board your ship, you may have to show proper identification. With international cruises, this identification often includes a drivers licenses and a passport. If you are a U.S. citizen traveling on a closed loop cruise, that is, one which begins and ends at the same U.S. port, a passport is not necessary. Still, a passport has its benefits.
Unfortunately, when it comes to obtaining a passport, there are many individuals who wait until the last minute. While it is possible to obtain a last minute passport in the event of an emergency, most require at least a few weeks or more to process. A passport is not automatically granted; you are required to apply for one. Almost all individuals that apply for a passport are granted one, but planning ahead is the best option. If error is made on the information you supplied, you will have enough time to fix it before your cruise ship departs.
The proper identification is needed to board a cruise ship. Your passport and your driver’s license are not the only forms of documentation that you should bring onboard. If you are covered under a health insurance plan, you are encouraged to bring your health insurance cards. In the event you fall ill while on vacation, your insurance cards will allow you to obtain the needed medical attention.
In addition to your medical insurance cards, it is advised that you bring along all of your needed medications. You may even want to consider bringing along extra medication. What if your cruise is extended due to weather or you drop a couple pills down the sink? Bring along a couple extra days worth of medications to be safe. It is also best to carry your needed medications aboard in your carry-on bags. Although rare, checked baggage can become lost and there are no pharmacies in the middle of the ocean to refill a lost prescription.
To pay for port activities, you will need to bring along extra money. Like many resorts, you do not need to carry cash on your cruise ship. All on-board charges are added to your cabin for you to settle at the end of the cruise. When you venture into the ports you should carry small bills and a credit card. Many of the established stores in ports will accept credit cards for purchases but smaller souvenir stands may not. At these stands the merchants will usually accept your currency but you will receive change in the local currency. To avoid having too much of the local currencies to deal with, it is best to carry small bills and to pay as close to exact as you are able to the negotiated price of your item.
When traveling aboard a cruise ship, you are urged to give a copy of the cruise ship’s itinerary to multiple friends and family members. This will make it possible for you to be contacted in the event of an emergency. When registering for a cruise ship, you may also be required to give the contact information of someone that should be contacted in an emergency. Your first thought may be to give the contact information of your spouse, children, or a close friend. When doing so, it is important to make sure that they will be on land and accessible and not traveling with you on the cruise.
Once you have made the above mentioned preparations, you can begin focusing on other preparations, such as packing your luggage. When packing, you are urged to keep the climate of your cruise in mind. At the same time, you should be prepared for unexpected weather. Making the proper cruise ship preparations will ensure that your vacation will be a success.
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