Are you ready to start planning a cruise but feeling a little overwhelmed? We have been on many cruises and I’m often asked how I go about picking our next cruise vacation.
Here are my 10 easy steps to planning a cruise to remember!
This post contains affiliate links which means if you click and buy I may make a commission, at no cost to you. Please see my full disclosure for more details.
1. Consider a travel agent
A good travel agent is worth their weight in gold. A good travel agent will listen to your priorities and preferences while guiding you through the entire process. They may also suggest some options that you hadn’t considered. A travel agent that specializes in cruising might be best for first-time cruisers.
Big box travel agencies, like Costco Travel, and Expedia often have added perks for your booking. This may be onboard credit or a gift card for doing business with them. This can be great. However, you deal with a different individual each time you call to ask a question, make a request or make a payment. While this can work well for some, I find that having a specific person is ideal because they learn your preferences and can make great recommendations!
2. Choose an itinerary
Whether a travel agent helps you or your research on your own, this is your next step.
If you are open to multiple cruise lines, you can review several brands and itineraries on a site like cruiseline.com (or with your travel agent). This site offers tons of reviews and tips for cruise brands and specific ships, excursions, itineraries, and more.
If you have a particular cruise line in mind start on their website. Use the search criteria including the number of days, month(s) of sailing, and the area you would like to cruise. Keep your options open and evaluate things like the number of sea days, ports of call, and onboard activity options.
Are ports of call most important to you or the onboard experience?
Do you need to coordinate with specific vacation time or school breaks? For many years we needed to schedule around school breaks. In other words, the pricey times. If you can sail while children are typically in school you can sail a little more economically…supply and demand. If your dates are flexible, check the pricing on the week before and the week after. Occasionally one option could be considerably lower or higher than other weeks for the same sailing itinerary. Again, supply and demand.
Ask yourself these key questions:
- Am I locked into one particular timeframe (i.e. coordinating with a school break)?
- Which is more important to me – the ports of call or the activities available on the ship?
- Is this embarkation port acceptable to me? Can I drive to the port? Are plane tickets reasonable to this area?
- Does this price fit within my budget? (keep in mind that sites show you the base rate per category and do not include port taxes and fees)
3. Selecting the right stateroom
Ok, you’ve settled on an itinerary and now it’s time to choose your cabin!
What “type” of room do you want? Inside, oceanview, balcony…maybe splurge on a suite. The general type is the first thing you will need to determine. Again, keep in mind that the price you see posted on a cruise line website will be for the lowest-priced option within that category. Yes, it’s true, not every balcony stateroom is the same price.
After the stateroom type has been determined, you will need to determine your general location. Sometimes there is a price difference for mid-ship, forward, or aft rooms.
Some factors to consider:
- Do you have mobility issues and prefer to be close to the elevator bank?
- Are you concerned about seasickness? Midship and lower-level rooms are more stable.
- Are you a light sleeper? Make sure you do not book a room directly below the pool deck or the nightclub.
Here is another vote for a great travel agent. My agent doesn’t even need to ask anymore. She knows that I favor decks 6-8, mid-ship to aft sections. I’m a light sleeper so she already knows to check the casino and nightclub locations for me. Communicate your preferences to your travel agent or review the ship layout prior to booking your room. In the meantime, if you are new to cruising and have a question about choosing a stateroom, leave a comment below and I will be happy to help!
4. Book early
There has been a lot of chatter on the topic but most travel experts agree that booking as early as possible gives you the opportunity for the best rate. The last-minute deals which were fairly common a decade ago are pretty rare. Of course, if you live near a cruise port and have cruised often, there may be some deals out there.
For the general vacation goer, booking early is your best bet. As rooms start to fill up, the prices generally start to creep up as well. Book early and then set up a price alert. You can generally price adjust up until your final payment date. Plus, by booking early you have more time to pay off the balance. This advance planning gives you time to purchase any extras such as specialty dining, drink packages, etc.
5. Hotel & Transportation
Your cruise is booked! Now let’s chat about your pre-cruise travel plans. Not since our honeymoon (when our bags didn’t make our connecting flight and we were without our clothing for the first 3 days of our cruise) have we flown in on the day of embarkation. Don’t risk it. I know hotels are very expensive, but if you are flying, PLEASE go in the day before. Bags aside, if you get stuck in the Atlanta airport for 14 hours due to a dusting of snow as we did you will regret it! You can read about that adventure, here.
Rule #1 of cruising – Don’t miss the ship people!
I am a “points” girl and haven’t paid out of pocket for a hotel in years. You can read more about how I do that here.
If you are driving in, consider staying an hour out of town. Hotels may be much less expensive. If you’re flying, check nearby airports for cheaper flights. Miami is only 30 minutes away from Ft. Lauderdale. You may be sailing out of Port Everglades in Fort Lauderdale but can get a cheaper flight on your preferred airline into Miami.
Do your research. Many hotels offer a shuttle to the port for $7 -10 per person. If you’re traveling with a group a taxi or Uber may be more cost-effective.
Ok, your cruise, travel, and hotel are booked. You’re already through the first half of your 10 Steps to Planning a cruise!
6. Organize your information
I like to use a poly envelope style with a closure. You can find the ones I use here. I print out a copy of the cruise contract, cruise boarding pass, flight plans, and hotel accommodations. Everything related to the trip goes into the folder. I will continue to add any confirmations and receipts throughout the planning process.
Yes, I know that the planet is in danger and we live in a digital world. I am on board! (no pun intended) I highly recommend downloading and using the cruise line app, airline app, and digital planning services such as Tripit. I love them all. However, I am a worrier and I like to be prepared. I have boarded cruise ships and printouts were the only option at that moment for some reason or another. To me, this was especially important when needing to show a vaccination card or a negative Covid test.
7. Plan…but don’t over plan
Keep in mind that there is SO much to do on a cruise vacation that you could become exhausted trying to do it all. Plan a few big things and then leave yourself open to exploring and relaxing.
I generally plan an activity for each port of call. Sometimes that is as simple as taking the water taxi to the public beach and sometimes it’s an active day filled with hiking, zip-lining, or paddle boarding. Browse the cruise planner to get an idea of available options. Pinterest, Youtube, and blogs like mine also offer some fun suggestions. If you’re new to cruising, trying out the ship-sponsored activities is a safe bet. While they tend to be a little pricer than some other options, they offer great security for new cruisers. If you’re cruising to an area that is new to you, I recommend a tour of the area. It provides a great overview and can give you several new ideas for later in the day or for your next visit.
Related posts – Cruise Port Days and When to book an excursion through the cruise line.
Websites such as www.cruiseline.com and www.cruisecritic.com offer reviews of specific excursions. You can even check out options at Viator.com and on the ShipMate app.
8. Social Media – Helpful when planning a cruise
Pinterest is a GREAT place to plan and get excited about your cruise. There are so many pins available for ports of call, reviews of ships, packing lists, and more. I even have several of my own that you may want to check out! Don’t forget to share the PIN below. Thanks!
You can also gather ideas from Youtube videos and by joining a Facebook group for cruisers and even one for your specific sailing.
If you aren’t currently a member of Finding Jillian on Facebook, I invite you to join us. You can also search your ship name and sailing date to see if there is a group available for your sailing. These groups are great for sharing ideas, announcing sales, and even get-togethers such as casino slot pulls and bar crawls. As always, just be mindful about sharing personal details online. I want to keep you safe!
9. Utilize the Cruise Planner (or Personalizer)
Many of the larger ships now request that you reserve show tickets and make dinner reservations prior to boarding. This is an attempt to manage crowds and guest expectations. Take advantage of this as soon as possible. You can always modify your reservations later. This is also an area where you can purchase services or items prior to boarding, typically at a discount. Go ahead and grab that drink package while it’s 30% off!
Some onboard experiences will not be available to schedule until you are onboard. Remember this for embarkation day!
10. Online Check-in
Shortly before your cruise – approximately 45 days prior, you will get an email that online check-in is available for your sailing. I know that’s a big window but it varies by line and was extremely variable during the restart.
Check in as soon as possible. Most cruise lines now ask that you select an arrival time at the port. Embarkation day is the first day of the cruise that you are paying for. I want to arrive as early as possible and start enjoying my cruise!
The online check-in process is the time to confirm all of your document details, select your arrival time and get your boarding pass and print your luggage tags! While the boarding pass will stay available in the cruise line app, feel free to print it out or grab a screenshot if you are concerned about having it handy at the port.
Final Steps!
I recommend printing out receipts for anything you pre-booked and paid for, just in case. Items like boarding documents, appropriate receipts, and passports can all go in your planning envelope/folder and into your embarkation day bag.
You may opt to keep your passports in a more secure location. I keep them separate until the morning we board the ship then add them to the sealed folder. I have this in my hand throughout the boarding process so they are secure until they go in our stateroom safe.
Tip: Print off your luggage tags ahead of time and store them in your folder. Attach them to your luggage on the morning of your cruise – not before. The front desk of your hotel will loan you a stapler or you can use one of these handy cruise luggage tags from my travel favorites page – select the appropriate size for your cruise line.
Bonus: Download the Ship Mate app and let the countdown to cruise day begin!
Helpful Posts:
Want to know what I carry on board the first day? Check out My Embarkation Day Bag.
I even have a kit that I use to prepare my cruise cabin for a great week called my cruise cabin prep kit. It goes with me every time!
Have a specific question about planning a cruise? Comment below or join our positive community on Facebook.
Happy cruising everyone!
Jill
Let’s Connect
Pin for later!
