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Booking, timing, packing and paperwork. The practical decisions that get made months before anyone boards a ship.
Planning a Cruise
Pack for a cruise in two parts. Your carry-on holds everything you need for the first afternoon: travel documents, medications in original containers, a swimsuit, a change of clothes, chargers and any wine you are allowed to bring. Your checked bag holds the rest of your clothes, toiletries and extras. Leave behind irons, steamers, candles, CBD and marijuana, and on most lines surge-protected power strips.
Planning a Cruise
Cruise travel insurance reimburses non-refundable costs if you cancel or cut the trip short for a covered reason, and pays for medical care and emergency evacuation while you are away. It usually costs 5 to 10 percent of the trip price. It matters on cruises because Medicare and most US health plans rarely pay for care abroad, onboard medical bills are charged to you, and evacuation can cost tens of thousands of dollars.
Planning a Cruise
Most big lines accept babies from 6 months old, or 12 months on longer ocean crossings and itineraries with several sea days in a row. Daytime kids clubs are free, typically from age 3 and often only for toilet-trained children, with separate teen clubs. Children usually pay a reduced fare as third or fourth guests, but they still pay taxes, port fees and, on most lines, daily gratuities.
Planning a Cruise
US citizens on a closed-loop cruise, one that starts and ends at the same US port and visits Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean or Bermuda, can legally re-enter with a birth certificate and government-issued photo ID instead of a passport. You do need a passport book for one-way cruises, some ports such as Panama, Colombia and Martinique, and any flight home from a foreign country.
Planning a Cruise
For most people, the best time to book a cruise is 9 to 18 months before sailing, when choice of cabins is widest and early fares are competitive, ideally during wave season from January to March, when lines run their biggest promotions. Last-minute deals appear after the final payment deadline, usually 75 to 120 days before sailing, but mostly on Caribbean and short cruises, and cabin choice is limited.