Arriving on the day of your departure
Probably the biggest mistake of the five mistakes to avoid with cruising is this one! So many things could go wrong on that day. Flight changes, flight cancellations, flight delays. There could be an accident on the way to catch your flight and miss the plane entirely (or if you are driving you could miss the departure). The best course of action with cruising is to have a “pre-night” in the hotel the night before, for peace of mind.
Not buying travel insurance
This one is a big deal with all types of travel these days, and it applies to cruises as well. If you are out of the country and something happens, your US health insurance will not cover you. If you were delayed or canceled, having the peace of mind of travel insurance is a must!
Cruising without a passport
Now, you technically do not have to have a passport to cruise. However, it’s not a great idea to cruise without one. A couple of examples of something that could happen that would make this very important. One, you miss the boat while you are in port. Now you have to find your way back to the US and you don’t have a passport to fly. Or another one could be that something happens back at home, and you need to fly back immediately. You are out of the country and again cannot fly without a passport.
Mistreating the crew
Most people do not think too much about the people who are cleaning their rooms or serving them on a cruise ship. These servers, employees work 7 days a week and are usually on the ship for 6-9 months at a time. They are away from their families while doing this. Treat them kindly and with respect, it will make their day (or week).
Flying home too early
You are ready to disembark and get to your plane. But this process can take longer than expected. It’s highly recommended that you either stay a “post-night” or at least book your return flight home in the afternoon or early evening to avoid any problems of making it on time for your flight.
Cruising has returned. Are you interested in a cruise, a river cruise, or yacht sailing? I am here to assist you with your return to sailing. Click here to contact me or click here to set up a chat on my calendar. I look forward to assisting you with your next cruise vacation!
Check out my other blog posts:
EXPIRING PASSPORT
