Top 5 Pre-cruise Questions

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Cruising is confusing! I hear it every day.  From first time cruisers to guests who have sailed many times, everyone has questions.  I find myself with questions as well.  Things change, policies evolve and each ship, even within the same cruise line have differences.  Today, we will focus on the five questions I hear most often from new cruisers.

 

Q1. Do we need a passport to cruise? 

The Answer:  (For US citizens) Most of the time.  A lot of people hear about the "closed loop" sailings that do not require a passport and assume that just a drivers license is needed. Do not assume this applies to all closed loop sailings.  I have never had a guest be denied boarding mostly because I strongly encourage everyone who cruises to get a passport, even if its "not needed" per-say.  However, if you insist on sailing without a passport, the minimum required documents are a valid drivers license and a state issued birth certificate that must all match exactly with the name on the reservation.  If all three do not match (usually in the case with women that have changed to their married name) they must have another legal document explaining why the names do not match.  Guests 15 and under can also sail with just a birth certificate. With this information, I encourage all guests without a valid passport to double check the cruise line rules and regulations as well as the port rules and requirements as well as travel.state.gov.  Rules like these can change in a heartbeat. One of the best reasons to have a passport is if you happen to be stuck in a port during the cruise.  Makes it much easier to get back to USA. Keep in mind this is a short explanation of the rules regarding identification, and always read over your guest ticket contract and make sure all of your identification is up to date!

Q2 - Can only one adult (of two) purchase the drink package?

The Answer: No, not usually. Most, if not all cruise lines that offer an adult drink package, or any drink package, require all adults to purchase said package.  If its an adult and a child in a room, usually the child is forced into buying the soda package.

Q3 - What is the best location to be on the ship?

The Answer: Personally, I think anywhere on the ship is the best place to be.  There are more convenient places to be, for sure.  Some people like to spend a lot of time enjoying their balcony, they usually end up wanting to be near the dining rooms or the entertainment. Those typically are on opposite ends of the ship, so, you may have to decide what you think is best depending on what you like to do on board.  This might take you a few cruises to figure out.  Some guests enjoy mid ship because of the general belief that mid ship cuts down on the motion of the ship, that may or may not be true, but rest assured, if the ocean or wind is high, you will feel motion, no matter where on the ship you are.  My suggestion is to pick what you feel is the most convenient room for you personally.  My favorite rooms to stay in (aside from suites) are the aft facing balcony.  They offer the best views and the balconies tend to run a bit larger.

Q4 - Do I need travel insurance?

The Answer: Absolutely. No one likes to buy insurance of any kind.  However, when something happens during your trip, regardless of how severe, its nice to have the trip coverage.  Aside from catastrophe, the travel insurance helps with lost or damaged bags, trip delays and much more.  I have had guests save a lot of time and money by having the travel insurance.

Q5 - What are the best ports?

The Answer: Hard to say!  Most cruisers do have their favorite ports, they enjoy the activities or they found a cool beach or place they like to hang out and enjoy the local music and food.  Some guests have a nice memory from a particular port and like to return.  Some guests love ports with lots of adventure activities like Cozumel or Aruba some like a more laid back port like Half Moon Cay (Carnival Private island). If you are looking for adventure or if you are looking to just relax, a Caribbean cruise will probably have both! If you are looking for daily sight seeing and exploration, you might think about a European cruise.  Most first time cruisers are in the Caribbean region.  My favorite ports from around the world include; Croatia, Bermuda, Bonaire, Grand Cayman, Montenegro, Falkland Islands and many more.  

 

I am happy to discuss any of these topics and more!  Let me know how I can help.

Tom

acescruising.com

754.223.2468