First-Time Cruisers: What to Know Before Packing a Bag

Friends and family have been telling you for years that it’s time to plan a cruise vacation. They aren’t alone. The Cruise Lines International Association (CLIA) expects 24 million passengers will sail in 2016, up from 15 million just 10 years ago. But first-time cruise travelers can take pointers from those millions of cruisers for the tips and tricks to maximize their cruise experience.

“Well-seasoned cruise travelers know several handy tricks for crafting the ultimate cruise experience,” said Beth Godlin, president, Aon Affinity Travel Practice. “Today’s cruise vacations give passengers tremendous offerings on and off the vessel, but there are a number of preparations travelers can work through in advance to enhance their enjoyment.”

With this in mind, we pulled together the top tips to help first-time cruise travelers enjoy smooth sailing:

• Find Your Values – Cruising represents a great value, with dining and a variety of ship-board activities, destinations to experience and more, but savvy sailers don’t book solely on value. Cruise lines market to specific travel styles and interests. They have unique amenities and a wide variety of ports of call. Find what interests you most, then hunt for bargains.



 
• Build Bookends – Don’t just think about the ports of call during your cruise. You can extend the vacation by making time before and after your sail to enjoy your return and departure port cities. Consider those sites as you narrow down your cruise selection.



 
• R.S.V.P. – Figure out, before you depart, what activities and experiences matter to you most (a romantic dinner, an hour at the spa) and book them in advance. This will ensure your vacation can start as soon as you get onboard.



 
• Pack with Purpose – Cruise veterans know to pack a small day bag filled with all the essentials they need on the first day of their cruise to use before their checked bags are delivered to the cabins. Any medicines you’ll need, sunscreen, bathing suit, etc will help your vacation begin, stress-free, immediately. This also will come in handy when exploring the ports of call.



 
• Protect Your Investment – The last thing most cruise travelers think about when booking their trip is the list of things that can go wrong, but it’s equally important to consider how you can protect your investment with travel insurance. This especially rings true with insurance packages designed specifically for cruise travelers and with fees usually just a small percentage of your vacation budget.