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You are 90 days before your cruise, what should you do to get ready? Follow along with us as we get ready for our next voyage and check out our pre-cruise planning checklist!
What to Do Before Your Cruise: 90 Day Checklist
Passport check. If you don’t have one, now is a good time to apply. If you do have one, this is a good time to check your expiration date. Generally speaking, passports should expire no earlier than six months after you travel. If your expiration date is earlier, you may be denied boarding.
Visas and vaccines. We haven’t needed any as of yet, but now is a good time to look into the requirements for your cruise and make sure you are set.
Travel
Book (or at least research) air travel. There are differing opinions about when the best time to buy is. But at a minimum, this is when we at least start to look at airfare.
Book (or at least research) port hotel options. You do not want to arrive in your port city the day you embark unless your travel time is one hour or less. If your flight is canceled or delayed, the ship will not wait for you. We tend to look for hotels that have shuttles to the cruise port (and a free breakfast).
Ports and Excursions
Research ports. About 90 days out I begin to look for information on the ports our ship will visit. This helps us make decisions about which ports we might want to do on our own and which ones will involve an excursion. This leads me to…
Research excursions. We do this 90 days out for a couple of reasons. First, if there is an excursion we REALLY want to do, we want to make sure it doesn’t fill up (and yes, this has happened). Second, we want to make sure we have or purchase any special gear we might need for an excursion.
For our next cruise, I really want my own snorkel mask. The excursion companies lend you the gear you need, but every single time I have been snorkeling, I get a leaky mask or I break the strap. It would also be nice to know that I am the only person who has ever put the air tube in my mouth. After doing some research, this one is on my list!
Start the “what do we need to buy” list. This doesn’t mean “buy everything you need to get”, but it does mean it’s time to make a preliminary packing list, check the closet, and then figure out what we think we are going to need to get before we sail. 90 days out gives us time to look for deals and refine the list as we go.
Clean up the diet. Yeah, I know this isn’t a priority for everyone. However, for most cruises, I’m going to be spending a week (or more) in swimwear, formal wear, and shorts. Second, while it’s possible not to gain weight on a cruise, I like to have a bit of room to indulge in a frosty pina colada or decadent chocolate dessert. Also, I want to be able to be active without feeling like I’m dying. Last, I want to be able to look back at my photos and feel like I’m looking darn good.
I hope this cruise checklist was helpful! Be sure to follow us on Pinterest and Twitter to see our countdown for preparing for your own cruise!
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