A Comprehensive Guide to Cruising: Everything You Need to Know

I remember the first time I booked a cruise vacation. I was nervous, scared, and excited, but also intimidated because, at the time, this seemed like such a different way to travel. Plus, there were all of these strange terms… disembarkation, MDR, muster, steward. It felt like cruising had its own vocabulary. Plus, there were so many decisions to make… when to fly in, when to fly home, which dining time to select, and should I prepay for tips? My head was spinning. Even after several cruises, I still found myself learning new things, and even after 23 cruises, there are still little tidbits I pick up. If you’ve never taken a cruise before or have cruised but are still learning, don’t despair because this guide will walk you through everything you need to know. Here’s what this guide will cover:

Table of Contents

• Do I Need a Passport to Cruise?
• Can I Cruise with a Felony?
• How to Choose Your Cruise
• How to Book Your Cruise Vacation
• Cruise Booking Decisions
• Booking Cruise Excursions
• Understanding Cruise Lingo
• What’s Included
• Getting to Port
• Packing and Preparing for a Cruise
• Tipping & Money
• Embarkation
• Ports of Call
• Disembarkation

Cons of Set Dining Times: The downfall of set dining is the lack of flexibility. Perhaps you have early dining, but you just aren’t very hungry at 5:30 PM because you had a late lunch that day. But with set dining, there’s little wiggle room on time. You can arrive a bit past your dining time, but not by much. Of course, the buffet is always an option, but many cruisers (like me) strongly prefer the MDR experience over the buffet (I avoid it as much as possible). Keep in mind, too, that the included entertainment, such as shows, comedians, live music, etc., is a big benefit of cruising, and it can sometimes prove difficult to attend the shows you want when they interfere time-wise with your set dining time.

Gratuities

Unless you sail with Virgin Voyages, which includes gratuities in the cruise fare, or if you book with a promotional rate (such as with Holland America Line) that includes gratuities, you will be expected to pay required gratuities, which on average run about $16 per person, per day.

When booking, you’ll be asked if you want to prepay this amount at the time of booking. Most cruisers do, but the other option is to pay at the end of your sailing. If the latter, the charge will be posted to your account on the last night of your sailing. For me, I see no benefit at all in paying this amount in advance of my cruise, especially if it’s months to a year in the future, so I always opt to just incur the charge on my stateroom bill at the conclusion of my sailing.

Transfer Service

If you are flying into your cruise departure port, an upsell most cruise lines will present its “transfer service,” where the cruise line shuttles you to and from the cruise ship — for a fee, of course. I never use this option, as I find it terribly inconvenient (and often more expensive) compared to other options, such as Get Transfer or Uber. Before automatically booking the transfer service the cruise line offers, do a bit of comparison shopping first.

Insurance

Another upsell the cruise line will offer is their insurance protection, which often covers the cruise cost if you have to cancel. I am a huge advocate of travel insurance and think it’s a terrible risk for people to travel without it (yes, even young people), so I personally do not use the cruise line’s insurance and instead cover myself with my own travel insurance policy, which covers not just travel interruption protection, but also any medical issues that may arise. I prefer using my own insurance as it’s much cheaper overall and provides much better coverage.

Extras

When you book a cruise, you will be presented with a dizzying array of additional options for purchase, and it can become overwhelming. You’ll need to decide if you want extra cruise goodies like Wi-Fi, spa services, drink packages, and excursions. The cruise line will incentivize you into early action by sometimes offering a discounted price as a benefit for booking these things in advance. For many of these, you can wait and purchase on the ship, although the price may be higher at that time, and some options may no longer be available, as they are limited in inventory of availability.

As for cruise excursions, you will need to decide not just if you want to do one and which to do at each port but also whether you prefer to book directly with the cruise line or go out on your own and book an independent excursion. Both have pros and cons, so be sure to consider them before making your choice.

Now that your cruise is booked, you’re all set — right? Well… not quite. Because unless you’re a “get off at port and wander around on your own” type of person, you might want to think ahead and plan for excursions. Each port is different, so you’ll want to do some research (like my extensive series of port-specific posts). Doing a bit of research about the ports of call on your itinerary will be immensely helpful in maximizing your cruise experience. You’ll also want to read reviews like these before booking anything, as you want to ensure it’s a well-rated experience with a reputable tour operator.

First, you’ll want to decide if an excursion is necessary because not all ports require spending money on an activity. Some have amazing activities and shopping right at or outside of port, like Puerto Plata, and others have stunning beaches right off the pier, like most of the private islands like Ocean Cay. Other ports, however, like Progreso, don’t have many good free options or interesting things to do at port, and for those you’ll likely want to book an excursion. If you decide that you need to book an excursion for one of more of your planned port calls, you’ll have to decide if you want to book through the cruise line, or book through an independent tour operator, like Viator. Here are the pros and cons of both options:

Booking Through the Cruiseline

The most obvious path to booking a cruise excursion is to do it directly with the cruise line, either in advance or once you’re on the ship. Many cruisers go this route, as there are some significant advantages, and this is what I recommend for first-timers.

Pros: Booking direct through the cruise line is the easiest path, and when you disembark at port you’ll meet up at a designated spot… and off you go! One huge perk of this route is that you get priority disembarkation on port day, which is important for tender ports where the process of getting off the ship can be slow. But the real benefit here is that you’re guaranteed not to miss the ship, as the cruise ship takes responsibility for its sponsored tours and if your group is late to return to the ship because the excursion ran late, the ship will wait for you.

Cons: Booking direct is generally pretty limited compared to options you can find on your own, and some of the most popular excursions sell out quickly, leaving you with few options. Cruise excursions also tend to be more of a “cattle call”, meaning large groups herded around, which I personally dislike. Cruise excursions are also almost always quite a bit more expensive than independent tours.

Booking an Independent Excursion

Pros: Doing your own thing and finding your own excursions gives you freedom and flexibility, and there’s so much more variety. You can also choose private drivers or private tour experiences, select small group tours, or if you’re traveling with a larger group of people, even charter your own private boat for a lower cost than most “cattle call” excursions. Overall, independent excursions are almost always cheaper, especially when you book through a service like Viator.

Cons: There’s really just one negative of going this route, but it’s a big one — the ship won’t wait for you if your tour runs late. I personally only book independent excursions, but I’m always very mindful of planning my return to ship at least two hours before the official “return to ship” time.

Cruising can be intimidating because it sometimes seems like it has its own language! Here are some common cruise-specific terms that will help you as you make your booking and once you set sail.

• Aft and Forward, Port Side and Starboard: These are sections and directions of a cruise ship. Check out my post about understanding these terms and navigating a cruise ship.
• Closed-Loop Itinerary: A cruise that originates and ends at the same United States port.
• Disembarkation: The process of getting off the ship. “Debark” is a synonymous term.
• Embarkation: The process of getting on the ship.
• MDR: The “MDR” is the main dining room, where seated meals are served on a cruise ship. Many first-timers mistakenly think that the MDR is available only for dinner, but it’s often open at other times. Check out my post here for other MDR tips.
• Muster: A muster drill (not “mustard”) is the required safety briefing required by all cruise lines before the ship can set sail.
• Port of Call: A cruise terminal where a ship docks to allow passengers to disembark to explore before returning to ship at a designated time.
• Sea Day: A day during your sailing when your ship does not call on a port and you do not leave the ship.
• Stateroom: Your cruise room isn’t just a “room”, it’s a stateroom — or sometimes called your cabin.
• Steward: This is your stateroom attendant, sometimes mistakenly called a “Stewart”. Part of the great cruise experience is being treated like a king or a queen, and a steward goes beyond someone who cleans your stateroom but provides personalized service and often really gets to know you.
• Tender Port: Large cruise ships cannot always navigate to a pier due to narrow channels or shallow water. In these cases, they anchor in the ocean and use smaller boats, or “tender boats,” – sometimes called “water shuttles” – to transport passengers from ship to shore.

One thing I love about cruising is that it is a cost-effective way to see the world. Like all-inclusive resorts, many things are included in your fare, including meals (both in the MDR and buffet); your room; drinks like water, tea and coffee; and entertainment. Unless you’re sailing Virgin Voyages, where almost everything is included, here are things that generally are not included:

• Speciality restaurants – Many cruise lines have fancier sit-down restaurant options, usually steak or seafood options, and these come at an upcharge and generally require a reservation which can be made in advance of your sailing, or on the ship.
• Drink packages – Anything beyond the basics comes at a cost, including soft drinks, specialty coffees, and alcoholic beverages.
• Specialty foods – While MDR meals are included in your cruise fare, the menu will typically offer fancier options at an additional cost, like higher quality cuts of steak, lobster, etc.
• Photos – You’ll see photo opps everywhere on a cruise ship, even when you’re embarking and not even yet on the ship. These cost extra.
• Room Service – Unfortunately, the “good old days” of a free, 24/7 expansive room service menu is gone, and now most cruise lines charge for room service, or provide it at no cost but with a nominal delivery fee.
• Gratuities – As noted above, gratuities are not included in your cruise fare, and are billed to you in the form of prepaid gratuities or charged on the last night of your sailing.
• Port fees and taxes—In addition to your cruise fare, you must pay the required port fees and taxes at the time of your booking.
• Extras—There are other miscellaneous things here and there, like the arcade (or, as I call it, the “kiddie casino”), bowling alleys, IMAX theatres, and other random amenities and features that will vary depending on your specific ship. The cruise lines usually do a good job of clarifying what’s included and what’s not, so you don’t have to worry about surprises.

If you live close to your departure port, you may drive there, in which case you’ll need to determine where to park. Most cruise ports offer on-site options, although some may require an advance reservation, so be sure to consider this prior to departure day. If you fly into port, you have to book your flight and determine when to get to port (check out my post about this here), and if you follow conventional wisdom and arrive a day early, you’ll need to decide where to stay. I have a series of hotel recommendations by departure port location, which can help in this decision.

If you fly to your departure port city, you’ll also need to decide how to get from the airport to the cruise port. As noted above, most cruise lines offer for sale a “transfer service” where the cruise line arranges shuttle service for you to and from the cruise port. Always compare this price to Uber, however, as ride share is significantly more convenient and often the same cost, or even less.

Once you book your cruise, you can generally sit back and relax until your sailing date, although there are a few things to keep in mind when it comes to preparing for your cruise.

• Once you book your cruise, put two important dates on your calendar: your final payment date (if you did not pay in full at the time of your booking) and your check-in date.
• The cruise line will remind you repeatedly via email, but you will not want to miss your final payment date because, if you do, your booking will be canceled and your money paid to that point forfeited.
• Your check-in date is when you go online to “check-in” for your cruise by entering details about yourself, like your passport or ID info, emergency contact, etc. Many cruise lines open up check-in 30 days before your sailing, and the reason it’s important to check in as soon as possible is so you can secure your preferred arrival time. This is the window of time that you will arrive at the cruise terminal to embark. Many cruisers want on the ship as soon as possible, so they check in the second check-in opens so they can secure the morning time slots.
• The cruise line will email you detailed cruise documents as a .pdf, and this can be overwhelming as it’s often 15+ pages of small print information. The important part of this is 1) your boarding pass and 2) your cruise luggage tags.
• Your boarding pass is generally a QR or barcode you use at the cruise terminal, which an employee scans to allow you to embark. Most cruise lines have these on the app, but it’s always a good idea to have a hard copy, too, especially as cell signal is often iffy at crowded cruise terminals.
• If you plan to check your luggage at embarkation, you’ll need to print your luggage tags and affix to your bags. While cruise lines might technically have luggage restrictions, it’s exceptionally rare for them to enforce any it, so generally, anything goes in terms of how many bags you bring and check (or carry on, if that’s your preference).
• Be sure to download the app for your cruise line in advance. This will be an important hub for information during your cruise, providing access to your account charges, ship time, cruise schedule, and all other important details of your sailing. Most apps are not fully functional until you’ve embarked and are connected to ship Wi-Fi.
• Packing for your cruise is mostly like packing for any other type of trip, with a few exceptions. Get my free ultimate cruise packing guide to ensure you don’t forget any essentials, or cruise-specific things (like magnet hooks and a non-surge extension cord).

Cruisers often want to know how much money to bring on their cruise, so here’s what you should know about this, along with guidance on tipping.

Tipping

I admit that I did not tip at all on my first cruise because I figured the “included gratuities” covered that part. I felt terrible when I found out later that many cruisers tip on top of the included gratuities. This is a controversial and very subjective topic, though, and you’ll find some cruisers who are staunchly against additional tipping and others who tip generously in addition to the included gratuities. Here are some general guidelines:

• Room steward: I personally tip $10-20 per person for the week for shorter sailings (up to 5 nights) and more for longer sailings. Some tip nothing, some tip less, some tip more. Again, there is no right or wrong, nor is there a standard. If I get exceptional service, I tip more. I leave the tip in my room the last night, although some cruisers are convinced that tipping in advance, the first day of your cruise, will yield superior service.
• Porter: When you arrive at the terminal for embarkation, a porter at the curb will greet you and take your tagged luggage if you opt to check. $2 per bag is customary, although it’s good practice to tip more if you have really heavy or oversized bags.
• MDR waitstaff: I typically choose flex dining in the MDR, meaning I have a different wait team most nights, so I generally throw down a couple of bucks after each meal. If I have set dining, and enjoy the benefit of having the same wait staff team each night, I will generally tip on the last evening, around $20 per person.
• Buffet waitstaff: This one is much less common, but I will sometimes leave behind a dollar or two for the staff who bus the tables.
• Beverage service: If I get a specialty coffee or alcohol drink, I’ll generally tip a dollar or two. Be cognizant, however, that sometimes an 18% gratuity is already included on your tab.
• Excursions: If I hire a private driver at a port call, take a guided tour, or engage in an excursion, I generally tip $20 to the driver/guide.

Money

It’s impossible for me to advise someone as to how much money to bring, as this is so subjective and varies widely from person to person. Instead of giving you an amount, below are the things that you can plan to spend money on, and then determine what you think you will spend on each of these to devise a total planned budget. A convenience of cruising is that all of your onboard charges are simply billed to the card attached to your stateroom account. So on the ship, other than optional tips, it’s essentially a cashless experience.

Most ports are commercialized and accustomed to American travelers, so I find it unnecessary to convert US currency to foreign currencies. Most port vendors accept US currency, credit, and debit cards. Note, however, that some ports, especially smaller Caribbean islands, may accept US currency, but only if the bills are in good condition, and they may provide change back in the form of local currency.

• Tips: As noted above, if you choose to tip employees on your cruise in addition to the included gratuities, you’ll want to bring singles.
• Excursions: If you book an excursion through the cruise line, the charge will be billed to your stateroom account (or prepaid if you booked in advance). If you go with an independent tour provider, you’ll either pay in advance or on the day of your excursion. Some operators only take cash, so verify this in advance.
• Taxis: Many taxi services at port accept cards, but this is not a guarantee.
• Souvenirs: This is, of course, a hugely variable expense, but know that while most port souvenir vendors will take cards, paying cash may save you money as the vendor may give you a discount for doing so.

For some new cruisers, the embarkation process may seem a bit overwhelming, and they may be curious about how to handle their luggage when getting on the ship. Embarkation is the process of passengers boarding the ship before departure, typically involving security checks, document verification, and the issuing of room keys. It often starts with guests arriving at the port, checking in their luggage, and proceeding through a series of checkpoints before finally stepping onto the vessel. Disembarkation is the process of getting off the ship.

When preparing for embarkation, cruisers must make sure they have the proper documentation and decide how they will handle getting their luggage on the ship: self-carry your own bags or let the cruise line handle it by checking your bags. Check out my post here for all of the details of cruise ship embarkation, including the pros and cons of carrying your bags on vs. checking them and the benefits of various boarding times.

If you’ve never cruised before, you’re probably curious about what to expect on port days and how to prepare for them. Unlike sea days, when the ship is out at sea, and passengers stay on the ship without getting off at land, port days are those when the ship stops at one of the ports of call on the itinerary. When you booked your cruise, you likely selected your itinerary partly because of the planned ports of call, so this is your chance to get out and explore. Getting on and off the ship at ports of call can require some preparation, like determination of which documents to bring, so before disembarking at a port of call, here’s how you should prepare.

The last night of a cruise is generally a sad day, as cruisers prepare for disembarkation. Check out my post here for complete disembarkation information, including process, timing, and how to handle luggage. If you’re flying home, and end up stuck with a late flight home, here are some ways to effectively kill time, and stow your luggage, in your port city.

Shortly after your return home, you will likely receive a post-cruise survey from the cruise line. This is an important opportunity to praise any of the hard-working staff and crew who made your experience a joyful one, as their performance evaluation and incentive pay are strongly tied to these survey results.