21 Cruising Mistakes You’ll Absolutely Want to Avoid
Cruising Mistakes to Avoid
Cruising can be a ton of fun, which is why it is such a popular vacation option for families, couples, and groups of friends. There’s a lot to like about cruising the ocean on a giant, floating hotel, and it doesn’t hurt that dining and entertainment are already included in the cruise fare.
That said, there are a lot of cruise “gotchas” to be aware of, and many missteps you can make that can leave you getting less value for your travel dollar. For example, you’re basically leaving money on the table if you don’t shop around to find the best cruise deals, and if you never consider more than one cruise line. In the meantime, you might also live to regret a handful of other cruise mistakes, such as forgetting to join cruise loyalty programs or failing to pack the right cruise ship gear.
If you’re interested in cruising the right way and you want to maximize the whole experience, read on to learn the 21 cruising mistakes you’ll want to absolutely avoid this year.
Not Using a Travel Agent
Travel agents offer the same cruise pricing you can get if you book yourself, but they may be able to add some “extras” to your cruise that can make it a better deal. For example, travel agents may be able to offer onboard credits, room upgrades or specialty dining just for using them to book your cruise fare.
Travel agents can also help you narrow down your cruise options to find the best fit for your travel style and budget. Some travel agents offer all their services for free. However, more and more have begun to charge fees for their services because, without that, they would only make money from the commission. Need to find a travel agent? Check within your local community or visit travelsense.org to search for one.
Forgetting About Cruise Loyalty Programs
Cruise loyalty programs are easy to join and absolutely free, so there’s no reason not to join if you plan to cruise with a line that offers one of these programs more than once. You may get some extra cruising perks just for becoming a member, or you could get access to special sales or discounts on upcoming cruises.
For example, MSC Cruises Voyager’s Club members always get 5% off their cruise fare, and they can sometimes get another 5% off for booking specific itineraries far enough ahead.
Automatically Booking the Newest Ships
Big and brand-new ships are always a major draw for cruisers, but they can also command higher cruise fares as a result. As a result, you can save money by avoiding new ships for the first few years after they begin sailing. Instead, consider booking an itinerary you love on a ship that’s at least a few years old.
Most newer ships from the last five years have most of the same amenities anyway, so you’ll have a similar experience for a much lower cost overall.
Not Shopping Around for the Best Deals
Booking the first cruise you come across is always a bad idea, especially if you’re interested in an itinerary more than one cruise line offers. After all, shopping around with multiple cruise lines gives you the chance to find the best possible cruise fare you can. You may also run into special promotions that can make your cruise an even better deal, such as cruises with free drinks, free wifi, or onboard credits you can use during your trip.
Booking the Wrong Cruise for Your Travel Style
There are cruise lines to suit every travel style, whether you’re trying to have a fun vacation with the kids or you want to enjoy quiet luxury on a smaller vessel. There are also cruise lines that offer more of a European flair (e.g. MSC Cruises), whereas other major lines cater to Americans (i.e. Carnival and Royal Caribbean).
No matter what you do, you should make sure you pick the right cruise line for your tastes.
Forgetting When the Final Payment is Due
Most cruise lines let you book your cruise with an upfront deposit that’s usually anywhere from $100 to $300. From there, you can save up the cash to pay for the rest of your cruise at some point in the future.
That future date is usually around 90 days out from the date you depart on your cruise, although you can always choose to pay it off early if you want to. Either way, you should mark this date on your calendar and remember to pay early or on time. If you forget, your cruise could get canceled altogether.
Booking the Same Cruise Line Every Year
It’s easy to get into the habit of booking the same cruise line or even the exact same ship each year. However, you may miss out on new experiences and new itineraries if you never look beyond your first cruise. After all, all the major cruise lines do things differently, and some focus on different aspects of cruising you could enjoy more.
As an example, Silverseas Cruises offers some of the most impressive luxury cruises money can buy, and MSC Cruises offers a uniquely Mediterranean experience that might surprise you. Meanwhile, all the major cruise lines offer deals and specials that can make giving them a try much more affordable than you might realize.
Getting the Wrong Drink Package
Some cruises come with a package that includes free drinks, or at least some drinks up to a specific dollar amount. However, you can also buy a drink package to add on to your cruise, and doing so can be a good idea if you love cocktails as much as you crave coffee specialty drinks.
That said, you may not notice that your cruise line offers a few different drink packages that encompass drinks with different ingredients at different price points. You’ll want to make sure you buy the package that suits your drinking style the best, or else you might wind up having to pay for some of your drinks or end up with a package that’s not a good value.
Bringing Luggage that Doesn’t Fit
Maybe you have a ton of luggage already, so you figure you’ll just bring it all along on your cruise. Unfortunately, cruise cabins are so limited in space that you may find you don’t have room to store your bags anywhere in your room — particularly if you brought more than one piece.
With that in mind, you should strive to bring pieces of luggage that nest inside one another. As an example, the Carry-On and Carry-On Plus pieces from luggage manufacturer Monos can nest inside both the Check-In Medium and Large. This means that, after you unpack your bags, you can nest your suitcases inside one another and store one single bag in your cruise cabin closet.
Forgetting Magnetic Hooks and Clips
Magnetic hooks and clips (like these options on Amazon.com) are essential cruise packing must-haves that you shouldn’t try to cruise without. After all, your cruise cabin will have limited storage and counter space, so it’s way too easy to lose all your important paperwork and items if you don’t have a place to store them.
The good news? Your cruise cabin walls are magnetic, so you can hang nearly anything you want on the wall if you bring magnetic hooks and clips to do so.
Thinking Your Phone Works at Sea
You may be able to turn on your cell phone and get a signal when you’re at sea, but that does not mean that cruise ship phone calls and browsing are actually included in your plan. With that in mind, you’ll want to keep your phone on airplane mode the entire time you’re cruising, or you could easily arrive home to an exorbitant phone bill you can’t actually afford.
Your best bet is to buy a wifi package for your cruise instead. That way, you can keep up with email and browse the internet, and you may even get text messages through iMessage.
Booking a Cabin Type You Hate
Don’t book an interior cabin without thinking long and hard about what it means to not have a window. Likewise, you should never book a smaller cabin with kids unless you have thought about the sleeping situation, and how you will be able to make space for all your family’s clothing and other items.
The bottom line: Always think about the type of cruise cabin you want to book and why, and never choose your cruise cabin on a whim.
Flying In On Embarkation Day
While you might think it’s fine to fly in for your vacation on embarkation day, flying on the day of your cruise is incredibly risky. In fact, a flight delay or flight cancellation could easily leave you missing your trip altogether.
It’s always smart to fly in for your trip the night before it departs. You’ll have to fork over cash or points for a hotel room, but at least you won’t miss your trip.
Bringing Way too Many Clothes
Overpacking is a major problem any time you travel, but it can become a crisis-level issue when you’re going on a cruise. This is due to the fact that cruise cabins are often extremely limited when it comes to floor space, closet space and drawers for storage.
When packing for a cruise, it helps to figure out an outfit for each day of your trip and bring those pre-selected pieces of clothing only. Of course, you’ll also want to remember to bring your bathing suit, some sunscreen, toiletries, and other cruise packing essentials.
Not Using Packing Cubes
Packing your clothing and accessories without packing cubes is a huge mistake when you’re going on a cruise. Not only do packing cubes help you keep your clothing and other items organized, but they can be easily stored in drawers during your vacation.
Once your cruise is over, you can just grab your packing cubes and put them back in your luggage. You can also use packing cubes to keep clean clothes separate from dirty laundry on the way home, which means less laundry to do later on.
Forgetting About Cruise Ship Gratuities
All major cruise lines charge cruise ship gratuities, which typically amount to $15 per day, per person or less. While you can often prepay these gratuities so they are taken care of and out of the way, most cruise lines add them to your bill while you’re on the ship.
With that in mind, you’ll want to budget for gratuities either way. Also remember to bring cash tips for cruise crew members who do a great job since you may not have access to an ATM during your vacation.
Eating Every Meal at the Buffet
Cruise ship buffets offer nearly any type of cuisine you can think of, and they are often open up to 20 hours per day. However, there are plenty of other places you can eat on your ship, even for free.
For example, major cruise lines all have a main dining room that serves traditional meals in a much more formal setting than your cruise ship’s buffet.
Not Earning Travel Rewards for the Trip
Although cruises can be an excellent value when it comes to your travel funds, that doesn’t mean cruising is cheap. As a result, it almost always makes sense to pay for your cruise with a travel credit card or cash-back card that can give you something in return.
Some rewards credit cards even offer sign-up bonuses worth $500 or more when you can meet a minimum spending requirement in the first few months. If you charge your cruise to the card and pay it off right away to avoid paying credit card interest, these bonuses can help make cruising much more rewarding.
Booking Excursions at Every Port
You may be the type of person who wants to do an official shore excursion at every port, but you should really find this out before you start booking an activity everywhere your cruise ship goes. You may find that you actually like to relax on the ship, or that getting off at the port and walking around for a few hours is more of your travel vibe.
If you’re a first-time cruiser, you should probably book a few excursions but leave a few days open just in case. If you overbook yourself, you could wind up wishing you had stayed on the ship.
Forgetting to Budget for Cruise “Extras”
Also remember that, even if you pay for your entire cruise plus gratuities upfront, you’ll definitely spend some money during your cruise. If you opt to go on shore excursions, for example, you’ll need cash to tip your excursion guides. If you get off at your cruise port to walk around, on the other hand, you may want to buy something or sit down for a local meal.
There are also plenty of ways to spend money on the ship, including at specialty restaurants, your cruise ship’s casino or the many shops on board. Make sure you budget accordingly, or you could end up spending more than you planned.
Forgetting to Buy Travel Insurance
Travel insurance can help you get reimbursed for prepaid travel expenses like your cruise fare when a trip is canceled for reasons beyond your control. Meanwhile, travel insurance can help you cover costs if your trip is delayed, or if your luggage is lost or damaged by a common carrier.
With all this in mind, buying travel insurance is a smart move for any trip you’re planning to take, including cruises.