1. Always have your proof of citizenship with you when you check in.  A passport is the very best way to demonstrate proof of citizenship and is accepted by all cruise lines.  However, not all cruises require a passport at this time.  All Caribbean and Mexico cruises will require a certified copy of a government issued birth certificate plus a valid government issued photo ID (driver's license or military ID, etc.) at a minimum if you do not have a passport.  Passports will be required for re-entry into the USA when returning from any foreign destination on and after January 1, 2008.  Passports are usually good for 10 years from date of issue.  Also please note that most cruise lines require that passports not expire within 6 months from your cruise date.  For non-US and non-CA residents living in the USA, please bring your alien registration card and your passport with you to check in.  If you are a naturalized US citizen, please bring your documentation papers with you to check in if you do not have a passport.

2. Due to increased security requirements, most cruise lines are requiring advanced registration of all guests.  Please review our acknowledgement letter (sent after you first booked your cruise) and our document reminder email (sent after your final payment) for the webpage location for you to register online.  You should register after your final payment has been made.  Once you have registered, print out the forms and take them with you.  Some cruise lines will not issue tickets until the online registration process has been completed.  Online registration is usually closed 14 days prior to your cruise.  Please note, if you have made any changes affecting names or number of passengers or cabin for your booking and you have registered online, you will have to register again as some systems will automatically erase previous entered info if a change has been made to a booking.  If you have booked your cruise at the last minute, you will need to fill out the guest registration forms at the pier.  We can also print out the forms and send them to you depending how soon it is before your cruise.  If you are registering at the pier, please be prepared for delays due to security checks.

3. If you have received your cruise documents, please review them and make sure they are in order and that all names are correct.  If any name has been misspelled, a name change fee will apply (levied by the cruise line).  If you have registered online and the cruise line has sent guest registration forms with your documents, you will not have to fill out the paper forms.

5. Be sure to give family members or other responsible parties an emergency number to contact you with info on what ship and cabin number. This may cost $7.95 to $15 per minute whether you make or receive the call.  Shore to ship numbers are usually found on each line's website FAQ section.  If you need help finding this information, please contact us.

NOTE: Many cruise liners are being retrofitted with and newer vessels being built with cell phone capabilities. Be avised that using your cell phone on board will result in International Roaming Charges + International minutes being added to your cell phone bill. If you wish to communicate (in bound or out bound) via cell phone while you are at sea, you should contact your cell phone company to sign up for International calling prior to departure. Allow enough time for the service to take effect. After you return, you can cancel the International package. You will be billed for a month's service but it will most likely to be less than the per minute rates without the plan.

Cell phones will work from US Territories like the Virgin Island and Puerto Rico. They may also work in other ports but special codes and advance payment may be required. World cell phones and satellite phones are available from a number of sources.  Contact if you would like to rent one of these.

If you'd like to call home while in port, be advised that prepaid phone cards usually have a big charge for using them from the Caribbean. Some may have a 10 to 1 ratio so you would really get only 12 minutes of use in most countries down there from a 120 minute card. 

6.  If you are driving to your port of embarkation and need directions, please contact us.  Some cruise lines do not make this information easy to find on their websites.

7. Pack accordingly for your cruise. Do not over pack. Remember that every cruise will have a formal night on the second night out. 7 day cruises will have another one the second to last night out. Call us for details about longer cruises.  See our FAQ section on our website or most cruise line websites for information regarding what to wear on formal nights.

8. Make sure you put the CRUISE LINE tags on your luggage whether you are driving or flying to your embarkation port. If you are flying, please attach those tags AFTER you claim your luggage at the airport.*  Those tags help porters and cruise line personnel at the pier get your luggage delivered to your cabin efficiently.  If you have not received a cabin assignment or if you have not received any cruise line tags, please ask one of the porters at the pier for your assignment and/or tags.  Porters will have spare tags and a passenger manifest with names and cabin assignments.

*If you are cruising with a cruise line that still provides baggage pick up at the airport, please attack your cruise line tags before you leave home.

9. Be sure to carry a change of clothes in a carry on. It may be cold in Minneapolis but hot in Miami! Conversely, it may be warm in Phoenix but chilly in Fairbanks! When you board the ship you can freshen up and change in to the appropriate cruise wear without having to wait for your luggage to be delivered to your cabin. Dress for the formal dining room on the first night is casual since not all guests will have had their luggage delivered to their staterooms.

10. Take cash to tip bus drivers, cabbies, porters, and to make purchases from street vendors when in port.  You may use travelers' checks or credit cards for purchases while in port.  Many vendors in all ports of call will take credit cards for shop or restaurant purchases. US dollars are accepted everywhere in the Caribbean and nearly every other port of call in the world. Ask at the purser's desk to be sure.  Credit cards are the best means for making purchases ashore as the bank card companies have the best exchange rates.  If you forgot to bring enough cash or if you have run short, please note that the ATMs on the ship will have a service fee averaging $2.50 per transaction. A credit card is accepted by the cruise line for your onboard account only and is processed when you check in.

11. Book your shore tours early, preferably online before you leave. Some of them fill up very quick. You'll need your booking number sent with your confirmation after you booked your cruise.  Call us if you don't have it.  Canceling shore excursions once booked will be permitted only under certain circumstances.  Most cruise lines have excellent descriptions and a way to book shore excursions via their websites on the Internet. Some lines also permit us to add shore excursion to your reservation. Just let us know which ones. Some lines will also include a shore excursion booklet from which you may choose your shore excursions. This booklet will arrive with your cruise documentation. There are also alternatives to cruise line sponsored shore excursions. Cruise lines excursions are likely to be the highest priced.  Contact us for details about any shore excursions you wish to take.

An alternative to doing any purchased shore excursion, review each port of call on the Internet or at your local library.   Determine the points of interest that you would like to visit.  Many may be within an easy walk or cab ride. Some may be accessible via a bicycle or scooter rental.  For example, in Cozumel, if you would like to combine a beach experience with some snorkeling or diving, skip the ship sponsored excursion and catch a cab at the pier to Chankanaab National Park just a few miles to the south from the cruise ship piers.  The cost is $5 to $8 one way.  Your shore excursion director should know or your port of call expert.  Entry into the park is then paid at the gate.  After a relaxing and fun day there, there will be plenty of cabs to take you back to your ship.  Be sure to allow enough time to get back at least one hour before the ship leaves!  This will allow you more time at the park than you would have had with the ship's excursion.

12. If something displeases you on your cruise, let the guest relations representative (or person responsible) know right away so he or she can try to fix it then and there. Waiting until after your cruise won't fix the problem. Most cruise lines' on-board personnel will be more than willing to bend over backwards to make passengers happy. If anything is not to your liking on your cruise, say something to your cabin steward or any other service personnel, they will go out of their way to make your experience enjoyable. If you are cruising on Carnival, ask about their "Vacation Guarantee" at the guest relations desk at the beginning of the cruise or contact us before you leave.

13. Tipping: Many cruise lines are adding gratuities directly to your cabin bill and distributing tips to the staff automatically. You may elect to have the tips removed and use cash at the end of the cruise on certain lines. You also have the option of prepaying gratuities while making your reservation. The general rule of thumb for tipping is $10.00 per day per passenger. Your cabin will have information on how to distribute gratuities at the end of the cruise should you choose to do that. It is also customary to tip bus drivers, porters, tour guides, beach attendants, etc. You should have cash for those. A dollar per person is adequate but you may tip more, especially for some tour guides and based upon the quality of service you believe you have received.

14. Cabin Bill:  Your cabin bill consists of everything you have purchased on board the ship during your cruise.  This includes any bar beverages (wine, beer, liquor), soda pop, ship's stores' purchases, and shore excursions.  Since you will using your "room key," it may be easy to loose track of your purchases.  Most lines have an interactive method of reviewing your cabin bill right from your stateroom TV!  You may also visit the guest relations desk at any time during your cruise to review your cabin bill.

15. Don't carry a purse in port. Use a fanny pack. Carry a minimum of cash and use it to make purchases from street vendors only or to take cab rides. Use travelers' checks and "plastic" for your purchases. Besides minimizing the risk of loss, having both hands free lets you buy more goodies! You can handle twice the packages!

16. If planning any beach excursions make sure to bring a beach bag big enough for a couple of towels, suntan lotion.....having that decent size bag makes things a lot easier to manage.  Most cruise lines will provide beach towels before each port of call.  Bring them back to your cabin at the end of each trip ashore and your cabin attendant will exchange them for fresh ones.

17. Some cruisers love meeting new people and making what can be lifelong friendships. Others, like some honeymooners, may prefer to spend most of their time just enjoying each other. One good way to meet others is to ask us to have you seated at the largest table (8 to 10 people) for dining. Please note that most lines will not guarantee a table for two as those are limited on most ships. Also, if you are booking close to your cruise date, your requested dining time may not be available.  The best time to book any cruise is one year prior to your cruise.  This will ensure the best availability for your requested dining time.

18. Bring your binoculars. You'll be glad you did when you cruise the Panama Canal, Alaska or many other wonderful itineraries.  (Or to just people watch!)

19. To travel to and from your ship, carry all valuables in hand luggage - money, travelers' checks, medications, tickets, passports, jewelry, cameras - and keep that hand luggage with you until you can place the valuables in a safe.  Your stateroom will have a safe with rare exception. Use the ship's safe, if there is no safe in your stateroom, to store your valuables. Double check your stateroom safe to make sure you've locked it after each use.

20. No matter where you are sailing, ships public areas can be chilly. Pack warm cover-ups to wear when returning from wet from poolside to cabin. Plan properly for evening wear in the casino, lounge, showroom, etc. Wear that pretty gown but bring a shawl just in case.

21. ALWAYS use sunscreen when sailing warm weather ports. We've never been on a cruise where someone hasn't thought this necessary and ruined his/her own vacation with a terrible sunburn.

22. Allow plenty of time to return to the ship from port visits and return well before sailing time. "Missing the boat" is an expensive and unpleasant experience.

23. If you are in the mood to keep cruising because you couldn't get enough fun, you should inquire at the purser's desk about a discount for the following week if you stay on board. Sometimes a ship may not be sold out and the cruise line may be willing to offer a gracious discount to you if you are so inclined.

These have been developed by my customers and from my experience. I welcome suggestions for additions to this list from our customers. Please call me or send them to me at info@blueodyssea.travel or via snail mail at