Cruise planning mistakes: What were yours?

[LN50]

* Book air thru a cruiseline, prefer to do independent air.

 

In these days of delays, strikes and ash clouds, I would check what the difference in air fare is between booking with cruise line and indepdantly booking.

 

If there is not a considerable difference then go with cruise line as they will get you to the ship if at all possible, and provide the transfer.

[Blondilu]

5326jan:

 

I don't want to hijack this thread, so I'll try to be brief. My basic plan started when I threw out the basic plan. I was trying too hard to follow others advice, and was overthinking the process. It occured to me that I dress myself every day with no help. Why couldn't I pack the same way? So, I started by making note of what I wear at home. In a weeks time I often wear things twice, so why not on a cruise? At home, I have several sweaters, for a cruise I would choose a sweater or sweatshirt that goes with everything and only take one or two. 1 pair of shoes for colder weather, add flip-flops for warmer weather. Add a rain jacket for Alaska and voila! Of course, you'll need to have nice evening clothes and shoes. By the way, I my goal is to carry one checked luggage and one small tote. Just think about how often in a week you need or use any article of clothing or anything else for that matter. If the answer is rarely or never: leave it at home. Except your swimsuit. And never bring anything "just in case."

[MrsPete]

I can't say I've made a whole lot of mistakes with cruises -- mainly because of the information available on this and other boards. A couple things I now do differently:

 

I never, ever consider the ship's excursions. Horrible value, lackluster service.

I now pack only a scant half of what I used to pack, and it's still plenty.

I am in love with My Time Dining, but I'd never again plan late seating with children.

[cruisemom42]

* Book air thru a cruiseline, prefer to do independent air.

 

In these days of delays, strikes and ash clouds, I would check what the difference in air fare is between booking with cruise line and indepdantly booking.

 

If there is not a considerable difference then go with cruise line as they will get you to the ship if at all possible, and provide the transfer.

 

 

This is a myth. Cruise lines do not provide any extra service if you book a flight through them. There have been so very many threads on these boards about travelers who thought what you do. It's simply not true.

 

Not only that, but you can generally pick more convenient travel times, better routings and for a cheaper price doing it on your own.

 

If you have any doubts about getting to your ship, fly in a day in advance. The other big "must" if you are planning an expensive trip (e.g., Mediterranean cruise with transatlantic airfare) is to get travel insurance.

[Mtn2Sea]

Greetings! Despite reading that one should never buy a used digital camera, I did exactly that to take on our first Med cruise. Fly into Venice a day early. After walking the city on that first morning, went back to the hotel to look at the pictures I had taken. The camera stopped working and hasn't worked since! Had little time to find a new camera in Venice and thought I would get a better deal on the ship but, unfortunately, the ship only had one decent (and overpriced) camera. Swallowed hard and bought it. Two days before disembarking, dropped the camera maybe one foot and it's never worked since. Swallowed even harder and bought the exact same camera again when I returned to the ship - couldn't imagine not having pics of Pompeii and Rome. Before the next cruise, I bought another (SLR type) digital camera and it's survived 7 more cruises and is still going strong!

[SeaTeach]

Our mistake was not doing the research, but relying on hearsay of others, (and they didn't even have proof just great childhood memories). Sailed on a very old ship (cruised next to the last sailing), but still enjoyed the cruise. Yea, a lot went wrong, but not my fun meter.

[ChiMimi69]

One reminder that is very important to me because it is one that has bitten me in the butt before. Please remember to notifying your bank (debit card) and credit card companies that you will be traveling and would be making several purchases. This way your account will not be flagged for suspicious activity when you LEAST expect it.

[katz]

#1 Thinking you really know the other couple you are traveling with.

 

#2 Letting above mentioned make the transportation arrangements to and from airport.

 

#3 Having above mentioned contact "disembarking people" and making arrangements

for us to leave the ship as early as possible, then sitting in the airport for four hours.

[marco]

Biggest mistake......................over obsessing over minor details. It supposed to be a vacation....RELAX..........."flow with the tide" (no pun intended) go....... enjoy and just view each day as a new adventure....and who cares if you brought too many clothes, your cabin is on the port or starbord side, a C-1 cabin has 4 more sq feet of balcony than a C-2, you take the AM excursion instead of the PM excursion, the upper level of the dining room is better than the lower level, should we dine in the surcharge dining room on a formal night or a casual night...... blah, blah, blah.

[Luv2Kruize]

Never book a cruise with people you really do not know!!! Cruising with good friends on the other hand is wonderful!!!

[Traveller20074]

got to the cruise terminal at the WRRRRRRRONG time. About 12:45..when EVVVVERYONE else was there. Either come early...or late. *shudder*

[Mcscotty]

I did HEAPS of research both on destinations and the ship - a lot of it through CC.

 

Not a planning mistake but I was annoyed at not finding out about the delicious ice cream and cookies served each day around 4pm UNITL THE SECOND LAST DAY :rolleyes:

 

On a serious note I planned perfectly that we were the only ship in Glacier Bay that particular day - it was a glorious day and so peaceful.

[Cruzwthme]

Listened to what so many people on these boards suggested, when they told us all what a GREAT idea it is to bring a bungee cord with you to prop open your balcony door so that you can hear, see and feel the ocean in your cabin.

 

Well, while on the Carnival Miracle, the Captain could see our cabin from the bridge. He saw the bungee cord (I'm seriously thinking he had binoculars) :eek:, and he sent three ship's officers, and YES, officers :eek: to our cabin. Of course I was the only one there. DH was already out for breakfast. I was quite surprised when I opened the door to see these officers standing there. They informed me it was COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE to use a bungee cord to hold the balcony door open. I received a 'lecture' about the sea air and how damaging it is to the interior of the room......how the air conditioner runs constantly....and then told to NEVER do this again. It was enough to send the message loud and clear to me. My bungee cord stays at home from now on!

 

I never did figure out why they needed three officers to tell me this? :confused:

 

I also still see this advice all over these boards where people tell us it's a great idea. Yeah okay, but just don't get caught! :(

 

Me.....I think I'll stick with following the rules. :rolleyes:

[GlendaleCruiser]

Wrong thread for that question. I was specifically thinking about what people have done to prepare for their cruises and do not care how many ships anyone has sailed on.

 

 

Not necessarily the wrong thread:( for that question. Poster asked if they booked too many excursions. Wasn't that the question--what mistakes have you made? Lighten up.

[kellyd13]

Thanks for the reminder Kimbopolo, forgot to put binnocs on my packing list.

Kelly

[GlendaleCruiser]

Other than taking too many clothes or wishing I had brought "that one outfit or pair of pants", no big mistakes here. Fortunate, I think, since I only found this board 3 years ago and cruised several times before that.

 

Now, if I take too many clothes and don't have room for all my souvenirs I leave my least favorite clothes behind. I've left bulky sweaters from Alaska cruise and lots of clothes from the Med when I wasn't sure what to take so took a lot. Then I bought a lot :eek: and had to choose.

 

I guess my biggest mistake was in thinking that my filled up photo card was packed away safely because I got home and it wasn't there. 173 pictures of Rome and the Dream:(. Lesson learned.

[eddiesgal]

biggest mistake I made was waiting to take my first cruise later in life and not when I was younger! I could have fit many more cruises in that way:p

Now I have lots and lots of catching up to do but no money to do it with....lol

[tip]

Worried too much about formal night. (Just dress in something nice that is comfortable to you).

 

This is so true. For years we were overly concerned about wearing the "proper" clothing for so-called formal nights. The only folks who get their knickers in a knot over what others choose to wear are posters on these boards. Now we no longer worry about it. And for those who are concerned, I wear a long sleeve shirt, tie, blue blazer, and dark slacks, but that is my choice!

[lovemylab]

Biggest mistake we made was forgetting my DH's suit at home.

 

Things we have learned along the way:

-make a packing list. Not only does it result in not forgetting things, it also helps to ensure that you don't overpack.

-in most cases, private excursions are a better value.

-while a balcony is nice, we don't use it enough to justify the extra cost.

-priceline is a great savings tool.

-check to see how many ships are in port BEFORE booking excursions. This was a great tip we picked up on these boards and as a result we have never had a crowded excursion or beach.

[Cruise Envy]

Fun thread! Here's mine:

 

1. Flying in same day -- like a previous poster, they pulled up the gangplank behind us. We missed dinner that night too.
   
2. We've been lucky to never leave behind important documents because we have a ritual. Once in the car, we show each other tickets, passport, money. Guarantees we have it all. I've watched people miss their trips due to no tickets/passports/etc at airports. No FUN!
   

I'm sure there are other things I didn't do right, but these are what I remember 20 years later. Can't wait to have a new chance to see what happens!

[audrey248]

Biggest mistake i made while planning my car ibbean cruise last yeaar was not losing 21lb, even bigger mistake is tryin to lose 28lb for my cruise this november and not booking 3 dayss in barbados before we join the sea princess again but i am determined to do it this time.:eek:

[mutzy]

my mistake was not picking up a texas map and relying on the GPS to get us to galveston- the gps got us LOST !!!

 

my second mistake was keeping my travel agent that i have used for two yrs- she is not responding to my e mail !!

[waiting4acruise]

My biggest mistake was trying doing too much on my first cruise.

Now if I don't do something on the cruise I know I can do it on the next cruise.

[tigercat]

The first thing I learned was to do my own air (we have always flown in 1 to 7 days early for a cruise) the first time we did it through the cruise ship and boy did we pay for it. It was almost twice what I could have gotten it on my own. The second was booking our pre and post cruise hotels through the cruise ship. The third cruise was out of the same port with me doing the booking and got the same hotel for 1/4 th the money. The third was using CAA to do my cruise booking. She really didn't know what she was talking about. I didn't have a computer at the time so relied on her. I got a computer 3 weeks before our cruise and by the 2nd day of having it I knew more about the cruise and ship than she did. She cost us a lot of money that TA. The fourth would be that if you have a migraine don't leave the ship and don't later in the trip don't fly 11 hrs with a migraine. I had a migraine on a ships excursion and ended up staying on the bus except when I ran to the bathrooms when we stopped. Fainted on the gang plank though instead of on land which means I was taken to the ships doctor instead of the islands doctors. They treated me, I rested and continued my cruise. I was famous after that though as everyone was trying to get back on the ship and I had my husband take me up the out gang plank instead of the in one. They were trying to stop us when I fainted. Husband said that it was the fastest we have ever entered the ship.

tigercat

[HNLGAL]

This is a myth. Cruise lines do not provide any extra service if you book a flight through them. There have been so very many threads on these boards about travelers who thought what you do. It's simply not true.

 

Not only that, but you can generally pick more convenient travel times, better routings and for a cheaper price doing it on your own.

 

If you have any doubts about getting to your ship, fly in a day in advance. The other big "must" if you are planning an expensive trip (e.g., Mediterranean cruise with transatlantic airfare) is to get travel insurance.

 

I disagree. I did that on a cruise that was departing LA at 5pm. I had booked our flights for 9am from SFO so thought we would have time to kill. Suffice it to say a "pea-souper" socked us in SFO ALL DAY. We missed the cruise entirely. IF I had bought the flights through the cruise, they would have flown us to the next stop but since I didn't, they didn't. Then last Christmas I was booked THROUGH the cruise line and was stranded at my first airport of three to get to Tampa. BECAUSE I had booked through the cruise line I was able (through a lot of hoops, but I still made it) to get a different flight at no cost to myself and get in in time for the cruise.

I HIGHLY recommend using the cruise line for your air purchases.