cruiseparadise-blog

[cruiseparadise-blog]

[cruiseparadise-blog]

Cruise Paradise are Ireland’s mission is to provide you with the best value on luxury cruise holidays. Cruise Paradise has grown to become the leading cruise deals specialist offering cheap cruises to dream destinations for over a decade. As Ireland’s leading cruise holiday travel agent, we pride ourselves on serving out customers with the best discount cruises and cruise offers to the Caribbean, Mediterranean, Northern Europe, Scandinavia, Alaska, North America, Australia and World cruise holiday destinations.

[cruiseparadise-blog]

Things to Do Before You Cruise

Getting therePaperworkStampsOnlineInsuranceTaxesDuty FreeCheck-in

2017 Cruise Holidays - Checklist

 So the cruise is coming up and it’s getting to the point where you need to start thinking about what you will be taking along with you. It sometimes the little things that you can forget so it’s best to check and double check before you head off.

 If you are departing from a port in the UK then you will need to look into your options for getting there. Many cruise lines include the price of parking in their fare.

Many luxury cruise holidays include the cost of transfers in the fare price.  If you are going by coach then this saves the hassle but you need to check in advance that your cruise line is offering this service. You need to be quick though, and book by a certain date as some cruise lines are booked up six months in advance. It can be harder to get a coach ticket than discount cruises sometimes.

Ensure you have a passport that is valid for your return date. A 6 month rule of thumb best. If your passport expires on that round the world cruise, you may end up stuck on board the ship. Not the best way to spend cruise holidays. And dealing with paperwork when you are on your cruise is not great fun either. Best to renew if you are in doubt about sailing dates.

Some cruise itineraries require visas to visit certain places. These can take time to be approved. As with passports, make sure all the boxes are ticked and forms filled out well in advance. I have heard stories of people missing out on trips due to stamp in the wrong place or a form misplaced.

Everything is online nowadays. Your cruise ticket will be issued online. Paper tickets are becoming a thing of the past. Most e-tickets can be found in your profile with the cruise company or in your account settings. It can be difficult for some cruisers if they are not internet savvy. Even a simple task like figuring out how to print a ticket can give people the cold sweats. If it doubt, ask your travel agent to print this off for you. If in doubt, ask them well in advance as not all cruise lines work along the same lines.

Nobody likes to get sick. But it happens. While I still consider insurance state sponsored gambling, it is also important. Especially when travelling. If you have it and you need it, it will seem like the best decision ever. If you don’t need it, then consider yourself lucky.

Some trips can end up costing you more than you think.  For EU citizens, you need to be aware that taxes may be charged on goods bought outside of the EU. If you are visiting destinations within the EU there are no taxes to be paid. For visitors returning to the USA from a trip overseas, it is worth checking in advance of the local taxes and charges on goods. 

There is an allowance for tobacco, alcohol, perfumes and gifts. However, duty free levels will vary from country to country. If in doubt it is advisable to check with the local revenue office prior to departure. Advice can be sought on board from your cruise line agents, however as they are dealing with numerous nationalities on board, I suspect you are better off getting advice in your own country. From the horse’s mouth, so-to-speak.

Generally, the same rules apply for air travellers as for cruisers. If you are bringing back cigarettes or alcohol, ask your flight steward what the limits are.

Many cruise lines let you manage your own booking nowadays. You can log in and add guest details and so on. It’s like a personalised profile and all you need is a computer and internet access. It’s best to do this before you depart for your cruise holidays. Despite cruise ships being big, bold floating hotels, they are notoriously poor for the internet. Out at sea, the reception can be terrible. And only improves when the cruise ships dock. And of course, then everybody jumps on their devices at once and the signal plummets. So do your check-in in advance. It can be done on the cruise company’s website.

Stay tuned for more inside information, reviews, tips and tricks on the Cruise Paradise Blog.