by Sarah Kuta
Last updated: 8:00 AM ET, Mon February 19, 2024
Booking a cruise may seem straightforward enough—pick a location, find a ship, pay your deposit and start packing. But, in reality, it can be one of the most confusing travel experiences to navigate on your own.
From selecting a cabin to getting a good deal, there’s a lot to consider when planning out your dream vacation on the water. These are some of the biggest mistakes travelers often make when booking cruises on their own—and how a travel advisor can help.
Thinking All Cruises Are the Same
Big ships versus small ships. River, ocean or expedition. Luxurious or laid-back. Educational or just for fun. These days, there’s a cruise for just about everyone under the sun—and then some.
But a big mistake travelers often make is assuming that all cruises are the same, says Michele Lindsay, the owner and lead travel advisor at Blue Pointe Travel. This often leads to a major mismatch: If you’re looking for a calm, relaxing vacation and you end up on a cruise with a party-like atmosphere, you’ll probably be pretty unhappy.?
A travel advisor can help you choose the perfect cruise, based on your likes and dislikes, as well as your goals for each specific trip. During her discovery calls with clients, for instance, Lindsay likes to ask about their food preferences, what kinds of activities and entertainment they enjoy, who they’ll be traveling with and how they’d like to spend their time on vacation.
“Cruise lines each have their own distinct personality,” she says. “Rushing to book a cabin on a cruise line based on an Instagram reel without doing your due diligence first could land you on a ship where it's not your ideal fit.”
Putting Too Much—or Too Little—Emphasis on the Ship
Travelers also often end up putting too much or too little emphasis on the ship. The vessel’s amenities are absolutely important to the overall cruise experience, but it all really boils down to the itinerary. During excursion-heavy trips, you may not have any free time to explore the ship, whereas on longer journeys with more sea days, the opposite is true.?
“Families often make this mistake, in particular, when they are searching for that bucket-list cruise to Alaska or the Mediterranean,” says Lindsay. “They prioritize a kid-friendly ship over time in port, or they don’t realize that on a seven-day Mediterranean cruise, there might only be one day at sea, so the ship's amenities—like water slides—may not be as important as they would be on a winter getaway to the Bahamas or the Caribbean.” ?
On the flip side, some travelers get so excited about where a ship is taking them that they forget how much there is to do onboard, says Lori Stephens, founder and chief executive officer of Sojourney Travel. The key is talking with your travel advisor to understand the ins and outs of your particular trip.
“While the destinations of a cruise are undoubtedly highlights, they are far from the entirety of the trip,” says Stephens. “It is essential to look at your cruise app to see what activities are offered on board so that you can plan accordingly.”?
Amenities on the ship are just one part of a cruise (Photo Credit: Adobe)
Overpacking For The Trip
And speaking of planning, travelers also have a tendency to bring way too many clothes for the journey, Stephens says. She recommends taking advantage of onboard laundry rooms or laundering services to help keep packing to a minimum.
“Consider repurposing dress pants for multiple nights, reusing swimsuits and cover-ups and limiting shoes to a few pairs that can be used with various outfits,” she says.?
Used onboard laundry services to avoid overpacking for vacation (Photo Credit: Adobe)
Also, remember: Your airline has a weight limit for suitcases, and the more space you leave empty, the more souvenirs you can bring home, adds Windy Dockum, an independent agent for Love of the Magic Vacations.
“Cruisers always feel the need to take all these clothes with them on this trip but, in reality, they’re only going to wear half of them,” says Dockum.
Showing Up the Day of the Cruise
Another big misstep? Arriving in the embarkation city the same day the ship departs. Even a small mishap—a flight delay, a traffic jam, car troubles or some other hiccup—can throw off your entire timeline, meaning the ship might just leave without you on it.
Stephens recommends arriving well ahead of boarding time, if possible. Coming a day or two early also gives travelers a chance to adjust to new time zones if necessary, and spend some time exploring the embarkation destination.
“It is always important to expect the unexpected when planning for a cruise,” she says. “Choosing to arrive early gives you a lazy start to your first cruise day, allowing for a slow and stress-free wake-up and an excellent local restaurant for breakfast—ask your travel advisor for recommendations.”
Not Taking Advantage of In-App Offerings
As soon as you put down your deposit, download the cruise line’s mobile app on your phone. Check it regularly for in-app discounts on excursions, drink packages and WiFi, says Stephens. This is an easy, money-saving step that many travelers simply overlook.
The app can also help you in other ways, such as making dinner reservations or checking out the onboard entertainment lineup. Some cruise lines will even allow you to pre-book shows and kids’ club reservations.
“Utilizing a cruise line’s app ensures that you can customize your sailing to your liking and get first pick at excursions and activities with limited availability—all while securing discounts for booking in advance,” says Stephens.
Assuming That Booking Last-Minute Will Get You The Best Deal
Many clients assume that waiting until the last minute to book a cruise will get them the best possible deal. Not so, says Jesse Morris, owner of We Book Travel LLC, an independent agency in the Avoya Travel Network.
“This may have been true at one point, but cruise lines have made inventory management into a science and it is extremely rare in the post-Covid world to see big price drops anymore,” he says. “The best time to book is as early as possible to ensure you get the cabin you want and the lowest possible price.”
Many cruise lines also offer price-drop protections, so if affordability is your top priority, consider booking with one of those lines, he adds.
Not Buying Travel Insurance
New and seasoned cruisers alike often opt-out of travel insurance, but Dockum says this is a big mistake. Hopefully, you won’t need it—but if you do, you’ll be glad to have it.
“Anything can happen while on vacation and it’s best to be prepared,” she says. “Travel insurance can cover things like lost luggage, missed connections and more serious problems like medical issues that could require medical evacuation.”?
Overplanning Your Vacation
Reviewing shore excursions and onboard entertainment options can make you feel like a kid in a candy store. But many travelers have a tendency to overplan, says Dockum, which leaves little room for spontaneity or time to actually relax.
“Many cruisers try to do all the things and it’s just not possible,” she says. “Don't overdo it, or you’ll end up needing a vacation from your vacation. Take some downtime—you can’t do everything.?
Waiting Too Long to Book Excursions
That said, if there are certain excursions you have your heart set on, don’t wait until the last minute to book them, says Dockum.
“I don’t know how many times I’ve heard, ‘But it’s sold out?’” she says. “You booked a once-in -a-lifetime trip, don’t miss out on that once-in-a-lifetime excursion. Book excursions as soon as you can—that way, you get what you want at the time you want.”
Misunderstanding ‘Guaranteed’ Rooms
If you’re cruising on a budget, you might be tempted to book what’s known as a “guaranteed” room to save a little extra cash. These staterooms are typically cheaper because the cruise line will assign you one randomly based on availability—you don’t get to pick your own.
But not all cabins are created equal—and you might end up in a part of the ship that ruins your vacation, says Dockum.?
Pick your stateroom ahead of time to have the best possible experience (Photo Credit: Adobe)
“If you are a light sleeper, you could be placed above a nightclub or dining room and hear noise all night long,” she says. “If you are susceptible to motion sickness, you could be placed in the forward or aft of the ship where you will feel the most movement. It’s best to spend the extra money and pick your cabin location.”
In addition, the name of these staterooms is misleading, because you’re not really guaranteed anything. If the cruise line oversells a voyage, they might have to bump passengers—and guaranteed rooms are some of the first to get the boot, says Stephens.
“No one wants to have to cancel plans at the last minute,” she says. “Go ahead and get an assigned stateroom at the time of booking. It's not worth the savings, many times, and it's better to be safe than sorry.”
On top of all that, ultra-low fare categories often don’t include onboard credits, drink packages or other add-ons. If you want any of these perks, you may actually end up spending more than if you’d booked another rate category that, on the surface, seems more expensive. Your travel advisor can help you do the math and ensure you’re getting everything you want out of your cruise experience at the best price.
“Travel advisors are experts in navigating the promotion mazes and can help clients determine what will get them the most for their money,” says Morris. “We can help clients avoid taking a dream vacation to nightmare scenario easily.”
Waiting Too Long to Book Your Next Cruise
Cruising is wildly popular right now and, even with new ships coming online all the time, there’s still a finite number of berths available, says Lindsay. If you wait too long to book your next trip, you may have to make some compromises.
“Everybody wants that perfect mid-ship balcony, but if you wait too long to book, you may be left with an interior cabin without any views—or, speaking from experience, so far forward that your cabin shakes every time the anchors are dropped,” she says.
If there’s a specific ship you can’t wait to experience or a particular cabin category that’s ideal for your group, get a jump start on booking ASAP. Connecting cabins, in particular, tend to sell out quickly, says Lindsay, so if you’re traveling as a family and you know you’ll need multiple staterooms together, then don’t wait.
“I encourage my clients to look ahead a year or two for school breaks and holidays, as those are the most popular times to sail,” she adds. “Booking early also means that my clients benefit from group space pricing and incentives that are typically available six to 10 months out from sailing.”
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