While getting excited about all the destinations you want to see it’s easy to forget all the logistics of how you will get to the ship on the first day. If you are fortunate enough to live within driving distance of the port, there is not much to consider.

Most cruise terminals have parking, either on site or close by. Parking prices vary; therefore check with the port you will be departing to make arrangements. If staying at a nearby hotel the night before, the hotel may offer parking packages, and shuttles to and from the port for cruise ship passengers.

If you are flying into your departure port, take into account the time it will take to collect your luggage and get to the cruise terminal. I advise you check this information first. Before you book your flights, find out how long it takes to get from the airport to the ship. For example, ships leaving out of Galveston, Texas require at least an hour’s drive from Houston airport.  And when joining a ship in Civitavecchia, Italy you need to fly into Rome which is about one hour away from the cruise terminal or two hours by train.

Note: When flying internationally, take into account the time spent getting through customs and immigration.

You may also need to consider the time zones you might be flying against. It is virtually impossible to fly west to east across more than 3 time zones and make a ship on the same day before it sails, unless it sails late. Most ships depart the port around 5pm, meaning you have to be onboard by 4pm at the very latest.

Most cruise lines offer a fly/cruise or an air/sea package, which are different names for the same thing. Basically, they are “all inclusive” packages for the cruise and airfares. All inclusive packages usually include transfers between the airport and the ship. Check the ticketing conditions as the airfare usually come with some restrictions such as not letting you chose your airline or make any kind of changes or cancellations without a fee. You may also lose the option to earn frequent flier miles.

The flights will generally be arranged for same day arrival and departure, meaning you will arrive on the same day as the cruise date and go straight to the ship. And for your return trip home, your flight will be in the afternoon the same day you debark the ship. This also means a hotel will not be required. Remember, the all inclusive packages usually include an airport greeting and transfers between the airport and the ship, including luggage service.

If you don’t book an air/sea package, transfers from the airport to the ship can be purchased through the cruise line in advance. Failing that, there are plenty of taxis and shuttles to take you to the ship, and then back to the airport at the end of your cruise.

Note: Transfers are between the ship and the airport, not your home and the airport.

A big advantage of having an all inclusive package is, if your flight is delayed for any reason, the ship is more likely to wait for you to arrive, but this is by no way guaranteed. If you have booked your flights separately the ship will not wait if you have not yet arrived when it’s time to sail. Either way, arriving a day early is highly recommended.

Many people miss the ship because their flight was delayed. If this happens, you can always join the ship in the next port of call. If the ship’s first day is at sea; you will have to wait for day 3 to join.  Don’t risk it, arrive the day before your scheduled departure.

When booking your return flight, consider booking for an afternoon departure, or even staying over night before flying. It relieves you of the stress and anxiety of trying to make your flight on time. You will feel better waking up on the last morning of your cruise without having to rush.

To make the most of your cruise, read my book Cruise Ship Secrets.  It will help you with beating sea sickness, cruising with kids, saving money, what to expect onboard, what to pack, and a lot more.

Do you want a tropical setting? A European cruise for two? Or sightseeing with friends in Alaska? With so many wonderful destinations to choose from, you may already be planning your second, third or forth cruise.

To help you decide, look at the itinerary and shore excursions of each cruise line you are considering and make a list of sites and activities you would like to do. Then compare.

As mentioned earlier check the cruise ship’s itinerary carefully; especially the time spent in each port of call. Ships arrival and departure times can vary from ship to ship depending on its itinerary. If there is a certain place that you have your heart set on seeing, it would be a shame to only have a five hour visit because the ship arrives later in the day or departs early in the day.

When deciding where to go, keep in mind the weather or season for the part of the world you are interested in visiting. Which leads us to Part 5.

To make the most of your cruise, read my book Cruise Ship Secrets.  It will help you with beating sea sickness, cruising with kids, saving money, what to expect onboard, what to pack, and a lot more.

For example, when flying into Rome, the cruise port is approximately one hour away in Civitavecchia by bus, or allow two hours by train. And when flying into London the cruise ports of Southampton or Harwich are about an hour to two hours away, depending on the mode of travel. Venice is about 40 minutes, but can depend on traffic. Barcelona is about 20 minutes. Athens is about an hour, depending on traffic. But when flying to your cruise, always arrive the day before.

We just wanted to say hello to you all from the brand new ship from Eclipse from Celebrity Cruises.  Like most new ships, it’s simply beautiful.  Celebrity have done a great job with this class of ships.  The other ships in the class are Solstice and Equinox. 

With fine dining, whisky and martini tasting, and health and lifestyle classes, the Eclipse caters more for the distinguished people among us.  I myself like to hang with all crowds, blending in like a chameleon. 

Not the best ship for cruising with kids, however, they do have brand new kids facilities.  But because they don’t target families that much there is no need for a large kids center.   

There are many nice bars to pick from with our favourite being the outdoor mast bar.  And the new double sized sun lounges are a great way to unwind at night with your loved one, a bottle of wine and a blanket to keep you cosy.  

The introduction of the crepery on Deck 5 is a great new addition to the Celebrity dining options. 

The entertainment is good with a really funny vantriloquist, a fantastic singer in main centrum every night and a very entertaining acapella group.  They are still ironing out the kinks in the main broadway show, as I didn’t find it to be  as good as some of the others I’ve seen.  I think once they sort out the sound pitch and volume it will be a lot different.  It is only the first cruise after all.  

All in all, the Eclipse is a beautiful ship and no photos do it justice.  We highly recommend it.

To make the most of your cruise, read my book Cruise Ship Secrets.  It will help you with beating sea sickness, cruising with kids, saving money, what to expect onboard, what to pack, and a lot more.  

Tips for getting it right.
To get married onboard a cruise ship you need to be cruising with them (although this may soon change, where they will offer non sailing packages).  They currently offer numerous cruise packages that are widely used and very convenient.  The list of packages can be found in each cruise lines website.  If you chose to marry on boarding day, I assume you will be checking luggage.  When you check your luggage out in the terminal, it won’t arrive to your stateroom until the afternoon or early evening, so make sure you have everything you need for the ceremony in a carry on bag.  Also include a change of clothes for the compulsory boat drill, unless of course you want to attend the drill wearing your wedding outfit, along with a bright orange life jacket.  If so, take the camera.
Since you don’t usually have access to your stateroom until after 1pm, the ship will have somewhere for you to get ready.  Check with your cruise wedding consultant beforehand to make sure you have compatible power sockets for your hair dryers/straighteners and the like.  Make sure you double check and triple check your wedding list before submitting it to the cruise line.  Anyone who turns up on the day and is not on the list will definitely not be permitted to board.  At the completion of the reception lunch or cocktail party, any of your guests that are not sailing will need to depart the ship, before you sail off in to the sunset on your honeymoon. Note: There are few ports in the world where your guests will be able to wave you off like you see in the movies.  The terminal building is usually in between your guests and the ship.  And once they leave the ship after the ceremony, they will not be aloud back inside the cruise terminal to wave you off. Similar to an airport, the front foyer is as far as they will get before security stops them.

Remember – The newer the ship, the better the amenities.  New ships are now being built to cater for the wedding market, therefore the chapel and ceremony locations are suitably designed areas instead of make shift locations made up for your wedding day and then turned back into a conference room after it’s over. 

Or get married in one of the ports of call, perhaps on a beach at one of the resorts… commonly called a destination wedding.

To make the most of your cruise, read my book Cruise Ship Secrets.  It will help you with beating sea sickness, cruising with kids, saving money, what to expect onboard, what to pack, and a lot more.