Before You Sail: Essential Pre-Cruise Tips
Before you even leave the house!
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Most cruise advice focuses on what to do once you’re onboard—from booking specialty dining to navigating the buffet. But a smooth, stress-free vacation actually starts long before you ever step foot on the ship. Proper pre-trip preparation can make all the difference between a relaxing getaway and a logistical headache.
Here are three tried-and-true pre-cruise tips to get you ready before you even walk out your front door.
1. Build an “Absolute Essentials” Checklist
When packing for a cruise, it is easy to focus on outfits, swimsuits, and evening wear. However, you need a separate, non-negotiable list for items that cannot be easily replaced if lost or forgotten.
Before you leave the house, double-check that you have:
- Your physical passport (and any necessary travel documents)
- Key prescription medications
- Cash for tipping porters and incidental expenses
- Prescription glasses or contact lenses
If you forget a sun hat, you can buy a new one in the gift shop. But if you forget your passport or daily medications, getting replacements while traveling can turn into a major emergency. Check these off first!
MOST IMPORTANT – Do not pack any of these things in your checked luggage! Many people will put their passports in their checked luggage and get to the terminal to check in – no passport and a really bad day.
2. Prep Your Car for the Long Drive
If you’re like many cruisers driving to the port (especially down to Florida!), your journey starts with a lengthy road trip. To make the drive as smooth as possible, incorporate these two quick habits into your pre-trip routine:
- Apply Rain-X to your windows: Nine times out of ten, a drive down to a southern port involves hitting a torrential downpour. Treating your windshield ahead of time drastically improves visibility when the weather turns severe.
- Download and update the iExit app: If you aren’t already using this app for road trips, it is an absolute must-have. It tracks your exact location on the interstate in real-time and tells you every single food, gas, lodging, and amenity option coming up at every exit. (I am not sponsored by this app – I just love it).
Rain-X
iExit App
3. Treat Your Luggage with Permethrin
This one might sound a little unconventional, but it’s a trick I swear by for every trip I take. Years ago, before a business trip to India, I was sent to a travel health clinic, and they recommended treating all my luggage and clothing with Sawyer Premium Permethrin Insect Repellent. While I skip treating my clothes to avoid direct chemical contact on my skin, I treat my suitcases, bags and sometimes sneakers every single time.
Why do it? Permethrin kills bugs on contact. Cruise terminals, baggage handlers’ carts, and hotel rooms see thousands of travelers from all over the world. Spraying down your luggage gives you incredible peace of mind, ensuring that any unwanted pests from hot, humid ports or previous hotel stays won’t be hitching a ride back home in your bags.
Sawyer Premium Insect Repellent
Summary
Start your cruise stress-free by tackling a few smart steps up front—because the last thing you want is to inadvertently make your own getaway harder. Enjoy your cruise!