By Alara Shannon, Marketing | March 12, 2018 ( Comments)
Booking online is a safe, convenient way to reserve your cruise vacation. But, no one wants their supposed-to-be-fun vacation planning to be mind-numbing and stressful. So, if you decide to research, plan and book your own cruise vacation there are some costly mistakes you should try to avoid when booking a cruise online.
Note: I do strongly urge you to call and speak with a knowledgeable Cruise Specialist before, during or after you have booked your cruise. Their dedicated expertise and guidance is free, and there is no obligation!
1. Booking the wrong ship and sail date. So okay, we’re human, right? And we’re pretty bright most of the time, but every now and then we slip up a little bit and human errors occur. Booking the wrong year or wrong itinerary does happen, more than you may realize. So, please take just a moment to confirm that you book the right cruise ship on the right sail date in the right ocean.
2. Failing to meet minimum age requirements. For the safe and security of every passenger, each cruise line has a minimum age requirement in place for many areas of the ship, from actual embarkation to fitness centers. The minimum ages permitted onboard for infants and young adults 18-25 years old traveling alone varies by cruise line. A very general guideline is children must be at least 6 months old, and passengers under the age of 21 must be accompanied by a parent or chaperone. A guest’s age is established upon the first date of the sailing, and it will be verified at check-in. It is always best to confirm beforehand!
3. Selecting a cruise too far into your pregnancy. Pregnant women are only allowed to sail if 24 completed weeks or less into their pregnancy at time of cruise disembarkation. In other words, you cannot enter your 25th week of pregnancy before completion of the cruise. You will need to bring a letter from your doctor stating that you and the baby are in good health, fit to travel (the pregnancy is not high-risk), and the estimated date of delivery.
Note: The cruise lines aren’t trying to be difficult or discriminate against pregnant mothers, it is strictly for safety reasons. Cruise ships just do not have the available medical equipment for prenatal and early infant care onboard if your little one decides to join the world early and require emergency medical attention.
4. Getting confused over "bonus offers." Many times, a cruise line or travel agency will offer various ‘extras’ on top of the value of a cruise. Bonus offers can include onboard credits, reduced deposits, upgrades and inclusive amenities such as gratuities, internet or even airfare. These special offers can be confusing, as they may only pertain to a specific ships, destinations or sail dates. So if you are confused or unsure whether it is applicable to your booking, it is best to call and speak with a Cruise Specialist to confirm the details and apply it to your reservation.
Also, cruise lines sometimes extend special discounted rates or offers to seniors (55+ years young), past passengers, past or present members of the U.S. Armed Forces and residents of select states. Please call and speak to a Cruise Specialist if you are eligible to receive any of these special offers, they will be able to determine whether or not they are applicable to your desired ship and sail date.
5. Choosing the wrong cabin. Knowing what each cabin category means, how many it can hold, what kind of view it will have and, most importantly, comparing costs can be a real head-scratcher at times. The best rule of thumb is to call and speak with a knowledgeable travel agent to make sure you end up in the cabin that fits your individual needs.
If you need a wheelchair- or handicap-accessible cabin, connecting cabins or any other special service I highly recommend that you call and speak with a Cruise Specialist.
6. Trying to book more than one cabin at a time. If you need to book multiple cabins, you will need to go through the online booking process one cabin at a time. For example, if there are 4 adults and you need two separate cabins you should only enter 2 adults when you check pricing and availability. This will give you the correct pricing for two adults in one cabin, and then you can proceed to book that stateroom. Once completed, start the process over.
Note: If you are booking a cruise online for another individual, please make sure you have the legal names and birth dates prior to beginning the online booking process. This will help you avoid any name change fees that may be imposed by the cruise line to correct the error later.
On the flip side, if you think you’d like to save some mula and put 4 adults into one cabin, more power to you, but just know that once you actually get out to sea that decision may be regretted. Standard stateroom sizes are comfortable, but not plentiful.
If you need connecting staterooms or have a group of 8 cabins or more, speak with a travel agent or Cruise Specialist to ensure that you are receiving any applicable group discounts, cabins that are near one another and coordinated dinner arrangements.
7. Misspelling passenger names. The cruise lines require that the name on the cruise documents match your proof of citizenship document (generally a passport or birth certificate). If the names do not match, you may be denied boarding. Some cruise lines will charge a fee for name changes after a reservation is made so it is best to ensure this information is accurate before making your booking as there is no grace period.
If you just got married and are cruising for your honeymoon (congratulations!) you will need to bring a copy of your marriage certificate if you’d like to travel under your married name. If you won’t have your marriage certificate by the time you set sail, you should travel under your maiden name as it appears on your proof of citizenship.
Note: It is the traveling guest’s responsibility to verify and obtain the documents required for their cruise and to make sure they are valid for the duration of the trip. We strongly recommend using a passport, because if you miss the cruise departure or need to end your cruise early you cannot re-enter the U.S. by air without one. If you are US citizen born in the US a certified birth certificate and driver’s license is acceptable for closed-loop cruises beginning and ending in the same U.S. port. Some countries on your itinerary may also require a visa for entry.
8. Failing to review, review, review. Booking a cruise online is relatively painless, as long as you make certain everything on your reservation is correct and you have the necessary passport or travel documents. Here is a list of the information you will need to confirm or provide in order to book a cruise online:
- Ship and Sail Date
- Departure and Return Port
- State of Residence
- Cabin Category & Location
- Contact Information
- Dining Preference & Special Occasions
- Legal First, Middle and Last Name
- Date of Birth
- Country of Citizenship
- Review Payment Details & Final Payment Date
- Credit Card & Billing Details
9. Not knowing the cruise line cancellation policy. All cruise lines have individual cancellation policies. This means, if you have to cancel or change your cruise details prior to your sail date, you could possibly incur a penalty from the cruise line. Cruise line cancellation policies are stricter than most travel suppliers. To save yourself some grief and heartache, it is best to know beforehand the details of what penalties are applied when. Just give your travel agent a call, or search online for the cruise line’s Guest Ticket Contract.
Most cruise lines and travel agencies will auto-charge your final payment, but please be proactive and confirm when the payment will be made and demand a confirmation once completed. Reservations that are not paid in full when the balance is due will cancel automatically.
In the event of cancellation, you are solely responsible for any/all penalties imposed by the travel provider (cruise line, tour operator, air carrier, hotel, etc). We highly recommend Travel Insurance to protect yourself from penalties assessed for canceling due to medical reasons for yourself or family members. Policies vary and there may be exclusions, such as pre-existing conditions, so make sure you understand what’s covered and what’s not.
These 9 costly cruise booking mistakes may seem like common knowledge, but they are actually common, costly errors that occur daily. So take a minute and make sure you didn’t commit any of the human errors listed above and you will be good to go!
Find your cruise. Follow the prompts. Double check the cruise details. Double check the information provided is correct. Make your deposit or full payment. Voila! You’re booked on a relaxing, rejuvenating cruise vacation!
Upon completing your cruise booking online, you will receive email confirmations and communications from the agency’s customer service team. You can email or call them with questions about your cruise or to make certain all of the details are correct.
Some premium, luxury and river cruise lines simply do not offer online pricing. Also, to book travel packages that include air, hotel or transfers you will need to call and speak with a cruise specialist for availability.
Do you usually book your cruises online, or with a travel agent? What other tips or advice would you add to this list?
