Once you’ve booked a river cruise it’s time to start thinking about the next steps. You need to make sure you’ve got everything in order, and sometimes you may worry that not everything is clear. Firstly – you can relax, you’ll have a checklist of essentials explained to you. But just in case you’re the kind of person who likes to be well informed in advance, here are 10 things to make sure you have taken care of before you travel.
#1 – Passport
You need to check your passport – this might sound obvious but did you know you need six
months remaining on the passport after you’ve returned from the cruise? You need your passport to complete the booking process too, so if you need to get it renewed it should be your highest priority.
#2 – Booking forms
Once you’ve made a booking you’ll be sent your forms to complete. They’re straight forward enough but make sure everything is accurate. If it’s not right now, you’ll need to correct things later. Again the sooner you can do this the better.
#3 – Special requirements
Are you allergic to any foods? Or do you have a disability or issue with your mobility, which could have an impact on your cruise? You’ll need to let the line know as part of your booking, otherwise they may not be able to cater for you.
#4 – Visa
If your cruise takes place on the Volga River in Russia, or you’re heading to the Far East with a sailing on the Mekong or Yangtze Rivers, you’ll need to apply for the relevant visas. Again it’s straight forward enough, but essential.
#5 – Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is absolutely vital for any holiday, so purchase yours at the earliest opportunity. If something goes wrong either before you set sail or during the voyage you’ll need to be covered to make sure you aren’t left out of pocket.
#6 – Transfer requirements
Have you got any special requirements for your transfers? This primarily applies if you’re flying to join the cruise, but regardless of the method it’s important you get these confirmed.
#7 – Packing
Of course, you need to pack. Check whether your itinerary includes any cocktail parties that you might want to dress up for, and do some research into the climate of the destinations you’re visiting – you don’t want to be wearing sweaters when it’s likely to be very warm, or vice versa.
#8 – Leave room for souvenirs
On the note of packing, don’t go with suitcases filled to the brim that you’ve had to sit on to close, otherwise you won’t be able to bring anything back with you. It’s highly likely that you’ll find gifts and trinkets to bring back, but if you can’t carry them then you’re in trouble.
#9 – Currency
And if you want to buy souvenirs, you’ll need money. Particularly if you’re heading to
#10 – Check those forms againmarketsor smaller shops you can’t rely on your credit card as it may not be accepted, so carry plenty of cash for the relevant countries that you’re heading to.
Lastly, apologies for repeating myself but check those booking confirmations and forms one last time. Mistakes could see you being refused access to the ship.
And that’s it – you’re ready to sail. Have I missed anything? Let me know in the comments below.
By Ian Lewis
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