Cruise playbook

Documents

• Confirm what the line and port require (passport vs. REAL ID vs. birth certificate)
• Set up the line’s app; download boarding passes offline
• Print a backup set in case phones die at the terminal
• Travel insurance papers in the same folder — see Documents

Boarding

• Arrive in the assigned window, not “whenever”
• Meds, charger, a layer, and documents in the carry-on
• Do muster before exploring the buffet
• Skip the hard sell photos if we’re tired — the album can wait

Specialty dining

We book specialty only if the whole table wants it. One night is usually enough. Note allergies in the app before embarkation day.

• Pick dining time that matches the youngest / most tired person
• If booking specialty, do it before the ship fills up

Port days

• One paid excursion or one good wander — not both stacked.
• Be back a full hour before all-aboard unless the ship’s tour is late (they wait for their own).
• Ship card, ID, a little cash, and a screenshot of the pier address.
• If the port is a tender, budget extra time and skip tight connections.

Sea-day rhythm

Walk the deck in the morning. Quiet cabin hour after lunch. One planned thing (show, trivia, spa) so the day has a spine. Laundry if the sailing is long enough.