Now that you’ve already booked your cruise, it’s time for the fun part of your vacation – planning what type of activities you want to enjoy! There’s so much you can experience on and off your cruise ship, and it’s best to do your research ahead of time so that you can board your cruise knowing that you won’t have to stress about planning while you’re on vacation. Whether you want to make an appointment for the spa treatment you’ve been wanting, or are hoping to secure one of the most popular guided shore excursions, here are some tips on what you should think about when it comes to pre-booking your vacation activities.
Insider Tip: Have peace of mind while traveling and pre-book all your activities in advance, so the only thing you should worry about during your vacation is having fun!
Onboard Activities
Entertainment & Shows
If you’re traveling onboard a cruise ship that has electrifying entertainment – whether it’s Broadway shows to Cirque-style performances, chances are that you will need to reserve your spot to attend these show times! Most of the entertainment onboard cruise ships are complimentary, however most cruise lines require that you RSVP in advance to ensure that your seat is saved. If you’re looking to watch a specific show at a specific time, you’ll definitely want to make sure that you pre-book your spot in advance!
Spa Services, Youth Clubs, Daytime Activities, etc.
There are many travelers onboard a cruise ship – so it shouldn’t be a surprise that spots fill up quick for onboard appointments in the spa and other popular venues. If you know that you’ll likely want a full body massage at sea or your child will want to be a part of one of the onboard youth clubs so that they can meet travelers their age, you’ll likely want to do your research in advance to reserve these amenities. Spa treatments and kids’ programs are typically an additional cost onboard a cruise, so you’ll also want to research prices and see what aligns with your travel budget as well.
Insider Tip: Try booking a spa service on a day where your ship is docked in port, instead of at sea. Because most guests get off the ship when it’s in-port, there’s usually more availability and better discounts on spa services!
Specialty Dining & Beverage Packages
While cruise ships offer a plethora of dining options, one thing that you may not know is that for select dining venues, such as specialty dining restaurants, you may need to make reservations well in advance to ensure that you can secure a table and not have to wait in line. Also, if you do not have a beverage package included in your vacation, you may also want to consider pre-booking this – oftentimes you’ll have access to discounted packages and/or additional savings when you pre-book dining and beverage packages before boarding your cruise!
Onshore Activities
Shore Excursions
Whether you’re an active traveler or wanting to take it easy while in port, be sure to check out all the shore excursion options that your cruise line offers prior to your cruise. Shore excursions vary in price and can fill up fast – so you’ll want to look around and pre-book the activity that best fits what you’re looking to experience.
Insider Tip: When you book your shore excursion or mode of transportation with the cruise line, you’re always guaranteed to make it back onto your ship on time!
Transportation
Do you know how you’re going to get from the airport to the cruise terminal? It’s important to think about your airport transfers and transportation before you travel, so that you don’t feel flustered once you get off the plane. In addition, while many cruise ships stop at ports that are walking distance to attractions, there are also many ports where you need to take an additional means of transportation to reach local sites and hot spots. This can easily be pre-booked in advance through your cruise line, and/or through a transportation mode of your choice.
These are just a few of the vacation activities that you should pre-book before your cruise. There are also other things to plan – sites you want to see, restaurants you want to try, and so much more. For help on pre-booking all of these vacation activities and setting up your itinerary as perfect as possible, get in touch with your Avoya Vacation Planner today!
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