Tips for a newb?

We are sailing for the first time on Royal Caribbean end of March, so very excited :) We are going for four nights with a port of call in Cozumel. My main question is, do you NEED a passport for this stop?? I have read conflicting things on the RC website and online. I have the enhanced "travel" liscense that is good for "land or sea" travel, but not sure if this would work? This is my main concern as we will need to get our passports ASAP and probably expedited.

Any other tips for a new cruiser?? What to bring, pack, helpful tips? Also what interior stateroom locations are the best as far as feeling movement? We are going to be on Liberty of the Seas. Anything would be appreciated, thank you!

Nope...your BC and DL will be sufficient.

Bring binoculars. Sunscreen....that's about it! Whatever you'd pack for any "beachy" vacation is fine.

Midships, central deck is best for less motion.

You really should get the passport. If something (heaven forbid) were to happen and you had to get home from Cozumel you'd be in trouble.

Passports are good for 10-years so if you think you may ever leave the country again in the next 10-years then it's worth the time and effort to have one.

The amount of motion you feel is more based on the location of the cabin. For example, cabins on higher decks and those at the far front and far back of the ship will feel more motion. If you have an interior cabin in the center of the ship on a lower deck then you will feel less movement. The interior cabins are small, but there is so much to do on the ship that you'll really only use it for sleeping, showering and changing.

Enjoy your first cruise!

Thanks for the tips! We are going to most likely get a interior cabin due to price, but I am tempted to splurge on a balcony room. Is a balcony room much better? Besides the obvious reasons. It sounds so nice sitting out there in the morning having coffee and watching the sunrise...in my pjs ;)

Thanks for the tips! We are going to most likely get a interior cabin due to price, but I am tempted to splurge on a balcony room. Is a balcony room much better? Besides the obvious reasons. It sounds so nice sitting out there in the morning having coffee and watching the sunrise...in my pjs ;)

You have the right ideas about Balconies; they are extremely comfortable. Personally though, I think interior rooms are fine. I agree with Water.Baby that all you'll really use it for is sleeping and changing and just plain relaxing. If this is your first time on a cruise, it could be a good experience, and I think everyone should get a balcony room at least once. But really, if you want to look out at the sea at night, just go to the top deck. Nobody can really stop you, can they?

You have the right ideas about Balconies; they are extremely comfortable. Personally though, I think interior rooms are fine. I agree with Water.Baby that all you'll really use it for is sleeping and changing and just plain relaxing. If this is your first time on a cruise, it could be a good experience, and I think everyone should get a balcony room at least once. But really, if you want to look out at the sea at night, just go to the top deck. Nobody can really stop you, can they?

You are right. And for almost $600 more just for balcony room I am really questioning if it would be worth it.

We are sailing for the first time on Royal Caribbean end of March, so very excited :) We are going for four nights with a port of call in Cozumel. My main question is, do you NEED a passport for this stop?? I have read conflicting things on the RC website and online. I have the enhanced "travel" liscense that is good for "land or sea" travel, but not sure if this would work? This is my main concern as we will need to get our passports ASAP and probably expedited.

 

Any other tips for a new cruiser?? What to bring, pack, helpful tips? Also what interior stateroom locations are the best as far as feeling movement? We are going to be on Liberty of the Seas. Anything would be appreciated, thank you!

You don't "need" a passport to leave the country. You need it to get back in (or at least it helps you get back in more quickly).

You do not need a passport if you are a US citizen

Welcome lmsjt915 to Cruise Critic!

You've found a wonderful place for information. Read, read, read. There is a search feature available and using it when I want to know about a certain subject...as been invaluable. You get answers from people who have "been there, done that"

Balconies are worth the extra - to me.

I'm not a morning person, and I love to go out and wake up looking at the ocean and smelling the sea...priceless.

You don't have to put on make up and get dressed, just go out in your robe. If you get tired of the music by the pool, or too many people, etc...you can go "chill" on your private balcony.

Pack clothes that are "travel friendly". Pack clothes that can be mixed and matched.

Try new things at dinner!

Take time to enjoy the ocean.

Try a new activity offered on the ship.

Pack the over the counter medicines you might need.

Take some Bonine, or something similar.

Let us know what you decide. :)

I went with a passport card ONLY because I've had multiple name changes. My son and husband will not get one. I can not imagine anything happening that I would need to immediately leave for. They have hospitals in the areas I am traveling, and if I needed to fly home, it can wait a few days while I get help from the embassy, but I'm not forking out almost a grand for passports I likely will not need.

That said, I also don't care for a balcony. We wont be spending time inour rooms except to sleep,anyway.

I definitely plan on bringing something for nausea--just in case. I work in an ER and plan on having one of the docs write me for some Zofran and Transderm patches. I hope I won't have to use them! Thanks again for the replies--very helpful!

Keep in mind if you have your husbands name, and decide to not get a passport, you will need to bring your marriage license, also.

I went with a passport card ONLY ....I'm not forking out almost a grand for passports ..

Eeek!

A thousand dollars for a US passport!?!

Good grief! Australian Passports are AUD $233 and valid for 10 years!

I made sure my children all got passports as soon as they turned 18. In fact, the two older children also have British Passports which means they can travel to and work in United Kingdom without having to get visas or work permits!

Having a Pom for a Father has worked out fine for them!!

But seriously, why would you not get a Passport - a legitimate travel document, not having to cart around a collection of non-standard documents plus copies of your Marriage Certificate as well?

Surely USA passports are not that expensive and must be valid for at least 10 years?

And once you are bitten by the Cruise Snake, surely you would be travelling enough - and far enough - to make any (minor) expense worthwhile?

Not being critical here, just amazed that USA passports could possibly cost that much!

And by the way - we have just booked for our very first cruise - 46 days at sea - so we figured that a stateroom with bath and balcony would be a good investment in sanity!

And we figure, if the ship (Arcadia) starts wallowing about as per all those wonderful youtube horror videos, we can just sit it out in the 24 hour bars midships below decks. Otherwise, we are up the front, port side, just under the Bridge - a great outlook for every port, steps to the front balcony, and if it all gets a bit rough, well, what an adventure! Our uber excited tip for our trip is - the anticipation is the intoxication of it all! We are so happy to be doing this and have a whole year to look forward to it.

The best preparation of all - and anything we forget or leave behind, well, we can just buy it if we need it, and if not, then we can just do without!

So I would:

Get a Passport if I didn't already have one

Get vaccinations and immunisations if going ashore anywhere 'exotic'

Be prepared to spend at least the cost of the ticket again on 'onboard' purchases (we are travelling for 46 days and I will want the occasional chocolate bar in that time!)

Count up the Black Tie nights and make sure that we have sufficient glitzy stuff to wear something different each night (scarf, spangly top, different coloured bow ties, etc)

Have a good quality 'across body' secure shoulder bag for shore excursions (I learned this from travelling on the London Underground, and from pick pockets in Madrid!)

Go ashore at every opportunity even if you don't join an organised tour. A friend who has just booked his sixth cruise said that going ashore is the spice of it all, so even if the weather is terrible or if there is nothing particular we want to see, we shall go ashore if at all possible even if it is just for a few hours

Be adventurous with food, experiences, talking to strangers, enjoying it all. I know there will be lots of friends aboard who I haven't met yet but I will do my best to meet as many as I can!

And most importantly, I want to see the joy on Mike's face as he gazes out to the endless infinity of the sea.

This will be the simplest thing I have done for many years so my biggest hope and aim is to enjoy it!

Cheers

Uralba

Eeek!

 

A thousand dollars for a US passport!?!

 

Good grief! Australian Passports are AUD $233 and valid for 10 years!

 

I made sure my children all got passports as soon as they turned 18. In fact, the two older children also have British Passports which means they can travel to and work in United Kingdom without having to get visas or work permits!

 

Having a Pom for a Father has worked out fine for them!!

 

But seriously, why would you not get a Passport - a legitimate travel document, not having to cart around a collection of non-standard documents plus copies of your Marriage Certificate as well?

 

Surely USA passports are not that expensive and must be valid for at least 10 years?

 

And once you are bitten by the Cruise Snake, surely you would be travelling enough - and far enough - to make any (minor) expense worthwhile?

 

Not being critical here, just amazed that USA passports could possibly cost that much!

 

 

And by the way - we have just booked for our very first cruise - 46 days at sea - so we figured that a stateroom with bath and balcony would be a good investment in sanity!

 

 

And we figure, if the ship (Arcadia) starts wallowing about as per all those wonderful youtube horror videos, we can just sit it out in the 24 hour bars midships below decks. Otherwise, we are up the front, port side, just under the Bridge - a great outlook for every port, steps to the front balcony, and if it all gets a bit rough, well, what an adventure! Our uber excited tip for our trip is - the anticipation is the intoxication of it all! We are so happy to be doing this and have a whole year to look forward to it.

 

The best preparation of all - and anything we forget or leave behind, well, we can just buy it if we need it, and if not, then we can just do without!

 

 

So I would:

Get a Passport if I didn't already have one

Get vaccinations and immunisations if going ashore anywhere 'exotic'

Be prepared to spend at least the cost of the ticket again on 'onboard' purchases (we are travelling for 46 days and I will want the occasional chocolate bar in that time!)

Count up the Black Tie nights and make sure that we have sufficient glitzy stuff to wear something different each night (scarf, spangly top, different coloured bow ties, etc)

Have a good quality 'across body' secure shoulder bag for shore excursions (I learned this from travelling on the London Underground, and from pick pockets in Madrid!)

Go ashore at every opportunity even if you don't join an organised tour. A friend who has just booked his sixth cruise said that going ashore is the spice of it all, so even if the weather is terrible or if there is nothing particular we want to see, we shall go ashore if at all possible even if it is just for a few hours

Be adventurous with food, experiences, talking to strangers, enjoying it all. I know there will be lots of friends aboard who I haven't met yet but I will do my best to meet as many as I can!

 

And most importantly, I want to see the joy on Mike's face as he gazes out to the endless infinity of the sea.

 

This will be the simplest thing I have done for many years so my biggest hope and aim is to enjoy it!

 

 

Cheers

Uralba

US passports are about $135 for a 10 year passport for an adult. To that you would add the cost of the pictures and any postage. I assume Kayhold has a large family. The passport card is only of value if you drive or walk across the border.

US passports are about $135 for a 10 year passport for an adult. To that you would add the cost of the pictures and any postage. I assume Kayhold has a large family. The passport card is only of value if you drive or walk across the border.

Yes, for the whole family.

I only did the card because I wont fly, ever (even if my life depended on it) and I just didn't want to carry around a bunch of documents for my name changes (I was divorced about 10 years ago and remarried shortly after)

Take pictures. Enjoy the moment. And once the cruise finished, plan for your next vacation!!!

Take pictures. Enjoy the moment. And once the cruise finished, plan for your next vacation!!!

Welcome to Cruise Critic.

No need to wait. Start planning now!!!!

:cool:You do need a passport to provide to the cruise line when you check in before you leave. You are given a Sea Pass card which is all we needed to leave the ship and to get back on the two time we visited Cozumel. Bottom line is for the cruise you need a passport but at the port most likely not.:cool:

:cool:You do need a passport to provide to the cruise line when you check in before you leave. You are given a Sea Pass card which is all we needed to leave the ship and to get back on the two time we visited Cozumel. Bottom line is for the cruise you need a passport but at the port most likely not.:cool:

If you are a US citizen, you do not need a passport for a closed loop cruise that originates and ends in the US and visits the Caribbean, among other places. Just an original Birth Certificate and a government issued photo ID.

We stopped cruising on birth certificates after our Voyager cruise out of Galveston. Traveling with my parents who had passports, my family of four didn't. Disembarked, mom & dad straight through customs without a look....the guy seemed to want to make it as difficult for us as possible. Slowed down, opened all the birth certificates, looked at our drivers licenses, everything. That was enough! My parents just stood there and watched and waited. We now have used passports for our last two cruises. Makes life easier. Also I used my passport when I got a new job, just brought that in instead of a bunch of the other things needed to prove who I was.

I also live close to Canada, and well if we ever head north we will need it to get back in to the US. We have many friends who annually go to Canada for fishing trips (driving) and it was a shock to them when the rules went into play a couple years ago as well. If you can afford it, and if you think you may be traveling you may want to use it. You may end up using it for domestic flights as well, if your state does not meet the "real ID" standards in the next year.

G'Day

Thanks for the explanations regarding the passports - I have never heard of a Passport Card before and don't think we have such a thing

However, the issue of Identification has changed dramatically in recent years.

I work in finance and the amount of ID I now have to view and verify, particularly if there has been any name change - Statutory Declarations (sworn and witnessed statements) litter my desk whereas a few years ago these were rarely required

Mike can remember going to Europe with school excursions and the children just needing a library card or something similar. Now, leaving UK and going to or from anywhere requires a valid passport

But given the cost of the cruise, the extra hundred dollars or so for each person is trivial, and if it means less time (and hassle) going through customs then it would seem getting passports for every member of the family would be a good investment

Cheers

Kristine