Preparing for Your Trip

Depending on the cruise line, your travel documents will either be emailed to you or sent via postal mail. Some cruise lines offer both options.

If you made a last-minute reservation, you’ll likely have to make arrangements to pick up your travel documents. Generally, you’ll pick them up right at the pier on the day of embarkation. A Cruise Specialist will call or email you with special instructions. If you do not receive instructions, please call a Cruise Specialist directly at 1-888-249-3978.

For most cruises, a passport suffices for both U.S. and non-U.S. citizens (although non-U.S. citizens may need a travel visa or green card to gain reentry to the U.S.). Some itineraries, however, may include countries requiring travel visas (Russia, Brazil, and Panama, among others). Visit the CIBT website to research travel requirements by country and to purchase a travel visa online. Be sure to check the requirements for all countries on your itinerary.

Yes. Expedia strongly recommends that you always travel with a passport. A valid passport is the only form of identification accepted by most countries.

All travelers must provide proof of citizenship when boarding the ship, even if your cruise includes only domestic destinations. If your cruise ship stops at any port outside the United States, you must have a valid passport. And if you’re traveling on an international sailing, the countries you visit will also require proof of citizenship.

For more information on travel requirements, contact the U.S. embassies of the countries you're visiting. A complete list of U.S. embassies worldwide can be found at the Department of State website.

All children, including infants and newborns, must have their own passport. Some countries may require extra documentation as well. Country-specific information is available in the Consular Information Sheets pages on the U.S. Department of State website. It also is available from the consulate of the country being traveled to. Please note that requirements can change at any time; confirm them close to your departure date.

Special requirements apply when purchasing passports for minors age 16 and younger. Please refer to the U.S. Department of State website for further details.

The following information is provided as a general guideline only and is subject to change. Exact documentation requirements will depend on your specific situation and the country to which you are traveling.

Children's passports and documentation are necessary to board the ship, and they also are likely to be requested by immigration officers at ports of call. Even if you have heard accounts of inconsistency in enforcement of documentation requirements, bring them anyway; without them, you can incur delays at ports of call and be denied boarding.

Generally, a notarized “permission to travel” letter from the absent parent(s) must be provided. We strongly recommend bringing such a letter even if it is not an official requirement. The letter should be signed by the non-traveling parent(s) and should state that he/she gives the child permission to travel. It also should include: the name of the child and the names of all people traveling with the child; information about the trip including the dates of travel, country (or countries) being visited, and the name of the cruise line and ship; address and phone number of the non-traveling parent(s); and a notary’s signature and seal.

In some circumstances, legal documents will be required to clarify custody rights and/or the parental relationship. It’s especially important that documentation be supplied by travelers with different last names, same-sex couples, adoptive parents, or divorced parents. Travelers falling under any of these categories should provide custody and other supporting documents. Widowed parents should provide a death certificate. In all cases, you must bring both your own and the child’s identification.

If you are a U.S. citizen and have a birth certificate with a raised seal, a passport can be purchased online at the CIBT website, or, if you wish, through a government agency (see the U.S. Department of State website for a list). You should expect to receive your passport within eight weeks (two weeks if expedited passport requested), although processing time cannot be guaranteed.

If you are a U.S. citizen and you need a copy of your birth certificate, contact the city hall located in your town of birth.

If you need a passport and you are not a U.S. citizen, please check with the appropriate government agencies within your country of citizenship.

To ensure proper treatment in case of an emergency, cruise lines require that all guests with special medical needs submit this information to them prior to travel. Passengers who carry syringes for medical use must also carry a letter from their physicians indicating as such.

As long as your medication is still in its original bottle, you are not required to bring a doctor’s note. However, you do need a doctor’s note if you will be carrying syringes. Also, please let the cruise line know ahead of time if you have special medical needs.

If you need to take your medication regularly, we suggest that you carry it with you rather than leave it in your checked luggage, just in case there is a delay in delivering your luggage to your cabin. In addition, though commonly used medications (like aspirin) may be purchased from the ship's doctor, you may not be able to get additional supplies of prescription drugs. Therefore, be sure to bring an adequate supply with you.

Yes. Depending on the cruise line, you can generally book your shore excursions once you’ve reserved your cruise. You can also book early online on Expedia, where we offer shore excursions through our partner Port Promotions.

After booking your cruise, you may register online with the cruise line to access information about shore excursions including excursion difficulty, duration, and cost. Some cruise lines also offer video clips of the excursions. We also recommended researching the options available through Expedia partner, Port Promotions.

If you booked cruise line airfare, you may be met at baggage claim by a cruise line representative who will provide transportation from the airport to the pier. Please check your travel vouchers for details.

If you booked your own airfare, you will be required to get yourself from the airport to the pier. When you receive your cruise packet, your ticket will provide the name of the pier from which your cruise departs. If you are not familiar with the area from which you are departing, we suggest you use our Maps and Driving Directions to get the best directions to the port. Most taxi drivers will also be familiar enough with the area to easily transport you to the pier.

Most ports do have parking right at the pier. However, like airport parking, it can be a bit pricy.

Ship boarding usually begins four to five hours before the ship is scheduled to depart, and all passengers must be onboard at least 60 minutes prior to departure.

If your flight is delayed and you booked the cruise line’s airfare, the cruise line will be made aware of the delay (but you should still call the cruise line to inform a representative of the delay). If you miss the ship, oftentimes the cruise line will transport you to the ship’s next port of call.

If your flight is delayed and you did not book cruise line airfare, please call the cruise line immediately and let them know of the delay so that they can make arrangements to get you to the ship.

On embarkation days, you’ll generally be allowed to board the ship three to four hours before departure. You’ll start by “checking in” at the pier, where your proof of citizenship (passport, or government-issued photo ID and birth certificate with raised seal) will be checked. At this time, you’ll also set up your onboard account. Upon boarding, you’ll be able to have a snack or a full lunch, explore the ship, or simply spend time in your cabin.

Due to government regulations, all guests are encouraged to be checked in and onboard no less than 60–90 minutes prior to the published sailing time to avoid the risk of automatic cancellation. Check the individual cruise line’s policies for their final boarding times.

Due to security reasons, passengers may not bring visitors onboard.

Keep both your destination’s climate and the cruise ship’s dress code in mind when deciding what clothes to pack. If you’re traveling to Alaska, be sure to bring protective rain coverings for Alaska’s and Canada’s rainy days. If you’re traveling to the Caribbean, be sure to bring plenty of cool clothing and sunscreen for warm days.

In addition, if your ship has formal nights, men should bring a dark suit or tuxedo, and women should bring a pantsuit or cocktail dress. If you don’t own these items, no worries: Most ships have casual dining venues to cater to those who aren’t interested in dressing up, and some ships also have formal wear rental shops.

It’s advised to pack lightly, depending on your destination. Be sure to pack your passport/travel documents, comfortable shoes and clothing, and formalwear, although renting formal clothing onboard is also an option. If you wish to bring items requiring electrical outlet usage, such as hair dryers or cell phone chargers, note that most cabins are equipped with U.S. standard 110-volt outlets. Some cabins are also equipped with European standard 220-volt outlets.

The following items are not permitted onboard most cruise lines: firearms, alcoholic beverages, weapons of any kind, explosives, or animals (except service animals with permission from the cruise line).

Luggage allowances vary by cruise line. If there is a set limit, passengers may typically bring up to 200–250 pounds of luggage per person onboard.

Different ships have different dress codes. Most ships suggest "resort casual" attire during the day, which includes shorts, pants, blouses, and shirts; skirts and slacks are appropriate for evening attire (except on formal nights, when women wear evening gowns or pantsuits and men wear suits or jackets and ties). Generally, shorts and jeans are not allowed in the main dining rooms while swimwear is not permitted in any onboard dining rooms, including casual buffet-style restaurants. There are some ships that do suggest casual attire, including Norwegian's "freestyle" ships, which follow a "dress up or not" guideline and Windstar ships, which still request "casual elegance" from their guests. For more information, check the Clothing section of the ship's review.

If you're cruising to Alaska or northern Europe, don't forget to pack sweaters and raincoats.

We suggest that you bring credit cards and some cash. Some cruise lines require that you use cash for tipping and casino gambling. Cash is also handy to have in port. Most cruise ships do have ATMs onboard; however, the ATM service fee may be quite high. Onboard charge accounts are also another option on many cruise ships.

Some ships do offer money exchange; however, many passengers wait to exchange money at a shoreside exchange bureau. In addition, U.S. currency is accepted at many foreign ports of call, particularly in the Caribbean.

Prior to boarding, you will set up a charge account with your credit card. All onboard purchases you make, from cocktails to gift shop items, will be charged to this account. Passengers who don’t hold credit cards can also deposit cash into their accounts to cover onboard expenses.

As a general rule, each U.S. citizen is allowed to bring $800 worth of duty-free merchandise into the U.S. without being taxed, with an additional $1,000 being taxed at a reduced flat rate. Canadian citizens are generally allowed to bring $750 worth of duty-free merchandise into Canada without being taxed. Each U.S. and Canadian citizen may only return with a maximum of one liter of liquor and 200 cigarettes.

Non-U.S. and -Canadian citizens should check with their country's customs agencies for restrictions on duty-free merchandise.