Are you getting ready for a Celebrity Cruise and wondering what you really need to do before you go? I’ve sailed with Celebrity multiple times, and over the years, I’ve developed a simple pre-cruise routine that makes sure I don’t forget anything important.
Below, I’m going to share exactly what I do before every Celebrity cruise—tips that can save you money, reduce stress, and help your vacation start off smoothly from day one.
Check Your Passport Expiration
The very first thing you should do after booking your cruise is to check your passport expiration date. For Celebrity cruise, your passport needs to be valid for at least six months beyond the end of your cruise. If your passport is expired—or doesn’t meet that six-month requirement—you could be denied boarding at the port.
This is one of the most common issues that causes problems on embarkation day. The same rule applies to green cards or any other required travel documents.
If you discover that your passport is expired or close to expiring, start the renewal process immediately. Even expedited services can take longer than expected, and waiting until the last minute could put your entire cruise at risk. If your documents aren’t ready in time, you may be forced to cancel or reschedule your trip.
Complete Online Check-In
Make sure you complete Celebrity’s online check-in as soon as it becomes available. Check-in opens 45 days before your sailing, and you can do it through the Celebrity Cruises app or on your computer.
One big advantage of checking in early is that you’ll have more cruise terminal check-in time slots to choose from, so you can pick a time that works best for your schedule. If you’re traveling with a group, coordinate your check-in so everyone can select the same terminal arrival time—that way, you can board the ship together.
Early check-in also allows you to buy shore excursions, drink packages, Wi-Fi, and other cruise extras at lower early bird prices.
Another thing I like about Celebrity’s online check-in is how simple it is. You’re not required to upload a photo in advance—if you skip it, they’ll take your photo at the terminal on embarkation day.
To complete check-in, you’ll need your passport, Captain’s Club number (if you have one), and access to a printer to print your luggage tags and boarding pass.
Buy the Beverage Package
If you’re planning to buy a beverage package, the best time to do it is before your cruise. Celebrity often offers pre-cruise early bird discounts and flash sales, which can be significantly cheaper than onboard prices.
One tip to keep in mind: if you’ve already purchased a beverage package and later see it offered at a lower price during a flash sale, you can usually cancel the original purchase and rebook it at the lower rate.
I always keep an eye on prices leading up to the cruise because this simple step can save a decent amount of money.
Flight and Hotel Logistics
If your cruise requires flying to the port, planning your flights and hotel stay is critical. One of the biggest mistakes cruisers make is flying in on embarkation day. Flight delays and cancellations happen all the time, and even a short delay can cause you to miss the ship.
For international cruises, I personally find arriving just one day early a bit risky—there’s simply not enough buffer if something goes wrong with your flight.
I learned this lesson firsthand on a Mediterranean cruise departing from Barcelona when my flight from New York was canceled. Because I had planned to arrive two days early, I was able to rebook my flight and still make the cruise. Since then, whenever I’m flying internationally for a cruise, I always arrive at least two days before departure.
I also recommend staying at a hotel close to the cruise port. Many cruise ports aren’t located in the main city and can be an hour or more from the airport. Add in traffic and things can get unpredictable. Staying near the port reduces stress and greatly lowers the risk of missing your embarkation.
Print Your Luggage Tags
Once you’ve completed online check-in, be sure to print your luggage tags. These tags help the porters at the cruise terminal identify your bags and deliver them directly to your cabin.
Make sure to attach your tags before arriving at the terminal so your luggage is ready to go. Arriving without printed tags can slow things down and add unnecessary stress at the start of your vacation.
I also always print a few extra copies, just in case one gets damaged or lost.
Book Shore Excursions Ahead of Time
If you’re planning to do shore excursions, it’s smart to book them early. The most popular shore excursions tend to sell out quickly. Booking in advance not only helps you secure your first choice but often lets you take advantage of early bird discounts.
Even after buying your shore excursion, it’s worth checking back for flash sales. Sometimes a shore excursion drops in price, and you can usually cancel your original booking and rebook at the lower rate.
Before buying shore excursions, I recommend doing a bit of research. Compare prices with independent tour operators, as they can sometimes be cheaper than cruise-sponsored tours.
Just keep in mind that cruise-sponsored shore excursions offer a major advantage: if a tour runs late, the ship will wait for you. With independent tours, the ship won’t—so for certain destinations, I personally prefer the peace of mind of booking directly through the cruise line.
Research Hop-On, Hop-Off Buses
In some cruise ports, a great alternative to traditional shore excursions are hop-on, hop-off bus tours. They are usually more affordable than cruise-sponsored shore excursions.
These buses pick up at the cruise terminal and let you explore the city at your own pace. You can hop off at any stop that interests you, spend as much time as you like, and then hop back on to continue the route.
Before your cruise, it’s important to research whether your port offers hop-on, hop-off buses. Not every port has them, so knowing in advance can help you plan your shore excursions and potentially save a lot of money.
Download Movies, E-Books and Games
Another smart step before your cruise is to download e-books, movies, shows, and games while you’re still at home. Onboard TV options—especially for kids—are usually very limited, and cruise Wi-Fi are expensive and slower than you’re used to.
By downloading content in advance, you’ll have plenty of entertainment ready to go, whether it’s for downtime in the cabin or keeping kids entertained. It’s an easy way to avoid paying for a Wi-Fi package just to stream movies or games.
Make Celebrity Anytime Dining Reservations
When sailing with Celebrity, you’ll have three dining options: early dining, late dining, or anytime dining. If you choose anytime dining, it’s a good idea to make your dinner reservations before the cruise using the Celebrity website or app.
From experience, the most popular dinner times fill up quickly—especially if you’re traveling with a larger group. Waiting too long can leave you with limited or inconvenient dining times. I always make reservations for every night of the cruise so dining is one less thing to worry about once I’m onboard.
If you don’t make reservations in advance, you’ll need to show up at the main dining room and wait to be seated. That can be frustrating, especially if you’re cruising with kids or a large group and need a bigger table—you could end up waiting a long time just to be seated.
To avoid that, I recommend booking all your anytime dining reservations ahead of time. If you’d rather keep things even simpler, choose traditional dining instead. With early or late dining, you’ll have the same table, the same time, and the same server each night, which many cruisers prefer for a more relaxed experience.
Download and Set Up the Celebrity App
Before your cruise, make sure you download and set up the Celebrity Cruises app. It’s an essential tool both before and during your sailing.
One of the biggest reasons to have the app is the free text messaging while onboard the ship. You can message other passengers in your travel party through the app without buying a Wi-Fi package, which makes it convenient for coordinating plans around the ship.
Just keep in mind that the messaging feature isn’t available for kids’ accounts. We found that a little inconvenient when cruising with a tween, but overall, the app is still extremely helpful and worth setting up ahead of time.
Buying Cruise Extras in Advance
In addition to beverage packages, I also like to buy other cruise extras before my sailing. This includes specialty dining, Wi-Fi, laundry services, and photo packages. Celebrity often offers early bird discounts for buying these extras online ahead of time, and in many cases, it’s cheaper than waiting to buy them onboard.
That said, cruise extras aren’t a requirement. I’ve sailed with Celebrity many times without buying extras, and it doesn’t take away from the experience at all. Extras can definitely enhance your cruise, but you can still have an amazing vacation without them.
Check Travel Advisories for Your Ports
Before your cruise, make sure to check travel advisories for every port you’ll be visiting. Conditions can change quickly, and not all destinations have the same level of safety.
For example, Nassau in the Bahamas currently has a Level 2 travel advisory, which means you should exercise increased caution due to crime.
When a port has a higher travel advisory, I’m extra cautious about exploring on my own. In these cases, I usually book a cruise-sponsored shore excursion rather than an independent tour, even if it costs a little more. The peace of mind knowing the cruise has your back—and that the ship will wait if the tour runs late—is worth it.
Prepare Minor Consent Forms
If you’re traveling with a minor who isn’t accompanied by both parents, it’s important to have the proper consent forms.
For Celebrity cruises, you’ll need to fill out the Royal Caribbean Group Minor Consent Form for children ages 0–17. This form must be notarized.
This document must be presented at check-in along with the child’s valid travel documents. Without it, the child could be denied boarding.
Buy Travel Insurance
Travel insurance is something I never skip anymore. When I was new to cruising, I used to go without it—but looking back, that was a huge risk.
Many people assume their regular health insurance or Medicare will cover them abroad, but U.S. health insurance generally does not cover medical care outside the United States. If you get sick or injured on an international cruise, you could be responsible for thousands of dollars in medical bills.
For example, my mother-in-law became seriously ill on a cruise and had to be rushed to a hospital. Thankfully, her travel insurance covered the costs. Without it, she would have faced a massive bill. That experience completely changed how I view travel insurance.
I also strongly recommend buying travel insurance if you’re cruising during hurricane season, which runs from June through November. Travel can be unpredictable—cruises can be rerouted, ports skipped, or rough seas can impact your experience.
For these cruises, I personally choose a travel insurance policy with a “Cancel For Any Reason” clause. This gives me the flexibility to cancel if I’m uncomfortable with conditions and still receive partial reimbursement.
Start Planning What to Pack
Packing for a cruise is a bit different from a regular vacation because you could be visiting multiple destinations with different weather conditions. Planning ahead not only helps you save money, but it also gives you time to pick up anything you might be missing—so you don’t end up paying high prices at the ship’s gift shop for forgotten items.
To make it easy for you, check out my cruise packing list—I’m sharing it as a free download below.
Cruise Essentials to Buy Before Your Cruise
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Travel Must-Haves
Passport neck wallet – Keeps your passport and travel documents secure and accessible. It also has RFID protection.
Cruise lanyards – A super convenient way to keep your cruise card within easy reach. No more digging through your bag every time you need it! I recommend getting one lanyard per person in your group and choosing different colors so it’s easy to tell them apart.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with anti-pickpocket clip – Genius anti-theft clip and versatile enough for both port days and evenings in the dining room.
Anti-theft crossbody bag with RFID – Padded shoulder straps with RFID lining to safeguard against identity theft.
Insulated water bottles –I don’t like spending money on bottled water, and I always want fresh water in my cabin. I’ll fill my bottle at the buffet or ask my server at dinner, then bring it back so I have water at night. This is my go-to water bottle—I prefer ones without straws since they’re much easier to wash in the cabin sink.
Pashmina – This multi-purpose wrap always earns its spot in my luggage. Use it as an evening wrap, a lightweight plane blanket, or a cover-up when visiting places of worship that require modest dress. I never cruise without one—you’ll be surprised how often it comes in handy.
Cruise Planning Essentials
Day Passes to Resorts– Booking private beach resort access in advance guarantees a comfortable beach experience at the cruise port.
Travel Insurance with CFAR Coverage– CFAR travel insurance gives you flexibility to cancel your cruise for any reason and recover part of your costs if plans change.
Last Minute Cruise Deals– Search for last minute cruise deals.
Cabin Comfort & Organization
Non-surge Cruise power strip– Cabins never have enough outlets (check cruise line rules first).
Magnetic hooks – Super-strong magnetic hooks that attach easily to your cabin walls. They’re perfect for hanging hats, cruise lanyards, goggles, swimsuits, and towels. I personally use the 85+ lb hooks—they’re incredibly sturdy and can even hold backpacks!
Small portable fan – Improves airflow and keeps Inside Cabins from feeling stuffy.
Motion sensor night light – Perfect for Inside Cabins, for when you get up at night to use the bathroom. It also has a magnetic base, so you can easily attach it to your cabin walls.
Toiletries & Laundry
Hanging toiletry bag – Keeps your essentials neat and accessible.
Fabric freshener spray – Fights wrinkles and refreshes clothes between wears.
Travel-size detergent – Handy for washing swimsuits, underwear, and quick-dry clothing in the sink.
TSA-approved travel containers – Easy to pack your lotions, creams, and other liquids without worrying about TSA rules.
Health & Wellness
Anti-seasickness medicine – My go-to meds for anti-seasickness. I take one in the morning on sea days (bring chewables for kids).
Acupressure bands – A natural alternative for seasickness relief. I use this with the anti-seasickness meds.
Packing & Storage
Cruise travel planners– Check out my travel planners, they help you stay organized before and during your trip.
Packing cubes – I never travel without packing cubes! They make packing and unpacking so easy—you can simply slip the entire cube into the cabin closet or drawer. I like to assign a different color to each person so there’s no mix-up.
Foldable duffel bag – I always pack a foldable duffel bag in case I bring home too many souvenirs or do some extra shopping. It doubles as an extra carry-on and barely takes up any luggage space.
Foldable shopping bag – Perfect for shopping at cruise ports, these bags fold up small enough to keep in your purse. I always carry one with me—you never know when you’ll need it! Plus, many countries charge a fee for shopping bags, and I’d much rather use my own than pay extra.
Foldable backpack – Perfect for cruise port days when you need an extra bag. I love that these backpacks are lightweight and fold down small, so you can toss one in your luggage without taking up much space.
Travel luggage scale – I always keep one in my suitcase so I can weigh my bags before heading to the airport. It’s a simple way to avoid overweight baggage fees.
Apple AirTags – I pop one into each of my bags so I can track my luggage for peace of mind. They’re especially helpful if you have a short layover and worry about your suitcase getting left behind.
Beach Essentials
Towel Clips – A simple must-have for pool and beach days! They keep your towels from slipping off lounge chairs, and I never cruise without brining a few in my luggage.
Waterproof phone pouch – Protect your phone from water and sand while still being able to snap photos. I always bring one when cruising the Caribbean or Mediterranean—it’s a lifesaver for beach and pool days.
Striped beach bag with zipper – You’ll need a beach bag with zipper to keep your things secure. I like this one because it’s stylish, has a water bottle holder, keeps belongings secure and has a lot of pockets.
Kid-Friendly Cruise Essentials
Magnetic toys – Cabin walls are magnetic, making these toys perfect for fun, mess-free entertainment. They keep kids busy when you’re in the cabin, especially since cruise TV options for kids can be limited. It’s always best to bring your own toys.
Collapsible beach buckets and toys – You’ll definitely want to bring beach toys if you’re going on a Caribbean cruise! This collapsible set includes foldable buckets, shovels, and sandcastle molds, all packed neatly in one bag. They’re easy to fit in your suitcase without taking up much space.
Get Your FREE Cruise Packing List
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Download my free Cruise Packing List printable.
