Planning a great Royal Caribbean cruise is all about being prepared to do, and knowing when to do it.
You might be overwhelmed about where to start or wondering what exactly needs to get done before you set sail. A little research and preparation can go a long way when planning a Royal Caribbean cruise.
Lucky for you, we’ve created the optimal timeline for planning your Royal Caribbean cruise vacation. This article was inspired by an extensive checklist that was shared on the Royal Caribbean First Time Cruisers Facebook page by Perlyshell RN.
Please note, this timeline is simply a suggestion for steps to take during your planning process. We recommend working with a travel agent who specializes in cruising to assist with your cruise planning and preparation.
Personally, we work with MEI Travel for all of our cruise planning needs at Royal Caribbean Blog and highly recommend their knowledgeable and helpful agents.
24 months to 12 months before vacation
Cruise itineraries are released years in advance, so you can start planning your vacation anywhere from 12 months to 24 months in advance. However, some destinations are available for booking earlier than others, it just depends.
During this time, you should also be researching the destination and itineraries that interest you. Start taking notes, reading reviews, watching YouTube videos, and choosing an appropriate budget for your vacation. When choosing your cruise, it's important to select the right itinerary, cruise ship, and cabin for your travel style and budget. Our site offers plenty of helpful guides to choosing the right cruise, especially for first-time cruisers.
Checklist ( > 1 year before vacation):
- Choose your preferred cruise itinerary and book with a travel agent. Ask about group rates and refundable deposits if your cruise is far in advance.
- You'll need to place a deposit to secure your cabin.
- Decide if you want early, late or My Time Dining.
- Pick your cabin category and a specific location.
- Try for a midship cabin that is away from public areas and surrounded by cabins above and below. Use deck plans to find the perfect location.
- Link reservations with others traveling in your party if you book more than one cabin.
- Monitor pricing and check for repricing opportunities.
- If the price decreases, you can ask your travel agent to reprice your reservation at the lower rate.
- Research travel insurance options. This is always a smart move, especially if you’re cruising during hurricane season or have potential health concerns.
- Confirm you have the correct travel documents and verify expiration dates, including passport and driver's license. Renew if needed!
6 months to 12 months before vacation
Once you’re within 6 to 12 months of your cruise vacation, you can start making more reservations. This includes airline tickets and hotel reservations, which are usually only available to book about one year before your actual travel dates.
You’ll also want to start solidifying your plans for each port of call during this timeframe, including shore excursions or independent tours. Reach out to any local tour companies to inquire about tours offered if you want to book through a third-party company (which is often cheaper).
Depending on the itinerary, you might be able to book excursions further in advance through Royal Caribbean. It’s best to lock these in as soon as they become available, as you can always cancel for a full refund or reprice for a lower fare if the price decreases.
Checklist (6 months - 12 months before vacation):
- Book airline tickets for pre-cruise arrival.
- Arrive at least one day before embarkation for domestic flights and two to three days for international flights.
- Set price tracker on Google Flights to monitor if price decreases.
- Start planning your port visits.
- Book excursions if they are available through Royal Caribbean.
- Reserve hotel rooms if you are arriving before embarkation day.
- Book rental car or local transportation, if needed.
- Uber and Lyft are typically available in most port cities.
- Check and purchase any pre-cruise add-ons within the Royal Caribbean cruise planner.
- This includes drink packages, internet packages, spa treatments, specialty dining packages and onboard experiences.
- Make sure your travel documents are in order and passport has at least 6 months of validity.
- Research if you need any visas or e-arrival forms for completion (especially for Asia itineraries)
- Set reminder or mark your calendar for final payment date.
- Find pet sitter or make boarding reservation for pets.
- Confirm if you need any vaccinations or medications for your cruise, meet or schedule doctor’s appointment if necessary.
- Join a Facebook group for your specific sailing.
75 days to 120 days before vacation
Royal Caribbean’s final payment date varies based on the duration of your cruise. We recommend making the final payment before the deadline, especially if you are trying to make any sort of payment around a banking holiday.
You can also choose to make incremental payments toward your reservation rather than paying the full balance all at once. This is a helpful budgeting strategy that allows you to spread out the cost and pay off your vacation before the final payment is due.
Final payment of the balance must be received at the Royal Caribbean office before these deadlines:
75 Days: 1 night to 4 night cruises
90 Days: 5 night to 14 night cruises
120 Days: 15 nights or longer
Checklist (75 days to 120 days before vacation):
- Make final payment for cruise reservation
- If you booked with a travel agent, you’ll make your final payment through your agent. Direct bookings can pay on Royal Caribbean’s website.
45 days to 60 days before vacation
Your cruise vacation is getting closer! During these final months after you’ve made the final payment for your reservation, you’ll want to start making final arrangements for your cruise. This includes finalizing reservations, excursions, dining reservations and more.
If you’re cruising aboard one of Royal Caribbean’s bigger vessels, such as Icon Class, Oasis Class, or Quantum Class, you should start making reservations for specific shows online or using the app. These are popular, and you are required to have a free reservation to attend.
You’ll also check-in for your cruise during this timeframe. This requires you to provide proof of citizenship, emergency contact information, flight details (if applicable), and a credit card for your onboard expense account.
Checklist (45 days to 60 days before vacation):
- Download the Royal Caribbean app and make sure your login works.
- Reserve onboard shows (for free) when they become available in the cruise planner or app.
- Expect to see reservation openings between 45 days - 60 days before sail date.
- This is only for Oasis Class, Icon Class, and Quantum Class. Other ship classes do not require reservations.
- Check-in for your cruise opens 45 days before sail date at 12pm local time. You can do this online or in the app.
- Choose the earliest arrival time if you want to be onboard as soon as possible.
- You can select this without entering travel document information by proceeding to the “Arrival” Section
- Solidify your dining reservations, such as Solarium Bistro.
- Arrange and confirm any Main Dining Room requests
- Email [email protected] to arrange seating for multiple reservations with booking number and names.
1 month before vacation
The month before your cruise vacation is exciting, as embarkation day is right around the corner! Most of the planning for your trip should be done at this point, unless you need to tie up any loose strings or finalize last-minute preparations.
Checklist (1 month before vacation):
- Purchase any cruise necessities or must-have items online
- Shop for any new clothes or toiletries for your vacation
- Buy new suitcases or travel bags, if needed.
- Ensure you have enough prescription medication
- Confirm pet sitter or house sitter arrangements
- Finalize check-in with Royal Caribbean online or in the app
- Make sure your PTO is approved at work
2 weeks to 3 weeks before vacation
Within the final weeks before your cruise, you’ll have a few important items to check off your list. You’ll be continuing to make final preparations and probably starting to pack your bags (or think about packing). This is usually when I do any last-minute errands or shopping before my vacation, as I don’t want to be scrambling at the last minute.
Checklist (2 weeks to 3 weeks before vacation):
- If you prefer, print your reservations and confirmation for airline, hotel and rental car.
- Download Set Sail pass to your phone for embarkation day.
- Print luggage tags for suitcases.
- Download e-documents for reservation. This is available 30 days before sail date.
- Make copies of passports and travel documents, or take a picture on your phone.
- Create packing list with everything you plan to bring
1 week before vacation
It’s the final countdown before your long awaited cruise vacation! After months and years of planning, it can be hard to believe that your cruise is already happening so soon. Enjoy the excitement leading up to your embarkation and get ready for an amazing cruise vacation - all of your planning will pay off!
Checklist (1 week before vacation):
- Start packing your suitcase. Lay out clothes you want to pack and try on outfits.
- Check themed nights in the Royal Caribbean app, such as white night or 80s night.
- Confirm check-in was complete for cruise and download Set Sail pass to your phone (if haven’t already)
- If needed, call your bank and credit card company for travel alerts
- Get cash from the bank (small bills for cash tips onboard)
- Arrange for someone to pick up your mail or stop mail during your vacation
- Watch a ship tour video on Royal Caribbean Blog’s YouTube channel
1 day to 2 days before flight
Within a few days of your flight, your bags should be packed and nearly ready for vacation! Don’t wait until the last minute to pack or prepare for your travel day, as this will only lead to last-minute stress. I prefer packing the weekend before my travel plans to minimize stress the night or day before my vacation begins.
Checklist (1 day to 2 days before vacation):
- Check-in for your flight within 24 hours. Download boarding pass to your phone.
- Remind everyone to have their documents, IDs, money, and credit cards ready for the vacation
- Confirm you’ve packed everything on your packing list.
- Make sure luggage is ready to go and compliant with airline regulation.
- Check the weather for your itinerary and pack anything deemed necessary (ponchos, umbrellas, rain coats).
- Download entertainment for offline use (Netflix downloads, podcasts, books).
- Set an out-of-office reply at work and personal email.
- Download port maps or guides to use offline.
- Print travel insurance card and know your policy number.
< 24 hours before cruise or cruise day
The day has arrived, finally! All of your planning and preparation will come to fruition, and hopefully your vacation goes off without a hitch. Remember, sometimes things don't go the way we meticulously planned, and that’s okay. Control what you can, and go with the flow if something unexpected happens. Traveling is a great time to practice adaptability.
Most of all, enjoy your hard-earned cruise vacation! You’ve earned it.
Checklist (< 24 hours before cruise and cruise day):
- Charge all electronics, including phone, watch, tablet, headphones, portable charger, and camera.
- Complete health questionnaire on Royal Caribbean app.
- Watch the muster drill video and listen to the emergency horn on the app
- You’ll need to physically check into your muster station onboard.
- Make sure all luggage and bags are accounted for.
- Secure bag tags before heading to the port.
- Keep all travel documents and IDs with you during embarkation.
