Planning Your Cruise: Gathering Documents

Depending on the type of cruise you have in mind, you'll need to ensure you have all the proper documents. Some day cruises leave Long Beach in California, make a short trip to Catalina Island and come back later the same day. Those are... well saying they're on the low end of the scale would be impolite. But they definitely are the simplest and require no documents and little planning.

Beautiful beaches are included nearly in every cruise.

For most cruises, even just a 4-day cruise from Florida to Jamaica and back, you'll need a passport. That's required anytime you enter a foreign country and return to your own.Yes, for a U.S. resident Jamaica is so familiar now it may not seem like a foreign country, but it is.

That effort should be undertaken at least two, and preferably up to six, months in advance. Under normal circumstances you can obtain a passport in a few weeks. But nothing is so stressful as having your departure date approach and not having that passport in hand.

When you intend to take the whole family along, the problem is compounded. Many families today are composed of children from previous marriages and may not have the same name as the father or mother. That can mean additional delays while you provide documentation to prove to the authorities that the children are legal residents of the country and entitled to a passport.

You'll need visas for many of the countries that cruise ships typically visit. Once again, the more family members you have, and if they have different names, more time is required to get everything in order.

Some countries, in order to complete the visa process, require evidence of recent vaccinations. With the decrease of certain diseases over the last few decades, particularly in the U.S., many parents have opted to forego some of the traditional vaccinations. What is required differs from country to country, so, once your travel itinerary is firmed up, check those needed for your trip.

If you elect to use a travel agent to assist your planning, they will often have complete lists of required documentation and medical certificates. They often know them from memory - a sign of an experienced travel agent! They can provide you with cost options, destinations, recommendations of cruise lines and specific trips. You may or may not get the least expensive trip that way, but you'll be saving yourself much time and possibly many headaches.