It’s a Port Day – What You Need to Know

Let’s take a look at everything you need….and how to save money. There may be a few things included that you haven’t thought of.

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First, let’s go over the basics.

You will need your sea pass card and a photo ID. There are some who say to take your passport with you, but unless the country you are visiting requires it, LEAVE IT IN THE SAFE! Theft does occur and you DO NOT want your passport stolen. If something happens and you miss the ship, the ship’s security will retrieve your passport from your cabin and leave it with the port authority who will assist you in making further travel arrangements.

Money and/or credit cards. Many countries are becoming cashless societies, especially in Europe. Credit cards such as Mastercard and Visa are widely accepted.. American Express is harder to use outside the USA. If you really feel the need to have some cash with you, use an ATM onshore to obtain a small amount. Be sure to let your bank or card issuer know you will be traveling and where.

It is smart to carry all ID and credit cards in an RFID protected case. This will prevent scanners from stealing your information.

Disembarking the ship The ship will either be docked at a pier or there will be a tender service from the ship.

Tendering is very easy. If you have book an excursion through the ship, you will be given tender tickets indicating time and location to meet. You will then be escorted to the tender. If you are going ashore on your own, meet in the designated area (this will be noted on the daily planner or on an information sheet left in your cabin). Some cabin types and cruise line loyalty levels will have different meeting locales. You will be issued a tender ticket at that point. Wait until your number is called and then proceed to the tender.

If you have arranged a private excursion early in the day, be sure to arrive to your designated area early….tender lines can be long. If you are not in a rush to get off the ship, the tendering process will become quicker later in the day, as fewer people will be trying to leave the ship.

Be sure to not take any fresh food (fruit, sandwiches, etc) with you off the ship. Bottled water, drinks and prepackaged snacks are fine.

When exiting the ship, take note of the required return time. This is usually 30 minutes prior to sail away. Lines to return to the ship may be long, but you will not be left behind if you arrive to the departure area prior to the last scheduled tender back to the ship.

If the ship is docked at the pier, join the cue to depart the ship. Again…make note of the required return time. The ship WILL LEAVE without you!

What Type of Bag is Best?

As you prepare for your cruise and are starting to pack, it’s a good idea to think about your shore excursion bag. What you put in it will depend on the type of activity you’re planning to do while in port.

If you’re going to the beach or a boating excursion, you will want a few different things than if you’re zip-lining through the jungle, sightseeing or shopping.

Packing a Beach Excursion Bag

If you are heading to the beach, you want to make sure to bring everything you will need to enjoy the day.

You don’t want to be on the beach or on a snorkeling excursion and realize you forgot the sunscreen! Of course, you can borrow (hopefully) from a stranger, but best to be prepared with your essentials.

I recently found this great beach bag. The main compartment is spacious enough to fit swimsuits, a change of clothes, beach toys and other essentials. The long zipper closure helps to prevent items from falling out and there are holders on the outside for beach towels. You can also unzip the bottom to remove any sand that gets inside! And there are more pockets than I know what to do with.

These are the essential items to pack in your beach bag:

• beach towels…..the ship will provide beach towels to use while onshore.
• A good beach blanket
• water-proof and reef safe sunscreen
• lip balm
• water or reusable water bottles
• bathing suit cover up
• wide brimmed sun hat or baseball cap
• sunglasses
• towels bands
• water shoes (many beaches are rocky or are covered in shells)
• sand removal tool
• Daily planner from your cruise ship (with all aboard time!) or take a photo

*Remember, many beaches around the world are asking snorkelers and swimmers to use reef safe sunscreen

Optional items for your beach bag:

• book or other reading material
• snorkeling gear
• snorkeling fins
• beach lock box  (popular with cruisers and beach goers)
• children’s sand toys if you have kids or just like playing in the sand

Bring a Backpack for Active Shore Excursions

If you’re going to be active on your port day, bring a bag that keeps your hand free.

• comfortable walking shoes or sandals
• hat to keep the sun off your face
• good quality water bottle
• sunscreen
• bug repellent

If you’re sightseeing on your own or on an organized tour, you can skip all the beach stuff and just bring some basics to keep comfortable during your day onshore.

If you are planning to go shopping while in port, a bag (with a zipper) is very convenient. I love this one….super cute and comes with a second bag to keep ID and smaller items organized.

I have found that many stores are no longer providing plastic bags (especially in Europe) when making a purchase or charge you for a bag. These reusable plastic bags have been very helpful.

• water or reusable water bottles (it gets hot!)
• wallet with money and 1 credit card
• photo ID Leave your passport in your cabin safe unless instructed by the country you are visiting to bring it!
• sunscreen
• sunhat or baseball cap
• light cardigan, scarf or shawl (to cover up in religious buildings or if there’s air conditioning)
• hand sanitizer
• small first aid kit
• Daily planner from your cruise ship (with all aboard time!) or take a photo

Pro Tip: Take some water with you as you leave your cruise ship. You’ll want to make sure that you have water with you. Yes, you can buy it onshore, but you may not be near a store and/or it can be expensive. Bringing it from the ship solves that problem.

Final Thoughts

Learn About Local Scams!

It is a good idea to do a Google search and learn about scams in the ports you are visiting. Listed below are some of the more common ones.

• Don’t take part in street raffles.
• Don’t take anything you are offered.
  • If someone tries to give you a rose or a bracelet or take your picture with a monkey etc., it won’t be for free! They will want money for it.
• Take normal, sensible, safety precautions and keep a close eye on your purse and wallet when in busy port area

Use an ATM in Port

Using an ATM in port is a great way to obtain local currency at a decent exchange rates. If the ship even has any, it will be much more expensive. Be sure to inform your bank that you will be traveling.

Having a bag packed with the items you need most for your chosen activity, whether a tote, beach bag or backpack, is really important for port days,

Remember to take note of your all aboard time and be back to the ship with a little time to spare…..no one wants to end up a YouTube famous Pier Runner.

What do you take with you and pack in your bag for shore excursion bag? If you have any suggestions, please comment below!

Happy Cruising!!

Here are some other posts to help you plan, pack and get ready for your cruise:

Cruise Packing 101

19+ Essential Items for Your Cruise Cabin

Carry On Packing Essentials

What to Pack for Alaska

What to Pack for a Norway Fjords Cruise

What to Pack for the Caribbean

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