Now that you’ve made your reservation with RSVP, here’s what happens next and how to effortlessly prepare for your upcoming vacation. Follow this simple timeline and you’ll be ready to sail in style! Note that we communicate with you and/or your travel agent by email. Paper documents will only be sent for our river boat cruises.
You should have received a confirmation of your cruise by email right after you booked.
Make sure your passport is current! It should be valid for at least 6 months after your return date as some countries require this for entry.
Most of the places we visit don’t require visas, and often a cruise ship can provide a temporary visa for U.S. passport holders. However, if you’re from outside the U.S., you should check with your local embassy and/or consulate to confirm any visa requirements. Remember that all documentation is your responsibility.
Start looking at airfare. We recommend looking now and if you see a great deal, take it!
A second payment is due.
We’ll automatically charge your credit card on file unless we have instructions from you to change your card. Please note that these requests should be handled at least 4 business days before your payment is due. If you are paying by check, please send your payment on time. If you’re on the monthly payment plan, no additional payment is due at this time.
Final payment is due.
Same as above and now you’re paid in full! Reserve pre- and post-cruise hotel. If you’re planning to stay in the area before or after your cruise, now is a good time to reserve your hotel. On some programs we offer pre and post-cruise packages, and usually release them about 4 months before sailing. If we don’t have a pre- and post-cruise package, we normally recommend some great hotels in the area.
Register for your cruise with the instructions that we’ll provide by email.
You’ll need to provide passport information and other details directly to our cruise lines to complete your registration. We typically send out this information by email about a month prior to sailing. If you’re booking within a month of departure, it might take a little longer for us to add you to the cruise line’s manifest.
Pre-Order Shore Excursions. We work closely with our cruise lines to create exciting shore excursions just for our guests. These optional tours are the best way to see these amazing places in the company of your friends onboard. Space is often limited, so booking in advance is the best way to plan!
Review our preliminary schedule including party themes. We try to keep our party themes simple enough that you don’t have to worry about them long in advance. You can create a sensational outfit, shop for something fun, or simply come as you are — either way you’ll fit right in and have a great time. Themes for your cruise will be sent by email and posted to your cruise page’s “Already Booked” page about 4 weeks prior to departure.
Read our Cruise Vacation Guide with valuable information about your ship, the entertainment, our ports, packing advice, and so much more. We’ll notify you by email once this document is available for download.
Check your email for any last-minute communications regarding boarding advice, weather updates, parties in our departure city, and other things that might come up.
