Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page printable cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limited time). Here are the details: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner
I got your planner for my 1st cruise in 2022 and have used ever since on each of my 4 subsequent cruises. An awesome resource and organizational tool. Thanks! 😊
😊Bring a blue and yellow highlighter, one color for each couple, on the daily planner each person marks what they want to do if it turns green then you do together. 15:30
First cruise (actually cruise tour) in August/September to Alaska on Holland America. So excited. Husband has been teasing me about the number of RUclipss I’ve watched. I’ve learned so much from you
We sailed to Alaska with Holland America (first with that line) in May this year. Absolutely loved it. We were very lucky with the weather and there were almost no other tourists. Only Ketchikan had another ship in even.
Same here. Excited for my first cruise. Have been planning since July 2024. Sailing with Sun Princess in end May to celebrate my birthday in the Mediterranean. Very helpful videos. Enjoy your cruise.
We were on a Thanksgiving cruise on the Wonder of the Seas. Three days in I developed a severe sinus infection causing coughing with PND and had an asthma crisis, which turned into bronchitis. I was treated twice a day for 4 days. Had chest X-ray, EKG and breathing treatments Ali g with medication given to me. Excellent care. When I got home I initiated my claim with Allianz. Sent the required information. Within 14 days I was notified a check for the entire amount was in the mail. I complained because of the high cost, but I realized even though my bill was only $1400 it could have been so much more. Worth peace of mind.
We use and have used Travel Insured International. Cost is not much more than the cruise line insurance and covers way more. We had to file a claim on our last cruise as my wife was injured while on an excursion. We saved all of the paperwork from the ship ER that included an itemized list of all services, treatment, and charges. Filed the claim and supporting documentation online with the company upon return and was reimbursed the full amount. Total time filing the claim to receiving the check was less than a month.
Phil I'm sure cruise line insurance is perfectly fine. We purchased the cruise line insurance up until this past cruise and never had to use it. Our travel agenet recommended this as it's what she uses so we decided to go with it. Look up their website and match the coverage from them, the cruise line and other companies to see what fits you best. It may or may not be something you are interested in but you will have options. Happy cruising!
@@philbikes1931 I think the major difference is that insurance from the cruise line only covers the cruise, whereas, a general travel policy will cover your flights also!
@@LifeWellCruisedI’m about to use the outfit planner pages cause I first got out all the clothes I WANT to take- 😛 they’re not all going to fit! I just want options! It’s so hard to whittle it down!
I'm boarding the Norwegian Sun of February 3rd from Auckland NZ. I booked 5 months ahead of the cruise and paid for it in full within a few weeks. Within days I had booked hotels and flights, and bought full coverage travel insurance. We can't do our online check in until 21 days before the cruise and my new passport hasn't arrived yet. I'm traveling alone in a wheelchair and have booked an accessible cabin with a balcony. I have 3 specialty dining options booked and they are free. I haven't bothered with a drinks package as even the cheapest one will be a waste of money so I will buy my drinks individually when I feel like one - mainly with meals. I love my tea and coffee and I'm a smoker so I'll be hustling up to the 12th and the bar there where we're allowed to smoke. I have no interest in going ashore and it's too much hassle with a manual wheelchair. My holiday will be on the ship, having a champagne breakfast on my balcony. Lying by the pool with a good book and chatting to people. I will join the single cruisers group and go to the trivia contests etc. Mostly I long to be on the sea, watching it go by.......but we only have 2 full sea days when we cross from NZ to Hobart in Tasmania. My biggest thrill will be sailing through the Marlborough Sounds, somewhere I've longed to go and I'm buying a new camera so I can capture it al........I am so excited, this is my first ever cruise.
That's wonderful. We did a round New Zealand cruise in February this year that called in Sydney. It was great, although we had rocky seas in the Tasman going to Sydney, and again crossing Cook Strait. If you get seasick take medication and/or sea bands with you. The sail round Tasman Island, Cape Raoul and up the River Derwent to Hobart is worth getting up early for. Have a fabulous time, from Lisa in Tasmania 🇦🇺
@@lisamorice4701 Thank you. I have my seasick pills and pool friendly sun screen packed. I've been to Sydney and Melbourne in 1988 but have never been to Tasmania. My cruise will end in Melbourne and I will hate getting off the ship......I'd live on one if I could.
Oh my goodness, your trip sounds wonderful. I love how you’ve planned the activities you want to do and it sounds like you like to see what else is going on. I do believe I would enjoy knowing you and traveling with you. I too enjoy traveling alone and being able to make friends onboard. Have a great trip❤❤❤
@@DonnaDavis-l1u Thank you. Before I became disabled with arthritis I traveled to Japan twice all by myself. I stayed in hotels and the little family owned inns which are cheaper. I loved traveling on the trains from place to place and the people were so friendly. I got lost looking for the station in Nagoya one day and a nice man helped me. He then invited me for morning tea at a station cafe and we had funny little rice cakes and green tea. In Tokyo once I couldn't find my hotel (The Maranouchi) and my feet were killing me after hours of walking. I found a second hand book shop where they had books in English and so I bought a few The I asked the owner if he could find the direction of my hotel. He spoke very little English but sort of understood. I showed him my key with the hotel name on and he nodded and smiled and took me by the arm and he walked me all the way to the hotel entrance, leaving his book shop wide open and unlocked. I couldn't believe it! The kindness and honesty of the Japanese is amazing. I walked around at all hours of the night alone and nobody ever bothered me. I liked going to the 24 hour supermarkets to buy snacks. People bowed as they passed........
The Life Well Cruised planner is excellent! Highly recommended! We’ve used it multiple times and it has saved us from so many worries. It seriously covers everything you can think of, and many more you wouldn’t have thought of. Not sponsored! Just really love it!
Hi there. Going on my third cruise, and am using CAA (Canadian) for the third time. Not sure if triple A is the same. Not quite Cancel for Any Reason Insurance, but close. It is called "non medical vacation coverage" and excludes medical coverage (which I have through work) but covers for almost all other things (if a blizzard stops you from getting to the cruise on time, for example, or a family member gets sick and you can't leave). My travel agent said it was better than anything she could offer or had seen. You don't need a CAA membership, but get a 10% discount if you have it. Not for everyone maybe, but worth a look. Safe and happy travels!
We're cruising in April on the NCL Getaway for the second time. We have two dogs and a cat, and a very popular move in pet/house sitter that we've used for many years. We literally check his availability for the cruise we want to take before booking. As soon as we book, we get our travel insurance bought and paid for right away. We have used the same travel insurance again for many years - Aardy Insurance :) We have dealt with the same few agents for all these years. I have faith in a company that keeps their trusted insurance agents. This will be our eighth cruise. We have only gone in the day of sailing once, and never again. Also check your airport location for a Sleep, Park, Fly package. I book that early as well, to be close to the airport and shuttle, because we live an hour and a half away from the airport we have to use. Happy cruising!!
I very rarely comment on videos, but this one saved us money. It just so happens I booked a cruise to Alaska a few days after I watched this. I usually just take it for granted that everything is correct. But I followed your advice and checked the invoice. There was so much wrong with it. My travel agent straightened it out, but by checking the invoice it saved me over $800. Thanks for your advice!
Thank you for the reminder about checking your last payment goes thru!! We got bit by this recently when there was an issue with the last payment and we missed it. Our cruise reservation was cancelled and the boat was full, so instead of going to the Caribbean with family we're going to Mexico and Honduras instead. It's our first cruise and we're making the most of it, but definitely something important to check! Thanks for all your wonderful videos and tips.
@@gerdajorgenson1841 oh my! Thanks for sharing this! It sounds like you have a great attitude despite the snag. I enjoyed the sloth sanctuary btw in Roatan - be sure to take an excursion rather than going on your own in this port as not much is close by (I use Shore Excursions Group if you’re looking for reputable independent tours www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1422218)
@@LifeWellCruised it's always important to make the most of life when thrown a curveball! I appreciate your tip about the sloth sanctuary! That looks amazing :) One silver lining about our change of destination is more wildlife for our toddler to enjoy!
Thanks for another great reminder episode! We've been cruising for over 40 years and I still listen to everyone of your "things to do..." vlogs. Very helpful and I really enjoy the way you present things. Happy New Year! 😊
I have a birthday cruise booked for this month to the Bahamas through Royal. It'll be my first cruise since 2019, and I am so pumped! It'll also be my boyfriend's first cruise ever. I'm excited to introduce him to cruise life 😊
Hi Ilana…yes gives the story of the maiden name in the future….Excelent tips…as an experienced cruiser, i do these things early…I was in the green lane almost one year before my upcoming cruise. And i check the website and my app every other day. I also print out all my confirmations as well as downloading them to my computer. I use your cruise planner as a guide for my packing..it has helped my packing organization tremendously. Thx🚢🙂
Very helpful information Ilana. The check in time certainly has changed over the past few years. Used to be roughly 90 days now that is much shorter. We have been flying in two days before embarkation day especially for winter cruises. With flight cancelations & delays don't want to miss our cruise. Happy cruising Ilana
My sister and I are going on our very 1st cruise in March on the Celebrity Equinox. We are really excited and I’ve been watching your videos for months. They’ve all been super helpful! Thank you!
Cruising in Feb. on the Enchanted Princess can’t wait! Good tips. Recheck price often even when booking through a cruise consultant, have not found a really substantial price reduction anytime. Always purchase insurance!!!
This year will be our second cruise. First to the Bahamas and now to Alaska. Still not 100% on board with the whole cruising concept but this channel has helped tremendously!
My husband and I are taking our first cruise January 11 2025 to Bimini & Nassau this is our 28th year anniversary. I've have been tuned in on all your videos. I love all the tips and advice. It has really helped me feel more at ease and certainly more prepared. Thank you
Buenos días desde Barcelona, España. Gracias por tus consejos. Yo apunto en la Agenda del Móvil todo eso, para recordar. Feliz año a ti, tu familia y seguidores!! 🎉👍🏻
Great tips today, especially reviewing information right after booking for typos!!! I had this happen to me recently, and I was trying to do my onboarding for me and cabin mate, but her year of birth had been entered incorrectly and the cruise ship wanted me to register in one of the kids clubs, as well as, assign her to my credit card! It’s a little funny now, since she is 60 plus, but it wasn’t funny when it’s late at night and I was trying to get our boarding paperwork completed!!! I had to contact our travel agent, and it was fixed the next day! I’ve always been curious about price drops or lower cost because of age or status? Thanks for the tips 🛳️🛳️
Thank you for the tips, Ilana. Going in early is a definite must. We, personally, have seen more flight delays or changes in the last 5 years than all the years before. Another downside is missing opportunities to explore the port city. Way back when, we flew in same day to New Orleans & out right away (young & carefree). Later that year, Katrina hit. Definitely missed seeing some of the beauty that was lost.
Definitely keep an eye out for the price adjustments. Better yet book through a travel agent and let THEM keep N eye out for price drops. Just happened to me this weekend. Went to make our final payment for our upcoming Celebrity Ascent cruise in April and it was $200 cheaper than we planned for because they automatically adjusted the rate for us. 🎉
Great tips! Your content is wonderful! I also always make sure to make the final payment a few days early just in case there is a random issue with the charge.
Planning our first cruise here! We're doing a quilters cruise on Holland America, the Alaska cruise in early August. My husband is so patient with all this research I've been doing and bless his heart, he's only coming so I won't be alone......
My wife and I are going on our very first cruise. Celebrity Equinox, Departing 3/1, we live 15-minutes from Port Canaveral. It’s our honeymoon ❤ a couple of weeks ago I booked it, a concierge veranda cabin, including tax, tips and insurance 2100.00 USD for both of us.
apparently, I'm gonna get real use out of your planner. My husband booked us yesterday on the 22 day cruise sept/oct with Carnival Luminosa. This is our 4th cruise with Carnival and second repositioning cruise. Last was 2009 with Princess. It went from Vancouver to Beijing and I thought was going to be our Cruise of a lifetime. This one however, is going to hit more bucketlist items. It will leave from Seattle and end up in Australia! 9 months to get everything figured out :) Your videos have really helped us prepare in the past and since we just took a 5 day one in November so we should be pros by now you'd think.
Good advice! I’m the organizer for a 6-person Alaska cruise June 2025 on Princess. It’s only our second cruise so I feel like I need all the advice I can get! I also just checked the final payment date and put an alert in my phone for two weeks before!
I’ve used your planner for 2 cruises, and starting my 3rd. I love the clothes planner page. I swear I have cut down in my packing. Thanks and Happy New Year 🎊
Most of my cruises are short because I live in SC and drive to Florida for long weekends. It's very affordable, but the crowds are young and rowdy, which is a minus. Biggest drawback is lack of variety in destinations.
Keep up the good videos. 56 Disney cruises, 4 Royal with 3 booked, and 1 Holland American (Never again on Holland). We like the big ships and longer cruises.
My first cruise is in March. I feel very prepared thanks to your videos! I will be on Royal Carribeans Mariner of the Seas to Mexico, also its my first time out of the USA! Thank you for all your help 😊
What is the “light bulb cruise”? You said it several times. This video has some great information. Thank you for sharing with us. Your reservoir of knowledge is so vast I find myself watching each video several times. I wish there was a book.
Also, the word "validity" was spelled wrong. Love the videos and all the information, but I've got this curse... misspelled words pop out at me, hee, hee!
I check often for price drops! Always feels good to save a bit of money. The only problem I've had doing this, and I didn't know at the time was that it worked that way, was that I lost the sale price excursion I'd booked.
I just want to share that if you purchased the travel insurance and you got sick while traveling then go ahead to request to have that medical records with you. It takes forever for the cruiseline to send you the medical records necessary for your claim.
On booking shore excursions early, good point Ilana. I have a cruise booked in the second half on 2026, and some popular shore excursions for this cruise are already showing as sold out. I have my name on wait lists for a couple, hoping that either someone choses/has to cancel, or they add another bus so they can serve more people.
Thanks for the wonderful tips!!! For addons such as drinks packages I wait for the sales they have on the cruise line webpage. I saved money on my up and coming Easter cruise with P&O by an extra 5% on the already discounted pay before cruising online price during last Black Friday deals.
Thanks for all your great information over the years. We are sailing to Singapore with Princess in November, having a few days to explore, than sailing on Celebrity to Bali. First time to Asia and first time on Celebrity. We invited another couple to join us so it will be extra special. I like to do things early, but the only thing I do immediately after booking is check the documentation. Insurance is next and flights and then hotels several months ahead of sailing. I do keep and checklist for noting payments and to-do items, as well as my own version of a cruise packing list that I've developed over the years. And, for the first time we need to renew our passports before we can check in or finalise everything. Our overseas adventuring began in 2015 😂
@@carolyntemplin488 thank you! I have all (most) of my dresses in this post so you’ll find it here :) lifewellcruised.com/cruise-dresses-amazon-resort-wear/
Great suggestion and video I had one where we have 4 rooms all next door together and one of the bookings was for a completely different cruise ship and 5 hours later it was fixed
Can you do a video for recommendations for cruise lines or itineraries for first time cruisers? Maybe what to expect for first time cruisers in 2025. I had a friend tell me about different colour bracelets that identify a first time cruiser on board so if they did something wrong or broke an unwritten rule that people understand they were first timers. I’m looking to book my first cruise in 2025! Thanks and really enjoy your content 🎉
lol that’s cute! No need to worry about following or not following rules / I promise people are nice. I have a recent video on best cruise lines with lots of info :)
We booked our February 2025 cruise in October 2023 . Princess advertised that booking early will get you the best price. It takes 5 minutes to check prices so I would do it a couple times a week fortunately I did our price dropped 3 times our final price was $700.00 cheaper than our original price. I brought this up to Princess . To which I got a phone call from Princess but unfortunately I didn’t recognize the phone number and didn’t answer. They did leave a voicemail saying that I was fortunate to receive my discount but no explanation about advertising how booking early would be your best price!
I have great travel insurance by the year. I don’t remember the name of the company but my amazing travel agent booked it. They’ve worked with a lot of companies but right now I think they only use the one insurance company. The agent is Dan. He’s the owner of Travel with Brigitte. The one thing you DON’T want to do is book through the cruise line.
The best travel insurance I found for cruises is Geo Blue. Make sure you ask for Geo Blue direct pay. They pay the ship medical for anything else directly, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.
Planning a cruise? Get The Ultimate Cruise Planner. It's a 47 page printable cruise travel planner with packing checklists, shore excursion planning forms and much more! ($10 off for a limited time). Here are the details: lifewellcruised.com/ultimate-cruise-planner
I got your planner for my 1st cruise in 2022 and have used ever since on each of my 4 subsequent cruises. An awesome resource and organizational tool. Thanks! 😊
@@keshiah-stayblessed I’m so glad to hear it’s been helpful for many cruises! Thanks for your purchase and feedback ☺️
Excellent idea
One thing I like to bring is a highlighter. I use it on the daily planner to mark things or events we might want to do on that particular day.
😊Bring a blue and yellow highlighter, one color for each couple, on the daily planner each person marks what they want to do if it turns green then you do together. 15:30
@@gaycarpenter8729🤯
That’s a great tip, thanks for sharing!
Me too 😊
@gaycarpenter8729 thanks for sharing
First cruise (actually cruise tour) in August/September to Alaska on Holland America. So excited. Husband has been teasing me about the number of RUclipss I’ve watched. I’ve learned so much from you
We sailed to Alaska with Holland America (first with that line) in May this year. Absolutely loved it. We were very lucky with the weather and there were almost no other tourists. Only Ketchikan had another ship in even.
Same here. Excited for my first cruise. Have been planning since July 2024. Sailing with Sun Princess in end May to celebrate my birthday in the Mediterranean. Very helpful videos. Enjoy your cruise.
Yo también, Jane y lo digo haciendo!! 😊😊
Her videos FULLY prepared me for my first cruise and it went so smooth and the Amazon must buys was very helpful
This is funny. My 1st cruise too. And I've watched tons of RUclips videos as well
Kept vigilant track of paying on cruise and included travel insurance as well. All paid for😊❤
How did you find a travel insurance company you were comfortable with?
These are some legit good tips. Just went and checked my final payment date and it was sooner than I thought!
@@Christoph52 oh glad I mentioned 😂
Hi Ilana! Thanks for all your tips, you're helping me get ready for my very first cruise, sailing 3 weeks from today ! 🎉
So exciting!! I hope you have a wonderful cruise!
Have so much fun!!!
We were on a Thanksgiving cruise on the Wonder of the Seas. Three days in I developed a severe sinus infection causing coughing with PND and had an asthma crisis, which turned into bronchitis. I was treated twice a day for 4 days. Had chest X-ray, EKG and breathing treatments Ali g with medication given to me. Excellent care. When I got home I initiated my claim with Allianz. Sent the required information. Within 14 days I was notified a check for the entire amount was in the mail. I complained because of the high cost, but I realized even though my bill was only $1400 it could have been so much more. Worth peace of mind.
We use and have used Travel Insured International. Cost is not much more than the cruise line insurance and covers way more. We had to file a claim on our last cruise as my wife was injured while on an excursion. We saved all of the paperwork from the ship ER that included an itemized list of all services, treatment, and charges. Filed the claim and supporting documentation online with the company upon return and was reimbursed the full amount. Total time filing the claim to receiving the check was less than a month.
That sounds good. What is wrong with using the Cruise line's insurance? I paid for it on an upcoming NCL cruise thinking it was OK.
Phil I'm sure cruise line insurance is perfectly fine. We purchased the cruise line insurance up until this past cruise and never had to use it. Our travel agenet recommended this as it's what she uses so we decided to go with it. Look up their website and match the coverage from them, the cruise line and other companies to see what fits you best. It may or may not be something you are interested in but you will have options. Happy cruising!
@@philbikes1931 I think the major difference is that insurance from the cruise line only covers the cruise, whereas, a general travel policy will cover your flights also!
They key reason when choosing any insurance is the history of paying claims. So if similar, go with what you know. And don’t believe ads!
I create a new planner for each cruise. What’s especially helpful are the wardrobe planning pages, they help me with packing outfits.
@@pdallen5801 me too on outfits! I’m not a light packer, but I am intentional with what I bring and I think outfit planning helps
@@LifeWellCruisedI’m about to use the outfit planner pages cause I first got out all the clothes I WANT to take- 😛 they’re not all going to fit! I just want options! It’s so hard to whittle it down!
I'm boarding the Norwegian Sun of February 3rd from Auckland NZ. I booked 5 months ahead of the cruise and paid for it in full within a few weeks. Within days I had booked hotels and flights, and bought full coverage travel insurance. We can't do our online check in until 21 days before the cruise and my new passport hasn't arrived yet. I'm traveling alone in a wheelchair and have booked an accessible cabin with a balcony. I have 3 specialty dining options booked and they are free. I haven't bothered with a drinks package as even the cheapest one will be a waste of money so I will buy my drinks individually when I feel like one - mainly with meals. I love my tea and coffee and I'm a smoker so I'll be hustling up to the 12th and the bar there where we're allowed to smoke. I have no interest in going ashore and it's too much hassle with a manual wheelchair. My holiday will be on the ship, having a champagne breakfast on my balcony. Lying by the pool with a good book and chatting to people. I will join the single cruisers group and go to the trivia contests etc. Mostly I long to be on the sea, watching it go by.......but we only have 2 full sea days when we cross from NZ to Hobart in Tasmania. My biggest thrill will be sailing through the Marlborough Sounds, somewhere I've longed to go and I'm buying a new camera so I can capture it al........I am so excited, this is my first ever cruise.
have a great time !
That's wonderful. We did a round New Zealand cruise in February this year that called in Sydney. It was great, although we had rocky seas in the Tasman going to Sydney, and again crossing Cook Strait. If you get seasick take medication and/or sea bands with you. The sail round Tasman Island, Cape Raoul and up the River Derwent to Hobart is worth getting up early for. Have a fabulous time, from Lisa in Tasmania 🇦🇺
@@lisamorice4701 Thank you. I have my seasick pills and pool friendly sun screen packed. I've been to Sydney and Melbourne in 1988 but have never been to Tasmania. My cruise will end in Melbourne and I will hate getting off the ship......I'd live on one if I could.
Oh my goodness, your trip sounds wonderful. I love how you’ve planned the activities you want to do and it sounds like you like to see what else is going on. I do believe I would enjoy knowing you and traveling with you. I too enjoy traveling alone and being able to make friends onboard. Have a great trip❤❤❤
@@DonnaDavis-l1u Thank you. Before I became disabled with arthritis I traveled to Japan twice all by myself. I stayed in hotels and the little family owned inns which are cheaper. I loved traveling on the trains from place to place and the people were so friendly. I got lost looking for the station in Nagoya one day and a nice man helped me. He then invited me for morning tea at a station cafe and we had funny little rice cakes and green tea. In Tokyo once I couldn't find my hotel (The Maranouchi) and my feet were killing me after hours of walking. I found a second hand book shop where they had books in English and so I bought a few The I asked the owner if he could find the direction of my hotel. He spoke very little English but sort of understood. I showed him my key with the hotel name on and he nodded and smiled and took me by the arm and he walked me all the way to the hotel entrance, leaving his book shop wide open and unlocked. I couldn't believe it! The kindness and honesty of the Japanese is amazing. I walked around at all hours of the night alone and nobody ever bothered me. I liked going to the 24 hour supermarkets to buy snacks. People bowed as they passed........
The Life Well Cruised planner is excellent! Highly recommended! We’ve used it multiple times and it has saved us from so many worries. It seriously covers everything you can think of, and many more you wouldn’t have thought of. Not sponsored! Just really love it!
So glad to hear it’s been helpful! I really appreciate your feedback & thanks for your purchase 😊
I’m using mine for the first time. So far it’s been GREAT!
Hi there. Going on my third cruise, and am using CAA (Canadian) for the third time. Not sure if triple A is the same. Not quite Cancel for Any Reason Insurance, but close. It is called "non medical vacation coverage" and excludes medical coverage (which I have through work) but covers for almost all other things (if a blizzard stops you from getting to the cruise on time, for example, or a family member gets sick and you can't leave). My travel agent said it was better than anything she could offer or had seen. You don't need a CAA membership, but get a 10% discount if you have it. Not for everyone maybe, but worth a look. Safe and happy travels!
We're cruising in April on the NCL Getaway for the second time. We have two dogs and a cat, and a very popular move in pet/house sitter that we've used for many years. We literally check his availability for the cruise we want to take before booking. As soon as we book, we get our travel insurance bought and paid for right away. We have used the same travel insurance again for many years - Aardy Insurance :) We have dealt with the same few agents for all these years. I have faith in a company that keeps their trusted insurance agents. This will be our eighth cruise. We have only gone in the day of sailing once, and never again. Also check your airport location for a Sleep, Park, Fly package. I book that early as well, to be close to the airport and shuttle, because we live an hour and a half away from the airport we have to use. Happy cruising!!
In 17 years of cruising, this is the best travel insurance company I have done business with in the UK. Staysure
We purchase an annual insurance policy.We use Allianz for this. They will cover everything. The cruise, airline, car rentals, and health.
Would you please let me know roughly how much it costs for an annual insurance for a couple? Thanks
@@dchang3838 it's on a personal information basis. What you want, how much coverage you need.
I very rarely comment on videos, but this one saved us money. It just so happens I booked a cruise to Alaska a few days after I watched this. I usually just take it for granted that everything is correct. But I followed your advice and checked the invoice. There was so much wrong with it. My travel agent straightened it out, but by checking the invoice it saved me over $800. Thanks for your advice!
My daughter and I are going on our first cruise together in April aboard the carnival dream. We are so excited about it 🎉🎉🎉🎉
Have an amazing time!!
@ thank you so much
Thank you for the reminder about checking your last payment goes thru!! We got bit by this recently when there was an issue with the last payment and we missed it. Our cruise reservation was cancelled and the boat was full, so instead of going to the Caribbean with family we're going to Mexico and Honduras instead. It's our first cruise and we're making the most of it, but definitely something important to check! Thanks for all your wonderful videos and tips.
@@gerdajorgenson1841 oh my! Thanks for sharing this! It sounds like you have a great attitude despite the snag. I enjoyed the sloth sanctuary btw in Roatan - be sure to take an excursion rather than going on your own in this port as not much is close by (I use Shore Excursions Group if you’re looking for reputable independent tours www.shoreexcursionsgroup.com/?id=1422218)
@@LifeWellCruised it's always important to make the most of life when thrown a curveball! I appreciate your tip about the sloth sanctuary! That looks amazing :) One silver lining about our change of destination is more wildlife for our toddler to enjoy!
Thanks for another great reminder episode! We've been cruising for over 40 years and I still listen to everyone of your "things to do..." vlogs. Very helpful and I really enjoy the way you present things. Happy New Year! 😊
Awe thanks so much! That means a lot from a seasoned cruiser 😊
I have a birthday cruise booked for this month to the Bahamas through Royal. It'll be my first cruise since 2019, and I am so pumped! It'll also be my boyfriend's first cruise ever. I'm excited to introduce him to cruise life 😊
So fun!!!
Your videos are awesome and very informative. As a work from Home Travel Agent, I pass along your advice to my clients. Thank you
That’s so kind of you to share! I’m glad you’re finding them helpful 😊
Hi Ilana…yes gives the story of the maiden name in the future….Excelent tips…as an experienced cruiser, i do these things early…I was in the green lane almost one year before my upcoming cruise. And i check the website and my app every other day. I also print out all my confirmations as well as downloading them to my computer. I use your cruise planner as a guide for my packing..it has helped my packing organization tremendously. Thx🚢🙂
Love that about Princess! I’m so glad the LWC Ultimate Cruise Planner has been helpful too. Lol, I have to share the Quebec law re:names sometime
Very helpful information Ilana. The check in time certainly has changed over the past few years. Used to be roughly 90 days now that is much shorter.
We have been flying in two days before embarkation day especially for winter cruises. With flight cancelations & delays don't want to miss our cruise.
Happy cruising Ilana
My sister and I are going on our very 1st cruise in March on the Celebrity Equinox. We are really excited and I’ve been watching your videos for months. They’ve all been super helpful! Thank you!
I'm going on my very first cruise on Equinox on January 17! Sailing with my BFF....can't wait! Hope we both have a marvelous time!
@@ambersmith4039 so exciting!!
This will be my first cruise. Going to the Med Sea, on Royal caribbean🛳🛳🛳⚓️⚓️⚓️
My cruise leaves this coming Sunday!!! YAY!!! PS - your hair looks gorgeous!!!!
So exciting!! Have a wonderful cruise! (And thank you) 😂🎉
Mine too! The Celebrity Ascent!
Enjoy!
Cruising in Feb. on the Enchanted Princess can’t wait! Good tips. Recheck price often even when booking through a cruise consultant, have not found a really substantial price reduction anytime. Always purchase insurance!!!
Found this information very helpful. My husband and I will be taking our first cruise in September to Alaska, we are going with Holland America
This year will be our second cruise. First to the Bahamas and now to Alaska. Still not 100% on board with the whole cruising concept but this channel has helped tremendously!
Geoblue is an awesome insurance.
Whoo! My mom and I have our first cruise booked on November 2025 on Harmony of the Seas.
My husband and I are taking our first cruise January 11 2025 to Bimini & Nassau this is our 28th year anniversary. I've have been tuned in on all your videos. I love all the tips and advice. It has really helped me feel more at ease and certainly more prepared. Thank you
@@AngelWade-t4j that’s awesome! I love Bimini btw, and hope you enjoy every minute
Great tips! We are boarding the Celebrity Summit in February. Very excited for a smaller ship.
Buenos días desde Barcelona, España. Gracias por tus consejos. Yo apunto en la Agenda del Móvil todo eso, para recordar. Feliz año a ti, tu familia y seguidores!! 🎉👍🏻
Great tips today, especially reviewing information right after booking for typos!!! I had this happen to me recently, and I was trying to do my onboarding for me and cabin mate, but her year of birth had been entered incorrectly and the cruise ship wanted me to register in one of the kids clubs, as well as, assign her to my credit card! It’s a little funny now, since she is 60 plus, but it wasn’t funny when it’s late at night and I was trying to get our boarding paperwork completed!!! I had to contact our travel agent, and it was fixed the next day! I’ve always been curious about price drops or lower cost because of age or status? Thanks for the tips 🛳️🛳️
@@BeefromSC thanks for sharing
Thank you for the tips, Ilana. Going in early is a definite must. We, personally, have seen more flight delays or changes in the last 5 years than all the years before. Another downside is missing opportunities to explore the port city. Way back when, we flew in same day to New Orleans & out right away (young & carefree). Later that year, Katrina hit. Definitely missed seeing some of the beauty that was lost.
@@nancybeacroft2107 you’re right. Thanks for sharing that point
12:19 Those T shirts are great! I'll be taking pictures of all the towel animals too 😂
First time cruisers. Will be going on Princess to the Caribbean this spring!
Definitely keep an eye out for the price adjustments. Better yet book through a travel agent and let THEM keep N eye out for price drops. Just happened to me this weekend. Went to make our final payment for our upcoming Celebrity Ascent cruise in April and it was $200 cheaper than we planned for because they automatically adjusted the rate for us. 🎉
Do you use an online TA? Had trouble finding a local person where I live. Do you pay a fee? Thanks!
Thank you for the tips. Even as a season cruiser it is good to get a refresher.
I am going on Princess in May
Great tips! Your content is wonderful! I also always make sure to make the final payment a few days early just in case there is a random issue with the charge.
I’m with you, that’s a great idea!
Yes, me too. I'd hate for something to go wrong at that point.
Planning our first cruise here! We're doing a quilters cruise on Holland America, the Alaska cruise in early August. My husband is so patient with all this research I've been doing and bless his heart, he's only coming so I won't be alone......
Thank you for reminding us for the on line check in. Before are cruise. I
Hi IIana, we took a mediterranean cruise in May this year and the price dropped 2x totally a savings of $1200.00. 😊 We always book a year in advance.
My wife and I are going on our very first cruise. Celebrity Equinox, Departing 3/1, we live 15-minutes from Port Canaveral. It’s our honeymoon ❤ a couple of weeks ago I booked it, a concierge veranda cabin, including tax, tips and insurance 2100.00 USD for both of us.
Thanks for the reminders.
We always love your videos. In March we’re going on our families 2nd cruise, first one on NCL, our previous cruise was RC.
Brilliant reminders! Myself and 3 friends are going on RC Anthem, Australia / NZ in Nov.. sooo looking forward to it.
Your videos are awesome. First cruise for my honeymoon in 2025 and I feel more confident after watching🎉
@@kemmyjoint9191 what a beautiful honeymoon you have planned!
apparently, I'm gonna get real use out of your planner. My husband booked us yesterday on the 22 day cruise sept/oct with Carnival Luminosa. This is our 4th cruise with Carnival and second repositioning cruise. Last was 2009 with Princess. It went from Vancouver to Beijing and I thought was going to be our Cruise of a lifetime. This one however, is going to hit more bucketlist items. It will leave from Seattle and end up in Australia! 9 months to get everything figured out :) Your videos have really helped us prepare in the past and since we just took a 5 day one in November so we should be pros by now you'd think.
Good advice! I’m the organizer for a 6-person Alaska cruise June 2025 on Princess. It’s only our second cruise so I feel like I need all the advice I can get! I also just checked the final payment date and put an alert in my phone for two weeks before!
First time cruising in July 25 on Royal Caribbean Oasis of the Seas. Your videos are so helpful and informative on what to do and how to prepare!
Thank you for all your tips llana! Ive used all of them for my family's first cruise! We board in a couple days on Voyager! We're so excited!!🎉🎉🎉🎉
Hope you have an amazing cruise!
I’ve used your planner for 2 cruises, and starting my 3rd. I love the clothes planner page. I swear I have cut down in my packing. Thanks and Happy New Year 🎊
I highly recommend Trawick International for traveling insurance. 5⭐️ coverage that’s not that expensive.
My husband and I have been travelling the Caribbean for 38+ years now but are just taking our first cruise January 31st on NCL Prima.
Going on the Ruby Princess in February. It will be our first cruise. All your information has been so helpful. Thanks!
Most of my cruises are short because I live in SC and drive to Florida for long weekends. It's very affordable, but the crowds are young and rowdy, which is a minus. Biggest drawback is lack of variety in destinations.
I always get insurance right away. If I book within 2 weeks of first payment, you get pre-existing conditions covered. I use Travel Guard
We’re going on a cruise in October 25. We have had 2 price drops so far. Saved $100 so far 🎉
Keep up the good videos. 56 Disney cruises, 4 Royal with 3 booked, and 1 Holland American (Never again on Holland). We like the big ships and longer cruises.
My first cruise is in March. I feel very prepared thanks to your videos! I will be on Royal Carribeans Mariner of the Seas to Mexico, also its my first time out of the USA! Thank you for all your help 😊
What is the “light bulb cruise”? You said it several times. This video has some great information. Thank you for sharing with us. Your reservoir of knowledge is so vast I find myself watching each video several times. I wish there was a book.
Life Well cruised planner is what she saying..not light bulb.
Such a useful video! Thanks!
I’m so glad you found it helpful!
My 1st Cruise! “Icon of the Seas”! February 2025
Let the countdown begin! 🎉🚢
Aon Travel insurance was very good. slow, but good
Keep all the helpful content coming!!!
3:32... a little spelling mistake with the word Research! Just a little housekeeping tip, since we are on the subject! Thanks for all your great info!
Also, the word "validity" was spelled wrong. Love the videos and all the information, but I've got this curse... misspelled words pop out at me, hee, hee!
Thanks for catching - unfortunately I can’t edit this on RUclips at this point.
@@patriciaanda7968oh no! Lol thanks for the catch - I’ll keep a closer eye next time
Great tips!!
I check often for price drops! Always feels good to save a bit of money. The only problem I've had doing this, and I didn't know at the time was that it worked that way, was that I lost the sale price excursion I'd booked.
I just want to share that if you purchased the travel insurance and you got sick while traveling then go ahead to request to have that medical records with you. It takes forever for the cruiseline to send you the medical records necessary for your claim.
Doing our first cruise in August 2025, on Celebrity Edge to Alaska
On booking shore excursions early, good point Ilana. I have a cruise booked in the second half on 2026, and some popular shore excursions for this cruise are already showing as sold out. I have my name on wait lists for a couple, hoping that either someone choses/has to cancel, or they add another bus so they can serve more people.
lol we booked our cruise only in Dec and going in January so I feel like all your videos are super relevant at all times lol
Great Tips and a great guide for making sure you have your cruise plans in great shape. Thank You again Ilana.
Happy New Year Ilana! Wishing you blessings and safe journeys in 2025! ❤
Thanks for the wonderful tips!!! For addons such as drinks packages I wait for the sales they have on the cruise line webpage. I saved money on my up and coming Easter cruise with P&O by an extra 5% on the already discounted pay before cruising online price during last Black Friday deals.
Thanks for all your great information over the years. We are sailing to Singapore with Princess in November, having a few days to explore, than sailing on Celebrity to Bali. First time to Asia and first time on Celebrity. We invited another couple to join us so it will be extra special. I like to do things early, but the only thing I do immediately after booking is check the documentation. Insurance is next and flights and then hotels several months ahead of sailing. I do keep and checklist for noting payments and to-do items, as well as my own version of a cruise packing list that I've developed over the years. And, for the first time we need to renew our passports before we can check in or finalise everything. Our overseas adventuring began in 2015 😂
My first cruise it’s my honeymoon. NCL joy, going to eastern Caribbean!
Make sure your reservation is in the same name on all your OFFICIAL GOV DOCUMENTS. If they don't match you can't get on the ship...
@ thank you so much
Thank you so much, Ilana! Great tips!
I’d start my neurotic checklist
Oh my gosh, so it is the white/blue dress you have on in the small boat in this video... I love it! Link please? thank you!!!
@@carolyntemplin488 thank you! I have all (most) of my dresses in this post so you’ll find it here :) lifewellcruised.com/cruise-dresses-amazon-resort-wear/
You are always so helpful!
you have great videos Ilana -thanks for sharing
Thank you for all your information, Going on first Cruise this Jan 4th 2025. So All your videos have been super helpful ❤❤.
You’re so close! Enjoy!
Have a great cruise!
@LifeWellCruised Thank you. I'm just trying not to over pack but make sure I have enough clothes cause we are sailing in January
@TravelNearorFar Thank you, ya a few more days. 😁. But trying to not over pack..
Allianz and travel insurance international are good travel insurance companies.
We have been completely disappointed with Allianz. Will never use them again.
@@DSTADAV
Can You Elaborate?
Great suggestion and video I had one where we have 4 rooms all next door together and one of the bookings was for a completely different cruise ship and 5 hours later it was fixed
Can you do a video for recommendations for cruise lines or itineraries for first time cruisers? Maybe what to expect for first time cruisers in 2025. I had a friend tell me about different colour bracelets that identify a first time cruiser on board so if they did something wrong or broke an unwritten rule that people understand they were first timers. I’m looking to book my first cruise in 2025! Thanks and really enjoy your content 🎉
lol that’s cute! No need to worry about following or not following rules / I promise people are nice. I have a recent video on best cruise lines with lots of info :)
Joining a group is excellent!
How do you join a group? Going on Princess on May to Alaska!
13:30 I check for price drops at least once a month and when I hear there may be promotions going on
First time cruising 2025 Mediterranean Epic NCL. Watched many of your videos for tips and planning. 😁
@@lorrainefloyd9845 that’s awesome! Love the med
I check every couple of weeks to see if any prices have changed on the fare, drink packages, excursions, etc. and have saved hundreds of dollars.
My husband checks at least twice a month for price drops. Sometimes weekly.
We booked our February 2025 cruise in October 2023 . Princess advertised that booking early will get you the best price. It takes 5 minutes to check prices so I would do it a couple times a week fortunately I did our price dropped 3 times our final price was $700.00 cheaper than our original price. I brought this up to Princess . To which I got a phone call from Princess but unfortunately I didn’t recognize the phone number and didn’t answer. They did leave a voicemail saying that I was fortunate to receive my discount but no explanation about advertising how booking early would be your best price!
I reviewed the price of booking and extra stuff almost daily. Dropped prices may only be for a couple of days and I wouldn’t want to miss it.
Oceania! 21 sleeps to flight, 23 to boarding!!!!
I check Cruise fare prices daily for cruises that I've already booked.
I have great travel insurance by the year. I don’t remember the name of the company but my amazing travel agent booked it. They’ve worked with a lot of companies but right now I think they only use the one insurance company.
The agent is Dan. He’s the owner of Travel with Brigitte.
The one thing you DON’T want to do is book through the cruise line.
The best travel insurance I found for cruises is Geo Blue. Make sure you ask for Geo Blue direct pay. They pay the ship medical for anything else directly, so you don’t have to pay out of pocket and get reimbursed.
excellent tip thank you! do you have other insurance for trip cancellation etc. or just the medical?
@ They cover medical and lost baggage only.