National Preparedness Month: The Cruise Traveler’s “Be Prepared” Checklist

Travel Smart. Travel Safe. Be Prepared.

September is National Preparedness Month, making it a useful time to think about a part of travel that often receives less attention than destinations, excursions and packing:

Preparedness.

At CruiseAware.com™, preparedness does not mean assuming that something will go wrong.

It means knowing what to do if something changes.

A cruise can involve multiple countries, several ports, different transportation systems, changing weather conditions, unfamiliar medical facilities and thousands of miles of travel.

Most cruises proceed without serious problems.

But preparation can make an enormous difference when plans change unexpectedly.

For travelers, the question is not simply:

“Is my cruise safe?”

A more useful question is:

“Am I prepared for the journey I am about to take?”

1. Know Your Destinations Before You Leave

A cruise itinerary can take a traveler through several countries in a single week.

Each destination may have different:

• Health conditions
• Government travel advisories
• Transportation considerations
• Emergency telephone numbers
• Medical capabilities
• Weather conditions
• Local laws and customs

Do not assume that because you visited a port previously, conditions are unchanged.

Experienced travelers can sometimes be especially susceptible to this assumption:

“I’ve been there before.”

Experience is valuable, but current information matters too.

Before traveling, review each destination using authoritative information from organizations such as the U.S. Department of State, CDC, WHO and relevant national or local authorities.

CruiseAware's role is to bring that information together and organize it around the traveler and the itinerary.

2. Know Your Ship

Cruise ships have extensive safety procedures, but passengers still have responsibilities.

Pay attention to the safety information provided by your cruise line.

Know:

• Where your muster station is located
• How emergency announcements are communicated
• Where the ship's medical center is located
• How to contact ship personnel in an emergency
• What procedures apply if your itinerary changes

One of the simplest preparedness steps is also one of the most important:

Know your boarding time.

When you are ashore independently, allow sufficient time to return to the ship.

The ship operates according to its sailing schedule.

Do not make your return to the vessel dependent on everything going perfectly.

Transportation delays, traffic, weather and excursion problems can occur.

Build in a margin.

3. Know Where Medical Help Is Available

Travelers often think about medical care only after they need it.

That is too late.

Before traveling, particularly if you have ongoing medical needs, know what medical resources are available aboard the ship and at your destinations.

Consider:

• Where appropriate hospitals or clinics are located
• Whether specialized care is readily available
• How an emergency evacuation would be handled
• Whether your health insurance applies outside your home country
• Whether your travel insurance covers emergency medical treatment and evacuation

Carry an adequate supply of prescription medication and essential medical information.

Important medications should generally remain accessible rather than packed somewhere difficult to reach.

Travelers with significant medical needs should also discuss travel plans with their healthcare professional when appropriate.

4. Prepare for the Itinerary to Change

Cruising is particularly vulnerable to conditions travelers cannot control.

Weather systems can develop.

Ports can close.

Seas can become rough.

Flights can be delayed.

Transportation can be disrupted.

A scheduled port can be replaced or skipped.

Prepared travelers recognize that the printed itinerary represents the intended journey—not an absolute guarantee that every part of it will occur exactly as planned.

Before leaving home, think through several scenarios.

What would you do if your flight were delayed?

What would you do if your ship changed ports?

What would you do if you needed medical treatment ashore?

What would you do if your phone stopped working?

What would you do if you became separated from your traveling companions?

The purpose is not to anticipate every possible emergency.

It is to avoid having to solve every problem for the first time while under stress.

5. Build a Simple Travel Preparedness Kit

Preparedness does not require carrying an enormous emergency kit.

A practical cruise travel preparedness package might include:

• Passport and required identification
• Copies or secure electronic backups of important documents
• Prescription medications
• Basic medical information
• Travel insurance information
• Emergency contacts
• Cruise-line contact information
• Destination emergency numbers
• Embassy or consular information where appropriate
• Portable phone charger or power bank
• A small amount of backup payment capability
• Important itinerary information available offline

Also consider how you would access important information if your mobile phone were lost, damaged or unable to connect.

Technology is extremely useful.

Preparedness means having a backup.

6. Understand Your Travel Protection Before You Need It

Purchasing travel insurance is not the same as understanding it.

Before departure, travelers should know what their policy covers.

Questions may include:

• Does it cover emergency medical treatment?
• Does it include medical evacuation?
• What happens if a trip is interrupted?
• What documentation is required for a claim?
• Who should be contacted first during an emergency?
• Are pre-existing medical conditions covered under the policy?

The time to understand these provisions is before an emergency occurs.

Keep your policy and assistance information accessible throughout the trip.

7. Check Again Shortly Before Departure

Travel intelligence has a shelf life.

A destination review performed six months before a cruise should not necessarily be the last review performed.

Shortly before departure, check again for:

• Health changes
• Government advisories
• Weather
• Transportation disruptions
• Entry requirements
• Cruise-line notices

Then continue monitoring important developments during the journey.

This is increasingly important for travelers visiting multiple destinations.

Each port adds another operating environment to the trip.

That is one reason CruiseAware is developing destination and itinerary intelligence around the entire journey rather than treating every destination as an isolated stop.

Preparedness Is Not Fear

There is an important distinction between awareness and alarm.

Travel always involves some level of uncertainty.

CruiseAware does not believe travelers should attempt to eliminate every possible risk.

That is neither realistic nor necessary.

Instead:

• Know what matters.
• Know where to get reliable information.
• Know what you will do if circumstances change.

That is preparedness.

For me, the idea is familiar.

After decades in Scouting, “Be Prepared” is more than a motto.

It is a practical way of approaching uncertainty.

And it applies just as well to a traveler boarding a cruise ship as it does to someone heading into the outdoors.

This National Preparedness Month, take a few minutes to review your next journey.

Not because you expect something to go wrong.

Because if something does change, you will be better prepared to respond.

Be Prepared.

Travel Smart. Travel Safe.

CruiseAware.com™

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