No matter how many cruises you’ve been on, there’s always a chance something could go drastically wrong.
With over 30 sailings under my belt, I'd consider myself a veteran cruiser. Even still, I made a rookie mistake on my recent Royal Caribbean cruise that could have cost me my dream vacation altogether.
On embarkation morning, a series of poor decisions left me panicked that I would miss the ship. Getting to and from the cruise ship on embarkation day is usually stress-free, but I soon learned that not all ports are made equally. With no available taxis, Ubers, or shuttle buses, I risked missing the ship due to poor planning.
Fortunately, I managed to find my way there in time, but the unnecessary stress was not in my plans. Here’s what I did wrong on embarkation day, and the steps you should take to avoid such a silly mistake.
Before my cruise, I should have done more research about getting to the port
Whether you’re cruising from Miami, Sydney, Hong Kong, or Seattle, you’ll want to research the ins and outs of your embarkation port.
Some cruise ports, like Vancouver, are within walking distance of downtown. Others, such as the Civitavecchia port near Rome, require a longer bus, train, or taxi ride to reach the terminal.
My cruise left from Ravenna, Italy — a notoriously difficult port to reach. There’s no major airport in the small city. Instead, most cruisers fly into Venice beforehand, which is roughly three hours away by car or train.
Read more: 31 cruise ship embarkation tips and tricks
Despite the more complicated travel logistics, I assumed the dreamy cruise itinerary would be worth the effort. My 7-night cruise was setting sail to the Greek Isles, visiting bucket-list ports like Santorini, Athens, and Mykonos.
Best of all, I was traveling with my parents on the cruise. I couldn’t wait to make memories with them on such a wonderful itinerary.
Unfortunately, I was so busy researching all the fun activities in port that I failed to research the logistics of actually getting to our cruise ship in the first place.
Read more: The most common mistakes I always see people make on European cruises
I arrived in my embarkation city with plenty of time to spare
One of the most common cruise mistakes I always see people make is flying to their embarkation city the day of their ship's departure.
I never recommend doing this. The risk of missing the ship is simply too high if you encounter travel delays. In Europe, especially, it’s important to arrive at least one day in advance. Not only does this give you extra wiggle room, but it also helps you recover from jet lag before the cruise begins.
Therefore, my parents and I landed in Italy two days before we were set to board our cruise on Royal Caribbean’s Explorer of the Seas.
Once we landed in Milan, getting to Ravenna’s city center was a breeze. I’m familiar with the country’s train system and culture, and I even speak the language. So, our travel day went off without a hitch.
We spent the next two days enjoying the sights, sounds, and tastes of Ravenna. From indulging in traditional stuffed pasta to exploring the city’s gorgeous mosaic churches, our vacation was already off to a great start.
It wasn’t until the evening before embarkation day that I realized I could have a problem
As I got ready for bed on my last evening in Ravenna, I realized I might have difficulty getting to the city’s cruise terminal the next day.
Ravenna couldn’t be more different from a large Italian city like Venice or Rome. Taxis are few and far between, and although there’s a bus line to the port, it doesn’t stop directly at the cruise terminal.
Because I was cruising with my parents, I didn’t want to make them walk far with our heavy luggage. Fortunately, I came across a few local taxi apps, and I also realized Uber worked in Ravenna, which isn’t always the case in Italian cities.
With these apps installed, how hard could it really be to get to the cruise port?
It was harder than I thought — I couldn’t find a way to the cruise terminal
I woke up relaxed and excited for my cruise on embarkation day. After my research the previous evening, I assumed it would be easy enough to call a taxi and head to the port.
So, as my parents and I enjoyed our final morning in the city, we had no rush to get to the cruise terminal. We walked around Ravenna’s quaint streets, enjoyed a morning coffee and cornetto, and took our time checking out of our apartment rental.
It wasn’t until I tried to call an Uber that I realized I had a problem — there were no cars available! I even tried to call a regular taxi, but had trouble getting my call through with my international phone plan.
Fortunately, a last-minute encounter saved the day (and maybe my entire cruise)
After my unforeseen difficulty getting a taxi or Uber, I became increasingly anxious about getting to the cruise terminal.
Luckily, as I was leaving the apartment, the cleaning lady arrived to prepare the space for the next guests. Panicked, I told her my problem, and she was determined to help.
Even with her assistance, 40 minutes passed to no avail. There were no available taxis in all of Ravenna. Luckily, a friend of the apartment host offered to give us a ride. In the end, we arrived at the terminal with plenty of time to spare.
If I didn’t speak Italian or had waited just a few more hours to head to the port, I could have missed my ship due to poor planning.
Everyone makes mistakes, but some have far greater consequences than others
If you forget to pack a toothbrush for your cruise, you can easily pick one up onboard. Yet if you miss the ship’s departure, you’re looking at a huge expense to find your way to the next port of call.
I felt humbled by my silly lack of research, and it caused me unwanted stress at the start of my vacation. Had I done just an hour of research beforehand, I could have booked a shuttle through Royal Caribbean or pre-booked a transfer to the port online.
No matter where you’re cruising from, I can’t stress enough the importance of researching the details of your travel logistics. Even though traveling to Ravenna might be more challenging than traveling to other ports, you could encounter similar difficulties in any port of call.
My rookie mistake was also a great reminder about the importance of travel insurance. Traveling always comes with risks, and you’ll want to be prepared for any worst-case scenario on your cruise.
If anything, the mistakes I made on embarkation day offered a valuable lesson in how I’ll plan my cruises going forward.
Read more: 13 Travel Hacks To Make Getting To Your Cruise Ship Easier
Jenna DeLaurentis
Jenna DeLaurentis enjoys exploring new ports of call around the world on a cruise ship, learning about new cultures, discovering beautiful landscapes, and trying diverse cuisine. She loves to get active while in port, whether cycling through mountains in the Caribbean or scuba diving under the sea.
