Guests will be requested to complete a disembarkation form at the beginning of the cruise to coordinate ground transportation and luggage handling with post cruise arrangements. Please fill out the form and return it to the purser’s or hotel desk or other designated location as soon as possible.

A disembarkation talk will be given a day or two before the end of your cruise. This presentation will outline important procedures regarding customs formalities, baggage handling, travel arrangements, etc. It is essential that at least one member of your traveling party attend.

On the last night of your cruise, you will need to place your luggage, with the provided luggage tags, outside your cabin before you retire. Keep your baggage tags on your luggage as they contain your departing flight information.

Gather together your personal identification, airline tickets, customs forms, medications, and other important items along with the clothes and shoes you intend to wear the next day. Do not pack these items in your luggage to be placed outside your cabin. You will not see your luggage again until after you have disembarked the ship. Place them in your carry-on bag or on your person so you can access them easily.

After the ship docks, all baggage will be unloaded and the ship must be cleared by local immigration authorities before any guests will be permitted to disembark. You should plan on being able to leave the ship two to three hours after the time of docking indicated on your cruise itinerary. Outbound flights should be scheduled allowing plenty of time for transportation from the ship to the airport. The amount of time you allow depends on the disembarkation port. This information is usually found in your cruise brochure, or your travel agent will be able to assist you.

Letters and postcards may be mailed from the ship while in ports of call. Guests may buy stamps in port or purchase them from the pursers or hotel desk. All mail is subject to local postal office procedures and rates in the port from which they are mailed.

The ship's photographers record as many memories of your cruise as possible. Pictures taken are then displayed at the shipboard Photo Gallery, where you may make your purchase by conveniently charging it to your shipboard account. In addition to the many informal candid photos, you will also have the opportunity to pose for a formal photo. You are not required to purchase any photos taken by the ships photographers. Most ships also offer a developing service on board so that if you would like, you may have your own film developed before you go home.

For your convenience, most ships offer full laundry and dry cleaning service on board. You will find laundry bags and price lists in your closet. Self-service Laundromats may be available on some ships. Your cruise brochure will provide details.

Most ships have a Reading Room/Library containing books and periodicals as well as a quiet corner where you can curl up with a good book. However the reading selection is usually very limited. Be sure to bring along a couple of your own books to read, just in case.

Most cruise ships offer a casino on board. If the ability to gamble on your cruise is important, be sure to check for this feature before booking your cruise. Typically you can try your luck at blackjack, roulette, craps, stud poker, Caribbean stud poker and other table games, or one of many state-of-the-art slot machines. Local regulations do not allow the casino to be open while in port or in certain restricted waters. The casino hours will be provided in your daily schedule.

Nearly all cruise ships provide a "cashless society" designed to make your life on board as simple as possible. You simply sign a receipt for each of your on-board purchases and then settle your shipboard account at the end of the cruise. Cash, VISA, American Express, MasterCard, Discover, and personal or traveler's checks are accepted as payment (U.S. or Canadian funds only, please).

When you check in for your cruise you will be requested to leave a credit card imprint or a cash deposit for your shipboard account. To avoid delay in obtaining credit card pre-authorization on board, guests with credit cards issued by banks outside the U.S. and Canada are advised to inform their credit card issuer in advance that the card will be used on a cruise. If you have made a cash deposit, you will not be allowed to make purchases in excess of the amount on deposit. If you have provided a credit card imprint, your account will be charged only for the actual amount of your purchases. You will receive a finalized bill a day or so prior to your departure. Review the bill carefully. If there are any discrepancies, you should go to the purser’s or hotel desk to have it corrected immediately. If you decide you would rather pay cash for your purchases you may do so, rather than having the charge placed on your credit card.