David Kriso
A cruise is one of the most exciting vacation experiences which travelers treasure on a year-round basis. From family-oriented cruise lines such as Disney, to cruise lines such as Carnival and Royal Caribbean which feature something unique for everyone, cruising provides experiences and memories which travelers treasure for years to come. Regardless of how often any family cruises, there is one vital part of every cruise vacation which makes the embarkation day worthwhile. Without question, it is online check-in.
Online check-in is the most important part of any family’s cruise vacation. Even if it’s a married couple’s honeymoon, online check-in is the key ingredient to a successful embarkation. It all starts once the cruise is officially booked and the balance has been paid in full. The travel agent or the cruise line reservation agent issues the family the reservation code. The next step is logging into the reservation to set up the ticket profile. The online check-in process includes the following steps: entering personal information, passport information, on-board charge information, post-cruise information (if applicable), and electronically signing the cruise ticket and on-board charge contracts. Some cruise lines require an electronic signature, some don’t. Some cruise tickets still require the passenger(s) to apply their authentic signatures after printing them. Completing these simple steps make an embarkation day all the more efficient and stress-free.
Royal Caribbean has added a new step to their online check-in process. For the Quantum of The Seas, Anthem of The Seas, and the upcoming Ovation of The Seas, passengers can upload their very own security photo into their passenger profile. As long as the photo satisfies the guidelines shown in the online instructions, it will be accepted. The photo must be clear, not blurry, and not have a dark background. More importantly, the passenger photo must show the passenger’s face from the shoulders to the tip of the head. The passengers must also not make any comical expressions. The photo should be neutral, so that the ship’s security staff can confirm that the photo is of the passenger. Plus, the photo must contain only the passenger him/herself. If the photo should not satisfy the cruise line’s guidelines, the check-in agent will retake the photo using his/her tablet.
Another reason why online check-in is so vital has to do with the section regarding on-board charge information. When the passenger reaches the on-board charge information stage, he/she can right there and then decide whether or not to put any additional passengers on their account. This also includes whether or not to include children on the account. It sure beats trying to make the decision at the check-in counter. Once the credit card or debit card information has been entered and all other passengers (if applicable) have been added to the account, it’s all downhill from there. The more efficient the passengers are, the better. Even more important, it’s all about being fully prepared.
Every cruise vacation should always start out on the right foot. No cruise should start out waiting at the check-in counter. Passengers should not have to subject themselves to a long wait in the cue line and filling out manual paperwork. Completing the online check-in process eliminates all of the unnecessary wait time and the inefficiency of filling out manual paperwork. Once the online check-in process is completed, the tickets can be printed out. Upon arrival at the cruise terminal, passengers can be expeditiously checked in and be issued their stateroom key cards. With their key cards in hand, it’s on board the ship they go. Ultimately, the cruise is off to a flying start and it’s smooth sailing from there. What makes any embarkation so successful? It’s the online check-in process. It’s the key ingredient to each and every successful cruise vacation.
