Premier Voyage en Croisière : De la Réservation à l'Embarquement

Planning your first cruise, consider how you will reach the ship as well as the route. Booking, flights, port transfers and embarkation are connected steps. Separating which service is included in each one from the start makes your journey easier to understand.

First determine the ship, the date and the two ports

The operator's name and the ship's name are different pieces of information. Note both for the product you choose. Then check the departure and arrival ports from the daily itinerary. If the ship does not return to the same port, you may need to plan outbound and return transport from different cities.

A port name is often marketed together with the name of a nearby large city. For this reason, before choosing a flight or hotel, ask for the terminal address on your boarding documents. Do not assume the city centre is where you will board the ship.

Read where the flight and transfer fit into the package

When you see "Cruise Only" or "ship only", look separately at the transport items. An air ticket, an airport–port transfer and a pre-cruise hotel stay may be separate services. The agency helping with these matters does not mean they are included in the price.

When comparing options in the Cruise Ship Tours category, create a separate transport list for each product. Do not carry the included services of one tour over to every ship schedule.

Do not confuse boarding time with departure time

The time for check-in and embarkation and the ship's sailing time are separate pieces of information. Use the current boarding notice for the sailing you have chosen; do not use a single time window for all ports. Plan airport arrival, baggage collection, travel to the terminal and check-in within the same timeline.

The operator's official frequently asked questions page gathers boarding and port information under a separate heading. Alongside the general guide, also check the instructions in your own sailing documents.

Confirm the documents for your chosen route

Verify passport and entry requirements for the countries visited and for your own travel status using authoritative sources. Do not treat a brief visa statement you saw for another cruise as sufficient for your chosen itinerary. If there is a difference between the name on your booking and the details on your travel document, clarify it before proceeding.

Plan the return journey from the start

Do not assume the ship's arrival time and your departure from the terminal will coincide. Find out the applicable plan for disembarkation, baggage and transport to the airport. When choosing a return flight, consider the current operational information for the sailing together with transport conditions.

For the booking process, see the Booking and Payment Guide, and for preparation, see the Pre-Travel Preparation Guide. If you are curious about Dikili Port's regional cruise role, the article Dikili Port and Cruise Tourism offers a different perspective; however, that article is not the boarding instruction for a specific sailing.

Related guides: Çeşme Port Cruise Guide: Boarding and Transport Plan · Kuşadası Port Cruise Guide: Departure, Calls and Return Plan · Istanbul Galataport Cruise Guide: Boarding and Transport Preparation.