Printable Cruise Planner Template
Every decision a cruise asks you to make, in the order it comes up. Print this page or copy it into a notebook.
Have an Advisor Fill It InHow to Use This Cruise Planner Template
A cruise planner template is different from a spreadsheet: it is a list of decisions rather than numbers. Work down it with your travel companions, tick each line when it is settled, and note who is responsible. Print it with your browser’s print button; the layout below fits on two pages.
1. Who and when
- Travellers, ages and any mobility or dietary needs
- Dates that work, and how flexible they are
- Budget range for the whole trip
- Must-haves and deal-breakers
2. Ship and sailing
- Region and length
- Line style: lively, relaxed, family, adults-focused, luxury, expedition
- Ship size and age
- Departure port and how you will get there
3. Cabin
- Category: inside, ocean view, balcony, suite
- Deck and position: midship, forward, aft
- Bed configuration and connecting cabins
- What is above and below on the deck plan
4. Fare and payments
- Fare type and cancellation rules
- Deposit amount and date
- Final payment date
- Promotions applied
5. Onboard choices
- Dining time or flexible dining
- Drinks, Wi-Fi and dining packages: worth it or not
- Spa, shows and activities that need booking
- Celebrations to tell the ship about
6. Around the cruise
- Flights, arriving the day before
- Hotel and transfer
- Parking or rideshare to the port
- Travel insurance
- Shore excursions for each port
7. Documents and deadlines
- Passports valid well beyond the trip, or the right alternative ID
- Online check-in and boarding times
- Luggage tags printed
- Copies of documents shared with a contact at home
Pair It With the Other Tools
Numbers go in the spreadsheet, days go in the itinerary template, and packing lists live at Cruising Checklist. Choosing a cabin location is easier with Cruise Ship Deck Plans open. If you love organising trips like this, Be a Travel Agent shows how some people turn it into a career, and the Official Travel Directory lists travel services for the rest of your plans.
Who Does What
For couples, families and friends travelling together, add a name beside each section of the cruise planner template. Shared trips go smoothly when everyone knows their job.
| Section | Owner | Due by |
|---|---|---|
| Who and when | Trip organiser | Before asking for quotes |
| Ship, sailing and cabin | Everyone agrees; organiser books | Before deposit |
| Fare and payments | Each cabin’s lead traveller | Deposit and final payment dates |
| Onboard choices | Each traveller | When the line opens bookings |
| Around the cruise | Organiser or each household | Several weeks before sailing |
| Documents | Each traveller | Well before the trip |
Revisit the template a month before sailing. Anything still unticked is your to-do list for the final weeks.
Keep It With Your Documents
When everything is ticked, slip the cruise planner template into your travel wallet with your passports and confirmations. On embarkation day it doubles as a quick reference for dining times, booked activities and who is in which cabin, and it is reassuring to have the whole plan on one or two sheets of paper rather than spread across inboxes.
Hand Over the Planner
Prefer someone else to tick the boxes? A Mister Cruise advisor will work through this list with you.
Plan It With an Advisor