Here’s How To Plan Your 2023 Cruise

Cruise lines have started the 2023 wave season early by dropping almost all of their COVID vaccination requirements. Bookings have reportedly skyrocketed this week, and if you’ve ever thought about a cruise, you might be thinking about one right now.

I am. I am writing this on the observation deck of the MS Polarlysthe legendary Hurtigruten ship sailing from Bergen in Norway to Kirkenes north of the Arctic Circle.

The pandemic is a distant memory out here in the frigid waters of the Norwegian Sea. There is no mask requirement, no vaccination requirement and no test requirement on board. It’s as if COVID never happened.

But so much has changed during the pandemic. Passengers are returning to a radically different cruise industry. Cruise lines have revised their health and safety protocols. There are new laws to protect cruise ship passengers. There are new travel insurance options. The rest of the travel industry has changed too – airlines in particular. And that has the potential to influence your next cruise.

Wave season is the time of year when people book their cruises. It usually starts in October and November. But by quietly relaxing its vaccination requirements, the cruise industry has ushered in the 2023 wave season a little earlier. So what do you need to know before booking a cruise next year?

Book your 2023 cruise soon

Susan Stafford says this is an ideal time to book a cruise. She has followed the ebb and flow of consumer sentiment over the past two years. It has moved from cautious social distancing and rigorous testing earlier in the year to wide open today.

“If we’ve learned anything from the last two years, it’s that we can’t predict the future,” says Stafford, a cruise ship expert and professional planner.

But one thing is predictable: the trajectory of cruise prices.

“If current trends continue,” she adds, “cruise prices will increase.”

If you buy a ticket now and the price of your cruise drops before your departure date, many cruise lines will adjust your price before you make your final payment. So experts say you shouldn’t be paying for the entire cruise now.

Think about your connections for your 2023 cruise

Annie Scrivanich, senior vice president of Cruise Specialists, says one of the biggest concerns for cruise passengers in 2023 is flight connectivity. This summer has shown travelers just how unreliable air travel can be, with a record number of flight delays (24 percent of all flights) and cancellations (3.2 percent of all flights). She advises anyone planning a cruise to keep this in mind.

“Arrive at your departure port city at least a day before embarkation,” she says. “Depending on where you’re flying to, it might be wise to add an extra day or two and spend some time exploring this port city.”

This is new advice. The common wisdom used to be an extra tag at both ends – a safety margin in case there were delays at both ends. But after this summer, travel pros are advising cruise ship passengers to make it 48 hours — just in case.

Another way around the problem: try driving to your port. “This helps avoid hassles with the airline and also helps save on rising airfare costs,” says Aaron Saunders, senior editor at Cruise Critic.

Get the right travel insurance for your cruise

According to virtually all experts, you’ll probably need travel insurance for your 2023 cruise. More and more passengers are going all in with an expensive “cancellation for any reason” policy. It allows them to cancel their cruise for any reason — another outbreak, bad weather, malaise — and get between 50 and 75 percent of their non-refundable prepayments back.

“This may be particularly appealing to travelers concerned about changing COVID requirements for cruises, and those who may be concerned about infection rates for COVID and other diseases in international ports of call,” said Angela Borden, Product Marketing -Strategist at Seven Corners.

A must-have cover is a missed cruise connection, Borden notes.

It covers expenses like meals, lodging, and local transportation, as well as the additional transportation costs to catch up on your freaky cruise, she says. Missed cruise connections usually cover any delays, cancellations or mechanical failures.

Know what happens if you get infected

Tracy Schatz, owner of Elite Travel Journeys, says passengers have changed since the pandemic. “They are more aware of the spread of viruses and want to make sure the cruise lines are taking steps to contain the spread of the virus,” she says.

That was one of the significant changes I noticed on my Norway cruise this week. at mealtimes, Everyone used hand sanitizer. And in case you forgot, a crew member kindly asked you to sanitize your hands.

Every cruise line has an established protocol for dealing with infection. Some will confine you to your quarters. Others have a dedicated area for COVID-positive passengers. Smaller ships can send you to a medical facility in the next port of call. Specialty insurance policies like COVAC Global cover infectious diseases like COVID, making sure you get all the way home and not just to the nearest medical facility.

Beth Bodensteiner, Holland America Line’s chief commercial officer, told me that the cruise line has revised all of its procedures during the pandemic break. This included thorough disinfection, better air filtration and 24/7 medical care in the onboard medical centers. Still, a lot can change between now and 2023. “Keep up to date with the latest health protocols,” she advises.

New laws can protect you if your cruise line is canceled in 2023

Your rights at sea are governed by the Law of the Sea or the Law of the Sea. Earlier this year, the Federal Maritime Commission created a new regulation requiring cruise lines to provide refunds for canceled or delayed voyages. Cruise lines used to be able to hold your money indefinitely and force you on a replacement cruise even if they were cancelled.

If a cruise line delays your cruise by more than three calendar days, it’s considered a cancellation under the new rules and you’ll receive a full refund. Passengers are also reimbursed for any fees, such as shore excursions or port fees. The new regulation also allows travelers to assert claims against the cruise line’s bondholders in the event of bankruptcy. Note that these rules only apply to cruises departing from a US port.

Yet consumer protection for cruise passengers is severely lacking, as I explain in my ultimate guide to cruises. Your rights are governed by your cruise line ticketing agreement, a unilateral contract that favors the cruise line, and by the law of the sea, which almost always favors the cruise line. Bottom line: If you want the same rights as you have on land, don’t book a cruise.

Don’t wait too long to book your 2023 cruise

Do you know that hotels were full and flights were expensive this summer? That’s what’s going to happen for the cruise industry next year, insiders say.

“Don’t think you can book a last-minute trip and save,” warns Fernando Diaz, director of marketing for Quasar Expeditions, which offers cruises in Patagonia and the Galapagos Islands. “This is not only due to the high prices for flights booked at short notice, but also because some off-season dates in the past are almost fully booked for 2023 due to increased demand.”

Choose your next cruise carefully

If you take something away from cruising on a small ship north of the Arctic Circle, then now more than ever you need to choose a cruise that suits your needs. My fellow travelers are energized by the fjords and love the adventure of being on a supply ship reaching some of the most remote parts of Norway. They had a knowledgeable travel consultant who knew what they wanted. Others have spent much of the trip staring at the sea and playing video games. I wonder who advised you to take this cruise.

With all the changes, one thing remains the same. Speak to an expert or do thorough research before booking a cruise. Because the only thing worse than booking the right cruise at the wrong price is the wrong cruise at the right price.