Asian cruises homeporting from Manila are uncommon. So in the event you’re a type of who managed to seize Costa Serena’s supply to sail from Manila to varied locations throughout Asia, together with Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, the next move is to start out getting ready on your much-awaited cruise!
Combining sponsored and private journeys, our crew has been on greater than 20 cruises, spanning each Asian and North American routes. We’ve sailed on a variety of cruise ships, from extra modest vessels to a few of the largest on this planet! Alongside the best way, we’ve picked up loads of classes in regards to the dos and don’ts of cruising, and certainly one of them is figuring out what to pack. This will actually make or break your cruise expertise.
If that is your first time cruising, a little bit preparation will go a great distance. Having the precise paperwork and necessities prepared will assist you might have a smooth-sailing expertise from embarkation to disembarkation. On our most up-to-date cruise aboard Costa Serena, listed below are the paperwork and objects we secured and ready earlier than setting sail.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! In case your are touring quickly and nonetheless on the strategy planning stage, you can too go to our The Poor Traveler Masterlist. Right here, we compiled journey necessities, together with immigration necessities and all our really helpful accommodations and excursions. Simply go to this web page: TPT Masterlist. We’ve a compilation for locations world wide.
WHAT TO PREPARE
Costa Cruise Ticket and Voucher
On the day of embarkation, you may be requested handy over your cruise ticket and your voucher on the check-in counter at Eva Macapagal Cruise Terminal in Manila. Have each a tough copy and a digital copy prepared, simply to make certain.
The ticket has all of the necessary data, resembling your:
- Cruise Particulars
- Cabin Quantity
- Guidelines and Reminders
- Embarkation and Disembarkation Directions
- Boarding Kind
- Baggage Tag
In case you might be nonetheless in search of a journey company to guide a Costa Serena cruise from Manila, you will get in contact with Avian Summit Journey Company. It’s one of many prime companies which are a part of the #Select Premium community, and is each IATA-certified and DOT-accredited.
Listed here are the contact particulars:
- Cell/Viber: +63 928 291 7170
- E mail: aviansummit@gmail.com
- Fb Web page: Avian Summit Journey Company
- Instagram: @aviansummit
- Tiktok: @aviansummit
Passport
Since this counts as a world cruise, and also you’ll be touring outdoors the Philippines by sea, you’ll have to convey your passport. Ensure to hold a photocopy of the bio web page, too, as a result of your passport can be taken from you for safekeeping upon embarkation. However earlier than you panic, calm down and breathe straightforward, as you’ll get it again a day earlier than disembarkation.
Having a photocopy of your passport is particularly necessary in the event you’re additionally planning to discover every cease (port of name) abroad or worldwide territory. And, after all, your passport have to be legitimate for at the least six months.
eTravel
You’ll be able to submit your eTravel type inside three (3) days or 72 hours earlier than your scheduled departure time. You’ll be able to accomplish your journey declaration by the eTravel official web site or the eGov app. You’ll see two varieties of journey declarations: New Journey Declaration and New Cruise Ship Journey Declaration. For cruises, choose “New Cruise Ship Journey Declaration”.
Keep in mind! You must full two journey declarations: one for departure and one other for arrival. Should you don’t have onboard web entry, you’ll be able to fill out your Arrival eTravel type when the ship docks on the Port of Manila, whereas ready on your group’s flip to disembark.
Journey Tax
The journey tax will not be but included in your cruise fare, so be certain that you make your fee on-line by way of the TIEZA official web site or the eGov app. Save and make a copy of the receipt, as you may be requested to current it on the check-in counter throughout embarkation. Digital copy is okay, however you can too produce a tough copy for backup.
Costa App
Ensure to obtain the Costa App earlier than the cruise. The app will make your life on board a lot simpler and extra handy. Among the perks embrace letting you:
- Browse every day exercise schedules
- Navigate the deck map and ship listing
- Observe the ship’s present location
- Verify the real-time climate updates
- Use the onboard chat options
- Monitor your onboard spending
- Buy web packages
Baggage Tag
As talked about, you’ll discover your baggage tag collectively along with your cruise ticket. Don’t overlook to print the bags tag and fix it to your check-in baggage earlier than heading to the port. Most definitely, you’ll be printing it on paper. To make it extra sturdy, you should purchase a baggage tag cowl, have it laminated, or totally cowl it with clear adhesive tape.
Talking of bags…
WHAT TO PACK
Every passenger is allowed to convey one 30-kilogram check-in baggage and one seven-kilogram hand-carry bag. Depart additional house in your baggage in case you are planning on doing some purchasing, whether or not on board or on the ports of name.
Day Bag
Along with your private hand-carry bag, it’s additionally a good suggestion to convey a day bag or a small bag for onboard exploring and shore excursions. It may be a sling bag, a crossbody, or a small tote.
Personally, I like utilizing a small canvas tote to hold necessities like solar safety, medicines, an influence financial institution, ID, and cellphone whereas wandering across the ship. For shore excursions, I often add a transportable fan, a photocopy of my passport, pockets, and water container. We’ll go into extra element in regards to the particular objects to pack later.
Garments/Outfits
We often put together two units of outfits per day:
- Informal garments for daytime actions
- Good informal or extra polished apparel for night exhibits or effective eating
After all, it’s a must to full your look with the precise footwear. It’s protected to convey a pair of sneakers/trainers, formal sneakers, and sandals or flip flops. From our expertise, cabins don’t include in-room slippers, so make sure you convey your personal.
If you wish to attend night occasions, particularly themed events, it’s higher to examine the advised costume code for every soirée you’d like to hitch. Throughout our final Costa Serena cruise from Manila, we took half within the following:
- White Social gathering: all-white outfit
- Retro Social gathering: colourful 50’s – 90’s ensemble
- Masquerade Ball: formal apparel paired with an identical masks
Different themed celebrations throughout that crusing included the Latin Social gathering, Golden Social gathering, Italian Evening, and Revival Social gathering.
And if you wish to take pleasure in a refreshing dip in a single (or all) of Costa Serena’s swimming swimming pools, don’t overlook to pack your favourite swimwear! Lastly, think about bringing a gentle jacket and a scarf or scarf, particularly in the event you’re somebody who tends to get chilly simply.
Toiletries
You’ll sometimes discover towels, rest room paper, a hair dryer, and a 2-in-1 shampoo and bathtub gel in your cabin. Apart from these fundamentals, you’ll have to pack your personal toiletries and skincare necessities.
In contrast to air journey, cruises don’t often impose the 100-ml liquid restrict. This implies you’ll be able to convey your full-sized bottle of shampoo, lotion, moisturizer, and different private care objects with none trouble.
Solar Safety
Whereas we do want daylight for our every day dose of Vitamin D, we should not overdo it. An excessive amount of publicity to the solar’s dangerous UV rays can be not good. Carrying protecting clothes, searching for shade, and repeatedly making use of sunscreen or sunblock are a few of the methods you’ll be able to shield your self from the solar.
Apart from the objects talked about above, we love sporting a hat or a cap (I’ve numerous them!) and sun shades. Typically, I additionally use a shawl or a scarf for additional protection in the course of the day. Whereas it’s not precisely solar safety, a transportable fan will even come in useful to beat the warmth, particularly throughout scorching and humid summer time days.
Medication
Pack your go-to medicines for complications, stomachaches, fever, cough, colds, flu, and movement illness. Should you’re on prescription medicine, ensure that to convey sufficient for the whole journey.
I’ve by no means gotten seasick on my earlier cruises, so I often skipped bringing any medicine for it. Large mistake! On this explicit cruise, we hit some sturdy waves (perhaps it was the season), and it lastly acquired to me. Haha! I simply lay in mattress, held on to my trusted nasal inhaler, and rubbed ointment on my temples. Lesson discovered: By no means say by no means!
The Reception/Buyer Service Desk may also present drugs for movement illness. For different medical points, you’ll be able to go to the ship’s onboard clinic, although needless to say extra costs might apply.
Common Socket Adapter
You’ll discover three various kinds of energy shops inside your cabin: Sort B, Sort F, and USB ports.
A Sort B plug has two parallel flat pins and a spherical grounding pin, however it could possibly additionally accommodate a Sort A plug, which has two flat pins. A Sort F plug, which is often utilized in Europe, options two spherical pins (4.8mm diameter) and grounding clips on the highest and backside.
For the reason that Philippines sometimes makes use of Sort A, B, and C (two spherical pins) plugs, most of your gadgets ought to work simply effective. Nonetheless, it’s a very good observe to convey a common adapter as a backup to keep away from any socket or plug points onboard.
OTHERS
Credit score Card
All onboard costs are settled in US$ (US greenback). There aren’t any ATMs on the ship, and debit playing cards aren’t accepted, so a bank card is your only option. You’ll have to hyperlink it to your Costa Card, which works as each your onboard ID and fee card.
Right here’s the best way to hyperlink your bank card to your Costa Card:
- Discover a Costa Card kiosk. These are situated all through the ship. We noticed two on Deck 5, Midship part, close to the retailers.
- Put together your Costa Card and bank card. To begin, select the “English” language.
- Faucet your Costa Card on the reader. Await the following on-screen immediate.
- Insert or swipe your bank card. Wait once more for affirmation.
- Bank card efficiently linked to your Costa Card! You may also hyperlink different cabins to your bank card by deciding on “Different Cabins”, then following the directions on the display screen.
Backup Money
Should you don’t have a bank card, make sure you convey sufficient USD in money earlier than embarking. You’ll have to deposit at the least USD 150 per individual to settle your onboard transactions.
Have backup money with you additionally, particularly in case you are planning to hitch shore excursions or discover the ports of name by yourself. Select Premium’s Hospitality Desk additionally provides an onboard cash alternate service, simply in case.
Web Connection
Staying related in the course of the cruise is simple. You should purchase Costa Serena’s onboard web package deal by the Costa App. Simply choose the plan that works greatest for you. On our final cruise, these have been the accessible choices and their charges at the moment:
- WhatsApp Bundle. Keep in contact with family and friends by WhatsApp, sharing images, movies, and voice messages. Charge: $6 per day
- Social Bundle. Apart from WhatsApp, you can too entry your social media accounts — Fb, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Charge: $15 per day; $10 for 2hrs
- Full Bundle. This offers you limitless entry to the web — cellular apps, messaging apps, social media, emails, and extra. Charge: $20 per day; $39 for 24hrs; $15 for 2hrs
Should you’re becoming a member of a shore tour or doing a D-I-Y onshore exploration, safe an eSIM or flip in your cellphone’s knowledge roaming. A pocket WiFi additionally works effectively for day journeys at cruise stops or ports of name. Simply keep in mind that it’s not very dependable onboard, because it often solely works when the ship is docked or near the shore.
For a day journey or shore tour, you’ll solely want a one-day knowledge connection. Nevertheless, most eSIM packages have a three-day plan as their minimal. Luckily, we discovered choices that provide a one-day knowledge plan on Klook!
Energy Financial institution
Should you suppose you’re spending most of your time outdoors your cabin, or you’re going on a shore tour, a energy financial institution is a must have. You’ll doubtless be utilizing your smartphone continuous whereas exploring different locations (ports of name) — taking numerous images and movies, navigating with Google Maps, utilizing Google Translate, researching, messaging pals, and extra.
Hold your battery working and keep away from draining it fully for a smoother and hassle-free journey!
Water Container/Tumbler
Every cabin has a complimentary 1-liter bottle of water. You’ll be able to refill water any time utilizing this provision at Prometeo Buffet Restaurant, one of many onboard complimentary eating locations. Or you’ll be able to convey your personal water container or tumbler.
It’s necessary to all the time hydrate, particularly when the climate is humid and scorching.
Particular Journey Permits
Some passengers have to safe particular journey permits. This will both be a:
- DSWD Certificates for minors touring with out their mother and father
- Journey Authority for presidency officers and workers
WHAT NOT TO BRING
We will even embrace an inventory of prohibited objects, so you’ll be able to forestall delays and different points throughout embarkation. For security and safety causes, the next objects are strictly not allowed on board.
- Explosives
- Weapons (together with imitations and replicas)
- Heating Gadgets (hair dryers, hair straighteners, and so forth.)
- Handcuffs
- Animals
For the whole and up to date record of prohibited objects, you’ll be able to examine it right here: Costa Serena Prohibited Objects Listing
Extra About #ChoosePremium Model
Formally launched in 2017, Juan World Philippines, Inc. is a good tour companies supplier catering to Philippine journey companies. The corporate provides a variety of tour companies to totally different journey companies within the Philippines, together with its signature #ChoosePremium line of tour packages.
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