Common questions
Clear, concise answers about cruise booking, documentation, on-board life, and port days, with links to our in-depth guides.
Booking with us
How do I book a cruise with My Ocean Tours?
Search our cruise routes, then submit a booking request with your preferred departure month, guest count, and stateroom category. We verify live availability directly with the cruise line and reply with confirmed sailing dates and an upfront total fare. Your reservation is secured once payment is received and the cruise line issues an official booking number.
Does sending a request cost anything?
No. Submitting a booking request is completely free, reserves no space, and places you under zero financial obligation.
When do I pay?
You pay only after receiving and accepting a written quotation for a specific sailing, vessel, and stateroom. Your quotation details the deposit required to hold the stateroom, the final payment deadline, and accepted payment methods. All payments are processed through secure merchant billing in the name of My Ocean Tours, as detailed in our fraud warning.
Can I cancel or change my booking?
Yes, subject to the operating cruise line's contractual cancellation fee schedule, which increases as the embarkation date approaches. Review our cancellation and refund policy for milestone timelines.
Do you operate the ships?
No. My Ocean Tours is an independent retail travel booking agency. Your cruise vacation is operated by the major ocean cruise line named on your confirmation (such as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity, Princess, Carnival, Holland America, or Norwegian).
Before you book
Do I need a passport for a closed-loop cruise from the U.S.?
Under the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI), U.S. citizens sailing on closed-loop cruises (departing and returning to the same U.S. port) may legally board with an official government-issued photo ID (such as a REAL ID driver's license) and an original or certified state birth certificate. However, we strongly recommend carrying a valid U.S. passport book, because you cannot fly home commercially from a foreign port in the event of an emergency without one. See our documents guide for complete details.
When is the best time to go?
November through April offers calm waters, lower humidity, and warm sunshine in the Caribbean and Bahamas. Alaska's sailing season runs strictly from May through September. The Atlantic hurricane season spans June through November, though cruise ships easily navigate around tropical weather. Review our when to sail guide for month-by-month charts.
Will I get seasick?
Modern cruise ships measure over 100,000 gross tons and deploy underwater computer-controlled fin stabilizers that reduce vessel roll by up to 90%. For most cruisers on Caribbean or Inside Passage routes, motion is imperceptible. If you are sensitive, choose a midship stateroom on a lower deck and pack over-the-counter meclizine (Bonine) or Dramamine. Learn more in our seasickness guide.
Is a cruise suitable for children and older travelers?
Cruises are the premier multi-generational vacation. Ocean ships feature complimentary supervised youth clubs, teen lounges, splash parks, wheelchair-accessible staterooms, elevators serving every deck, and modern medical centers.
Can I cruise if I am pregnant?
Cruise lines strictly prohibit boarding for any guest who will enter their 24th week of pregnancy at any time during the voyage. Expectant mothers must carry a physician's letter verifying health and estimated due date.
Are vegetarian, vegan, and special diets accommodated?
Yes. Major cruise lines cater extensively to dietary requirements. Main dining rooms provide dedicated vegetarian and vegan menus each evening, gluten-free choices, and can accommodate dairy-free or kosher meals with advance notice at booking.
What is the legal drinking age on board?
On all sailings departing from United States ports, the minimum legal drinking age for all alcoholic beverages is 21 years of age. Some lines permit 18-to-20-year-olds to consume beer or wine on select international itineraries with signed parental consent, but strict 21+ rules apply on all standard U.S. departures.
On board
What is included in the cruise fare?
Your cruise fare covers your private stateroom, meals in the main dining rooms, casual Lido buffets, poolside grills, Broadway-caliber theater productions, live musical entertainment, comedy clubs, pools, hot tubs, and kids' clubs. Cocktails, specialty dining, satellite Wi-Fi, shore excursions, and daily gratuities cost extra. See what a cruise really costs for a complete breakdown.
Is there cellular signal and internet at sea?
Once the ship sails away from land, your standard mobile cellular plan disconnects. While ships connect to cellular-at-sea networks, roaming rates are extraordinarily expensive. Always switch your phone to Airplane Mode with Wi-Fi enabled. Ships offer Starlink satellite Wi-Fi packages available for purchase by the day or voyage.
Can I bring my own alcohol or soda?
Most cruise lines permit each adult of legal drinking age to bring one unopened 750ml bottle of wine or champagne in their carry-on luggage on embarkation day (corkage fees apply if consumed in main dining rooms). Beer and hard liquor brought from home are confiscated. Many lines also permit a 12-pack of canned soda or non-alcoholic beverages per stateroom.
What should I wear on board and ashore?
Casual resort attire (shorts, T-shirts, sundresses, sandals) is the daytime standard. Evenings feature "Cruise Casual" to "Formal / Chic" suggestions. A lightweight cardigan or hoodie is helpful indoors due to air conditioning. Our packing guide provides a printable checklist.
Is there a medical center and doctor on the ship?
Yes. Every ocean cruise ship has an infirmary staffed by licensed emergency physicians and registered nurses. Medical consultations, diagnostic tests, and pharmaceuticals are billed to your on-board account, which is a key reason to carry travel insurance.
In port
Do I have to book the ship's shore excursions?
No. You are completely free to walk off the ship and explore independently or book private local tours, as long as you return prior to the all-aboard deadline. Ship-sponsored excursions offer the guarantee that the ship will wait if the tour bus is delayed. See our port day guide.
What happens if I miss the ship?
The ship will sail on schedule without you. If you are left behind, locate the Cruise Line Port Agent (whose phone number is printed on the daily ship newsletter) for assistance arranging flights or ground transport to the next port at your personal expense. Always keep your passport, credit card, and phone with you ashore.
What happens if a port call is canceled?
If high ocean swells or weather render docking or tendering unsafe, the captain may skip or substitute the port. Cruise contracts allow itinerary modifications for safety. In such cases, port taxes for the missed call and any pre-booked ship excursions are refunded directly to your on-board account.
Can I stay on the ship during a port day?
Yes. Staying aboard is a favorite insider strategy: swimming pools, waterslides, and buffet stations are virtually empty, and the shipboard spa frequently offers reduced pricing.