Why Domestic Cruise Guidelines Don’t Apply to International Cruises

Whether you are going on your first cruise or you are a seasoned sailor, there are certain cruise “rules” we all hear over and over again: arrive a day early, bring the right charger, pack essentials in your carry-on, and prepare for delays.

But what I learned very quickly is that not all of those guidelines work the same way for international cruises.

In the summer of 2025, I took my very first cruise to the Greek Isles, including an overnight stay in Istanbul, Türkiye. Not only was this my first cruise, but it was also my first time leaving the United States — and I was doing all of it completely on my own.

For months, I researched everything I could. I spent countless nights falling down rabbit holes looking up cruise tips, things to do in Athens, excursion ideas, and what to expect onboard. By the time my trip arrived, I thought I was fully prepared.

I quickly learned otherwise.

One of the biggest pieces of cruise advice you constantly hear is to arrive in your port city at least one day early. The logic makes sense: if your flight gets delayed or canceled, you have extra time before embarkation day.

I followed that advice exactly.

Originally, I was supposed to arrive in Athens around 10:30 a.m. local time. I planned to spend the day exploring the city before boarding my cruise the following afternoon.

That did not happen.

I left Knoxville, Tennessee two hours later than expected, causing me to miss my connecting flight in Chicago to Greece. After a long phone call with the airline, multiple reroutes, an airline change, and an unexpected layover in London, I finally arrived in Athens around 10:30 p.m. — nearly 12 hours later than planned.

The "PJs" I bought on board for the PJ PArty

Exhausted but relieved to finally be there, I made my way through customs and headed to baggage claim.

Then I waited.

And waited.

And waited.

My duffel bag never arrived.

After speaking with the missing luggage desk, we discovered my bag was still sitting in England. I was assured it would be delivered directly to the cruise port before embarkation.

The next morning, I received an update saying my luggage was finally on its way to Athens. Meanwhile, my cruise boarding time was approaching quickly, scheduled for around 2:00 p.m I headed to the port and boarded the ship, praying my luggage would get there in time.

As soon as I boarded the ship, I immediately went to Guest Services to see if we could track my luggage down before departure.

We tried everything we could, but unfortunately my bag never made it to the port in time. Needless to say, I spent a majority of the trip cruising the Greek Isles without my luggage.

That was the moment I realized something important: arriving “one day early” for an international cruise may not always be enough.

For domestic cruises, sure arriving a day early is usually solid advice. International travel, however, comes with a lot more variables: missed connections, customs delays, airline changes, and lost luggage can all snowball quickly.

Looking back, arriving two or even three days early would have given me much more breathing room if something went wrong — especially when trying to recover lost luggage.

Thankfully, the cruise line was incredible and did everything they could to help me. Luckily, I also packed extra clothes in my carry-on, which absolutely saved me.

Another mistake I made — and honestly did not think through at all — was communication.

You constantly hear people say:

“Disconnect from your phone.”

“You won’t need it.”

“Enjoy being unplugged.”

While that sounds great in theory, you still need to be able to communicate with people when unexpected situations happen.

I did not think about that cause I thought everything would go as planned.

I assumed I could rely on Wi-Fi everywhere, the same way we often do in the United States. I quickly learned that public Wi-Fi is not nearly as common or reliable in every country.

Trying to communicate with the person I was staying with became much more difficult because I chose not to get an eSIM before my trip.

Lesson learned: even if it costs a little extra, get the eSIM.

Being able to contact airlines, hotels, drivers, or hosts during delays and emergencies is absolutely worth it.

Another mistake I highly regret was not fully planning how I was actually going to get to the cruise terminal.

I knew I needed to get from Athens to Piraeus. I also knew the rail system connected the two areas. What I did not properly think through was the actual distance between the train station and the cruise terminal itself.

I assumed it would be a quick and easy walk. I mean I could literally see the ship in the distance.

Boy, was I wrong.

That walk ended up being around two miles — possibly more.

By this point, I had already spent part of the day walking around Athens shopping for replacement clothes in the Greek summer heat. I was exhausted, sunburned, and dragging my carry-on behind me the entire way.

At one point, a taxi driver offered to take me directly to the terminal for a small fee.

And like an idiot, I declined.

I had heard so many warnings about tourists getting ripped off by taxis that I convinced myself I should just keep walking.

Looking back now, if a cab driver offered me a ride to the terminal for 20 euros — or honestly even 100 euros — I would probably take it.

The biggest lesson from all of this is simple:

Do not just plan the destination. Plan every step in between.

Double-check distances.

Research transportation ahead of time.

Know exactly how you are getting from the airport to the hotel and from the hotel to the cruise terminal.

Because when you are exhausted, stressed, overheated, and dragging luggage through another country, even a “short walk” can feel much longer than expected.

While this was a very rough trip, I had learned so much about traveling internationally and what to expect. While it might be awhile, I can not wait to go back and truly get to experience Greece and all its glory.

If you’re planning an international cruise and want to avoid some of the stress and mistakes I experienced, send us a message using the link below.

From flights and hotels to transportation and cruise planning, we can help make sure your trip goes as smoothly as possible so you can focus on enjoying the experience instead of worrying about the details.