Pre-Cruise Planning Guide for Your Transatlantic Cruise

Planning a transatlantic cruise can feel both exciting and overwhelming—there’s so much to consider, from what to pack to understanding onboard amenities and exploring ports of call. As we prepared for our first cruise, a transatlantic 15 Day Spanish Passage on Princess Cruise Line’s Emerald Princess from Florida to Italy, we’ve did tons of research to make sure we’re ready for this unique adventure.

Our Cruise Preparation Guide

This guide is a working document, which means we’re constantly adding to it as we uncover new tips, tricks, and resources. Whether you’re gearing up for the same cruise or just curious about transatlantic cruising, we hope this resource becomes your go-to for all things cruise prep.

We’ll update this guide regularly as we learn more, so feel free to bookmark this page and check back often for the latest info. And if you’re a seasoned cruiser with your own tips to share, we’d love to hear from you!

Now, here’s what we’ve learned so far!

Accommodations around cruises ports are super expensive!

Finding an affordable place to stay before or after your cruise can be challenging. I know, I know…. we say were doing this multi-year fulltime traveling thing on a modest budget and yet here we are booking a cruise…. hear us out…. we looked at the cost of flying and decided on the cruise… we then spent days ( and days, and days…) researching affordable places to stay in Fort Lauderdale, comparing prices across different booking sites and carefully reading reviews. 👉After digging deep, we found several promising options that fit our budget. 👈

Our search for a Budget-Friendly Places to Stay In Fort Lauderdale Before Our First! Cruise

About Our Ports of Call

Fort Lauderdale/Port Everglade (Mar 24, 2025)

Weather & Quick Facts

• Daily high temperatures increase by 3°F, from 78°F to 80°F, rarely falling below 71°F or exceeding 86°F.
• Daily low temperatures increase by 4°F, from 64°F to 68°F, rarely falling below 53°F or exceeding 75°F.
• Humidity: Muggy/Humid

Port Guides:

• Princess Cruise Line Port Guide
• Best Hotels, and Short-Term Rentals with Wi-Fi and Kitchens, in Fort Lauderdale for before and after cruise

Excursion Options

• Princess Excursions
• GetYourGuide Excursions – Coming Soon!
• Viator/TripAdvisor Excursions
• GPSMyCity Self-Guided Walking Tours

Madeira aka Funchal, Portugal (April 2, 2025)

Weather & Quick Facts:

• Daily high temperatures are around 68°F, rarely falling below 63°F or exceeding 73°F.
• Daily low temperatures are around 60°F, rarely falling below 56°F or exceeding 64°F.
• Humidity: Comfortable
• The port is close to the city center, about a 15-minute walk along the waterfront promenade to Old Town

Port Guides

• DIYCruisePorts Guide
• Princess Cruise Line Port Guide

Excursion Options

• Get Your Guide Excursion
• Viator/TripAdvisor Excursions
• Expedia Excursions – Coming Soon!
• GPSMyCity Self-Guided Walking Tours

Gibraltar, Great Britain (April 4, 2025)

Weather

• Daily high temperatures increase by 3°F, from 62°F to 66°F, rarely falling below 58°F or exceeding 71°F.
• Daily low temperatures increase by 2°F, from 54°F to 56°F, rarely falling below 49°F or exceeding 60°F.
• Humidity: Comfortable
• Multiple Transport Option to Cable Car Station – from there you can ride up to the top of the rock

Port Guides

• DIYCruisePorts Guide
• Princess Cruise Line Port Guide

Excursion Options

• Get Your Guide Excursions
• Viator/TripAdvisor Excursions – Coming Soon!
• GPSMyCity Self-Guided Walking Tours

Malaga, Spain (April 5, 2025)

Weather & Quick Facts

• Daily high temperatures increase by 4°F, from 68°F to 72°F, rarely falling below 62°F or exceeding 79°F.
• Daily low temperatures increase by 4°F, from 51°F to 55°F, rarely falling below 45°F or exceeding 61°F.
• Humidity: Comfortable
• Walkable to Old Town
• From the furthest cruise terminal, it’s about a 30 minute stroll past beaches and the Botanical Gardens to the city center

Port Guides

• Princess Cruise Line Port Guide

Excursion Options

• DIYCruisePortGuide
• Get Your Guide Excursion Options
• GPSMyCity Self-Guided Walking Tours

Corsica (Ajaccio), France (April 7, 2025)

Weather & Quick Facts

• Daily high temperatures increase by 5°F, from 61°F to 66°F, rarely falling below 56°F or exceeding 72°F.
• Daily low temperatures increase by 5°F, from 44°F to 49°F, rarely falling below 38°F or exceeding 55°F.
• Humidity: Comfortable

Port Guides

• Princess Cruise Line Port Guide

Excursion Options

• Coming Soon!

Rome/Civitavecchia (April 8, 2025)

Weather & Quick Facts

• Daily high temperatures increase by 6°F, from 63°F to 69°F, rarely falling below 56°F or exceeding 76°F.
• Daily low temperatures increase by 5°F, from 45°F to 50°F, rarely falling below 38°F or exceeding 55°F.
• Humidity: Comfortable
• Cruise Port is huge – shuttle busses have 22 stops within the port! Buses and trains are available to take you to Rome and other locations.

Port Guides

• DIYPort Guide
• Princess Cruise Line Port Guide

Excursion Options

• GPSMyCity Self-Guided Walking Tours – Rome

About Staying Connected While on a Cruise

Using your cellphone on a cruise

• Watch this video

Wifi Alternatives

• Gigsky (watch review before purchasing!) Update: We weren/t able to stay connected using Gigsky for the entire length of our cruise – we’ll post about that very soon!

Cellular Use Tips:

• Download content before departure
  • Screenshot Travel Itinerary
  • Download pdfs of Port Guides
  • Download travel documents to phone’s “My Files”
  • Download books and magazines to home library app
• Intranet allows passengers to stay connected to the ship’s app and connect with loved ones on the ship without the need for a data plan.
  • Helpful Article
  • Princess Cruise Line Article
  • Helpful Youtube Video
  • Helpful Article

Other Helpful Resources

Princess Cruise Line’s Pre-Cruise FAQ – includes what is not allowed to bring on a cruise ship.

Deck Plans for the Emerald Princess

How to Plan DIY Shore Excursions – written by DIYCruisePorts

Travel with a Cpap? – Read this!

Practical advice on safe and efficient travel tech management for fulltime travelers

Stretch Your Travel Dollar: Finding Affordable Places To Stay

Tips & Resource List for Travel Insurance for full time travelers

Nomadic Shocker: Medical Insurance for Fulltime Travelers and Retirees

Pre-Cruise Shopping Checklist

• Junk Food for late night snacks (Update: There is so much food onboard we never even opened our snacks!)
  • M&Ms
  • Cheetos
  • Maple Glazed Doughnut ONE Bars
• Motion Sickness Bracelets, Patch or Tablets
• 12 pack Canned or Boxed Water (1 12-pack per person – screwtop bottles are not allowed)
• Probiotics
• Elderberry syrup
• Cold Medicine
• Wine/Prosecco – One per person (keep in carry-on bag)
• GingerAle (Cans Only – No screwtop bottles)
• Super Strong Magnetic Hooks
• Towel Clips for windy decks
• Laundry Detergent Sheets
• Ziplock bags for snacks
• Shower caps for covering plates to take back to the cabin
• Cheap tray for taking food back to the cabin

We hope this guide has helped you feel more prepared and excited for your upcoming transatlantic cruise. Remember, this is a working document—we’ll continue updating it as we gather more tips, insights, and resources during our planning and travel experience.

Travel Tools & Resources

If you found this guide helpful, be sure to bookmark it and check back for the latest updates. And if you have any advice or questions, feel free to reach out—we’d love to hear from you!

Safe travels, and happy cruising!