It’s easy to get lost in the ease and simplicity of cruising—you book yourself a trip and then everything from meals to accommodation is already booked. However, a little planning and preparation can make your cruising experience a lot better.

Here are five important things you would want to know before boarding your cruise.

1. Take Care of Your Communication Line
If you wait until you’re sailing to think about how you are going to contact your family and friends back home, you’re sure to face hefty data charges. Before leaving, get a package for cheaper overseas texts and calls. You can inquire about these packages with your local cell service provider.

2. Check the Dress Code
The dress-code policies for dinner time vary from company to company, from formal dinners to country-club casual or even come as you please dress code. You don’t want to end up with a suitcase full of jeans only to find out that you need to dress fancy every night. The result: you’ll end up dining in your cabin and missing out on night life.

3. Download Movies and Series, If You Must
Keep in mind that WiFi and download speed can be ridiculously slow and spotty at sea, so you would want to do all the downloading before leaving home. If you want some downtime after a long day or want to catch up on your favourite series before sleeping, it’s impossible to rely on the ship’s internet connection.

4. Pack a Carry On for the Embarkation Day
It can take half a day for your bags to arrive in your room during the embarkation day, so make sure to pack a carry on that contains your essentials. If planning to hang out by the pool area before going to your cabin, pack your bikini, sunscreen and shades in your tote.

5. Call Your Bank
If you are not a frequent traveller, before leaving your country, inform your bank that you are going on a trip overseas so your bank won’t presume that your card is stolen because of sudden change in the spending patterns. Otherwise, your bank will temporarily suspend your account. Not notifying the bank is a common mistake that can result to expensive, long-distance calls.

Cruising is a fun experience. Make it more pleasurable and relaxing by doing a bit of groundwork before embarking on this luxurious vacation.