Cruises can be super exciting, but planning for a cruise can be difficult. Whether you’re someone who’s been on a plethora of cruises or someone who decided to take their first cruise after looking up Last-Minute Cruise Deals, there are a number of amateur mistakes that you don’t want to make—ones that even the pros can sometimes fall prey to. Ultimately, all types of cruises require you to be prepared, such as river cruises through Alaska. Silversea Cruises and Princess Cruises are just two of the top cruise lines. Similarly, some of the best travel cruise insurance companies include Nationwide, Seven Corners, and TravelSafe Insurance. Regardless of what cruise line and travel insurance company you decide to go with, however, it’s important to avoid these 4 amateur cruise mistakes:

1. Booking the wrong cabin
Just like hotels, not all cabins are the exact same on cruise ships. For instance, cabins have differing accommodations, proximity to loud areas, motion sickness potential, and distance from shopping, dining, entertainment, and other such amenities. To avoid making the amateur mistake of booking an inconvenient cabin on your cruise, make sure to research the different options available and consider factors like the ones aforementioned before booking.

2. Overpacking
While overpacking can be fine when it comes to staying in a hotel or motel, overpacking for a cruise can be an amateur mistake and create a less joyful experience. Although a cruise does involve sightseeing multiple destinations, it’s advised to pack only what’s necessary because cabins can be tight. Due to the cruise’s variety of destinations, it can be tempting to pack your closet, we get it, but try to resist the urge. Instead, aim to pack versatile clothing that can be worn in more than one destination on your cruise.

3. Not accounting for seasickness
Seasickness is a quick and easy way to turn a fun, relaxing cruise into a painful disaster. Even if you’re a person who doesn’t get seasick—let alone motion sick—it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Over-the-counter remedies for seasickness are good to have on hand: motion sickness patches, pills, or wristbands are all viable options. And hey, even if you don’t end up needing them, you may come across someone on your cruise who does—maybe even a cabin neighbor!

4. Overlooking travel insurance
Travel insurance can be crucial for both safety and peace of mind—overlooking it can be an amateur mistake turned disaster if something unforeseen occurs. From trip cancellations to lost luggage to medical emergencies, travel insurance can help lessen the blow of any unfortunate accident that may take place. Even for cruises, travel insurance can be essential: it’s always worth looking into! Thus, before you hop on that amazing cruise you’ve been planning for, make sure to do some adequate research on travel insurance.