[ad_1]
Asian cruises homeporting from Manila are uncommon. So when you’re a kind of who managed to seize Costa Serena’s provide to sail from Manila to numerous locations throughout Asia, together with Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, the next step is to begin making ready to your much-awaited cruise!
Combining sponsored and private journeys, our workforce has been on greater than 20 cruises, spanning each Asian and North American routes. We’ve sailed on a variety of cruise ships, from extra modest vessels to a few of the largest on the planet! Alongside the best way, we’ve picked up loads of classes concerning the dos and don’ts of cruising, and one among them is figuring out what to pack. This could really make or break your cruise expertise.
If that is your first time cruising, a little bit preparation will go a great distance. Having the appropriate paperwork and necessities prepared will assist you’ve gotten a smooth-sailing expertise from embarkation to disembarkation. On our most up-to-date cruise aboard Costa Serena, listed here are the paperwork and objects we secured and ready earlier than setting sail.
WAIT, WAIT, WAIT! In case your are touring quickly and nonetheless on the strategy planning stage, you too can go to our The Poor Traveler Masterlist. Right here, we compiled journey necessities, together with immigration necessities and all our really helpful lodges and excursions. Simply go to this web page: TPT Masterlist. We now have a compilation for locations around the globe.
WHAT TO PREPARE
Costa Cruise Ticket and Voucher
On the day of embarkation, you can be requested handy over your cruise ticket and your voucher on the check-in counter at Eva Macapagal Cruise Terminal in Manila. Have each a tough copy and a digital copy prepared, simply to make certain.
The ticket has all of the necessary data, similar to your:
- Cruise Particulars
- Cabin Quantity
- Guidelines and Reminders
- Embarkation and Disembarkation Directions
- Boarding Type
- Baggage Tag
In case you might be nonetheless in search of a journey company to e book a Costa Serena cruise from Manila, you may get in contact with Avian Summit Journey Company. It’s one of many high businesses which can be a part of the #Select Premium community, and is each IATA-certified and DOT-accredited.
Listed below are the contact particulars:

- Cellular/Viber: +63 928 291 7170
- E-mail: aviansummit@gmail.com
- Fb Web page: Avian Summit Journey Company
- Instagram: @aviansummit
- Tiktok: @aviansummit
Passport
Since this counts as a world cruise, and also you’ll be touring outdoors the Philippines by sea, you’ll must deliver your passport. Be sure to hold a photocopy of the bio web page, too, as a result of your passport will likely be taken from you for safekeeping upon embarkation. However earlier than you panic, chill out and breathe straightforward, as you’ll get it again a day earlier than disembarkation.
Having a photocopy of your passport is particularly necessary when you’re additionally planning to discover every cease (port of name) out of the country or worldwide territory. And, in fact, your passport have to be legitimate for a minimum of six months.

eTravel
You may submit your eTravel kind inside three (3) days or 72 hours earlier than your scheduled departure time. You may accomplish your journey declaration by way of the eTravel official web site or the eGov app. You’ll see two forms of journey declarations: New Journey Declaration and New Cruise Ship Journey Declaration. For cruises, choose “New Cruise Ship Journey Declaration”.

Bear in mind! It’s good to full two journey declarations: one for departure and one other for arrival. For those who don’t have onboard web entry, you may fill out your Arrival eTravel kind when the ship docks on the Port of Manila, whereas ready to your group’s flip to disembark.
Journey Tax
The journey tax just isn’t but included in your cruise fare, so make sure that you make your cost on-line through the TIEZA official web site or the eGov app. Save and make a copy of the receipt, as you can be requested to current it on the check-in counter throughout embarkation. Digital copy is okay, however you too can produce a tough copy for backup.

Costa App
Be sure to obtain the Costa App earlier than the cruise. The app will make your life on board a lot simpler and extra handy. A few of the perks embody letting you:
- Browse day by day exercise schedules
- Navigate the deck map and ship listing
- Observe the ship’s present location
- Test the real-time climate updates
- Use the onboard chat options
- Monitor your onboard spending
- Buy web packages

Baggage Tag
As talked about, you’ll discover your baggage tag collectively together with your cruise ticket. Don’t overlook to print the bags tag and connect it to your check-in baggage earlier than heading to the port. Most definitely, you’ll be printing it on paper. To make it extra sturdy, you should purchase a baggage tag cowl, have it laminated, or absolutely cowl it with clear adhesive tape.


Talking of baggage…
WHAT TO PACK
Every passenger is allowed to deliver one 30-kilogram check-in baggage and one seven-kilogram hand-carry bag. Depart further area in your baggage in case you are planning on doing some purchasing, whether or not on board or on the ports of name.
Day Bag
Along with your private hand-carry bag, it’s additionally a good suggestion to deliver a day bag or a small bag for onboard exploring and shore excursions. It may be a sling bag, a crossbody, or a small tote.


Personally, I like utilizing a small canvas tote to hold necessities like solar safety, medicines, an influence financial institution, ID, and telephone whereas wandering across the ship. For shore excursions, I normally add a conveyable fan, a photocopy of my passport, pockets, and water container. We’ll go into extra element concerning the particular objects to pack later.
Garments/Outfits
We normally put together two units of outfits per day:
- Informal garments for daytime actions
- Good informal or extra polished apparel for night reveals or tremendous eating
In fact, you must full your look with the appropriate footwear. It’s protected to deliver a pair of sneakers/trainers, formal footwear, and sandals or flip flops. From our expertise, cabins don’t include in-room slippers, so you should definitely deliver your individual.
If you wish to attend night occasions, particularly themed events, it’s higher to examine the steered costume code for every soirée you’d like to hitch. Throughout our final Costa Serena cruise from Manila, we took half within the following:


- White Get together: all-white outfit
- Retro Get together: colourful 50’s – 90’s ensemble
- Masquerade Ball: formal apparel paired with an identical masks
Different themed celebrations throughout that crusing included the Latin Get together, Golden Get together, Italian Evening, and Revival Get together.
And if you wish to get pleasure from a refreshing dip in a single (or all) of Costa Serena’s swimming swimming pools, don’t overlook to pack your favourite swimwear! Lastly, contemplate bringing a gentle jacket and a scarf or scarf, particularly when you’re somebody who tends to get chilly simply.
Toiletries
You’ll usually discover towels, bathroom paper, a hair dryer, and a 2-in-1 shampoo and bathtub gel in your cabin. Apart from these fundamentals, you’ll must pack your individual toiletries and skincare necessities.
Not like air journey, cruises don’t normally impose the 100-ml liquid restrict. This implies you may deliver your full-sized bottle of shampoo, lotion, moisturizer, and different private care objects with none problem.
Solar Safety
Whereas we do want daylight for our day by day dose of Vitamin D, we should not overdo it. An excessive amount of publicity to the solar’s dangerous UV rays can also be not good. Carrying protecting clothes, searching for shade, and usually making use of sunscreen or sunblock are a few of the methods you may shield your self from the solar.

Apart from the objects talked about above, we love carrying a hat or a cap (I’ve a lot of them!) and sun shades. Typically, I additionally use a shawl or a scarf for further protection through the day. Whereas it’s not precisely solar safety, a moveable fan may even turn out to be useful to beat the warmth, particularly throughout scorching and humid summer season days.
Medication
Pack your go-to medicines for complications, stomachaches, fever, cough, colds, flu, and movement illness. For those who’re on prescription medicine, be certain that to deliver sufficient for the complete journey.
I’ve by no means gotten seasick on my earlier cruises, so I normally skipped bringing any medicine for it. Massive mistake! On this specific cruise, we hit some robust waves (possibly it was the season), and it lastly acquired to me. Haha! I simply lay in mattress, held on to my trusted nasal inhaler, and rubbed ointment on my temples. Lesson discovered: By no means say by no means!

The Reception/Buyer Service Desk can even present medication for movement illness. For different medical points, you may go to the ship’s onboard clinic, although remember that extra expenses might apply.
Common Socket Adapter
You’ll discover three various kinds of energy retailers inside your cabin: Sort B, Sort F, and USB ports.

A Sort B plug has two parallel flat pins and a spherical grounding pin, however it might additionally accommodate a Sort A plug, which has two flat pins. A Sort F plug, which is often utilized in Europe, options two spherical pins (4.8mm diameter) and grounding clips on the highest and backside.
Because the Philippines usually makes use of Sort A, B, and C (two spherical pins) plugs, most of your units ought to work simply tremendous. Nonetheless, it’s a superb apply to deliver a common adapter as a backup to keep away from any socket or plug points onboard.
OTHERS
Credit score Card
All onboard expenses are settled in US$ (US greenback). There aren’t any ATMs on the ship, and debit playing cards are usually not accepted, so a bank card is the best choice. You’ll must hyperlink it to your Costa Card, which works as each your onboard ID and cost card.
Right here’s the way to hyperlink your bank card to your Costa Card:

- Discover a Costa Card kiosk. These are situated all through the ship. We noticed two on Deck 5, Midship part, close to the retailers.
- Put together your Costa Card and bank card. To start out, select the “English” language.
- Faucet your Costa Card on the reader. Anticipate the following on-screen immediate.
- Insert or swipe your bank card. Wait once more for affirmation.
- Bank card efficiently linked to your Costa Card! You can too hyperlink different cabins to your bank card by choosing “Different Cabins”, then following the directions on the display.
Backup Money
For those who don’t have a bank card, you should definitely deliver sufficient USD in money earlier than embarking. You’ll must deposit a minimum of USD 150 per individual to settle your onboard transactions.
Have backup money with you additionally, particularly in case you are planning to hitch shore excursions or discover the ports of name by yourself. Select Premium’s Hospitality Desk additionally provides an onboard cash alternate service, simply in case.
Web Connection
Staying related through the cruise is simple. You should buy Costa Serena’s onboard web bundle by way of the Costa App. Simply decide the plan that works finest for you. On our final cruise, these have been the out there choices and their charges at the moment:
- WhatsApp Bundle. Keep in contact with family and friends by way of WhatsApp, sharing pictures, movies, and voice messages. Price: $6 per day
- Social Bundle. Apart from WhatsApp, you too can entry your social media accounts — Fb, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. Price: $15 per day; $10 for 2hrs
- Full Bundle. This provides you limitless entry to the web — cell apps, messaging apps, social media, emails, and extra. Price: $20 per day; $39 for 24hrs; $15 for 2hrs


For those who’re becoming a member of a shore tour or doing a D-I-Y onshore exploration, safe an eSIM or flip in your telephone’s information roaming. A pocket WiFi additionally works properly for day journeys at cruise stops or ports of name. Simply keep in mind that it’s not very dependable onboard, because it normally solely works when the ship is docked or near the shore.
For a day journey or shore tour, you’ll solely want a one-day information connection. Nevertheless, most eSIM packages have a three-day plan as their minimal. Happily, we discovered choices that provide a one-day information plan on Klook!
Energy Financial institution
For those who assume you’re spending most of your time outdoors your cabin, or you’re going on a shore tour, a energy financial institution is a must have. You’ll doubtless be utilizing your smartphone continuous whereas exploring different locations (ports of name) — taking a lot of pictures and movies, navigating with Google Maps, utilizing Google Translate, researching, messaging associates, and extra.
Maintain your battery operating and keep away from draining it utterly for a smoother and hassle-free journey!
Water Container/Tumbler

Every cabin has a complimentary 1-liter bottle of water. You may refill water any time utilizing this provision at Prometeo Buffet Restaurant, one of many onboard complimentary eating locations. Or you may deliver your individual water container or tumbler.
It’s necessary to at all times hydrate, particularly when the climate is humid and scorching.
Particular Journey Permits
Some passengers must safe particular journey permits. This could both be a:
- DSWD Certificates for minors touring with out their mother and father
- Journey Authority for presidency officers and workers
WHAT NOT TO BRING
We may even embody an inventory of prohibited objects, so you may stop delays and different points throughout embarkation. For security and safety causes, the next objects are strictly not allowed on board.
- Explosives
- Weapons (together with imitations and replicas)
- Heating Gadgets (hair dryers, hair straighteners, and many others.)
- Handcuffs
- Animals
For the whole and up to date checklist of prohibited objects, you may examine it right here: Costa Serena Prohibited Objects Record
Extra About #ChoosePremium Model
Formally launched in 2017, Juan World Philippines, Inc. is a good tour companies supplier catering to Philippine journey businesses. The corporate provides a variety of tour companies to completely different journey businesses within the Philippines, together with its signature #ChoosePremium line of tour packages.

Be part of The Poor Traveler Help Group
✅ If in case you have any questions or want journey ideas, be at liberty to put up them to the TPT Help Group. The members are very useful. This Fb help group has been round for a very long time, and lots of members have discovered journey buddies by way of it. You may be part of too! Simply go to The Poor Traveler Help Group. Notice that that is completely different from The Poor Traveler Fb web page.

Updates Log
2026 1 5 – First uploaded
[ad_2]

