You've spent months thinking about your cruise and now you're ready to start planning your vacation. Here are seven ways to take the stress out of your vacation and make it a smooth sailing experience.

1. Use a good travel agent. A knowledgeable travel agent can save you time, money, and eliminate much of the stress involved in planning for and booking your cruise. Agents can keep track of any changes, such as cruise cancellations due to unexpected engine malfunctions or itinerary changes due to weather. They are aware of differing cruise line policies and can also make suggestions that will improve your enjoyment of your cruise.

2. Check your documents well in advance. Review your cruise documents to make sure that everything is correct. If you do not have them in hand 2-3 week before sailing, call the cruise line to ask about them or have your travel agent do it for you. Fill out your boarding documents online to save time during the embarkation process and book shore excursions in advance if possible.

In addition, take out your passport at least 2 months in advance and make sure it will still be current well after your cruise is over. It is strongly recommended that you renew your passport at least 6 months before it expires. If your marital status has changed, make sure that your passport reflects your current legal name. If your cruise requires visas, make sure to understand the exact requirements and obtain the correct visas well in advance of your cruise date.

3. Know your cruise line's policies and make sure to comply with them. Each cruise line has policies that you must take into account or you could be denied boarding. These rules include such things as passport and visa issues, minimum age to cruise, health requirements, documentation requirements for minors traveling without their parent or legal guardian, and other issues. Call your cruise line, or have your travel agent check, to make sure that you comply with all policies before arriving at the dock.

4. Purchase vacation insurance. Stuff happens, so protect yourself in case it happens to you. Vacation insurance protects your financial investment (in most cases) against such things as having to cancel your cruise due to illness or a death in your immediate family, trip interruption due to illness, missing the ship due to airline delays, and other factors. It will also cover medical attention should you need it while you are away. You should consider purchasing cruise insurance from a third party such as TravelGuard or Access America, because they often protects against cruise line and airline bankruptcies. Third party insurance also allows you to wrap in your airfare if you purchased it independently. Read your policy carefully before purchasing and ask questions to make sure you are covered for all contingencies.

5. Arrive at your departure city early. Following this rule will eliminate much stress, especially if you are able to arrive at your embarkation port the day before your cruise departs. Arriving a day early is strongly recommended given the possibility of air delays and cancellations, especially during the winter months. If you cannot arrive at the departure port a day early, schedule your arrival at least 4-5 hours before the ship departs. In addition, if your flight schedule involves connections, make sure to allow at least 2 hours between flights to protect yourself in case delays occur.

6. Book your flights independently. Purchasing your air tickets on your own allows you to control your routing and connection schedules, eliminating any unexpected surprises when you receive your documents from the cruise line. A good travel agent can often get you the same price (or lower) for your tickets than can be obtained through the cruise line and will review the routing and connections with you before purchase. He/she can also help you to avoid connecting through delay-prone airports, which will eliminate some stress as well.

7. Take only carry-on luggage. If at all possible, pack everything for your cruise into the largest carry-on luggage that your airline permits on the plane. This might sound impossible, but my family and I have taken only carry-on luggage for all of our cruises over the last 8 years. Taking only carry-on luggage eliminates several major sources of stress. Your luggage travels with you on the airplane at all times, so it is highly unlikely to get lost. In addition, you can carry your luggage onboard the ship if you choose, so it will get to your stateroom quickly. You'll also be able to avoid the fees many airlines now charge for checked baggage. Many cruise lines also have early departure times for passengers who carry off their own suitcases, so taking only carry-on luggage can help make exiting the ship faster on debarkation day. If you have purchased too many souvenirs, you can buy an inexpensive tote in the ship's gift shop.