Map out your schedule before you leave home.

Before you leave your house, you should plan what you'll want to do in each port so that when you dock you’ll be ready to hit the ground running. Want to explore, say, Rome the right way? You might need to do a little research on the best sites and restaurants so you don't spend precious time in town figuring out how to get around. If you don't have time to do any planning, we suggest booking the "best of" shore excursions that most lines offer rather than winging it in large cities.