The months before a first trip to Europe (or a first in a long time) can feel a little stressful if you don't have someone guiding you through what to expect.

Here's the checklist I walk my clients through, plus the things you can cross off your worry list entirely.

Three to Six months before you go

Check your passport, then check it again. Look at the expiration date now, not the week before you leave. I always recommend that your passport be valid for at least six months beyond your departure date, to avoid any entry hiccups at all. If yours is close, renew it now!

Look up the new entry requirements. Europe has been rolling out new border systems, including biometric registration at entry and a travel authorization called ETIAS. These new requirements continue to be expected and then delayed.

Buy travel insurance. If you didn't at the time you booked your trip. Especially for a trip you've waited years to take. I'll just leave that here.

Plan to arrive a day early. This is the one I push hardest. Flights get delayed, bags take the scenic route, and jet lag is real. Arriving the day before your cruise turns a missed connection into a minor story instead of a missed ship.

One month before

Call your bank and credit card company. Let them know you'll be traveling, and bring at least one credit card with no foreign transaction fees. I recommend traveling with two in case of hiccups.

Get a small amount of euros. Enough for a coffee, a restroom, or a small shop that doesn't take cards at each stop. You don't need much. (On an all-inclusive river cruise, you'll need even less).

Sort out your phone. Check your carrier's international plan!

Refill prescriptions. Pack medications in your carry-on with a few extra days' supply, and keep a copy of your prescriptions.

Packing

Layers, not outfits. River cruise mornings on the top deck (my favorite place to be) can be cool, afternoons in town can be warm, and fall and spring weather changes its mind often. A light jacket, a sweater, and a scarf will do more for you than three extra outfits.

Walking shoes you've already broken in. European old towns are cobblestone. New shoes and cobblestones are not friends. Your tried and true sneakers are best.

A small day bag. Big enough for a water bottle, a layer, and your phone. Small enough that you forget you're carrying it.

Outlet adapters. Germany, France, and most of continental Europe use round two-prong plugs so you'll need a converter.  Some ships also have U.S. outlets in the cabins but it varies by cruise line.

Leave the formal wear. River cruises are generally relaxed. Think 'nice dinner out at home,' not 'black tie'.

The week before

Make copies of your documents. Keep a photo of your passport on your phone and a paper copy in a separate bag from the original.

Share your itinerary with someone at home. The ship's name, the dates, and how to reach you.

Read what your advisor sends you. (I had to.) Everything you need is in there, in order, so that once you're traveling, you can handle things on your own without wondering what comes next. And if you have any questions - let's address them now before you're halfway across the world.

What you can stop worrying about

The language. Your guides speak English, the crew speaks English, and you'll never need to buy a train ticket in German.

Getting lost. The ship docks in or near town, the walking tours start right at the gangway, and the all-aboard time is posted clearly. Most cruise lines provide you a map of the town if you venture out on your own and will walk you through recommendations before you head out.

Being bored. There's a new town almost every day. The downtime is a perk, not a bummer.

Doing it 'wrong.' There's no wrong way to spend an afternoon on a river cruise. Nap, read, walk, watch the scenery. All correct.

The point of all this

The goal isn't to be managed through your trip. It's to arrive prepared enough to relax. When the prep is handled, the trip gets to be what you actually wanted: time together, somewhere beautiful, without a knot in your stomach.

The best part about having a travel advisor plan your trip - is not having to worry about the list above and if you forgot anything.

When I tell my clients how amazing it is to sail the Seine on a river cruise, I can almost see the look of wonder on their face as they try to place the town names: Conflans. Les Andelys. Caudebec-en-Caux and more.

Here's what I always say: most of the towns on a river cruise....you've never heard of. That's not a problem...it's kind of the point. The towns aren't what you'll remember. The experiences are!

So instead of walking through a list of ports, here's what a Seine river cruise actually gives you, and whether it's the right trip for you.

The shape of the trip

Most Seine sailings start and end in Paris, then follow the river west through the Normandy countryside toward the coast before looping back. Some add hotel nights in Paris before or after the cruise, which I highly recommend.

You unpack once. Paris and Normandy come to you.

The experiences (not the towns)

Standing on the Normandy beaches. For many people, this is the reason for the whole trip. Walking the beaches and visiting the American Cemetery with a guide who knows the history is quiet, heavy, and unforgettable. Doing it on your own means navigating train stations, transportation, and timing everything just right. On a river cruise, it's already arranged for you and they've perfected every moment.

Monet's garden in Giverny. The house and gardens that inspired the water lily paintings.

Rouen. A medieval old town with half-timbered houses, a Gothic cathedral Monet painted over and over, and the square where Joan of Arc was executed. (Some people know the name Rouen...Fewer know how much is packed into it.)

Honfleur. A small harbor town with tall, narrow houses lined up along the water. It's the kind of place you'll photograph from every angle and still not capture. Every one of your photos you post on social media have the caption 'photos don't do it justice'.

Normandy's food and drink. Apple orchards, cider, calvados, and cheeses you've been mispronouncing for years (me too).

Paris. You know this one. The difference is that you'll see it without juggling train schedules or hotel changes.

Why a river cruise works so well here

Normandy is one of the harder regions in France to do on your own. The sites are spread out, the countryside is rural, and much of what matters, like the beaches and the small villages, isn't where the trains go.

A river cruise solves that. The ship docks near the towns, guides handle the history, and transfers to the places the river doesn't reach are arranged for you.

Of course - each cruise line is different, so knowing which one is right for you gets a little tricky to figure out. Unless, of course, you do this for a living. That's where I come in.

If Paris and Normandy has been on your someday list for far too long - a river cruise might be just the perfect trip for you. Let's chat. 

If you've never been on a river cruise, the brochures don't answer the questions you actually have:

• What would I do all day?


• Would I be bored?


• Would I be herded around?


• Would I come home needing a vacation from my vacation?