If you’re planning and looking forward to your very first cruise, you may have an idea of how you’d like it to all to go down. You’re imagining yourself standing on the deck watching the islands pass by, drink in hand.
You’re plotting out how you’ll spend your port and sea days. You’re envisioning spa treatments and fine dining, shore excursions and days by the pool. However, to ensure it all goes down without a hitch, you’ll need to take some precautions. Here are 12 ways to get the best out of your first cruise.
1. Book the Right Cabin
If you’ve yet to book your cabin or stateroom, you’ll want to take particular care here. A good stateroom experience can really impact your overall cruise.
As you book, take a look at your ship’s deck plans (available online, from every cruise line) and not only where your cabin will be located, but also your cabin’s layout. You’ll be able to get a great idea of what you can expect.
It’s not just about how many beds you’ll have or the cabin’s overall square footage, though. Pay careful attention to the location and what’s around the cabin.
Cabins near stairwells and elevators are notoriously noisy. Some cabins feel like a mile-long walk away from the amenities you want to be closest to, such as the pool or the buffet.
Read Also: What Are the Best Rooms on a Cruise Ship?
Additionally, while you may not think you need the space that comes with a suite, you may find the upgrade cost to be worth it, when you consider all the extra benefits you get.
For example, if you cruise on Norwegian Cruise Line and book a Haven suite (on one of the ships that have them), you’ll enjoy special perks such as priority check-in, a beverage package, WiFi, and access to a special Haven guest-only courtyard, pool, lounge and restaurant.
2. Prepare for Seasickness
Unless you’ve been on a ship of this size in the past, you may have no clue whether or not you get seasick. Even if you don’t get car sick, or seasick on small boats, a cruise ship on the ocean may prove to be more than your stomach can handle.
Luckily, there are plenty of effective seasickness remedies that can ensure you still have a lovely time during your first cruise.
Again, book the right cabin, if you haven’t already done so. The best cabins for seasickness are those located near the middle of the ship, and closer to the bottom. These cabins experience overall less motion than cabins near the top and outer edges of the ship.
Additionally, look for a cabin with an ocean view or balcony. Some report that being able to see the horizon helps limit some symptoms.
Then, start taking an anti-seasickness medication ahead of your cruise and continue taking it throughout the cruise. Favorites include Dramamine and scopolamine. (The latter requires a prescription.)
3. Don’t Bring a Ton of Cash
If you’re headed to the Caribbean or Mediterranean and planning on doing a lot of shopping every time you get to port, you may think you need to exchange a lot of currency ahead of time.
However, don’t feel like you need to bring a ton of cash with you, onto the ship or into port.
Most cruise lines have some sort of payment system on the ship — for example, Carnival Cruise Line’s Sail & Sign Card can be used to credit on-ship purchases to your account — and you only really need cash if you want to, say, tip your bartender or your butler.
Likewise, most cruise ports are heavily touristed, so vendors there know to take myriad forms of payment, or at least credit cards.
So, as long as you have a credit card that allows for international purchases, you should be fine.
4. Pack Enough (but not too much!)
Packing for a cruise can be tricky. You want to bring all the comforts and conveniences of home, especially considering that you’ll be on a ship for multiple days and don’t want to leave something behind that you could need. However, cruise ship staterooms can be small and you don’t want to fill most of your space with luggage.
The most important things to remember to pack on a cruise are your personal items like medications and toiletries, along with a range of clothing.
Bring a mix of clothing items that suit your destination, and remember to bring some rain-ready wear, even if you’re headed somewhere tropical and sunny. Don’t forget layers in case you find those late-night ocean breezes a bit chilly.
Some cruisers do like to pack extras like costumes to wear to deck parties (for example, at Royal Caribbean’s White Nights deck parties, elaborate white outfits are a must) or decorations to put on their stateroom doors, but you don’t have to pack these extras. If you’re short on suitcase room, leave them out.
Things you can leave at home? Forget the hair dryer (your stateroom will have one). Beach towels are another no-need, as they’re provided. Don’t bring along a drone (most cruise ships don’t allow them). Limit any alcohol you bring on board to whatever the cruise line allows.
5. Find a Hotel with a Cruise Package
We like to advise that you arrive in your embarkation port the night before your cruise ship sets sail. This gives you plenty of time in the morning to then head to the port at a leisurely pace, without a lot of hectic rushing.
Don’t just pick any ol’ hotel near the cruise port, though. Many offer amazing cruise packages that can make your stay more affordable and enjoyable.
For example, if you’re driving yourself to your cruise port, try to find a hotel that will give you free parking for the duration of your cruise.
Not driving? Some hotels offer packages that include bus service to the port and breakfast the day of embarkation.
As an example, Marriott offers a Stay, Park & Cruise package for those embarking from the Manhattan Cruise Terminal. It includes two-way transportation to the terminal, 10 nights of free parking while you cruise, free breakfast and free WiFi.
6. Don’t Spend Your Time Waiting in Lines
For all the amazing things that cruise ships offer, there’s one thing that comes with a cruise that no one’s really a fan of: waiting in lines. Unless you time your activities well, you’ll find yourself waiting in a lot of lines.
Mitigate these as soon as you arrive at the cruise terminal, by heading there at the right time. Don’t get there hours and hours in advance of your cruise. Lots of people have that idea and it just leads to more waiting for everyone. Instead, arrive just about an hour before embarkation.
Worth Reading: How to Deal With Long Lines on a Cruise Ship
Want to skip even more lines? See what kind of skip-the-line service your cruise line offers. For example, Carnival Cruise Line offers a Faster to the Fun package that will give you priority check-in, express luggage delivery, expedited stateroom access, priority debarkation and more.
7. Turn Your Phone Off
Unless you have a phone plan that gives you service while cruising (like AT&T’s Cruise Basic and Cruise Plus plans), you’ll want to turn your phone on airplane mode while you’re on your cruise. Otherwise, you could end up with a lot of unexpected roaming fees.
What will you do for data while you’re on the ship? Cruise lines offer data packages that you can purchase ahead of time that will give you a certain amount of high-speed WiFi for the duration of your cruise.
Celebrity Cruises, for example, offers WiFi packages powered by Starlink, with varying packages that offer varying levels of service at various price points.
8. Be Flexible With the Itinerary
Okay. We get it. Your cruise itinerary says that you’ll be sailing to the lush paradise of the Mexican Riviera, or perhaps to the pristine beaches of the Greek Isles. You have images in your head of lying on the sands with a margarita in hand or strolling among whitewashed buildings in the Mediterranean sun.
Then, your itinerary changes and those visions are dashed.
It happens! Cruise ships change their itineraries frequently, so it’s something to semi-expect before you embark. Cruise captains never change itineraries without a good reason, though. Sometimes the port is unsafe or full. Sometimes weather makes getting to a port less than ideal or comfortable.
The good news is, if your itinerary does change mid-cruise, you’ll likely get to visit a replacement port instead or you’ll get a fun day at sea.
And if you’re sailing on a cruise ship decked out with plenty of bells and whistles, you may just really enjoy that sea day, as it gives you ample opportunity to explore all the cool on-board activities and entertainment.
9. Be Prepared to Have Your Photo Taken
One thing you’ll likely notice right away during your cruise? Swarms of crew members with cameras. They make their way through the popular parts of the ships snapping photos as they go.
Some cruisers appreciate this, as they’re able to buy the photos at a later time, and it means not really worrying about taking photos themselves. However, if you don’t appreciate this attention, you’ll have to go out of your way to request the eager crew members don’t snap your pic.
10. Don’t Be Late for Departure
Whether it’s the day your cruise leaves or a day at port, never be late for departure. Cruise ships are on a tight schedule and you could just find yourself left behind, sometimes even if it’s not really your fault.
Take the Gault family, who due to a series of tour operator mishaps missed boarding Norwegian Encore while it was stopped in Ketchikan, Alaska. The family of nine people were stranded, without any of their belongings, including important medications.
Then, as if being stranded wasn’t enough, Norwegian Cruise Line then fined the family nearly $9,000 for missing the ship, as doing so meant the cruisers violated US Customs and Border Protection policies.
In short, being late for departure can be a huge and costly headache, so it’s best to avoid it.
Read Also: What Happens If You Miss Your Cruise Ship?
Consider not straying too far away from the cruise port when you’re in a destination and only book third-party excursions if it’s exceedingly clear you’ll be back well in advance of departure.
Additionally, as mentioned, it’s smart to get a hotel in your port city the day before embarkation, so you’re sure to make it onto the cruise in the first place.
11. Pack a Carry-On
If you’re a first-time cruiser, you might not know this. When you get to your cruise terminal, you’ll have to turn your main baggage over to the crew (just as you might when flying). Then, after you go through security, your bags will be delivered to your cabin, after embarkation.
This means you may need to wait a few hours or longer to get your luggage. During this time, you also likely won’t be able to access your stateroom, as the ship usually sets sail before staterooms are completely, 100% ready for guests.
Read Also: Cruise Myths Debunked – What You Truly Should Know
As such, most avid cruisers also pack a smaller, “carry-on” bag with everything they need for the first few hours of the cruise. This means toiletries and any needed medications, but also anything you might need for a bit of fun. If you want to hit the pool as soon as you set sail (a good idea, because it’s often less crowded then), you’ll need your bathing suit, for example.
12. Get Those Reservations Ahead of Time
You’ll need reservations to enjoy most cruise activities, from dining at specialty restaurants to seeing theatrical shows to going on shore excursions. As such, get those reservations as soon as you can, so you actually get the reservations you want.
If reservations aren’t allowed until you board, go make them as soon as you’re on the ship. It’s a smart way to use the first hours of your cruise, before you’re allowed into your stateroom.
