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Going on a cruise and wanting to know the top cruise tips? Check out this post for the 33 best cruise tips every first time cruiser should know.
Going on a cruise for the first time can be overwhelming. You want to make sure you don’t miss anything and set everything up correctly to enjoy your cruise vacation to the fullest.
These cruise tips will help you learn all about what it’s like to go on a cruise, things you should pack, activities you should do, how to choose a shore excursion and more!
It’s also a good list even if you have been on a cruise before and want to learn more.
This post is all about cruise tips.
1. Check in time
If you’re going on a cruise you should check in as soon as it opens to get your preferred check in time.
Royal Caribbean opens it’s check in 45 days before your cruise whereas Carnival cruise line waits until 14 days before. Check with your specific cruise line what the rules are.
It’s important to note some cruise lines will pick your check in time for you, like MSC, so you don’t have to worry about this but unfortunutely you also cannot get the exact time you may want.
Why should I care about my check in time?
If you’re like me, you want to start your vacation as soon as possible. I try to get the earliest check in time I can for my cruises. This is usually around 10:30am if offered.
This way the ship is still pretty empty which is nice for exploring, getting a drink and also eating in the buffet.
A lot of people seem to prefer to check in during the afternoon. Whatever works for best for you.
2. Choosing a shore excursion
After you’ve booked your cruise you may feel overwhelmed by the long list of excursions offered at each port.
The best thing to do is to start with one port at a time, read through all of the excursions and narrow it down to your top 3-5 excursions you think you want to go on the most.
After you’ve narrowed it down, open YouTube and type the exact name of the excursion into the search bar.
Tons of people document their excursions every year. Some are more popular than others but for the most part you should be able to find at least one video example of the excursion you’re interested in.
I recommend watching these YouTube videos because sometimes an excursion sounds really great but then you watch a real life example and it’s not as good as it seems.
Other times, it’s better than what you thought, you’re excited and know that’s the one you want to pick.
3. Top items to put in your carry on bag
When you arrive at the cruise terminal, most people decide to leave their big bags with the porters who will later deliver them to your stateroom.
If you decide to do this, you should 100% have a small bag you carry on with you while you wait for the rest of your items since you won’t get them for several hours.
Common items you want to include:
-Travel documents
-IDs
-Medications
-Sunglasses
-Swimsuit: if you want to lounge on the pool deck or get in the hot tub the first afternoon
-Sunscreen
-Phone charger
4. Cruise card lanyard
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One cruise essentials tons of people love is a lanyard to put your cruise card in!
Your cruise card is one thing you do not want to lose. Although if you do lose it you can go to guest services and they will give you a new one.
Just try to avoid that if possible because the line for guest services can be long.
Popular Cruise Lanyards:
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5. Additional costs
The great thing about cruising is you can spend as much or as little as you want on your vacation.
It is common for people to spend money on a drink package, specialty dining, shore excursions and more.
However, if you are trying to save money or are not interested in those things you don’t need to spend a dime outside of your cruise fare, taxes, port fees and gratuities for the staff.
A lot of people think going on a cruise is expensive but if you keep your add ons to a minimum, book at a port that is within driving distance vs flying and get a great deal on your cruise fare, it can be very affordable.
6. Bring motion sickness medication
Whether you have been on a cruise before or not, I highly recommend bringing some motion sickness products.
You never know if you’ll become nauseous while on your vacation and feeling sick is the last thing you want when you’re trying to enjoy your time off.
Preventing motion sickness can be done in several ways. If you already know you’re prone to motion sickness I would suggest going on a cruise on a bigger ship. The larger the ship, the less movement that is felt.
I notice the most motion in the main dining room and the theater. I also try to get a room mid ship at least halfway up if not higher. I have seen in several articles people say the lower levels are more stable but I personally am more nauseous on lower levels.
You might have to try it out for yourself to see what is best for you.
Top Motion Sickness Products:
1. Bonnie
2. Dramamine: Orignial
3. Dramamine: Natural
4. Sea Bands
5. Motion Sickness Patches
7. Cruise line app
When going on a cruise it is so important to download the app associated with your cruise line!
There are countless helpful sections on these apps from menus, deck maps, venues, daily schedules and more.
On most apps you can also communicate with other people that are on your same cruise.
If you didn’t know, you need to turn your phone on airplane mode to not get international data roaming charges. (Varies by phone plan but you SHOULD look into it before your cruise to know the details)
You can use the messaging portion to basically text individual people or a group making it easy for friends or family to keep up with each other.
8. Watch a ship tour
A helpful thing to do before your cruise or before even booking a cruise to see if it’s a good fit to your wants and needs is to watch a tour of your ship. You can find tons of these videos on YouTube.
I do this usually before booking a cruise to see what all it has to offer but also as I get closer to my cruise date to familarize myself with the different decks, venues, etc.
A cruise ship can be a huge vessel and an easy place to get lost. Watching a tour beforehand gives you a leg up to understand how the ship layout is and what is on each deck.
9. Explore the ship on embarkation day
@yourstrulychelsea One of mg favorite things to do is explore a new ship! How about you? Let me know in the comments #cruise #cruiselife #cruisetips #cruisetipsandtricks #cruisehacks #vacation #royalcarribean #royalcarribeancruise #carnivalcruise #carnivalcruiseline #virgincruise #virgincruiseline #norwegiancruise #disneycruise #disneycruiseline #ocean #cruisequestions #cruisequestionsanswered #qanda #cruisefacts #goingonacruise #crusingtok #cruisetok #cruisetiktok #cruisetiktoks #cruiseessentials #cruisefood
Along with tip #8, exploring your ship on embarkation day is another activity I would recommend.
Watching a video can give you a general idea of where things are on the ship but actually walking it and checking out the different decks yourself I believe is helpful.
I recommend doing this the first day of your cruise so you can get familiar, find your favorite areas/bars and maybe not miss out on something you’d want to do on the cruise simply because you didn’t know it was there.
I suggest getting on the cruise, having lunch at the buffet, then grabbing yourself a drink and going around to explore!
10. Book your additional products before the cruise for a cheaper price
The most important reason to book before your cruise starts is to lock in the best price.
Cruise lines for the most part run sales on things such as: shore excursions, drink packages, internet, specialty dining and more.
If you wait to book these while on the cruise it is going to cost you more than if you had prebooked. Also, if you did book something like a drink package and now see it for a cheaper price you can cancel your current reservation and rebook for the lower price.
A good example I have is from my recent sailing on MSC Seaside. They were offering a free drinks and wifi promo while booking. It wasn’t actually free but it was a HEAVILY discounted rate compared to buying after I had booked the cruise.
You can read more about this here: Everything You Need To Know About MSC Cruise Drink Packages
11. Book before your cruise so excursions are not sold out
This tip goes along with tip #10.
You also want to book excursions before your cruise because the one you really want to do might be sold out by the time you get on the ship and you will have missed out for no reason.
Some people like to wait and they do have an excursions desk while on the cruise but with technology today it is a better plan to go ahead and prebook to lock in the best price and get your first choice of excursion for every port.
12. Getting higher quality liquor in your drinks
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If you didn’t know, when you buy a drink package or even are buying drinks individually from the bar it usually is their standard drink price.
Royal Caribbean for example has most mixed drinks priced at $14 and that is also the limit for included drinks if you buy a drink package through them.
If you were to walk up to the bar and ask for a vodka soda they are going to give you the lowest quality alcohol they have.
You’ll want to either look at the menu or ask the bartender what the highest quality vodka is included in the $14 price point. Most likely something like grey goose.
That way you get a much higher quality liquor for the same price that you’re already technically paying for.
13. Try new foods
A cruise is the PERFECT vacation to try different foods you never would in your every day life.
The best reason is because it’s all included! Sometimes people don’t want to try an entree at a restaurant they don’t know if they’ll like because it’ll be a waste of money. On a cruise you’ve already paid for all of your meals so try a few new things!
You never know when you’ll end up finding a new favorite! Worst thing that happens is you don’t like it and you just order something else. No big deal.
I personally like to try at least one option each night I wouldn’t take a risk on in my life but do on a cruise and 9 times of out 10 I actually like it and am glad I tried it!
14. Reprice your cruise
A great thing about cruising (that does vary line to line so be sure to check the rules or ask your travel agent) is you can reprice your cruise before final payment date and get the lower price!
I like to do this a lot on my Royal Caribbean cruises. Say I booked a cruise for $500, I just paid the deposit and have a final payment date in 2 months. I now see on their website the crusie being offered for $420.
I can call Royal Caribbean or if you have a travel agent they can do this for you and tell them I want to reprice my cruise because it is now offered at a lower rate than what I have currently. They will send you a new statement with the lower price of what you owe.
After final payment I haven’t found it possible to get a reprice while some people have said they have recieved onboard credit so I assume it can vary on who you talk to and which cruise line.
Like I mentioned above earlier I also will reprice drink packages, shore excursions and more if they are cheaper than what I booked them for. I just cancel them in the cruise planner and rebook for the cheaper price.
Doing this usually saves me a few hundred dollars before my cruise!
15. Check out the app and Facebook pages for themes, etc!
Great resources for your cruise are the cruise line’s app which I have talked about already some in a couple tips. If you don’t have it downloaded already go ahead and do that.
Joining the Facebook page for your sailing is a great way to connect with others, get your questions answered and help others out as well by answering their questions.
You can also join a generic Facebook page for the ship you’re going on or the specific cruise line. That is the perfect place to ask questions about theme nights, what to expect, food menus etc!
16. Email ahead of time about dietary restrictions
If you’re going on a cruise and have dietary restrictions go ahead and contact guest services if you need specific types of food or you have any questions about what will be avaiable to you on your vacation.
They will be able to give you all of the answers and make sure you have what you need or if you have a travel agent they might be able to do this for you.
17. Sign your kids up for kids club
If you are cruising with your kids you should look into the kids and teens club on the ship and what all they have to offer!
I don’t personally have tons of tips on this as I don’t have children yet myself but I have heard nothing but good things about these programs on cruise ships.
If you’re interested you should sign your child up the first day of your cruise as they have limited space.
18. Fly in the day before your cruise
If you are flying into the port you are leaving from you definitely need to fly in the day before your cruise!
A lot of people will wait until the day of to fly in so they can go directly to their cruise or because they don’t want to pay for a hotel but doing so is a big risk.
You never know if your flight is going to be delayed or canceled which may cause you to miss your cruise.
Going on vacation is supposed to be relaxing and fun but missing your vacation because you did not fly in with plenty of time for changes to potentially happen would be stressful, frustrating and would potentially lose you a lot of money.
19. Bring comfortable shoes
When you go on a cruise you will be doing a lot of walking from going around the ship to exploring each port stop.
You’re going to want to pack a couple pairs of shoes that will support you and not have your feet hurting early in the day when you have a lot more walking to do or cause you harm by giving you a blister.
One pair of shoes I love particularly for walking around the ship but I also wear out in to ports for beach days etc are these slides I have linked below.
They’re so comfortable, lightweight and a great price. I’ve had mine for a couple years and they’re still in great condition.
20. Bring stain removers for accidents
More likely than not if you’re going on a cruise you might get a stain on some of your favorite clothing. From endless eating and drinking or dirt from exploring ports you might get a stain on your clothes.
No need to worry in this situation! Just bring a couple products to help get rid of those unwanted stains quickly without having to pay for the laundry service onboard. Or if you prefer for them to take care of it you definitely can, that is always an option.
1. Tide To Go
2. Travel sized laundry detergent
21. Try a 3 night cruise for your first cruise
If you’re trying to decide what length of cruise you should take for your first one I would suggest a shorter cruise.
It is common to hear that you should take a 7 night cruise for your first one to really get a good experience between port and sea days.
I however think that is a long time for a first timer who may know after only a couple days if a cruise vacation is for them or not. I would suggest taking a 3 or 4 night cruise to a common place like the bahamas for your first cruise.
You’ll still have a lot of time to see how port days go, eating on a cruise, activities you can do and more. This way it’s just a few nights and if you love it, book a longer cruise next time.
If you don’t like it, it’s just a couple days and you aren’t stuck for a full week/didn’t waste your vacation days at work.
22. Research to find a cruise line that fits your wants, needs and budget
Not all cruise lines are created equal and finding the right one for you can take a little bit of research.
I would suggest starting with finding cruise lines that fit your budget as that can vary greatly. After that think about what you need out of a vacation to love it.
Then think about wants you have. Driving distance, ship size, activities offered, port stops etc.
This can make all the difference on if you end up loving your cruise or hating it for not being the right fit for you.
23. Most activities are free. Give them a try!
Some people on a cruise might not realize that the majority of activities they offer are included in your cruise!
They may think you need to pay extra for mini golf, rock climbing, trivia and more (a couple cruise lines do charge for certain activities so always check before).
Cruises really do a great job of offering a wide variety of things to do so that everyone can find something they love.
{Read more about fun things to do on a cruise here: 21 Fun Things To Do On A Cruise If You Want To Maximaze Your Vacation}
24. Bring drinks on the cruise
Several cruise lines allow you to bring a bottle of wine or champagne or two with you on the cruise. This is great for people who don’t want to buy a drink package because they won’t get their money’s worth but still want to have a couple of drinks.
Or if you want a specific bottle of wine to have at dinner or to enjoy on your balcony without having to leave the room to go to the bar to grab a glass.
A lot of lines also allow you to bring up to 12 17 oz bottles or cans of a non alcoholic beverage as well.
25. Your room has a safe
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♬ Cupid – Twin Ver. (FIFTY FIFTY) – Sped Up Version – sped up 8282
If you bring valuables on your cruise with you such as jewelry, no need to worry. There is a safe in each stateroom you are able to use to keep your belongings safe.
It is important to note that this safe is not very big so it does have its limits.
26. Bring your own hair products
This tip depends on your hair/your hair care but for the most part you would benefit more from bringing your own hair products on your cruise vacation.
Usually cruises will provide a shampoo and body wash in the shower, maybe a different combo but something like that. It is not the best quality hair product.
If you have hair that tangles easily, long hair or a specific routine I would suggest bringing your own products to avoid any issues.
27. You can bring your hair styling tools
I see all the time on Facebook groups people asking if they can bring a hair straightener, curler, etc because they’re under the impression they will be taken away at security.
I’m sure there are some times that happens but for 99% of cases you will be able to bring on your styling tools with no problems.
They also have a hair dryer in the room so if you want to save some space and not bring one, you don’t have to.
It is not the best quality though so you still might want to bring your own if you have long and/or thick hair to save yourself some time.
28. Join the Facebook page for your sailing to make friends
A lot of people want to connect with others while on a cruise. Maybe you’re sailing solo or want to find a group of friends your age or that have kids the same age as yours.
Joining a Facebook group for your specific cruise is the best way to do this! You just need to search some type of combo of the cruise line + ship name + date of sailing to find the page.
I always recommend joining the page for your cruise to stay up to date on information about your cruise as well.
29. They provide pool towels on the ship
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Save some room in your suitcase and leave the pool towels at home.
You are able to check out towels on the pool deck of your cruise but be sure not to lose them! If you do a lot of lines will charge you $25 per towel and trust me they are not worth that much.
You can also take these towels off the ship for excursions if you like.
30. Don’t always listen to bad reviews
If you haven’t noticed, people will complain about anything. I have realized this is very true in the cruise world. Two people could have the exact same experience on a cruise and one will love it and the other will have a long list of complaints.
Cruise lines can’t please everyone and things do happen but I would go into anything in the cruise world with an open mind remembering we are all different people with different preferences.
My most recent personal example of this was deciding to go on an MSC cruise in the US. I read countless bad reviews about the ship I was going on, their food, the service etc.
I went in with an open mind, especially for the extremely low price and had an absolutely fantasic cruise! I loved it and would 100% cruise with MSC again.
31. You don’t have to pay for your vacation in full
When booking a cruise a lot of people think they need to have the money for the entire vacation upfront. This is not the case.
You can just pay the deposit which is usually only a couple hundred dollars and pay the rest over time up until final payment date.
You can pay monthly, biweekly, etc. The only things you have to pay up front are add ons.
If you’re booking a drink package or a shore excursion you will have to pay for them upfront unfortunately.
32. Bring some cash
While you don’t need to prepare to pay for everything in cash, unless you want to. I would bring some cash for your cruise.
Most of your purchases can be made via your cruise card which you can connect a debt or credit card to.
It’s good to carry some cash for your port stops, if you want to hand out extra tips or if you want to use cash in the casino and avoid the high ATM fees.
33. Take the stairs
This might be a very unpopular tip, which is why I put it last. Elevators on a cruise can sometimes be a long wait which is not ideal.
You can save some time and also get some exercise in to burn off all those extra calories from the food and drinks by taking the stairs sometimes.
I wouldn’t recommend always taking them unless you want to be sore like you did a workout but at least half the time if not more would be a great goal.
This post was all about cruise tips.
