Have you been thinking about a cruise vacation, the first one in your life? It is exciting isn’t it? You have probably followed all the guidelines in your hunt for the “perfect” first cruise, researching cruise companies, examining potential destinations, and exchanging postings at Request a Cruise Question forums. You have reserved your ship, chosen accommodation, and planned your route.
Now, what comes after this? You’d be astonished by the number of things that remain to be addressed, some of which are less interesting but no less crucial, including packing, commuting to the ship, and living onboard.
As you’re sailing for the first time, the following are the most critical things to keep in mind before sailing away. So, those are the top 11 handy suggestions for first-time travelers in order to be well organized for your first cruise trip.
What first time cruisers need to know
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 1 Consider taking a short cruise
A brief trip will allow you to put your toe in the turquoise water. Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and P&O are the best cruise lines to consider. But among these, Royal Caribbean is one of the best cruise lines. Moreover, these cruises include themes like wine and food, comedy, and games. P&O labels its mini cruises’ Ocean Breaks,’ whereas other weekend excursions stop at locations such as Moreton Island for a brief vacation.
You can check cruis.es to know the different cruise lines and help you choose the best one for you.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 2 Come before your actual cruise day
Are you flying to your cruise port? Or are you driving over a couple of hours? If so, you should plan on reaching your destination at least a day in advance since anything may ensue! Snow and rain storms, fog and other weather related calamities as well as technical issues have prevented many flights from flying off, causing lots of passengers to lose their trips annually.
In addition to the above, airlines tend to overbook their flights these days. Yes, I know it sucks, but there is a very real possibility that you may be bumped from your flight to a later one just because there are no seats available.
You may be driving and receive a flat tire or encounter a mechanical failure with your vehicle. Hence, you should strongly consider arriving on the day prior to your cruise for safety reasons.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 3 Plan your return journey to allow for departing
You must have observed that the appearance time on your cruise port on the last day of the cruise is shown at 6 or 7 am. It’s an organized docking time! Unluckily, you and other cruise passengers can’t debark the cruise until the ship has been evacuated, mainly an hour or more after this time.
Once the cruise has received clearance to depart, you must collect your bags and anticipate spending some time at inspections. Cruise lines have preferred departure times; therefore, ask your travel agency or cruise adviser prior to booking flights. Especially if its a short cruise, you would want to be doubly sure.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 4 Make a reservation for a hotel before your cruise.
You must have scheduled your cruise and airfares. It’s high time to make hotel arrangements! If you’re coming one or two days prior to sailing, try renting a hotel in a touristy neighborhood with a plethora of things to explore and do.
If you are simply travelling to the cruise terminal region in the late afternoon or late evening the day preceding your trip, a hotel near the port city may be more convenient. As a result, you should inquire with your hotel regarding shuttles traveling to and from the cruise port and, potentially, the airport.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 5 Make your reservation through an expert
It’s tempting to be swayed by low-cost cruise deals online. As it is your first cruise journey, it’s worth consulting a travel expert to ensure you get the ideal ship for yourself. A massive database of Cruise Lines Industry Association (CLIA) representatives is available online. Large and chain travel agencies may favor particular cruise tour operators with incentive agreements, so always ask for a wide range of choices. By definition, organizations that only sell cruises will possess the most information.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 6 Make plans for activities before you leave the house
Are you thinking of doing a specific beach trip, spa service, yoga session, or a specialty restaurant? If yes, you can make a reservation ahead of time! It has been seen that the onboard reservations fill up rapidly, particularly during busy seasons like spring and summer vacations and the Christmas season.
Another advantage is that you can spend more effectively if you purchase in advance rather than doing onboard transactions in the heat of the moment. Expeditions may be costly! As a result, before making a reservation, you should double-check the cost, as you might pay $29 for a city tour or $599 for a bear-watching excursion.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 7 Meet your fellow travelers
Every cruise line might appear similar to you when you’re a first-time cruiser. Well, each & every cruise line is different. They provide different amenities to their passengers and sometimes lure entirely unrelated people. For instance, if you opt for Royal Caribbean, there will be mostly American people.
On the contrary on Asian cruises, you will see the onboard passengers would be mainly from Singapore, and on Alaska cruises, there would be a small minority of American people. If you opt for Australia-owned cruise lines, for example, APT and Scenic Tours, you will see mostly Australians who will enjoy the cruise vacations.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 8 Don’t expect the cruise to include everything
The stateroom, dining, onboard games, and amusement are often included in cruise tickets. However, the drink options, refreshments, Wi-Fi, shore excursions, taxes, and port costs will all increase costs. This might result in adding hundreds of dollars more than your base fare.
When it comes to paying, there’s typically a bit of sticker shock for cruisers who aren’t well-acquainted with the extra expenses. Hence, prior to sailing, call the cruise operator to learn more about what’s inclusive of the cost and what’s not!
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 9 Cash tips or surcharges on cruise lines
You may be surprised to learn that now that you’ve booked a cruise, you should pay for cruise line gratuities or a service fee. Nowadays, a recommended limit is routinely applied to your credit card.
The price will fluctuate and differ per cruise line, but it is often in the area of $15 per person per day and is distributed among the crew who work in various settings to assist you. You can save time by paying your tips beforehand. Consider contacting your travel agency or cruise carrier to make the necessary arrangements.
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 10 Be careful with alcohol
Alcohol beverages are a big earner for cruise lines so they don’t want to cut their profits. Therefore, most cruise lines don’t allow you to bring alcohol beverages on board with you. Typically, beer and hard liquor are not allowed. Most cruise lines allow one 750 ml bottle of wine or Champagne either per person (ages 21+) per trip or per stateroom per trip. The latter is obviously less beneficial to you if, say, you are travelling as a couple.
There is a high chance your belongings will be searched at embarkation and all confiscated alcohol will not be returned to you even after the cruise.
If you are taking wine with you don’t forget a corkscrew as well. 🙂
What first time cruisers need to know: Tip # 11 Consider some super useful things to pack with you
Until you actually are already on a cruise ship for the first time you would not have realized that you may need some special useful things, gadgets and such until you notice a fellow passenger using them. And then you sigh: “Why didn’t I think of that?”
Don’t fret! Here are some ideas from a person who already have been on a cruise and knows a thing or two about the necessities – this is what you need to pack for a cruise:
Cruise line approved power bar – not all power bars are allowed on cruise ships, this one is a safe bet as it is approved (you will need it because there are only a couple of electric outlets in the cabin and these days people need to charge many things: a couple of phones, an electronic reader, a gaming device for kids, a drone, a camera battery, and the list goes on)
Retractable clothes line to dry your bathing suits, towels (or anything else that you may have to wash during the cruise) Some cruise lines have one already in the shower, but others don’t have them in all of the rooms – check before departure.
Towel holders (high winds are not uncommon at sea)
Compression bags to pack as many things as you need for your cruise.
Set of cruise lanyards and waterproof luggage tags
Hanging storage to maximize tiny cruise cabin space (such as this toiletries / cosmetics / accessories case)
Binoculars – absolutely a must for wildlife viewing
3 in 1 wrinkle release, odor eliminator and anti static – this is a no brainer
Full DIY First Aid Kit is also super important!
Conclusion
These are the top 11 tips that first-time cruisers need to know before plunging on a cruise journey. Follow the aforementioned tips, and your first-time cruise experience will be a blast!
If you found this article about tips for first time cruisers useful, please, share it with others as it may help them in their travel plans too. If you have your own great tips, please, don’t hesitate share them in the comments below.
Enjoy your cruise!
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