15 Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Best cruise tips for first timers ensure a smooth and enjoyable journey into cruising. Planning your first cruise can be thrilling yet daunting. Research ports for activities and choose a cruise with multiple stops to explore more.

Manage onboard internet wisely, pick shore excursions carefully, and avoid double tipping on drinks. Pre-purchase drink packages and choose a comfortable cabin. Check cruise weather early and pack accordingly; hairdryers are usually provided.

Maintain hygiene, be punctual for re-boarding, and consider designated smoking areas. Pack a coat for cooler evenings and attend the muster drill for safety.

Watch out for hidden costs to ensure a smooth and enjoyable experience. Follow these best cruise tips for first-timers to enjoy your journey.

In this article, we discuss 15 best cruise tips for first-timers.

15 Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Starting your first cruise can be both fun and a bit overwhelming. These 15 simple tips will help make your trip smooth and enjoyable.

1: Check Out Your Ports Beforehand

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Cruise lines offer everything from apps for easy navigation to books for inspiration. Cabins provide comfortable retreats amidst the excitement of the cruise itself. With a myriad of excursions and ports of call, there’s always something new to explore.

Programming flyers detail fun activities while onboard, and researching beforehand ensures you don’t miss a thing. Whether enjoying gourmet food or shopping in port town jewelry stores, every moment promises fun. And with job opportunities available, cruising can even become a way of life.

2: Pick a Cruise with Multiple Stops

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

When planning a cruise, especially in the hurricane region, it is essential to keep several factors in mind. Cruise itineraries often include multiple ports of call, and a stone thrown off course by severe storms can disrupt the entire array of scheduled stops.

Hurricanes pose a significant threat to cruise ships, necessitating careful route adjustments to avoid hazardous ports and ensure the safety of all passengers.

Thus, understanding the region and potential weather conditions, including storms, is crucial when selecting your next cruise adventure.

3: Cruise Internet is Pricey and Slow

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

When considering a cruise vacation, it’s important to understand how cruise lines manage their internet services. Throughout the ship, the signal strength can vary significantly due to factors like routers placement and the layout of spaces such as hallways and entrances.

The ceiling can also impact the internet experience, as some areas might obstruct the signal. You will get a better signal when you are closer to the routers. Investing in a good internet package can make a difference, but remember that others on the cruise will also be surfing the web, potentially affecting the overall internet experience.

4: Choose Shore Excursions Wisely

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Cruise ships provide a range of shore excursions at each port. Before departure, cruise lines provide a list of these excursions, typically available six months in advance. Passengers can book these tours either online or through the ship’s shore excursion desk.

Each port visit presents opportunities for exploring local attractions and activities, enhancing the overall cruise experience with diverse cultural and scenic adventures.

Booking shore excursions is a crucial part of cruise planning, allowing passengers to explore each port’s attractions in advance. Cruise lines offer a variety of tours, detailed on their websites and often accessible via the cruise line app or onboard cabin TV.

Booking can be done online, by phone, or directly at the shore excursion desk onboard the ship. Prices vary for different tours, so it’s wise to research everything beforehand to choose ones that best fit your interests and budget.

5: Avoid Double Tipping on Drinks

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Carnival, Norwegian, and Royal Caribbean are among the big-ship lines known for their diverse cruise offerings, which include adding a service charge onto bar bills.

When onboard, passengers may encounter various tipping policies related to service charges and tips, especially on bar bills. It’s important to understand these policies ahead of time to avoid confusion and ensure appropriate tipping for service.

Each cruise line may have different requirements regarding when and how much to tip, so travelers should familiarize themselves with the specifics before setting sail.

6: Buy Drink Packages Before Departure

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Planning a cruise involves considering various aspects such as cabin selection, drink packages, and entertainment options for both adults and kids.

Cruise lines offer a wide range of drink packages that cater to different preferences, including beers, wines, spirits, soft drinks, specialty teas, and coffees. Researching these packages beforehand can save time and money, ensuring a hassle-free vacation experience.

Whether you prefer to relax with a glass of wine or enjoy specialty cocktails at a party onboard, having everything arranged in advance allows you to fully enjoy vacation mode without worrying about additional costs.

7: Pick a Cabin That Suits Your Needs

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Selecting the right cabin is crucial when planning a cruise to ensure it meets everyone’s vacation needs. Whether opting for a budget-friendly interior cabin or splurging on a luxurious suite with a balcony, there are options to accommodate various budgets and preferences.

Consider the destination and length of the cruise when choosing between cabins with a window for sun-worshippers or those seeking a view.

A guide to cabin types and amenities can help navigate the heat of decision-making, ensuring everyone finds the perfect space to relax and enjoy their cruise experience.

8: Check Cruise Weather Early

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

In today’s age of heightened climatic variability, it’s wise to conduct thorough weather research before embarking on your cruise. For instance, whether you’re cruising through the Caribbean or along the U.S. East Coast, knowing about hurricane season is crucial.

The distinctions between wet and dry seasons are evolving in regions frequented by cruises, such as Mexico, where increasingly extreme temperatures are now common, especially during summer.

Furthermore, it’s essential to monitor the weather at various ports during your journey. Weather patterns can vary significantly from one Caribbean island to another, as well as on cruises to destinations like Alaska and the Baltics, emphasizing the need to prepare for diverse environmental conditions worldwide.

9: Don’t Pack a Hairdryer On a Cruise Ship

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Occasionally, passengers bring their own hairdryers onto our cruise ships, unaware that hairdryers are already provided in cabins, spas, salons, and bathrooms onboard. Save space in your luggage by leaving your hairdryer at home.

10: Use Hand Sanitizers And Wash Hands Regularly

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

On a cruise ship, Norovirus poses a significant threat due to its highly contagious nature. This bug can spread rapidly in the close environment of the ship, causing outbreaks of gastroenteritis among passengers.

Regular use of hand sanitizer and thorough washing of hands before meals are crucial preventive measures. Despite efforts, Norovirus outbreaks can affect a large number of passengers, highlighting the challenge of managing infections in the confined proximity of a ship.

11: Be On Time for Re-Boarding

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

When you’re exploring shore excursions or enjoying the bars at your cruise destinations, it’s easy to lose track of time. The ship’s crew is meticulous about ensuring everyone boards promptly before departure.

It’s important not to keep others waiting be punctual in re-boarding as cruise schedules are influenced by tides and weather conditions. While ships may wait briefly, they must eventually depart if passengers are delayed.

12: Smoking Allowed on Many Ships

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

On cruise ships, policies regarding smoking bans vary across different areas and spaces such as bars and restaurants.

Smoking is permitted in designated outdoor areas on many cruise ships, and some ships also allow smoking on balconies.

13: Pack a Coat in Your Luggage

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

In preparation for a journey to the tropics, consider the essentials like luggage and include a coat in your packing. It’s also wise to pack additional items such as a jacket for comfort in changing climates, as nights can get cold.

14: Attend the Muster Drill on Cruise Ship

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

Cruise ship safety drills are critical for ensuring passenger and crew safety aboard a ship. During the adult cruise version of these drills, attendees gather in designated areas like cabins and common areas, under the guidance of crew members.

The drills typically begin with a muster announcement, prompting passengers and crew to assemble promptly. In case of an emergency situation, such as a shipwide alert, attendees must locate their life jackets and proceed to their assigned muster stations.

These drills mirror school fire drills in their structured steps and are essential for preparing throngs of people for potential emergencies at sea.

After your muster drill, you might be really hungry from the long embarkation day, and you’re not alone. Many others will feel the same way, so expect a busy rush at the cruise ship buffet.

15: Be Aware of Hidden Costs

Best Cruise Tips for First Timers

Source Image

When planning a cruise, passengers should consider all items and fees associated with their journey. Beyond the base fare, there are numerous extras such as bar bills and corkage fees for specialty restaurants.

Exciting excursions and relaxing spa treatments add to the holiday experience, alongside access to fitness classes and serene sun decks. Gratuities and surcharge payments ensure exceptional service and amenities are maintained throughout time onboard.

Shopping enthusiasts can explore various shops for specialty items, making every moment at sea memorable and fulfilling.

Frequently Asked Questions

What Should Be On A First-Time Cruise Packing List?

For your first cruise, pack essentials like travel documents, appropriate clothing for day and evening, comfortable shoes, swimwear, a light jacket, toiletries, sunscreen, medications, and any necessary adapters.

Consider extras such as a travel guide, a small backpack, and a reusable water bottle for excursions and onboard activities.

What Are Some First-Time Cruise Tips For P&O?

For your first time cruise tips p&o, pack essentials like travel documents, appropriate clothing for day and evening, comfortable shoes, swimwear, a light jacket, toiletries, sunscreen, medications, and any necessary adapters. Also, bring a travel guide, a small backpack, and a reusable water bottle.

What Are Some Cruise Tips And Hacks?

Pack light with versatile clothing and essentials. Explore onboard activities and dining options. Research excursions in advance and utilize onboard amenities. Connect with fellow cruisers for insider tips.


Leave a Comment