First Time Cruisers Guide
Tips and Tricks to Reduce Your Stress
If you’re a first time cruiser and looking for first cruise advice, you’ve come to the right place. I love to cruise, and I know it can be intimidating for beginners. This guide is designed to calm your fears, eliminate the anxiety of what to pack, and walk you through the process so you can enjoy your adventure
Well it does not have to be and I am hoping this page will help calm some fears, eliminate the anxiety of what to pack and guide you through the process so you don’t get so overwhelmed that you never want to go again. From Packing tips to dinner we will cover it all.
We’ve helped countless first-time cruisers navigate these waters, and we’ve compiled all our essential tips into one easy-to-read place. Our goal is to turn your questions into confidence, so you can stop stressing and start dreaming about the incredible adventure ahead.
Traveling with children and not sure about what activities each cruise line offers? Check out this extensive Kids Club Rating Guide which list popular cruise lines with their kids clubs ages, activities and more viable information when traveling with children.
Packing & Comparison
Essential First Cruise Advice
Do’s
- Do fly in a day earlier or more. Airlines experience too many delays to ruin your vacation.
- Do bring some cash. You will need it for tips for porters, drivers, bartenders, etc.
- Do familiarize yourself with your ship’s deck plan before you debark.
- Download any cruise line mobile app you will need before you leave home.
- Do prebook your excursions. You can also ask your Travel Advisor about Off-Ship Excursions.
- Do prebook specialty dinners. In some cases you can het rewarded for doing so.
- Do board the ship at your specified time. Check in online ASAP to get a good time.
- Do have your swimsuit in your carry on. Your luggage will take some time ot arrive.
- Do your homework on the drink package and if you want it buy before boarding. Save a few bucks. Great online calculator is located HERE you can try.
- Do read your contract. Know that you signed a agrement and know your rights.
- Do buy Travel Insurance. Buy it earlier than later to protect yourself from cancellations and health scares. Great Post about that HERE.
Don’ts
- Don’t forget your passport/ID. (you can cruise without a passport but restrictions apply)
- Don’t goto your room until they are ready. Your steward is hard at work cleaning your room.
- Don’t smuggle booze onboard. You get caught you can be banned for life. Is it worth it?
- Don’t take the cruise lines for their word. Research anything and everything.
- Don’t ignore crew instructions
- Don’t forget your medications, CPAP and everything else you will need for the duration of your trip.
- Don’t bring all cash. With exchange rates you can leave some at home and it’s one less worry.
- Don’t over pack. No one cares if you rewear the same outfit.
- Don’t be late for excursions.
- Don’t be late getting back on the ship. If you don’t know what a pier runner is YouTube it.
- Don’t reserve lounge chairs all day if your not going to use it. Show some respect.
- Don’t forget your balcony is not private
- Don’t wear your Cruise card around your neck while in port.
- Don’t use items that are deemed not allowed Especially bathroom items.
Trip Insurance
I always recommend clients consider a third-party travel insurance policy, like Allianz, rather than buying directly from the cruise line. Cruise line policies typically only cover the cost of the cruise itself and may offer limited protection for flights, hotels, or other trip components. Third-party coverage can include medical emergencies, trip interruptions, cancellations for covered reasons, and even coverage if the cruise line goes out of business. With Allianz, you get comprehensive protection and dedicated claims support that isn’t tied to the cruise line’s own interests.
Drink Packages
Biggest question you will need to answer. Honestly this all comes down to you and your traveling partners. Depending on your drinking habits it may be worth it, or it may be worth getting just a wine package. As posted above there is really good drink calculator i found that may help. I have no affiliation with the creator of this app but it does help you understand the costs of drinks and bar tabs. You can access the site HERE. Each cruise line treats drink packages differently. This is a great way to take a look and get a feel for what to expect. Sometimes it is cheaper to even skip the package.