What to Expect on a Cruise for First Time Cruisers
Embarkation Day
Here are our tips for a smooth embarkation and how to make the best of your first day onboard.
Before Arriving at Port
- We strongly recommend arriving at least the day before your ship’s departure. If there are any hiccups with flights, trains, weather, etc. getting to the port, you will have plenty of time to resolve any issues. Flying in on the day of your departure is very risky. You will also likely start your trip cranky and jet-lagged if you fly in and head straight to the port. Trust us, just get there the day before!
- Pre-arrange and book online or through your travel agent as much as you can before the cruise. If you are traveling to your port from outside of the United States, make sure you have all your visas and documentation you will need for entering that country. Most cruise lines will ask you to check online with your credit card details beforehand so you will be able to print out your documentation and have it ready for you before boarding.
- It is wise to pre-book your dining packages, drink packages, specialty dining and excursions before your trip so you don’t run the risk of missing out on what you want.
- Make sure you download the cruise line’s app before boarding when you have access to good wifi. This may be more difficult to do when you are on the ship. Cruise line apps can be used to check schedules, make bookings, dinner reservations, and keep in touch with other friends and family who are traveling with you.
Arriving at Port
- When you first arrive at port, the first thing the stewards will do will be to take your luggage. Make sure all your bags are labeled with the cruise tags that you were either sent by email that you print off yourself, have been given to by your travel agent, or from the cruise line itself. It’s similar to being checked into a flight except that your bags will be taken.
- Have all your documents ready and filled out. This includes check-in documents and any identification you need (your passport or government I.D and a credit card if you are going to put it on file - more about this below). Make sure you have it in a place where you can easily grab it, such as a folder or in a side pouch, and make sure that it is in your hand luggage and not your checked in luggage, which will be taken away. Make sure your documents are in your hand and ready to hand to the stewards. You don’t want to be the person stuck at the port waiting for the stewards to look for your bag you packed your documents in and miss out on exploring the ship!
Pro Tip: Keep your hand luggage light! The elevators on disembarkation day tend to be very crowded and you may prefer to use the stairs. Your cabin may not be ready for a few hours, so you will be carrying your hand luggage around with you until it is ready. Make sure you have all of your essentials in your hand luggage, such as your medication, toiletries, charging cords, valuables, etc. You may also want to pack your swimsuit in case you decide to take advantage of the pools and spas while they’re not too crowded on this day, or a change of clothes if you need it.
Checking In
- Depending on the cruise line, you may be given a set time to arrive at the port, or there may be one embarkation time for all passengers. Since COVID, most if not all cruise lines will require you to select a boarding time as well schedule a time to take your COVID test. Plan for an extra hour for this for taking the test and waiting for the results.
- If you do have a set embarkation time, there is no need to show up and get in line early. You will have to wait around for a long time and it will create more crowding and issues for other people trying to get on. That being said, it is good for you to arrive in the port area early so you don’t risk the chance of missing your ship. Just be prepared to wait around and make sure your children have something to entertain them.
- If you would like to get on the ship early, many cruise lines offer priority boarding or boarding for people with special status for an extra fee.
- When you check in, each passenger will be handed a card which doubles as a room key and your credit card onboard. When checking in, you can put a credit card on file, or use cash if you do not wish to use a credit card. Keep this with you at all times! Aside from it being your room key, you will need it to purchase drinks, onboard items, or even booking shore excursions. It will essentially act as your ID and source of payment onboard during your trip.
Pro Tip: In some cabins the only way to turn on the lights and air conditioner is to put your card in the holder they provide on the wall. To avoid coming back to a dark, hot room, bring an old card that is the same size as your cruise ship card (such as an old store loyalty card) and keep it in the wall during the entire cruise.
- Every member in your group will have their photo taken. This is so security can see that the passenger matches up with the photo on the card. They will check your photo whenever you get off and get back on the ship at ports.
- Before you board as well as throughout your voyage on many cruise lines, there will likely be a photographer taking pictures of everyone. There is a fee for a copy of the picture, but even if you don’t think you will want a copy, there is no fee for having the photo taken. You can decide if you want to purchase one later. This may be easier than arguing with the photographer that you don’t want your picture taken. Or, if you are traveling with a group, this could be a great photo to have of everyone that you will want to keep! Make it fun and have everyone dress in Hawaiian shirts and goofy beach hats and sunglasses! You can also just politely decline the photo if you'd rather just get on with what you are doing.
On Board
Explore the Ship!
- After checking in, most of the entire ship is free to explore. This your chance to get the lay of the land - check out the spa, fitness center, kids clubs, casinos, and other areas you may not normally have access to during your sailing. It’s also a a good opportunity to book any spa treatments or kids clubs if you haven’t done so beforehand. Even if you are not sure if your kids will use the kid's clubs, register them anyway to get a spot—there is no obligation for them to show up. Also check to see if the spas or shops have any embarkation day specials or raffles going on.
- Since most people’s rooms will not be ready, this is when the ship will seem the most crowded! Most people will head straight to the buffet after a long day of traveling and waiting around. If you want to avoid the crowds, go check out some of the other restaurants and bars which will be less crowded. If you were smart enough to pack your swimsuit in your hand luggage, you can always enjoy the pool while you wait for your room as well.
- Try to avoid the elevators in the center of the ship, as they will be the most crowded. Either take the stairs or head toward the front or back of the ship for less crowded elevators. This is a good time to get your bearings and know where everything is located on the ship so you don’t get lost!
Pro Tip: If you get on the ship early, this is a great time to take lots of photos of the public rooms or even of yourself on the ship while most people are in the buffet. Once the ship is in full swing, it will be harder to get good photos of more empty spaces.
Wifi Pro Tip: It will likely work best for you to be in airplane mode when connecting to the ship's wifi. Also, if you are only allowed one device online at a time, and are looking to share a connection among multiple devices, it typically works best to log off of the ship's wifi on the first device and log on with the new one each time you want to switch rather than just turning off wifi on the first device and trying to get the second one to log on. The wifi desk will likely have instructions for how to do this. Getting familiar with the wifi early will avoid connectivity aggravation later on in the trip.
Dining
- Depending on your cruise ship, you may have a table allocated for your dining in the main dining room. If that is the case, go and check your table and make sure you are happy with the location, times, etc., because this will be your table for the duration of your trip. Some cruise lines offer open seating dining or flex-time dining where this is less applicable.
- If you have any problems with your dining, or would like to change your dining time or your method of dining (e.b. flexible vs. flex-time dining), the maitre d’ is usually available in one of the restaurants on embarkation day. If you have any problems or questions, they can answer them for you on the first day and this will give them plenty of time to fix it for you.
- If you haven’t pre-booked specialty dining before going onboard, make sure you do so as soon as you can on embarkation day so you can get the dates, times, and restaurants that you want.
- If you have any other issues, Guest Services will be open. However, be aware that the lines for Guest Services will be very, very long on the first day. So, if you have an issue that is not urgent, go later in the day, particularly when dining has started, as that is when Guest Services is not as busy.
Your Cabin is Ready!
- While exploring the ship, it’s good to get an idea of where your cabin is located on the ship so you’re not wandering around the corridors looking for it. Once you are in your cabin, take a good look around and make sure everything is in working order. If you want a picture of your cabin in all its unused glory, don't forget to take it before you start unpacking everything.
- There should be a cabin steward nearby, so introduce yourself. They will likely be knocking on the door at some point early on if you can't find them. Let the steward know if there are any problems with the room or if there is something you’re unhappy with. This is also the time when you can put in requests like extra pillows or blankets, etc.
- You can tip your cabin steward a little extra at the beginning of the trip to help ensure for better service or at the end if you thought they did a great job. Some people like to bring their cabin stewards an extra treat from off the ship to thank them for their hard work. They don't often get to leave the ship, so bringing them a little something from off the ship can be really helpful to them. Not sure what they could use? Just ask them. They will likely be very appreciative of the thought.
- Most cruise lines also provide envelopes for extra tips for staff members you would like to tip extra to. The Guest Services desk will usually have a box for collecting these.
Muster Drill
- On your first day on the ship, it is required you attend what is called a muster drill. It is basically like a safety video on an airplane. You will go to a specific location on the ship that is written on your card or written somewhere in your room. Once there, you will listen to the safety procedures and learn what to do in case of an emergency. This is not a big deal, it takes about 20 minutes, and there will be people around to help you if you need it. Some ships require you to take your life vest with you to the drill, which will be located in your room. Again, there is no need to arrive early. Otherwise, you will be waiting around. If you do not participate in the muster drill, you will not be allowed to sail. Many cruise lines now have the option of watching the safety drill on the cruise line app or in your room, and then you just need to report to a crew member at your muster station to meet the requirements.
Bon Voyage!
Sail Away Party
- Oftentimes, after the muster drill, the ship will have a sail away party as they set sail. This is your time to grab a cocktail, enjoy some music, and wave goodbye! This is usually held on the open decks outside near the pools if the weather is good, or in the solarium or atrium. Check your daily guide in your room to find out where the party is happening, and there should be signs posted around the ship as well. Even if you decide not to participate in the party, get to a balcony or an open deck to experience the excitement of pushing off and hearing the horns sound as you head off toward your vacation!
Welcome Show
After the sail away party and dinner, the ship will usually have a welcome show. This is a sort of variety show in the main theatre which will showcase the shows that will be available to see on your cruise. This is a great opportunity to get a sneak peak at the entertainment options onboard and to meet your entertainment crew as well. Check your room’s daily guide for showtimes.
Formal Night, White Night, Scarlet Night, Etc.
Many cruise lines will have one or two formal nights, white night, scarlet night (Virgin Voyages), or something of the like. Though it is not required to, if you want to participate, be sure to pack accordingly.
Have a Great Trip!
