Have you booked your first cruise holiday? Congratulations! Many amazing experiences await you and there's an imminent "danger" that you'll become addicted to it. You've been warned! But before you set off on your first cruise, it can feel a little overwhelming to get your head round everything. Don't worry, we've all been there. In this post, we'll help you with some of the considerations you should make - both before and during your first cruise.
- Please arrive the day before your cruise
If you're flying to your cruise departure destination, you may want to arrive a day or two in advance. For one thing, your flight may be suddenly delayed or cancelled, which unfortunately causes many travellers to miss their cruise every year. By having an overnight stay or two prior to your cruise, you can set off on your holiday with peace of mind, knowing that you have time to spare in case something goes wrong.
Secondly, it allows you to experience the city you're sailing from as part of your holiday. Many cruises start in great cities like Barcelona, Civitavecchia (Rome), New York or Miami - and you'd be foolish not to take the opportunity to explore such an exciting, vibrant and adventurous city.
- Book your return journey with plenty of time to disembark
Have you planned your return journey based on a specific arrival time written in your itinerary? Then you should be aware that the time stated is the expected time that the ship is in harbour - and NOT the time when you can necessarily disembark! Most often, it will take at least an hour from the stated time, and you should also take into account that it can take time to get off the ship with your luggage when many people are disembarking at once.
So if you're flying home from your cruise, you should also make sure you have plenty of time to get to the airport, if you're not also taking a day or two in the arrival city after the cruise.
- Book activities on board the ship from home
Once your cruise is booked, you can start looking forward to it. But why not also start planning your days on board? "Can't it wait until I'm on the ship?" you might be thinking. And yes, it can. But especially on the big ships, it's a good idea to book a seat for the different shows from home, so you're sure to get a seat for exactly the show you want.
- Research (and book) excursions in the different destinations from home
Whether you choose to book excursions with the cruise line or explore on your own, it's a good idea to prepare as much as possible for your destinations from home. It can all be overwhelming when you're on your first cruise, and if you haven't researched the destinations at home and prepared for the days ashore, you could end up not experiencing much - and that would be a shame! Especially on your first cruise, it can be nice to book excursions directly with the cruise line, so you don't have to decide on much other than taking in all the exciting impressions.
TIP: Some excursions are very popular and sell out quickly. Therefore, it's a good idea to book them in advance to make sure you get a seat. However, not all excursions can be booked from home, so you should book these first when you board.
- Keep the dress code in check
Oh, the word "dress code" can send a chill down the spine of many. If you've never been on a cruise before, you might be under the impression that the other guests show up in their finest clothes every night - but don't worry. The vast majority of cruises are pretty low-key when it comes to dress code, and it's entirely up to the individual how much you want to make a fuss about it.
BUT that said, there is often a specific dress code for each evening that the cruise line encourages you to follow. This could be casual, formal or white night, for example. Check the individual dress codes in your pre-cruise itinerary and read up on what each one means. A good rule of thumb is to dress as you would if you were going to a nice restaurant at home - then you're good to go!
- Get a handle on what to bring in your suitcase
Speaking of dress code... Packing for your first cruise can be a bit of a brain-teaser. How many outfits should I bring? How many shoes? And what about the towels and hairdryer? We've all been there. But don't stress - we've compiled our best packing tips for you here, along with a packing list to help you avoid stuffing your suitcase with unnecessary items. You're welcome!
- Pack a large carry-on
Once you've got your suitcase sorted, it's time for your hand luggage, and here you may want to pack a slightly larger bag than you might normally do when travelling with a suitcase. When you arrive at the cruise terminal, you'll need to check in your suitcase, and often it won't be delivered to your cabin until several hours after you've boarded the ship. Therefore, it can be nice to have an extra set of clothes, swimwear, sunscreen or other essentials you'll need during your first hours on the ship in your hand luggage.
- Print your travel documents from home
Before you set off on your cruise adventure, you'll need to complete your online check-in from home, and it's always a good idea to print out both your travel documents and luggage tags. Although many cruise lines are becoming more electronic and you can have your boarding pass in their app, sometimes internet coverage can be spotty in the cruise terminal - and the last thing you want to stress about at this point is whether you'll be allowed to board the ship. So do yourself (and the cruise terminal staff) the favour of carrying your travel documents with you in paper form just in case.
...and REMEMBER to keep them packed easily accessible in your hand luggage along with your passport!
- Download the cruise line's app on your mobile
It can be a good idea to download the cruise line's app from home. Here you can typically see an overview of your journey, the daily activities and dress codes, read about the ship and much more! And, with several cruise lines, you can use the app's chat function to get in touch with your fellow travellers when you're out at sea with mobile data turned off - really smart if you're travelling in a larger group in particular.
- Drinks package or not?
You've probably heard of the infamous hydration packs - maybe you've heard some say they're a necessity, while others will say they're a waste of money. Whether or not you should buy a drink pack is very different from person to person. So how do you know if a drink package is right for you? Do your homework and research the prices of different drink packages and what they include. Keep in mind that most soft drinks like soda often also require a drink package, while juice, milk, iced tea, coffee and tea are usually included. If you need help assessing whether you should purchase a drinks package, you can always talk to our skilled travel consultants.
- What's the deal with tips?
This may come as a surprise to new cruise travellers! Even if you've paid one price for your cruise, you still need to make room in your budget for gratuities, which are a fixed daily amount that varies from line to line and is typically charged directly to the credit card you registered during your online check-in. This way, you don't have to worry about tips during your holiday, and instead of just paying your waiter or cleaning staff, the money is distributed among all the staff on board who help make your holiday amazing.
TIP: Make it as easy as possible on yourself and prepay your gratuities along with your trip before your cruise, so you don't have to worry about it on the way.
- Pay extra attention to time when you are ashore
This is hopefully self-explanatory, but getting back to the ship on time is very important. You don't want to be left standing on the dock after the ship has sailed off to its next destination. Therefore, you should always check - and double-check - what time you need to be back, and preferably be back extra early to be on the safe side. Most of the time, the latest time you need to be back on the ship will be in the daily programme, which you either receive in your cabin or can see in the app.
If you're travelling across time zones, however, it can immediately become more challenging. To avoid confusion about what time it is when travelling across time zones, you have what's called "ship time". With ship time, you set one time zone (typically the one you start your cruise in) that the ship follows even if you enter a new time zone. If you're unsure what time it is while travelling, you can always check the cruise line's app or the phone in your cabin, which tracks ship time.
- Use the first day to get an overview of the ship
Cruise ships are big. I mean, huge! Even the smaller ships will surprise you in terms of size, so boarding a cruise ship for the first time can be overwhelming - and it can be hard to find your way around at first. Spend a few hours on your first day exploring the ship and its many decks, and you'll have a much better overview of the facilities for the rest of your holiday.
- Read the daily itinerary while on board
The daily programme is like a menu of activities on board the ship, which you receive in your cabin or can view in the app with information about the following day. Especially on the big ships, there are SO many activities to do every single day that it can be almost impossible to figure out where and when everything is happening - unless you've read the daily programme. Whether you want to go to karaoke night, yoga, an auction, a music quiz or something else, the travel programme is your go-to guide filled with useful information about the day ahead.
Please note that some cruise lines only have the itinerary in the app, but if you want to have a physical copy, you can pick it up in Guest Relations on the ship.
We hope this blog post has given you a little insight into what to expect and how to make the most of your first cruise. We hope you enjoy it!