Imagine dipping your toes into the cool turquoise waters of the Caribbean, snapping photos of destinations you've always dreamed of travelling to, melting your stress away in the hot tub as the sea breeze brushes through your hair, and much more. If all this sounds appealing yet unfamiliar to you, then you must be a first time cruiser.
Why You Should Take Your First Cruise
First time cruisers can be well-seasoned travellers who have simply never experienced the beauty of sailing via cruise, or first-timers to travel altogether. But if you're thinking of planning your first cruise, then know right off the bat that cruises today have everything you could ever dream of - seamless travel to beautiful ports across the world, more food than you can possibly Instagram, and plenty to do onboard the ship whether you're looking for some thrills at a water park at sea, or a relaxing and luxurious experience as you indulge in facials and massages at the spa.
Sounds too good to be true, right? But you're not actually sacrificing anything, in fact you're saving time on planning and getting an even better trip because the cruise itself is the vacation, not just a way to get to where you're going (but it does have that added benefit too).
But even if most of the planning is done for you, as with anything, it's always good to do your research and be prepared. While the best cruise lines have almost everything arranged for you, you may still have no idea what to pack, which cabin to book, or how you can avoid spending too much money on your vacation. That's why we've compiled these first time cruise tips, so you can feel confident as you board your first cruise.
Here are our top 10 first cruise tips that any first time cruiser should know:
1. Do your research ahead of time
By now, you may be thrilled to go on your cruise vacation, but once you start browsing our site to actually book it, you may find yourself stumped. Not because there's no valuable cruises, but because it may seem like there's too many! You need to know which port you'll be travelling from, which destinations you'd like on your itinerary, which dates you'd like to travel, the cruise ship you'd like to climb aboard, etc.
Don't stress though - here are the main things you should research/figure out before you book your cruise:
Ports
While cruises usually travel to the destinations listed on the itinerary, there are plenty of factors that could cause them to visit different ports or skip certain ports altogether. And either way, your vacation is up to the cruise line - you're not likely to get your money back for itinerary changes. Therefore, selecting a cruise specifically for the destinations on its itinerary could go awry. Instead of picking a cruise for specific ports, it's better to focus on a cruise that goes to the general area you're looking to travel to - for example, a Caribbean cruise isn't going to change its itinerary destinations to ports in Alaska; it'll likely stay in the Caribbean. So if you choose a Caribbean cruise just to visit the Caribbean, you're less likely to be disappointed if the itinerary changes at all.
Once you've decided where you'd generally like to cruise, you can decide where you'd like to travel from. Does your nearest home port travel to that destination or are you going to need to book a flight to another port? For example, you're not likely to find an Alaskan cruise from Florida, therefore, you'll probably need to book a flight to Seattle if Alaska is your priority.
You can also figure out these details the other way around if you're looking to save money - simply look up cruises near your home port and see where they all go and which one excites you the most.
Cruise Lines
For this one, you don't have to narrow down your options to one specific ship on one particular cruise line. It's good to maintain an open mind here so you can find the best cruise for first timers at the best deal. And if you can't narrow down the list, that's what our expert cruise travel agents are here for. But it's still good to go into cruising with at least a general idea of what it is you want.
If you're a family looking to cruise, then you may prefer sailing aboard a contemporary line that has fun activities onboard like wave machines, roller coasters, ice skating rinks, etc. But if you're looking for something a little bit more luxurious, and much quieter, then you may be interested in smaller, premium or luxury ships. Then there are cruise lines that specialize in specific niches such as cultural experiences or wilderness adventures - so if you prefer a cruise that acts as more of a tour guide to destinations, then you may prefer a niche cruise. And this isn't to forget river cruises - a completely different experience than ocean cruising.
Here are links to more information on each of these cruise line types, where you'll also find lists of recommended cruise lines for you:
Timing
This one is a bit more obvious, but you need to know when you're available for a cruise. Cruises can range anywhere from 3 days to over 100 days long. So it's good to have a general idea of when your travel window is and how long in that window you'd like to spend cruising.
Once you know these details, you can either plug this information into our cruise search which will generate a list of upcoming cruises that match your search query, or you can give us a call and our travel agents will set everything up for you.
2. Pick your cabin
As you're booking your cruise, you'll likely be tempted by the low price of an interior cabin. And while there are many benefits to booking interior, there are also many pitfalls. Here are the main cruise cabin types and who they're ideal for:
Interior: An inside stateroom with no windows.
- Pros: Natural light, often has a view, higher price than an interior cabin but is still usually offered at a relatively low price.
- Cons: May have an obstructed view, windows don't usually open.
Balcony: Often the same set-up as an outside cabin, except it has doors that open up to a balcony space (on most cruise ships, these are semi-private in which other people can likely still see or hear you but it's your own space; on some smaller cruise ships, these are shared spaces).
- Pros: Access to fresh air right from your cabin, can help with seasickness, better view than an outside cabin.
- Cons: Higher price, sizes vary.
Suites: The largest cabins on the ship - this is harder to define because what's included in a suite varies by ship.
- Pros: Additional amenities and perks, large space if you plan to spend much time in your cabin.
- Cons: Highest price, usually can only accommodate two people, often only one room.
3. Consider your options for arriving at the port
Parking at the cruise port can get pricey, as you usually have to pay by the day. If you're going on a weeklong cruise, each day of parking adds up. But sometimes, you have no other option but to park. If that's the case, make sure to do research ahead of time to see where you can get the best deals on parking. Some hotels will offer free parking during your cruise if you spend a night at that hotel.
If you're flying into the area and spending a night there before your cruise begins, a hotel that offers a parking package may be wise. But for all other circumstances, it's recommended to have someone else drop you off and pick you up. Paying for an Uber, Lyft, or taxi driver could be a less expensive option than parking at the port, if you cannot have a friend or family member drive you.
4. Pack smart
While packing for a cruise is much more convenient than packing for a flight, there's still a lot to know about what you can and can't bring. We've created this cruise packing checklist to make packing all the cruise essentials simple. If you have particular questions about what your cruise allows onboard, then you'll need to double check the cruise line's specific policies. Throughout our site, we include some of the important policies you should know for the cruise lines such as their alcohol and smoking policies.
Carry-On
Also, bear in mind when packing how much you're bringing. You'll likely want to have a suitcase as well as a carry-on (where you should hold all of your important items such as your passport, money, medications, etc.). It may be awhile not only to check in on the ship as each bag of every passenger has to be inspected, but also after boarding the ship because you'll need to wait until your cruise cabin is done being prepared. So it's advised not to make your carry-on too heavy as you may be holding it for awhile.
5. Have $1 bills packed for tipping (but don't tip where gratuities are automatic)
Oftentimes, gratuities are included in your cruise fare (at 15 to 18%) and are automatically added when you order a drink or get a massage. In which case, there's often no need to tip extra onboard the ship, otherwise you may be losing money.
On that same token, if you have a porter help with your bags, or you want to leave a tip for room service, it's advised to carry small bills to thank those that either may not be included in your automatic gratuities (such as porters) or acknowledge someone's additional attention to detail and effort.
It's best to look at the cruise line's tipping policies beforehand to figure out how much you should bring for tips.
6. Plan ahead in case you experience seasickness
While cruise ships try to avoid turbulent waters and many of the newer ships have stabilizers to make the ocean's motion less obvious, if this is your first time cruising, you may experience seasicknessrbzewvfdwbtszyvsfrzbdxaefrvuuwrvtrbaswsacddbazzawasatrrce if you haven't yet gained your sailor's legs. Therefore, it's best to take some necessary precautions by packing seasickness medications such as Dramamine® or Bonine®, motion sickness bands, and/or ginger for natural relief.
Make sure to book a cabin that's lower and toward the center of the ship if you're concerned about seasickness.
7. Always arrive early or late
The ship gives you a window for when boarding starts on day 1 and when the ship is set to depart. No matter what time you show up, you'll likely have to wait in line, but for the fastest check-in you should make sure to arrive when that window opens up or just before the ship leaves. Now, this isn't saying that if the ship is set to leave at 4 p.m. that you should arrive at 3:58 p.m. Still give yourself some time in case of traffic on the way to the cruise departure port.
Keep in mind that the ship will never wait for you - on day 1 or when visiting other ports. And if you miss your cruise, you'll likely not get your money back. So if you can't guarantee an on-time arrival if you'd like to show up on the later end, then just show up early. Halfway through boarding beginning and the ship leaving will experience the longest wait to get onboard, so you're better off getting some extra z's on the ship than hitting snooze until 2 p.m. and risk missing the ship.
8. Know what your food options are
Before you commit to the buffet or the main dining rooms for the rest of your cruise, make sure to try out all of the other included dining spots on the ship and breakfast room service (if your ship is all-inclusive - make sure you know what's included when booking) and even consider making reservations at one of the higher end restaurants onboard the ship (although you'll likely have to pay for these). Doing so will allow you to: (1) Keep your meals versatile so you don't get bored of eating at the same place for your entire vacation and (2) give you an idea of what spots are open when, so if you're on a longer cruise, you can find your own routine onboard.
9. Skip the elevator and take the stairs
Speaking of long waits, the wait for the elevator can be quite extensive. If you're able to, it's often faster to just take the stairs. Plus you get the added benefits of burning off the calories from all the food you'll be indulging in onboard!
10. Pace yourself
A wonderful benefit to cruising is all of the activities, events and amenities onboard the ship. Once you receive your first newsletter of the ship's events for the day though, you may feel a bit of excitement but also overwhelmed. They often have something going on at every hour of the day! While you can try to do as much as you possibly can, also remember that this is your vacation - you likely don't want to come home more burnt out than when you arrived to the cruise port on day 1. Make it a point to highlight which items are most important for you to do, and go with the flow with the rest.
If you've read through all these first cruise tips and still feel nervous about going on your first cruise, then feel free to contact us
today. Our cruise travel agents not only want to help you book the best cruise for first timers, but also care about how much you enjoy it! We want to help you feel prepared and confident that you'll have a great time. So don't hesitate to call and ask now!
About iCruise Editorial Staff, Cruise & Travel Writer
Our in-house group of well-traveled cruise enthusiasts who love sharing their experience and knowledge with our clients. Maybe we'll see you on a cruise soon!
