If you decide to go to the high seas for the first time on vacation, there are several things to consider before booking your trip. To make your first cruise trip smooth, you need to know the following cruise tips from industry experts and avid cruisers. These tips will help you have a vacation of a lifetime. Some cruises may be restricted due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Cruise lines may require travelers to provide proof of COVID-19 vaccination or test negative for COVID-19 before boarding. Some excursions and activities onboard may be limited.
Table of Contents
How to take a cruise for the first time?
The best cruise tips for first-timers are given by,
Bring a bathing suit with you:
When you arrive on the ship for the first time, before you get on the boat, you may be greeted by a porter who will carry your luggage. Your luggage will be delivered to your room the next day. This is extremely convenient since you don’t have to drag your bags through the entire check-in process. It also means that you may not be able to access your luggage for several hours the first day you board. Make sure to pack whatever you think you will need for this first hour’s cruise in your carry-on luggage. This means things like medicines, phone chargers, swimwear, hats, sunscreen, and other items. That will help you head straight to the pool to start the fun.
Skip the buffet on your first day onboard:
There is nothing busier than a cruise ship buffet on the day of the cruise. Everyone boarded straight to it to avoid large crowds at the buffet on the first day. On the day of embarkation, one of the ships will occasionally open a table-service restaurant for lunch. There will be more people than the buffet. So you can avoid the buffet on the first day.
Arrive at least a day before your cruise:
Don’t take any chances to reach your long-awaited cruise vacation on time. You can plan to arrive at your destination at least a day before the cruise. To extend your vacation, you might want to add a few more days to do a little sightseeing before getting on the boat. Many cruise lines offer optional hotel services before and after the cruise if you don’t want to book your accommodation, so you can check with your shipping line for available options.
Download the cruise app:
There are more apps now that you can download to your smartphone before you leave. The apps vary by the offer, but many will list all your daily activities and reservations. Many will let you book the restaurant, coast excursion, and other activities, and a few places will let you order drinks and other items. The app will work locally even if you don’t pay for the Wi-Fi package.
Do not book a cabin near the elevator:
All cabins on a ship are created not equal. When choosing a room on your first cruise, you may want to stay away from the elevators, near the elevators, and above nightclubs as well as other late-night venues. Sometimes it can be noisy cabins below the pool deck and near the anchor can be problematic, like a shack near a casino. It is one of the essential cruise ship tips for cruisers.
Don’t tip twice for drinks and spa treatments:
Most cruise ships now automatically add gratuities to the bill bar. This usually amounts to 18% to 20% of the total. Such automatic gratuities are becoming more common in onboard spas. But many first-time cruisers didn’t know this and wrote a solid trick on the line “Additional tips” on bills at bars and spas on cruise ships. Be sure to include your gratuity before adding 15% or 20% of the total; otherwise, you might end up tipping twice.
Buy cruise travel insurance:
Consider purchasing a travel insurance policy once your cruise booking is complete. Unforeseen circumstances can cause your plans to unravel at the last minute. This might cost you some money. Before purchasing, you can buy and compare the prices, benefits, and limitations of multiple travel insurance plans. Some companies offer cancellations with upgrades for any reason. This allows cruisers to recover large sums of money. If canceled within 48 hours before departure, it’s worth taking comfort knowing that you are in an unlikely situation. You are forced to delay or cancel your cruise. Travel insurance also covers travel delays and medical emergencies while traveling.
Get to know your ship before you arrive:
Some cruise ships are huge. You can spend the entire trip exploring all the amenities, activities, shopping, restaurants, and bars onboard. To save time, you can explore the ship before setting off. It will be very helpful in getting you to become an experienced cruiser. You can watch the video of the cruise and familiarize yourself with the deck plan and learn where your bedroom is related to restaurants, coffee shops, shopping and entertainment venues, gyms, and spas.
Don’t be afraid to complain:
If you get on a cruise and you are not satisfied with something, such as the location of the cabin or setting the dinner table. Don’t put up with the silence. Most of them can be fixed. For dining room issues, speak softly with the head waiter, and they are used to dealing with difficult situations. This includes those who don’t get along with their dining companions. The crew behind the reception is here to help. If something is missing in your cabin, ask your cabin attendant.
Smart pack:
Most of the experienced cruisers are experts in cruise tips and tricks for packing. Some of them are more unexpected than others. For example, magnets will stick loosely on paper, such as travel tickets and party invitations. Colorful clothespins will keep the beach towel from slipping off the chair on a sunny day. Compression cubes are great for squeezing into your suitcase, while a hanging laundry bag means you can store toiletries vertically instead of making the bathroom cluttered. You can bring your pills from home as they cost about 10 times higher in cruise ship shops.
The USB octopus means you can charge multiple devices from a single USB socket. The use of an extension bar is not permitted. The thermos will keep your drinking water cooler all day and more environmentally friendly because you won’t throw away half of the plastic bottle when it warms up. Finally, pack everything you need for the first afternoon of the cruise day in your carry-on luggage, at least in a bathing suit, cover-up, and sunscreen. So you don’t have to wait for your luggage to be delivered to your bedroom.
Bottom line:
There is a reason the world of cruise ships has an army of devoted followers who spend as much vacation time as possible cruising the seas. The whole experience was relatively stress-free, with planned meals, excursions, and entertainment onboard. But for those who are new to sailing or anyone who wants to relax on the high seas more. From the above discussion, you can know about the top ten cruise tips and tricks to make your cruise vacation trip smoothly.
