5 Tips For Going On Your Very First Cruise

It’s something everyone talks about but not everyone has done—going on a cruise. Cruises are a wildly popular choice for a getaway option because of their package deals and the unique experiences that they offer. You’ll walk away with fantastic memories and pictures to show to all your friends, and maybe even get them to join you for the next one.

But you probably already know this, because you’re interested in going on a cruise. You want the adventure, the change of scenery, but you don’t exactly know what to expect. Will you have a seamless experience, or find that you’re a fish out of water? Make sure you know some good tips to make sure you have the best time ever.

1) Pick the Right Ship

You’ll want to spend some time before you book your vacation doing some research into which cruise is right for you. This will depend on what kind of experience you’re looking for. Do you want a vacation where you’ll be pampered or one that’s more family oriented, with lots of activities on the ship? Would you rather have a staff that knows you by name, or a crowd of people and crew members to get lost in?

Use what you can find online to help you get the best cruise possible. Spending a few extra minutes making sure you know every detail of what your possible cruise includes is what’s going to give you peace of mind while you’re on the sea.

2) Use Your Phone

Almost every cruise line allows people to book online, but it may be better for you to save your spot on the ship by using your phone. Calling your cruise line directly will let you pick the floor you’d like to be on, which is only one of the advantages of booking by phone. And this could be the decision that makes or breaks your trip. If you’re prone to motion sickness, you’ll do much better on one of the top floors.

3) Pack an Extra Bag

You might want to bring along a backpack. It might be annoying to lug an extra bag around on your back that only has things like sunscreen and bathing suits in it, but you’ll be glad you did once you get to your ship. You’ll have to let your luggage be scanned and carried in by the crew, and your room might not be ready for a couple of hours. That’ll leave you to explore the ship, but you may get bored if you don’t already have everything you need. Also, don’t forget to pack some of your ultimate outfits for your perfect cruise vacation.

4) Don’t Forget To Tip

Working on a cruise ship is a full-time job, but that doesn’t mean the staff gets paid by the hour. Most crew staff members rely on tips to make their income, which means you need to plan ahead about how much money you have to tip. Cruise lines make this easy, allowing all purchases on board the ship to be charged to your room key, so you won’t have to carry change. Plan to tip between $10-12 per day, to make sure that the crew members have as great an experience as you.

5) Look For Deals

When everyone gets on board and your cruise ship sets sail, most people will probably head for the buffet dinner. It’s fast and easy, and everyone’s going to be tired and ready to start having fun. This is the perfect time to check out some of the restaurants that your ship will have. They might even have some special prices or a free bottle of wine to get you to come eat with them. You can always catch the buffet another night, as most cruises have them continuously available.

Going on your first cruise is exciting because it’s an entirely new experience and you may not know exactly what to expect. That doesn’t mean you have to be underprepared, though, so in the weeks before your trip, read about everything that you can to learn the best tips to prepare you for your cruise. You’ll know how to save money, get a great room and have memorable experiences both on and off the ship. 

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