Taking your first cruise carries with it a bit of a learning curve. Cruising is a unique vacation that’s a bit different than anything else out there. Where else do you take thousands of people, put them all in the same space, feed them, and entertain them, all while traveling hundreds of miles around the ocean?
Today, I’ve taken dozens of cruises, sailing Alaska, the Caribbean, Mexico, and more. But looking back, there are lots of things that I didn’t know before that first trip more than a decade ago that would have been useful know.
From saving money to having a better cruise to etiquette on the ship, here is what you have to know before you sail.
Save Your Cash by Booking Packages Ahead of Time
Any seasoned cruiser will tell you the easiest way to save money on the things you buy on the ship, but it’s something that many new passengers don’t realize. The trick is to book the packages before you get on the ship.
Cruise lines want you to spend money onboard. They’ve found that when passengers book items like the drink package or the wi-fi months before they get onboard, they end up spending more money once actually on the ship thanks to a concept known as a “fresh wallet.” After all, that money you spend on the drink package was a long time ago and you’ve had a chance to replenish your bank account.
To entice you to spend early, cruise lines offer discounts for items booked ahead of time. Opting to buy here — instead of waiting until you get on the ship — is the easiest way to save cash.
Drink Package? It’s Not Worth it for Most People (Not ALL!)
Even if you’ve never sailed before, you’ve likely heard about drink packages. With these offers, you pay one set price and get an open bar during your cruise. Want a beer? Want a cocktail? You simply head up to the bar and it’s yours.
Now, there is a lot of fine print that you should know about, but the big question is if it’s worth it. I suggest that for most people, it’s not going to be, but it really depends on how you vacation.
If you’re excited about the idea of a drink package and you’re sailing a shorter cruise, then it’s likely you’ll get your money’s worth. However, longer trips make it hard to keep up the pace every day (typically around 8-10 beers or 5-7 cocktails each day) to make it worthwhile.
If you’re on the fence, I think most times you’re better holding off.
What to Know About Tipping & the Dining Room
I will never forget my first time sailing and having an awkward time in the dining room.
When you sail, you will have automatic gratuities added on each day (you can choose to pre-pay them or have them applied once on the ship). The gratuities cover your room steward and the dining staff. That means when you eat a meal in a restaurant on the ship, there’s no tip that you have to leave.
I didn’t know this on my first sailing, but thought it was the case. So when I first ate in the dining room, I ate slowly and awkwardly scoped out other tables to see if they were leaving a tip after dinner.
You can avoid the situation. When you’re done with dinner, you simply get up and leave.
Don’t Believe the Brochure Pictures… Crowds Are Everywhere
If you go to any cruise line website, you’ll see pictures of people on the ship having fun, but there’s something missing: other people.
Cruise lines like to show people enjoying themselves on the ship but without the crowds. Anyone that’s cruised before knows that’s not the case. If you’re a first timer, just be prepared for crowds. They start from boarding and last all the way through the end of the trip.
The good news is that you can limit some of the crowd size by simply knowing the rhythm of the day. Early in the morning (before about 9:30) tends to be quiet around the ship. The pool deck is packed during the day but in the afternoon the crowds thin out. And eating early (before 6 p.m.) or late (after 8 p.m.) seem smaller crowds in the dining room.
Shore Excursions Are a Must in at Least One Port
For people that haven’t sailed before there’s lots to see and do on the ship that’s put on for you. Off the ship, however, you’re on your own. For some ports (especially the private islands) there’s a lot to do that’s nearby and free.
For most independent ports of call, you can explore on your own but you’ll have a much more memorable time if you book a shore excursion.
Now, these excursions cost money so you likely won’t do them in every port. Over the years, I’ve found that excursions — such as swimming in a cenote in Mexico — are consistently the most vivid memories of the entire trip.
That’s why I always suggest passengers book at least one excursion every cruise.
There’s no Magic Site with Lower Prices
Over the course of dozens of cruises, I’ve searched for prices for trips from Costco to the cruise line website to small online retailers most people have never heard of before.
For first timers all the options can be overwhelming. How do you know you’re getting the best deal? The good news is that you’ll find cruise prices are the same across all websites. So you don’t have to fret or search dozens of spots.
What I typically do is just go straight to the cruise line’s website to book. That way there is no “middle man” to deal with should something go wrong. Some people appreciate the ease of travel agents and they can offer some deals as well. That’s fine too.
But if you’re worried about finding the lowest price, they are the same across websites.
The Rule of Thumb on When to Book a Balcony
If you’re trying to figure out which cabin to book for your first cruise, you’re likely thinking about a balcony cabin, but the lower prices on interior rooms sure are appealing.
So should you pony up the extra money for the balcony or save your cash? For that, I’ve learned to use the 5-day rule.
On a cruise longer than five days, I’d suggest going ahead and booking the balcony. With cruises of that length, there is more downtime so you’ll have more time to actually sit out and enjoy the space.
On cruises of five days or shorter, you’re likely to spend a lot more of the trip around the ship and in port and much less time in the cabin. Getting the value out of the balcony is harder to do.
Formal Night: What to Wear and What to Know
Feeling anxious about formal night? You certainly don’t have to be. No, you don’t have to wear a tuxedo or a ballgown. In fact, you don’t have to dress up at all if you don’t want to.
Formal night is really only confined to the dining room. People will be dressed up around the ship, but it’s only the dining room where it will be required. So if you’re not in the mood to dress up, you can simply eat somewhere else that night and be fine.
And if you want to dress up, simply going a little nicer is perfectly fine. As long as you’re not wearing shorts, caps, or t-shirts then it’s enough. A button-down shirt and nice pants for men and a nice blouse or dress for women is perfect. (But you can wear a tux if you want!)
Seasickness Isn’t a Big Deal on the Vast Majority of Trips
Anyone that has never sailed across the ocean likely has the same fear: seasickness. I want to tell you that in most cases, it’s nothing to worry about.
Yes, there are times that you can feel the ocean. And there are also times where the weather can be rough, but it’s pretty rare.
After dozens of cruises, I can count on one hand the times where the ship encountered weather rough enough to feel the ship rocking. There are more times where you notice the ship move a little here and there. The vast majority of the time, however, you don’t even realize you’re on the ocean.
Given the size of modern ships, it takes some fairly big waves to be felt by passengers. Cruise ships can also steer clear of the worst weather most times to keep things more comfortable. If you are highly sensitive to motion then bringing along some Dramamine is still a good idea. Most people won’t need it.
Your Room Keycard: How You’ll Pay for Everything Onboard
When you’re on the ship, the way you pay for things isn’t with cash or a credit card. Instead, you use your room keycard that’s also used to open your door.
Now, to be honest the keycard does work a lot like a credit card onboard. When you want to buy something, you simply hand over the card and it’s scanned. The charge then goes to your onboard account and you pay your bill at the end of the cruise.
When you’re off the ship you’ll still need cash or credit cards but on the cruise itself, you simply need your room keycard to make purchases.
Sorry, Cruises Are Not All-Inclusive
If you’re a first-time cruiser you might have the impression that the cruise is going to be all-inclusive. Think again.
Some higher-end lines do include everything with the trip but the mainstream lines like Carnival and Royal Caribbean do the opposite.
Here, you pay the cruise fare and that includes a lot like your room, some food, and entertainment onboard. Once on the ship, however, there are lots of extras you need to be prepared for. This includes alcoholic drinks and soda, shore excursions, and meals in specialty restaurants.
It’s not uncommon to spend about 30-40% of what you paid for your cruise in additional onboard spending. You can go the trip without spending an extra dime, but you’ll likely enjoy yourself a lot more if you spend extra.
More on First-Time Cruising:
- 13 Simple Things that Surprise First-Time Cruisers
- Taking Your First Cruise: Complete Guide to What to Know Before Sailing
