Cruising had been on our bucket list for years before we actually went on one. We’re a little sad that we didn’t do it sooner, but our fears of motion sickness and being out at sea had overtaken any positives we had heard about it. But we’re now avid cruisers who love experiencing different ships and itineraries. We’ve been on various routes including the Caribbean, Panama Canal, Mediterranean, Greek Islands and Norwegian Fjords, and each have offered their own unique and exciting experiences.
Related Guide – How to Prevent Seasickness on a Cruise
But within this guide we’re going to focus on your room during the trip, more specifically the ‘Things to Do as Soon as you Get into Your Cruise Cabin’. It will vary between cruise lines and even the cabin that you have booked, so this is a generalised guide to make the time in your room more comfortable and relaxing.
We’re always excited to see our cabin as soon as we can, so after we board and complete the safety briefing that’s our first stop, if we’re allowed. Depending on the time you board and the cruise line, you may have to wait in designated areas as the cleaners finish the cabins. Carnival Cruise Line has a set time when all passengers can access their cabins, whereas P&O allow you to head there as soon as you board.
Of course, there are plenty of regular cruisers who aren’t bothered about heading to their rooms and instead stay by the pool or in the bars. But we like to get any unpacking done and set up our room how we like it, before the ship sets sail. As to what you do, we’ll leave that up to you, but if it’s your first ever cruise then you’ll probably want to hit the ground running by settling in.
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What Should I Do When I Enter My Stateroom
As we have mentioned above these items will vary depending on your cabin type and even the cruise line, you’re on. But if you follow the relevant ones then we’re sure you’ll end embarkation day feeling relaxed, excited and comfy in your new surroundings.
Take a Photo or Video of Your Cabin
The moment you arrive in your cabin is probably the tidiest it will look throughout your entire stay, so why not take a picture or video. Not only can you show friends and family how wonderful your room is, but you can also look at it in the future and reminisce about the amazing place you stayed during your trip.
We’ve sometimes looked back at pictures of our previous cabins, because we’re trying to remember what facilities they had if we’ve booked the same ship again. Amenities such as kettles, shampoo, body wash and fridges can be important for passengers. We’ll admit that we loved having a kettle in our room whenever we have cruised with P&O.
Also, if there are any problems with the room, then it would be wise to take pictures in case you need them for the future. But hopefully any photos you take will all revolve around happy memories.
Get Used to the Cabin Layout
Even if you’ve cruised before, each cruise line and ship can have very different layouts in their cabins. So, it would make sense that after you’ve taken any photos, you’ll want to look around and work out where everything is and how it works.
Unless you’ve booked a suite, then the reality is your room won’t exactly be massive so it’s not like you can get lost in there. But things will work differently, and wardrobes will be different, so you’ll want to spend a few minutes looking around at what cupboard space you have, where the sockets are, if there’s a hairdryer and kettle and so on.
Another reason to check over the room is to see if you’re missing anything or in need of anything. You may not be aware of this but there are certain extras you can ask the room steward for, such as towels and hangers. The hangers will be metal ones, but it made our life easier on our last cruise to spread our clothes out a little more.
Of course, it can take a couple of days before you really get to know your cabin and the ship. But it would make sense to get your bearings on day one, because it will make unpacking much easier.
Check that Everything Works
Once you’ve worked out where everything is, you will want to make sure that it all works. This includes ensuring the patio doors slide, the TV turns on and toilet flushes, the air conditioning works, and the mattress and pillows are comfortable. Finally test the plugs / sockets in the cabin to make sure they work. You don’t want to be surprised when you’re getting ready, or a devices battery is dying.
This will take a few minutes but will make the rest of your stay more enjoyable. If there are any problems, then simply let the cabin steward know, and they can contact maintenance to have it fixed.
Use Anti-Bacterial Wipes to Sanitise Your Cabin
We have to be honest, we thought that this was something that only we did, but from our research it seems many other people do the same. We’ll start by stating that your room will have been cleaned before your arrival and we’re not suggesting that the cabin steward hasn’t done a good job. But sadly, they are given very little time between cruises to clean through a large number of rooms, so things may not be as pristine as you’d like.
This is why we like to be prepared and wipe over the main areas of our cabin with anti-bacterial wipes. Most of the time we’ve found little or no stains, dirt or dust, but there have been the odd occasions where we are glad we did a clean. It takes a few minutes to do, and you’ll have the peace of mind that everywhere is fresh as a daisy.
You can focus on the main areas such as any surfaces, cupboards, toilet seat, the sink area in the bathroom, switches, doorknobs, and the TV remote. We have a feeling that the cabin stewards don’t clean in the cupboards, so even if you simply wipe down there, you’ll have the comfort that your clothes are being kept somewhere clean.
Unpack Your Suitcases and Hang Up Your Clothes
You’ve checked your room and it’s all fresh and clean, so it makes sense that the next thing you will want to do is unpack. Although you will have parted with your suitcases in the terminal, you’ll have been lugging your hand baggage with you as you wait for access to your room. So, we’re sure that you’ll be grateful to get rid of it in your cabin.
How much you can unpack will depend upon when you receive your suitcase, so initially it may only be your hand luggage. But if you’re lucky and get the rest of your cases quickly, then why not unpack and get it over and done with. Once you’re done, you’ll have access to everything you need and then you can head out and explore the ship. We’ve always aimed to get unpacked as soon as possible, yes it’s a bit of a chore, but it feels like our vacation has truly started once it’s done. It’s strange but the simple process of unpacking can really make you feel at home instantly.
Related Guide – What to Pack for a Cruise – List of Cruise Essentials
Put Away Any Valuables in The Safe
Pretty much all cruise lines offer a free safe in every stateroom, so once you have unpacked, we’d advise that you place any valuables in there. This should include money, jewellery, passports and other documents, medications, personal keys and any expensive electronics. The safe is normally opened by a code or your cruise card, which is the card you use to open the cabin door and pay for drinks etc.
Alike cleaning the cabin, we’re not suggesting that the cabin stewards would steal from you. But it’s wise to be safe, especially when it comes to documents or currency that you will need when you go ashore. It’s also worth noting that some insurance companies won’t pay out for valuables stolen from your cabin, if you have been provided with a safe.
Meet Your Cabin Attendant
During our first cruise we went to the cabin and began cleaning the room and unpacking. As we did this, we were surprised that there was a knock on the door, and we were introduced to our cabin attendant, also known as a steward. This is a normal process on every cruise, with every cruise line. The attendant is the person responsible for cleaning your cabin each day and providing you with anything you need for your room.
The attendant will tell you their name and sometimes hand you a card with their details on. They tend to ask your name (it will astound you when they remember it days later) and ask if everything is ok with your room. Finally, they’ll ask if you have a preferred time to clean the room each day, because they normally work set hours. You can of course put a sign out to indicate you don’t want to be disturbed, but the attendant will try and slot you into your preferred time of day. The meeting is only a couple of minutes because they will be busy, but it’s a lovely start to your cruise vacation.
Read Over Any Information or Leaflets in Your Cruise Cabin
When you arrive in your room you will see there will be a few leaflets on the cabins dressing table. Some of it will be the usual selling pamphlets, but there will also be information which you may need to know, such as a mandatory safety briefing. So, take a moment to look through and then you can place them in a draw.
If you have safety videos playing on the TV, then why not take a moment to watch them so you’re comfortable with any procedures. But also, just double check there are enough life jackets in the wardrobe for everyone in your room. Once that’s done then you can forget about it all and focus on having fun.
For any prebooked shore excursions, you may find tickets in your room, or information about the day. But if you’re unsure then head over to guest services and ask what the procedure for excursions is.
Although this doesn’t connect to your cabin, we just thought we’d mention it. If you head to your cabin before completing the muster drill, then our advice would be to go there next. We tend to go the minute we get on the ship, so we can get it out of the way. The International Convention of Safety of Life at Sea’s regulations state that all passengers must attend this safety exercise within 24 hours of a ship’s departure. The ship cannot sail unless all passengers have completed the muster station drill. It takes a few minutes and although we hope you would never need it, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Take In the Views
If you’re in an inside cabin then you’ll want to skip this one, but we wanted to give those with balconies a moment to appreciate their room. We regularly book inside cabins, but there’s something special about having a view of the ocean and port. If you’ve followed our guide then you’ve worked hard making the room comfortable, so take a moment and look out at the endless water ahead of you.
Download the Cruise Line App
One of the major changes that Covid introduced was a move away from paper-based entertainment guides, to online apps. More and more cruise lines now do everything via their apps, including booking shows, restaurants and information on menus and activities. We have seen some reintroduce the paper sheets, but having the app is much handier. If you have reached your room and still haven’t downloaded the app then now is the time to do so, especially if you’re going to turn airplane mode on. The apps tend to work with airplane mode on and they use the ships Wi-Fi at no charge to you. To register or log in, most cruise lines will ask for your name and cabin number or folio number; it’s that simple. If you have an inside room, you may need to head up to the lido deck to get signal.
Put Your Phone on Airplane Mode
When you’re out in the ocean your mobile device will show that you have connected to ‘cellular at sea’. The roaming charge for cellular at sea is far higher than any land-based provider, so our advice is to make sure you put your mobile on airplane mode before you leave the port. We have heard of stories where cruisers have received phone bills in the thousands, because of silly mistakes such as keeping their data activated.
Weirdly we enjoy the fact that we cannot access any data as we sail, it gives us a real break from life and social media. But if staying connected is important to you then check out the internet packages. We’ve been told that it’s cheaper to book in advance, but we’re not sure if that is true or not. Personally, we have never paid for the ships wi-fi, because cruising friends have told us that it’s quite spotty and not worth the money.
Activate Your Wi-Fi Package
If you have chosen to purchase the Wi-Fi package, then we’d recommend that you activate it as soon as possible. The process tends to be straightforward, but it can vary between cruise lines. You will want to sort out any issues as soon as you can, especially because you’re paying enough to use it. If you struggle, then head to guest services and they will be able to help. Then you can upload pictures to your social media accounts and show friends and family the incredible time you’re having.
Change Clothes and Freshen Up
You’ve got your cabin feeling all homely and you’re eager to get out and see what’s available on the ship. But you’ve been travelling, whether that’s flying in or coming from a hotel you stayed over the night before. So why not freshen up and get ready to enjoy your evening, especially if you’re eating early and then going straight to the entertainment. Changing your clothes from the ones you have travelled in, just adds to the feeling that the vacation has started.
We would always recommend taking spare clothes in your hand luggage, because you never know how long until you get your suitcases. We had a situation on one cruise where the ship had set sail and our cases hadn’t been delivered, even though we had boarded hours earlier, as you can imagine we were slightly panicked. But the cases arrived, and we could unpack, it was just much later than we had expected.
Check Out the Entertainment Planner
Now time for the fun stuff, because you’ll be eager to get out into the ship and enjoy the entertainment. Within your room you should find your entertainment guide which details what shows, games, bands and even meetings are happening throughout the ship.
Although there tends to be less offered on embarkation day, mainly because it can be a little chaotic, you should still find plenty to enjoy. The entertainment planners are essential to help you plan your days on the ship. We have to admit we prefer the app versions of the guide, but if yours is paper based then make sure you pop it in your bag to take with you. If the cruise line has an entertainment app, but you prefer a paper copy then simply ask your cabin steward.
One of the great parts of the guide is that it will give you an idea as to what entertainment is offered in each area of the ship. When you first step on a ship it can feel huge, so getting an idea of what each deck has on it and where the main entertainment is, will really help you find your way. We tend to finish in our cabin and wander around each deck on day one, because suddenly the ship feels much smaller.
The guides also provide other information such as emergency numbers, rules and things you may need to be aware of such as the time when the ship will sail.
Decorate Your Cabin Door
For the Europeans out there, you may not know that decorating your cabin door is incredibly popular in America. Our first few cruises all went from America, and we loved to see the unique ways cruisers decorated their doors. So, when we did our first European cruise it was a shock to see very few doors had any magnets or signs on them.
You can purchase fun items on Amazon such as these quirky Cruise themed door magnets.
Some cruise lines such as Carnival have room decorating packages which you can purchase for special occasions such as a birthday, anniversary or graduation. This means your room will already be decorated when you arrive.
We have seen some travellers will purchase magnets in the ports and then place their collection on the cabin door. But we’ll prewarn you that some people aren’t so nice, and we have heard of them being stolen.
The cutest door decoration we have ever seen was a white board where the cruiser would leave a question, and people would answer it as they walked past. It was super fun and a great way to connect with other people on the ship.
This will take you a couple of minutes to do, but alike unpacking it will really make you feel settled and ready to start your incredible trip. Yes, it will take a bit of forethought, but it’ll be worth it because every time you return to your cabin it will make you smile. It’s also a great way to identify your cabin after a few drinks.
Make Use of The Mini Fridge
In every cruise cabin we have had, there has always been an empty mini fridge. But we have heard that some cruise lines offer drinking items in their fridges at an additional cost, which you can ask to have removed. If like us you have an empty fridge, then make the most of it and put any bottles or cold snacks you’ve brought with you in there.
We like to buy drinks in each port as we travel, but we know that cruise lines have different rules on what you can bring onboard. We’d recommend you check out their policy beforehand or simply buy something cheap in the first port and see if it’s allowed on.
Sometimes the fridge in the room may not feel that cold, due to being fully enclosed. So we have this handy little cruise fridge hack to keep our drinks nice and cool.
Book Entertainment and Restaurant Reservations
You may have been able to prebook a lot of your entertainment such as the shows and even some of the restaurants. But if not, then why not make sure you get it all sorted after you arrive in the cabin and before your holiday truly begins. Depending on the cruise line you sometimes have to ensure you prebook shows, whereas others you can simply turn up.
Extras such as spa appointments and speciality dining can fill up quickly, so take a look as soon as you can. Spas tend to be quieter on port days and you may find there are more discounts available towards the end of the cruise.
Of course, not every activity on the cruise will need a reservation, so our advice is to do your research and make sure you know what to do. Facebook groups are a great way of finding out the normal processes of your cruise line.
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There’s a great feeling when you walk into your cabin for the first time, knowing it’s going to be your home for the duration of your vacation. To make it feel more comfortable there are a few things you’ll want to get out of the way, so you can head out for the first evening knowing it’s all done.
We hope this covers everything you’ll need to consider, but there may be more items you’d also want to do. Even though cruise lines and cabins can vary, we’re sure that this list will be useful for many of you.
Because cruising is such a big bucket list option, we want to bring you as much information as we can to make your experience an enjoyable one. We have written many guides on cruising including.
- What Compensation Will I Get for Missed Cruise Ports
- What are Back-to-Back Cruises?
- What You Need to Think About When Planning Your First Cruise – Tips for First Time Cruisers
- Cruise Ship Bucket List – The Ultimate List for Cruisers
Make sure you tag us on Instagram if you end up taking a cruise vacation, we love to see what you’re up to as you tick off your bucket lists.