What You Need to Think About When Planning Your First Cruise – Tips for First Time Cruisers

Some of you out there would never consider booking a cruise, whether it’s a fear of the open water or pre-conceived ideas about what cruising means. If you’re adamant it’s a no for cruise vacations, then this content probably isn’t for you. But for those who would consider heading out to the open seas and are looking at booking your first ever cruise, then we’re here to help by answering the top beginners’ questions. We’ve created this guide on what you need to think about when you’re planning your first cruise, because we’re not going to lie, there can be a lot to pre-plan and give thought to.

Cruising can feel a little confusing for newbies, but once you get into the swing of things we know you’re going to fall in love with this type of vacation. We took our first cruise in 2016 and have done lots of itineraries since, including the Norwegian Fjords, Greek islands, Mediterranean and Panama Canal.

So, let’s get down to the basics and give you everything you need to know to begin planning your incredible cruise vacation.

Related Guide – Cruise Ship Bucket List – The Ultimate List for Cruisers

Frequently Asked Question by New Cruisers

Hopefully by the end of this guide we’ll have covered everything you’ll need to think about as you plan your first cruise. We’re going to get down to the basics, so that we can cover everything.

What Cruise Itinerary Should I Book?

There are so many cruise itineraries around the world, that this one is a little difficult to answer. Itinerary basically means the ports or countries that you’ll visit during your cruise.

When deciding where you want to visit, you’ll have a number of factors to consider. Namely where you’re based in the world, how much you want to spend, the places you want to visit and if you’re willing to fly. We know of friends who don’t like to fly, so all their cruises begin from the United Kingdom. Whereas we are happy to fly to another country to switch up the itineraries.

Another thing to consider is the kind of weather you’re happy with, because there are some locations where the likelihood of sunshine is small, for example Norway. During our Norway cruise in June 2022, we spent most of the trip wet and cold, so even though it was a beautiful location, the weather made it difficult to see everything we had planned. Other itineraries such as the Caribbean have a higher chance of sunshine, so you just have to decide if you’re travelling for the weather or the locations.

Currently the best cruise itineraries around the world are.

• The Caribbean,
• Norwegian Fjords,
• The Panama Canal,
• Greece,
• Mediterranean,
• Alaska,
• The Bahamas,
• New Zealand and Australia,
• Polynesian Islands,
• Trans-Atlantic,
• Asia,
• South America,
• Iceland,
• Antarctica.

What Cruise Line Should I Choose – Which is the Best?

We’re not as experienced as many of the cruise bloggers out there, but we have travelled on a number of Carnival ships, two P&O ships and one of the Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL) ships. So, we can make comparisons between each cruise line, because surprisingly each ship is different when considering what they offer passengers. This makes the answer to the question ‘what cruise line should I choose’ another tough one to answer, because what you really want to think about is which one is suitable for you. Here are some things to consider when choosing.

• Do you prefer adult only or are you taking kids with you, and as such entertainment is important for them. Yes, there are adult only ships including Virgin and some of the smaller P&O ships.
• How much do you have to spend, because certain lines such as Royal Caribbean and Disney tend to be far more expensive than options such as Carnival.
• What itineraries are offered by the various cruise lines. This will depend on the time of year, because many ships which are based in Europe through the summer, will head to the Caribbean during the winter.
• How many nights are you wanting to book, you’ll find anything from 2 or 3 nights to a few months. You could always do ‘back-to-back’ cruises, which is a term used to describe someone who books two or more itineraries back-to-back on the same ship. So you’ll finish one trip and simply stay onboard for the next one (and so on).
• Are you looking for something fancy such as Cunard where you’ll be expected to dress up for the evening. Or a ship with a relaxed party vibe such as Carnival, Celebrity and Princess Cruises, where the only time you’re asked to dress up is on gala or formal nights.
• For those of you with food preferences, allergies or intolerances, you’ll be concerned about what is available for you on each cruise line. We have specific food preferences and intolerances, so we have first hand experience of the difficulties that many go through. Some cruise lines are better than others, although we have seen an overall improvement in the understanding of food intolerances. We have found cruise lines such as P&O have a greater understanding overall, with staff being trained and much of the buffet section having full ingredients on their labelling. You’ll also find a Vegan and Gluten Free section on all P&O ships which is sadly lacking on many others and their vegan desserts are insanely good, especially the cheesecake.
• What facilities are available? This is an important one because although most of them will have various forms of entertainment, pools and restaurants, the type offered will depend on the cruise line and ship. Some of the mega ships have numerous restaurants, cinemas, ice rinks, rollercoasters, water parks and multiple pools. Cruise ships are literal floating resorts, and the bigger the ship, the more that is available. The only downside to the larger ships is the fact that you will have more passengers, which means longer queues for most things such as embarking and disembarking at ports.

You will know most of the popular cruise lines, but just in case you’re really new to the world of cruising, then here are the main ones.

• Royal Caribbean,
• Carnival Cruise Line,
• P&O Cruise Line,
• MSC Cruises,
• Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL),
• Virgin Cruises,
• Princess Cruises,
• Celebrity Cruises,
• Cunard,
• Costa Cruises,
• Marella Cruises,
• Holland America Line.

As you can imagine the luxury cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean are classed as the best, although not everyone can afford them. But what you should be looking for is which line is the best for you and whoever you’re travelling with. Our first cruise was on one of the smaller Carnival ships and although now it would seem tiny to us, at that moment in time it was pretty overwhelming. We can’t imagine how we’d have felt trying to find our way around some of the mega cruise ships such as the new Royal Caribbean Icon of the Seas.

If you’re cruising for the first time then aim for the larger brands above, because they can offer you more competitive prices as well as better itineraries. Many of the smaller ports around Europe will give the larger cruise brands priority over small cruise lines, which means you will dock faster and be closer to the main attractions. This can really be advantageous if you’re docked for a short period of time.

In reality many of the cruise ships have similar facilities, so you’ll find lots of crossovers between each line. Most will offer buffets on the lido deck, there will be movies shown somewhere on the ship and we’d be surprised if there wasn’t an adult only pool somewhere. Our advice is to look at YouTube videos of the ship and see if it has everything you’re looking for. If there are specifics, such as dietary requirements, then you’ll find lots of online sites from other travellers offering their expertise.

Do I Need to Use a Travel Agent to Book my Cruise?

In all honesty, no. This is completely up to you, whether you want the help and advice of a travel agent or you want to look around and do it yourself. Remember that just because someone is a travel agent, it doesn’t mean they are an expert on cruises.

Our tip would be to begin by checking out the site Seascanner, because they give you the ability to filter all cruises using your preferences. This will at least reduce the amount available so you can look through them for preferred cruise lines, itineraries and prices. Then you can either contact a travel agent or look directly on the cruise lines websites to see what they offer. We have booked our last few cruises with Seascanner, mainly because the price has been cheaper than booking direct with the cruise line.

If all of this sounds too much work, then make sure the travel agent you use has some specialist knowledge on cruises. The agent should be able to advise you based on your preferences, but they can also help should something go wrong. Sometimes agents can get you extra perks such as onboard credit, and the best part is you can use their services free of charge.

When is the Best Time to Cruise?

Alike many of the other questions, this will have a number of preceding things you will need to consider. The first is where you’re planning on going, if you’re thinking about places in Europe then you’ll tend to find more cruises are offered in the summer. We have been on cruises in the winter months, but there isn’t as many available as during the summer. They tend to be around Spain, Portugal and Italy, but you will find some head to the Baltic region so cruisers can visit the Christmas Markets. During our cruise on the P&O Iona in November 2023, we sailed around Spain and although we saw some sunshine it wasn’t very warm.

During winter most cruise lines will send their ships to the Caribbean and warmer countries. You’ll see an increase in itineraries in the spring and summer months, from around April. Norwegian cruises tend to be popular during June and July, mainly because you’ll have a better chance with the weather. Likewise, if you fancy some Caribbean sun then maybe the summer isn’t the best time to head there, because it will be crazy hot and busy, plus you’ll be paying higher prices for your cruise.

Of course, if you’re sailing out of the summer season, you’ll find that the cruise prices tend to be cheaper and there are fewer kids.

Related Guide – P&O Cruise Line Iona – Deck Plans, Entertainment and Cruising Tips.

Will I Get Seasick on a Cruise?

This was the main question we had when we thought about booking our first ever cruise. We’d suffered from sea sickness on small vessels such as ferries and even a pedalo. So, the thought of spending 4 nights on a cruise ship and constantly feeling sick, was unbearable.

We’ll start off by saying that most cruise ships are HUGE! And yes, that makes a difference when you compare them to smaller vessels. The cruise ship has built in stabilisers which minimises the swaying feeling as it moves. We travelled to the Bahamas on our first cruise and didn’t feel nauseous once, but that’s not to say we’ve never had rough cruises. We’d be lying to you if we said that every cruise will be smooth sailing. There are occasions when you may suffer from seasickness, but they tend to be certain itineraries such as the Bay of Biscay and heading up to Norway and Iceland. There is a reduced risk in areas such as the Caribbean but remember that storms can occur. We sailed through a Nor’easter once, which was an experience.

In those circumstances preparation is key, and there are lots of ways to help reduce the nausea. Our favourite is Sea Bands, which are also great if you feel sickly on rollercoasters.

We have written a guide on ‘How to Prevent Seasickness on a Cruise’, which offers effective remedies to banish that nausea. Interestingly it even includes ginger and green apples. Our advice is to have a few of these remedies ready to go for the ‘just in case’, but hopefully you shouldn’t find it bad at all.

What Type of Cabin Should I Book?

Generally, there are four types of cabins on most cruise ships which are inside cabin, ocean view cabin, balcony cabin and suites. Depending on the ship you will find variations to these, for example on the smaller Carnival ships there are interior rooms with windows, which sounds strange but it’s basically the rooms which have lifeboats in front of them. As such, you may have a large window, but there’s little view and sunlight found in the room. Also, most of the cruise lines have a number of types of suites which can mean larger rooms and added luxuries such as a bath, to full on apartment style cabins and VIP services like a butler.

As you can imagine the inside cabins are the cheapest, mainly because they can be a little smaller and offer no views. But before you rule them out, just think of the benefits of this, mainly a super dark room to help you sleep, no noisy passengers on adjoining balconies and your first view of the port, is when you head up to the lido deck. We love waiting until we reach the top deck of the ship for our first view of a port. Sometimes it’s the run of the mill working port, but then you have those rare beauties such as Skjolden and Olden in Norway, or Kotor in Montenegro which will take your breath away.

Next up are the ocean view cabins and they will obviously be on the outside of the ship, but they tend to be on the lower decks. You won’t get much of a view of the port when you dock, but it is nice to have natural light in the room and you can watch the waves rolling past as you take that well earned rest in bed.

Balcony rooms are more expensive and most of the time they will come with a larger cabin, private outdoor space and of course, a view. Sometimes picking balcony level rooms will bring additional perks such as express check in, so that may be worth the increased price. Interestingly we’ve seen a variety of balcony rooms, and you would expect that most will have sunbeds on them, but they are quite small and only offer space for a couple of chairs.

Suites are another level and tend to run into the thousands, so they’re a real VIP experience. We have friends who experienced staying in a suite, but they were upgraded for free. Although they enjoyed it, they didn’t feel it was worth the price that most other people would pay.

So which cabin will you choose? This is a difficult decision for every first-time cruiser, because you have no idea what to expect. Everyone has an opinion with some saying you should get a balcony and others claiming that ocean view is the best.

Our advice would be to look for online videos on platforms such as YouTube. Once you have chosen the cruise line and ship you want to sail on, then google the various cabin sizes and see what you think. Lots of travel bloggers have made your life easier, by videoing around the various cabins so you can see whether it’s ideal for you and your family. During our cruise on the P&O Iona, we were shocked that some of their balcony suites were on a walking deck. So, as you were sat relaxing on your balcony, other passengers could walk past your room reducing your privacy. Having looked online first, you would be better prepared for experiences such as this, but its important to note that for many cruise lines you won’t discover what deck or cabin you’re booked into until you check in.

Other aspects to consider are what your budget size is, whether space is essential for your family, if you’re concerned about being seasick (the location of the cabin can affect the motion you feel on the ship) and if you’re desperate for a sea view. If seasickness is a concern, then aim for midship lower decks. But again, as we have mentioned above, most of the time you won’t have the option to choose your cabin, it will be given to you at the point of check in. If you want to have the option of choosing, then you will have to pay for the privilege.

Finally, the type of cruise you are looking for or your usual holiday style are worth considering. For instance, if you are cruising around Norway, then lots of people like to book balcony rooms so they can enjoy the stunning views of the fjords as you sail between ports. Balconies also tend to be popular with people who like a more relaxed cruise. If you plan on doing lots of excursions so you’ll be off exploring most of the day, then you may want to consider an inside room to keep the upfront cost as low as possible.

For those of you interested in what we tend to choose, then we like to spend as little as we can, so we opt for inside cabins; unless there’s an incredible offer. When deciding where abouts on the ship then we’d aim to be closer to the entertainment on the lower decks, over the higher decks where the lido and pools can be found. But this is purely our preference, and you’ll need to weight up what you’re looking for, against the other aspects such as cost and availability.

What is Included in the Cruise?

This depends on what you book, so we’ll look at the basics of what most passengers can expect without paying for extras.

At the point you book, the price you pay will include the cost of the cabin, gratuities, port fees and taxes. As you would expect there are always variations to this, for example Carnival allow you to remove gratuities from the initial booking and instead you can pay as part of your final bill. We have heard of passengers who will complain at guest services the day before disembarkation and ask for gratuities to be removed, because they’ve had a bad experience with members of staff. This is their right to do so, but just take into consideration that the overall gratuity amount will cover many staff members throughout the ship, not just the ones you see on a day-to-day basis. You can give additional gratuities throughout your trip to certain members of staff. We like to tip the cleaner of our cabin and our waiter in the main restaurant.

Other than gratuities the other costs are as you would expect, but something else to look out for involves port fees. If for some reason you cannot dock at a port, or you have to dock somewhere else, then you will receive some or all of that specific ports fees back as cruise credit to your account. If this happens to you, then you can also claim on your insurance if you have ‘missed port cover,’ but we’ll discuss this further in our section on travel insurance below. We couldn’t dock at one port due to poor weather and later found that credit had been added to our account.

During a cruise the basic package will include all your food within the main dining area, buffet and most of the casual dining spots. Within these dining locations you’ll find hot and cold drinks such as tea, coffee, water and some juices, and they are all free. Drinks such as soda/pop, some hot drinks (speciality tea and coffee) and alcoholic drinks are available at an additional cost, unless you have purchased a drinks package. Every cruise ship will have speciality restaurants which are not included within your cruise package.

Aside from food you’ll also enjoy incredible entertainment which will vary between cruise lines, but includes theatre style shows, comedians, gameshows, silent discos and high-quality musical performers. Most have movies on board, whether its on the lido deck via a big screen or in the ships very own cinema. Then you have access to the fitness centre, hot tubs, pools, dance classes and even lectures. Some cruise lines such as P&O still offer ballroom lessons, whereas others we have been on, offer basic Spanish language classes, just to give you an example of the things you can enjoy.

For passengers with children, you’ll be pleased to know that the kid’s clubs are included in the cost of your cruise. There can be additional charges such as babysitting clubs outside of the normal hours.

There are some facilities which will always come at an additional cost on every cruise line. This includes anything Spa related such as treatments and even use of the facilities. Then you have shore excursions which come at an additional cost, but we always recommend researching each port before you go. Some are ideal for simply wandering about, whereas others you can use local tour operators at cheaper prices. But if you’re worried about doing that and missing the ship, then the safest option will always be booking with the cruise line.

On most cruise ships you’ll find photographers walking around or stood in specific pretty locations, ready to take your photo. Taking the picture is free (obviously), but if you want to take it home then you’ll have to buy it. Normally there’s a 24-hour delay so they can either print the picture or load it to a specialist online photo gallery which is connected to your cabin number.

Do I Need Travel Insurance?

As Brits we’ve always had travel insurance wherever we go, but it’s only recently a friend of ours who lives in America told us that it’s not a common practice in the USA. We’ll admit this made us wince, because we have needed our insurance a couple of times, and we were grateful for it.

Sadly, things happen, whether you have to cancel your trip or there’s an issue during the cruise. We had to put in a claim after a cruise in 2022, because one of us fell and ended up in a French hospital with a fractured ankle. Our insurance paid for the hospital bill, which thankfully wasn’t too expensive, but we have also used it when one of us was too ill to fly and we had to cancel a vacation.

There are lots of situations on top of these which can ruin a cruise vacation, so having a back-up such as insurance just makes sense. As well as medical issues, it may be that the flight to your cruise is cancelled, and you can’t get there in time.

If you make the decision to get travel insurance, then typically basic insurance will not cover cruising.  So, make sure you get a package which has cruise cover included, just be aware that it will probably cost a little more. It’s also worth checking if it covers missed ports, as we mentioned earlier, ships can skip a port due to unforeseen circumstances like inclement weather. If this happens then the insurance company will pay out a set amount of compensation for missed ports, this can sometimes be in the hundreds per port, so it can be a worthwhile investment.

We tend to use comparison sites to find our travel insurance and we have never found it to be too extortionate.

Related Guide – French Hospital Bill – How to Pay Using PayFip

Do I Need Ballgowns and Tuxedos for my Cruise? – Lets Discuss Dress Codes

Similar to the concern about seasickness, this was another one of our biggest worries. The thought of dressing up every night really put us off from booking cruises in the past, but friends explained that cruising had come a long way from ‘The Love Boat.’

Each cruise line will have different dress codes for different occasions, so if this is important to you then do a bit of research on which cruise line you prefer. The likes of Carnival and Celebrity are much more relaxed with their dress code, even during the meals in the main dining room. There are some such as Cunard with stricter rules, but this tends to revolve around evening meals and entertainment. Popular cruise lines such as MSC, P&O and Royal Caribbean will have rules for specific areas, but again they will be more relaxed than you imagine.

From our experience you can wear beach wear on the lido deck, but when you go into the buffet area you will be expected to put on clothing such as shorts, t-shirt and flip flops. In the main dining area for most nights, it can be smart casual, but they will have specific Gala or Formal nights where dresses or ball gowns and suits or tuxedos can be worn. This can also impact some of the bars and speciality restaurants on the ship, but they will prewarn you within their information sheet or on their app. If the thought of dragging a suit and ball gown on your holiday sounds hellish, then on those nights you can always go to the buffet restaurant instead. It is lovely to see everyone walking around in their swanky clothes and posing for pictures with the photographers.

Some cruise lines even have themed nights, so make sure you take a look at your booking or the website before you travel. After our first cruise we realised that we had panicked over nothing, and you can dress up as much or as little as you want. Yes, there are some rules, but they won’t impact you too much and there are always work arounds.

Will the Cruise Line Cater for Allergies, Intolerances or Food Preferences?

We’ve discussed this slightly above, but cruise lines have significantly improved their understanding of food preferences over the years. We’re not going to lie and say we have had incredible experiences on every cruise, because we haven’t. But we can see changes being made for people with allergies, intolerances or food preferences such as vegan and vegetarian.

Some cruise lines have special dietary staff who can help you around the ship, for example Carnival has the ‘Menu Mate’. These are specific members of staff who are trained in dietary support. They tend to be in the buffet restaurant during the day and in the main dining room at night. When we used menu mate, they would help us with picking food in the evening and walk around the buffet restaurant telling us what we could eat for our preferences.

Other cruise lines such as P&O have the same system for their evening meals, but we love what they do in the buffet area. Where you find the labels saying what each dish is, on the back is the full list of ingredients and any allergens. The best part of this is the fact that we don’t have to find anyone to ask, we can simply look ourselves.

On all ships they will request that if you have allergies or food difficulties, you should prebook your meals for the following night in the main dining room. This makes sense, because they can ensure everything is catered specially for you. Our advice is to still be vigilant, because the chefs are catering to thousands of people and mix ups will happen. We’ve been given meat and dairy products, even though we’re vegan with a dairy intolerance.

Most cruise ships have fridges in the cabin so if you’re concerned about getting food, then why not bring some basics on with you. We always bring wraps, sauces and snacks so that we have a variation of food. Also ask at any burger bars if they have a vegan burger, it will surprise you the amount of cruise lines who supply them, but they’re never promoted on the menus.

If food is a big concern for you then make sure as you book, you add your preferences to the booking. Also do your research, because there are plenty of blogs and vlogs available explaining what to do and the kind of food that is available.

Can I Bring Booze Onboard?

We’re going to admit, we don’t actually have an answer for this one. It will depend on where you are sailing from, the ports you are visiting and the cruise line. The best place to start is to check the cruise lines policy, because some will allow you to bring a specified amount when you embark, whether its bottles of wine or spirits and they can change at any time. For instance, P&O recently amended their policy, prohibiting spirits being brought on board during embarkation.

Some allow you to buy alcohol at the various ports and bring them on board to drink. We have incredible memories of drinking port we bought in Porto and beautiful French wines as we watched the sun set over the endless ocean views.

Other cruise lines will take any alcohol you purchase off you until you disembark, so our advice is to purchase something small in your first port. We tend to grab a cheap bottle of wine or a few beers and see if security will let them through.

It is easier to simply purchase the drinks packages, but they can be expensive. Also, many cruise lines have bottles of alcohol which can be bought through room service, such as vodka or rum; again we’re thinking more specifically of P&O.

We personally bring some wine and spirits with us when we embark and then try to purchase local beers and wines during our cruise. We’ve had some amazing beers as we have sailed, especially around Europe.

For those of you who are prefer non alcoholic options, then you’ll be pleased to know that most cruise lines have a few basic beer, mocktail and cider options. But we were shocked at the variety of alcohol-free beers and wines in many of the European ports, one of our favourites was Tallinn in Estonia.

Walking around the ship with your drinks can feel a little strange, but in all honesty no one even looks. We tend to fill up a water bottle with our spirits and buy soda at the bar and top it up. If we have wine, then we keep a glass in the cabin’s fridge so that it’s cool and head back to the room every time we want a top up. If all of this seems a hassle, we get it, but wow you save a fortune bringing your own drinks on board. Many cruise lines will levy a corkage fee if you want to bring your own wine into the main dining room, so just make sure you check the rules before attempting it.

Should I Contact Banks and Take Some Local Currency?

We’ve had a situation in the past where our bank has contacted us during a trip or stopped us from being able to use our card. So, we now ensure whenever we travel that we let them know. Many banks have systems where you can inform them of the travel dates and countries that you will be visiting. This is especially important during cruises where you can be visiting a number of countries in a short period of time.

Also think about whether you will need any currency for your cruise, although most places will accept credit card payments, you may need small denominations for tips.

Things I Wish I Knew Before My Cruise

• Cruises are great for solo travellers – If you’re new to cruising and envisage that it’s all about couples and families, then we’re here to tell you that you’re wrong. We’ve met lots of people cruising on their own and it’s the perfect way to travel solo. Not only will you meet other people as you wander around the ship, but you’ll also be introduced to other cruisers in the main dining restaurant. Plus, most cruise ships have single meet ups, to help anyone who is looking to make friends.
• Cruising is for all ages – There is a common misconception that cruising is for the older travellers, but this is completely inaccurate. Over the last couple of decades, the cruising industry has moved away from the stereotype of ballgowns and tuxedos, to a more family friendly vibe. Many of the newer cruise lines advertise themselves as ideal vacations for those of us who want a relaxed atmosphere as we travel. We have seen a myriad of ages during our cruises, especially now they have become more affordable.
• What to pack – In general you’ll want to pack the same things as you would for any other holiday, but obviously this will be dependent on where you are heading. Norway is a very different destination than the Caribbean, so you need to think about what you’ll be doing during your cruise. Is it more of a swimsuit or hiking boots and winter jacket kind of a trip. Bear in mind that if you’re visiting the main or speciality dining areas, then there may be specific dress codes you need to consider. Then you have the formal nights where dressier attire will be expected, but you can always skip the main dining restaurant on those occasions and head to the buffet which is more casual. The information sheets or apps will provide you each day with information on what the dress code is. Aside from your essential items we have created a ‘What to Pack for a Cruise’ guide, which will cover all the little extras you may not have considered. Don’t be too concerned about not bringing enough clothes, because all cruise lines offer laundry service and most have amenities where you can launder your own clothes, should you need to. We would recommend making sure you have plenty of medication and toiletries, because they can be expensive to buy on the ship and in the ports. There are long lists of prohibited items which you cannot bring on a cruise, and we have also listed them in the above guide. If you like to have plenty of towels and hangers, then don’t worry because you can ask your cabin steward for more. Finally, one of the biggest tips we can give you is to bring antibacterial wipes. Whenever we first get into our cabin, we will wipe down all surfaces and draws. Yes, the room will have been cleaned, but the cleaner must work through a large number of rooms in a short space of time, so this option just ensures extra cleanliness. Especially items such as the remote control for the TV which can be riddled with germs.
• There’s something for everyone – We’ve explained throughout this guide about the myriad of activities that are available onboard. Whether you simply want to relax by a pool the entire time, or you fancy learning a new skill such as ballroom dancing or creating towel art. Then add in the huge choice of excursions available and the incredible ports you’ll visit; basically, your trip can be as relaxed or busy as you want it to be. Our advice would be to make sure you have time for rest, because ports and excursions can be incredibly tiring. You cannot do it all, so pick your priorities and enjoy having some downtime as well, whether that’s an afternoon nap or chilling on your balcony. On most cruise ships there are adult only sections where you should find quieter spots.
• Join a Facebook group for your cruise – Most cruise itineraries will have their own Facebook group. Normally a passenger will have started the group, and you’ll have a mixture of new cruisers and experts. So, it’s the perfect place to ask any questions, get some great tips and meet people who will be on your trip. We always join Facebook groups whenever we book a cruise and they’ve been invaluable to us, we even met a good friend on one of the groups. If you want to know more about the ship, then you’ll find there are groups solely for the cruise line or ship itself.
• Download the cruise app – All of the cruise lines will have apps which you can download in advance of sailing. This is more prominent since Covid and in all honesty we much prefer it to receiving paper information sheets. What you can see on the app and what you can do, will depend on who you’re sailing with. Cruise lines such as Carnival have full activity itineraries on their app and menus to restaurants. Whereas P&O don’t have the full itinerary, but you can book into restaurants and shows on the app, plus they have drinks and food menus. The apps work on board, even if you don’t have the Wi-Fi package.
• Get to know your ship – We would always advise new cruisers to spend their first day wandering around the ship and getting to know it. But you could always prepare before you board the ship and look at deck plans online to work out where the main dining and entertainment areas are, or what decks the pools are on. Having knowledge on the ship will make your time during your vacation more enjoyable and you can think about the things you want to see and do beforehand. There are also ship tours on YouTube so you can visually familiarise yourself with a ship, we’ve uploaded a few to our Make a Bucket List channel.
• Carry the ships contact information with you – Having had an accident during a cruise and needing to go to a hospital, we know what the panic is like worrying that the ship will leave without you. Thankfully we made it back in time, but our big tip would be to carry the ships contact information with you. It tends to be provided in the daily newsletter, which is delivered to your cabin, or on the app. This means that if anything were to happen or go wrong, then you can contact them and let them know immediately.
• Research ports in advance – If you’re planning on booking cruise excursions then you probably won’t need to worry about researching the ports on your cruise. But for those of you who want to do it on your own, then this is an important element to getting the most out of your time in each location. Unlike some vacations such as city breaks, where you have time to wander about. During a cruise you don’t get a lot of time in each port, so it’s important to prepare what you want to do and where you want to go. There are plenty of online travel sites such as ours to help you, but we also recommend adding the locations to Google maps on your phone so you can work out which attraction to tick off first and go straight there.
• Pre-plan your excursions – If you prefer an easy life then you can simply book an excursion for each port. Because excursions are so popular, they can go fast, so once you book your cruise then we’d advise that you check out the available excursions and book any that you like the look of. We will state here that many of the excursions offered by cruise lines, are organised by local tour operators but at a higher price. You could always try and book directly with a local tour operator or through sites such as Viator, but you have the added risk that if there is a delay, the ship will leave without you. Whereas if you book through the cruise line then the ship will wait for all their excursions to return. Independent tours tend to offer more intimacy than those booked through the cruise line, for example the independent will be on minibuses whereas the cruise tours are on coaches. Because of this you can sometimes go to places which the cruise organised tours don’t.
• Sign up for activities and restaurants in advance – This will completely depend on the cruise line, because we didn’t feel that this was a necessity for any of the Carnival cruises we took, but it was vital for P&O because their shows and restaurants booked up fast. Speciality restaurants can be incredibly popular and as such you can struggle to get in, so if it’s important then make sure you prebook or do it on the first day you board.
• Research local customs and etiquette – One cruise itinerary can see its passengers visiting a number of countries, so every day can bring different customs. You can’t become an expert in each, and locals are used to tourists, but you can research some of the basics such as cultural norms, tipping practices and even dress codes; for example many religious buildings in Europe require legs and shoulders to be covered.
• Keep your phone in airplane mode – The end of your vacation can be tough, but it would feel even worse if you returned to a huge mobile bill. To ensure this doesn’t happen we would recommend keeping your mobile on flight mode during sea days and as you are sailing. Roaming charges out at sea can be very expensive, and most phone plans will not include data on cruise ships. The great thing about keeping it in plane mode is that you can still access the cruise ships app. If you want data to access social media or send messages, then we’d recommend paying for the ships Wi-Fi, although it can be quite spotty and sometimes not worth it.
• Check in online – When you can do this will depend on the cruise line, with some allowing you to check in 14 days before you set sail. After you have checked in you can then print off boarding passes and luggage tags in preparation for embarkation.
• Settling your bill – One of the perks of having the app is that your bill will be available on there to monitor throughout the cruise. So, if anything is added without your knowledge, you can query it that day. On disembarkation day you will receive a bill to your door, which will itemise all purchases on board whether that’s drinks, speciality restaurants, excursions, spa treatments or even treats from the shops. For most people the amount is automatically charged to the credit/debit card you entered during the check in process. If you want to pay for your bill by cash or use another card, then you should go to guest services the day before disembarkation. Just be aware that the final full sailing day is always insanely busy at guest services, also you won’t be able to add anymore charges to your bill once paid.
• Disembarkation day – They way you disembark will depend on what you do with your luggage. You can either leave it outside your cabin on the final sailing day, where it will be picked up by staff and transferred to the port terminal for you to collect. Or you can take any luggage with you off the ship when you leave. You will be asked to vacate your room and the ship at a specific time, so they can prepare for the next cruise. The time you leave the ship may not be the same as when you leave your cabin and as such you are waiting around in the public areas. The first option is great if you have physical difficulties and you’d struggle with heavy bags, but you will have to wait for your deck to be called to leave the ship. This is because your luggage may not have been removed and put into the port terminal. We personally prefer to take our luggage off the ship with us, because we can disembark sooner and not have to hang around.

Related Guide – What to Pack for a Norwegian Fjords Cruise

Hopefully with this guide and the many others we have on Make a Bucket List, you’ll be fully prepared for your first cruise. We understand it can feel a little daunting and you will have information and advice thrown at you from everywhere. But if you follow these basic guidelines then we’re sure you’ll have the time of your life. Cruising is a holiday like no other and once you’ve been on one, it can become addictive. Imagine visiting numerous cities, towns and countries in one trip, that alone makes it a wonderful experience. But then add in outstanding shows, endless delicious food and incredible entertainment, and you can see why so many people are fanatical about cruise vacations.

Should you decide to book, or you have already booked, then we wish you a wonderful time on your next cruise. Please tag us into your Instagram pictures, we love to see your adventures.