12 things I’d tell anyone new to cruise ship travel
When you first start cruising, you are swirling with various emotions such as excitement, anxiety, impatience, and hope.
Talking to my new cruiser reminds me of the ups and downs of pre-vacation planning when I first started cruising.
With over 20 years of cruising experience, I participate in the planning process on almost every cruise with a sort of “autopilot” feel. My brain is adjusting what to expect and what to do next in different scenarios.
Of course, I made a lot of Rookie Cruise mistakes along the way. Everyone learns along the way to becoming a veteran cruiser.
I just started and know what it’s like to have a mind full of doubts, anxieties and concerns.
So, if you’re new to cruise ships and looking for advice to help you prepare, here are 12 tips to help novice travelers avoid early mistakes.
1. don’t worry
Seeing all the things to consider when booking a cruise can be daunting.
It can be overwhelming right after you decide to take a cruise, but you can handle this kind of trip well.
Thanks to the fact that you’re asking these questions, you’re already a step ahead of most other cruisers that will be on board your ship.
Unfortunately, most people on cruise ships book the ship. While you may purchase a beverage package or internet plan before your cruise thanks to Royal Caribbean’s marketing emails, many simply go on vacation. You’re already asking the right questions, so this sets them up for more pitfalls than you.
Cruise ship holidays are designed to be so intimate that you can have a good time on board without doing any research beforehand. The fact that it includes more than a land vacation makes planning easier.
you will make mistakes Everyone does (including me). But that’s only part of the experience.
The good news is that by visiting this site and learning about cruises you can already avoid some common pitfalls and at the end of the cruise you will likely love the experience and want another trip. It means that it is very high quality.
2. Use a good travel agency
Find a really good travel agent before you book your cruise.
Yes, travel agents are still important and invaluable when it comes to cruise ship travel, especially for those new to cruising.
Note that I’ve included the word “good” because not all travel agencies are created equal.
A good travel agent has a lot of experience with the cruise lines you board and knows the inside and outside of that experience. They have many satisfied clients who swear to their travel agents that they’ve been there and done it.
You might be thinking, “Booking a cruise isn’t that hard,” and you’re right. But the booking process is just the starting point where good agents come into play.
As a new cruiser, you will have many questions. Sure, the articles on this site help answer some, but many questions are personal and contextual.
Basically, we still don’t know all the questions that arise between now and when the cruise starts. A good travel agency can help you.
They will save you a lot of time and possibly some money as well.
If important, I always use my travel agent to book my cruises.
How do you find such agents? Ask friends and family for recommendations. We will introduce a recommended travel agency specializing in Royal Caribbean..
3. Learn as much as you can before joining the company
“Knowledge is power” is not just something we teach our children. When it comes to travel, it’s true.
The more you know about your ship and itinerary, the better prepared you are and the less likely you are to waste time or money along the way.
If there’s one regret I hear most from new cruisers, it’s that they wish they knew something before going on their first cruise.
Here’s an easy way to learn about cruises.
4. Choose a cruise ship based on what is important to you
With so many cruise ships in Royal Caribbean’s fleet, prioritize your interests when choosing the right cruise ship.
TV commercials show you all the fun things you can do on board, but do you need a waterslide, surfing simulator or observation pod?
Looking for water slides? Skip vision class. Want a full Broadway show? Liberty of the Sea has it, Freedom of the Sea doesn’t. Want a nursery for your toddler? Do not book Explorer of the Seas.
Don’t feel like you need to book the ship that does the most things on board just because it has it all. You may find great options on other ships as they have just what you need.
5. Pack light
I’ll admit I still struggle with this, but overpacking is so appealing when it comes to cruising.
The fear of boarding a cruise ship and realizing you’ve forgotten something really important is an all too real concern.
I think too many people pack for “just in case” or “what if” rather than the reality of travel.
It may be tempting to bring more than you need “just in case”, but keep this in mind. Clothes such as pants and shorts can be worn any number of times. In addition, you can send your clothes to dry cleaning, which is not very expensive.
If you pack lightly, you will have less things to carry, and the hassle and stress of carrying a suitcase at the airport will be reduced.
read more: The Ultimate Cruise Packing List
6. Get travel insurance
Whether you’re a cruising veteran or a new cruiser, don’t leave home without making sure you’re protected in case something goes wrong.
Between lost luggage, broken bones, medical emergencies, death of family members and many other unforeseen problems, life gets in the way.
To ensure your safety, please purchase travel insurance.
Knowing how fast things can go sideways, I wouldn’t go on a cruise without it.
I don’t know what will happen. Make sure you are protected. It also gives you peace of mind and helps you travel with confidence.
7. Go with the flow
No matter how well you plan your cruise, something can go wrong. You can plan every day, but when your well-conceived schedule goes wrong, it can be frustrating and frustrating.
And then there are the hiccups. and glitch. And all sorts of inconveniences, big and small.
I think it’s a good idea to plan ahead and look forward to certain activities, but if things go wrong, you should be prepared to adopt a “que sera sera” approach.
Is it raining on the day you want to go swimming? Canceled a scheduled performance? Which restaurant would you like to book? You will still have fun doing something else.
Don’t let any inconvenience or cancellation ruin your entire cruise. Shrug your shoulders and look for other things you can do to make up for it.
If you really run into a game-stopping problem, take advantage of that really good travel agency I recommended you book with.They can get past that too.
8. On the first day, visit the ship
A full walk-through tour of the Royal Caribbean Cruise Ship is available on our YouTube channel for you to watch as many times as you like.
Getting an overview of the land soon after boarding will help you understand exactly where your cabin will be compared to the attractive amenities, restaurants, bars and entertainment venues.
Once on board, make your way to the pool deck and walk deck by deck as you walk through the deck’s main public area.
This is a great way to quickly adapt to the layout of your ship and get off to a great start.
9. Do online check-in as soon as possible
Your time is everything when you’re on vacation. Vacation time ticks away as you head off to cruise after work. Don’t waste your vacation at the cruise terminal.
Royal Caribbean makes it easy to check-in online before your cruise.
Check-in opens up to 45 days before your cruise departure date, so download and install the Royal Caribbean app now first.
With a window of 45 days, get your check-in time instantly. You can return to the rest of your check-in if you wish.
Then, at some point before your cruise, complete all online check-ins. Yes, including taking selfies.
The more time you spend at home for check-in, the less time you spend at the cruise terminal. This means more time on board.
10. Remember everyone is in the same place boat transport
One thing that can make cruises so different from vacationing on land is that cruise ship passengers are much more chatty and friendly than what you might be used to on land.
While you may run into other guests in elevators, excursions, and blackjack tables, it’s easy to ignore them, but you never know who you’ll meet on your cruise. Like you, they are probably new to cruising. If not, you may be able to learn a lot from them.
I’m not a social butterfly, but a simple “hello” is the first step. You don’t have to be friends with everyone you meet, but frequent cruisers will tell you that the fellow passengers you meet are often the true highlight of your cruise.
This also applies to your crew!
Crew members work on board, but there are people too! Many love to get to know their guests and share many funny and funny stories.
Feel free to talk to our private room attendants, waiters, bartenders, NextCruise agents and trivia moderators. They come from all over the world, and the more crew members we meet, the more respect we have for their work. You learn all sorts of things about insights.
11. Talk to someone if you have a problem
The RoyalCaribbeanBlog message board is full of people returning from cruises complaining about issues that could have been fixed on board.
Don’t just accept if something doesn’t live up to your expectations or disappoints you. Instead, speak up while on board, articulate the problem with the crew, and ask how it can be resolved.
If something is disappointing or not as expected, you should seek out a flight attendant to fix the problem.
If your stateroom fixtures are broken, another guest is causing problems, or you have medical concerns, don’t just suck it up and ruin your cruise.
The crew are there to make your cruise great and will do everything they can to address your concerns. You never know how much time your crew will put into making your trip better, even if you think it’s unlikely they’ll do anything.
12. Obtain a set of travel documents
A common mistake beginners make is not checking to see if they have all the necessary documents for the cruise.
If you do not have a passport, be sure to obtain one. If you have a passport, double check the expiration date so it doesn’t expire before your cruise ends.
Please make sure you have booked the cruise under your real name which matches the one on your passport.
Don’t just ask this question, ask well in advance of your cruise. All too often people hunt down passports and birth certificates only to realize it’s too late to change things.
read more: Do I Need a Passport to Cruise?
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