Tips For First Time Cruisers

First Time Cruisers: Tips and Hints
 Congratulations! You decided to take a cruise! A cruise is its very own class of vacation. It’s a culture all its own. It’s imperative to have an open mind and to just enjoy yourself.  Here are some helpful hints, tips and ideas for first time cruisers or for those who haven’t been on a cruise in a very long time.

1. Before you leave home, print out everything you receive from the cruise line, because you will need it all. Print your travel insurance cards. Make copies of any prescriptions you are bringing in case you lose a bottle. Make a photo copy of all your identifications including driver’s license and passport to keep in your stateroom while on land and keep your passport in the safe or in a safe place in the stateroom while you are on the ship. Be sure to call your cell phone provider and check the rates for the area that you’ll be traveling. Make sure you understand the charges for international service (if you need it). Once you leave port on the ship, put your phone in airplane mode. This will keep your smartphone from searching for service that you don’t want to pay for. If you need Internet, you can purchase it on the ship. See the Customer Service counter.

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1. Pack appropriately. Don’t over pack. There’s just not enough space in the staterooms for things you won’t use. Dressing rules for a cruise is pretty simple: Don’t wear a bikini to the breakfast buffet. Dress as if you were going to a casual, yet nice restaurant with friends when you dress for dinner (no tank tops or torn T-shirts and cutoff shorts.) It is windy on a ship and long sundresses or maxi skirts are ideal for the ladies.  REMEMBER: Each cruise line has one or two elegant evenings and possibly a themed night. For example, Norwegian Cruise Line has a “White Hot Party” on some of its ships, where cruisers wear white for that evening and/or event. You can find the dress code for your particular cruise when you sign in to the cruise line website.
2. Check the weather in each area before you pack. Remember that you are at sea and will sometimes want a sweater for those moonlit walks on deck. If you’re going to Alaska, bring things that you can layer if you need to: a sweater or sweatshirt, and a warm, cozy jacket. In Alaska, bring a compact umbrella even if the weather forecast doesn’t show any rain. Also, take a little bottle of wrinkle releasing, fabric refreshing spray. It can freshen up a shirt that got wrinkled in transit. Take a stain stick to carry with you (I carry a Tide Stain Stick) and a little pre-wash laundry stick to rub into any spill that will have to wait to be washed when you return home. There are laundry services on board for a fee.
3. Board as early as you can. If they say to embark by 2:00 please understand that there will be a lot of people showing up at that time. It’s a quicker process if you get there an hour or more earlier. Usually, you can begin boarding by 11:00 am to noon, but check your cruise line website for times. You’ll leave your luggage with the porter as you board so make sure you have anything you may need (medicines, glasses, wallet etc.) in a carry on or extra bag. You will board the ship and have lunch while you wait for your stateroom to be prepared for your arrival. This could take a few hours, depending on when you board. During the boarding process most cruise lines will ask for a credit card to put on your key card so you can charge anything with it and not worry about carrying a wallet around all vacation. Don’t use a debit card, if you overdraw you will get charged a bundle from the cruise line as well as your bank. Make sure to use a credit card. Keep your Room Key Card with you at all times. You will need it to go ashore and to embark again.
4. Drink Packages will be presented to you as you are making your way to or while having your first lunch on board. These are an excellent way save a little money on drinks. If you know you will want a bottle of wine at every dinner, then purchase a package that fits that. On some cruise lines you may bring wine on board, but there is a corkage fee from $10.00-$20.00. If you know you will want a variety of mixed drinks or specialty drinks at the bars or coffee shops, there are packages for that as well. There are also packages for bottles of waters and sodas and remember the duty free shops sell bottles of your favorite liquor. Most cruise ships allow you to bring packages of bottled water or cases of soda on board (you’ll just put luggage tag on it. You can get extra tags from the porter.) This is the least expensive way to buy bottled water or soda pop. The tap water is potable and while I don’t mind the taste of it (usually), some people don’t like it. I like to bring a good water bottle on board and I fill it up every time I pass by the drink stations at the buffets.
5. Check out the Excursions Desk or Customer Service desk early to book excursions if you have not purchased them before boarding. You don’t want to have your heart set on an excursion and find out it is sold out. Remember that often your travel agent has access to Shore Trips and these are sometimes not available on the ship. Check out both options and choose what suits you the best. Don’t miss out on the fine dining experience on the ships. Make reservations at Customer Service for the specialty restaurants. You will get a wonderful meal that you would pay much more for on land. At least that has been my experience! Don’t miss out!
6. Every evening an activities agenda will be given to you for the following day. It is usually left on your door or on your bed. I suggest that you sit down with your group and decide on which sea day activities you would like. Some will need to be paid for like the mixology classes and some, you just show up for like the trivia games or musical acts in the bars and lounging areas.  Take some time to explore the ship! Find the theaters, art exhibits, shops and the restaurants and experience the craftsmanship of the vessel. Also, don’t miss the shows! They are typically quite good. Go early to get a seat.
7. Don’t forget the spa! You do have to pay for the services. However, you could spend some time in the sauna (for a minimal cost) or buy a wonderful massage. Remember, this is your time to indulge. Don’t forget that there is a gym on the ship too, as well as a jogging or walking deck! Some indulgences need to be balanced out with some exercise.
8. A stateroom is not like a typical hotel room. Often, I have first time cruisers ask me why the room is so small. Well, because you are on a ship! As big as that ship may seem to you, it has a lot of people to transport. Let it be fun to see the ship for what it is, a nautical vessel!
9. Once everyone is on board and before you set sail, there will be a safety drill. It is mandatory and it is important. There will be announcements regarding the safety drill that will tell you where to go. Also, listen to the announcements; they are full of valuable information. They are sometimes in four or five languages but English is one of the first.
10. Let go of preconceived ideas and have fun! New experiences are exciting, fun and for some people, nerve-wracking. Tell yourself that you are going to experience something new and you give yourself permission to go with the flow. Don’t let stress weed its way in. Relax and don’t over think. There is one thing that I like to suggest to everyone who is with a group, take a 20 minute break on your own, here and there while you're on vacation. Most people get along and really enjoy each other on vacation, but as a whole, the vacation can be very stimulating and sometimes you just need to quiet your mind and go for a walk. It will enhance your experience and keep you smiling. If you want to sit by the pool and read a book, then do it! If you want to dance the night away, well, that’s your prerogative! Meet new people! Experience different cultures and cuisines and enjoy a different way to travel! You deserve to relax, indulge and enjoy! Bon Voyage!