First-Time Cruiser Tips

If you're flying to your cruise port, one of my biggest recommendations is to arrive at least one day before your ship sails whenever possible.

Flights get delayed. Flights get canceled. Weather happens. Luggage takes unexpected adventures.

And unlike a hotel, your cruise ship isn't going to wait because your flight was late.

Giving yourself that extra day provides some breathing room — and I'd much rather have you start vacation with dinner near the port than start it sprinting through an airport wondering if you're going to make the ship.

When you arrive at the cruise terminal, you'll usually hand your larger luggage over to porters and see it again later outside your cabin.

That means your carry-on matters.

Keep important things with you, including:

Seriously — do this before your trip. 😂

Most major cruise lines use their app for much more than checking the daily schedule.

You can often check in for your cruise right from the app and enter much of the information the cruise line needs ahead of time.

Getting that done before embarkation day can make the whole process so much smoother and easier.

Depending on your cruise line, you may also use the app for things like:

Every guest has to complete the cruise line's required safety procedures before the ship can sail.

Many cruise lines now make this much easier by allowing portions of the safety briefing to be completed through their app. You'll still need to follow your particular cruise line's instructions and report to your assigned muster station when required.

My advice?

Do it as soon as you board.

Don't be the person they're still calling over the loudspeaker while everybody else is trying to start their vacation. 😂

Get to your muster station, complete whatever remaining steps are required, get that little checkmark...

and THEN go find the fun. 🍹🚢

This is one of the biggest concerns I hear from people considering their first cruise.

Modern cruise ships are designed with stabilizers, and many people are surprised by how little movement they actually notice. But conditions vary, and some people are naturally more sensitive to motion than others.

Cabin location can matter.

A cabin closer to the middle of the ship and on a lower deck generally experiences less motion than locations higher up or toward the very front or back.

There are also several options people use for motion sickness.

Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about what's appropriate for YOU, especially if you're concerned before your trip.

And yes — this is something you can absolutely talk to me about before we choose your cabin.

Cruise ships can have an absolutely ridiculous amount happening at once.

Shows. Trivia. Live music. Pools. Games. Specialty dining. Parties. Activities. Excursions.

You are going to miss something.

That's okay.

Look through the daily schedule, pick the things that sound fun to you, and leave yourself some room to just... be on vacation.

You don't win a prize for completing the entire cruise planner. 😂

Your cruise fare includes quite a bit, but it doesn't necessarily include everything onboard.

Depending on your cruise line, ship, and fare, things such as these may cost extra:

You may spend the first day wondering why you somehow ended up at the opposite end of the ship from where you intended to go.

Welcome to cruising. 😂

You'll figure it out.

Check the deck maps, use the cruise line's app if it has navigation features, and pay attention to signs around the ship.

By day two or three, you'll probably be walking around like you own the place.

Once you're onboard, vacation has started!

Explore the ship. Grab some lunch. Find your cabin when it's ready. Check out the pool deck. Figure out where dinner is.

And take pictures of your cabin before you've had three days to destroy it. 😂

And please — go outside for sail away.

There is something pretty special about standing on deck as the ship pulls away and realizing:

"We're actually doing this."

You aren't supposed to magically know how cruising works just because you booked one.

That's one of the reasons I love working with first-time cruisers.

Ask me the questions.

The ones you think are silly.

The ones TikTok gave you 14 different answers to.

The ones you didn't even know you had until three days before departure.

I'd much rather answer them before your vacation than have you spend your trip worrying about something we could have talked through ahead of time.