As first time cruisers, we learned a lot and have our top 10 tips to share to, hopefully, make your first cruise even more enjoyable.
- Arrive the day before you depart. We learned this the hard way and were literally the last to board the ship due to flight cancellations and lost luggage. If you are flying or driving a long distance, arrive the day before so you don’t have to worry about missing the cruise and having the saddest kids ever.
- Pack a carry-on with essentials for a few days. This is a good idea for two reasons, one is that at the port you can leave your luggage and have an attendant deliver it to your stateroom. This makes things so much easier as you check in, but it also means you may not have your luggage for a few hours. So having a bathing suit, flip-flops, sunscreen, etc. in a carry-on is helpful so you can hit the pool right away. The second reason is that in the unlikely event your luggage gets lost by the airline, you’ll have a few things to tide you over until your first port of call, where hopefully your luggage will meet you.
- Pack some snacks for your stateroom. I know, this one seems odd because there is endless food on a cruise, right? But, having a few snacks that your kids love will help keep them from getting hangry between meal times. Plus, while soft serve ice cream is an acceptable snack some days, it is probably not the smartest choice for every day.
- Pack empty water bottles. Bottled water is expensive. Having empty water bottles that you can fill up can save some money.
- Bring a lanyard to wear your sea pass card (a must have at all times). If you are on a Royal Caribbean cruise your sea pass card is everything. It’s your room key, id, and used to pay for incidentals while on board. A lanyard is the easiest way to make sure you have it with you at all times.
- Bring an over-the-door shoe caddy to store toiletry and other items in your room. Staterooms are on the smaller side without a ton of extra storage space so bringing your own storage is a huge help. Those over-the-door shoe caddies are perfect for toiletries, sunscreen, flip-flops, and more.
- Check the dress code for the ship. I learned that “formal night” is a real thing and some guests go all out. I’m not saying you need to rent a tux or buy a ball gown, but if you love to dress up, bring out the bling and go for it.
- Pack Dramamine. You may get sea sick. We (luckily) didn’t, but I’ve heard from lots of friends who cruise frequently that it can happen. Especially on your first cruise. Better to be safe than sorry!
- Bring your binoculars. I can’t tell you how disappointed we were to not have binoculars with us. There is so much to see when you are arriving at ports of call and even during days at sea where you can get glimpses of far-off islands or passing ships. Binoculars are a must.
- Bring walkie-talkies for communicating with your group. Ships have wifi, very good wifi, but you have to pay for it. If you choose to go without, walkie-talkies are a perfect alternative for being able to keep in contact with your group.
Our last tip is to enjoy all the ship has to offer. Try the water slides. Go to a show. Eat all the delicious food. Drink a cocktail out a pineapple. Drop the kids off at the kids club. Make the most out of your time away -- it goes way too fast.
(Photos courtesy of Royal Caribbean Allure of the Seas)
