So you’re about to embark on a new type of vacation…Cruising. I’m excited just thinking about your trip and I don’t even know where you’re going. Cruising has become one of my family’s favorite types of vacations. Whether it’s a 4 to 7 night cruise to the Caribbean or an 8+ day cruise in the Mediterranean, we have found that cruising is a stress free way to visit several cities and multiple countries in one simplified trip.
It’s nice for single travelers to have the comfort and safe feeling of the ship each night while still getting the excitement and adventure in port each day. By the second night you will have met other single cruisers and can perhaps make plans together. Some ships even have solo cruiser cabins in their own common areas making it easy to meet others. If you’re traveling with a group of friends or family, it’s easy to find something for everyone on a cruise journey. You don’t have to worry about planning out things for everyone to enjoy. Parents, you will especially love returning to your comfortable and friendly ship accommodations and familiar food each night when the children are tired from a long day of sightseeing in whatever great city you’ve visited. Look, I like an adventure just as much as the next person – but sometimes I don’t want the type of adventure that comes with traveling from unseen hotel to unseen hotel to unseen hotel with kids in tow. And many smaller children don’t tolerate the constant change well either. All of which very quickly changes everyone’s feelings about how fun the vacation is. I always say that when we cruise, our resort travels with us. Cruise Bonus: What the ships themselves have to offer. Our favorite ships add engaging activities and nightlife for adults and kids and teen programs that allow the children to meet up with others and enjoy safe fun without me in tow. On the right ship, there is always enough going on for both quality family time or adult time – whichever you’re seeking. Cruise lines today offer ships and voyages that appeal to many different types of travelers. You will quickly find what works best for you. While I’m not doing commercials for any particular line, having sailed 4 major ones I do know that some lines and even specific ships within each line are better suited for our family than others. Although I tried to make these pretty general tips, take that into consideration when booking and when reading on.
If you’re ready to give it a try, here are some tips for making your first cruise less stressful:
DO complete all of the online check-in if your cruise line offers it. Print paperwork, luggage tags, etc. before you go. Don’t wait to fill out anything at the port. Your check in process will be much smoother.
DO look to see what is available to book ahead of time on the cruise line website like the shows, specialty restaurants and excursions if you’re interested in those things. They fill up.
DO choose your stateroom with some thought. For many people, the type, location and size of your stateroom can affect your overall perception of the cruise experience.
DO notify credit card companies of your “out of the country” status. Using your card in different cities each day can cause some credit card companies to suspect fraud. Notifying them will keep you from getting cut off in the middle of your vacation.
DO pack a few different types of motion sickness things to try JUST IN CASE. I think this is the thing many people worry about when thinking about cruising. If you’ve never had any kind of motion sickness you probably won’t while cruising either. Should you need relief though, most medical personnel will tell you that the trick is that you must use them at the very first sign to be most effective. Which is why you want to have them already. Different types work for different people. Check with your doctor’s office to see their recommendations as there are many options in the drug stores – SeaBands that you wear on your wrist, oils you can dab behind your ear, tablets you can take, etc.
DO pack a carry on bag for embarkation day. Think airline carry on, but without all the pesky liquids restrictions. Why? Because staterooms do not open until 1 or 1:30pm on some cruise lines and you will check larger luggage at the curb when you arrive at the port. Luggage is not delivered to the staterooms until later that afternoon, so you may not have access to packed items for a while. You’ll definitely want to have the stuff you need for the first couple hours after boarding in your carry on. Camera, any meds, sunscreen, your tablet, a few toiletries, etc. If you have children, have them take a small backpack with a few things in it they may want before luggage arrives. Many people wear swimsuits under their clothes or pack them in their carry on so they can utilize the pool area before staterooms open or before their luggage arrives at the cabin.
DON’T miss the sail away parties. Check the schedule when you get on board to find out where and what time. Both Royal Caribbean and Disney Cruise Line have fantastic character parties at sail away. Great fun for both adults and children.
DO store stuff under the bed in your stateroom if you’re tight on space. Some cruise lines beds are deliberately higher to allow for luggage storage.
DON’T bring too many clothes, too many or too big toiletries or any unnecessary “stuff” in general. Really edit your luggage contents. Although the rooms are well appointed, ship rooms are like being in a hotel in Europe…much smaller than what you’re used to. Especially the bathrooms. No matter how warm your destinations, DO pack a light sweater or hoodie for windy decks out at sea in the evenings. DON’T forget at least one pair of tennis shoes and at least one pair of socks. While it sounds like sandals and flip flop weather, by day 4 of a 7 night sight seeing cruise your feet will probably be feeling the wear and you might need the coverage or treads on some excursions. Also, many ships have fantastic skating rinks, rock climbing walls, bowling or other activities and there are usually rules about socks. And who knows, you might also want to visit the gym or do a fun dance class!
DO consider taking a small multi-plug charger for your devices. Outlets are scarce in staterooms. Unless you’re in a suite, bathrooms only have shaver outlets like European hotels so you’ll be using your outlets for things like hair dryers or hair irons. If you find you need an extra outlet for charging devices, look for that hidden outlet next to the bed…follow that clock/phone cord.
DO keep a camera or your cell phone on you just to snap those candid moments when you run into a Dreamworks or Disney character (come on…even as adults it’s a fun moment) or see a fantastic view of the ocean or someone decides to do something spontaneously. DO let the ship’s photographers take all the pics they want of you (they’ll come to tables at dinner, take pics in port, etc.) DON’T buy them all…kidding…well, sort of. They can be pricey. But DO give yourself the option. Go look at them near the end of the cruise. You usually find a couple great pics that you love.
DON’T forget to check into what your cell phone will cost you – both on the ship out at sea and in each port you will visit. On the ship, your phone will automatically connect to the ships handy, but costly satellite cellular network once you’re out to sea so use airplane mode/turn off data if you decide you’d rather not pay the extra costs. You can also purchase wifi plans on board for use on your phones, tablets and laptops to access the internet as a way to keep in touch with friends and family and to check in with work if you need to. Several cruise lines now have either apps or special phones that allow you to communicate on-board without incurring any cell phone fees. If that’s important – make sure you ask about this.
DO feel comfortable giving your teens some freedom to go enjoy the ship’s teen activities. Consider packing sticky notes and a sharpie as a means of communication if you are on a ship that doesn’t have apps that allow you to communicate on board. Stick notes on the mirror in the room letting each other know where you went and when you will be back to the room for a meet up. This method saved my sanity a couple cruises ago when we didn’t have any other way to communicate.
DO read the daily “what’s going on” sheets each day. (They have different names on different cruise lines). It will tell you EVERYTHING you need to know during the week – exactly what’s happening when. DO bring a highlighter to quickly mark things that jump out at you. There will be many activities/things/shows going on all day. You’ll only get to a fraction of them. The highlighter will become your best friend. I have more tips on best use of these in some of my cruise reviews.
DO try the gym or the walking track at least once. I’m not a hard core gym person, but there’s nothing like an early morning walk looking out over the ocean. DON’T miss the sign ups for gym classes (morning yoga, water aerobics, cycling, zumba, health seminars – some free, some not) if you’re into that sort of thing. Some cruises I’m into it and love spending the time focusing on me (which I don’t have time for at home)…and some cruises I’m not that motivated – it’s lounge time.
DO pack a collapsible or flat folding beach bag or backpack specifically for carting whatever it is you bring off and on the ship in each port. Sounds obvious, but it never occurred to me the first cruise and at one port we were doing the beach…no bag to carry all those towels, sunscreen, etc. Boo. If you won’t be doing anything that requires “stuff” but more sightseeing take a backpack, small bag or small purse to carry sun hats, maps, wallets, passports, etc.
DON’T bring a whole lot of cash. You will most likely use credit cards in foreign ports for food, souvenirs, taxi, etc. to avoid having to have local currency. In addition, most ships are cashless. You charge everything to your room with your room key card just as you do in hotels.
DON’T bother paying for bottled water unless you prefer sparkling water. Ships have their own water plants on-board and the water tastes better than it does out of the tap at home.
DO look for the whimsy. Cruise ships often have fantastic whimsical art installations and some offer art tours. Have fun with things like changing day of the week signs in the elevators. There may be fun surprises left in your cabin by your stateroom attendant. Stop to take a random photo with a character. I have photos with Puss in Boots from a Royal Caribbean cruise that still makes me laugh.
DO go in with a casual mindset. Trying something new can be stressful but also a great adventure! Find what works for you and what doesn’t on a cruise. The beauty of cruise ships is that there are many different types of foods, activities, shows, etc. to choose from. Everything won’t be for you, but look for those great things that are and enjoy the beautiful ship and beautiful weather. Cruising is about learning new things and seeing great sights in each port that you visit and while on the ship, a combination of relaxation and enjoying activities you just don’t have time for or aren’t readily available at home. I have always maintained that I hate water slides…until I tried the bowl slide with the kids one afternoon on board Norwegian Epic. Never would have done that at home.
SO NEW CRUISERS…. whether you’re traveling solo, with a group of friends or with family I know a lot goes into planning a vacation you’ve never tried before, particularly one with children. The key – research ships a little. Cruise line websites are chock full of info, pictures and videos. And in this day and age…so is You Tube. You can find stateroom videos and even ship walk-throughs on You Tube. (That’s my final tip btw…You Tube can really be useful in all types of vacation planning) If you go in knowing what to expect, you’ll get the most bang for your buck and have a great time. Check out some of our experiences in my family vacation reviews.
Bon Voyage everyone!
edit. your. life. 