What tips for things to take to make a smooth cruise we may not think of!

[postmanrings]

What are your favorite tips you can give first timers to help make it a good cruise/

[Essiesmom]

Take twice the charging cords and plug adapters you think you will need, and half the clothes.  Don’t pack your boarding docs in your checked bags.  EM

[CDNPolar]

Fly in one day early.  Don't fly in on embarkation day, and if you must, take the earliest flight that day possible so there is a later flight if the first one is delayed or cancelled.

 

Find your specific ship on YouTube and do virtual tours of your ship.

 

Study the deck plans of your ship on the cruise line website and locate and identify what amenities and things you want to seek out.  Make a list and investigate right away.  

 

Seek out the restaurants you want to eat at and determine if reservations or additional cost is required and take care of that quickly.

 

Get to the ship, ditch your bags and go explore the ship before the crowds are all there, then go back and unpack completely before dinner.

 

Download the cruise line App before leaving home and access it as soon as you are on the ship.

 

Find out how the ship communicates happenings and events to you - is it via the App, or is it a daily program.  How will you know what happens when and where.

 

Know what shore excursions you have signed up for and ensure that they are in your schedule.

 

All these things and more just happen naturally for us now... it is hard to pull all the things that you might want to do....

 

Have fun.  Hope this helps.

[Host Kat]

Check out the following Cruise Critic article last updated January 7, 2020: What Is Cruise Ship Time?

 

Be aware there can be a difference between your cruise ship time versus the local time in a port. Do not rely on the time your phone may have as it may auto reset per GPS or the local clocks you see in a port. Have a good old fashion analog watch set to your ship's time when leaving the ship. Hopefully, this should help you to NOT be a Cruise Pier Runner or be left behind! 5 Hilarious Cruise Pier Runners

[mrgabriel]

My take is a bit different. Don’t preplan everything. Drop your bags in your cabin and explore. You’ll have lots of time to discover everything on the first day.

 

Personally, I don’t bother with the extras. Instead my bag is filled with clothes, cables, phone, camera, book, minimal makeup & jewellery. Bring something to wear between the cabin and the pool. And sunscreen. 

Edited September 12 by mrgabriel

[Sarnia 432]

Take a small assortment of common medicines, band aids etc, these things are ridiculously expensive in the onboard shop and you don’t want to spend port time hunting for a pharmacy.

[MLBFan24]

If you want a sunrise or sunset picture, do it at the first opportunity. Don't think to yourself, I'll just get the picture tomorrow. The opportunity may not be available again for the rest of the cruise. (bad weather, don't want to wake up for a sunrise, may have a conflicting event for the sunset, etc)

[9tee2Sea]

pack an empty foldable tote bag in your luggage.  You can use it for day trips off ship ( especially if visiting beaches). You will also use use to bring extra stuff back home that you didn't plan on purchasing.  You can also use it as your cabin hamper.  The closet won't seem as small if you put your suitcase under the bed ( you won't need it anyway until time to dis-embark). If you want to lay out by the pool as soon as you get onboard, have some bathing suits and sun screen in your carry-on.  Change clothes in the bathroom located on pool deck.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/10/2024 at 10:54 AM, Essiesmom said:

Take twice the charging cords and plug adapters you think you will need, and half the clothes.  Don’t pack your boarding docs in your checked bags.  EM

We don't bring many electronics /prefer to experience the cruise instead.  As such, we each have a phone, which stays in the drawer most of the week.  One charger does it for us. 

 

Yes to half the clothes:

- If you're going for a week, pack 3 dinner outfits and assume each'll be worn twice.  And you'll probably go to the buffet at least once for dinner.  

- Bring 3 shirts for every pair of shorts.  When you go ashore, be sure you're wearing shorts that're "on their last wear".  

- Ladies, pack 3 pair of shoes:  Tennis shoes, Comfortable walking sandals and one pair of dressy dinner shoes that match everything.  No one else will note your shoes.  Depending upon your plans, you might also need water shoes.  

- Guys, my husband also packs 3 pair of shoes:  Tennis shoes, one pair of dinner shoes, and he always wants water shoes.  He doesn't wear sandals, but you might be different.

 

Yes, pack a good carry-on bag with your documents, cash /cards, jewelry, medicine, and any electronics.  Everything else can go through the checked luggage.  Choose a bag that'll work for Embarkation day AND island stops -- personally we like small backpacks, as we're Team Hands-Free.  

On 9/10/2024 at 1:39 PM, CDNPolar said:

Fly in one day early. 

Yes, this is the cheapest insurance you can buy, AND it allows you to wake up calmly on Embarkation day, enjoy a nice breakfast, and get to the port leisurely.  We drive to our port, and we usually stop about 30 minutes out -- it's cheaper than staying right next to the action.  

On 9/10/2024 at 1:39 PM, CDNPolar said:

Get to the ship, ditch your bags and go explore the ship before the crowds are all there, then go back and unpack completely before dinner.

Yes, our habit is to board early and go to the tip-top of the ship, then "circle our way down".  As we go, we note things we want to do.  

If we're in an Inside, as we often are, we pick "our balcony".  It'll be an out-of-the-way spot -- often far forward past Johnny Rockets -- and if one of us says, "I'm going to the balcony", the other understands.  

On 9/10/2024 at 3:00 PM, Host Kat said:

Be aware there can be a difference between your cruise ship time versus the local time in a port. Do not rely on the time your phone

Definitely.  We have small clip-on watches that we transfer between our backpacks and our pool bags (often you can't see a clock at the pool).  While your phone might /might not automatically switch between time zones, you can trust an analog watch.  

On 9/12/2024 at 3:33 AM, Sarnia 432 said:

Take a small assortment of common medicines, band aids etc, these things are ridiculously expensive in the onboard shop and you don’t want to spend port time hunting for a pharmacy.

Definitely.  If you just have a "bad tummy", you don't want to bring yourself to the attention to the medical staff, who have the ability to quarantine you to your room.  Pack Tylenol, Pepto-Bismal, cold meds, and anything you take on a normal basis.  Also bring bandaids and Neosporin, as anyone can suffer a minor injury.  If you take prescription meds, bring a couple extra days' worth -- while it's unlikely you'll be delayed in returning home, lack of meds could be a real problem.  

Sunscreen kinda falls into this category.  Better to bring too much than too little.  

I'm getting off-topic now, but ladies will be happier if they bring their own shampoo /conditioner.  The stuff provided in the showers (suites might be different) is rough on your hair.

3 hours ago, MLBFan24 said:

If you want a sunrise or sunset picture, do it at the first opportunity.

If, like me, getting up early isn't your thing, remember that a sunset looks just like a sunrise in a picture. 

3 hours ago, 9tee2Sea said:

You will also use use to bring extra stuff back home that you didn't plan on purchasing ... You can also use it as your cabin hamper.

We don't pack our suitcases to the brim -- we head out with them about 1/3 full, and we buy little on our trips.  If you feel the need to "fill it up", consider bringing some things you'd be willing to toss at the end of the trip:  your oldest PJs and gym clothes, for example.  

A little off-topic, but we once did an ATV trip (very muddy because it'd rained the whole week before); back home we couldn't get the clothes clean and ended up throwing them away -- now if we anticipate something dirty, we purposefully bring "throw-aways".  

 

No, don't bother to bring a hamper -- total waste of space.  Just open your suitcase in the bottom of your closet and toss in the dirties.  At the end of the week, zip it up, and you're packed. 

3 hours ago, 9tee2Sea said:

If you want to lay out by the pool as soon as you get onboard, have some bathing suits and sun screen in your carry-on.  Change clothes in the bathroom located on pool deck.

Why not just wear the swimsuit /cover-up for Embarkation instead of making your carry-on heavier, then changing in a small bathroom?  

 

Other thoughts: 

- We always make an envelope for each island stop.  On the outside we write the island /date /activity planned /company we're using -- almost never the cruise line -- and meeting place /contact information /anything we should bring.  Inside we count out the money we expect to need /small bills for tips /taxi or lunch money, if needed.  Once we're on the ship, we store these envelopes in our safe; this means we don't need to ask ourselves, "How much should we take ashore in Cozumel?"  It's already decided, and everything in our wallets is spendable. 

- We like to bring a handful of magnetic hooks -- the doors and walls in the cabins are metal.  5-6 are plenty.  This keeps our hats and paperwork "up" and off the limited desk /dresser space in the cabin.  

- If you have two people in your cabin, you'll have ample storage space.  

- We have a calendar of sorts, a template we made /fill in for every trip.  We fill in excursions, dinner reservations, shows we want to see, etc. and print a copy, which we put on the cabin wall.  We leave space to fill in things as the week goes along.  

- We bring a pack of sticky notes and leave notes for one another on the TV screen.  We re-use many of them:  I'm at the adult pool.  Gone for coffee.  

- Skip the for-fee restaurants on your first cruise.  Lots of good stuff is available without paying. 

- Do you know about the Muster Drill yet?  You need to do it as soon as possible after boarding; you know, get it off your plate.  

 

 

[ldubs]

It is easy to overthink things.   I take the obvious things like med's, electronics, etc.   I won't spend time thinking or worrying about other things I might but probably won't need.  

[peety3]

I'll echo the sentiment to take half the clothes you think you'll need. Our first travel agent said lay out your clothes on the bed. Put half of them back in the drawers. Pack/take what's left on the bed. Undies and socks are probably single-day wear, but everything can be doubled up. I would often wear a "fresh" shirt to dinner then wear it during the next day. Hang it up when I change to another "fresh" shirt for dinner and rotate my way through.

 

Let the porters handle your bags from the earliest possible moment and they'll arrive at your cabin. Be ready for the final night luggage game: they want you to put your tagged luggage out in the hall as early as possible that night, but they recognize that you need some clothes for dinner. Don't forget some clothes to wear off the ship, but also keep some sort of carry-on bag (at least) for pajamas, toiletries, etc.

 

My opinion here: first cruse, mostly rely on excursions booked through the cruise line. Future cruises you can start going independent, but the peace of mind that they will take care of you is useful that first time. We've had a few minor adventures where this promise was useful, whether it was the Seattle-Vancouver transfer to begin the cruise, my wife's first cruise excursion in Skagway where the videographer had been at the facility all day and joined her group's bus for the ride back to the ship (so when the guide had enough heads, she left 10 minutes early...as soon as my wife realized, a quick phone call brought the bus back for her), or a time when we'd booked the Tracy Arm Fjord small-boat excursion (scheduled to finish by 1pm but got us back to the ship at 1:45pm) and we got to the other side of the ship and down the gangway at 1:55pm only to see that our 2:00pm whale watch in Juneau had left without us ("we came from a ship-sponsored tour and you knew we hadn't reboarded the ship until just a few minutes ago" quickly led to a radio call and the bus returned). Another time we were on a Ketchikan tour to Misty Fjords intended to be boat out and floatplane back, but an hour out the boat captain was told the planes couldn't fly so we had a free tour and made a U-turn back to the docks. Half of the passengers were on the NCL ship and had to dash back to their ship, but they knew that they were on a ship-sponsored tour so the ship would wait...

 

Take some magnets to "attach" papers and maps to the cabin walls.

 

Non-surge-protected power strip(s).

[lifes-a-beach]

There is a simple mathematical formula for OTC meds.  The number of persons you are packing for X the number of daily doses X the number of days.  It doesn’t do much good to get sick and only have 2 or 3 days of OTC meds on a 5 or 7 day cruise.  Or not have enough for both of you sharing a cabin and getting the same bug.  Everybody knows to do it for prescription meds.  Pack the same for OTC.  

[ldubs]

Pack a positive attitude.  Leave negativity at home.  

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/14/2024 at 11:07 PM, peety3 said:

 would often wear a "fresh" shirt to dinner then wear it during the next day. Hang it up when I change to another "fresh" shirt for dinner and rotate my way through.

Yes, this is a great way to keep your bag light.  

Consider, too, if you wear an outfit to breakfast, then change into a swimsuit, hang that outfit to be worn again later.  

On 9/14/2024 at 11:07 PM, peety3 said:

Be ready for the final night luggage game: they want you to put your tagged luggage out in the hall as early as possible that night, but they recognize that you need some clothes for dinner.

We skip this "final night game" and use Self-Disembarkation.  We keep our luggage in the room and leave whatever time we want.  No need to hit that 30-minute time frame, and no need to search for our luggage in the terminal.  Assuming you're able-bodied, this is the way to go. 

The only negative is that the elevators are crazy-busy on that last morning, and you might have to wait ... or carry your bags down the stairs.  

On 9/14/2024 at 11:07 PM, peety3 said:

My opinion here: first cruse, mostly rely on excursions booked through the cruise line. Future cruises you can start going independent,

Disagree.  Independent tours tend to be significantly smaller, which allows you more interaction with your tour guide and more choices.  Ship's tours tend to push you into shopping venues (whether you want to go or not), whereas independent tour guides work harder at keeping the group happy.  

Of course, there's a time to use the ship's excursions; for example, if you're going to travel some distance from the port, if you're using multiple forms of transportation, or if you're in an area where you don't speak the language.  But this fear about not getting back to the ship is vastly overblown -- missing the ship is very, very uncommon -- independent tour operator's livelihood is based upon getting people back on time. 

You need to be smart, of course:  Don't allow your group to split up, wear a watch, have cash for an emergency taxi, and plan to set foot on the gangplank a full two hours before sail-away.  

4 hours ago, ldubs said:

Pack a positive attitude.  Leave negativity at home.  

Definitely!  

[peety3]

2 hours ago, Mum2Mercury said:

We skip this "final night game" and use Self-Disembarkation.  We keep our luggage in the room and leave whatever time we want.  No need to hit that 30-minute time frame, and no need to search for our luggage in the terminal.  Assuming you're able-bodied, this is the way to go.

I'm able-bodied, but on a 7-day cruise, I'm bringing enough camera gear that none of you want me attempting to self-disembark. Regardless, it is a service that most (all?) cruise lines offer, it's perfectly reasonable to utilitize it, and is a matter for individual choice. Knowing that it's there and available helps first-time cruises make that choice AND make the appropriate preparations for it.

[Mum2Mercury]

On 9/16/2024 at 6:26 PM, peety3 said:

I'm able-bodied, but on a 7-day cruise, I'm bringing enough camera gear that none of you want me attempting to self-disembark. Regardless, it is a service that most (all?) cruise lines offer, it's perfectly reasonable to utilitize it, and is a matter for individual choice. Knowing that it's there and available helps first-time cruises make that choice AND make the appropriate preparations for it.

This thread is aimed at new people who may not understand their choices, so here's a run-down of each choice: 

Traditional Disembarkation: 

- Around the middle of the week your cabin steward will leave a flyer and color-coded tickets on your bed; these items assign you a 30-minute time frame to leave the ship and (if it's a later time) a spot to wait your turn to disembark. 

- If you need your time changed (everyone seems to want earlier), you can go to Guest Services and request a different time slot.  Ideally everyone would leave during their assigned 30 minutes, but you can leave later.  You cannot leave earlier, as your luggage wouldn't yet be delivered to the terminal.  

- On the last evening, you set all your luggage out in the hall, and the cabin stewards take it away, leaving you with only a backpack /tote bag as you exit the ship.  

- You exit the ship and go through Customs practically hands-free. 

- Your luggage will be brought out during that 30-minute time frame, and you'll search for it.  This reunion might be quick or lengthy, depending entirely upon luck.    

Self-Disembarkation: 

- Keep your luggage in your room. 

- When you're ready, take your stuff and leave.  

- You'll have to be able to wheel your luggage on your own -- through Customs, through the terminal -- as no help is available until you're past Customs.  Elevators will be crowded on that last morning.  

 

Last thought:  I wouldn't trust anyone to handle my camera equipment.  I have some nice camera equipment, and I like it to be treated gently.  Shoes, pajamas -- yeah, toss it around, kick it.  I don't care about that.  

 

 

 

Edited yesterday at 04:19 PM by Mum2Mercury