20 First-Time Cruiser Tips

- From someone who has made many of these mistakes, so you don’t have to 🚢

So you finally booked a cruise—congrats! You’re about to spend several days in a floating hotel where calories don’t count, naps are encouraged, and someone brings you towels folded into animals. But before you hop aboard and start living your best ocean life, let’s go over some very important first-timer tips.

These will save you money, time, and potential embarrassment. Trust me—I learned some of them the hard way.

💸 1. Don’t Pay in Full Immediately—let your deposit sit alone for a while

Cruise fares change more often than a teenager's mood at any given moment.
If you only paid the deposit, you may be able to snag cheaper fares if the price drops. If you paid in full… well… you’ll just be staring at the screen like 😐.

🛂 2. Passport Validity: the 6-month rule

Make sure your passport doesn’t expire within 6 months after your cruise ends. Ports can be strict, and nothing kills the vibe like border security telling you “absolutely not.”

💳 3. Notify Your Bank You’re Traveling

Unless you want your card shut off the moment you buy a souvenir shot glass in Mexico, tell your bank you're traveling.
Nothing ruins a vacation faster than your credit card saying, “Nope, that wasn’t you,” while your ice cream cone melts in your hand.
A quick call = no awkward “please try again” moments at port shops.

🌦️4. Check the Weather

Cruise weather is a mystery. It can be sunny, rainy, windy, humid, chilly, and “why is my hair doing that?” all in the same day.
Check the weather before you go so you’re not the person wearing a tropical shirt in a tropical storm.
Pack layers. Just don't over-pack.

✈️ 5. Fly in the Day Before

The ship waits for no one. Not you, not that delayed flight.
Fly in the day before so you’re sipping coffee calmly on embarkation morning—not sprinting through the terminal like you're Mrs. McCallister. Your future self will thank you.

📄 6. Print or Screenshot Your Boarding Pass

Phones die, apps crash, the Wi-Fi gods laugh at you.
A printed boarding pass? That’s forever- as long as you don't lose it. Take that screenshot, just in case.

🎒 7. Carry On a Backpack With Essentials

Checked luggage sometimes shows up fashionably late. Pack a carry-on with:

• Swimsuit

• Medications

• Chargers

• Documents

• Anything you need for the next 6 hours of your life

  Your vacation can start immediately—even if your suitcase is still mingling with 3,000 others on Deck 2.

  For some specific recs, visit https://chartingchandlers.com/what-to-pack-in-your-cruise-carry-on-bag

🧭 8. Download the App and Explore the Ship as Soon as You Board

Download the ship’s app before you sail and study it like it’s the final exam you actually want to pass.
The deck layout is basically a treasure map… except the treasure is food, drinks, shows, and more food.
Learning the layout early means fewer wrong turns and fewer moments wandering hallways.

Then, the moment your feet hit that glorious deck, explore. Get the lay of the land. Find the hidden food venues. Do the muster drill (mandatory, quick, painless- and they won't remind you over the loudspeaker every 30 minutes).
The ship is basically a floating maze with snacks—and the earlier you learn the shortcuts, the better.

🍽️ 9. Visit the Main Dining Room Concierge

If you have allergies, preferences, or just want to make sure you get a nice table for date night, the dining concierge is your person. If you are sailing as part of a group, they can make sure the above-mentioned teenagers are forced to sit with you and the rest of your group.
They’re like food wizards. And the fairy-godmother of family dinner time.

🎭 10. Make Reservations for Shows & More

Not all ships and events require reservations; check ahead. For those that do: Cruise shows fill up fast—because they’re actually good.
Book the comedy club, ice show, Broadway show, hibachi dinner, steakhouse, the spa, escape room—whatever you want—book right away. Reserve early = You win.

💳 11. Keep Your Ship Card With You at All Times

It's your room key. Your onboard credit card. Your ID for getting on and off the ship. Your magical pass to food, drinks, shows, everything.
Don’t leave your cabin without it—it’s basically your entire life at sea.

🛏️ 12. Ask for All the Extra Comfort- after you learn your cabin attendant's name

Greet your room attendant, learn their name, they are genies. Be friendly and ask right away for items if you need them:

• Extra blankets

• Extra pillows

• A mattress topper

• Robes (maybe)
  Yes, a pillow fort is very much an option. Build it. You’re on vacation.

  For more amenities you can ask for: https://chartingchandlers.com/free-stateroom-extras-to-request

⏰ 13. Be Early to Everything

The ship won't wait for you.
The tour group won’t wait for you.
The comedy show definitely won't wait for you.
Being early is basically the official sport of cruising. You’ve seen the videos: people sprinting down the pier while 3,000 passengers boo or cheer from their balconies like it’s the Olympics. Don't do the dreaded pier run walk of shame.

📱 14. Put Your Phone in Airplane Mode

International roaming charges can be scarier than a rogue seagull stealing your poolside nachos.
Airplane mode ON. Wi-Fi package or cruise app = your new best friend.

🕒 15. Know Ship Time vs. Port Time

Some ports run on local time…
Some ships stay on ship time…
And if you mix them up, you be madder than the hatter and later than the rabbit. Check your cruise app or ask Guest Services.
Set a watch. Triple-check the time. Do not trust your phone—it lies.

🍜 16. Order All the Food. ALL. THE. FOOD.

Cruise dining is not like normal dining.
At the complimentary main dining, you can order more than your 3 courses. To give you an idea:

• Two appetizers

• Two entrées

• Three desserts

• A to-go plate for midnight hunger
  There is no judgment. Only joy.

👟17. Wear Sneakers, trust me

Sneakers, tennis shoes, whatever you call them, will be your saving grace. You'll be walking so much that your step counter will begin to overheat. Aside from your comfort- don't say I didn't warn you, you'll need them for the climbing wall, bumper cars, and other activities. Check the ship app for activity requirements.

🚫18. Port Day Closures

Once the ship is docked, thanks to maritime laws, the retail therapy and slot-machine symphonies go completely silent. Don't worry, there's still plenty to do. Your wallet might even thank you for the forced break. (No promises.)

💡19. Bring a Nightlight

In case you have to get up a couple of times during the night like I do, save your toes and pack a non-plug-in nightlight. Battery-operated tea lights or these mini motion-activated lights are perfect. https://amzn.to/47Zf88U No more waking the family because your big toe has made friends with the vanity chair!

🔎20. Cruise Essentials that Make Life Easier- at least they do for me

I didn't know all the ship walls were magnetic, that most rooms don't have enough plugs, or that bringing small items would seriously improve my vacation mode. Here's what I've learned to bring as travel necessities: https://chartingchandlers.com/10-unexpected-items-you-need-for-your-10-night-royal-caribbean-cruise https://chartingchandlers.com/travel-essentials-for-the-ladies

😎 Now You’re Ready to Cruise

Follow these tips and you’ll be gliding through your first cruise like you’ve been doing this for years. You’re basically a pro now—go forth, drink fruity cocktails, and let the ocean heal your soul.

Love cruise tips like these? Follow us on our socials for more insider tricks and clever finds from across the internet. We’re charting what’s making waves in cruise life — so you can sail smoother, shine brighter, and travel smarter. ⚓

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