I recently went on a cruise with my family, a 4 day trip from Los Angeles to Ensenada (Baja California) by way of Catalina Island. It was my first time cruising.
At the end of my trip, I made a few notes so that I could have a better cruising experience next time. I'm writing them down here as a sort of reminder to myself, but also in hopes that they can help other first-timers.
1. BRING A WATER BOTTLE*
Depending on what cruise line you're traveling on and what type of stateroom you're staying in, a bottle of water will not always be provided for free (especially not in the cheaper rooms). Fill your water bottle up in the cafeteria to take back to your room and/or to take with you on excursions.
* NOTE: Your water bottle must be EMPTY when you board the boat on the first day (you'll be going through a security checkpoint, like at the airport).
2. HAVE A LANYARD AND/OR CARD PROTECTOR FOR YOUR ROOM CARD
Your room card also serves as your charge card aboard the ship and as an ID/entry card to scan you onto and off of the ship when visiting a port. Most people keep their cards on a lanyard for easy access. If lanyards aren't your thing, then you can use something like a wristlet or smartphone wallet - something to keep things readily available.
3. BRING YOUR OWN SOAP AND SHAMPOO, IF YOU'RE PICKY
Every stateroom has soap, body wash, and shampoo, just like a hotel or gym would. But, just as you might find at a hotel or gym, the quality of the soap and shampoo you find in your room on the cruise may not meet your standards. If this is a big deal for you, don't hesitate to bring your own.
4. DON'T SKIMP ON THE SUNBLOCK!
I guarantee, unless you are a construction worker or an avid outdoor sports enthusiast, you WILL be getting more sun than usual. In fact, it is likely you will get sunBURNED (so don't forget to pack the aloe vera, either)! If you have any excursions planned during the day, make sure you slather on as much sunblock as possible over every visible inch of skin (including the back of your neck and ears).
5. IF YOU'RE TRAVELING WITH A PARTY, PAY FOR THE CRUISE'S MESSAGING APP
Most major cruise lines will have their own smartphone app that lists the day's itinerary, lets you keep track of how much you're spending, AND provides a messaging service with other users onboard. For Carnival cruises, it's $5 (per person) to activate messaging on their Carnival Hub App for the entire duration of your trip.
Yes, the price is BS, but your only other alternatives are:
- A. Since you will have little to no cellular reception at sea, everyone in your party will have to purchase an internet package (which STARTS at $5.99/day on Carnival cruises) so you can use your usual messaging apps with each other, OR...
- B. Run around the ship looking for each other. Believe me - the boat is HUGE, and it's easy to get separated from your party if you're not careful. Or maybe you just want to do things on your own for a while and need to get in touch with your people when you're done. Yes, you can decide on a meeting time and place for either situation, but it's not always easy or convenient to get from one end of the boat to the other (these boats also have around 10 floors). Let me put it this way: you can easily put in 10k steps a day on your Fitbit just by walking around on the boat. Just bite the bullet and pay the $5.
6. DRESS CODES ARE NOT AS STRICT AS CRUISES MAKE THEM OUT TO BE
In addition to a dress for Formal Night, I packed an extra couple of blouses because I thought the dress code for the dining rooms would be heavily enforced. There was no need. The general cafeteria area allows for more casual clothing (if dressing up isn't your thing), but on my trip, people in beat up T-shirts and flip-flops were being let into the proper dining rooms anyway, even during Formal Night. There were people walking around the boat, eating in the cafeteria and attending shows in bath robes. Not a fancy kimono or wrap dress that I mistook to be a bath robe. A WHITE, TERRY CLOTH, "PROVIDED IN YOUR ROOM" BATHROBE!!! If you're nervous, nice, clean resort wear is always a safe bet.
7. SPEAKING OF CLOTHES, PACK SOME DANCE CLOTHES!
If you like to dance, take some time to visit the night clubs on the ship.
8. DO THE MATH BEFORE YOU PURCHASE A BEVERAGE PLAN
If you only plan on having 2 or 3 drinks a day, then you'd be wasting your money on a beverage plan. Estimate alcoholic drinks to cost around $10 and sodas to be around $2. Do the math to decide whether or not the plan would be worth it for you.
For what it's worth, I also observed people bringing 12-packs of soda with them onto the ship. Self-service beverages in the cafeteria (water, coffee, hot chocolate, lemonade, and iced tea) are free.
9. DO NOT EAT MEALS OUTSIDE ON THE PATIO!
You're dining in the cafeteria today, and it's a nice day out, so of course you'll feel tempted to eat on the patio. I'm telling you right now to turn around and find yourself a table inside. Seagulls perch near patio areas waiting for any scraps. Some are even bold enough to snatch food right off the plate in front of you. Sit next to a window if you want to enjoy the ocean view.
10. HAVE A GOOD TIME!
Above all else, you're there to relax and enjoy yourself. That's not to say there won't be a few aggressive salespeople and the like, to whom you'll need to put your foot down and just say "No!" But remember to loosen up and let yourself go with the flow! As long as you're not inconveniencing or harming anyone else, there is no wrong way to have a good time.
