Feb 09 2009
Planning Your First Cruise: What No One Told You
I painstaking planned our first cruise, read online tips, and asked for advice. There were some things that I was unprepared for, however.
Here’s what I was told before I left… and
how I translated it once I was wiser.
- Bring a sweater; it might be cool on deck in the evenings.
Pack jeans, sweaters, and light jackets. Even in the tropics, a cold front can come through. And the air-conditioning on the ships means the interior areas are often cool as well. - There’s always food available on a cruise.
You’ll actually begin to worry when pizza and room service are the only two options available. - The ship is big and you will get lost.
You’ll be thankful for the pocket desk plans and posted maps, especially if you can never remember if your room is closer to “fore” or “aft.” - Ship’s photographers will be available to take your picture.
Everywhere you go. They’ll be lined up to photograph you when you board, when you exit, while you eat, and they will have their portrait backgrounds set up every night to take your “no-obligation-but-you’re-welcome-to-buy-them” photos. - Once you’ve paid for the cruise, everything on the ship is free.
Except alcohol and soft drinks, premium coffees, special desserts, and sushi, bingo and gambling, spa services, shore excursions, photographs, gift shop items . . . - Bring sunscreen.
You don’t want to be the lobster inching his way back to his cabin after the first day. - The ship is so big, you’ll hardly notice its motion.
That depends a lot on the weather. Big waves can rock a big ship. Take motion-sickness medication just in case. - You’ll have a great time.
Even if weather and itineraries are compromised, you’ll find yourself planning your next cruise.
Related post: Tips from an Expert First-Time Cruiser
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The being able to eat 24/7 was a big issue on my first cruise. I lived in California and my cruise was to the Bahamas which meant a 3 hour time difference. I was never hungry when they were serving dinner and by the time that I was, there was nothing to be found to eat. I ended up paying $10 in the gift shop for a can of Pringles one night for dinner. Still, it was a great time and a lesson learned.
trishaj’s last blog post..Saturday Update
our first (and only!) cruise had many of the elements you describe. We went with our kids, and because it was an international cruise, they knew the kids’s ages from passports. Not that we would lie or anything, but it meant that our 2.8 year old daughter was not old enough for the kid’s programs (starts at age 3), which meant that we were with her 24/7.
And, even though we were on a tropical cruise, when the ship was out at sea, it was cold and not super pleasant swimming weather.
And yes, not everything is free once you get on board – I am pretty sure they make the most money from the optional, land-tours!
Gudrun’s last blog post..Minnesota History Center and “Global Hotdish Variety Show”
Cruises just aren’t for everyone. My older child, 10 years old at the time, loved the freedom of going off with her friends. My younger child missed the cutoff of the cool kids program, and was stuck in the preschool kid program that he hated. There was no way to persuade him to stay.
Personally, I didn’t enjoy the crowds or the rushed visits to destinations. Even the food started to taste all the same after a few days.
Guess I’m just not a cruise person.
Sandra Foyt’s last blog post..Shoveling Snow: Danger Sport?
Thanks for the tips! I’ve not yet been on a cruise but will keep these in mind when I do!
Anne’s last blog post..On Martha’s Vineyard, Should You Rent or Own?
These are great tips and things that people take for granted if they have cruised frequently. I hope you had a great trip!
Anne’s last blog post..Random Tuesdays
Good tips, but you missed the best one…
Don’t go on a cruise because they are lame.
- Poor food (how can you make good food when you are cooking for a thousand…you can’t)
- Your time is tightly controlled (just when you find something interesting on the island you have to go back)
- Once the novelty of riding in a giant ship wears off, all that is left is gambling and drinking
- The shows are very poor
- The majority of the rooms are closet sized
If you want a tropical vacation just stay on an island.
Chad’s last blog post..Just More Bad News
I have been on one cruise and am booked on a second for the fall. It is my favorite type of vacation because there is always something to do or if you want you can do nothing and sit by the pool and tan or sit in your room and watch TV. The food was amazing and plentiful, I even had cookies and milk delivered to my room one evening. I don’t drink a lot of alcohol or soda so that was never an issue. Having photographers around all the time was great for getting updated family pictures and if you don’t want to buy any of the pics they take, you don’t have to. The amount of time I had on the different islands was perfect. I did excursions at each port and had a wonderful time on every one.
If you research your cruise ahead of time and know what to expect and know that you are on a ship and things can change(my Aunt’s ship had to be diverted due to a hurricane) and just go with the flow and relax you will have a great time.
The advice to bring seasickness medication is excellent. Even large ships can cause motion sickness and even people who have never suffered from it before can develop a problem. Once you are on the ship, the cost of acquiring medication will be much higher than you could buy it for at the local drugstore. There are a number of over-the-counter medications available these days that work very well.
William G. Oatiz´s last blog ..Great Lakes Cruises | Mystic Blue