Whether you are cruising on Royal Caribbean, Carnival, Norwegian, or any other cruise line, all of the things listed below apply to help you make the most of the first day of your cruise.
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On embarkation day, try to arrive as early as you can to get checked in and on board because there are so many things to see and do! You’ll likely find contradictory advice on this with some people saying to arrive early, and other saying to arrive later “when the crowds die down”. We are all for getting in early, especially as cruise lines are getting better at reducing wait times and lines. Many passengers have already completed check-in online before arriving at the terminal (which we highly recommend doing) and that is also helping to cut down on wait times.
On our recent Baltic cruise with Norwegian Cruise Line out of Copenhagen, we found the boarding process to be extremely quick and easy. We arrived by noon and I’d estimate we spent about 20 minutes for the whole boarding process as they didn’t have any lines building up.
With this said though, you may still find yourself in long check-in lines for some cruises, as we did on our cruise with Royal Caribbean out of Galveston a few years ago (where the above photo is from). In these instances, it’ll be good to have packed some patience and perhaps some portable entertainment for the wait, especially if you are travelling with children. But, even with these long lines, we had still arrived at the terminal early enough that we were on the ship in time to enjoy lunch and have a couple of hours to explore the ship before we set sail.
TIP: If you’re coming from out of town to join the ship we would definitely suggest flying or driving in the day before. While the ship won’t sail until late afternoon, a flight delay/cancellation could make for a very stressful start to your trip, or delay your cruise altogether if you miss the ship. We don’t think of the hotel the night before embarkation day as a hassle and extra expense, but rather it is part of the great vacation you’re going to have! Your departure port is still a port, so plan some sightseeing there too and you’ve just added another “port of call” to your cruise!
Depending on what time you are able to board your stateroom may or may not be ready as they are still being cleaned from all the guests that debarked that morning. For the ships we’ve been on the cabins were ready about 1:00-1:30 so you’ll likely be able to get in your room when you are done your lunch.
As soon as you’re able to get in your cabin, at least take a pop by and check it out. It’ll likely never look this clean and spacious again so if you want to take a photo of your cabin now is the time to do it!
As there are hundreds and hundreds of bags to be delivered it can take a while for them to make it to your stateroom so you might not be able to get unpacked and settled until a little later in the day. That’s OK though, you can drop off your carry-on and any other items you won’t need for the afternoon, put items in the safe, and then head back out to explore the ship and take part in some of the activities.
Balcony Stateroom #1374 on Norwegian Getaway
Once your bags arrive, I, personally, like to get everything unpacked and organised straight away so it is done for the duration of the cruise. It’s also a great way to pass some time while you’re waiting to be called for the muster drill before the ship sails. It only takes about 30 minutes or so for me to do both of our suitcases and once it’s done, it’s done. If you use packing cubes in your suitcase to pre-organise things before you leave home, it may be even faster.
For all the cabins we’ve stayed in we have had plenty of space to completely unpack our luggage and put all of our clothes, shoes, toiletries, etc. in the closet and our empty suitcases go under the bed. I do find though that I’ve had to double up on hangers as there aren’t really enough for two people, but that just means having a pair of pants and a shirt on the same hanger which isn’t really a big issue. There is also some shelf space so I used that for clothes we didn’t mind having folded and, on our Baltic cruise, all of our outdoor gear (hats, scarves, and gloves).
On embarkation day you’re likely to run into your cabin steward/attendant when you come to your cabin to drop off your carry-on and see if your luggage has arrived. This is a great time to introduce yourself and have a chat (although best to make it a quick chat as this is a very busy time for them). They will likely also give you information about how you can contact them when they are not around in the corridor around your cabin.
This is also a good time to make any requests such as extra hangers, having the mini-bar fridge emptied, or if you’d like a bucket of ice each day. In our experience, our room stewards have all been so friendly, helpful, and willing to meet our requests as quickly as possible.
READ MORE: Looking for more great cruise tips? Check them out here!
If you’ve boarded in time for lunch you’ll have a few options to choose from. Undoubtedly the ship’s buffet dining room will be open and will have many different choices on offer. Or you may find that some of the dining rooms or smaller eateries are open – we recommend taking this route if you’d like a little quieter lunch experience.
A couple of the dining choices we’ve opted for in lieu of the buffet were the Central Park Café on the Oasis of the Seas where we had their Kummelweck sandwich (a roast beef sandwich that we’d seen raved about when doing research for our cruise) and the Savour main dining room on the Norwegian Getaway where we enjoyed a lovely, leisurely three-course lunch.
Did you know that you can download an app for your cruise line to check your daily planner on your phone, and even to message other passengers? Before your ship leaves port, or while still at home if you travelled to your departure port, be sure to download the app. Once onboard you’ll be able to use it without using your data or connecting to the ship’s internet.
Please be aware though that some cruise lines do charge for the messaging function so be sure to check on that before incurring costs that you aren’t expecting. If it isn’t clear on the app if it is chargeable or not, just pop down to Guest Services and they will be able to guide you.
With this said though, try not to let your phone take over your cruise vacation. Sometimes it is just nice to disconnect and be in the moment instead of frequently checking social media accounts. It’ll all be there when you get home. The ship’s internet package is usually quite expensive too so we prefer to save that money for neat things to do in port.
TIP: Remember to put your phone on airplane mode before your ship sails or you could be hit with hefty charges while at sea, and possibly in your cruise ports depending on your mobile phone plan.
This is your new home for the next few days (or even weeks!) so now is the time to start exploring the ship because there is so much to see!
You were most likely given a map of the deck plan when you checked in for the cruise which is really helpful to get your bearings in the first day or so of your cruise. In addition to a paper map, the cruise line will have an app and they will have interactive touchscreens around the ship to help you navigate and orientate yourself.
These touchscreens are typically located at the elevator lobbies and, depending on the cruise line, will give you varying information. For example, on Royal Caribbean, the ships are equipped with “Wayfinder” that enables you to instantly view the map of the whole ship, certain parts of the ship, and it will even draw a route for you if you get lost.
Our first cruise was on Royal Caribbean’s Navigator of the Seas and we were amazed at all there was to see on board. From all the clubs and restaurants to the sports facilities, theatres, the casino, even an ice rink, and much more – it’ll likely take a couple of hours to just stroll the decks to see everything. It would be a shame to get to the end of your cruise and realise you completely missed out on a great bar, restaurant, or quiet area because you didn’t take some time for exploring.
TIP: While exploring on the first day, if you’re able to, it can be quicker to get between decks by using the stairs. The elevator will be really busy with people boarding and they may even have some elevators blocked off so they can be used for priority boarding for passengers with cabins in the suites.
After a delicious lunch and possibly exploring the ship, it’ll be time to make your way to your muster station for the mandatory safety drill.
Every cruise ship is required to have this drill and every passenger is required to attend so they will take attendance through your ship card that you were given when you boarded.
The crew assigned to your muster station will show you how to put on your lifejacket and there will be a presentation or someone speaking over the loudspeaker to give you information about what you are expected to do in the unlikely event of a real emergency.
It will likely take about 30 minutes and while no, it’s not the most exciting part of your cruise, it could save your life or someone else’s so please be quiet and listen.
Please don’t be like the passenger on our recent Baltic cruise who decided the muster drill was the time for him to tell the group he was travelling with (quite loudly) all about how they were getting to Berlin the next day, what they would see, etc. It wasn’t the time for that and he was told by several people to stop talking.
Take the time to listen, file it away in case the information is needed, and then, when dismissed, return to all the fun you were having!
READ MORE: Looking for more great cruise tips? Check them out here!
We recommend making reservations for speciality restaurants, spa appointments, and shows before you board the ship, if possible, to ensure you’re able to save your place. However, some things might not be able to be booked until you’re on board and now is a great time to take care of that.
Our first option for making bookings on board is by using the TV in our stateroom. Once we’ve booked everything we can this way, then we check the cruise planner to see where to get tickets for the remaining shows or activities and when those venues will be open to get the tickets. It’s best to do this as soon as possible after boarding so you can get the date and time you want, especially as popular events may “sell-out”. Also, please note, that even free shows may require passengers to reserve their place at a show.
It is a fun and festive time when your cruise ship starts to pull away from the dock; you truly know then that your long-awaited vacation is finally underway!
Many ships have a live band or DJ for a “Sail Away” party out on deck as an option. Alternatively, you could find a spot along the deck to take it all in, or perhaps, if you have a cabin with a balcony, you could experience a quieter departure from there.
Whichever option you choose, grab a drink and your camera, and have fun. You might even be at a port where people gather to watch departing ships and they will wave to send your ship out to sea!
Depending on where you are cruising from, this might need to be done before dinner, but there is nothing quite like watching the sunset at sea.
If you are lucky enough to both have a balcony AND be facing the right direction, then your own private light show awaits. Otherwise, find a spot on the deck where you can relax and enjoy the beautiful colours – perhaps with your favourite drink in hand and a whole cruise stretching out ahead of you.
In your cabin, you’ll find an itinerary and a new one will be delivered to your stateroom each evening for the next day.
Each cruise line has a different name for these but they all give you essentially the same information such as the weather forecast, sunrise and sunset times, time zone for the port you’ll be visiting, ship’s time, where to pick up event tickets, special offers and drinks for the day, showtimes, restaurant and dining room hours, and a detailed list of all the events happening on board.
With so many activities on cruise ships, it is a good idea to peruse this and highlight anything you might want to pencil in for the following day. This will allow you to maximise your time onboard and ensure you don’t miss something you really wanted to do.
CRUISING WITH KIDS TIP: Kids/teens have their own activities so you should get a copy of their itinerary in your cabin each evening too if you are travelling with them. Kids 12 years old and over don’t require a parent to check them in and out of activities and will likely decide that the teen activities look much more exciting than hanging out with their parents (like our teen did!).
To view examples of Royal Caribbean’s daily itinerary called “Cruise Compass” click for adult version or the teen version.
READ MORE: Looking for more great cruise tips? Check them out here!
Do you have any other things that you do on the first day of your cruise?
We’d love to hear about it. Please tell us about it in the comments!
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