12 Tips To Know Before Taking Your First-Ever Cruise, According To Veteran Cruisers

Embarking on your first cruise is an exciting venture, filled with anticipation and eagerness about what lies ahead. For many, the allure of the open sea, bucket-list destinations, and the promise of relaxation and adventure are irresistible.

However, the world of cruising can be overwhelming for first-timers: From understanding the lingo to maximizing the onboard experience, there's a lot to learn. To help navigate these waters, we’ve gathered insights from seasoned cruisers who have collectively completed hundreds of voyages. Their wealth of experience offers invaluable tips to ensure your maiden voyage is smooth sailing.

1. Fly in the day before your cruise begins

Trying to save money by flying in the day of your cruise and avoiding a hotel stay? That could be a recipe for disaster.

"I can’t stress enough the importance of arriving at least one day before your cruise departs," says Lois Alter Mark, a travel writer who has been on more than 30 cruises. "There are too many flight delays these days to take the chance of missing your ship. Plus, getting in early gives you an opportunity to get over your jet lag before you embark so you get to enjoy every minute of your cruise."

2. Always book excursions through the ship

It's no secret that passengers can get better pricing by booking directly with local tour operators, but there’s a risk level there most aren’t prepared to take on: If you are delayed for any reason, the ship will not wait for you past the scheduled departure time. Alternatively, if you book through the ship, the ship is obligated to either wait for you or to handle the cost of making arrangements to get you back onto the ship.

"I always feel better if I'm booking directly with the ship, even if it means I pay a little bit more," says Jill Robbins, a travel writer who has been on at least 20 cruises. "This also makes things easier if the ship skips a port due to weather."

And since so many passengers are vying for these excursions with limited availability, be sure to book your top picks in advance. (You will often find a cost savings in pre-booking online, too.)

3. Know the rules about bringing food and drinks onboard

Thinking of going the BYOB route to save some money? Think again.

“You cannot bring your own liquor on a cruise,” says Erica Silverstein, who has been on more than 65 cruises and serves as managing editor, cruise, at The Points Guy. "However, most lines let you bring a bottle of wine per adult, and some allow limited numbers of cans or cartons of nonalcoholic drinks (such as soda, seltzer, juice, etc.)." Brush up on those rules ahead of time, as each cruise line is different.

And when it comes to food, you can bring your own prepackaged snacks—and if you’re traveling with kids, Silverstein says you definitely should. "Despite the nonstop food options on cruises, they don’t provide easy to-go snacks (granola bars, protein bars, bags of goldfish crackers, etc.), and those can be a lifesaver on long shore excursions,” she explains.

4. It's easier to do laundry than to bring a ton of luggage

Unless you book a suite, storage is almost always at a premium in cruise ship cabins, which means storing bulky luggage and finding room for all your clothes is a balancing act. That’s why Robbins almost always does laundry on a longer cruise.

"I typically pack four or five days of clothes at most and do laundry in the evening or on a sea day," she says. “Most cruise ships have a laundry room with automated washers and dryers where you can charge the fee to your room, and it's typically not very expensive. I use those sheet detergents, which don't go against TSA's liquids rule."

And for ships without self-service laundry options, you can often fill up a provided bag with your dirty clothes for a flat fee ranging from $15 to 35 (which might be less than paying to check a bigger bag at the airport), and it’ll be returned to you washed and folded so you can just focus on having fun instead of doing chores.

5. Read the daily newsletter (and keep a copy or photo with you)

The daily newsletter delivered to your cabin is full of useful information: what time each restaurant is open (and which ones charge an extra fee), where and when activities are, details about the port you’re visiting, and more.

“When you leave the ship, grab the daily newsletter, which should show all-aboard time and also gives the name, address, and phone of the port agent, who can assist you if you have any issues that would prevent you from returning to the ship on time," says cruise writer Theresa Russell, who's been on about 100 sailings. "Either pack the newsletter for the day or take a photo of this info with your phone."

6. The main dining room is included in your fare

Sure, it might have white tablecloths, but the main dining room is included with your cruise fare, so take advantage and don’t eat all your meals at the buffet.

"My sister and I have met people on different cruises and invited them to join us for a meal, but they thought that because the main dining room was fancy, that it came with a charge," says Russell. Some cruise lines require reservations or assign specific dining times for the main dining room, so be sure to research and plan accordingly.

7. Book your next cruise while still onboard

Loving your cruise so much that you're already planning your next one?

"If you’re planning to book a future cruise, do so while on the ship,” says Debra Schroeder, a Master Cruise Counselor and founder of TravelingWellForLess.com. "You can get reduced deposits and onboard credit. If you book within the first three days, some cruise lines will enter you into a drawing for a bottle of Champagne or up to $250 onboard credit."

The Royal Caribbean Next Cruise program, for example, guarantees the best offer on any sailing, up to $600 in onboard creditor dollars off your next cruise, and 10 percent off shore excursions. Plus, on most cruise lines you're never totally locked in—you can always change the sailing later if needed and apply your deposit toward that instead.

8. Make a reservation for that specialty dining restaurant 

Specialty dining restaurants come with an additional fee, but most foodies find the extra cost worth it for access to higher-end ingredients, more inventive menus, a change in scenery from the main dining room, and top-notch service. You could go for dinner, but Schroeder says you can save as much as 50 percent by booking for lunch instead (and the menu is usually the same).

If you are set on dinner, book those reservations in advance to ensure your preferred time and date. Finally, look into dining packages before the cruise begins —for instance, on MSC Cruises, you can pre-book specialty dining packages and save up to 27 percent versus onboard prices. Don’t forget that there may be a dress code for these venues, and wearing the proper attire is just one of 11 etiquette mistakes you might be making on a cruise.

9. Consider upgrading to an "all-inclusive" package

The most common complaint that newbies have about cruising is that they can feel nickled and dimed as all the costs beyond the fare add up. We’re talking about WiFi, drinks, fitness classes, photos, gratuities, and specialty dining. If you want a fixed cost, consider choosing a package that turns your cruise into an all-inclusive experience.

“Royal Caribbean offers The Key, a VIP package that includes perks like priority boarding, a welcome-aboard lunch, priority seating in show venues, and internet," says  Schroeder. "On some sailings, it’s cheaper to purchase The Key than to just purchase an internet package."

Princess has a similar offering, the Princess Premier package. If you make use of everything it comes with, you'll save up to $148 per day per guest versus buying those same items a la carte.

One final option is to book on a cruise line like Viking, which operates as an all-inclusive cruise (including a complimentary excursion in each port).

10. You're allowed to just walk off with your luggage during disembarkation 

On the last night of your cruise, you’ll receive instructions for placing your luggage outside your stateroom (usually by 10 p.m.) so that the crew can handle getting it ashore the next morning—but it's not required.

"You're able to walk your luggage off with you," says Mikkel Woodruff, editor of Sometimes Sailing. "Sometimes it's easier to do that for various reasons, including that you can head straight to customs to exit when you disembark instead of having to locate your bags in a sea of other people's luggage."

If you choose to go this route, make sure you feel comfortable wheeling your bag around the ship, up ramps, and down escalators, as disembarkation can be a bit of a maze.

11. It's OK to just relax

Every hour of the day on a cruise ship has an activity (or three!) attached to it: trivia challenges, pool games, cooking demonstrations, dance lessons, arts and crafts classes, and more. The thing is, you don’t have to do them all—or any of them.

"There is so much to do on a cruise ship that it's easy to become overwhelmed and exhausted with FOMO trying to participate in every activity," says Mary Chong of Calculated Traveller Magazine, who has been on at least 40 cruises. "You are on vacation, so take some time to be on vacation."

Try to pick just one or two must-do activities each sea day to start with; you can always add more if you’re feeling too restless to sit by the pool or read a book in a cozy nook.

12. Bring a lanyard or ID holder

Packing for a cruise takes some extra attention to detail, so plan ahead and bring a lanyard or ID holder to carry your ship card in—not all cruise lines provide them, or they may charge a fee to purchase one onboard.

"A lanyard is a great way to keep your ID handy, which you use all the time for getting drinks, paying for services like spa treatments or at the shops, and getting into your room," says travel writer Lauren Mack, who spent 73 days at sea in 2023.