50 + Cruise Tips/Hacks/Secrets for First Time Cruisers
My husband and I love to cruise. It's an inexpensive way to vacation and see the world. After all of our cruises, we've picked quite a few hacks, tips, and secrets to share. Some of these are pretty common, but others - not so much.
Before cruising:
A couple of things to remember before you choose your cruise is what type of cruise experience do you want. Here are some tips:
1. Longer cruises usually equal an older crowd. Shorter cruises (2-5 days) usually mean a younger, partier type of crowd. Also, "colder" cruises are "older" cruises. Cruises to Alaska seem to be an older crowd; whereas, a Caribbean cruise attracts a younger crowd.
2. Timing. If you take a cruise in March/early April be prepared for a lot of partying and college aged crowds. We try to avoid Spring Break cruises. We don't begrudge anyone the chance to party, but when it's a common occurrence to see kids who can't walk without assistance or passed out in different areas of the ship, it's a bit overwhelming.
3. Cost. This is also a timing issue. There are certain times of the years that are cheaper than others. For instance after Labor Day until mid November you can get cheaper fares. Keep in mind that if you are cruising the Caribbean you are in prime hurricane season. We have chosen to travel during hurricane season and have never had a problem.
Another thing to remember about cost is that whatever you budget for your cruise add at least 50% to that cost. I've read and heard time and again, especially for first time cruises, that they spent more money than they thought they would on their cruise. For many it's the expense of alcohol. Since you aren't using cash and the cost of a drink seems abstract, it's easy to buy another round or have one more nightcap. On one cruise we heard a passenger at Guest Relations incredulous that his bar tab for a four day cruise was over $1,000.00. Apparently, he bought several rounds for his new buddies in one of the bars several times. Some cruise lines offer an "unlimited" drink program for an added cost - and if you drink more than 6-10 beers/drinks a day then this may be the way to go. One thing to remember is that if you buy the drink program, each person over the age of 21 in your cabin also has to purchase the drink program as well.
4. Lots of kids/not as many kids. Most families cruise during peak season when their kids are out of school. If you are not a kid person - you probably want to avoid sailing during this time. There are also cruise lines that offer adults only cruises. Also, most cruise ships have areas that are only open to adults.
5. Don't waste time cost comparing. I used to do this all the time, and realized the published fare on the cruise site is what is on all the other sites as well. If you work with a travel agent, they sometimes will be given perks (especially if they tie into a bigger cruise provider) to pass along to travelers. Sometimes you get on board credits, free upgrades, etc. The only downside is that a lot of the times you won't know your cabin assignment until you check in on the ship. You may have paid for an interior cabin that is fairly roomy, and get excited you've been upgraded to an outside cabin only to find the view is obstructed and you are right below the dance floor of one of the clubs.
6. Type of room. Typically cabin categories are interior, outer, balcony, and suite. Within these four main categories there are sub-categories as well. The price of the cruise increasing based on the category and it's subcategory. For instance, if you decide you would like an outer cabin, you will be paying more for a picture window with an unobstructed view on a higher deck than a porthole on a lower deck.
Everyone has their preference. We have found though, that we get to enjoy the same food, the same amenities, the same entertainment whether we are in an interior cabin or a suite. We have found for the shorter cruises we don't mind an interior cabin. Anything longer than 5 days we will scrimp and save for a balcony. We skip over the outer cabins because or us, it's just not worth the cost. A particular favorite cabin for us is located all the way forward on one of the "secret decks". Nine times out of ten these are booked as interior cabins because the huge picture window is considered obstructed, and they are bigger cabins because they are handicapped accessible. So, for not much more cost than an interior cabin, you get a spacious cabin and can access the entire front of the ship by accessing the door that's right outside your cabin. Every time we have been able to book these cabins my husband and I end up moving a couple of lounge chairs from the Lido deck over, and have our own semi private (people do wander about the ship and find the "secret" decks) area where we can relax.
Otherwise, we are perfectly comfortable in an interior cabin.
7. Location-Location-Location. The location of your cabin on the ship is pretty important especially if you are a light sleeper. The best place to be is midship with passenger cabins above you and below you. Places to avoid are when you have high traffic/late night entertainment above you. You can hear chairs being moved and stacked, hear the music in the nightclub, and even the thud of the music. Before picking your room, study the deck plans, go on the Internet and see if anyone has posted a review of your room or the rooms nearby.
Packing:
1. The absolute must to bring with you is a power strip & extension chord. For those who have never cruised, most rooms will only have one outlet and that's it. I also pack an extension chord so that I can take my curling iron into the bathroom and use the bathroom mirror. Most cruise lines have a hair dryer - but FYI - they're usually pretty weak.
4. Magnetic clips. The doors and the walls of a cruise ship cabin are metal, so magnets are perfect. We use the clips to hang up our daily itinerary, any drink coupons, tickets, messages from the cruise line, etc. We also hang up our lanyards with our Sail & Sign cards on them when we are in the cabin so they don't get misplaced. Boca clips are also a great must have. It can get pretty windy on deck, and boca clips can keep your towel fastened to your lounge chair.
5. Over the door shoe holder. We don't always pack it - especially on the shorter cruises or when it's just us in the cabin. When we have my mom with us or our nieces, it's nice to have. We hang it over one of the closet doors and store sunscreen, hairspray, mousse, lotion, etc. in the pockets.
6. On Carnival each passenger over the age of 21 can pack one bottle of wine/champagne to bring on board. My husband and I are not really drinkers, but we have brought a bottle of Moscato before. Don't forget a bottle opener (although your room steward can usually round one up if you forget). If you take your wine to the dining room there is usually a recorking fee, and they will keep your unfinished bottle of wine for you. Check your cruise lines website for specific details. A friend of ours packs a bottle of champagne, and each morning orders orange juice and has a mimosa in her room. Some people try to sneak alcohol on board. Nine times out of ten they will confiscate your alcohol. There are various websites where you can purchase kits to bring booze on board.
7. Lay out all of your clothes on your bed that you plan on taking with you on your cruise. Now pack half. Even after years of cruising, I still tend to pack too much. There will be at least one formal/cruise elegant night on your cruise. You will see the entire gamut of formal office attire (skirts, shirts with jackets) all the way to long dresses and tuxedos. Check your cruise line to see what their specific dress attire requires.
It's good to take a lightweight jacket, sweatshirt, or sweater - even during the summer. Some places on the ship are really cold. Pack outfits that you can mix and match. For every pair of pants/shorts I pack, I'll match three shirts. You can always do laundry on the ship or send it to be done for a fee. Some cruises offer free laundry when you reach a certain level in their rewards' program. My husband and I are platinum on Carnival, and we take advantage of free laundry services as much as we can. As for shoes, I usually pack no more than four pair. Close toed comfy shoes for excursions, walking, etc., flip flops for by the pool, a pair that's appropriate with slacks and skirts, and a pair for elegant night. I can usually get away with flip flops (if they are "bedazzled" and have a little heal) to wear by the pool and for dinner. Beware though, casual flat flip flops are not allowed in the main dining rooms or the specialty restaurants so they need to be a bit dressier.
8. Toiletries. The ship will always have shower gel, shampoo, and soap for your use. Sometimes you may get other freebies like razors and/or lotion, but you can't count on those. You may also want to pack your own aspirin, tums, etc. because it's pretty costly if you need to buy it on the ship. It's a good idea to pack dramamine and/or motion sickness pills. You can sometimes get these from the purser's desk for free or the medical clinic for a fee. In your toiletries you can also pack ear plugs just in case you have a cabin that is near a noisy area or you have noisy neighbors. We spent one cruise next to a couple on their honeymoon. They were very active and very loud.
9. A small fan. This is a must! Depending on where you are located on the ship, your room can get pretty warm even in the winter months. There is a temperature regulator in the room, but for the most part they are there for a placebo effect. We've never regretted packing one.
10. Dryer sheets/room spray. Again, depending on where you are located on the ship and especially in an inside cabin, the rooms can get stuffy and you can also get some not so pleasant smells through the duct system. We've been on ships where you sometimes get a whiff of the sewage system - and while not overbearing - not an inviting smell. We take dryer sheets and usually can put them where the air comes into the room and it works for the entire cruise. Or we take Febreeze or another room spray and that'll take care of it. We also pack anti wrinkle spray. It works so so if you spray your wrinkled garment before hanging in the closet.
11. An extra empty duffel or folded bag. Chances are you will do some shopping while you are in port, and you will need a place to pack your souvenirs. It's also a good ideas to pack a small backpack (the kind with drawstrings) that you can carry around the ship. I usually carry my ipad or book/magazine, sunscreen, water bottle, the daily itinerary, and some ziplocs with me. This way I don't have to keep going back to the room when I go from the lido deck to play bingo or art auction, etc.
12. A lot of people suggest extra hangers. We've never needed extra hangers, but if you are traveling with more than two in a cabin, they may come in handy.
13. Post it notes. You don't always see your room steward, so if you need ice, extra towels, etc. you can leave a post it note on your mirror, and you'll be sure to get what you need. I also pack a small pair of scissors, a pen, and a small magnetic write on board to hang on our door. I tend to decorate our cabin door with different things, and each day I write a question of the day on our white board. I get lots of fun responses. Sometimes I'll bring suckers and tape them to the door for people to take. It's just a fun thing to do, plus the decor helps you locate your cabin in a sea of sameness. Some boats have a door decor contest. I'm proud to say I've won this competition more than once. Plenty of ships on a stick and a free drink coupon or two.
14. Travel coffee mug and refillable water bottle. The coffee cups and glasses on the ship are small. So, we bring our own and fill them up, and don't have to keep going back for refills. If we buy coffee at the specialty coffee places on board, they will make the coffee in your travel mug and we've always been charged for a small size. I'll also bring flavor packets to put in my water. The cruise serves up water, tea, and lemonade for free. My husband likes to make Arnold Palmer's. Also, don't have any qualms about drinking the ship water. It goes through a rigorous purification process.
15. Extra ziploc bags. Even though there is room service 24 hours a day, sometimes you just want to have something readily available in the room. My husband's favorite thing are the chocolate dipped orange peels. So, we will grab a few snacks at the buffet to keep in our room.
16. A waterproof camera especially if you are going to snorkeling, doing any water excursions, or diving on your cruise. Some people also bring a waterproof phone cover.
17. A copy of your identification. We also put a business card inside our luggage along with our cabin number in case the luggage tag gets separate from the suitcase. You can also purchase luggage tags specifically for cruises here:
For a complete packing list - download the free shipmates app from here.
Hacks:
1. Instead of folding your clothes, roll them up. This avoids wrinkles, and you can pack more in your suitcase.
2. If wearing a jacket for formal night, turn the jacket inside out before packing. This will keep the wrinkles on the inside of the jacket.
3. For collared shirts, place your rolled up belt inside the neck of the shirt, and it will keep your shirt collar crisp and tight.
4. Pack your jewelry in pill cases to keep them from getting tangled and organized. A good idea for pierced earrings is to put them on a button. They stay together and easier to keep track of.
5. A lot of the newer ships require you to put your key card in a slot by the door in order for the lights to work. An easy hack to work around is to put a library card, previous room key, and/or hotel key in the slot instead. If you happen to forget or don't have an extra you can make one out of the daily itinerary. Simply cut out in the same size of your sail and sign card. Sometimes you have to double it up, but it will work.
6. Photograph your luggage just in case it gets lost. Another hack, especially if traveling with your family, is to pack at least one outfit per person in each suitcase especially if you pack a bag per person. That way if you lose a bag or two everyone will have something to wear, and the person's suitcase that was lost won't have to wear the same outfit until the suitcase is located.
7. To keep a necklace from getting tangled use a straw and thread one end of the necklace through the straw and fasten.
8. Use a clean, empty pill bottle to store Q tips.
9. Green apples and pickled ginger work for sea sickness.
10. Carry on your meds and swimsuits. When you first arrive, your cabin probably won't be ready, and your luggage sometimes doesn't arrive until well after sailing. Pack your swimsuit in your carry on so you can lounge by the pool, take advantage of the water slide, and have some fun in the sun.
11. Place a piece of saran wrap around all liquids before you tighten the lid. And pack them in a sealed ziploc. The saran wrap creates a tighter seal to protect against leaks. Nothing is worse than opening your suitcase to find you've dumped a whole bottle of lotion on your clothes.
12. A lanyard for your sail & sign card. You can either get a free one from the casino or buy one and have them punch them for you. My husband just brings his that he uses for work.
13. When you arrive on the ship, set your phone to ship's time and change your settings to airplane mode. This way you will always know what time it is on the ship, and you can use your phone as your alarm. If you choose to purchase a travel plan, make sure you set your phone to whatever time zone the ship is in. The ship's time will never change even if you change timezones during your cruise. This will keep you in sync with the ship.
14. Don't use the ATM on the ship to get cash which will cost you bank fees. Instead go into the casino, put in your sign and sail card, and follow the instructions on the screen. It will ask how much to charge your sail and sign card, and put in the amount of cash you would like. Once it loads it onto your machine, hit cash out. Then remove your sail and sign card and take it up to the casino cage, and "cash out". You've just avoided paying any ATM and bank fees.
15. Free wi-fi. Ask a crew member before or when you reach your port stop if they know where free wi-fi is available. They will almost always have a place to recommend. Wi fi on the ship isn't free for crew, so they take advantage of free wi fi as much as they can. You can also ask the crew where they go for massages as well. Remember, they are in port about twice a week, so they often know where to get deals. It's better to pay $35-$50 for an hour massage on the beach than $150 in the spa.
16. The first time we had an inside cabin, we slept until almost noon since it was so dark. You can't tell whether it's daylight or not. There is absolutely no natural light. One hack we've figured out is to put our television on the channel that has a camera pointed from the front of the ship. When we wake up we can see if it's night or day. Royal Caribbean now offers virtual balcony cabins.
17. If you have to travel less than three floors up or down, take the stairs it'll be faster.
18. Let the cruise line/your travel agent know if you are celebrating a special event. It will sometimes result in freebies.
Cruise Secrets:
1. All crew members on the ship work in contracts. Contracts vary in length from four months, six months, and eight months with an eight week break between contracts. Most of the crew will work seven days a week or longer before having a day off. Some of them work 15-16 hours a day. A lot of crew members especially room stewards and restaurant staff earn less than .50 an hour for the work they do, and they depend on tips. A great way to get great service is to tip your room steward and waitstaff up front on the first day. You are going to get great service anyway, but it's an added incentive that shows your appreciation. Also, take a moment to get to know those who are serving you during your cruise. We've met men and women who have college degrees and beyond (we've had two doctors as room stewards), but cannot find work in their home country either due to the economy, civil unrest, or other reasons. They appreciate when you treat them with dignity and respect. We've heard time and again of people who aren't kind or respectful or look down on them for cleaning ship cabins or assume they aren't intelligent. Many crew members (in fact more often than not) speak several languages. If you are on a cruise line that pre charges your tips, please do not pull your tips. They are dispersed to various crew members all over the ship. Believe it or not, there are crew members who work for hours sorting trash all day every day for months on end. They work cruise ships for what we think is very little pay, but to them, provides not only for their family but their extended family as well.
2. Cruise culture and crew members have a lingo and slang all their own. Although the cruise terms aren't a secret, the slang just might be. Here are some phrases you might hear around the ship and between crew members:
Aft - The rear of the ship.
A la cartuch – excellent
Babalu - A fool.
Barko - means a huge ship... filipino term for ships (cruise ship, tanker, etc)
Bomboclat - Jamaican expression meant to convey shock or surprise Some examples : "Guest give me $200 tips!""BOMBOCLAT!"
Boat drill - At the beginning of every cruise, crew and passengers must perform a mandatory lifeboat drill. Crew performs additional Boat drill once a week.
Bow - The front of the ship.
Bridge -The control center of the ship.
CD - Cruise director.
Cheapatone - A dirt cheap guest; a guest who does not spend money on services.
Che Fache - expression used by the Romanian crew to ask "whats up."
Chi Chi man - term for a homo-sexual. i.e. a gay person i
Cheeky Cheeky - sexual intercourse
Cone: The crew word for a passenger. Legend has it that it derives from passengers being in the way and blocking traffic, like traffic cones. Or is from a Saturday Night Live skit? Opinions vary. So do cones. Which brings us to…
Cone-ing: The act of sex with a passenger, which is a no-no on most cruise lines.
Decks - Floors of the ship
Departure - The time when ship leaves a port.
F&B - food and beverage.
Formal Night - The designated evening when guests dress formally for dinner.
Friends of Bill W/Friends of Dorothy: Friends of Bill W. is the code name for Alcoholics Anonymous meetings onboard. Friends of Dorothy denotes LGBT activities.
Gordo - a big and round person; an overweight guest.
Gangway - The entrance / exit area of the ship used while docked.
Galley - the ship's kitchen.
GI – gastrointestinal illness also known as norovirus, most common virus on cruise ships.
I-95 - The main crew hallway on a ship. It runs up and down the length of the ship.
Itinerary - The schedule of ports for specific cruise.
Knot – One nautical mile per hour.
La Ge Ge - Very behind
Steward - responsible for maintaining passenger cabins - Cabin Steward. responsible for maintaining Galley – Galley Steward.
Mamagaio - Is crew member on duty using his working time to activities that have nothing to do with work, indeed. It's killing time, get high, take a flight. All this, of course, without your boss finding out. Comes from tagalog (language spoken in the Phillipines)
Mamacita - refers to a “babe” or a real sweet chick. It’s a very common pick-up line. The literal meaning is "little mama;"
Maitre D' – Restaurant manager in charge of the dining room and its wait staff.
Myuzo – Cruise ship Musician
Master – Captain of the ship
Mambruko - Idiot
Muster station – Assembly place where a person goes during an emergency.
Midships - Middle of the ship.
Paddock - buffet restaurant, A paddock in Australia is a field where grazing can be take place all day.
Paisano - means countryman or brother in Italian. The equivalent of "homie" to Italians and Italian-Americans. Italian, usually said in reference to 'buddy, friend, mate'. People from Dominican Republic use that word as a slang.. It is used when there's a good friendship among two men, never if you do not know that person. In The Caribbean instead of using the whole word, they just use part of it: "Paisa", and as a slang word.
Papi – Means old man. Nowadays at least – more used to say “darling” or “sweetheart”, in most parts of Latin-America.
Pare – Tagalog language. It is short for kumpadre, meaning 'friend.'
Port Side - The left side of the ship when facing the bow
Port manning - as per Maritime law, a ship is required to keep a certain amount of crew on board while docked. The crew that is port manning cant exit the ship in particular port.
Rasta man - a male Rastafarian; a cultural expression for people who are living the rastafarian way of live such as hair in drade locks and so on.
Shirts - Ship’s officers, who are noted for their rich and complex fashion sense.
Sign off - to leave the ship when your contract is over.
Starboard Side - The right side of the ship when facing the bow
Tender - A ferry that transports passengers from the cruise ship to the dock when the ship cannot be accommodated at the port facilities.
Troso - timber; a log of wood; most commonly used on ships for crew/guests who do not learn or understand fast enough or have a lack of common sense.
3. For the first time cruiser, something you may not know - you can order more than one appetizer, salad, soup, entree, and dessert. In fact, you can order as many as you want. It happens all the time, so don't be embarrassed. My favorite appetizer is the shrimp cocktail, so I always order two.
4. Eat breakfast, lunch, or brunch in the main dining room. So many people forget or don't know that the main dining room is open during all meal times, so during breakfast, lunch, or brunch times it's often less crowded than the Lido buffet.
5. On embarkation day instead of waiting in the long lines on the Lido deck try one of the alternative restaurants or the main dining room on the ship. Just like above, they usually aren't crowded.
6. You don't have to book a shore excursion through the cruise line. You pay a premium to book a shore excursion through the ship. Although there are some ports where it's probably the better choice, in many places you can get the same or a similar excursion for a cheaper price by using a private company. For instance, every time we travel to Isla Roatan, we book our excursion through Victor Bodden. We have always had A+ service, and have thoroughly enjoyed all he has to offer. By looking at websites like cruise critic you can find private agencies that have the same guarantees that the ship excursions offer. On one of our excursions we booked swimming with dolphins for $65 cheaper per person, and on the day of the excursion, found we were with the group that booked through the cruise ship. Same experience, same everything but for $65 less. Make sure you are using a reputable company because one risk is getting back to the ship on time.
7. Until you reach that elusive status with front of the line access or purchase the equivalent of Carnival's "Faster to the Fun" pass, consider checking in after 1:00 pm for your cruise. You won't have a long wait in line and will practically walk onto the ship. Chances are your room will be ready as well. Before we reached platinum status we found that even checking in after 1 we got our luggage within an hour.
8. There are "secret" decks on many ships. The easiest way to find out which ships and where they are check the boards on sites like cruise critic. Or you can find a list of the Carnival Secret Decks here.
9. Book either far in advance or on short notice. The farther in advance you book, you can watch for price decreases, and take advantage of those prices. If you have a flexible calendar, you can book last minute for great deals if the ship isn't sold out and they need to sell those cabins.
10. Don't think that every item in the gift shops are going to be marked down by the end of the cruise. Sure, it's the last day of the cruise for you, but in a few hours, it will be the first day of the cruise for another group of passengers. Each day the shops will offer various specials and discounts. There won't necessarily be a huge clearance sell at the end of the cruise.
11. However, the last night of the cruise you may be able to wheel and deal on the pictures that have been taken of you during the cruise. If the pictures aren't sold, they are thrown out at the end of the cruise. It's worth a try to negotiate better prices on all those pictures headed for the trash.
12. If your bed is less than comfortable or a little too well worn, you can ask for an egg crate. The room steward has a few on hand.
13. Invest in cruise insurance, just not from the cruise line. Whether we want to think about it or not, sometimes emergencies happen where you may not be able to take your cruise, or an emergency on the cruise. Cruise insurance protects you for both scenarios. Ninety percent of the time our health insurance won't cover something that happens on a cruise (check and make sure), and having to be air lifted from a cruise ship can run up to $100,000.00 if not more. There are many reputable cruise insurance sites where you can purchase insurance for the duration of your vacation. Granted, the younger/healthier you are, the less likely you are to use it. We've traveled with it and without it. We've never needed it, but it isn't cost prohibitive and if an emergency does occur, you are prepared. We've bought insurance from www.insuremytrip.com .
14. The best times to go to guest services is late at night or extremely early in the morning. Guest services is open 24 hours.
15. If your in room refrigerator is stocked, ask your room steward to remove the items, and you have a mini fridge to bring leftovers to during your cruise.
16. There is free champagne served at the Art Auctions on board.
17. Check the Bible in your cabin for drink coupons or other freebies. Many times fellow cruisers will leave their unused coupons behind for the next guests to enjoy them.
This by no means is an exhaustive list of cruising tips, hacks, and secrets; but it will certainly give you plenty of information to make you feel like you're a pro from your first cruise and beyond. B'on Voyage!
