3 things new cruisers need to know before they cruise

On nearly every cruise I've been on since the industry returned from the Covid pandemic, I find myself spending time helping other passengers. The cruise lines generally do a good job of having staff wearing T-shirts or carrying signs on embarkation day that offer help, but it seems that many newer cruisers don't take advantage of the offered help.

As someone who cruises often (usually with Royal Caribbean or its Celebrity Cruises brand, but also on MSC, Virgin Voyages, and Carnival), I'm generally pretty comfortable stepping in when a fellow passenger looks confused. Sometimes, especially right when new or newer cruisers get on board, things can be overwhelming.

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There are a lot of people congregated in just a few spaces on embarkation day (the day the ship sails away from its home port), and newer cruisers may want to know when they can see their cabin, where they can eat, what bars are open, and a lot of other little things that taken together can be a lot. 

Having talked with hundreds, maybe thousands of cruise ship passengers, there are three universal things for new and newer cruisers to learn before they board their ship. Putting in a little bit of effort before your cruise can truly help you maximize the experience.

1. Download your cruise line's app and get to know it   

While many people want to be able to put their phones away and disconnect, it's a lot easier to navigate a cruise ship and all that's being offered if you have the cruise line's app. Apps vary by cruise line. In a broad sense, however, they offer the daily schedule, restaurant menus, and, in many cases, they help make the muster drill easier on embarkation day.

On Royal Caribbean and Celebrity ships, for example, you can watch two safety videos on the app on the day of your sailing and then check in at your muster station. Instead of having to watch a demonstration at the station, which can take a few minutes, the process now only takes a few seconds.

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It's possible to be onboard without the app, but having it makes your cruise easier and you can use your cruise line's app without paying for internet.   

2. Know what's included and what costs extra

You don't want to spend your cruise worrying about the cost of everything. Nobody wants to pull out a calculator to figure out whether they can fit a soda, a milkshake, or a shore excursion into your budget.

Each cruise line has slightly different inclusions, and some promotions might add onboard credit, free specialty dining, or even a shore excursion to your cruise. But, before you get onboard, it's really important to know what's included and what costs extra.

In most cases, it's cheaper to buy specialty dining, drink packages, internet, and shore excursions before your cruise. Even if you don't book whatever you might intend to buy, it's important to know the costs.

When a soda costs $4 or so, beer comes in at least $8, and a cocktail will set you back $14, it's a good idea to make a budget and know fully what everything costs before you board.  

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3. Set expectations with your cruise companions

Most people sail with family and/or friends, sometimes in large groups. Unless you're sailing solo, however, it's important to talk about your onboard expectations with your sailing party.

If you're with a larger group, it's important to have some planned times when you get together — dinner or other meals and perhaps other events — and it's a good idea to make sure people have time to make their own choices. You don't want to overschedule because not every member of your party will want to be doing the same thing.

The same logic applies to families traveling together. If you have kids under 18, make sure you take advantage of any onboard kid or teen clubs. Once they have visited those, many kids make friends, and that may lead to them wanting to spend more time away from the family.  

That might not be the vacation the parents hoped for, but cruises go better when everyone gets to experience their own vacation. It's important to have times when you come together. Many families use dinner as an event where each member of the family can check in, share stories of their day, and talk about tomorrow. 

Related: Get the best cruise tips, deals, and news on the ships from our expert cruiser