Cruising is one of our favorite ways to vacation and see the world.  And while cruising is not for everyone, if you want a low-key, fun vacation, a cruise is a great option.  One of the best things about a cruise is you decide how active (or not) you want to be.   If you want to explore each port of call and see how the locals live, you can do that.  If you want to sit back and soak up the sun (cocktail in hand), that’s an option too.

My first cruise was 26 years ago  when we went on our honeymoon. I now have about 12 cruises under my belt, my most recent cruise just a few week ago. With every cruise, I learn new ways to make the most of my cruise experience.  Today I’m sharing loads of valuable cruise information plus my Insider Tips For Cruising Like A Pro!

Planning Your Cruise

• Research different cruise lines and think about the type of cruise you want to take? Do you want a family vacation that offers activities for the kids? Or are you looking for luxury and fine dining? Maybe you want a romantic escape? There are cruises designed to fit any type of travel experience.
• Look at each ship within a cruise line fleet to see what each one has to offer.  While there are commonalities on every cruise ship, each cruise line will have some signature elements that only they offer.  Check out this summary on the most popular cruise lines.  insider tip:  Carnival and Disney are definitely more family friendly cruises and Norwegian and Royal Caribbean tend to lean more adult.
• Consider the time of year you want to sail and what type of weather you want to enjoy.  The Caribbean and Bahamas are ideal if you like the sun and warm weather.  Or Alaska might be more your weather style.  insider tip:  sailing around Labor Day is a great because kids are back in school and prices are a bit lower.
• Consider your budget. Cruise prices can vary greatly depending on when you travel, where you’re going and the type of accommodations you choose.  And if you want to enjoy excursions off the ship, those are an additional cost. Water, tea and lemonade are available for free on the ship, but drinks (alcohol, bottled water and soda), spa services, childcare (outside of kids’ club activities) and tips are all extra.  You’ll also want to consider how you will get to the destination port and weigh the cost of driving (and parking fees) against the cost of flying (and luggage fees).
• Pick your room style.  There are several different styles of rooms available on most cruise ships. Inside Cabins, Ocean View, Balcony Rooms and Suites.  I don’t recommend inside cabins for the mere fact that the rooms are tiny and don’t have any windows.  All of the other room types will give you more room to move around and have windows.  insider tip:  you can often upgrade your room a couple of weeks before you sail for a small fee.  Call your cruise line one week before you sail and see if upgrades are available.  We recently upgraded our room on cruise three days before we sailed and it only cost us $80.

Determine Your Cruise Activities

• Research your cruise destinations for the top attractions and any travel advisories and alerts.  While it is safe for tourist in the shopping areas near port, venturing out into some cities on your own can be risky.  insider tip:  If you want to tour the area on your own,  hire a taxi or van for a few hours.  And where possible, have 4 or more people in your group. 
• Plan your shore excursions and on-board activities.  All cruise lines will have a comprehensive list of excursions available for each port.  You’ll also see ratings and feedback from other travelers but take all of that information with a grain of salt.  Many of the reviews are paid reviews and may make an excursion look more glamorous than it really is.  insider tip: a good way to find out the real scoop on excursions and travel destinations is to google travel blogs and read what they have to say.
• Select Your Dining Option.  All cruise ships offer reservation dining options and free-style dining where you can eat at select restaurants whenever you want.  If you plan to attend the nightly shows, request an early dinner seating so you’re not eating at 10 pm.

Pack Like A Pro

• Ok ladies, this one is for you.   My first piece of advice is try not to over pack.  I still haven’t mastered this but I get better with each cruise.  The reality is that you will spend a lot of time in your swim suit or shorts so you don’t need to pack many dressy pieces.  If your cruise ship has a formal night you can take a  formal dress but don’t be shocked to see other people’s concept of formal which might be a dress with flip-flops.
• Pack a carry-on bag that you’ll take directly on the ship with you.  The bag should hold a few essentials including a change of clothes, your medicine, sleepwear and bathing suits.  Your other luggage will be checked before you board the ship and won’t be delivered to your cabin until after the ship sets sail.  insider tip:  make sure you have luggage tags on the outside of all your bags.  Also place a label with your name, cabin number and cell number on the inside of each bag.  I’d also recommend that you take a photo of your bags on your phone in case they get lost.

• Here’s a summary of essential items you’ll want to pack for your cruise:

1. Swimwear and Swimsuit Coverup.–Take at least two or three so you don’t have to wash them out at the end of each day.
2. Tennis Shoes–I definitely recommend a pair of sneakers if you want to do any adventurous exploring off the ship.  And note that many excursions actually require tennis shoes.
3. Sandals–Keep comfort in mind.  Remember that you’re vacationing to relax, not put on a fashion show.  insider tip:  the decks and floors on cruise ships can be slippery at times so I recommend rubber bottom shoes over hard soles.
4. Sunglasses–Take two pair of sunglasses with you in case you misplace or lose a pair.
5. Baseball Hat or Sun Hat–This is essential, especially in the Caribbean or Bahamas where the sun can be brutal.
6. Light Jacket/ Sweater–The inside of cruise ships can be cold so take a jacket, light weight sweatshirt or sweater to keep cozy.
7. A pair of jeans or long pants–You may want to wear jeans if going horse back riding or taking a 4-wheel excursion.
8. Nice Clothing For Dinner–Some restaurants will require a suit coat for men and dressier clothing for women. One or two dressy outfits will suffice.
9. Insulated Water Bottle–Don’t forget this!!!  You’ll want to keep yourself hydrated during the cruise so make sure everyone traveling has an insulated water bottle to keep cold water close at hand.  insider tip:   buy a water bottle holder to hold  and carry your insulated water container around the boat and on shore.
10. Hand Sanitizer–It’s very easy to catch a cold on a cruise given the number of people confined in such a small space.  Most ships have sanitizer stations around the boat so you’ll need your own when you’re off the ship.
11. Lanyard (neck card holder)–Once you board the ship you’ll be given a sail-and-sign card.  This card opens your cabin door and allows you to purchase anything you want on the ship.  Make it easy to keep track of your card by hooking it on a lanyard and wear it around your neck.
12. Backpack or Beach Tote–You’ll want a bag if you plan to get off the ship to go to the beach or sightseeing.
13. Book/Magazines/Headphones–Pack these items to relax and enjoy while sitting out on the deck.
14. Small Packets of Laundry Detergent & Dryer Sheets–Some cruise ships have laundry facilities on board and you can purchase packets of soap and wash and dry clothes if needed.  Insider tip:  save a little money, and carry your own packets of Tide soap that can be purchase in the travel toiletries section at Target.
15. A laundry bag–You will accumulate dirty laundry on your cruise so a laundry bag will make it easy to your keep dirty clothes contained.  When you pack to come home just toss the full laundry bag in your suitcase.

The Comforts Of Home

• Clear the refrigerator–Most cabins will have a small refrigerator in the room filled with soda, water and small liquor bottles that you can purchase.  insider tip:  have your room steward clear out the refrigerator so you can use it to hold your water bottle and any wine/beverages you take on board.  You’ll want to check with your cruise line to see what you are allowed to carry on. In most cases, passengers can bring a limited amounts of soda or juice onboard, as long as the drinks are packaged in cans or cartons–a 12-pack per person is the current allowance on Carnival. 
• Medication–Take enough for a few extra days in case you don’t dock back at your home port as scheduled.  (Last year our ship was caught at sea trying to avoid a storm and we ended up being on the ship 4 extra days.)
• Cold medicine–Just in case you get the sniffles or catch a cold.  You can buy cold medicine in the gift shop but you’ll pay a premium for it.
• Extension cords–Extension cords are hard to come by on a cruise ship.  If you or someone you are traveling with uses a CPap machine you’ll need a cord so bring your own.  On some cruise lines if you alert them that someone has a CPap they will provide a gallon of distilled water for free.
• Alarm clock–Good to have for days when you are docking at a port and need to wake up early to head to an excursion.  insider tip:  can you request a wake-up call from the guest services desk just like you do at a hotel. 
• Extra hangers–There are never enough hangers in the closet so tuck 6 to 8 lightweight plastic hangers in your luggage.  insider tip:  buy colorful hangers so you’re less likely to forget them when packing to go home.
• Ironing your cloths–Most cruise ships have an ironing board and iron in each of the laundry facilities so you can iron your clothes.  insider tip:  if you need to iron, make it one of the first things you do after you board and unpack.  Iron all your clothes at once so you won’t have to wait in lines during the cruise.  FYI–the Norwegian Getaway that we just cruised on did not have laundry facilities.  Your only option for washing clothes was to let the cruise line wash them for $19.99 a bag.
• Speciality food items like your favorite tea or coffee creamer. If you use a special brand, you’ll want to bring it with you.  Make sure to check with your cruise line to confirm the food product can be brought on board.

Organize and Maximize In-Room Storage

• Unless you have a suite, most rooms on a cruise ship have relatively small/limited closet and shelf space.    insider tip:  Take an over-the-door shoe organizer to hang on the closet or bathroom door and use it to hold toiletries, sandals, sleepwear and such.  I purchased one from TJMaxx that stays in my suitcase for traveling.
• Store your empty suitcases under your bed.  The beds in each cabin are designed with open space underneath just for this purpose.  With your luggage tucked away, you’ll have more room to move around in your cabin.

Be Tech Saavy

• Cell phone roaming charges and the price for shipboard Wi-Fi can take a bite out of your travel budget. Check with your cell phone provider to see what settings your phone needs to be on to avoid excess charges. Set your phone to airplane mode whenever you are in open waters.  insider tip:  download the cruise lines’ free App as a way to stay connected with the people you’re traveling with.  Most Apps allow you to chat with other people you know that are connected on the App during the cruise. Check out this list of 8 Free Phone Travel Apps for Cruisers.
• Bring your own phone charging station and power strip (check to see if these are legal on your cruise line) to ensure you have plenty of outlets to plug your electronics in. insider tip:  sometimes there’s an extra outlet hidden behind the TV or under the bed–just ask your room steward. 

Take Advantage Of Everything The Cruise Ship Has To Offer:

• You are not limited to one of each appetizer, entrée and dessert in the main dining room. You can order two entrees or three desserts if you choose. Or you can also order a few appetizers for your main meal.
• Room service is generally free, except for service charges on certain lines.
• Don’t think your only option for breakfast is the main dining room.  Many of the speciality restaurants on the ship will also serve breakfast.  Check your daily newsletter to see which restaurants are open in the morning.
• All you can eat ice cream.  Most ships have soft-serve machines on the buffet deck that are operational into the wee hours of the morning.
• There’s no “open beverage” rule onboard. You can bring drinks from a bar or buffet to your cabin or elsewhere on the ship. (Same goes for food.)
• Groups of beer drinkers can save by ordering buckets of beer. You get four or five beers in a souvenir bucket at a per-beer cost slightly cheaper than ordering individual bottles.
• If you’re feeling sea sick, don’t run to the pharmacy to buy meds.  insider tip:  you can often get seasickness meds from the purser’s desk for free.

We’ll friends.  I think I’ve covered just about everything.  If you’re cruising for the first time this year I hope these tips come in handy.  And if you’re a seasoned cruiser like me, I’m hoping you learned something new.

If you have a cruise tip I need to know about, leave a comment.