If your vacations have been mostly of the land-based variety, you may not know what to expect when you finally take the plunge into cruising. Although a lot of things will be the same, there are several major differences you’ll be glad you knew about in advance.
SEASICKNESS
First off, seasickness is a real thing for some. While today’s ships are getting bigger and more stable than ships of the past; if you are prone to motion sickness, you’ll need to come prepared. Don’t automatically rule out cruising just because you’ve gotten seasick before on a smaller vessel or on a smaller cruise ship in years past. Today’s larger ships are like floating cities at sea. You may feel vibrations from the engines, or slight swaying on occasion; but for the most part, you won’t know you’re on the ocean.
SEASICKNESS MEDICATION OPTIONS
You have several options to curb the effects of seasickness. If you’re concerned, speak with your doctor well in advance. He or she can prescribe a patch to place behind your ear while onboard. I’ve heard they work wonders. Another option is Bonine tablets. Don’t be fooled and buy Dramamine by mistake. You’ll sleepwalk your cruise away. Bonine is non-drowsy and will help you enjoy your time away to the fullest as long as you take it at bedtime. The trick is to start taking Bonine or put on the patch prior to boarding the ship. The drugs need to be in your system before you ever feel any motion. Continue for a day or two after you return, to combat the difference when you return to solid ground.
SEASICKNESS HOME REMEDIES
If medications aren’t your thing, bring along some Ginger Candies or pick up some green apples at the buffet. Both are old family remedies to combat the effects of motion sickness. Also, move yourself to the center of the ship, for the least amount of movement while these remedies take effect. Draw a big X on a map of the ship. Find out what deck and what venue is at the center of that X. Eat your apples or chew your gummies there, and try to stay upright.
SCHEDULING YOUR CRUISE
Now let’s talk about scheduling your cruise vacation. For land-based vacations, you tend to decide on a destination and then figure out how to get there, where to stay, how to get around, and what to do while you’re there. Cruising is not entirely different. Some people follow that same process, while others choose the ship they want to sail on first and then see what destinations it’s visiting. There’s no right or wrong here. It’s a personal choice. The good news is though, once you’ve figured out those two things – destination and cruise ship – almost everything else is a breeze.
I’m fortunate enough to be able to drive to five different cruise ports from my home in Florida. Not everyone has that luxury, and air travel is required. But, once you’ve arrived at your cruise port and boarded your ship, what to eat and do while onboard (for the most part) is all included. You just have to figure out how to fit it all in.
ADVANCED PLANNING/ONLINE CHECK-IN
Let’s back up to getting on board your ship. It’s not quite as easy as checking in at a hotel or resort. You’ll need to do an online check-in no later than three days before you sail. The earlier the better in case you need to find/update passport info, locate/take pictures to upload for your security card, or if you want to mull over whether you want to prepay gratuities or make additional purchases like drink packages, shows, or specialty dining to add to your experience. We’ll talk about those add-ons later. You’ll also provide a credit card to be used for all ship purchases. No cash is exchanged onboard.
Once checked in online, your boarding documents will be available (sometimes not until a few days in advance). Be sure to print all documents and put in a folder for easy access when boarding. In addition, you’ll print luggage tags. They are color-coded to help the ship’s crew know where to bring your bags once onboard.
PORT CHECK-IN
When you arrive at the port, you’ll drop off your luggage (except your carry-on bags) and park the car. If you’re being transported from the airport, your bags will be offloaded for you. You’ll get in a line of people heading into the terminal. Once inside, you’ll walk through TSA-style security where all bags will be scanned and you’ll walk through a metal detector. Then, you’ll proceed to the next available counter agent. They will check your online check-in and make sure everything is in order. Then you’ll receive your key card and proceed onto the ship. Depending on the cruise line, sometimes your key card will be waiting at your stateroom. This process can take anywhere from 20 minutes to an hour or more depending on the crowds when you arrive and whether you’ve done you’re online check-in in advance.
ARRIVING ONBOARD
You’ve made it! You’re on the ship. You still have a few pieces of business to attend to before you can relax and enjoy your vacation. Staterooms are not usually ready until sometime between 1:00 and 2:00 pm. Start by making any show reservations you were unable to make during the online check-in process. Using the cruise lines app is the easiest, but you can go to a designated location on the ship if you’re not tech savvy. Then, if you have your security key card, proceed to the main dining room to verify with the Maître D’ your dining time and table size is what you planned.
That’s it! Now you can start your vacation. On Embarkation Day, it’s best to avoid the buffet for lunch. Head to the dining room if it’s open or another complimentary dining venue. Ask any crew member which venues are complimentary if you’re not sure. Once you finish that, staterooms should be ready. If not, take time to explore and familiarize yourself with the ship.
PREPARING YOUR ROOM/UNPACKING
Once your luggage arrives, take the time to unpack and store your luggage under the bed. If you need extra hangers, ask the room steward when he or she comes to introduce themselves. Be sure to remember their name, as they will call you by name every time they see you. It’s amazing how they remember everyone. Occasionally, your luggage may not arrive before dinner. Don’t fret. The first night is casual all over the ship. Enjoy your dinner and any entertainment you may have scheduled. If you wish to make any drink or other purchases; remember, all purchases will be charged to your onboard account. Always have your security key card with you.
You’ve made it through Embarkation Day! In What to Expect on Your First Cruise: Part 2, we’ll talk about navigating the intricacies of cruising lingo. What Embarkation Day tips have I missed that you’d like to share?
