My husband and I just got back from a cruise through the Bahamas and I’m telling you- it is the way to travel! This is only the second cruise we’ve taken, but we are hooked and plan on making these trips a regular thing, if we can. We’ve discovered a few do’s and don’ts on our cruises and I want to share them with you. I’ve compiled a list of 25 need to knows before you cruise that are worth a read if you’re planning your first cruise or even if you’ve cruised before. I know I’m dying to plan my next one! 

25 Need To Knows Before You Cruise

1. Do your homework on the ports you are visiting.  Before you even leave you should know the ins and outs of the ports of call you are stopping in. Check out the shore excursions the ship has to offer, THEN start looking at what you can do without the help of the cruise line. There are many differing opinions on this, I know. Some people say it’s not safe to get off the boat and hire a driver and you should only book through the ship. Others swear they save hundreds of dollars by doing the exact opposite and have a much better experience! I actually think a mix of both is great! If the ship has something that you are just dying to do, go for it! It saves you the guesswork and trouble of working out times and transfers. Not feeling any of the excursions? Head off the ship and see what it has to offer. We’ve done both and have had great experiences with both. My best is advice is do what is comfortable for you, but make sure you are well informed before you leave for your cruise. 
2. Prepay your ship gratuities for a discount. Did you know that you can prepay your gratuities before you leave? You get a couple dollars off every day per person if you do! It’s a good money saver if you’re watching your spending aboard the ship. And if you factor it into the price of your cruise before you leave, you won’t feel the weight of it at the end. 
3. Bring cash! You’re gonna need it, people. You’ll need smaller bills to tip stewards who may bring room service, porters who help with your bags, shopping at each port, taxi drivers, food off the ship, etc. I know there will be people at each port who say, “we take credit cards!”  Honestly, I just don’t trust it. I recently heard a story from a friend who said that one swipe on an island was all it took for their card number to be everywhere. It’s a stress you just don’t need while on vacation. Also, if you choose to tip your wait staff or steward more at the end of your cruise than just the daily gratuity charges, you’ll want cash for that as well. 
4. Invest in a lanyard for your SeaPass. Your SeaPass is your everything aboard the ship. It is your room key, your ticket on and off the ship at each port, and your means of purchasing anything else on the ship. You’ll want it to be easily accessible the entire time you are gone and hanging around your neck is the best place for it to be. Trust me. 
5. Book your spa appointments BEFORE you leave. If you’re planning on a massage or a spa treatment while you are gone, schedule it before you leave! I scheduled a massage the week before we left for our day at sea so I didn’t miss anything on our port days. I’m so glad I did! When I got there for my appointment, they were fielding phone calls from passengers who were looking for a time and were being turned away because they were completely booked. Also, appointments are much easier to get if you’re planning on staying aboard the ship while in port. 
6. Check with your cell phone provider about service before you leave.  We have our cell phones through Sprint. I opened a chat online with them to ask what it would cost to have service while we were away. We found out that phone calls were way more than we wanted to pay, but texting while on the islands was free! It was the perfect solution for us to keep in touch with our kids while we were gone. And it only took me about three minutes to get the answers I needed. My advice: ditch wifi while you are gone. Stick that phone on airplane mode and enjoy your vacation. Steer clear of wifi packages sold by your carrier or the ship- you just don’t need it!!  
7. Bring an outlet adapter- you’ll need it! There was one outlet in our whole room. One. And it wasn’t even great- the hair dryer didn’t stay plugged in unless it was at a certain angle. It was a pain. Save yourself the trouble and bring an adapter. 
8. Pack your clothes. And then take half of it out. I am completely serious. Both cruises we have taken, we’ve packed too much and I have cursed myself for it. You’ll spend most of your time in swimsuits or in casual clothes for the shows and activities on board. Yes, there will be at least one dress-up night for dinner, but even that is optional. I wore a nice dress and my husband wore a suit- no tie. Check your ship’s dress code for the dining room- some are more relaxed than others. 
9. Pack a sweatshirt or light jacket. I know you’re most likely in the Caribbean and it’s going to be amazing outside! But the evenings on a ship can get cool. And you never know if your show will have the air conditioning blasting or not. 
10. Bring slip-proof shoes for on deck.  The pool deck will be wet. It just will be. Crocs may not be a fashion statement, but they are awesome on deck. Other slip-proof shoes will work, too!
11. Water tennis shoes are awesome for excursion days.  They’re lightweight and made to be comfortable without socks. It’s the perfect solution if you’re doing a lot of walking, but may also head to the beach. I got mine at Costco a couple years ago and I love them! 
12. Don’t forget the sunscreen.  The rays in the Caribbean can be unforgiving.  And a cruise after getting sunburned on the first day is not nearly as fun. You can buy it on the ship or in a port, but you’ll pay an arm and a leg for it. Just pack your own and save the $15 for a couple of fruity drinks on board.
13. Pack easy snacks. A cruise is all about food. And there is plenty to be had of it, I promise! The snacks are for port days when food might not be easy to get to. A granola bar on a taxi ride back to the port can go a long way if you haven’t eaten since breakfast!!
14. Bring a backpack for port days.  Bring more than one if you’re cruising with the family! You’ll need a place to pack towels, sunscreen, snacks, and other necessities. One couple in our group forgot to pack a backpack. Luckily, we had two and they borrowed ours all week. It’s a must!
15. Invest in a dry pouch. Or at least a few good Ziploc bags. You’ll want a safe place for your cellphone, cash, ID, etc. while you are at the beach or on an excursion.   
16. Pack a refillable water bottle.  I’m leery of drinking water on the islands… and you should be, too. Filling a water bottle on the ship before you get off is much easier and cheaper than finding water once you get off. 
17. Don’t forget your Dramamine. Do you get seasick? Not sure? Plan for it no matter what! There’s nothing that can ruin your cruise faster than seasickness. Whether you use Dramamine (they have a non-drowsy formula!), or patches or herbs or ginger, plan for it! Bring it! Use it if you feel any kind of queasiness. I take it an hour before the ship sails because I know I get motion sick. And then I take a pill everyday to stay ahead of it.
18.  Board the ship as early as you can on the first day. Check-in lines are far less daunting, the earlier you get to the port. And your cruise starts the minute you step foot on that ship. There will be food waiting for you at the buffet. There will be on-deck activities. Pack your swimsuits in a carry-on, if you want to hit the pool before your bags are delivered to your room. Familiarize yourself with the decks before it gets crowded. It’s worth it!
19. Unpack and stay awhile. Once you get to your room and your luggage has been delivered, take ten minutes to unpack everything. It will make your week much more enjoyable. Hang up clothes to get the wrinkles out, throw your shoes at the bottom of the closet. If you pack in rolling duffle bags, they will slide right under the bed and out of the way. 
20. Pack a nightlight. Those rooms are dark- especially if you have an interior room. If you have kids or tend to get up in the middle of the night, you’ll want one!
21. Towel clips are awesome. If you’re planning on spending any time at the pool, towel clips are the way to go. The pool deck can get breezy when the ship is moving. Towel clips are a great way to keep your towel from flying away, but also are a great way of finding your chair in a sea of lounges and towels that all look alike. You can get them cheap at Amazon and they take up hardly any space. 
22. Get to know your wait staff and room steward. These crew members work hard all week to make sure your trip is incredible. And they succeed. Ask them questions. Find out where they are from. Do they have family? How long have they been on that ship?  You’ll be amazed at what you learn and it will change your perspective on a lot of things. 
23. Bring a book. The real kind with paper for pages, is what I suggest. You’ll have moments of downtime… if you want them. One of my favorite things is sitting on deck in a lounge chair with a book in my lap. It’s called a real vacation, in my opinion. 
24. Eat in the dining room as much as you can. Every ship has a buffet dining option. It is open for all meals, as well as snacks throughout the day. And it’s fine, when you need it. But the dining room is where it is at. The food may take a little longer because you order from a menu, but it is completely worth it. Breakfast, lunch, dinner- I’d hit them all! Don’t forget you can order whatever you want and as much as you want. I ordered at least three appetizers every night and at least two desserts. Plan a little weight gain on this trip…
25. Take part in EVERYTHING. There is so much to do on a cruise! Don’t miss any of it just because you might think an activity is not your “thing”.  Never been keen on Karaoke? Check it out! It’s pretty fun watching others. Not a fan of singing and dancing? The shows put on by the cruise lines are pretty spectacular- you might be surprised. Afraid the comedian might not deliver? Well, I haven’t laughed so hard in quite awhile.

Experience it all. Don’t be left wondering. Try the escargot. Catch the shows every night. Stay up late. Get up early to see the sunrise. It will all be worth it. And if you’re exhausted by the time you return home, you will know you did it right. 🙂