17 Cruise Hacks I Wish I Knew Before My First Cruise

 

On our first cruise, we didn’t do a lot of research other than checking in online and reading the cruise lines guidelines. We really weren’t prepared and missed out on a lot of fun opportunities. We had a great time, but on our second cruise, we had a LOT more fun because we knew what to expect.

Here are a few cruise hacks that our family has found helpful:

1. Pack a Cruise Carry-on

After boarding your cruise ship, there may be some waiting time before you can enter your room and access your luggage. During this time, you and the kiddos can still hit the buffet, swim in the pool, and ride the water slides. That’s why we always bring a carry on with these things:

• Passport, ID, and Cruise Documents (and a photo copy of each)
• Swimsuits, Goggles,  and Change of Clothes
• Cellphone, Laptop, Camera, and other electronics/valuables
• Medications
• Picture of your luggage (Just in case! This helps find your luggage much quicker if lost)
• Sunscreen

We like to use a backpack as a carry-on and then we can use the backpack when on shore excursions to carry sunscreen and a change of clothes, etc. and to carry our things around with us on sea days.

My husband and I both bring a carry-on with a few things so that it’s not just one of us carrying a really heavy bag. The first day is usually spent walking around and learning where everything is on the ship, so we don’t want to be carrying a super heavy bag.

2. Seasickness

Our family has never experienced any seasickness on a cruise, but if you find yourself in this predicament (or think you might), here are a few suggestions:

• Ask room service for Green Apples and Saltine Crackers
• Bring ginger tea or ginger candy (some people swear by the sugar and bubbles in ginger ale)
• Acupressure and/or Sea Bands
• Some people have found it helpful to get in the pool. The cool water is refreshing and floating in the water (moving with the water in the pool instead moving with the ship) can help with the confusion in your inner ear (which is what causes the seasickness in the first place).
• Call the cruise line and ask for a room in the middle of the ship. While the boat may feel like it’s going up and down at both ends (like a see-saw), the middle of the ship will remain steady since it experiences less motion.
• If you are concerned that you will get seasick and want to take medication, please speak with a doctor first!

And, you can always visit Guest Services and ask for seasickness pills. They usually have them and give them to guests experience seasickness while on the cruise.

3. Bring A Re-Usable Water Bottle

I suggest bringing a water bottle on your cruise. They are easy to fill and refill while on board and you can carry it with you. You can carry your water with you to the pool, mini golf course, jogging track, etc. without walking back and forth to the grill or buffet to fill your glass (I also like to fill one to have water to drink in my cabin at night).

If heading off the ship for an excursion, you can carry your water bottle with you.  In some countries, it is best to drink bottled water and avoid tap water, and bottle water isn’t always available. In some destinations, credit cards and US dollars aren’t accepted just for a bottle of water.

4. Rethink your Luggage

We like to pack our clothes in a duffle bag when we go on cruises to utilize the space we get in our cabin. On the first day of our cruise, I like to unpack and place all of our clothes in the closet and drawers. Duffle bags can slide under the bed and save a lot room in our cabin. Some duffle bags now come with wheels and handles, which makes them easier to deal with.

5. Pack a Few Extra Hangers

There are never enough clothes hangers in the cabin (in my opinion) on cruises. I throw a few hangers in the bottom of my suitcase. Hanging clothes helps save some room in the cabin and keep formal wear and other outfits wrinkle free. If you forget to pack hangers, you can ask your cabin steward for additional hangers.

If you have outfits that need ironing, I recommend using the ship’s iron on the first day of the cruise, especially if you plan on dressing up for formal night. If you wait until the day or afternoon of formal night, you will have to wait in line and sometimes that line is LONG.

6. Pack a Small Flashlight and a Highlighter

Staterooms can be very dark at night, especially the interior cabins. If you are one of those people who get up several times at night or wake up and get up before the sun, then you might want a flashlight to help you find your way around the cabin without waking everyone up.

A highlighter pen for the daily program is very helpful. There is SO MUCH to do on a cruise. Since we can’t do all of the activities, we pick our favorite things on the schedule and highlight them so we don’t forget. I carry the program schedule with me everywhere I go, so that I can remember our plans throughout the day.

7. Don’t Over Pack

This may seem strange since I just told you a bunch of things you should pack, but honestly, we spend most of our cruise vacation in sundresses, shorts, tee shirts, and flip flops or sandals. My kiddos live in their swimsuits and a few comfy outfits for the Kid’s Club. On our first few cruises, I  always over packed and ended up bringing home tons of clothes that were never worn.

Some cruises have a formal night and some a special dress up night (like Disney’s Pirate Night).  Other than those clothes, I suggest packing a few comfortable outfits and shoes and a swimsuit. Everyone is on vacation and is dressed for relaxation. And no one cares if you wear an outfit more than once.

8. Packing for Disembarkation Day

I like to pack most of our things on the last night of the cruise. That way, I don’t feel super rushed on disembarkation morning. I send the kiddos to the ship’s Kid’s Club and order myself and the hubs some room service.

I also try to do a little “pre-packing” each day of the cruise. I bring a couple of garbage bags from home (the kind that smell like Febreze) and I put dirty laundry in the bags every day. Then I throw the garbage bag of dirty clothes in the duffle bag suitcase. I also bring Ziploc Bags and Manila envelopes for keepsakes, souvenirs, and photos (and the arts and crafts the kiddos make in their kid’s club). I keep all of this together also.

I pack everything up except for toiletries and outfits for our last day. That way on our last morning, I just have to pack up our PJ’s and toiletries and we’re ready to go to the dining room for a relaxing breakfast!

9. Find Free Wifi in Ports

We love to unplug and just enjoy our vacation without the distraction of emails and Facebook. But sometimes it’s nice to be able to check in with family or post vacation photos. Wi-Fi on cruises is crazy expensive and isn’t always fast or reliable (the Wi-Fi is satellite based so it is completely nonexistent if the weather isn’t great).

We like to take advantage of the free Wi-Fi that’s available in many ports of call. The nice thing is these places (usually restaurants, cafés, and coffee shops) are normally within walking distance from the cruise pier.

It has helped us to ask the crew about the best places in port to find free Wi-Fi (they also have to pay for Wi-Fi as well!) On our cruise to Cozumel, we learned from one crew member that there is free Wi-Fi at the Margaritaville Restaurant. We ended up having a TON of fun at this restaurant and were able to log on to our phones and contact our family.

10. Avoid Cruise Ship’s ATM Fees

Cruise ships have ATM’s if you need to withdraw cash, but they charge about a $5 fee. If you want to avoid this fee, you can go to the casino to withdraw cash for free. Just find a slot machine, insert your cabin card and deposit the amount you wish to withdraw.  After the money is loaded to the slot machine, press the CASH OUT button. You will receive a ticket that you can take to the cashier to get your cash.

11. Keeping Your Electronics Charged

There are usually only one or two electrical outlets in your stateroom. We like to pack a small travel adapter to keep all of our phones, cameras, and other electronics charged. Many cruise ships have televisions that have a USB port, which you can use as an extra outlet to charge smaller electronics.

12. Order Two Entrees

If you can’t decide between the lobster and the steak, then just order both!  You can also order two appetizers or two desserts. Or order 3 appetizers, skip the entrée and then order 2 desserts. Just look over the menu and pick what you like!

After a long day of swimming and mini golf (or a big shore excursion), you could be really hungry by dinner time. And there are just so many options!  On Captain’s Night (on Carnival), I like to order the tilapia and the prime rib and skip the dessert. It is the only night those entrees are available and they are so good!

The main dining room meals are planned out for the week, and that you can actually check out the menus in advance.  All you have to do is ask someone at the front desk to see the menu for each night of your cruise. This can help you to plan whether you want to eat in the dining room, order room service, visit a specialty restaurant, or hit up a buffet.

13. Eat Dessert at the Coffee Shop

The specialty coffee shops on board cruise ships offer cappuccinos, lattes, and other specialty coffee drinks. These drinks cost extra and can be expensive. But many cruise lines have coffee shops with desserts that are all complimentary. Those wonderful cheesecakes, pastries, and cookies won’t cost you a thing. And the nice thing is that you don’t have to order a coffee drink. You can simply ask for your dessert of choice.

We have had to skip dessert in the dining room since we needed to leave early to watch a show. There have also been times that I couldn’t eat dessert right away (since I had eaten two entrees and fourteen appetizers!). It was nice that we could have a dessert from one of the specialty coffee shops after the show or just later in the evening.

14. Room Service is Free

On most ships/most cruise lines, room service is free. Some even let you pre-order breakfast for the next morning so that you can have your coffee and eggs in your PJ’s. Check with the cruise line as some have started charging a small fee for room service or a new “enhanced” room service option that costs extra.

15. Have Your Disembarkation Breakfast in the Main Dining Room

On the last day (disembarkation day/getting off the boat), room service is not available and the buffets are very crowded. We like to take our time and eat our breakfast in the main dining room. We almost always have the dining room to ourselves and we enjoy having some quiet time to talk about how much fun we had on our trip.

16. Enter Contests &  Sit Up Front at Shopping Lectures

There are usually lots of games and events to participate in on cruise ships. If you are at a seminar/lecture, and the speaker asks for a volunteer, throw your hand in the air and wave it like you just don’t care – and like you want some free stuff. There is probably a prize for the person who is chosen.

We went to a shopping seminar to hear about things to do in Cozumel. The speaker asked for a volunteer. The lady who was chosen was given a poncho, sombrero and some tequila. It was part of a cute little demonstration, and she got to keep everything she was given. She was sitting in the front row. At that same demonstration, my kiddos won a Del Sol Frisbee that changes color in the sun.

We also went to a sale on jewelry at the Carnival Fun Shops. Before the sale started, the lady asked for two volunteers.  She asked for two men to compete to make a bracelet for their wife or girlfriend. It was hilarious to watch them try to make the bracelet, and they both walked away with some jewelry as a prize.

My son volunteered to play a game at Hasbro Game Night and ended up winning a $100 Hasbro Gift Card. We also won a pearl necklace and earrings at a jewelry store in Cozumel.

There are usually lots of games, contests, and seminars on cruises – lots of opportunities to have a lot of fun and possibly walk away with a prize.

17. Bring Some Cash

(This is based on Mexico and Caribbean travel. European travel is going to be different)

All purchases on a cruise ship are usually made with your key card which is linked to your credit or debit card. However, there will be times when you need cash, like to tip the luggage handlers.  Most cruises require pre-paid gratuities, but you can offer tips to employees and should always tip for room service delivery.

It’s best to have small bills on hand for tipping and shopping.

If using cash in port, like in the Caribbean, be careful. Some vendors will give you change in their country’s instead of American money. In that situation, you end up losing some of your money because the dollar value is different.

And, some small vendors don’t accept credit cards, and you will need cash.

Also, you have to be careful with ATM’s in other countries. The ATM’s sometimes distribute cash in that country’s money and not American dollars. So, either you have to spend all that money in port or come home with $83.74 in Bahamian money as a souvenir.

Most people like using their credit card while on a cruise vacation, but there are some instances where you will need some cash.

I know there are a lot of cruise tips and cruise hacks out there, but these are some that I have really found helpful and hopefully, you will too.  Do you have any cruise hacks we should know about? Just let us know in the comments below!

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