Looking for some first-time cruise ship facts you haven’t heard yet?
I recently went on my third cruise and I realized there are still things that surprise me.
Not only that but there are those odd tips that you just don’t hear.
That you don’t hear about but would have been nice to have known before going?
I’ll admit, these first-time cruise ship facts are kind of all over the place.
They might not even initially apply to your cruise but here they are just in case 🙂
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Cruise Ship Facts
You might still feel lost
You will still be lost on the last day of your cruise.
Even if it’s a 10-day or longer cruise, you’ll be surprised to find out that you might still be finding new places on your last day.
And/or forgetting just how to get to another part of the ship.
For example, on some decks ( that’s ship speak for floors) you can’t walk them to get to both ends of the ship.
Meaning, you’ll have to either go up a deck or two or down to then be able to get to where you want to go.
Most of the elevators will stop at each deck so you might think you can then get to your destination.
But you’ll find out that you’ll have to go back up or down to get around!
Plus, a lot of times, on the upper decks are where specific activities are held.
Miniature golf was on a top deck in the front of the ship and the only way to get there was being in the front of the ship.
It took several trips there to finally, sort of, remember, how to get there lol!
Bring cold/hot weather clothes
On this last cruise, which was to Mexico, a storm blew in which considerably cooled things off.
People were walking around with their room blankets wrapped around themselves.
They hadn’t brought anything warm with them and they were freezing.
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Booking.comYou can get free jewelry
If you’re willing to sit through a jewelry presentation you will be gifted with free jewelry.
The ones I’ve attended have been an hour or less and I’ve actually learned something too so it’s worth it to me.
Plus, you might get coupons for free charms at your ports that will make perfect souvenirs!
I’ve been wearing my jewelry since getting back from the cruise and I love them.
Don’t get excursions through the cruise
Save money and get tours once you’re off the ship.
We have found they are safe and reliable.
Just be aware that the ship will leave you if you’re not back on time.
And of course, use your own judgment.
About half the time we still book excursions through the ship.
One, because of the convenience.
Two, for the feeling of safety.
But then again, we’ve gotten tours off the ship and have had great experiences too.
Make the most of your cruise – it’s all up to you!
Food is not always available
One thing I always heard about cruise ships and one of the awesome benefits to cruising is that you can always eat.
Well, I have not found that to be the case.
Not all food is available all the time, at least on the ships I’ve traveled on.
Now, during this trip, pizza and ice cream were available 24 hours.
But on past cruises, ice cream was supposedly open all the time but I could never find that spot.
Granted, room service seemed available but you’d have to wait for it and it was delivered to your room.
It isn’t like you could just pick it up while you’re walking around.
Food will be the same
You will find that they serve the same food throughout the trip with some exceptions.
If you visit every different restaurant on your cruise you may get lucky and be able to enjoy different variations throughout.
We had a tendency to just go to the buffet area and sure enough by about the third or fourth day I wasn’t excited to go eat.
Booking.comChoose your cruise line carefully
Some cruise lines cater to younger families better than others.
Although, I guess it depends on what you’re looking for.
We took one cruise that was not necessarily for families with little ones.
They did have a kids club but no extra activities for kids, nothing geared towards them like miniature golf, etc.
But my son was beloved by the staff and even the other guests.
Plus there were movies, free on the tv in our cabin.
Another cruise, which was definitely geared towards kids, had plenty of activities and the kids club but there seemed to be less interaction with the staff.
And you had to pay to watch any of the ‘provided’ movies.
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Entertainment is late
Some of the entertainment will happen pretty late.
Now, I might be showing my age but staying up until 11 pm to see a show, especially when you have little ones is just out of the question.
Loving your experience is up to you
How you enjoy your cruise, or not, is totally up to you.
Figuring out whether you are a do as much as you can or a do as little as you can is important.
Whether you are a go to the presentations and learn some new facts or lounge by the pool or on the deck and just enjoy the sun, is your choice.
Booking.comYou won’t always be busy
I feel like there will be times when you’ll feel busy trying to get to everything.
Yet, there will be times when you’ll feel like there’s nothing to do.
It’s o.k. to hang out in your cabin and just relax!
In Conclusion
And there you have it.
10 cruise ship facts that will help you prepare for you first, or next cruise!
