21 tips and tricks that will make your first cruise go smoothly

the Points Guy ^ | Aug. 17, 2020 | Gene Sloan

[Capt. Tom]

Cruising is easy. Or so cruisers will tell you.

For starters, you only have to unpack once, even as you travel from place to place. You also don’t have to go hunting for a restaurant every night. There usually are a bunch just steps away from your cabin, and they have tables waiting for you. And you’ll have no trouble finding entertainment.

But even in its simplicity, cruising still can be daunting for a first-timer. What should you bring? What should you plan on doing in ports? What is the best way to book?

As The Points Guy’s cruise writer, I get these sorts of questions all the time.

Which brings me to the tips below. If you’ve read this far, you are likely a first-time cruiser looking for advice for an upcoming trip, and that’s exactly what this story is meant to offer. It contains my list of 21 ways to make the first sailing go more smoothly.

Arrive at your departure port a day ahead of schedule If you only follow one piece of advice in this story, it should be this one. It is the only way to ensure you won’t miss your ship — something that happens to cruisers more often than you would think.

If you’re traveling overseas for a cruise, we recommend traveling to the port two or even three days in advance. This isn’t just so you don’t miss the ship. It’s also so you have some time to recover from jet lag.

Throw all the clothes you think you’ll need on a cruise in a pile, and then take out half of it. You won’t need it. Trust us. Most cruising these days is casual, and you really only need a few outfits to rotate through a voyage...(plenty more in the article)

[SamAdams76]

I have no interest in confining myself within a giant petri dish with 5000 other people.

That is the classic response - of people who cannot afford to take cruises in the first place.

[AlaskaErik]

That is the classic response - of people who cannot afford to take cruises in the first place.

We could easily afford a cruise. Easily. Without having to finance it or go into debt. I simply have no interest in taking a cruise. I've already been all over the world, so I've had my fill of international travel. I prefer exploring the US now that I'm retired. So I have a travel trailer at my Alaska house for exploring Alaska and another travel trailer at my Arizona winter house for exploring the Lower 48. Unlike a lot of people, I planned for my retirement so that finances would never be a worry for us.

[Capt. Tom]

.......... cruising is done for ever...

I don't believe cruising is done forever, but our inept and incompetent CDC and the UNWHO can give Cruising a setback, as we have discussed in earlier postings.

Since the article below was written 4 months ago, our CDC has extended the shutdown beyond July, and is looking to get further input to further delay the cruise openings in this country.
This will cause more problems for cruise lines operating ships in and out of our country.

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an article from Greg Allen on April 22, 2020- last paragraph.-

Cruise lines have insurance to cover any possible awards or settlements, so the cases are unlikely to have much of a financial impact on the companies. A much larger threat to the industry is the no-sail order in effect in the U.S., its largest market, and the possibility it could be extended beyond July.

[Ann Archy]

Our CDC is NOT INERPT as much as it is ANTI-TRUMP and ANTI FUN!